What do you think?
Rate this book
The Weekenders
The deaths of a series of young Eastern European women in Glasgow leads to a stately home in the Scottish countryside, and back to the Second World War, where a group of young soldiers made their own, shocking rules… Saltire Prize shortlisted author David F. Ross returns with an extraordinary, dark mystery – first in a new series.
__________
Glasgow, 1966: Stevie 'Minto' Milloy, former star footballer-turned-rookie reporter, finds himself trailing the story of a young Eastern European student whose body has been found on remote moorland outside the city. How did she get there from her hostel at the Sovereign Grace Mission, and why does Stevie find obstacles at every turn?
Italy, 1943: As the Allies fight Mussolini's troops, a group of young soldiers are separated from their platoon, and Glaswegian Jamesie Campbell, his newfound friend Michael McTavish at his side, finds himself free to make his own rules…
Glasgow, 1969: Courtroom sketch artist Donald 'Doodle' Malpas is shocked to discover that his new case involves the murder of a teenage Lithuanian girl he knows from the Sovereign Grace Mission. Why hasn't the girl's death been reported? And why is a young police constable suddenly so keen to join the mission?
No one seems willing to join the dots between the two cases, and how they link to Raskine House, the stately home in the Scottish countryside with a dark history and even darker present – the venue for the debauched parties held there by the rich and powerful of the city who call themselves 'The Weekenders'.
Painting a picture of a 1960s Glasgow in the throes of a permissive society, pulled apart by religion, corruption, and a murderous Bible John stalking the streets, The Weekenders is a snapshot of an era of turmoil – and a terrifying insight into the mind of a ruthless criminal…
__________
Glasgow, 1966: Stevie 'Minto' Milloy, former star footballer-turned-rookie reporter, finds himself trailing the story of a young Eastern European student whose body has been found on remote moorland outside the city. How did she get there from her hostel at the Sovereign Grace Mission, and why does Stevie find obstacles at every turn?
Italy, 1943: As the Allies fight Mussolini's troops, a group of young soldiers are separated from their platoon, and Glaswegian Jamesie Campbell, his newfound friend Michael McTavish at his side, finds himself free to make his own rules…
Glasgow, 1969: Courtroom sketch artist Donald 'Doodle' Malpas is shocked to discover that his new case involves the murder of a teenage Lithuanian girl he knows from the Sovereign Grace Mission. Why hasn't the girl's death been reported? And why is a young police constable suddenly so keen to join the mission?
No one seems willing to join the dots between the two cases, and how they link to Raskine House, the stately home in the Scottish countryside with a dark history and even darker present – the venue for the debauched parties held there by the rich and powerful of the city who call themselves 'The Weekenders'.
Painting a picture of a 1960s Glasgow in the throes of a permissive society, pulled apart by religion, corruption, and a murderous Bible John stalking the streets, The Weekenders is a snapshot of an era of turmoil – and a terrifying insight into the mind of a ruthless criminal…
- GenresHistorical Fiction
300 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2025
11 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
David F. Ross
29 books34 followersDavid F. Ross is a Scottish author, best known for the Disco Days trilogy of novels.
He resides in Kilmarnock with his wife and their two children.
He resides in Kilmarnock with his wife and their two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 27, 2025
a dark novel which quite enjoyed
January 12, 2025
I love the work of David F. Ross. It doesn't matter wich of his books you pick up, you know that you will get something that is brilliantly written, often surprisingly emotional, and can still deliver some comedy moments, even if the depth and volume of the laughter may vary. He has a wonderful turn of phrase, a sharp, biting, wit that is pure Scotland - an often the vernacular to match, so if you are an english purist, be warned. You'll have to turn on your interpretation talents as the book is oft written, as it should be, as a pure reflection of the characters Mr Ross is skillfully portraying. It's what gives his books such a sense of authenticity, and a grittiness that, in the case of The Weekenders, is very much needed. This is no coming of age comedic turn like his first novel, The Last Days of Disco, nor an out and out emotional manipulator of a book like Danny Garvey. For me it sits on the darker side of his work, still with that vein of acerbic humour, but there is only so far you can honestly take that given the subject matter.
The book is told in three parts, the first given over, in the main, to newly appointed Sports reporter, Stevie 'Minto' Malloy. A career ending injury saw his swift departure from his career as a football player, but a strange twist of fate sees him embark upon a new career. An even stranger one see his partnered with a journalist form the crime desk, and front and centre at a press conference about the murder of a young woman. Something about the case pricks Minto's interest, and the rest, as they say, is history. Much like any of the people who dare to delve too deeply into what is really happening in this case as it turns out.
This is a very dark and twisted tale, and one that anybody who is paying attention will be quick to figure out. But when put into context, given that this story is set in the late 1960's, out modern day sensibilities are more finely tuned to abuse and murder than they have ever been, and corruption is exposed on a nearly daily basis. In the 60's , it was day to day business practice, even, or more especially, in the police and political spheres in which some of the characters in the book circle. How far Minto gets in investigating what happens you will have to read to find out, but for me this part ended in surprisingly emotional fashion. I wasn't really expecting it, and that made me all the more curious about what was left to come.
The second part of the book takes us a little further back in history, exploring the life and times of one of the key players in the novel, Jamesie Campbell, from his time serving in World War II, to how he rose to prominence as an leading member of the unions and future political wannabe. This is maybe where the book is at its darkest, and not just because it is hard to find humour in the heart of war. There are some very tense moments, and scenes that might make you feel a little uncomfortable. But it is a compelling vision of a very ruthless character, and the author has done a brilliant job of conveying the darkness that lies deep within him, explaining, if not remotely forgiving, what he is to become.
The final part of the book is dedicated to a very different character indeed, Doodle. He is a court sketch artist, committed to his church, but a little fast a loose with honesty whenever it suits him to be. We get his back story - quite tragic as it happens - but it is more about what he is able to witness as someone who just blends into the background. Someone who people dismiss as unimportant or incapable, when it is through his eyes that we learn more about the truth of what is happening in the Raskine House, of the series name fame. Between Doodle and Minto we also get to understand the tragic meaning of the title, and the way in which it speaks of the corruption, prejudice and misogyny at the heart of the story. I kind of liked Doodle, although that is partly due to the author's skill to, making you feel for characters whose laundry is perhaps not necessarily the whitest shade of white either. There are many layers to Doodle, and I think David F. Ross has pitched his character perfectly, especially to deliver this particular part of the story.
Now this book has a very definite ending, a conclusion for nearly all of the key characters involved that doesn't necessarily lend itself to their future engagement in the series, so I am really intrigued to see where this might lead. But as this is the Raskine House trilogy, and the house itself is a key part of everything that comes to pass in this particular tale of debauchery, corruption, and murder, I have no doubt that whatever happens next, it will be as devious, dark, and intriguing as The Weekenders was. The writing is as exquisite, descriptive and visual as ever, and I was drawn deep into the story by a desire to see justice done for the many victims in this case. It takes real skill to make something so absorbing from a cast of characters who are, largely, just vile. Definitely recommended. Fans of the author will love it.
The book is told in three parts, the first given over, in the main, to newly appointed Sports reporter, Stevie 'Minto' Malloy. A career ending injury saw his swift departure from his career as a football player, but a strange twist of fate sees him embark upon a new career. An even stranger one see his partnered with a journalist form the crime desk, and front and centre at a press conference about the murder of a young woman. Something about the case pricks Minto's interest, and the rest, as they say, is history. Much like any of the people who dare to delve too deeply into what is really happening in this case as it turns out.
This is a very dark and twisted tale, and one that anybody who is paying attention will be quick to figure out. But when put into context, given that this story is set in the late 1960's, out modern day sensibilities are more finely tuned to abuse and murder than they have ever been, and corruption is exposed on a nearly daily basis. In the 60's , it was day to day business practice, even, or more especially, in the police and political spheres in which some of the characters in the book circle. How far Minto gets in investigating what happens you will have to read to find out, but for me this part ended in surprisingly emotional fashion. I wasn't really expecting it, and that made me all the more curious about what was left to come.
The second part of the book takes us a little further back in history, exploring the life and times of one of the key players in the novel, Jamesie Campbell, from his time serving in World War II, to how he rose to prominence as an leading member of the unions and future political wannabe. This is maybe where the book is at its darkest, and not just because it is hard to find humour in the heart of war. There are some very tense moments, and scenes that might make you feel a little uncomfortable. But it is a compelling vision of a very ruthless character, and the author has done a brilliant job of conveying the darkness that lies deep within him, explaining, if not remotely forgiving, what he is to become.
The final part of the book is dedicated to a very different character indeed, Doodle. He is a court sketch artist, committed to his church, but a little fast a loose with honesty whenever it suits him to be. We get his back story - quite tragic as it happens - but it is more about what he is able to witness as someone who just blends into the background. Someone who people dismiss as unimportant or incapable, when it is through his eyes that we learn more about the truth of what is happening in the Raskine House, of the series name fame. Between Doodle and Minto we also get to understand the tragic meaning of the title, and the way in which it speaks of the corruption, prejudice and misogyny at the heart of the story. I kind of liked Doodle, although that is partly due to the author's skill to, making you feel for characters whose laundry is perhaps not necessarily the whitest shade of white either. There are many layers to Doodle, and I think David F. Ross has pitched his character perfectly, especially to deliver this particular part of the story.
Now this book has a very definite ending, a conclusion for nearly all of the key characters involved that doesn't necessarily lend itself to their future engagement in the series, so I am really intrigued to see where this might lead. But as this is the Raskine House trilogy, and the house itself is a key part of everything that comes to pass in this particular tale of debauchery, corruption, and murder, I have no doubt that whatever happens next, it will be as devious, dark, and intriguing as The Weekenders was. The writing is as exquisite, descriptive and visual as ever, and I was drawn deep into the story by a desire to see justice done for the many victims in this case. It takes real skill to make something so absorbing from a cast of characters who are, largely, just vile. Definitely recommended. Fans of the author will love it.
February 21, 2025
Glasgow, 1966. Stevie ‘Minto’ Milloy, a former professional footballer, lands himself a job as a sports correspondent for the Daily Star. A young woman’s body is found on a moorland near Raskine House. She is identified as Janina Zukauskas of Lithuania. She came to Scotland on an exchange programme and she lived at the quarters of the Sovereign Grace Mission, led by Pastor McTavish. At the weekends, she did some cleaning work at Raskine House.
Stevie starts too many questions and this might lead to trouble heading his way.
Glasgow, 1969. Donald ‘Doodle’ Malpas is a deaf man who lost his hearing as a young boy during the Clydebank Blitz. He works as a composite artist for the police. He is also very religious and a disciple for the Sovereign Grace Mission. When a young woman, Emilija Baltakis of Lithuania, is brutally murdered, ‘Doodle’ starts to ask questions.
Italy, 1944. Jamesie Campbell and Michael McTavish meet each other during WWII. McTavish saves Jamesie’s life, and this bonds the two men for life.
All three stories are linked by one thing: Raskine House, a house of horrors, with a 300-year-old history. At the heart of it all, ‘Big’ Jamesie Campbell.
I won’t reveal any more of the plot, but let me tell you that this book is brutal. It portrays Glasgow during its most dangerous and excruciating decade. Poverty and unemployment was rife, and gangs were springing up everywhere.
The author brings all of that to life with slum-living conditions, tenements ready for demolition, the violence and the scheming. Some of the depictions (especially the scenes relating to Jamesie’s story in 1944) were shocking and disturbing.
However, I loved how the characters spoke in Scots! I cannot wait for another book in this series.
Stevie starts too many questions and this might lead to trouble heading his way.
Glasgow, 1969. Donald ‘Doodle’ Malpas is a deaf man who lost his hearing as a young boy during the Clydebank Blitz. He works as a composite artist for the police. He is also very religious and a disciple for the Sovereign Grace Mission. When a young woman, Emilija Baltakis of Lithuania, is brutally murdered, ‘Doodle’ starts to ask questions.
Italy, 1944. Jamesie Campbell and Michael McTavish meet each other during WWII. McTavish saves Jamesie’s life, and this bonds the two men for life.
All three stories are linked by one thing: Raskine House, a house of horrors, with a 300-year-old history. At the heart of it all, ‘Big’ Jamesie Campbell.
I won’t reveal any more of the plot, but let me tell you that this book is brutal. It portrays Glasgow during its most dangerous and excruciating decade. Poverty and unemployment was rife, and gangs were springing up everywhere.
The author brings all of that to life with slum-living conditions, tenements ready for demolition, the violence and the scheming. Some of the depictions (especially the scenes relating to Jamesie’s story in 1944) were shocking and disturbing.
However, I loved how the characters spoke in Scots! I cannot wait for another book in this series.
June 25, 2025
David F. Ross always marries convincingly flawed characters with a razor-sharp plot and a graphic sense of place, and so the prospect of his first crime novel was an exciting prospect – even more so as The Weekenders is the first in a trilogy.
The novel is split into three separate parts; the first and third sections are set in 1960s Glasgow and bookend the chapters which take place in the Second World War. Through the perspectives of first Stevie 'Minto' Milloy and later, Donald 'Doodle' Malpas, we witness the stark contrasts of a city on the brink of huge social change, yet still bound by the concurrent divisions and affinities wrought by religion, football and poverty. Stevie is a former professional footballer who was once destined for a glittering move to Chelsea before a horror tackle ended his career. As with his earlier book, There's Only One Danny Garvey, David F. Ross perceptively captures the cataclysmic effect of this sudden deathblow to a man's hopes, dreams and sense of worth. Stevie is also facing the breakdown of his marriage and it's this which drives him almost to the point of obsession after he learns of the murder of a young Lithuanian woman.
Having secured a new role as a rookie sports journalist working for the Daily Star, he is surprised to be told to accompany veteran crime reporter Jock Meikle. Meikle is a complicated character; he dresses in the all-black of Yul Brynner in the Magnificent Seven and is described as having a face like 'a sandy-coloured leather satchel' but he drives a dilapidated Ford Anglia. He is a man of few spoken words yet verbose in print and considered a dinosaur by his bosses. Stevie struggles to understand why he remains at the paper but gradually the pair form a bond. In some of the most poignant scenes in the early parts of the novel, Stevie recognises the sad parallels between their lonely, self-destructive lives but his attempts to avoid the same tragic downward spiral are derailed by his curiosity, sense of justice and perhaps most acutely, his desire for revenge. As he becomes convinced that the truth behind the young woman's murder has been suppressed, he discovers a link between her hostel at the Sovereign Grace Mission and Raskine House, home of prospective Labour MP, Jamesie Campbell.
The dark history of Raskine House is first described in the prologue, with further information about the shocking deaths which have occurred there revealed later. The juxtaposition between the gritty realism of most of the book and the depiction of the house almost as a malevolent entity in its own right is fascinating but although a bench there is said to belong to the Devil, The Weekenders is really an exploration of how a home becomes infused by the character of its residents and the 'sweat of dishonest toil', including Jamesie Campbell. Jamesie had a brutal upbringing but has married into the powerful Denton-Hall family whose influence is far-reaching. This is no inspirational rags-to-riches story, however, and the chapters set in wartime Italy give a grim, disturbing insight into the sort of man Campbell really is.
Opportunistic, unpredictable and merciless, Jamesie takes advantage of the chaos of war, manipulating his three younger comrades into following him away from the frontline. This is arguably the darkest part of The Weekenders, at least in terms of the atrocities described here but although some of these scenes are uncomfortable to bear witness to, they are vital to the unflinching realism of the plot. While never excusing his violence, the exploration behind his monstrous behaviour and eventual rise to political prominence is compelling.
Like Stevie, Doodle is on the periphery of society but while the former footballer is constantly reminded of all he has lost, Doodle has never really known anything else. He makes a living as a courtroom sketch artist and volunteers at the Sovereign Grace Mission, where his devout faith and attempts to spread the word of God even sees him savagely beaten up. Doodle is possibly the most intriguing figure in a book filled with memorable characters. He initially appears to be a pitiful creation with a tragic background, whose deafness sees him mocked and ignored. However, there is a canny side to him too and his dishonesty allows him to almost remain hidden in plain sight. Sidelined and belittled as mentally deficient as well unable to hear, he begins to learn the truth about Raskine House and the debauched 'Weekenders' who give the book its title. Reflecting a period when, as we know from real-life examples, the supposed great and good from the worlds of politics and celebrity sated their twisted desires protected by an establishment only too ready to turn a blind eye to the most heinous behaviour.
The Weekenders is an uncompromising story of violence and retribution in the dark, underbelly of mid-twentieth century Glasgow and so it's fitting that the dialogue authentically reflects the Glaswegian dialect and its black sense of humour. David F. Ross vividly brings this period of immense change to life, peppering the storyline throughout with real-life events such as the World Cup, industrial strikes and the murderous reign of the serial killer known as Bible John. The Weekenders is intricately plotted, complex and immersive historical crime fiction, and a candid, thought-provoking examination of human behaviour and societal upheaval. I thoroughly enjoyed it and await the next instalment with eager anticipation.
The novel is split into three separate parts; the first and third sections are set in 1960s Glasgow and bookend the chapters which take place in the Second World War. Through the perspectives of first Stevie 'Minto' Milloy and later, Donald 'Doodle' Malpas, we witness the stark contrasts of a city on the brink of huge social change, yet still bound by the concurrent divisions and affinities wrought by religion, football and poverty. Stevie is a former professional footballer who was once destined for a glittering move to Chelsea before a horror tackle ended his career. As with his earlier book, There's Only One Danny Garvey, David F. Ross perceptively captures the cataclysmic effect of this sudden deathblow to a man's hopes, dreams and sense of worth. Stevie is also facing the breakdown of his marriage and it's this which drives him almost to the point of obsession after he learns of the murder of a young Lithuanian woman.
Having secured a new role as a rookie sports journalist working for the Daily Star, he is surprised to be told to accompany veteran crime reporter Jock Meikle. Meikle is a complicated character; he dresses in the all-black of Yul Brynner in the Magnificent Seven and is described as having a face like 'a sandy-coloured leather satchel' but he drives a dilapidated Ford Anglia. He is a man of few spoken words yet verbose in print and considered a dinosaur by his bosses. Stevie struggles to understand why he remains at the paper but gradually the pair form a bond. In some of the most poignant scenes in the early parts of the novel, Stevie recognises the sad parallels between their lonely, self-destructive lives but his attempts to avoid the same tragic downward spiral are derailed by his curiosity, sense of justice and perhaps most acutely, his desire for revenge. As he becomes convinced that the truth behind the young woman's murder has been suppressed, he discovers a link between her hostel at the Sovereign Grace Mission and Raskine House, home of prospective Labour MP, Jamesie Campbell.
The dark history of Raskine House is first described in the prologue, with further information about the shocking deaths which have occurred there revealed later. The juxtaposition between the gritty realism of most of the book and the depiction of the house almost as a malevolent entity in its own right is fascinating but although a bench there is said to belong to the Devil, The Weekenders is really an exploration of how a home becomes infused by the character of its residents and the 'sweat of dishonest toil', including Jamesie Campbell. Jamesie had a brutal upbringing but has married into the powerful Denton-Hall family whose influence is far-reaching. This is no inspirational rags-to-riches story, however, and the chapters set in wartime Italy give a grim, disturbing insight into the sort of man Campbell really is.
Opportunistic, unpredictable and merciless, Jamesie takes advantage of the chaos of war, manipulating his three younger comrades into following him away from the frontline. This is arguably the darkest part of The Weekenders, at least in terms of the atrocities described here but although some of these scenes are uncomfortable to bear witness to, they are vital to the unflinching realism of the plot. While never excusing his violence, the exploration behind his monstrous behaviour and eventual rise to political prominence is compelling.
Like Stevie, Doodle is on the periphery of society but while the former footballer is constantly reminded of all he has lost, Doodle has never really known anything else. He makes a living as a courtroom sketch artist and volunteers at the Sovereign Grace Mission, where his devout faith and attempts to spread the word of God even sees him savagely beaten up. Doodle is possibly the most intriguing figure in a book filled with memorable characters. He initially appears to be a pitiful creation with a tragic background, whose deafness sees him mocked and ignored. However, there is a canny side to him too and his dishonesty allows him to almost remain hidden in plain sight. Sidelined and belittled as mentally deficient as well unable to hear, he begins to learn the truth about Raskine House and the debauched 'Weekenders' who give the book its title. Reflecting a period when, as we know from real-life examples, the supposed great and good from the worlds of politics and celebrity sated their twisted desires protected by an establishment only too ready to turn a blind eye to the most heinous behaviour.
The Weekenders is an uncompromising story of violence and retribution in the dark, underbelly of mid-twentieth century Glasgow and so it's fitting that the dialogue authentically reflects the Glaswegian dialect and its black sense of humour. David F. Ross vividly brings this period of immense change to life, peppering the storyline throughout with real-life events such as the World Cup, industrial strikes and the murderous reign of the serial killer known as Bible John. The Weekenders is intricately plotted, complex and immersive historical crime fiction, and a candid, thought-provoking examination of human behaviour and societal upheaval. I thoroughly enjoyed it and await the next instalment with eager anticipation.
February 19, 2025
Glasgow, 1966: Stevie 'Minto' Malloy's life is on the slide since a shattered leg brought his career as a professional football player to an end. In the midst of navigating a broken marriage and constant reminders of the future snatched away from him, he finds himself unexpectedly being given a job as sports correspondent for the Daily Star. Taken under the wing of veteran crime reporter Jock Meickle, Minto becomes obsessed by the investigation into the murder of a young Lithuanian exchange student from the Sovereign Grace Mission. When he discovers a link to local stately home, Raskine House, and the mysterious parties of 'The Weekenders', he uncovers a web of secrets, lies and corruption that lead him into danger.
Italy, 1943: The Allies land in Italy to battle Mussolini's troops. A group of disaffected young soldiers go rogue when they are separated from the invading army. Jamesie Campbell and his new friend Michael McTavish, a fellow Glaswegian, decide to follow their own brutal path - a path that continues on their return to Scotland, when Campbell becomes entangled with the Denton-Hall family of Raskine House.
Glasgow, 1969: Deeply religious, courtroom artist Donald 'Doodle' Malpas is shocked when a Lithuanian girl he knows from the Sovereign Grace Mission is murdered. As he follows the course of the trial of the man accused of her murder, he begins to question exactly what is going on at the mission run by his mentor, Pastor McTavish - especially when young constable joins the congregation and starts asking questions about the mission's link to parties at Raskine House.
The novel unfurls through these three linked timelines, beginning and ending in the Swinging Sixties, and throwing you back into the disturbing wartime past of central characters Jamesie Campbell and Michael McTavish in-between. In typical Ross style, each part of the intricate weft and warp of the whole literary tapestry brings you to severed threads, which then connect to new ones in a most disorienting way - something I always really enjoy about his writing.
Everything revolves around the enigmatic Raskine House, through the murky saga of the Denton-Hall family. Ross litters his story with little tit-bits about eerie goings on at the house, piquing your interest with violent shenanigans and links to tragedies that make it pretty clear this is a place where blood has seeped into its very foundations and evil reigns.For this first book he mostly focuses on the 1960s with the deaths of Lithuanian girls trafficked into Scotland as prey for the celebrities and pillar-of-the-community types who party hard as 'The Weekenders' - with a disturbing glimpse into brutal coming of age activities from the 1940s onwards.
This is Ross at his darkest, revelling in acts of debauchery that liken The Weekenders to the very worst of the Hellfire Club, with a side-order of psychedelic drugs. Some of this was pretty close to the knuckle for me, but I really enjoyed how time and place absolutely zings in this book - the music, popular culture, social conditions, and references to events happening in the background are pitched to atmospheric perfection. I also loved the use of dialect, and how Ross explores the interaction between permissive attitudes of the 1960s and behaviour (particularly of damaged individuals); wide-spread institutional corruption of the past; the incestuous relationships of the powerful on both sides of the law; religious fervour masking the most heinous of acts; and exploitation of the vulnerable.
There is no doubt that this is a challenging read that pushes the boundary between gritty crime and horror, and I am still processing many psychological aspects of the story and Ross' intentions - particularly when it comes to the connection between evil acts, their perpetrators, and the places where they take place. I am intrigued about what comes next in this trilogy...
Italy, 1943: The Allies land in Italy to battle Mussolini's troops. A group of disaffected young soldiers go rogue when they are separated from the invading army. Jamesie Campbell and his new friend Michael McTavish, a fellow Glaswegian, decide to follow their own brutal path - a path that continues on their return to Scotland, when Campbell becomes entangled with the Denton-Hall family of Raskine House.
Glasgow, 1969: Deeply religious, courtroom artist Donald 'Doodle' Malpas is shocked when a Lithuanian girl he knows from the Sovereign Grace Mission is murdered. As he follows the course of the trial of the man accused of her murder, he begins to question exactly what is going on at the mission run by his mentor, Pastor McTavish - especially when young constable joins the congregation and starts asking questions about the mission's link to parties at Raskine House.
The novel unfurls through these three linked timelines, beginning and ending in the Swinging Sixties, and throwing you back into the disturbing wartime past of central characters Jamesie Campbell and Michael McTavish in-between. In typical Ross style, each part of the intricate weft and warp of the whole literary tapestry brings you to severed threads, which then connect to new ones in a most disorienting way - something I always really enjoy about his writing.
Everything revolves around the enigmatic Raskine House, through the murky saga of the Denton-Hall family. Ross litters his story with little tit-bits about eerie goings on at the house, piquing your interest with violent shenanigans and links to tragedies that make it pretty clear this is a place where blood has seeped into its very foundations and evil reigns.For this first book he mostly focuses on the 1960s with the deaths of Lithuanian girls trafficked into Scotland as prey for the celebrities and pillar-of-the-community types who party hard as 'The Weekenders' - with a disturbing glimpse into brutal coming of age activities from the 1940s onwards.
This is Ross at his darkest, revelling in acts of debauchery that liken The Weekenders to the very worst of the Hellfire Club, with a side-order of psychedelic drugs. Some of this was pretty close to the knuckle for me, but I really enjoyed how time and place absolutely zings in this book - the music, popular culture, social conditions, and references to events happening in the background are pitched to atmospheric perfection. I also loved the use of dialect, and how Ross explores the interaction between permissive attitudes of the 1960s and behaviour (particularly of damaged individuals); wide-spread institutional corruption of the past; the incestuous relationships of the powerful on both sides of the law; religious fervour masking the most heinous of acts; and exploitation of the vulnerable.
There is no doubt that this is a challenging read that pushes the boundary between gritty crime and horror, and I am still processing many psychological aspects of the story and Ross' intentions - particularly when it comes to the connection between evil acts, their perpetrators, and the places where they take place. I am intrigued about what comes next in this trilogy...
March 3, 2025
https://www.booksbybindu.com/home/the...
‘The Weekenders’ is the start of a new trilogy from the pen of David F. Ross and it was dark and violent but utterly engaging. It picks at the underworld of Glasgow in differing timelines but it is a Glasgow I can still recognise. Those who ‘have’ manoeuvring those who don’t. A struggle for power. An attempt to survive. It is a descriptive and complex world and our characters are just trying to get by.
‘The Weekenders’ is packed full of Glaswegian Scots and this gives it an authenticity and a gritty feel which is perfect for this unflinching storyline. David has a brilliant writing style that immediately draws in the reader and his turn of phrase adds in humour and lightness to what could be and is a quite dark tale. It is divided into three POV’s and three distinct timelines. The first part of the book follows Steve ‘Minto’ Malloy, a newly appointed sports journalist for a national rag. He was a rising star in Scottish football but an injury took him out and he was given this opportunity. However, he is paired with a guy from the Crime Desk and begins to investigate the death of a young woman in Glasgow. It gets under his skin and he becomes determined to find out what happened and this causes a whole load of trouble. Glasgow in the 1960’s was a different beast and murder and violence was much more common place and this is reflected here, there is a casual acceptance that this is the norm and just get on with it.
We are then treated to the early life of James Campbell a local man turned ‘big man’ but this is origin story so to speak. We see him in during the World War II and his relationships with the rest of his unit as they traverse the Italian countryside. The action then moves to a large mansion, Raskine House, just outside Glasgow that has been repatriated to hospitals or recovery centres where Jamesie has been sent. Its here that his character develops and matures but whether this is a positive thing is up to the reader… I certainly did not like him. David’s writing manages to convey such a sense of repulsion that I am still thinking of Jamesie weeks later.
Then the timeline flips forward again to a court artist called Doodle and his is underestimated his whole life by society as he is deaf. But Doodle is a complex and layered character that makes the reader feel empathy and kindness towards him. His character captures your attention and you end up rooting for him. He is a character that lives in the shadows as no one really pays him attention and that is his secret weapon. It is in this section that all the threads come together and we begin to understand what is happening at Raskine House.
This was an intriguing novel that was multilayered and a captivating read. David manages to grab your attention and keep it even though most characters are disgusting and it was at times uncomfortable reading but it leaves you wanting more. Turns out the main character is the house itself and who knows what devilish deeds the next book has in store for us?! I am certainly looking forward to it!
‘The Weekenders’ is the start of a new trilogy from the pen of David F. Ross and it was dark and violent but utterly engaging. It picks at the underworld of Glasgow in differing timelines but it is a Glasgow I can still recognise. Those who ‘have’ manoeuvring those who don’t. A struggle for power. An attempt to survive. It is a descriptive and complex world and our characters are just trying to get by.
‘The Weekenders’ is packed full of Glaswegian Scots and this gives it an authenticity and a gritty feel which is perfect for this unflinching storyline. David has a brilliant writing style that immediately draws in the reader and his turn of phrase adds in humour and lightness to what could be and is a quite dark tale. It is divided into three POV’s and three distinct timelines. The first part of the book follows Steve ‘Minto’ Malloy, a newly appointed sports journalist for a national rag. He was a rising star in Scottish football but an injury took him out and he was given this opportunity. However, he is paired with a guy from the Crime Desk and begins to investigate the death of a young woman in Glasgow. It gets under his skin and he becomes determined to find out what happened and this causes a whole load of trouble. Glasgow in the 1960’s was a different beast and murder and violence was much more common place and this is reflected here, there is a casual acceptance that this is the norm and just get on with it.
We are then treated to the early life of James Campbell a local man turned ‘big man’ but this is origin story so to speak. We see him in during the World War II and his relationships with the rest of his unit as they traverse the Italian countryside. The action then moves to a large mansion, Raskine House, just outside Glasgow that has been repatriated to hospitals or recovery centres where Jamesie has been sent. Its here that his character develops and matures but whether this is a positive thing is up to the reader… I certainly did not like him. David’s writing manages to convey such a sense of repulsion that I am still thinking of Jamesie weeks later.
Then the timeline flips forward again to a court artist called Doodle and his is underestimated his whole life by society as he is deaf. But Doodle is a complex and layered character that makes the reader feel empathy and kindness towards him. His character captures your attention and you end up rooting for him. He is a character that lives in the shadows as no one really pays him attention and that is his secret weapon. It is in this section that all the threads come together and we begin to understand what is happening at Raskine House.
This was an intriguing novel that was multilayered and a captivating read. David manages to grab your attention and keep it even though most characters are disgusting and it was at times uncomfortable reading but it leaves you wanting more. Turns out the main character is the house itself and who knows what devilish deeds the next book has in store for us?! I am certainly looking forward to it!
March 20, 2025
This is now the second book of David F Ross I’ve read and it’s a real head-scratcher as to why he still needs a full time job. He is one of Scotland’s most underrated and underestimated writers. It’s a damning indictment of how Scotland treats its literary scene - particularly when we look at Ireland - and how it nurtures new and upcoming authors, creating an environment where they thrive.
Anyway, here Ross has presented us with an addictive, break-neck novel that sucks you in to the streets, courtrooms and news rooms of 1960s Glasgow. It’s particularly interesting to see the old fashioned ways of working in a Glasgow newsroom as someone who used to work in a Glasgow newsroom. Much has changed, but many things are still the same such as a mutual distrust between police and journos as well as a deep sense that police only tell you what they want you to print.
This isn’t a typical Glasgow crime novel though. Glasgow crime novels seem to centre around working class gangs who battle it out over turf and merchandise. Ross has elevated this by shining a light on the criminal frivolity and depravity of the Glaswegian and Scottish establishment.
No establishment body in Scotland is free from Ross’s wrath. Rangers FC. The media. The judiciary. The police. The Labour Party. The trade union movement.
It shows a different side to Glasgow, the innuendos of brown envelopes and funny handshakes and old boys clubs.
Some of the violence depicted in the novel really is rather gratuitous- but such was the nature of criminal violence in the 1960s.
This is one of those books you will use any spare moment to race through. You’ll stay up to the wee hours in the morning to finish it. The ending I think is a bit weird. It’s not 100% clear what happened, so I suppose we’ll have to wait on the next one for that.
Anyway, here Ross has presented us with an addictive, break-neck novel that sucks you in to the streets, courtrooms and news rooms of 1960s Glasgow. It’s particularly interesting to see the old fashioned ways of working in a Glasgow newsroom as someone who used to work in a Glasgow newsroom. Much has changed, but many things are still the same such as a mutual distrust between police and journos as well as a deep sense that police only tell you what they want you to print.
This isn’t a typical Glasgow crime novel though. Glasgow crime novels seem to centre around working class gangs who battle it out over turf and merchandise. Ross has elevated this by shining a light on the criminal frivolity and depravity of the Glaswegian and Scottish establishment.
No establishment body in Scotland is free from Ross’s wrath. Rangers FC. The media. The judiciary. The police. The Labour Party. The trade union movement.
It shows a different side to Glasgow, the innuendos of brown envelopes and funny handshakes and old boys clubs.
Some of the violence depicted in the novel really is rather gratuitous- but such was the nature of criminal violence in the 1960s.
This is one of those books you will use any spare moment to race through. You’ll stay up to the wee hours in the morning to finish it. The ending I think is a bit weird. It’s not 100% clear what happened, so I suppose we’ll have to wait on the next one for that.
March 5, 2025
One of my all time favourite novels is There's Only One Danny Garvey by David F Ross, published in 20202. Danny Garvey was told in four voices, during one era. Ross is so skilled at creating different and unique voices for his novel. In The Weekenders, we have two main narrators - Stevie 'Minto ' Molloy and Donald 'Doodle' Malpass, and the story is set in three, very separate, time scales. There's Stevie's story from 1966, as he finds his way as a new sports journalist after his successful football playing career is cut tragically short. Doodle tells his story in 1969, again in Glasgow. Doodle is a courtroom sketch artist and is troubled by the news of the murder of a Lithuanian girl.
The third part of the novel, and possibly the darkest and most graphic is set in during the war, in Italy in 1943, we are introduced to Jamsie Campbell and Michael McTavish, a couple of characters whose presence is felt throughout the story.
This is raw and violent and dark and straight to the point. Ross does not protect his readers from the realities of the Glasgow that is depicted within the plot. Coarse, strong language, mixed up with corruption and murder and the despicable behaviours displayed by those in power are to be found on every page of this truth filled, captivating and shocking story.
The characters are all flawed, yet there are some of them who the reader cannot fail to grow fond of, despite some of the things that they do, and say.
As he always does. David F Ross has intricately explored community and relationships within. There's a poignancy about the story, despite the starkness and violence. These are real people, their issues have shaped them, and those around them. It's wonderfully written and highly recommended by me.
The third part of the novel, and possibly the darkest and most graphic is set in during the war, in Italy in 1943, we are introduced to Jamsie Campbell and Michael McTavish, a couple of characters whose presence is felt throughout the story.
This is raw and violent and dark and straight to the point. Ross does not protect his readers from the realities of the Glasgow that is depicted within the plot. Coarse, strong language, mixed up with corruption and murder and the despicable behaviours displayed by those in power are to be found on every page of this truth filled, captivating and shocking story.
The characters are all flawed, yet there are some of them who the reader cannot fail to grow fond of, despite some of the things that they do, and say.
As he always does. David F Ross has intricately explored community and relationships within. There's a poignancy about the story, despite the starkness and violence. These are real people, their issues have shaped them, and those around them. It's wonderfully written and highly recommended by me.
February 7, 2025
The first in a new Scottish thriller series set largely in Glasgow and told in multiple timelines. A dark story, violent and uncomfortable. Includes a cornucopia of seemingly unrelated things - the effects of PTSD on two soldiers from WW2, an ex footballer turned reporter, a court sketch artist and a stately home near Glasgow where weekend parties are held. The conversation in the book is written in Glaswegian which I found difficult to interpret at times! This did slow my reading down somewhat.
Briefly, Glasgow in the late 1960’s in all its dreadful and miserable glory where a murderous ex soldier turned Mission Priest roams the streets. Reporter, Stevie 'Minto' Milloy, is investigating the murder of a young Lithuanian girl that seem to be connected to events in Italy in 1943 involving soldier Jamesie Campbell who now has political ambitions. Thwarted at every turn Minto never gets to the bottom of the case. Then 3 years later Donald 'Doodle' Malpas, a court sketch artist, finds himself in court for another murder case, again a young girl from Lithuania and he starts his own investigation.
There are dots joining each other all over the place but someone is clearly covering everything up and the picture still isn’t complete. This is a very disturbing read with a solution that is easy for the reader to see. There is no one to like as the characters are largely unpleasant, in fact most are really rather repellent! A good thriller I just need to swot up on my Scottish vernacular!
Briefly, Glasgow in the late 1960’s in all its dreadful and miserable glory where a murderous ex soldier turned Mission Priest roams the streets. Reporter, Stevie 'Minto' Milloy, is investigating the murder of a young Lithuanian girl that seem to be connected to events in Italy in 1943 involving soldier Jamesie Campbell who now has political ambitions. Thwarted at every turn Minto never gets to the bottom of the case. Then 3 years later Donald 'Doodle' Malpas, a court sketch artist, finds himself in court for another murder case, again a young girl from Lithuania and he starts his own investigation.
There are dots joining each other all over the place but someone is clearly covering everything up and the picture still isn’t complete. This is a very disturbing read with a solution that is easy for the reader to see. There is no one to like as the characters are largely unpleasant, in fact most are really rather repellent! A good thriller I just need to swot up on my Scottish vernacular!
February 28, 2025
The Weekenders, by David F. Ross, covers three time periods. We start in 1960s Glasgow with footballer-turned-sports-reporter Stevie “Minto” Milloy, who suspects there’s a link between a murdered Eastern European woman, the Sovereign Grace Mission, and Jamesie Campbell, the rich and powerful local man whose family owns the newspaper Minto works for. However, voicing these suspicions gets him into trouble.
We then go to Italy in the 1940s, when the aforementioned Campbell and his compatriot Michael McTavish go off the rails while separated from their unit. The story they fabricate when they return to the army, and their subsequent elevation to hero status, forms a lifelong bond neither would ever dare to break.
We then switch back to Glasgow later in the 1960s, when troubled courtroom artist and Sovereign Grace Mission member Donald “Doodle” Malpas makes a link between the church and two Lithuanian women who have been found dead in similar circumstances. He discovers that Jamesie Campbell and his infamous country pile, Raskine House, are also involved, but can he really be the one who brings the whole scheme crashing down?
The Weekenders is a good read, but maybe not for the faint of heart! The author certainly doesn’t hold back, whether he’s portraying the harshness of life for those down on their luck in 1960s Glasgow, the atrocities of the Second World War, or the cruelties and depravities of the irredeemable characters at the heart of the novel.
Ross’ rich, detailed descriptions of scenes from the past have an authentic feel that allowed me to get caught up in the story and invest in the characters (well, the less problematic ones, anyway!). His inclusion of Raskine House’s intriguing past, and use of different media to portray this, further adds to the “realness” of the story.
Even though most of the action takes places in the 1940s and 1960s, this book feels very timely. Jamesie Campbell – a rich, powerful psychopath who’s looking to get into politics – literally owns the media, and has the law in his pocket, so he, and by extension, not-so-holy man of the cloth Michael McTavish, seems untouchable and able to get away with anything.
While Stevie and Donald have their good and bad qualities, their position as everyday people who want to find out what’s going on, and question why nobody else seems to be joining the dots, puts you squarely in their corner.
Donald is particularly interesting to read about: the bombs that dropped on Glasgow when he was a child left him traumatised and partially deaf, but he can hear more than he lets on, and is more intelligent than people think. He’s an unreliable narrator, but it’s understandable given his history. There’s also a suggestion of the supernatural in his narrative that I’m not sure I quite “got”, but am hoping will become clearer to me in future instalments of this new series.
The Weekenders is absorbing, expansive, and timely.
We then go to Italy in the 1940s, when the aforementioned Campbell and his compatriot Michael McTavish go off the rails while separated from their unit. The story they fabricate when they return to the army, and their subsequent elevation to hero status, forms a lifelong bond neither would ever dare to break.
We then switch back to Glasgow later in the 1960s, when troubled courtroom artist and Sovereign Grace Mission member Donald “Doodle” Malpas makes a link between the church and two Lithuanian women who have been found dead in similar circumstances. He discovers that Jamesie Campbell and his infamous country pile, Raskine House, are also involved, but can he really be the one who brings the whole scheme crashing down?
The Weekenders is a good read, but maybe not for the faint of heart! The author certainly doesn’t hold back, whether he’s portraying the harshness of life for those down on their luck in 1960s Glasgow, the atrocities of the Second World War, or the cruelties and depravities of the irredeemable characters at the heart of the novel.
Ross’ rich, detailed descriptions of scenes from the past have an authentic feel that allowed me to get caught up in the story and invest in the characters (well, the less problematic ones, anyway!). His inclusion of Raskine House’s intriguing past, and use of different media to portray this, further adds to the “realness” of the story.
Even though most of the action takes places in the 1940s and 1960s, this book feels very timely. Jamesie Campbell – a rich, powerful psychopath who’s looking to get into politics – literally owns the media, and has the law in his pocket, so he, and by extension, not-so-holy man of the cloth Michael McTavish, seems untouchable and able to get away with anything.
While Stevie and Donald have their good and bad qualities, their position as everyday people who want to find out what’s going on, and question why nobody else seems to be joining the dots, puts you squarely in their corner.
Donald is particularly interesting to read about: the bombs that dropped on Glasgow when he was a child left him traumatised and partially deaf, but he can hear more than he lets on, and is more intelligent than people think. He’s an unreliable narrator, but it’s understandable given his history. There’s also a suggestion of the supernatural in his narrative that I’m not sure I quite “got”, but am hoping will become clearer to me in future instalments of this new series.
The Weekenders is absorbing, expansive, and timely.
March 2, 2025
This was the first time I read anything by David F Ross.
The story starts off in 1960s Glasgow, a time when violence and corruption was rife. A young ex-footballer, Stevie 'Minto' Milloy is starting a new job as a newspaper sports reporter but finds himself paired with a crime reporter.
It then takes us to wartime Italy where a group of young soldiers are separated from their platoon, and the one who takes the lead, Jamesie Campbell, is a bit of a psychopath.
The third part is again set in Glasgow in the late 1960s and involves Donald 'Doodle' Malpas, a court sketch artist.
It's a dark, violent tale with some shocking twists. The three parts are linked but I had to work at it.
The ending caused me some confusion but I got there (I re-read a couple of pages just to clarify).
A lot of the dialogue is written in the vernacular which might be challenging for some. As someone who lives in the central belt of Scotland, for me it came across as very natural.
Did I like the book? Hard to say. It's good writing. I picked up the book at every opportunity as I really wanted to know where the story was going and it didn't take me long to read. Some of the characters aren't particularly likeable. There is a lot of violence and brutality but overall I enjoyed the book. It's the first book of a trilogy. I'm not sure where the next instalment will go but I'm intrigued and will look out for it.
The story starts off in 1960s Glasgow, a time when violence and corruption was rife. A young ex-footballer, Stevie 'Minto' Milloy is starting a new job as a newspaper sports reporter but finds himself paired with a crime reporter.
It then takes us to wartime Italy where a group of young soldiers are separated from their platoon, and the one who takes the lead, Jamesie Campbell, is a bit of a psychopath.
The third part is again set in Glasgow in the late 1960s and involves Donald 'Doodle' Malpas, a court sketch artist.
It's a dark, violent tale with some shocking twists. The three parts are linked but I had to work at it.
The ending caused me some confusion but I got there (I re-read a couple of pages just to clarify).
A lot of the dialogue is written in the vernacular which might be challenging for some. As someone who lives in the central belt of Scotland, for me it came across as very natural.
Did I like the book? Hard to say. It's good writing. I picked up the book at every opportunity as I really wanted to know where the story was going and it didn't take me long to read. Some of the characters aren't particularly likeable. There is a lot of violence and brutality but overall I enjoyed the book. It's the first book of a trilogy. I'm not sure where the next instalment will go but I'm intrigued and will look out for it.
March 3, 2025
A dark and atmospheric story that perfectly captures Scotland before the 1980s.
Set mainly in the 60s the characters, setting, and story conjures up a world I can perfectly imagine - hard, nasty, and unforgiving. Told from different points of view, the uniting factor is Raskine House - a stately home that seems to attract evil.
This isn't a horror novel, but many elements are horrific. It starts with a reporter with a messy background in professional football. He suspects something nasty is going on and establishment corruption is involved. The middle section of the novel takes us to WW2 Italy and reveals the past of an MP who eventually owns Raskine House. His war stories are murky and plain nasty.
The final section of the book moves us to the late 60s and early 70s and concerns a man who draws courtroom scenes, but has his own demons to cope with. He discovers what's going on at Raskine House.
This is a great read if you're a fan of Scottish Noir and historical fiction.
Set mainly in the 60s the characters, setting, and story conjures up a world I can perfectly imagine - hard, nasty, and unforgiving. Told from different points of view, the uniting factor is Raskine House - a stately home that seems to attract evil.
This isn't a horror novel, but many elements are horrific. It starts with a reporter with a messy background in professional football. He suspects something nasty is going on and establishment corruption is involved. The middle section of the novel takes us to WW2 Italy and reveals the past of an MP who eventually owns Raskine House. His war stories are murky and plain nasty.
The final section of the book moves us to the late 60s and early 70s and concerns a man who draws courtroom scenes, but has his own demons to cope with. He discovers what's going on at Raskine House.
This is a great read if you're a fan of Scottish Noir and historical fiction.
May 18, 2025
My thoughts
From the opening page I was in the book. Instead of feeling a pace away from the characters I was there. I could see everything they could see, and feel their emotions.
This takes us through the Bible John era in Glasgow and its dark, gritty and sometimes grim parts are what kept me reading. The language made me feel I was part of a conversation at times. It stopped me from feeling bounced out of the book as can sometimes happen with some authors.
I loved the book being written in three parts. The characters were so realistic and well rounded. For instance a man devoted to his church who decides when the truth is an option. Exactly how real people are. In parts this is utterly gut wrenching and heartbreaking, but it is so realistic you are dragged back wanting to know more.
I can’t wait to read the next part of this gritty trilogy and go further into the world I’ve entered.
With thanks to Orenda books and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
From the opening page I was in the book. Instead of feeling a pace away from the characters I was there. I could see everything they could see, and feel their emotions.
This takes us through the Bible John era in Glasgow and its dark, gritty and sometimes grim parts are what kept me reading. The language made me feel I was part of a conversation at times. It stopped me from feeling bounced out of the book as can sometimes happen with some authors.
I loved the book being written in three parts. The characters were so realistic and well rounded. For instance a man devoted to his church who decides when the truth is an option. Exactly how real people are. In parts this is utterly gut wrenching and heartbreaking, but it is so realistic you are dragged back wanting to know more.
I can’t wait to read the next part of this gritty trilogy and go further into the world I’ve entered.
With thanks to Orenda books and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
January 13, 2025
Brimming with half-truths and dark undertones, David F. Ross’s ‘The Weekenders’ is a crepuscular slither through the entwined venerations of hedonism and the occult.
Like a lobotomy of Aleister Crowley’s inner cravings, Ross intricately weaves historic fact with flickering agitation, applying skin, blood and bone to enigmatic figures and making apparitions of household names. From razor gangs to serial killers to Nazis, if Ozzy Osbourne is the Prince of Darkness, then this collection firmly makes David Ross the man who put ‘black’ into the Sabbath.
More twists in muscle mass than a python in the Glasgow’s underground sewers, The Weekenders threatens no joyous conclusion. Its sense of place, its close-to-the-bone realism, its intimidating characters, and its unending sense of jeopardy make this a necessary read for 2025.
Like a lobotomy of Aleister Crowley’s inner cravings, Ross intricately weaves historic fact with flickering agitation, applying skin, blood and bone to enigmatic figures and making apparitions of household names. From razor gangs to serial killers to Nazis, if Ozzy Osbourne is the Prince of Darkness, then this collection firmly makes David Ross the man who put ‘black’ into the Sabbath.
More twists in muscle mass than a python in the Glasgow’s underground sewers, The Weekenders threatens no joyous conclusion. Its sense of place, its close-to-the-bone realism, its intimidating characters, and its unending sense of jeopardy make this a necessary read for 2025.
March 24, 2025
David F. Ross is undoubtedly one of my current favourite Scottish writers. He has a sharp insight into the underbelly of the West of Scotland again evident in his latest venture, 'the Weekenders'. Set from a friendship spawned from the second World War, through the swinging sixties and culminating in the mid 1970s'.The characters are flawed and expertly penned from the former footballer turned newshound to his long in the tooth mentor, a gangster Labour MP with a sordid past and his war veteran accomplice, a questionable pastor, to 'Doodle', a courtroom sketch artist with a bunch of skeletons in his closet. The humour is of the dark variety, the plot is multi-layered and the mystery is unravelled with the backdrop of a stately home on the outskirts of Glasgow that rivals the chequered history of all the other characters on display.
May 8, 2025
My Review -
Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me this copy of The Weekenders by David Ross, He is a new author to me, and from the blurb, I thought this book sounded interesting.
The Weekenders is a really interesting, engaging and gripping novel; it's told across three different timelines, from 3 different characters' points of view. Starting off with Stevie 'Minto' Milloy, who is a star footballer turned rookie reporter. He finds himself obsessed with the murder of a young Eastern European girl, and in investigating it, he finds himself uncovering the rot at the heart of the Scottish establishment and indeed putting himself in danger. I absolutely ADORED Steve's charchter, football and crime/thriller novels are my new obsession ( Im a huge football fan!) and the way David Ross writes is just so authentic, its written as one would speak if one was Glaswegian, and it really made the book even better, as it adds to the gritty air! Set in the 1960s for this part, it was very well written, and personally, I would have read a whole book about Stevie, he is such a brilliant character!
The story then moves back in time to WW2 and focuses on another character who we met in part one. I don't want to go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil anything for new readers, but suffice to say, David Ross can really write incredible characters; they are literally larger than life and just make reading The Weekenders so immersive!
For me, the final part of The Weekenders was my least favourite, BUT it did bring the book to an enthralling ending! Overall, The Weekenders was just a sublime read, and a book I shall remember for a long time. I would like to read more of David's work, especially if it's a crime fiction novel.
A gritty, angry novel that held my attention from beginning to end. A 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read, but one I would highly recommend.
Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me this copy of The Weekenders by David Ross, He is a new author to me, and from the blurb, I thought this book sounded interesting.
The Weekenders is a really interesting, engaging and gripping novel; it's told across three different timelines, from 3 different characters' points of view. Starting off with Stevie 'Minto' Milloy, who is a star footballer turned rookie reporter. He finds himself obsessed with the murder of a young Eastern European girl, and in investigating it, he finds himself uncovering the rot at the heart of the Scottish establishment and indeed putting himself in danger. I absolutely ADORED Steve's charchter, football and crime/thriller novels are my new obsession ( Im a huge football fan!) and the way David Ross writes is just so authentic, its written as one would speak if one was Glaswegian, and it really made the book even better, as it adds to the gritty air! Set in the 1960s for this part, it was very well written, and personally, I would have read a whole book about Stevie, he is such a brilliant character!
The story then moves back in time to WW2 and focuses on another character who we met in part one. I don't want to go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil anything for new readers, but suffice to say, David Ross can really write incredible characters; they are literally larger than life and just make reading The Weekenders so immersive!
For me, the final part of The Weekenders was my least favourite, BUT it did bring the book to an enthralling ending! Overall, The Weekenders was just a sublime read, and a book I shall remember for a long time. I would like to read more of David's work, especially if it's a crime fiction novel.
A gritty, angry novel that held my attention from beginning to end. A 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read, but one I would highly recommend.
March 17, 2025
I seem to have got into a habit of reading unusual novels. This isn’t a bad thing, they make me think about the book more and it is refreshing. This latest one, by an author I have read a book by previously, is much darker than many I have read.
It takes place in Glasgow in the 1960s and in Glasgow and mainland Europe during the 1940s. A few characters are in both, and with those you can see how the damaged childhood and trauma faced during the war has an impact in the individuals well as those who cross them. But all of the characters in this dark, wonderfully bleak novel had suffered.
It starts in 1966 with Stevie, footballer turned sports journalist who also has to write crime reports. He has struggled to move on from the injury that ended his career and is obsessed with the footballer who caused it. But this footballer is connected to the most powerful and vindictive family in Glasgow and Stevie’s obsession with revenge and a crime that he feels is connected to the family could only ever have an impact on him.
It then moves back in time to the 1940s in Italy where Jamesie and Michael are struggling with their war experience. They suffer physically and mentally but the trauma they inflict on others is horrific and was at times difficult to read. When they are repatriated back to Glasgow they are living in Raskine House where the danger levels are different to what they faced in Europe but are just as chilling. Nobody who features has any remorse for their actions. However it was my favourite part of the novel, it definitely does not show any part of the war in a favourable way.
The final part of the novel is set in 1969 and concerns ‘Doodle’ a courtroom artist who is just as obsessed with the murders of the young women as Stevie. I read with trepidation, concerned about what may happen to make his life harder than what it already was with his determination to find answers.
None of these characters are likeable, all however have suffered hardship, abuse, and little respect. All seem willing to be manipulated. Glasgow is shown as a difficult city to live in, with little friendship and loyalties and the only respite coming from alcohol and drugs.
Another wonderful novel in a long line of wonderful novels I have recently, I just now need something light.
It takes place in Glasgow in the 1960s and in Glasgow and mainland Europe during the 1940s. A few characters are in both, and with those you can see how the damaged childhood and trauma faced during the war has an impact in the individuals well as those who cross them. But all of the characters in this dark, wonderfully bleak novel had suffered.
It starts in 1966 with Stevie, footballer turned sports journalist who also has to write crime reports. He has struggled to move on from the injury that ended his career and is obsessed with the footballer who caused it. But this footballer is connected to the most powerful and vindictive family in Glasgow and Stevie’s obsession with revenge and a crime that he feels is connected to the family could only ever have an impact on him.
It then moves back in time to the 1940s in Italy where Jamesie and Michael are struggling with their war experience. They suffer physically and mentally but the trauma they inflict on others is horrific and was at times difficult to read. When they are repatriated back to Glasgow they are living in Raskine House where the danger levels are different to what they faced in Europe but are just as chilling. Nobody who features has any remorse for their actions. However it was my favourite part of the novel, it definitely does not show any part of the war in a favourable way.
The final part of the novel is set in 1969 and concerns ‘Doodle’ a courtroom artist who is just as obsessed with the murders of the young women as Stevie. I read with trepidation, concerned about what may happen to make his life harder than what it already was with his determination to find answers.
None of these characters are likeable, all however have suffered hardship, abuse, and little respect. All seem willing to be manipulated. Glasgow is shown as a difficult city to live in, with little friendship and loyalties and the only respite coming from alcohol and drugs.
Another wonderful novel in a long line of wonderful novels I have recently, I just now need something light.
April 15, 2025
Told in three parts this novel all comes together at the end. It's grim in places and humerous too. A slightly different take on a crime novel but enjoyable none the less. I read it in one sitting as I needed to know how they all connected. Would definitely recommend.
March 13, 2025
Rated 4.5/5
The writing was emotional, engaging and unique in a number of ways. I thought that the way that it was set out was interesting and I enjoyed the Scottish dialect. Both added extra layers to an already intriguing story.
The story was split into 3 parts, each with a character as the focus. Each part was then split into chapters or "episodes" in which we time hopped, so the unique labelling of each episode helped to keep you on track with what was happening.
The episodes were numbered, titled and had a summary of what we were about to read. I have not read anything set out quite like it, but I wouldn't mind reading in that style again. It did keep me on my toes, but it all very cleverly connected so I was able to keep up and enjoy the story.
The episodes were long and split into dates. The technique of splitting into dates helped to move things along and ground the story.
There was an interesting pace to the book. The way that the book was set out and written in a Scottish dialect did slow my reading down, but I didn't mind. I enjoyed the authenticity that came with it being set in Scotland, and the characters speaking Scottish.
The time hopping also slowed things down a bit, but it was interesting to see how the past made the characters into what they were.
There was a unique flow to the book. Taking everything into account; the language and the setting out, everything just seemed to come together and work well.
The characters were excellent. I was completely taken in by each of their stories. They all had such sadness in their lives that added an emotional level to the story. All three main characters linked together well despite the passage of time and their different pasts. It illustrated how small the world can be when it comes to connections.
Lastly the settings. Whilst it was mainly a character based story, I did enjoy the descriptions of the settings. I liked how the main house became a character in its own right and how you got sucked in to whichever time period you were reading about.
Overall a clever, well thought out book with techniques that really brought the story to life.
The writing was emotional, engaging and unique in a number of ways. I thought that the way that it was set out was interesting and I enjoyed the Scottish dialect. Both added extra layers to an already intriguing story.
The story was split into 3 parts, each with a character as the focus. Each part was then split into chapters or "episodes" in which we time hopped, so the unique labelling of each episode helped to keep you on track with what was happening.
The episodes were numbered, titled and had a summary of what we were about to read. I have not read anything set out quite like it, but I wouldn't mind reading in that style again. It did keep me on my toes, but it all very cleverly connected so I was able to keep up and enjoy the story.
The episodes were long and split into dates. The technique of splitting into dates helped to move things along and ground the story.
There was an interesting pace to the book. The way that the book was set out and written in a Scottish dialect did slow my reading down, but I didn't mind. I enjoyed the authenticity that came with it being set in Scotland, and the characters speaking Scottish.
The time hopping also slowed things down a bit, but it was interesting to see how the past made the characters into what they were.
There was a unique flow to the book. Taking everything into account; the language and the setting out, everything just seemed to come together and work well.
The characters were excellent. I was completely taken in by each of their stories. They all had such sadness in their lives that added an emotional level to the story. All three main characters linked together well despite the passage of time and their different pasts. It illustrated how small the world can be when it comes to connections.
Lastly the settings. Whilst it was mainly a character based story, I did enjoy the descriptions of the settings. I liked how the main house became a character in its own right and how you got sucked in to whichever time period you were reading about.
Overall a clever, well thought out book with techniques that really brought the story to life.
March 12, 2025
Review to follow
March 25, 2025
Wasn’t for me. Felt like it was trying to be a bit of everything, but I couldn’t get all the way through.
May 15, 2025
Certainly not your typical country house murder book
August 7, 2025
Well written & fast paced but I'm afraid too "hritty" for my taste! I imagine male readers would appreciate this one
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews