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DCI Daley
Single End
It’s 1989, and Jim Daley is now a fully-fledged detective constable, working in the heart of Glasgow. When ruthless gangster James Machie’s accountant, known as the Magician, is found stabbed to death in a multi-storey car park it’s clear all is not well within Machie’s organisation.
Meanwhile Daley’s friend and colleague DC Brian Scott has been having some problems of his own. To save his job, Scott is persuaded to revisit his past in an attempt to uncover the identity of a corrupt police officer. But there’s a problem. To do so, he must confront Machie and his cohorts. Brian Scott is soon embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with his childhood friends.
As Daley seeks out his old mentor, Ian Burns, to help save his friend and find out who is telling the truth, it becomes a desperate race against time.
87 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2016
30 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Denzil Meyrick
40 books505 followersDenzil Meyrick was a Scottish bestselling novelist. Prior to that, he served as a police officer with Strathclyde Police then a manager with Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown, Argyll. Since 2012 Denzil Meyrick had worked as a writer of Scottish crime fiction novels. He was also an executive director of media production company Houses of Steel.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 28, 2017
Meyrick has written this second prequel slim novella to the DCI Daley series set in Kinloch. DC Daley is a new detective in Glasgow in 1989 and has to work to assist his best pal DC Scott away from disaster - all this a big contrast to Kinloch in the later books
November 3, 2016
Another taster for this brilliant series based on two different detectives but sealed with a friendship that is enduring.
This is a throwback to their early days, new to CID, policing the violebt streets of Glasgow.
What binds these books is this relationship and the heart for truth and justice especially as much of the police force appears full of career focused individuals and others open to some corruption.
DC Daley here is loyal to his pal DC Scott they socialise outside of work and have a bound that is real rather than the American version seen in crime drama like Starsky & Hutch or Cagney & Lacey. What makes it more real is the bleakness of Glasgow and the decline of that once great city.
DC Scott isn't bright but has good instincts, but when his own career appears to be going down the pan he is forced into a situation that threatens more than his livelihood. Sworn to secrecy he is tasked to ultilise his previous upbringing, alongside some of the toughest gangsters, to root out the bad apple in the CID who is enabling the gang leaders to evade arrest and facing charges for their criminal activities. Scott's simple task is to win their trust and find out their police informant.
However, if they find out his real mission his time as an undercover cop will be shortlived, another body in the Clyde. But how will Daley act when his friend appears to have changed sides and returned to his childhood mates. It begs the question, can people change or do they remain loyal to their kind- something 'Georges Simenon's Maigret novels called milieu.
I am committed to this author and these characters; these short stories underline his brilliance at telling stories and creating a series I fully recommend to all who love crime fiction.
This is a throwback to their early days, new to CID, policing the violebt streets of Glasgow.
What binds these books is this relationship and the heart for truth and justice especially as much of the police force appears full of career focused individuals and others open to some corruption.
DC Daley here is loyal to his pal DC Scott they socialise outside of work and have a bound that is real rather than the American version seen in crime drama like Starsky & Hutch or Cagney & Lacey. What makes it more real is the bleakness of Glasgow and the decline of that once great city.
DC Scott isn't bright but has good instincts, but when his own career appears to be going down the pan he is forced into a situation that threatens more than his livelihood. Sworn to secrecy he is tasked to ultilise his previous upbringing, alongside some of the toughest gangsters, to root out the bad apple in the CID who is enabling the gang leaders to evade arrest and facing charges for their criminal activities. Scott's simple task is to win their trust and find out their police informant.
However, if they find out his real mission his time as an undercover cop will be shortlived, another body in the Clyde. But how will Daley act when his friend appears to have changed sides and returned to his childhood mates. It begs the question, can people change or do they remain loyal to their kind- something 'Georges Simenon's Maigret novels called milieu.
I am committed to this author and these characters; these short stories underline his brilliance at telling stories and creating a series I fully recommend to all who love crime fiction.
November 4, 2016
Another 5* read from this author, .Delving back to the early days of his characters career, I do enjoy these types of story, they help build the character. So another winner from this author for me. I look forward to more in the near future.
January 3, 2025
Good mini story
July 11, 2017
Deep cuts
A brilliant DCI Daley prequel featuring mainly his faithful buddy Scott. Exciting gritty. Scott has to dance with good old, bad old friends from his youth in the 'hood to please a senior officer. We know he'll survive but it is a near thing. As a fellow Glaswegian I know there is a great sense of time and place. Brilliantly done. A real taster for what is to come. In these short stories you see a great friendship being formed...and the threatening influence of corrupt career officers who don't care about truth, only influence and rank.
A brilliant DCI Daley prequel featuring mainly his faithful buddy Scott. Exciting gritty. Scott has to dance with good old, bad old friends from his youth in the 'hood to please a senior officer. We know he'll survive but it is a near thing. As a fellow Glaswegian I know there is a great sense of time and place. Brilliantly done. A real taster for what is to come. In these short stories you see a great friendship being formed...and the threatening influence of corrupt career officers who don't care about truth, only influence and rank.
January 4, 2018
This is the 3rd short story by Denzil Meyrick that I have read and I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying them. The story is set in the early years of DCI Daley's career whilst he was still only a detective Constable in CID. The discovery of a dead body of a known associate of a local crime gang sets off a chain of events that sees one of his colleagues put in danger. Calling on the perspective of his old boss can he save his colleague and get to the bottom of what is really going on? I have to say some short stories have often left me disappointed or wanting them to be longer but the author has managed to contain this just about right and I now look forward to reading more about DCI Daley.
September 19, 2024
Single End is one of the stories in the 2017 published compendium One Last Dram Before Midnight which includes 5 stories previously published as ebooks or exclusives (Empty Nets and Promises, Dalintober Moon, Two One Three, Single End, Strangers) and 2 new stories (One Last Dram Before Midnight, The Silent Man.)
Single End has DC Daley and DC Scott at work in Glasgow when one of Daley’s fears becomes real, newly promoted John Donald becomes his boss.
Single End has DC Daley and DC Scott at work in Glasgow when one of Daley’s fears becomes real, newly promoted John Donald becomes his boss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2022
I was a bit late in coming to the party with this author, but I'm working my way through this superb series.
Set in 1989, Daley is now a fully fledged Detective Constable. One of my favourite characters - apart from Jim Daley himself, of course - is Brian Scott; he grew up in one of the rougher areas of the city, and always seems to be in trouble with those above. He fits my idea of the legendary 'Glasgow polis' - his dry wit never fails to make me giggle. In this short story, Scott goes undercover mixing with his former friends as part of a secret task after his arm is twisted, a job that Daley is unaware of. Of course, all is not as it seems . . .
As I was about to embark upon the fifth book in this series, I thought about time to read this short prequel - I didn't realise it was there or would have got to it sooner! As always, it's complex and entertaining and it certainly helped explain the close working relationship between Daley and Scott. A great addition to the series, and one I absolutely recommend. Five sparkling stars!
Set in 1989, Daley is now a fully fledged Detective Constable. One of my favourite characters - apart from Jim Daley himself, of course - is Brian Scott; he grew up in one of the rougher areas of the city, and always seems to be in trouble with those above. He fits my idea of the legendary 'Glasgow polis' - his dry wit never fails to make me giggle. In this short story, Scott goes undercover mixing with his former friends as part of a secret task after his arm is twisted, a job that Daley is unaware of. Of course, all is not as it seems . . .
As I was about to embark upon the fifth book in this series, I thought about time to read this short prequel - I didn't realise it was there or would have got to it sooner! As always, it's complex and entertaining and it certainly helped explain the close working relationship between Daley and Scott. A great addition to the series, and one I absolutely recommend. Five sparkling stars!
September 29, 2017
Sharp
The storyline is crisp, sharp and to the point. Brilliantly described from a young fresh D.C. perspective. Definitely worthy of exploration of how the career minded don't mind who they trample on to get on
The storyline is crisp, sharp and to the point. Brilliantly described from a young fresh D.C. perspective. Definitely worthy of exploration of how the career minded don't mind who they trample on to get on
July 25, 2021
A fun short story about Daley & Scott.
not a literary classic, but easy to read, and a bit of fun with the 2 main protagonists of the more in-depth series.
enjoyable!
not a literary classic, but easy to read, and a bit of fun with the 2 main protagonists of the more in-depth series.
enjoyable!
October 11, 2020
Single End by Denzil Meyrick - OK
A short story which takes us back in time to 1989 and the early days of Jim Daley and Brian Scott as they deal with murder and gangs in Glasgow.
An enjoyable quick read which helps to establish their back stories and what made them the men they are in the modern stories.
A short story which takes us back in time to 1989 and the early days of Jim Daley and Brian Scott as they deal with murder and gangs in Glasgow.
An enjoyable quick read which helps to establish their back stories and what made them the men they are in the modern stories.
November 18, 2016
What a superb short story from Denzil Meyrick. Set in 1989 it’s a dark and realistic tale. D. C. Brian Scott is in trouble again. As a result he finds himself forced against his will to reacquaint himself with the men he grew up with. Men such as Frank MacDougall and James Machie who are now the most notorious gangsters in Glasgow. His task is to discover who is feeding them information. However he is quickly drawn into a perilous and finds himself in mortal danger. His friend D.C Jim Daley has stayed loyal to D.C. Scott and doesn’t believe that his colleague has ‘gone bad’. He is rescued from being tortured by D.C Daley and his squad. I love the setting and the dialogue in particular as it rings completely true to life. I love the black humour that runs throughout. It’s also good to get the history between Daley and Scott and to learn a bit of the back story as some of these characters appear in the novels. Masterful storytelling, it will keep us going until Well of the Winds is available.
November 2, 2016
Another winner from the pen of Denzil Meyrick
Another winner from the pen of Denzil Meyrick in which we learn more of his characters pasts.Well written and making for compulsive reading we find answer's to questions we wanted to ask and also find ourselves eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next book
Another winner from the pen of Denzil Meyrick in which we learn more of his characters pasts.Well written and making for compulsive reading we find answer's to questions we wanted to ask and also find ourselves eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next book
November 9, 2016
Once again, Denzil delivers a gripping story. I love how the characters of DCI Daley and his sidekick have developed over time, this is another flashback story that explains events that have occurred in some of the Daley books, however you could read this without reading any other novels. These are great atmospheric reads, that always keep you guessing. Another solid 5* from me
December 20, 2016
A good short read. Ending a bit disappointed. Could h have been a bit more dramatic.
A good author. I enjoy reading about the local Glasgow landscape,,pubs etc. Easy to read and follow the story. Well worth a read.
A good author. I enjoy reading about the local Glasgow landscape,,pubs etc. Easy to read and follow the story. Well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews