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2004
The court case had been harrowing. The fifteen jurors sat in silence while the prosecution produced evidence of how a man with obsessive sado-masochistic fantasies had turned into a killer. Fourteen of the jurors were repulsed. One man was secretly enthralled. A new world of possibility had opened up for him.
2014
When an actress is found dead, the ligature marks suggest that she had been involved in extreme sex games. When DIs Wheeler and Ross begin to investigate her death, they uncover not only an industry with varying degrees of regulation but also a sinister private club where some of Glasgow's elite pay handsomely to indulge their darkest fantasies. Club security is run by Paul Furlan, ex-army veteran and a former adversary of Wheeler. As Wheeler and Ross uncover the secrets and lies surrounding the club, they realise that their investigation is being blocked not just by Furlan but by some of Glasgow's most influential citizens.
Meanwhile Skye Cooper, Scotland's latest indie-rock sensation is playing the final gig of his sell-out tour but his dreams of stardom are on a collision course with the obsession threatening to consume him . . .
Anne Randall's first book in the Wheeler and Ross series, Riven, was written under the name A. J. McCreanor.
The court case had been harrowing. The fifteen jurors sat in silence while the prosecution produced evidence of how a man with obsessive sado-masochistic fantasies had turned into a killer. Fourteen of the jurors were repulsed. One man was secretly enthralled. A new world of possibility had opened up for him.
2014
When an actress is found dead, the ligature marks suggest that she had been involved in extreme sex games. When DIs Wheeler and Ross begin to investigate her death, they uncover not only an industry with varying degrees of regulation but also a sinister private club where some of Glasgow's elite pay handsomely to indulge their darkest fantasies. Club security is run by Paul Furlan, ex-army veteran and a former adversary of Wheeler. As Wheeler and Ross uncover the secrets and lies surrounding the club, they realise that their investigation is being blocked not just by Furlan but by some of Glasgow's most influential citizens.
Meanwhile Skye Cooper, Scotland's latest indie-rock sensation is playing the final gig of his sell-out tour but his dreams of stardom are on a collision course with the obsession threatening to consume him . . .
Anne Randall's first book in the Wheeler and Ross series, Riven, was written under the name A. J. McCreanor.
400 pages, Paperback
Published April 4, 2017
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Anne Randall
7 books15 followersGlasgow-born Anne Randall is the author of the gritty, award-winning Wheeler and Ross series set in her hometown.
Her first novel RIVEN (written as A. J. McCreanor) won first prize at the Wells Festival of Literature in 2011 and has been described as ‘A super story with a breath-taking ending that leaves you wondering whether the truth is better left unsaid at times. I loved this story.’ (Eurocrime), ‘For fans of Stuart MacBride, this is a delight to read. A.J. McCreanor is a welcome addition to the Scottish crime scene. Glasgow is in very dangerous hands.’ (Crimesquad), ‘An outstanding debut.’ (Daily Record)
Anne’s second novel SILENCED was described ‘as assured and clever a novel of ‘tartan noir’ as you could hope to find.’ (Daily Mail), ‘If you enjoy your crime fiction a bit on the dark side, then you are going to love this latest book by Anna Randall. It also has a wonderful twist at the end that you won't see coming. It blows you away and leaves you feeling exhausted by the time you have finished the book.’ (Eurocrime)
Reviews for the third novel in the series, TORN, include, ‘Anne Randall has definitely got what it takes to be the next massive name in Tartan Noir – well-drawn characters, a plot that will blow you away, superb dialogue (plenty of great Glaswegian banter), and realistic crimes. If you enjoy Robert Galbraith, Caro Ramsay, Denise Mina, or Ian Rankin (or, like me, all of them!) this will fit the bill. It’s a hugely satisfying, very classy book, and I’d urge all crime fiction fans – particularly those who enjoy their dose of Tartan Noir – to seek out Anne Randall pronto.’ (Crimeworm)
Anne has also had poems and short stories published in various anthologies.
Anne previously worked as a cadet nurse, flower-seller, civil servant and English teacher in Glasgow before retraining as a psychotherapist.
She now works in private practice in Glastonbury, Somerset where she lives with her husband, bespoke furniture-maker Don Storey, their two pesky rescued cats and an inherited and remarkably handsome collie dog.
Her first novel RIVEN (written as A. J. McCreanor) won first prize at the Wells Festival of Literature in 2011 and has been described as ‘A super story with a breath-taking ending that leaves you wondering whether the truth is better left unsaid at times. I loved this story.’ (Eurocrime), ‘For fans of Stuart MacBride, this is a delight to read. A.J. McCreanor is a welcome addition to the Scottish crime scene. Glasgow is in very dangerous hands.’ (Crimesquad), ‘An outstanding debut.’ (Daily Record)
Anne’s second novel SILENCED was described ‘as assured and clever a novel of ‘tartan noir’ as you could hope to find.’ (Daily Mail), ‘If you enjoy your crime fiction a bit on the dark side, then you are going to love this latest book by Anna Randall. It also has a wonderful twist at the end that you won't see coming. It blows you away and leaves you feeling exhausted by the time you have finished the book.’ (Eurocrime)
Reviews for the third novel in the series, TORN, include, ‘Anne Randall has definitely got what it takes to be the next massive name in Tartan Noir – well-drawn characters, a plot that will blow you away, superb dialogue (plenty of great Glaswegian banter), and realistic crimes. If you enjoy Robert Galbraith, Caro Ramsay, Denise Mina, or Ian Rankin (or, like me, all of them!) this will fit the bill. It’s a hugely satisfying, very classy book, and I’d urge all crime fiction fans – particularly those who enjoy their dose of Tartan Noir – to seek out Anne Randall pronto.’ (Crimeworm)
Anne has also had poems and short stories published in various anthologies.
Anne previously worked as a cadet nurse, flower-seller, civil servant and English teacher in Glasgow before retraining as a psychotherapist.
She now works in private practice in Glastonbury, Somerset where she lives with her husband, bespoke furniture-maker Don Storey, their two pesky rescued cats and an inherited and remarkably handsome collie dog.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 5, 2023
phat ass trigger warning: sexual abuse/violence
Writing: 2.5/5 | Plot: confusing | Ending: I ????
SYNOPSIS
Uhhh... an aspiring actress winds up dead and leads Wheeler and Ross into the underbelly of the BDSM community???? Idk
MY OPINION
Ok so I bought this ages ago because the synopsis sounded hella juicy. Yes, I'm smut-averse, but for some reason I love a good Law & Order SVU. I think cases involving BDSM are always interesting, and I usually learn a thing or two about this .... culture?.... And a hoe loves to learn! If I'm gonna read about sex, it shall be for educational purposes only 😂
Anyways, this didn't teach me anything LOL. Sure, there was lots of BDSM/sex involved, but it was just for entertainment value. Maybe if you like dark romance and you're hankering for a murder mystery, this would be your flavour? Some of the sexual acts were BOMBASTIC SIDE EYE 👀 Sorry but reenacting your mom cleaning out your mouth with soap for sexual gratification is gonna be a HARD PASS for me.
My biggest complaint is that there were WAAAYYY too many unnecessary characters. Considering I managed to keep a grip on the cast of Cara Hunter's DI Adam Fawley series and have read multiple John Marrs books (ya'll know he loves 7 POVs MINIMUM), it really goes to show how confusing this was. You'd definitely need to read this book over the course of two days max if you want a chance of keeping tabs on everyone. Tbh, I gave up and was reading entire chapters with characters I had no clue about because I was tired of flipping back and forth tryna figure out who's who and what role they play in this complex ass plot. It was like Randall had to give every side character their lil 15 mins. We didn't need all that.
Other than a surplus of unnecessary characters, the writing felt rushed and uninspired. The start was strong, but then it was giving me 'I gotta meet my deadline or else my editor will drop me and I've got a $10 subway gift card to my name.' The dialogue was especially cringe. There were entire PAGES, yes, multiple, of conversation without dialogue tags. It gave me nothing emotionally. Also, I hate when there's no natural segue in a conversation, or when it feels like the characters talking AT each other instead of TO each other because there's literally no consideration of what's just been said from one moment to the next. For example, a character will go on a tangent about how their dad died and Wheeler will be like: "Chick Fil A or KFC for lunch?" Not an 'I'm sorry' in sight.
I really wanted to toss this book a 3 because I feel like I'm struggling for a good read and maybe putting out positive ratings will bless me with a banger, but this not-so-scintillating scene held me back:
She went to the door, took the food delivery, brought it through. Spread the contents on the table.
'What are we having?'
'Italian.'
'From the place across the road, with the Jasmine plants?'
'Yep.'
They both began with the bruschetta.
Pls..................
PROS AND CONS
Pros: promising synopsis
Cons: writing felt uninspired, too many characters, difficult to keep track of the story, cringy dialogue
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
Writing: 2.5/5 | Plot: confusing | Ending: I ????
SYNOPSIS
Uhhh... an aspiring actress winds up dead and leads Wheeler and Ross into the underbelly of the BDSM community???? Idk
MY OPINION
Ok so I bought this ages ago because the synopsis sounded hella juicy. Yes, I'm smut-averse, but for some reason I love a good Law & Order SVU. I think cases involving BDSM are always interesting, and I usually learn a thing or two about this .... culture?.... And a hoe loves to learn! If I'm gonna read about sex, it shall be for educational purposes only 😂
Anyways, this didn't teach me anything LOL. Sure, there was lots of BDSM/sex involved, but it was just for entertainment value. Maybe if you like dark romance and you're hankering for a murder mystery, this would be your flavour? Some of the sexual acts were BOMBASTIC SIDE EYE 👀 Sorry but reenacting your mom cleaning out your mouth with soap for sexual gratification is gonna be a HARD PASS for me.
My biggest complaint is that there were WAAAYYY too many unnecessary characters. Considering I managed to keep a grip on the cast of Cara Hunter's DI Adam Fawley series and have read multiple John Marrs books (ya'll know he loves 7 POVs MINIMUM), it really goes to show how confusing this was. You'd definitely need to read this book over the course of two days max if you want a chance of keeping tabs on everyone. Tbh, I gave up and was reading entire chapters with characters I had no clue about because I was tired of flipping back and forth tryna figure out who's who and what role they play in this complex ass plot. It was like Randall had to give every side character their lil 15 mins. We didn't need all that.
Other than a surplus of unnecessary characters, the writing felt rushed and uninspired. The start was strong, but then it was giving me 'I gotta meet my deadline or else my editor will drop me and I've got a $10 subway gift card to my name.' The dialogue was especially cringe. There were entire PAGES, yes, multiple, of conversation without dialogue tags. It gave me nothing emotionally. Also, I hate when there's no natural segue in a conversation, or when it feels like the characters talking AT each other instead of TO each other because there's literally no consideration of what's just been said from one moment to the next. For example, a character will go on a tangent about how their dad died and Wheeler will be like: "Chick Fil A or KFC for lunch?" Not an 'I'm sorry' in sight.
I really wanted to toss this book a 3 because I feel like I'm struggling for a good read and maybe putting out positive ratings will bless me with a banger, but this not-so-scintillating scene held me back:
She went to the door, took the food delivery, brought it through. Spread the contents on the table.
'What are we having?'
'Italian.'
'From the place across the road, with the Jasmine plants?'
'Yep.'
They both began with the bruschetta.
Pls..................
PROS AND CONS
Pros: promising synopsis
Cons: writing felt uninspired, too many characters, difficult to keep track of the story, cringy dialogue
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
March 11, 2017
This is the first book I have read by this author. It is a dark story set in Glasgow with DI Wheeler and DI Ross. A jury member at Amy Dawson's murder trial at the Old Bailey becomes switched on to Strappado and perverted aspects of BDSM sexual practices, with consequences into what happens in later years. An old unsolved cold case murder is looked into by Wheeler when the victim turns out to be the father of Karlie, a woman who appears in BDSM and porn videos, who is discovered murdered in the present day.
There are a wide array of characters in the story with multiple threads. We have Owen, a desperately lonely homeless man who just wants to belong, taken in by a gang leader, Mason Stitt. We have Nikki, the sister of performer Holly, who is worried about the work Holly has taken on. Maureen wonders about Steve Penwell, a schizophrenic, who claims to have seen a pirate with an eye patch on the night of Karlie's father's murder. Josh, a member of the band Kill Kestrels, wants to get to the bottom of his sister, Amber, and her death in a fire. George Bellerose is a therapist and fan of BDSM who preys on vulnerable women. Skye is the lead singer of the Kill Kestrels, on the cusp of superstardom, whose sexual obsessions threaten the future of the band. An old ex-army foe of Wheeler's, Paul Furlan, turns out to be the head of security at the sinister, elusive and exclusive McIver Club. Furlan's father, Eddie, was the DI leading the inquiry into Karlie's father's murder. Wheeler uncovers suspicious activities in his investigation. Wheeler and Ross face implacable opposition to their case and where it is leading them from the most influential of quarters.
What is impressive about this book is how the author manages to tie up all the multiple storylines and characters so well. The plotting is impeccable and I really liked the writing style. I did wonder at the beginning about the preponderance of so many characters but it soon becomes clear that this novel is like an opaque jigsaw that is masterfully pieced together. I am always pleased to discover another series set in Glasgow, a city I love. Highly recommended. Thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
There are a wide array of characters in the story with multiple threads. We have Owen, a desperately lonely homeless man who just wants to belong, taken in by a gang leader, Mason Stitt. We have Nikki, the sister of performer Holly, who is worried about the work Holly has taken on. Maureen wonders about Steve Penwell, a schizophrenic, who claims to have seen a pirate with an eye patch on the night of Karlie's father's murder. Josh, a member of the band Kill Kestrels, wants to get to the bottom of his sister, Amber, and her death in a fire. George Bellerose is a therapist and fan of BDSM who preys on vulnerable women. Skye is the lead singer of the Kill Kestrels, on the cusp of superstardom, whose sexual obsessions threaten the future of the band. An old ex-army foe of Wheeler's, Paul Furlan, turns out to be the head of security at the sinister, elusive and exclusive McIver Club. Furlan's father, Eddie, was the DI leading the inquiry into Karlie's father's murder. Wheeler uncovers suspicious activities in his investigation. Wheeler and Ross face implacable opposition to their case and where it is leading them from the most influential of quarters.
What is impressive about this book is how the author manages to tie up all the multiple storylines and characters so well. The plotting is impeccable and I really liked the writing style. I did wonder at the beginning about the preponderance of so many characters but it soon becomes clear that this novel is like an opaque jigsaw that is masterfully pieced together. I am always pleased to discover another series set in Glasgow, a city I love. Highly recommended. Thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
March 23, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of Torn, the third Glasgow based police procedural to feature DIs Wheeler and Ross.
Wheeler and Ross are pulled in from a day off to investigate the murder of Karlie Merrick who, it seems, has more history than most as she is a porn actress and her father was murdered 20 years before. As Wheeler instinctively links Karlie's murder to her father's she antagonises some serious people.
There is much in Torn that normally I dislike, notably the multiple viewpoints but I found it fascinating and was riveted to the pages as I tried to work out where everyone mentioned fitted in. The novel opens with a 2004 trial of a sadistic killer and its impact on one of the jurors and his sexual preferences. It isn't hard to work out who the juror is but it is impossible to work out where he fits into the investigation. This is the story of the novel as it is a series of character vignettes, like Karlie's last day at work in chapter 1, interspersed with chapters on Wheeler and Ross's investigation who don't make an entrance until chapter 8. How it all comes together is very clever and I had no idea but I loved the broad range of characters and trying to work it all out.
There isn't as much of Ross in Torn as there was in Riven (I haven't read the second novel, Silenced) and it is more about Wheeler as she comes into contact with an old nemesis. I thought that the way the male hierarchy twisted her thoughts and actions into something bad was extremely well done and something many working females are familiar with.
I know many of the locations mentioned in the book so it was a joy to be able to actually picture some of the scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed Torn. It has an interesting plot with plenty of twists and turns, a wide cast of characters which I think reflects many police investigations and good pacing so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read.
Wheeler and Ross are pulled in from a day off to investigate the murder of Karlie Merrick who, it seems, has more history than most as she is a porn actress and her father was murdered 20 years before. As Wheeler instinctively links Karlie's murder to her father's she antagonises some serious people.
There is much in Torn that normally I dislike, notably the multiple viewpoints but I found it fascinating and was riveted to the pages as I tried to work out where everyone mentioned fitted in. The novel opens with a 2004 trial of a sadistic killer and its impact on one of the jurors and his sexual preferences. It isn't hard to work out who the juror is but it is impossible to work out where he fits into the investigation. This is the story of the novel as it is a series of character vignettes, like Karlie's last day at work in chapter 1, interspersed with chapters on Wheeler and Ross's investigation who don't make an entrance until chapter 8. How it all comes together is very clever and I had no idea but I loved the broad range of characters and trying to work it all out.
There isn't as much of Ross in Torn as there was in Riven (I haven't read the second novel, Silenced) and it is more about Wheeler as she comes into contact with an old nemesis. I thought that the way the male hierarchy twisted her thoughts and actions into something bad was extremely well done and something many working females are familiar with.
I know many of the locations mentioned in the book so it was a joy to be able to actually picture some of the scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed Torn. It has an interesting plot with plenty of twists and turns, a wide cast of characters which I think reflects many police investigations and good pacing so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read.
February 12, 2018
My first meeting of Randall's literature and the Wheeler and Ross detective series was an enjoyable journey as the detective duo pieced together the clues to solve the murder of Karlie, a porn star whose father was murdered many years before.
Normally not a fan of the use of multiple viewpoints, the story peaked my interest as I attempted to work out where everyone fitted slotted into this dark puzzle. Josh, a member of the band Kill Kestrels, searches for answers regarding his sister’s death which continues to haunt him. Meanwhile, his bandmate Skye has a sexual obsession which threatens the future of the band. Next there is Owen, a desperate soul longing for belonging, is trying to redeem himself in the eyes of the gang leader, Mason. In tandem, Nikki worries about her sister Holly, a performer who has recently got a new job at the secretive club, The McIver. George Bellerose, Karlie’s life coach, is a fan of BDSM preying on vulnerable women to satisfy his lust. An old ex-army foe of Wheeler’s, Paul Furlan, makes an appearance as the head of security at The McIver while his father Eddie is revealed to be the DI who led the inquiries into Karlie’s father’s death. As Wheeler and Ross face opposition from numerous sources during the case, these individual threads entwine together to reveal the horrifying truth behind the young woman’s death.
What impresses me the most about Randall’s work is the way in which she manages to tie each of these characters and storylines together in a thrilling way allowing readers the opportunity to piece together the crime with Wheeler and Ross. I was somewhat concerned at the start with the numerous characters being introduced but as the story deepens, the plotting of each character’s role within this story becomes clear; each a jigsaw piece together in Randall’s ultimate thrilling tale.
Ultimately, a thrilling read and a pleasant addition to the Scottish crime fiction scene – highly recommended to all.
Normally not a fan of the use of multiple viewpoints, the story peaked my interest as I attempted to work out where everyone fitted slotted into this dark puzzle. Josh, a member of the band Kill Kestrels, searches for answers regarding his sister’s death which continues to haunt him. Meanwhile, his bandmate Skye has a sexual obsession which threatens the future of the band. Next there is Owen, a desperate soul longing for belonging, is trying to redeem himself in the eyes of the gang leader, Mason. In tandem, Nikki worries about her sister Holly, a performer who has recently got a new job at the secretive club, The McIver. George Bellerose, Karlie’s life coach, is a fan of BDSM preying on vulnerable women to satisfy his lust. An old ex-army foe of Wheeler’s, Paul Furlan, makes an appearance as the head of security at The McIver while his father Eddie is revealed to be the DI who led the inquiries into Karlie’s father’s death. As Wheeler and Ross face opposition from numerous sources during the case, these individual threads entwine together to reveal the horrifying truth behind the young woman’s death.
What impresses me the most about Randall’s work is the way in which she manages to tie each of these characters and storylines together in a thrilling way allowing readers the opportunity to piece together the crime with Wheeler and Ross. I was somewhat concerned at the start with the numerous characters being introduced but as the story deepens, the plotting of each character’s role within this story becomes clear; each a jigsaw piece together in Randall’s ultimate thrilling tale.
Ultimately, a thrilling read and a pleasant addition to the Scottish crime fiction scene – highly recommended to all.
May 5, 2017
Another gripping thriller from Anne Randall. The background is sordid, the murky world of low-budget porn movies counterpointed by a club frequented by the very rich and the perverted. It's great to see the relationship between detectives Wheeler and Ross developing as this series continues. A good read!
April 21, 2017
This is another excellent read from Anne Randall, the 3rd book in the Wheeler and Ross series. The plot is expertly woven with many characters and threads that ultimately come together. It's a compelling read, my children had to fend for themselves the day I read this from cover to cover.
September 2, 2019
DNF had to give up on this one 😕 was so much going on that it got hard to follow and just couldn’t warm to the main characters
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews