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Duncan McCormack #1
The Quaker
The Quaker is watching you…
It is 1969 and Glasgow has been brought to its knees by a serial killer spreading fear throughout the city. The Quaker has taken three women from the same nightclub and brutally murdered them in the backstreets.
A detective with everything to prove.
Now, six months later, the police are left chasing a ghost, with no new leads and no hope of catching their prey. They call in DI McCormack, a talented young detective from the Highlands. But his arrival is met with anger from a group of officers on the brink of despair.
A killer who hunts in the shadows.
Soon another woman is found murdered in a run-down tenement flat. And McCormack follows a trail of secrets that will change the city – and his life – forever…
It is 1969 and Glasgow has been brought to its knees by a serial killer spreading fear throughout the city. The Quaker has taken three women from the same nightclub and brutally murdered them in the backstreets.
A detective with everything to prove.
Now, six months later, the police are left chasing a ghost, with no new leads and no hope of catching their prey. They call in DI McCormack, a talented young detective from the Highlands. But his arrival is met with anger from a group of officers on the brink of despair.
A killer who hunts in the shadows.
Soon another woman is found murdered in a run-down tenement flat. And McCormack follows a trail of secrets that will change the city – and his life – forever…
389 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
638 people are currently reading
3389 people want to read
About the author
Liam McIlvanney
10 books231 followersProfessor Liam McIlvanney, the son of novelist William McIlvanney, was born in Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, and studied at Glasgow and Oxford Universities. After ten years lecturing in Scottish and Irish literature at the University of Aberdeen, he moved to Dunedin in New Zealand to teach at the University of Otago. He lectures in Scottish literature, culture and history, and on Irish-Scottish literary connections, and holds the Stuart Professor of Scottish Studies chair at the University.
He won a Saltire Award for his first book, Burns the Radical, in 2002. A chance meeting with an editor for Faber and Faber persuaded him to turn to fiction, and his first novel, All the Colours of the Town, was published in 2009 to great acclaim. His second thriller, Where The Dead Men Go, which saw the return of journalist Gerry Conway, won the prestigious Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel in 2014.
He has also written reviews and criticism for the London Review of Books, The Guardian, and others. He lives in Dunedin with his wife and three children.
He won a Saltire Award for his first book, Burns the Radical, in 2002. A chance meeting with an editor for Faber and Faber persuaded him to turn to fiction, and his first novel, All the Colours of the Town, was published in 2009 to great acclaim. His second thriller, Where The Dead Men Go, which saw the return of journalist Gerry Conway, won the prestigious Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel in 2014.
He has also written reviews and criticism for the London Review of Books, The Guardian, and others. He lives in Dunedin with his wife and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 487 reviews
October 17, 2023
I think I just found my newest crime-thriller fixation. Liam McIlvanney’s Duncan McCormack is the series I’ve most thoroughly enjoyed this year so far. I dove into it headlong, reading The Quaker and its sequel, The Heretic, back-to-back as if they contained the only oxygen in the room. The third installment literally cannot be published fast enough!
The Quaker, the first book of the Duncan McCormack series, was my introduction to McIlvanney’s work and I was quickly drawn to his style of storytelling. McIlvanney has a galvanic way of writing suspense, action, and peril that makes it impossible for you to let your eyes wander past the perimeter of the page. I was utterly compelled by the mystery, by the rich and vivid vision of late 1960’ and early 1970’ Glasgow, by the sharp currents of the plot, and the inscrutable and bitingly likeable protagonist who is caught in them.
The series begins in 1969 Glasgow and follows the story of detective Duncan McCormack as he is first dispatched to the Marine Police Station and tasked with observing and reporting on the ongoing investigation into a serial killer terrorizing Glaswegians (The Quaker), and seven years later, as he returns to the city as its lauded hero and the new lead detective in the investigation into a series of seemingly unconnected murders (The Heretic). This summary does not pretend to do the series full justice, but I don't want to surrender too many details about the plot because I went into these books knowing very little about them and my experience was definitely all the better for it. I will say though that however compelling the plot is, the series' most rewarding experience for me lies with its eponymous hero, Duncan McCormack.
McCormack is as compelling a protagonist as it has ever been, and McIlvanney yields very little about him; the rest he makes you work for. There’s something unknowable from the outset about our protagonist, something just a tiny bit inscrutable about the turning of his thoughts—an acute sense that there is much more being said than what is encountered on the page. In the hands of another author, this might have had the undesirable effect of lessening the reader’s connection to the protagonist. But in McIlvanney’s hands, all this guarded control only enhances it.
To me, this is McIlvanney’s greatest narrative effect: every hint of McCormack’s private self must be earned. The author’s character work is not an exercise in showing or telling, but rather in excavating. Put differently, the narrative teaches you how to break open the words for hidden meanings, how to look for the unspoken dimensions. Reading then becomes, in turn, an exercise in patience, attention, and compassion: you learn to store away the pieces of McCormack’s life, to patiently wait to receive another piece, and then put them together like the tiles of a puzzle game.
Throughout the series, vignettes of McCormack’s inner life light up and go out swiftly, like matches. In these moments of intense vulnerability, you get the sense of a man who is raw and guarded and lonely in some horribly deep way, all his longings and desires and failings sealed in him. Someone who is deeply wounded and only held together with willpower, sheer stubbornness, and drawing pins. I hungered for the sincerity of these rare moments and felt strangely humbled by them. Vulnerability, this series reminded me, must be earned, and McIlvanney makes gifts of trust with each new revelation, with each layer newly and painfully peeled.
We learn to read McCormack’s evasions and silences as the language of survival, the language of a man caught between two worlds which he has long held separate from each other. The sharpness of McCormack’s loneliness, the viciousness of his secrecy, the way he seems to have made a habit of hiding, will be familiar to anyone who is queer and is forced/has been forced to hide it in plain sight. I felt a visceral sympathy for McCormack, and an almost painful resonance in his experiences.
In this series, McIlvanney takes a private reality that’s very difficult to articulate and articulates it—in tone, language, and feeling. McIlvanney turns the imposed invisibleness of being in the closet into something so concrete no one can look away from. Queerness in the text is both a present absence and an absent presence: it’s undeniably there but it can’t always be spoken—not directly anyway, only in hints and allusions and references. Like a ghost, it haunts the pages, waiting to be acknowledged. This speaks so profoundly to the essence of being in the closet: a life lived in suspension by necessity, saturated with so many silences and absences that transmute into habit and memory and become difficult to unlearn. The narrative makes it clear this is not about shame. McCormack is not ashamed of who he is, but he knew that for someone like him “being gay, being queer, being bent: it wasn’t a team sport. You were in this thing alone.”
There’s something that hurts so much in all of this—in McCormack’s attempts to make peace with a contentment he knows will never be true joy, in the constant oppression of fear McCormack has to live with, and his reckless clamoring for any kind of solitude that might anesthetize it. This is all stuff that cuts to the bone, but it’s important to know that this is not a series without hope, forgiveness, or joy. The Heretic is, in many ways, the beginning of an ongoing project in outgrowing the painful, intimate realities that have defined McCormack up until this point. Somewhere after The Quaker and before The Heretic (in an unwritten sequel that I would give up just about anything to read), McCormack finds the catalyst for this beginning, the possibility that he might not have to be “in this thing alone” after all. I don’t want to surrender any more in the way of spoilers, but just know that I am on fire with anticipation for the third book just for more glimpses of raw tenderness between McCormack and—okay, I’m just gonna shut up now.
In short, this is not a series you want to miss. Trust me.
The Quaker, the first book of the Duncan McCormack series, was my introduction to McIlvanney’s work and I was quickly drawn to his style of storytelling. McIlvanney has a galvanic way of writing suspense, action, and peril that makes it impossible for you to let your eyes wander past the perimeter of the page. I was utterly compelled by the mystery, by the rich and vivid vision of late 1960’ and early 1970’ Glasgow, by the sharp currents of the plot, and the inscrutable and bitingly likeable protagonist who is caught in them.
The series begins in 1969 Glasgow and follows the story of detective Duncan McCormack as he is first dispatched to the Marine Police Station and tasked with observing and reporting on the ongoing investigation into a serial killer terrorizing Glaswegians (The Quaker), and seven years later, as he returns to the city as its lauded hero and the new lead detective in the investigation into a series of seemingly unconnected murders (The Heretic). This summary does not pretend to do the series full justice, but I don't want to surrender too many details about the plot because I went into these books knowing very little about them and my experience was definitely all the better for it. I will say though that however compelling the plot is, the series' most rewarding experience for me lies with its eponymous hero, Duncan McCormack.
McCormack is as compelling a protagonist as it has ever been, and McIlvanney yields very little about him; the rest he makes you work for. There’s something unknowable from the outset about our protagonist, something just a tiny bit inscrutable about the turning of his thoughts—an acute sense that there is much more being said than what is encountered on the page. In the hands of another author, this might have had the undesirable effect of lessening the reader’s connection to the protagonist. But in McIlvanney’s hands, all this guarded control only enhances it.
To me, this is McIlvanney’s greatest narrative effect: every hint of McCormack’s private self must be earned. The author’s character work is not an exercise in showing or telling, but rather in excavating. Put differently, the narrative teaches you how to break open the words for hidden meanings, how to look for the unspoken dimensions. Reading then becomes, in turn, an exercise in patience, attention, and compassion: you learn to store away the pieces of McCormack’s life, to patiently wait to receive another piece, and then put them together like the tiles of a puzzle game.
Throughout the series, vignettes of McCormack’s inner life light up and go out swiftly, like matches. In these moments of intense vulnerability, you get the sense of a man who is raw and guarded and lonely in some horribly deep way, all his longings and desires and failings sealed in him. Someone who is deeply wounded and only held together with willpower, sheer stubbornness, and drawing pins. I hungered for the sincerity of these rare moments and felt strangely humbled by them. Vulnerability, this series reminded me, must be earned, and McIlvanney makes gifts of trust with each new revelation, with each layer newly and painfully peeled.
We learn to read McCormack’s evasions and silences as the language of survival, the language of a man caught between two worlds which he has long held separate from each other. The sharpness of McCormack’s loneliness, the viciousness of his secrecy, the way he seems to have made a habit of hiding, will be familiar to anyone who is queer and is forced/has been forced to hide it in plain sight. I felt a visceral sympathy for McCormack, and an almost painful resonance in his experiences.
In this series, McIlvanney takes a private reality that’s very difficult to articulate and articulates it—in tone, language, and feeling. McIlvanney turns the imposed invisibleness of being in the closet into something so concrete no one can look away from. Queerness in the text is both a present absence and an absent presence: it’s undeniably there but it can’t always be spoken—not directly anyway, only in hints and allusions and references. Like a ghost, it haunts the pages, waiting to be acknowledged. This speaks so profoundly to the essence of being in the closet: a life lived in suspension by necessity, saturated with so many silences and absences that transmute into habit and memory and become difficult to unlearn. The narrative makes it clear this is not about shame. McCormack is not ashamed of who he is, but he knew that for someone like him “being gay, being queer, being bent: it wasn’t a team sport. You were in this thing alone.”
There’s something that hurts so much in all of this—in McCormack’s attempts to make peace with a contentment he knows will never be true joy, in the constant oppression of fear McCormack has to live with, and his reckless clamoring for any kind of solitude that might anesthetize it. This is all stuff that cuts to the bone, but it’s important to know that this is not a series without hope, forgiveness, or joy. The Heretic is, in many ways, the beginning of an ongoing project in outgrowing the painful, intimate realities that have defined McCormack up until this point. Somewhere after The Quaker and before The Heretic (in an unwritten sequel that I would give up just about anything to read), McCormack finds the catalyst for this beginning, the possibility that he might not have to be “in this thing alone” after all. I don’t want to surrender any more in the way of spoilers, but just know that I am on fire with anticipation for the third book just for more glimpses of raw tenderness between McCormack and—okay, I’m just gonna shut up now.
In short, this is not a series you want to miss. Trust me.
June 16, 2018
McIlvanney draws on the true crime history of Bible John in his creation of The Quaker, a bible quoting serial killer roaming the streets of Glasgow in 1968-69. He has killed three women feeding the climate of fear and horror infesting the city. The police have no clue as to his identity, and the media have turned against the police, painting them as a laughing stock of uselessness. DI Duncan McCormack is riding high in the Flying Squad, having just nailed an important member of John McGlashon's criminal gang. He is ordered to go in to Glasgow's Marine Station, to write a report on DCI George Cochrane's investigation, close it down as it seems The Quaker has stopped.
Glasgow is engaged in slum clearances and big redevelopment projects amidst the harshest of winters. McCormack faces a battle amidst the rampant hostility aimed at him from the Glasgow police team, getting no credit for his past successes. The murdered women are given a voice in the narrative. There are a number of factors they have in common, a secret boyfriend, have children, danced at the Barrowland Ballroom and menstruating at the time of their death. Alex Paton is a peterman involved in big heists, he comes to his childhood home of Glasgow for a planned auction heist. McCormack finds himself leading the investigation when, out of the blue, another woman, Helen Thaney is murdered with a similar MO. However, there are key differences, enough to raise doubts whether it is The Quaker, but an arrest has the senior police wanting to close down McCormick looking into Thaney's murder any further. McCormick is not a man to give up, as he gets closer to the truth, even when he is threatened with revelations about his personal life being made public.
This is a wonderful piece of historical crime fiction set in a crime ridden Glasgow of hard men and gangsters, and the prejudices of that period. McCormack makes an appealing central figure, caught between the hatred of the Glasgow police, although eventually begins to form a close partnership with DS Goldie, and the demands of his superiors. He is not a man to take the path of least resistance, even if it costs him dear, justice is far more important to him. I hope we hear more from him, and that this is the first in a series. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
Glasgow is engaged in slum clearances and big redevelopment projects amidst the harshest of winters. McCormack faces a battle amidst the rampant hostility aimed at him from the Glasgow police team, getting no credit for his past successes. The murdered women are given a voice in the narrative. There are a number of factors they have in common, a secret boyfriend, have children, danced at the Barrowland Ballroom and menstruating at the time of their death. Alex Paton is a peterman involved in big heists, he comes to his childhood home of Glasgow for a planned auction heist. McCormack finds himself leading the investigation when, out of the blue, another woman, Helen Thaney is murdered with a similar MO. However, there are key differences, enough to raise doubts whether it is The Quaker, but an arrest has the senior police wanting to close down McCormick looking into Thaney's murder any further. McCormick is not a man to give up, as he gets closer to the truth, even when he is threatened with revelations about his personal life being made public.
This is a wonderful piece of historical crime fiction set in a crime ridden Glasgow of hard men and gangsters, and the prejudices of that period. McCormack makes an appealing central figure, caught between the hatred of the Glasgow police, although eventually begins to form a close partnership with DS Goldie, and the demands of his superiors. He is not a man to take the path of least resistance, even if it costs him dear, justice is far more important to him. I hope we hear more from him, and that this is the first in a series. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
October 30, 2018
First of all the copy I have has comply different cover, a boring seen of wet park bench with few trees & few flat roof houses in the background not like this much better cover.
You know a book is going to be good when the author as both T.S.Eliot 's 'East Coker
& The 'Silver Blaze' by Conan Doyle quotes.
Last year we had Ragdoll this year we have Quaker. This one of those sort of books that you just know its going to be corker. We have the voices of the victims telling you how they died. Touch of Lovely Bones.
The DI Duncan McCormack is as popular as pig shit he has been called in to reassess a case that had three victims over a year & no fucking clue what hell the twats in charge with thumbs up their asses are doing. He been called the Police Grass.
Liam is Scottish writer who now lives in New Zealand were he is Professor of Scottish Studies at The University of Otago .
What makes this so good its no DNA all old school shoe leather & cigarette smoke. Middens do lot people today what a Midden is? Your outside Carsey, the local rat infested out side smelly toilet.
The police are rude, dangerous, if your a crook it is old days of good kicking.
This different he could just done modern crime but No he has moved it back to 1968-9 so do more set in early 1970s it makes if new yet old too.
A historical crime with old fag smoke, lots of whisky & Scottish Glasgow Gorbals working class feel you feel as if standing in the broken streets & clouds of coal dust smelly sweat & lots of cigarettes ends all gone now thank God.
For an American reader this like stepping into the Tardis with Jodie.
Best of all this only volume one & the next will be different as you see when get to the twisted corkscrew ending.
You know a book is going to be good when the author as both T.S.Eliot 's 'East Coker
& The 'Silver Blaze' by Conan Doyle quotes.
Last year we had Ragdoll this year we have Quaker. This one of those sort of books that you just know its going to be corker. We have the voices of the victims telling you how they died. Touch of Lovely Bones.
The DI Duncan McCormack is as popular as pig shit he has been called in to reassess a case that had three victims over a year & no fucking clue what hell the twats in charge with thumbs up their asses are doing. He been called the Police Grass.
Liam is Scottish writer who now lives in New Zealand were he is Professor of Scottish Studies at The University of Otago .
What makes this so good its no DNA all old school shoe leather & cigarette smoke. Middens do lot people today what a Midden is? Your outside Carsey, the local rat infested out side smelly toilet.
The police are rude, dangerous, if your a crook it is old days of good kicking.
This different he could just done modern crime but No he has moved it back to 1968-9 so do more set in early 1970s it makes if new yet old too.
A historical crime with old fag smoke, lots of whisky & Scottish Glasgow Gorbals working class feel you feel as if standing in the broken streets & clouds of coal dust smelly sweat & lots of cigarettes ends all gone now thank God.
For an American reader this like stepping into the Tardis with Jodie.
Best of all this only volume one & the next will be different as you see when get to the twisted corkscrew ending.
February 16, 2024
4,5 ⭐
Una novela negra, pero negra de las de verdad, que está francamente bien. Ha ganado el Premio Bloody Scotland McIlvanney 2018; finalista del Theakston Crime Novel of the Year 2019 y finalista del Premio Ngaio Marsh 2019. Si bien lo de los premios siempre hay que ponerlo en solfa, en este caso creo que han sido merecidos.
Dice la sinopsis:
Glasgow, 1969. La gente del lugar no recuerda un invierno tan duro. El frío y el miedo han tomado la ciudad, y en las calles solamente resuena un nombre: el Cuáquero, un asesino que se ha cobrado tres víctimas. Meses después, la policía, sin pistas nuevas ni esperanzas, tiene la sensación de andar detrás de un fantasma. McCormack, joven y prometedor inspector de las Tierras Altas, es enviado al cuerpo de policía de Glasgow para desmantelar una investigación que se ha vuelto tan costosa como inútil.
Pronto será evidente que el caso del Cuáquero no ha terminado cuando una cuarta víctima aparece muerta en un apartamento abandonado. McCormack deberá llegar al corazón más oscuro de Glasgow, siguiendo un rastro de pistas y secretos que están destinados a cambiar el devenir de la ciudad y el suyo para siempre.
Mis impresiones
El autor se ha basado en unos crímenes reales, cometidos en Glasgow, en 1969, cuyo autor jamás fue detenido. Ha cambiado el nombre de las tres víctimas, el de la única testigo ocular y los de los investigadores. Las circunstancias de los tres asesinatos, así como las de la investigación posterior a estos, sí las refleja tal cual. A partir de ahí el resto es ficción. No es fácil escribir este tipo de libros que parten de hechos reales. La simbiosis entre realidad y ficción tiene que funcionar, el tacto hacia los sentimientos de los lectores también. En esta ocasión funciona. El autor construye una novela que transciende los hechos reales, para desarrollar una magnífica trama.
No estamos ante un thriller, sino ante una novela negra, muy negra, con una trama oscura, muy oscura, "hard boiled" de nuevo cuño, pero tan sórdido y oscuro como el de Hammett o Chandler.
No es esta una novela de ritmo frenético y de giros vertiginosos. Se basa en los métodos, técnicas y actuaciones policiales. Vamos a asistir a una investigación con pistas válidas y callejones sin salida. No hay aquí casualidades ni conejos sacados de la chistera. Tanto las pistas como los callejones son igualmente válidos para el lector y permiten que anticipemos alguna sorpresa.
La trama se divide en cuatro partes. La primera, en la que presenta hechos, personajes y subtramas, es lenta. A partir de la segunda el ritmo se agiliza y se sostiene. El interés es creciente y aumenta con cada capítulo que pasa. Hilo a hilo se va tejiendo la madeja hasta conducirnos al 25% final, momento en que la novela da un giro crucial y ya sí que no la sueltas, hasta llegar a la resolución del caso.
A señalar que, intercaladas en la primera parte, las tres víctimas nos cuentan en primera persona su asesinato. Me ha parecido una manera respetuosa de ponernos en contexto y proporcionar la información.
Junto con la trama de los asesinatos nos encontramos varias subtramas con delincuentes peligrosos, un robo y corrupción policial. Todas ellas van a confluir con la principal. Es un argumento muy bien pensado, muy bien urdido. Todas las piezas van a encajar como un guante.
La ambientación es otro de los puntos fuertes de la novela. El Glasgow de 1969, inmerso en un proceso de reurbanización adquiere identidad propia. Sus calles, su problemática, el paisaje que la rodea, todo ello es un algo más, que la mera ciudad donde transcurren los hechos.
Los personajes están bien trazados. Con el protagonista, el autor rompe el estereotipo de policía del género. Duncan McCormack es un hombre bastante normal. Guarda un secreto de su vida personal y eso es todo. Sus superiores le definen como dócil y no problemático. Esa es la razón, entre otras, por la que lo envían a cerrar un caso que ha entrado en punto muerto. Con lo que no contaban era con su instinto policial. Desde el principio, piensa que la investigación falló por haberse centrado en un único aspecto. La aparición del cuarto cadáver le permitirá retomarla con un enfoque nuevo. Junto con él me ha gustado mucho Goldie, su compañero forzoso. La evolución de la relación entre ellos está muy conseguida. Paton, secundario destacado, es otro personaje interesante y bien dibujado.
El final es más que bueno. Coherente con la trama, con la investigación, con la personalidad de McCormack y con las expectativas que genera en los lectores.
En conclusión, una novela negra, con una trama oscura, muy inteligente, muy bien desarrollada, con una ambientación de lujo y un final a la altura. Recomendable para los que gusten de este género.
Una novela negra, pero negra de las de verdad, que está francamente bien. Ha ganado el Premio Bloody Scotland McIlvanney 2018; finalista del Theakston Crime Novel of the Year 2019 y finalista del Premio Ngaio Marsh 2019. Si bien lo de los premios siempre hay que ponerlo en solfa, en este caso creo que han sido merecidos.
Dice la sinopsis:
Glasgow, 1969. La gente del lugar no recuerda un invierno tan duro. El frío y el miedo han tomado la ciudad, y en las calles solamente resuena un nombre: el Cuáquero, un asesino que se ha cobrado tres víctimas. Meses después, la policía, sin pistas nuevas ni esperanzas, tiene la sensación de andar detrás de un fantasma. McCormack, joven y prometedor inspector de las Tierras Altas, es enviado al cuerpo de policía de Glasgow para desmantelar una investigación que se ha vuelto tan costosa como inútil.
Pronto será evidente que el caso del Cuáquero no ha terminado cuando una cuarta víctima aparece muerta en un apartamento abandonado. McCormack deberá llegar al corazón más oscuro de Glasgow, siguiendo un rastro de pistas y secretos que están destinados a cambiar el devenir de la ciudad y el suyo para siempre.
Mis impresiones
El autor se ha basado en unos crímenes reales, cometidos en Glasgow, en 1969, cuyo autor jamás fue detenido. Ha cambiado el nombre de las tres víctimas, el de la única testigo ocular y los de los investigadores. Las circunstancias de los tres asesinatos, así como las de la investigación posterior a estos, sí las refleja tal cual. A partir de ahí el resto es ficción. No es fácil escribir este tipo de libros que parten de hechos reales. La simbiosis entre realidad y ficción tiene que funcionar, el tacto hacia los sentimientos de los lectores también. En esta ocasión funciona. El autor construye una novela que transciende los hechos reales, para desarrollar una magnífica trama.
No estamos ante un thriller, sino ante una novela negra, muy negra, con una trama oscura, muy oscura, "hard boiled" de nuevo cuño, pero tan sórdido y oscuro como el de Hammett o Chandler.
No es esta una novela de ritmo frenético y de giros vertiginosos. Se basa en los métodos, técnicas y actuaciones policiales. Vamos a asistir a una investigación con pistas válidas y callejones sin salida. No hay aquí casualidades ni conejos sacados de la chistera. Tanto las pistas como los callejones son igualmente válidos para el lector y permiten que anticipemos alguna sorpresa.
La trama se divide en cuatro partes. La primera, en la que presenta hechos, personajes y subtramas, es lenta. A partir de la segunda el ritmo se agiliza y se sostiene. El interés es creciente y aumenta con cada capítulo que pasa. Hilo a hilo se va tejiendo la madeja hasta conducirnos al 25% final, momento en que la novela da un giro crucial y ya sí que no la sueltas, hasta llegar a la resolución del caso.
A señalar que, intercaladas en la primera parte, las tres víctimas nos cuentan en primera persona su asesinato. Me ha parecido una manera respetuosa de ponernos en contexto y proporcionar la información.
Junto con la trama de los asesinatos nos encontramos varias subtramas con delincuentes peligrosos, un robo y corrupción policial. Todas ellas van a confluir con la principal. Es un argumento muy bien pensado, muy bien urdido. Todas las piezas van a encajar como un guante.
La ambientación es otro de los puntos fuertes de la novela. El Glasgow de 1969, inmerso en un proceso de reurbanización adquiere identidad propia. Sus calles, su problemática, el paisaje que la rodea, todo ello es un algo más, que la mera ciudad donde transcurren los hechos.
Los personajes están bien trazados. Con el protagonista, el autor rompe el estereotipo de policía del género. Duncan McCormack es un hombre bastante normal. Guarda un secreto de su vida personal y eso es todo. Sus superiores le definen como dócil y no problemático. Esa es la razón, entre otras, por la que lo envían a cerrar un caso que ha entrado en punto muerto. Con lo que no contaban era con su instinto policial. Desde el principio, piensa que la investigación falló por haberse centrado en un único aspecto. La aparición del cuarto cadáver le permitirá retomarla con un enfoque nuevo. Junto con él me ha gustado mucho Goldie, su compañero forzoso. La evolución de la relación entre ellos está muy conseguida. Paton, secundario destacado, es otro personaje interesante y bien dibujado.
El final es más que bueno. Coherente con la trama, con la investigación, con la personalidad de McCormack y con las expectativas que genera en los lectores.
En conclusión, una novela negra, con una trama oscura, muy inteligente, muy bien desarrollada, con una ambientación de lujo y un final a la altura. Recomendable para los que gusten de este género.
July 20, 2019
Loosely based on the ‘Bible John’ serial killer that plagued Glasgow in the late 1960’s.
With so many crime stories set in the Scottish City, I felt that this was a clever way to try and stand out amongst so many other novels.
Though the story was engaging enough, I found myself searching the internet to find out exactly what actually happened during 1968/69.
Any investigation of this nature will hit stumbling blocks, but the meandering nature of the plot made me reach for Wikipedia.
The novels strength is wonderfully vivid scene setting as the author brings the time period to life.
From the social structure during the redevelopment of the city to the cultural themes of music and sport (especially as Celtic had recently won the European Cup) were perfectly woven through.
Personally I’d have preferred a truer recount of the actual case that was being referenced, though this was still an enjoyable read.
With so many crime stories set in the Scottish City, I felt that this was a clever way to try and stand out amongst so many other novels.
Though the story was engaging enough, I found myself searching the internet to find out exactly what actually happened during 1968/69.
Any investigation of this nature will hit stumbling blocks, but the meandering nature of the plot made me reach for Wikipedia.
The novels strength is wonderfully vivid scene setting as the author brings the time period to life.
From the social structure during the redevelopment of the city to the cultural themes of music and sport (especially as Celtic had recently won the European Cup) were perfectly woven through.
Personally I’d have preferred a truer recount of the actual case that was being referenced, though this was still an enjoyable read.
September 25, 2021
4+
Who is the Quaker? Rumours abound in Glasgow of 1968 to 1969. The Murder Room at the Marine Police Station at Partick led by DCI George Cochrane are working flat out to try identify the killer before there’s a fourth female victim. The court of public opinion derides the police efforts so now there’s an added air of desperation. Into this tinder box steps DI Duncan McCormack of the Flying Squad seconded to oversee the case and review it but with what ensuing consequence?? Not unnaturally McCormack is about as welcome as Typhoid Mary especially from DS Derek Goldie.
This is really good tartan noir, it’s very chilling in occasions and you feel the menace emanating from the pages. I really like Highlander McCormack as the central protagonist, he’s dogged, a good intuitive policeman and he’s unafraid too which is probably just as well. DS Goldie really grows on you, he’s gruff but he’s a good honest copper at heart. The book is terrific on historical context capturing the times brilliantly and the changing face of gritty Glasgow matches the storyline perfectly. It’s very well written, the plot is complex but the author connects the links in the evidence chain extremely well and it’s done at a quick pace. I like the continuous changes in direction making it an immersive and unpredictable read.
Overall, a compelling novel and I look forward to reading what happens to Duncan McCormack next.
Who is the Quaker? Rumours abound in Glasgow of 1968 to 1969. The Murder Room at the Marine Police Station at Partick led by DCI George Cochrane are working flat out to try identify the killer before there’s a fourth female victim. The court of public opinion derides the police efforts so now there’s an added air of desperation. Into this tinder box steps DI Duncan McCormack of the Flying Squad seconded to oversee the case and review it but with what ensuing consequence?? Not unnaturally McCormack is about as welcome as Typhoid Mary especially from DS Derek Goldie.
This is really good tartan noir, it’s very chilling in occasions and you feel the menace emanating from the pages. I really like Highlander McCormack as the central protagonist, he’s dogged, a good intuitive policeman and he’s unafraid too which is probably just as well. DS Goldie really grows on you, he’s gruff but he’s a good honest copper at heart. The book is terrific on historical context capturing the times brilliantly and the changing face of gritty Glasgow matches the storyline perfectly. It’s very well written, the plot is complex but the author connects the links in the evidence chain extremely well and it’s done at a quick pace. I like the continuous changes in direction making it an immersive and unpredictable read.
Overall, a compelling novel and I look forward to reading what happens to Duncan McCormack next.
June 27, 2019
Duncan McCormack #1
Set in Glasgow in the late 1960's, to a time where the city was controlled by gangsters who also had some control over the police. The local press are making a laughing stock of the police force. Now, the police have brought someone in to observe the officers conducting the investigation into a serial killer called the Quaker who had brutally murdered three local women. The women had all left the same nightclub. DI Duncan McCormack is the officer brought in to observe and ensure that enough is being done to solve the murders. Then another woman is murdered. The police have arrested a suspect, but have they got the right man?
It took me a few chapters to get into this book, then I was hooked. It's loosely based on a true story. The first half of the book is basically setting the scene. The second half is where the action and tension mounts up. I liked DI McCormack and the way he dealt with the difficult problems he found himself in, he also has a secret. The murders are described in detail, but they are not too graphic. It still might upset a few readers though. This is a well written police procedural. I do recommend.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Liam McIlvanney for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Set in Glasgow in the late 1960's, to a time where the city was controlled by gangsters who also had some control over the police. The local press are making a laughing stock of the police force. Now, the police have brought someone in to observe the officers conducting the investigation into a serial killer called the Quaker who had brutally murdered three local women. The women had all left the same nightclub. DI Duncan McCormack is the officer brought in to observe and ensure that enough is being done to solve the murders. Then another woman is murdered. The police have arrested a suspect, but have they got the right man?
It took me a few chapters to get into this book, then I was hooked. It's loosely based on a true story. The first half of the book is basically setting the scene. The second half is where the action and tension mounts up. I liked DI McCormack and the way he dealt with the difficult problems he found himself in, he also has a secret. The murders are described in detail, but they are not too graphic. It still might upset a few readers though. This is a well written police procedural. I do recommend.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Liam McIlvanney for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2018
Great, gritty tartan noir. Set in 1960's Glasgow, it's harkens back to the time of a city controlled by gangsters who control the cops. Or some of them anyway. In steps a young DI determined to nail a killer while protecting a secret that could land him in prison. Descriptive passages & dialogue full of local vernacular ensures you are transported to another time in this atmospheric read. Just when you think you've got it figured out, the author saves the best twists for last. Smart, well paced story with a sympathetic MC. I look forward to the next book in this series.
April 7, 2022
Negrísima novela basada en unos crímenes reales cometidos a finales de la década de los sesenta en Glasgow.
Tanto la ambientación como los personajes son estupendos, todo un logro para ser una primera novela de este autor como he leído.
El asesino apodado El Cuáquero ha asesinado a 3 mujeres y las investigaciones están en un punto muerto cuando el departamento de policía decide contar con los servicios del joven inspector McCormack para intentar dar una nueva luz al caso. McCormack se encontrará con el rechazo de algunos de sus compañeros, al fin y al cabo ha venido para resolver los posibles errores cometidos y no es popular precisamente.
Cuando otra mujer aparece asesinada, el caso se reactiva bajo otro punto de vista y comandado por el inspector McCormack.
Muy bien escrita, con personajes potentes y una historia a fuego lento pero muy adictiva.
Tanto la ambientación como los personajes son estupendos, todo un logro para ser una primera novela de este autor como he leído.
El asesino apodado El Cuáquero ha asesinado a 3 mujeres y las investigaciones están en un punto muerto cuando el departamento de policía decide contar con los servicios del joven inspector McCormack para intentar dar una nueva luz al caso. McCormack se encontrará con el rechazo de algunos de sus compañeros, al fin y al cabo ha venido para resolver los posibles errores cometidos y no es popular precisamente.
Cuando otra mujer aparece asesinada, el caso se reactiva bajo otro punto de vista y comandado por el inspector McCormack.
Muy bien escrita, con personajes potentes y una historia a fuego lento pero muy adictiva.
March 24, 2022
Ritmo lento, personajes sencillos, buena ambientación y basado en hechos reales.
Un hardboiled bastante decente.
Un hardboiled bastante decente.
February 6, 2025
This is a great book of place. Set in Glasgow in the late 1960s. A time of upheaval. People struggling to access good housing. Old tenements and flats getting razed to the ground. Women are getting murdered. Glasgow's glorious bars and pubs. McIlvanney made me long for the city I once lived in as a young man.
It also works well as a heist novel and a man on the run novel. Alex Paton, the peterman, on the run across the wilderness outside Glasgow is one of the most thrilling parts of the novel.
The Quaker plods on and on as a murder mystery and police procedural. Duncan McCormack, a teuchter, was not exactly the most interesting cop in crime fiction. Something deeply personal about Duncan (revealed only at the end of the novel) prevents his colleagues in the murder room (the room that houses detectives who are investigating the murder of three women) from liking him. Even the supporting characters among the police force were unremarkable at best. So the novel's center piece - the crime investigation does not work at all.
Liam McIlvanney indulges in some misdirection involving religion and Scottish history to confuse the reader and keep us guessing about the motives of the murderer. The literary device to let the ghosts of the three murdered women speak to the reader was definitely very interesting.
Liam McIlvanney definitely knows a lot about Scotland, its clans, its bars and its history. He is definitely an interesting writer. I will check out more books by this guy.
It also works well as a heist novel and a man on the run novel. Alex Paton, the peterman, on the run across the wilderness outside Glasgow is one of the most thrilling parts of the novel.
The Quaker plods on and on as a murder mystery and police procedural. Duncan McCormack, a teuchter, was not exactly the most interesting cop in crime fiction. Something deeply personal about Duncan (revealed only at the end of the novel) prevents his colleagues in the murder room (the room that houses detectives who are investigating the murder of three women) from liking him. Even the supporting characters among the police force were unremarkable at best. So the novel's center piece - the crime investigation does not work at all.
Liam McIlvanney indulges in some misdirection involving religion and Scottish history to confuse the reader and keep us guessing about the motives of the murderer. The literary device to let the ghosts of the three murdered women speak to the reader was definitely very interesting.
Liam McIlvanney definitely knows a lot about Scotland, its clans, its bars and its history. He is definitely an interesting writer. I will check out more books by this guy.
August 2, 2018
4-stars
This is a very good crime novel, set in the Glasgow area, and packed with the sights, language and culture of the late 1960s. The prose is very good throughout, and the pacing is mostly very good.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you. This book was provided to me in return for my (always) honest review. Thank you
McCormack is dropped into a serial murder case in Glasgow, on secondment from the Flying Squad. He's expected to wind down the unproductive investigation or three murdered women, and close it out, so he's hated by all the detectives and police still involved. It also turns out he was part of the cock-up of the investigation of the first murder, but he forms an uneasy alliance with a Detective Sergeant.
To present a period detective story like this without cliché is difficult, but McIlvanney handles it well. At no time did the story feel too familiar or contrived. The main characters are well drawn.
My only complaints are that the old histories, and some of the descriptions of the city areas and the crime scenes are a bit overwrought, and this affects the overall pacing of the book. However, I did not feel the need to skim ahead - always a plus in my book!
This is a promising debut for the McCormack character, and a confirmation that McIlvanney is a very talented writer.
I will be reading more of his work.
There are many almost-quotable phrases in the book; here are two better ones:
There were photographs of three women, the familiar before-and-after shots. You couldn’t look from the oblivious smiles to the sprawled bodies without your stomach dropping. Without feeling personally guilty.
They were passing the Gorbals. Or where the Gorbals once stood. Now the Gorbals was a great bald prairie of mud. A single gas-lamp stood like a stunted tree and behind it rose the high flats, storey on storey, towers crowding each other with their broad square shoulders. They seemed to block out the light. He had to press his cheek against the window and crane right up to see the hard flat top of the nearest tower.
Full size image
.
This is a very good crime novel, set in the Glasgow area, and packed with the sights, language and culture of the late 1960s. The prose is very good throughout, and the pacing is mostly very good.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you. This book was provided to me in return for my (always) honest review. Thank you
McCormack is dropped into a serial murder case in Glasgow, on secondment from the Flying Squad. He's expected to wind down the unproductive investigation or three murdered women, and close it out, so he's hated by all the detectives and police still involved. It also turns out he was part of the cock-up of the investigation of the first murder, but he forms an uneasy alliance with a Detective Sergeant.
To present a period detective story like this without cliché is difficult, but McIlvanney handles it well. At no time did the story feel too familiar or contrived. The main characters are well drawn.
My only complaints are that the old histories, and some of the descriptions of the city areas and the crime scenes are a bit overwrought, and this affects the overall pacing of the book. However, I did not feel the need to skim ahead - always a plus in my book!
This is a promising debut for the McCormack character, and a confirmation that McIlvanney is a very talented writer.
I will be reading more of his work.
There are many almost-quotable phrases in the book; here are two better ones:
There were photographs of three women, the familiar before-and-after shots. You couldn’t look from the oblivious smiles to the sprawled bodies without your stomach dropping. Without feeling personally guilty.
They were passing the Gorbals. Or where the Gorbals once stood. Now the Gorbals was a great bald prairie of mud. A single gas-lamp stood like a stunted tree and behind it rose the high flats, storey on storey, towers crowding each other with their broad square shoulders. They seemed to block out the light. He had to press his cheek against the window and crane right up to see the hard flat top of the nearest tower.
Full size image
.
April 22, 2022
The first in a new series of Detective Duncan McCormack crime investigations, The Quaker by Liam McIlvanney was published in 2018. Set in 1969 Glasgow Duncan is transferred from the Highlands to investigate a terrorising serial killer and identify why the case is stagnant. Causing tension with his city colleagues, Duncan disagrees with their identification of the main suspect and must use all his skill to successfully solve the case. An historical police procedural of substance which captures the gritty Glasgow atmosphere and time period with aplomb. So, a most enjoyable four-star rating read with hopefully more adventures to come.
March 12, 2022
Very well done intro to a strong willed, determined Glasgow detective in the 1960's who requires strength of personal conviction to stick it out for the truth versus group pressure and influence of fellow cops. A serial killer is succeeding and there is considerable effort to push for false reporting and peer pressure to go with the story.
Looking forward to the second book as this one closes with him leaving Scotland for the Met.
Looking forward to the second book as this one closes with him leaving Scotland for the Met.
June 18, 2018
Liam McIlvanney is not an author I had any knowledge of before discovering "The Quaker". I usually am aware of crime/thriller/mystery writers and fantasy authors even if I haven't read anything by them. Apparently he is an award-winning author so that certainly got my attention.
The setting also had an impact on my decision to read the book. It is based in Glasgow and I have found in the past that some of the very best crime novels are either based in Scotland, written by a Scot or both. I live just over the border into England and I know the location well which was appealing to me too.
Set in Glasgow in 1969, Liam McIlvanney’s "The Quaker" is loosely based on the murders of the real – and never caught – serial killer “Bible John”, who is believed to have raped and strangled three women after meeting them in the city’s Barrowland Ballroom. DI Duncan McCormack is drafted in from the flying squad to review Glasgow CID’s failing investigation. A parallel narrative concerning safe-cracker Alex Paton, who travels home from London to take part in an auction house heist, is skilfully dovetailed as the plot thickens and McCormack gets drawn deeper into both cases.
This is the first book in the DI Duncan McCormack series and was an excellent opener in my opinion. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for the #2 and plan to go back and read other McIlvanney novels. A solidly crafted and satifying detective novel with a claustrophobic atmosphere that lingers throughout. Recommended for fans of gripping, gritty thrillers.
Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The setting also had an impact on my decision to read the book. It is based in Glasgow and I have found in the past that some of the very best crime novels are either based in Scotland, written by a Scot or both. I live just over the border into England and I know the location well which was appealing to me too.
Set in Glasgow in 1969, Liam McIlvanney’s "The Quaker" is loosely based on the murders of the real – and never caught – serial killer “Bible John”, who is believed to have raped and strangled three women after meeting them in the city’s Barrowland Ballroom. DI Duncan McCormack is drafted in from the flying squad to review Glasgow CID’s failing investigation. A parallel narrative concerning safe-cracker Alex Paton, who travels home from London to take part in an auction house heist, is skilfully dovetailed as the plot thickens and McCormack gets drawn deeper into both cases.
This is the first book in the DI Duncan McCormack series and was an excellent opener in my opinion. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for the #2 and plan to go back and read other McIlvanney novels. A solidly crafted and satifying detective novel with a claustrophobic atmosphere that lingers throughout. Recommended for fans of gripping, gritty thrillers.
Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
dnf
February 10, 2023i may or may not have fallen asleep while listening to this... and i also did not care about the parts i was definitely fully awake for. dnf @28%
April 7, 2024
3.5 stars
Good start to a new mystery series. Set in 1969, things weren't great for a gay detective in Scotland. Note: This is first and foremost a mystery. While the main MC is gay, it's not a focus of the book very much, and there's zero hint at romance at all, not even a love interest.
A serial killer nicknamed The Quaker is wreaking havoc in Glasgow, and McCormack has been called in to help the local cops, who are quite salty about the outside intrusion. As the mystery unfolds, we get the expected red herrings, misleads and such. I didn't care much for the switch in POV to a potential suspect in the case I also thought the final reveals were a bit too convoluted.
I did like how the red herrings were used, and it was interesting to see how McCormack juggled being the outsider while solving the mystery and being gay and having to keep his sexuality on the DL in a time where he could be imprisoned if caught. There was a bit too much going on. While the POVs from the victims were effective, the POV of the prime suspect was distracting and didn't go anywhere once they were in custody. I liked the atmosphere of the story though, and the narrator did a great job.
Good start to a new mystery series. Set in 1969, things weren't great for a gay detective in Scotland. Note: This is first and foremost a mystery. While the main MC is gay, it's not a focus of the book very much, and there's zero hint at romance at all, not even a love interest.
A serial killer nicknamed The Quaker is wreaking havoc in Glasgow, and McCormack has been called in to help the local cops, who are quite salty about the outside intrusion. As the mystery unfolds, we get the expected red herrings, misleads and such. I didn't care much for the switch in POV to a potential suspect in the case I also thought the final reveals were a bit too convoluted.
I did like how the red herrings were used, and it was interesting to see how McCormack juggled being the outsider while solving the mystery and being gay and having to keep his sexuality on the DL in a time where he could be imprisoned if caught. There was a bit too much going on. While the POVs from the victims were effective, the POV of the prime suspect was distracting and didn't go anywhere once they were in custody. I liked the atmosphere of the story though, and the narrator did a great job.
May 1, 2019
This is more of a 3.5 star read, but as I don't officially do half stars, it remains as a 3 star read for Goodreads's sake.
By the time I had finished reading The Quaker, I was actually very pleasantly surprised. What had started out as a somewhat meandering crime novel turned into a surprisingly involved and intricate web of murder and deception. I think I could have potentially given up on this during the first third of the novel if it wasn't for the fact that I'm a bit of a sucker for any novels that are set in my home city of Glasgow.
Liam McIlvanney weaves a fascinating, dreary, downright grim image of 1960s Glasgow, with a set of murders heavily influenced by the real-life 'Bible John' killings. So of course I was interested to see how he would weave his Highlands outsider policeman Duncan McCormack into this world and crime that I was already in some ways familiar with. It was a long time coming though. Where McIlvanney failed for me was in his characters - although I found McCormack to be interesting, and someone I could root for, I still didn't feel like I really knew him for the majority of the book. In addition to that, there were a lot of characters in this, and a certain subset of them had some significant chapter time which I felt was borderline pointless. It was a shame as I would have preferred to spend more time with McCormack, unpacking his character in the way I felt was necessary.
Based on the rest of the book though, I think I would actually continue with the Duncan McCormack series. I've never really been one for a series (unless it's something like Harry Potter of course), but I'd be interested to see where McCormack goes next, especially given the ending. Maybe we will find out more about him in future books, or at least I'm hoping so anyway. For now, I will recommend The Quaker - if you don't mind slow pacing and plain characters, and like gritty, recent-historical crime fiction with twists and turns, then this might be a good one for you.
By the time I had finished reading The Quaker, I was actually very pleasantly surprised. What had started out as a somewhat meandering crime novel turned into a surprisingly involved and intricate web of murder and deception. I think I could have potentially given up on this during the first third of the novel if it wasn't for the fact that I'm a bit of a sucker for any novels that are set in my home city of Glasgow.
Liam McIlvanney weaves a fascinating, dreary, downright grim image of 1960s Glasgow, with a set of murders heavily influenced by the real-life 'Bible John' killings. So of course I was interested to see how he would weave his Highlands outsider policeman Duncan McCormack into this world and crime that I was already in some ways familiar with. It was a long time coming though. Where McIlvanney failed for me was in his characters - although I found McCormack to be interesting, and someone I could root for, I still didn't feel like I really knew him for the majority of the book. In addition to that, there were a lot of characters in this, and a certain subset of them had some significant chapter time which I felt was borderline pointless. It was a shame as I would have preferred to spend more time with McCormack, unpacking his character in the way I felt was necessary.
Based on the rest of the book though, I think I would actually continue with the Duncan McCormack series. I've never really been one for a series (unless it's something like Harry Potter of course), but I'd be interested to see where McCormack goes next, especially given the ending. Maybe we will find out more about him in future books, or at least I'm hoping so anyway. For now, I will recommend The Quaker - if you don't mind slow pacing and plain characters, and like gritty, recent-historical crime fiction with twists and turns, then this might be a good one for you.
August 12, 2019
Next time I’m going to visit Glasgow I will see the city with different eyes. As a tourist, I’ve seen hotels, restaurants, the congress center, museums and numerous shops of course. Maybe I should take this book with me as a sort of alternative travelling guide… Author Liam McIlvanney, with an impressive background, gives us a real story, set in a real city and of course, with real characters. Although it started a bit slow, it was difficult to put down. I’ve learned some new Scottish words too… ;-)
Thanks to Edelweiss and World Noir for this review copy.
Thanks to Edelweiss and World Noir for this review copy.
March 31, 2020
I loved this book. It is a literary thriller that takes place in Glasgow, Scotland, but unlike many of the U.S. thrillers, with their violence and shoot 'em ups, this novel is written for an intelligent audience. The novel is character driven and a page-turner to boot. It demonstrates how detectives can search for criminals without guns , tasers strong arming and still bring evil men to justice.
The Quaker is the name given to a serial killer who has killed three women in 1968 - Jacquilyn Keevins, Ann Ogilvie, and Marion Mercer. All three women had children but decided to go out dancing. Two of the women were married and one was separated. Each of them met a man at the dance hall and left with him. Then they were killed in a brutal way. Interestingly, all three women were menstruating at the time of their murders. There has been only one witness, a sister to one of the victims. However, she was very drunk when she rode home in a cab with the murderer and her sister. She does remember that the Quaker recited religious themes, spoke about adultery and was very odd. Thus the name, the Quaker.
The detectives on the case has posted pictures of their suspect all over Glasgow but after 15 months, the investigation was still at a standstill. The higher ups in the police department assign 35 year old Detective Inspector McCormack to write a report and indicate where things have gone in the investigation. McCormack, however, has other ideas. He would like to investigate this murder himself.
The other police in his squad look at him with disdain. He is the outsider, sent to critique everything they've done wrong. When the squad comes up with a potential suspect, McCormack knows he's not the Quaker. But how does he convince others of this?
McCormack has secrets of his own which play a prominent part in this novel. He is careful to keep to himself and not reveal his personal life to others. Besides his secrets, he's not sure if he's being set up or if this has been an honest reassignment.
There are subplots to this novel, every one essential with no red herrings. At first I didn't understand their purpose but they all came together as the narrative advanced.
This will surely make it to my top ten books this year. It is engrossing, literate, and I hated to put it down. If you're tired of the usual junk that makes up murder mysteries and thrillers, do yourself a favor and read the Quaker.
The Quaker is the name given to a serial killer who has killed three women in 1968 - Jacquilyn Keevins, Ann Ogilvie, and Marion Mercer. All three women had children but decided to go out dancing. Two of the women were married and one was separated. Each of them met a man at the dance hall and left with him. Then they were killed in a brutal way. Interestingly, all three women were menstruating at the time of their murders. There has been only one witness, a sister to one of the victims. However, she was very drunk when she rode home in a cab with the murderer and her sister. She does remember that the Quaker recited religious themes, spoke about adultery and was very odd. Thus the name, the Quaker.
The detectives on the case has posted pictures of their suspect all over Glasgow but after 15 months, the investigation was still at a standstill. The higher ups in the police department assign 35 year old Detective Inspector McCormack to write a report and indicate where things have gone in the investigation. McCormack, however, has other ideas. He would like to investigate this murder himself.
The other police in his squad look at him with disdain. He is the outsider, sent to critique everything they've done wrong. When the squad comes up with a potential suspect, McCormack knows he's not the Quaker. But how does he convince others of this?
McCormack has secrets of his own which play a prominent part in this novel. He is careful to keep to himself and not reveal his personal life to others. Besides his secrets, he's not sure if he's being set up or if this has been an honest reassignment.
There are subplots to this novel, every one essential with no red herrings. At first I didn't understand their purpose but they all came together as the narrative advanced.
This will surely make it to my top ten books this year. It is engrossing, literate, and I hated to put it down. If you're tired of the usual junk that makes up murder mysteries and thrillers, do yourself a favor and read the Quaker.
April 10, 2023
This straightforward police procedural is distinguished by excellent writing. McIlvanney creates a great feel for Glasgow in the late 1960's, but weaves into the plot references to the history of the city, going all the way back to Mary, Queen of Scots.
Most of the story is presented through the POV of DI Duncan McCormack, initially tasked with finding a reason to shut down the stalled investigation into the deaths of three women who were apparently the victims of a serial killer. But when a fourth victim appears, McCormack becomes convinced that the man found at the scene is not responsible and determines to find out who is.
McIlvanney introduces a few other POVs. Retrospectively, each of the victims has a chapter in which she describes her frame of mind in the period leading up to her murder. It seems a bit odd at first, but is actually a refreshing way of introducing new material into the plot.
And that guy who was at the scene? He's not exactly an upright citizen, and he has a few chapters of his own that set the stage for why he happened to be in the same location as the fourth victim.
So, points for good plotting and good presentation. McIlvanney is also a first-rate wordsmith. Not in a showy way, just really good at describing people or events effectively with a minimum of fuss.
Apparently this story is based on an actual series of murders in Glasgow at that time period, attributed to a man known as Bible John who was never caught. If only the police at the time had Duncan McCormack on the job!
Most of the story is presented through the POV of DI Duncan McCormack, initially tasked with finding a reason to shut down the stalled investigation into the deaths of three women who were apparently the victims of a serial killer. But when a fourth victim appears, McCormack becomes convinced that the man found at the scene is not responsible and determines to find out who is.
McIlvanney introduces a few other POVs. Retrospectively, each of the victims has a chapter in which she describes her frame of mind in the period leading up to her murder. It seems a bit odd at first, but is actually a refreshing way of introducing new material into the plot.
And that guy who was at the scene? He's not exactly an upright citizen, and he has a few chapters of his own that set the stage for why he happened to be in the same location as the fourth victim.
So, points for good plotting and good presentation. McIlvanney is also a first-rate wordsmith. Not in a showy way, just really good at describing people or events effectively with a minimum of fuss.
Apparently this story is based on an actual series of murders in Glasgow at that time period, attributed to a man known as Bible John who was never caught. If only the police at the time had Duncan McCormack on the job!
June 8, 2018
This isn't going to be on the Glasgow Tourist boards list of recommended reads anytime soon! Although it is apparently inspired by a real life event which took place in the 1960s. The scene setting and set up of the crime in neatly done - the scenes before a girl was found were especially creepy and the sense of dread and gloom reigned supreme throughout.
The Quaker gives connotations of a life gone by and the historical aspect was nicely done. The name brings fear to everyone in a city already on the edge and a murder mystery set at such a time was a new insight . the police do end up chasing a ghost and it was interesting to be in the corridors, on the streets etc when the grappled with the desperation of the chase.
A bit dark in places but then it is a crime novel. Glasgow in the 60s was not the place you'd want to be given this read but it was a good reading experience!
The Quaker gives connotations of a life gone by and the historical aspect was nicely done. The name brings fear to everyone in a city already on the edge and a murder mystery set at such a time was a new insight . the police do end up chasing a ghost and it was interesting to be in the corridors, on the streets etc when the grappled with the desperation of the chase.
A bit dark in places but then it is a crime novel. Glasgow in the 60s was not the place you'd want to be given this read but it was a good reading experience!
January 30, 2019
Loosely based on real events, The Quaker takes us back to 60's Glasgow, where a serial killer stalks and a police team stutters.
As far as sense of time and place goes, this author has it spot on, enveloping you into the world seamlessly. The story itself is compelling and gritty with a huge sense of atmosphere and a good snapshot of a different way of doing things.
My one issue was the meandering and occasionally unfocused nature of the drama playing out on the page. There were large swathes of this book that I personally found unnecessary and distracting- however that is purely subjective, the writing is excellent and for the most part fascinatingly addictive.
A solid gritty crime read. I'll certainly give the next one a go.
As far as sense of time and place goes, this author has it spot on, enveloping you into the world seamlessly. The story itself is compelling and gritty with a huge sense of atmosphere and a good snapshot of a different way of doing things.
My one issue was the meandering and occasionally unfocused nature of the drama playing out on the page. There were large swathes of this book that I personally found unnecessary and distracting- however that is purely subjective, the writing is excellent and for the most part fascinatingly addictive.
A solid gritty crime read. I'll certainly give the next one a go.
December 15, 2019
Based in Glasgow in the late 60s, this book is based on the serial killer Bible John. Hard for me anyway to believe it won the Bloody Scotland/McIlvanney award for best crime novel. Maybe it was a "keep it in the family thing" because the author's surname is McIlvanney? The first 150 pages meander terribly as the polis (police) cannot find a lead on the serial killings of three women, who are killed after a night out dancing. Duncan McCormack is sent to review the work done, close down the investigation, and is hated by his fellow detectives. However, he finally pulls together some loose threads and understands the tapestry, creating an interesting ending. 2.5 stars, rounded down due to sheer boredom for much of the novel.
July 2, 2022
A tartan noir thriller. A well written, award-winning novel that stands out from the plethora of similar novels out there. Enjoyable read and a worthwhile diversion, I look forward to the upcoming sequel.
November 15, 2019
Liam McIlvanney's The Quaker is a gritty, urban police procedural based in the late 1960's Glasgow, Scotland.
Three women have been murdered and the current investigation has stalled. The suspect, nicknamed "The Quaker," is believed by upper police officials to have moved on and with a desire to sideline the investigation to avoid further public scrutiny, Detective Duncan McCormack, normally a property crimes detective, is enlisted by his bosses to examine the progress and surreptitiously close out the investigation.
From the start, friction exists between McCormack and the other detectives, which adds to the layers of the novel. The detectives from the start not only suspect the real purpose behind McCormack's installation but also share the belief that he lacks the ability to participate in a murder investigation.
Along the way, McIlvanney adds a seemingly unrelated plotline which may lead readers to wonder how it relates to the main story. McIllvanney does not disappoint.
McIlvanney creates believable characters with realistic motives and behavior and creates a story that does not contain unbelievable plots all too common in police procedurals.
The Quaker is recommended to those readers that enjoy the police procedurals of Alan Parks and Joseph Knox.
Three women have been murdered and the current investigation has stalled. The suspect, nicknamed "The Quaker," is believed by upper police officials to have moved on and with a desire to sideline the investigation to avoid further public scrutiny, Detective Duncan McCormack, normally a property crimes detective, is enlisted by his bosses to examine the progress and surreptitiously close out the investigation.
From the start, friction exists between McCormack and the other detectives, which adds to the layers of the novel. The detectives from the start not only suspect the real purpose behind McCormack's installation but also share the belief that he lacks the ability to participate in a murder investigation.
Along the way, McIlvanney adds a seemingly unrelated plotline which may lead readers to wonder how it relates to the main story. McIllvanney does not disappoint.
McIlvanney creates believable characters with realistic motives and behavior and creates a story that does not contain unbelievable plots all too common in police procedurals.
The Quaker is recommended to those readers that enjoy the police procedurals of Alan Parks and Joseph Knox.
January 14, 2020
I was a bit confused for the early part of this book. I couldn't decide if it was going to be a serial killer murder mystery or a heist caper. Turns out it was both and the author, whom I had not read before, skillfully wove the two stories together. In the end, everything was interconnected.
Liam McIlvanney's novel is set in Glasgow in 1969 during a brutal winter. Not only is the city having to deal with the beastly weather, it is also going through a phase of urban renewal which has devastated much of the city and left blocks of old tenements empty before their demolition. It is in these derelict tenements that over a period of months the bodies of three raped and murdered young women are found.
The detectives at the Marine Police Station investigate the crimes. The killer is dubbed "The Quaker" based on a perception of his religiosity and those assigned to the investigation are the "Quaker Squad". (It should be noted that the novel is loosely based on the Bible John killings in the Glasgow of that period.)
The Quaker is very adept at leaving no clues behind at the scene of his atrocities and the Quaker Squad is making no progress in discovering his identity. The press, which was initially laudatory in praise of police efforts, begins to turn against them and complain that the murderer is still at large and no closer to being caught.
Enter Detective Inspector Duncan McCormack of the flying squad who is sent to Glasgow to assess the investigation, determine why there has been no progress, and find a way to quietly phase down the operation. You can imagine how popular that makes him with the investigators who have been working overtime for months to catch the killer.
McCormack himself has secrets of his own which make him vulnerable and he is bullied by his fellow policemen. He is the classic lone-wolf detective of noir mysteries, obsessive, brilliant, and utterly committed to fulfilling the task assigned to him. As events unfold, he also becomes obsessed with finding the Quaker.
Meantime, in a sub-plot, a daring burglary is being planned and executed. The gang of thieves makes away with a fortune in jewels. One of their number, the peterman (safecracker), chooses to hole up in a derelict tenement until the heat is off and it is safe for him to get out of town. Unfortunately, the tenement he selects is where another murder victim is found and he is seen by a witness leaving the building and the witness identifies him to the police. It is just the break they've been waiting for! They've found the Quaker!
Except of course they haven't. He isn't a murderer, only the thief. McCormack is not convinced. He knows the man's record as a non-violent petty thief. The justice system grinds on with the suspect in custody, but McCormack keeps digging.
There were several things that I really liked about this book. First among them was the atmosphere of Glasgow in the 1960s. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was there. Secondly, the author respected the victims of the killer. He gave them their own backstories told in their voices. We know them as human beings, not sexualized objects. Also, the character of DI McCormack; he's a complicated man, a closeted gay man who would be vilified if he were open about his own sexuality. I understand that this was the first in a planned series featuring this character. I would say that McIlvanney has made a strong beginning.
Liam McIlvanney's novel is set in Glasgow in 1969 during a brutal winter. Not only is the city having to deal with the beastly weather, it is also going through a phase of urban renewal which has devastated much of the city and left blocks of old tenements empty before their demolition. It is in these derelict tenements that over a period of months the bodies of three raped and murdered young women are found.
The detectives at the Marine Police Station investigate the crimes. The killer is dubbed "The Quaker" based on a perception of his religiosity and those assigned to the investigation are the "Quaker Squad". (It should be noted that the novel is loosely based on the Bible John killings in the Glasgow of that period.)
The Quaker is very adept at leaving no clues behind at the scene of his atrocities and the Quaker Squad is making no progress in discovering his identity. The press, which was initially laudatory in praise of police efforts, begins to turn against them and complain that the murderer is still at large and no closer to being caught.
Enter Detective Inspector Duncan McCormack of the flying squad who is sent to Glasgow to assess the investigation, determine why there has been no progress, and find a way to quietly phase down the operation. You can imagine how popular that makes him with the investigators who have been working overtime for months to catch the killer.
McCormack himself has secrets of his own which make him vulnerable and he is bullied by his fellow policemen. He is the classic lone-wolf detective of noir mysteries, obsessive, brilliant, and utterly committed to fulfilling the task assigned to him. As events unfold, he also becomes obsessed with finding the Quaker.
Meantime, in a sub-plot, a daring burglary is being planned and executed. The gang of thieves makes away with a fortune in jewels. One of their number, the peterman (safecracker), chooses to hole up in a derelict tenement until the heat is off and it is safe for him to get out of town. Unfortunately, the tenement he selects is where another murder victim is found and he is seen by a witness leaving the building and the witness identifies him to the police. It is just the break they've been waiting for! They've found the Quaker!
Except of course they haven't. He isn't a murderer, only the thief. McCormack is not convinced. He knows the man's record as a non-violent petty thief. The justice system grinds on with the suspect in custody, but McCormack keeps digging.
There were several things that I really liked about this book. First among them was the atmosphere of Glasgow in the 1960s. The descriptions were so vivid, I felt like I was there. Secondly, the author respected the victims of the killer. He gave them their own backstories told in their voices. We know them as human beings, not sexualized objects. Also, the character of DI McCormack; he's a complicated man, a closeted gay man who would be vilified if he were open about his own sexuality. I understand that this was the first in a planned series featuring this character. I would say that McIlvanney has made a strong beginning.
October 28, 2018
The Quaker is one of those novels that, if you're a Scot of a certain age, immdiately transports you back to your childhood. Based on the factual tale of Glasgow serial Killer Bible John, McIlvanney encapsulates the dread and the shock that permeated Scottish society at that time. The regular identikit photo's embalazoned across the frnt page of The Daily Record, the whispered conversations and speculations that occurred at the school gates, in the shops and in pubs. Bible John was Scotland's Bogeyman of the sixties and the very name is still enough to instil a shiver of fear in even the most hardened of crime reader.
McIlvaney also, in what I found to be an enticing parallel mirrored the frustrations of the Bible John investigative team who stumbled against dead end after dead end with the later investiagtion to find the more prolific killer, The Yorkshire Ripper.
It was this very human element that made the novel great for me. McILvanney's acute awareness of human frailty, emotions and resentments brought the characters to life. McCormack's 'double life' as a newcomer to the investigation was intriguing and the voice of the victims was refrreshing. Too often in serial killer novels we forget the voice of the victims. In The Quaker we were not allowed to do this as McIlvanney gives voice to them at regular intervals - spotlighting lives lost and the consequences of this loss on their families and communities.
A great red that was a slow boiler to begin with but by a third of the way through, picked up pace and delivered a crescndo of an ending.
McIlvaney also, in what I found to be an enticing parallel mirrored the frustrations of the Bible John investigative team who stumbled against dead end after dead end with the later investiagtion to find the more prolific killer, The Yorkshire Ripper.
It was this very human element that made the novel great for me. McILvanney's acute awareness of human frailty, emotions and resentments brought the characters to life. McCormack's 'double life' as a newcomer to the investigation was intriguing and the voice of the victims was refrreshing. Too often in serial killer novels we forget the voice of the victims. In The Quaker we were not allowed to do this as McIlvanney gives voice to them at regular intervals - spotlighting lives lost and the consequences of this loss on their families and communities.
A great red that was a slow boiler to begin with but by a third of the way through, picked up pace and delivered a crescndo of an ending.
April 30, 2019
Set in 1969 Glasgow and loosely based on the Bible John Murders, with strong similarities particularly in regard to the victimology and modus operandi, The Quaker is not your average thriller.
DI Duncan McCormack arrives in Glasgow from the Highlands to evaluate the police department's work on the Quaker cases. As more women are murdered and the pressure from the media and the public mounts, a suspect is arrested. Everyone is elated, and only DI McCormack believes the arrested suspect is not the Quaker. McCormack continues to investigate against orders, making him even less popular than to begin with. Only DI Goldie becomes somewhat of a trusted ally. But in crime-ridden Glasgow, alliances become apparent that threaten to impede justice and reveal McCormack's personal secret, which could cost him dearly.
Set against the backdrop of redevelopments in the city, mass migration and a harsh winter, this gritty and at times brutal thriller reflects the times.
Overall enjoyable, the book was a bit slow at the beginning and it took me a while to get into it. Once I got immersed in the plot, I enjoyed the book. I still think the whole book and in particular the perspectives of the victims could have been shorter.
There were quite a few unexpected twists at the end, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was interesting to read up on the Bible John murders and theories about Peter Tobin and other suspects.
Thank you to NetGalley, Liam McIlvanney, and Harper Collins for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DI Duncan McCormack arrives in Glasgow from the Highlands to evaluate the police department's work on the Quaker cases. As more women are murdered and the pressure from the media and the public mounts, a suspect is arrested. Everyone is elated, and only DI McCormack believes the arrested suspect is not the Quaker. McCormack continues to investigate against orders, making him even less popular than to begin with. Only DI Goldie becomes somewhat of a trusted ally. But in crime-ridden Glasgow, alliances become apparent that threaten to impede justice and reveal McCormack's personal secret, which could cost him dearly.
Set against the backdrop of redevelopments in the city, mass migration and a harsh winter, this gritty and at times brutal thriller reflects the times.
Overall enjoyable, the book was a bit slow at the beginning and it took me a while to get into it. Once I got immersed in the plot, I enjoyed the book. I still think the whole book and in particular the perspectives of the victims could have been shorter.
There were quite a few unexpected twists at the end, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was interesting to read up on the Bible John murders and theories about Peter Tobin and other suspects.
Thank you to NetGalley, Liam McIlvanney, and Harper Collins for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2019
Liam McIlvanney is the head of the Scottish and Irish department at Otago University here in New Zealand. One of my (brilliant) creative writing students is currently studying with him. I heard him interviewed on local radio last week about this new book and about his experiences growing up in Scotland the son of a well known writer (William). I'm always happy to discover a new author. That he writes 'tartan noir' was an added bonus.
I started this book today and I'm already almost halfway through... brilliant so far. I'll update when done.
Finished this one last night. It's superb. Even in a market swamped with serial-killer crime fiction, this one stands out. It's a little bit different. It's not sensationalised; the characters are not bizarrely larger than life.
Highly recommended.
I started this book today and I'm already almost halfway through... brilliant so far. I'll update when done.
Finished this one last night. It's superb. Even in a market swamped with serial-killer crime fiction, this one stands out. It's a little bit different. It's not sensationalised; the characters are not bizarrely larger than life.
Highly recommended.
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