A drug-induced suicide, misadventure, or a cleverly calculated murder? London detective Charlotte West takes on Scotland.
An employee of an investment bank is found dead in his car by a freshwater loch in Ayrshire, Scotland, but there are few signs of foul play. Indeed, that the man had enough opioid painkillers in him to fell a shire horse, might easily be put down to over-exuberant self-indulgence.
But newly promoted and in charge of the investigation, DI Charlie West wants to probe further. And when the victim’s links to a minor crime involving a dead goat and an assault on an associate come to light, a suspicious motive begins to emerge.
DI West must explore shady financial dealings in the up-market parts of Glasgow, and connections to illicit drugs in its poorer quarters, to track the killer in what is now being treated as a murder investigation.
She is relieved that her mentor, Detective James Munro, once more steps out of his not-so tranquil retirement to lend a hand. His knowledge of the rural areas will be invaluable to a wily but green officer. Plus, he can run rings around their superior officer which will help when the pressure to solve the case mounts.
If you enjoy strong female leads, Scandinavian-style noir, police procedurals that closely follow the team dynamics of an investigation, and stories with a sucker punch of a twist, Perdition is for you. It is the seventh book to centre on detectives Munro and West. You can enjoy it on its own or as part of a series. The other books are, in order of publication:
Pete Brassett is the author of the best-selling series of detective novels based in and around his native Scotland featuring James Munro and Charlie West.
Following the publication of his debut novel, 'Clam Chowder at Lafayette and Spring', Pete ventured into the world of crime fiction tackling issues like PTSD, religious scandal, and manic depression with the novels 'Kiss the Girls', 'Prayer for the Dying' and 'The Girl From Kilkenny', before moving onto subject matter a little closer to home.
The forging of the Munro and West relationship begins with a fractious encounter in east London where a dissolute West, struggling with personal problems and misogynistic colleagues, is mentored by Munro who, recognising her potential, hoodwinks her into joining him back in Scotland where she flourishes as a first-class, yet ultimately flawed, detective.
More accurately, 3.5 stars for me I enjoyed catching up with this team in its new life since Munro has officially retired and West is now DI, but of course Munro is too bored and rides along as a full participant in murder investigations as they multiply. I like my armchair visits to Scotland and will take them as I get them. The book is something like a petri dish that seems to reveal multiplying bacteria given enough time and magnification. And, yes, the book goes a bit long. The twists are several and the final twist was predictable for the attentive or analytical reader. Interesting characters and social situations. West invites her old boss to bunk at her place in the spare bedroom while his house is being reconstructed after destruction described in book 6. Somehow it works, unlike the real world. I don't think this would work as a standalone. For maximum enjoyment, read the books in order.
These 7 books are available through Kindle Unlimited
Every time I read another Pete Brassett book, I'm struck by how brilliant his writing is. His novels are full of dark twists and turns balanced out with humour and wit. His characters and the way they interact as a team are so believable, and I've grown fond of them over the course of seven novels. Perdition is full of surprises with a pacey plot that kept me hooked from start to finish.
I believe these should be read in order. It could probably stand alone as decent police procedural but would lose a lot of the inherent history and color that is needed to fully appreciate it. So far, these have been easy, fast reads with decent crimes and solutions. Character role development continues apace. A lot of police department teamwork and jovial banter mixed in with serious crimes and events. Virtually zero profanity. This particular one (and good reviews left to those that are capable) has a nicely complex cast of characters and a couple twists and turns-- and yes, a surprise. If you are reading the series, I recommend this one...
Brilliant plot, storyline and writing. In fact, I've loved the whole series. The main characters - Munro and West - are a joy to follow, and their relationship is well developed through the series. What I particularly like about this series is the author's dry wit. The humour unfolds not only through the central characters, but also in his portrayal of events and in other players in the cast. So, this is not a Scottish version of a dark, violent Scandi novel which can sometimes leave me feeling rather depressed. Indeed, the acts of violence in Pete's murders are described quite briefly, and not at all macabre. So this series isn't up there with the crime writing “greats” but the author knows his market, and I derived as much enjoyment following the banter between Munro and West as I did in the central police procedural thrust. It's a great combination of light and shade, and I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series. There's so much left to explore in Munro and West's developing professional relationship.
4.14 · Rating details · 1,458 ratings · 35 reviews A drug-induced suicide, misadventure, or a cleverly calculated murder? London detective Charlotte West takes on Scotland.
An employee of an investment bank is found dead in his car by a freshwater loch in Ayrshire, Scotland, but there are few signs of foul play. Indeed, that the man had enough opioid painkillers in him to fell a shire horse, might easily be put down to over-exuberant self-indulgence.
But newly promoted and in charge of the investigation, DI Charlie West wants to probe further. And when the victim’s links to a minor crime involving a dead goat and an assault on an associate come to light, a suspicious motive begins to emerge.
DI West must explore shady financial dealings in the up-market parts of Glasgow, and connections to illicit drugs in its poorer quarters, to track the killer in what is now being treated as a murder investigation.
She is relieved that her mentor, Detective James Munro, once more steps out of his not-so tranquil retirement to lend a hand. His knowledge of the rural areas will be invaluable to a wily but green officer. Plus, he can run rings around their superior officer which will help when the pressure to solve the case mounts.
If you enjoy strong female leads, Scandinavian-style noir, police procedurals that closely follow the team dynamics of an investigation, and stories with a sucker punch of a twist, Perdition is for you. It is the seventh book to centre on detectives Munro and West. You can enjoy it on its own or as part of a series.
Good!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Death of Money Lenders or How to Balance the Budget!
Wire fraud tough guys operating a not to legal bank system with outrageous interest on personal loans are being killed. Many suspects for the newly appointed DI, Charlie West and her team of detectives. Retired DI and bored, Mr Munro misses the chase of finding the murders goes to work for Charlie as a volunteer/consultant to the murder squad. The team finds those who could be responsible but everyone has alibi or something close to the truth when questioned. Author, Peter Brassett, writes with humor, eloquent and quick repertoire for readers to enjoy. This book can be read independently but do not choose that path. Read the series of books as the development of these characters are done so well.
Another great novel from Pete Brassett with his team of James Munro, Charlotte West, Dougal McRae and Duncan Reid on the west coast of Scotland. Detective Inspector James Munro has been forced to retire and in his absence the team have been promoted, Charlotte West to DI and Dougal McRae to DS, Duncan Reid remains DC. The body of Alan Byrne is found, he is thought to gave overdosed, then a goat is found with a bolt from a crossbow through its neck, are the cases connected. The team are struggling until James Munro offers his services as an unpaid volunteer to guide the team in the right direction.
Truly enjoyed this fascinating and twisty mystery, but, oh! If ever a book needed a "for American readers" glossary, it was this one! I managed to figure out most of the Scottish slang from context, but there were just some things that I had to punch out on from the Kindle to the dictionary, Wikipedia, etc., finding to my dismay that even some of those words/phrases weren't listed (poppadums???) But the characters were vivid and very three-dimensional, the mystery well-plotted and the ending quite a shocker. Really enjoyed it!
With DI Munro now retired, a newly promoted West takes leadership of the department as it's new DI. The mystery begins with a dead goat killed with a cross now and proceeds from there with multiple murders and multiple possible suspects and a surprise ending. Munro gets involved in the action after discovering how bored he is with retirement and provides insight to all. Another enjoyable mystery from Brassett.
I'm still really enjoying this series; however as the books have progressed, Brassett has taken to beginning each new chapter with a 75-100 word "sentence" as the first paragraph. Drives me crazy! I'd love to see some punctuation in there. Still, the characters are as likable as ever, the dialogue remains some of the best I've ever read, and I very much enjoy all the Scottish colloquialisms throughout.
One of the more enjoyable books by Author Brassett. Good mix of characters, relationships well defined, and mentioned frequently enough so there werenae many “…now who was that” moments. Relationships between the law enforcer continue to be more defined as well as. New input on personalities. Great finish to the story. VR, Mags
Suspects every where, all guilty of one thing or another, and a newly promoted Inspector trying to sort truth and fiction in each alibi. Twists galore, especially the ending. A great rainy day read.
I think I’m two kilos heavier after reading this book - they always seem to be eating. It was quite good, trying to understand a turn of phrase at times and rereading to make sense of a sentence was slightly challenging.
I had a great time reading this series of books and highly recommend them. I enjoyed the main characters and the guessing of who the culprits are. Makes me want to visit Ireland!! Great reads - read the entire series.
Another great story featuring Munro and West. Full of good characters with a great story line and plenty of twists and turns.Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Truly full of twists . A Craig Ferguson is found battered in his car. So begins the investigation into who did it and why. Two dead bodies and lots of secrets to unwind .
As I’ve settled into this mystery series, I’ve come to enjoy not only the Scottish setting but also the relationships of the main characters. Brassett writes with a breezy charm that I once found off-putting but now find, well — charming. The twists and turns of the plot are engaging.
I like this series of British Scotish detective crime books. The author does a great job of building and releasing each character just at the right time. For the first time ever I caught it before the reveal. But I loved the ride.
Soooooo plodding. And the author can’t seem to write a sentence in under 5 lines! Also he can’t resist that ultimate cliched device of describing every single thing they eat or drink in excruciating detail. Why do crime novelists do this?
I’m on my second time through this series and Pete Brassett is a marvel tying all the various bits and pieces together. The humorous is especially attractive. Makes me want to head right up to Scotland.
I can't seem to put these books down once I start them. I've probably read one a day on average for the last week. I want a relationship as smart, funny, and just as platonic as Munro and West's.
It's repetitious, and it's difficult to tell one book from another!
The formula begins with West making a presumptuous analyses which is then pulverized by Munro. This scenario is repeated several times, while Duncan and Dougal provide a tactical playground until the conclusion.😁
Like the writing style, the characters, the story and was entertained. Also like the setting, in Scotland, and the way it sounds like I'm there. The ending makes me want more answers.