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DCI Gilchrist #2
Hand For A Hand
When DCI Andy Gilchrist is called to a crime scene to find an amputated hand clutching a note addressed to him, a note that contains only one word, murder, he is pulled into an investigation that will test him to the limit. Soon other single word clues are found along with amputated body parts and the murderer's vengeful message becomes clear as the identity of the next intended victim is revealed. But when someone close to him disappears, Gilchrist knows he is too late. Together with Nance Wilson, the sexy DC with her own agenda, Gilchrist comes to see the answer to the present murders lies within the secrets of his past. Forced to confront his demons, Gilchrist must solve the cryptic clues and find the murderer before the next victim, a woman whose life means more to Gilchrist than his own, is served up to him piece by slaughtered piece.
366 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
68 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Frank Muir
23 books45 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Aka T.F. Muir, T. Frank Muir
Born in Glasgow, Frank was plagued from a young age with the urge to see more of the world than the rain sodden slopes of the Campsie Fells. By the time he graduated from University with a degree he hated, he’d already had more jobs than the River Clyde has bends. Short stints as a lumberjack in the Scottish Highlands and a moulder’s labourer in the local foundry convinced Frank that his degree was not such a bad idea after all. Twenty-five years of working overseas helped him appreciate the raw beauty of his home country. Now a dual US/UK citizen, Frank divides his time between Richmond, Virginia, and Glasgow, Scotland, carrying out research in the local pubs and restaurants. Frank is currently doing some serious book research in St Andrews' local pubs, and working on his next novel, another crime story suffused with dark alleyways and cobbled streets and some things gruesome.
Aka T.F. Muir, T. Frank Muir
Born in Glasgow, Frank was plagued from a young age with the urge to see more of the world than the rain sodden slopes of the Campsie Fells. By the time he graduated from University with a degree he hated, he’d already had more jobs than the River Clyde has bends. Short stints as a lumberjack in the Scottish Highlands and a moulder’s labourer in the local foundry convinced Frank that his degree was not such a bad idea after all. Twenty-five years of working overseas helped him appreciate the raw beauty of his home country. Now a dual US/UK citizen, Frank divides his time between Richmond, Virginia, and Glasgow, Scotland, carrying out research in the local pubs and restaurants. Frank is currently doing some serious book research in St Andrews' local pubs, and working on his next novel, another crime story suffused with dark alleyways and cobbled streets and some things gruesome.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 10, 2021
Frank Muir writes a gritty, meaty, suspenseful story that grips the reader from the first pages. I find these books un-put-downable.
March 16, 2022
*This is Personal* 3.5 Stars
DCI Andy Gilchrist is on the scene of a gruesome crime, it’s a hand. The hand is holding a chilling note addressed to him. Gilchrist loves a drink and it takes him some time to put the pieces together as the body parts stack up each with a message for him, he realises that this case is connected to him in more ways than one. It also means someone he holds dear is in grave danger.
I could not say I enjoyed this book and almost did not finish it. At times the foul language felt like swearing for swearing’s sake. It is a hard rough around the edges crime thriller but my last by this author.
DCI Andy Gilchrist is on the scene of a gruesome crime, it’s a hand. The hand is holding a chilling note addressed to him. Gilchrist loves a drink and it takes him some time to put the pieces together as the body parts stack up each with a message for him, he realises that this case is connected to him in more ways than one. It also means someone he holds dear is in grave danger.
I could not say I enjoyed this book and almost did not finish it. At times the foul language felt like swearing for swearing’s sake. It is a hard rough around the edges crime thriller but my last by this author.
July 11, 2013
I like Scottish/British mysteries, but this one did not meet my expectations. Maybe it was based too much on raw crime, sex and shock factor (whatever author Frank Muir was trying to achieve).
DCI Andy Gilchrist is called to a St. Andrews golf course where a hand is found in a bunker. In that hand is a note addressed directly to Gilchrist and has one word - Murder. Is is a clue? Other body parts show up with more words.
Unfortunately, Gilchrist seems more interested in drinking, a liason with his female partner and his spiteful relationship with another detective than he is with solving the mystery. It's a race against time to save another victim of the evil person behind the scenes.
Muir places too much emphasis on female body parts, crude language and scumbag people, but maybe that is what real crime mysteries are supposed to be all about. Not my cup of tea.
DCI Andy Gilchrist is called to a St. Andrews golf course where a hand is found in a bunker. In that hand is a note addressed directly to Gilchrist and has one word - Murder. Is is a clue? Other body parts show up with more words.
Unfortunately, Gilchrist seems more interested in drinking, a liason with his female partner and his spiteful relationship with another detective than he is with solving the mystery. It's a race against time to save another victim of the evil person behind the scenes.
Muir places too much emphasis on female body parts, crude language and scumbag people, but maybe that is what real crime mysteries are supposed to be all about. Not my cup of tea.
February 21, 2011
I always love reading books set in the UK for a change, and I love Scotland. This is a great story and the cold wet and windy Scottish weather really added to the grim atmosphere.
Good levels of suspense in this, I want to read more of his books.
Donated to the British Heart Foundation in South Shields.
Good levels of suspense in this, I want to read more of his books.
Donated to the British Heart Foundation in South Shields.
December 2, 2022
Oh, my, gosh.
I am hooked on this series, in spite of the very grizzly murders.
They need to be read in order, as characters carry over and are integral to the story.
Gilchrist is drawn into a series of murders intended to have meaning for him. A despicable criminal has it in for him in a big way, and he wants Gilchrist to be hurt in a painful way. Very complex clues and puzzles lead up to a grim ending.
I already have requested the next one.
I am hooked on this series, in spite of the very grizzly murders.
They need to be read in order, as characters carry over and are integral to the story.
Gilchrist is drawn into a series of murders intended to have meaning for him. A despicable criminal has it in for him in a big way, and he wants Gilchrist to be hurt in a painful way. Very complex clues and puzzles lead up to a grim ending.
I already have requested the next one.
May 8, 2023
A good gritty thriller. Keeps you guessing right to the very last page.
August 25, 2012
First Line: Tam Dunn watched the golf ball take a hard kick left and slip into the infamous Road Hole Bunker, a sandy-bottomed pothole that fronted the seventeenth green.
What Tam Dunn finds at the bottom of the Road Hole Bunker gets Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gilchrist out to the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland on the double. A dismembered hand is lying in the sand, clutching a one word note addressed to Gilchrist himself. All the note says is Murder, but Gilchrist knows immediately that his nightmare has begun: a killer has him in the crosshairs.
The seasoned veteran is no novice to solving murders, but this one comes at a particularly bad time. His ex-wife is dying, his son's girlfriend is missing, his boss insists on pairing him with a detective whom he has good reason to hate.... But when it rains, it pours, because this one hand is merely the beginning of a parade of body parts-- all bearing messages for Gilchrist.
When I began reading this book, I have to admit that Gilchrist was the type of character I don't care for. He drinks to excess; he has no time for his family; and he falls into a very inappropriate relationship. But as the murder investigation progressed, DCI Andy Gilchrist started to grow on me. He's the type of detective who works on a combination of hard work and intuition. When his intuition helps him decipher the meaning of the cryptic messages found with the body parts, he knows he has very little time to solve the case because someone very dear to him will die if he doesn't put every molecule of his knowledge and strength into finding the killer.
Through watching Gilchrist at work, through seeing him realize the grave mistakes he's made over the years, and through observing his realization that he has to change, I went from disliking this character to feeling a grudging respect for him. Now I am very interested in reading the next book in this series, not only because I want to see if Gilchrist is the type of man who's strong enough to make those needed changes, but because I want to see if Muir does more to develop some of the other very intriguing characters he introduced in this first book. If you're a fan of British police procedurals, I recommend that you read Hand for a Hand.
What Tam Dunn finds at the bottom of the Road Hole Bunker gets Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gilchrist out to the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland on the double. A dismembered hand is lying in the sand, clutching a one word note addressed to Gilchrist himself. All the note says is Murder, but Gilchrist knows immediately that his nightmare has begun: a killer has him in the crosshairs.
The seasoned veteran is no novice to solving murders, but this one comes at a particularly bad time. His ex-wife is dying, his son's girlfriend is missing, his boss insists on pairing him with a detective whom he has good reason to hate.... But when it rains, it pours, because this one hand is merely the beginning of a parade of body parts-- all bearing messages for Gilchrist.
When I began reading this book, I have to admit that Gilchrist was the type of character I don't care for. He drinks to excess; he has no time for his family; and he falls into a very inappropriate relationship. But as the murder investigation progressed, DCI Andy Gilchrist started to grow on me. He's the type of detective who works on a combination of hard work and intuition. When his intuition helps him decipher the meaning of the cryptic messages found with the body parts, he knows he has very little time to solve the case because someone very dear to him will die if he doesn't put every molecule of his knowledge and strength into finding the killer.
Through watching Gilchrist at work, through seeing him realize the grave mistakes he's made over the years, and through observing his realization that he has to change, I went from disliking this character to feeling a grudging respect for him. Now I am very interested in reading the next book in this series, not only because I want to see if Gilchrist is the type of man who's strong enough to make those needed changes, but because I want to see if Muir does more to develop some of the other very intriguing characters he introduced in this first book. If you're a fan of British police procedurals, I recommend that you read Hand for a Hand.
November 9, 2012
DCI Andy Gilchrist became a new favorite for me just a few pages into "Hand For A Hand". A dismembered hand is found on the golf course in St. Andrews, Scotland. The hand grips a note addressed to Andy. This first note is only the beginning of the terrors that Andy must face as the body parts and the notes with the strange messages continue to make their appearances.
Andy is divorced with two grown children, Jack and Maureen. It is a puzzle as to why the murderer is targeting Andy with a personal note. Andy realizes that the victim could be someone close to him. He leaves an urgent message for his daughter Maureen requesting that she contact him immediately. When he reaches his son, Jack, Andy learns that Jack had a disagreement with his girlfriend, Chloe, and doesn't know where she is now.
To make matters even worse, Ronnie Watt is assigned to the case. Because of an incident in the past involving Ronnie and Andy's young daughter Maureen, Andy despises Ronnie, doesn't trust him, and feels that Ronnie will be a detriment rather than an asset in the investigation. Although Andy complains to his superior, he is told that Ronnie will remain on the case in spite of Andy's feelings.
When what appears to be paint on the severed hand Andy's fear increases. Jack's girlfriend Chloe is an artist. When the next body part is found along with a message for Andy, Andy becomes convinced that the victim must be Chloe.
With the assistance of DS Nancy Wilson, Andy works to decipher the meaning of the notes addressed to him but before he can come up with the answer his daughter Maureen disappears. So begins a race to find Maureen before the killer can deliver the final blow to Andy and his loved ones.
Any reader who enjoys Police Procedurals will instantly become a fan of T. Frank Muir. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Andy is divorced with two grown children, Jack and Maureen. It is a puzzle as to why the murderer is targeting Andy with a personal note. Andy realizes that the victim could be someone close to him. He leaves an urgent message for his daughter Maureen requesting that she contact him immediately. When he reaches his son, Jack, Andy learns that Jack had a disagreement with his girlfriend, Chloe, and doesn't know where she is now.
To make matters even worse, Ronnie Watt is assigned to the case. Because of an incident in the past involving Ronnie and Andy's young daughter Maureen, Andy despises Ronnie, doesn't trust him, and feels that Ronnie will be a detriment rather than an asset in the investigation. Although Andy complains to his superior, he is told that Ronnie will remain on the case in spite of Andy's feelings.
When what appears to be paint on the severed hand Andy's fear increases. Jack's girlfriend Chloe is an artist. When the next body part is found along with a message for Andy, Andy becomes convinced that the victim must be Chloe.
With the assistance of DS Nancy Wilson, Andy works to decipher the meaning of the notes addressed to him but before he can come up with the answer his daughter Maureen disappears. So begins a race to find Maureen before the killer can deliver the final blow to Andy and his loved ones.
Any reader who enjoys Police Procedurals will instantly become a fan of T. Frank Muir. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
October 22, 2014
I thought the author had a good yarn, but executed in a manner that left me wanting. However, I'll start with the good: the crime, setting, dialog, pacing, mood.
In the hands of a more seasoned writer, one less prone to meandering into flowery prose, this book would have burned into my memory. I imagine if Elmore Leonard, Ken Bruen or Raymond Chandler had written it.
I think, if Muir takes in more hard-boiled detective fiction and emulates it better without losing his own voice, his subsequent efforts will be a joy to read.
I didn't so much mind the angst-ridden protagonist; he did come off at times more like a petulant teenager than a 47-year-old man, but that's a lot of real-life people, too.
The points of the book at which I had to pause to groan and bemoan were those where he got too descriptive, deviating from the presentation that best serves noir: stark, to-the-point narration.
Muir writes sex scenes like a teenager who has never had sex but owns a thesaurus and thinks in nautical analogs. He talks about molasses to tell us something is moving slowly. Too many moments of narrative were trite and cliched and his good story is worthy of better.
I believe this is his debut and, despite my disappointments, I would love to take a look at his sophomore effort. Muir seems to me like a crime writer with a lot of promise and I hope that promise will be realized.
In the hands of a more seasoned writer, one less prone to meandering into flowery prose, this book would have burned into my memory. I imagine if Elmore Leonard, Ken Bruen or Raymond Chandler had written it.
I think, if Muir takes in more hard-boiled detective fiction and emulates it better without losing his own voice, his subsequent efforts will be a joy to read.
I didn't so much mind the angst-ridden protagonist; he did come off at times more like a petulant teenager than a 47-year-old man, but that's a lot of real-life people, too.
The points of the book at which I had to pause to groan and bemoan were those where he got too descriptive, deviating from the presentation that best serves noir: stark, to-the-point narration.
Muir writes sex scenes like a teenager who has never had sex but owns a thesaurus and thinks in nautical analogs. He talks about molasses to tell us something is moving slowly. Too many moments of narrative were trite and cliched and his good story is worthy of better.
I believe this is his debut and, despite my disappointments, I would love to take a look at his sophomore effort. Muir seems to me like a crime writer with a lot of promise and I hope that promise will be realized.
December 1, 2012
A hand found on a golf course in St. Andrews, Scotland - I wasn't sure about this, not liking golf in any form (sorry), but kept reading and wasn't disappointed.
DI Gilchrist is called in for the hand, and all of the subsequent body parts that sicken Gilchrist and the reader with the impending, no doubt horrific ending. Because Gilchrist is targeted, the killer is reaching out directly to Gilchrist, egging him on, taunting him, laughing meanly with a diabolical series of puzzle messages. And the killer has Gilchrist's daughter.
Lots of layers in Muir's work that make for a fast and fascinating read. Where's he been all this time?
Hand for a Hand is Muir's first US release and the third DI Gilchrist mystery, the earlier two (Eye for an Eye and Tooth for a Tooth) only available in the UK. Thanks Soho Crime for picking up yet another excellent writer and bringing him to the US market. I love your acquisitions editor!!
--Ashland Mystery
DI Gilchrist is called in for the hand, and all of the subsequent body parts that sicken Gilchrist and the reader with the impending, no doubt horrific ending. Because Gilchrist is targeted, the killer is reaching out directly to Gilchrist, egging him on, taunting him, laughing meanly with a diabolical series of puzzle messages. And the killer has Gilchrist's daughter.
Lots of layers in Muir's work that make for a fast and fascinating read. Where's he been all this time?
Hand for a Hand is Muir's first US release and the third DI Gilchrist mystery, the earlier two (Eye for an Eye and Tooth for a Tooth) only available in the UK. Thanks Soho Crime for picking up yet another excellent writer and bringing him to the US market. I love your acquisitions editor!!
--Ashland Mystery
April 9, 2014
First I do share the comments that the main character was overly angst ridden. However, I did enjoy the writing and storytelling.
I would have given the book more stars but I was disturbed by the constant mentioning of needing a pint, whiskey what have you. As we discussed in our group, it appears that having an alcoholic detective is becoming too easy a crutch by many writers. The story would have worked just as well without the constant mentioning of the need for a drink.
I may or may not read another Muir story but I would hope the next books show growth and change by all the characters.
I would have given the book more stars but I was disturbed by the constant mentioning of needing a pint, whiskey what have you. As we discussed in our group, it appears that having an alcoholic detective is becoming too easy a crutch by many writers. The story would have worked just as well without the constant mentioning of the need for a drink.
I may or may not read another Muir story but I would hope the next books show growth and change by all the characters.
July 23, 2015
This is the second book in the series about DCI Andy Gilchrist set in and around St Andrews in Scotland. Being familiar with the area was one of my reasons for picking this series back up again, and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed it more than the first one. The characters are better developed, and we are getting to know Andy and members of his family more thoroughly. It's quite an intricate police procedural with some rather gruesome parts. The audiobook was narrated perfectly by David Monteith. I will definitely continue with the series.
Recommended for anybody who likes brooding British detectives who are brilliant at their jobs but deficient in their private lives.
Recommended for anybody who likes brooding British detectives who are brilliant at their jobs but deficient in their private lives.
December 9, 2013
Fantastic, so different from the first. Full review to come.
August 12, 2014
The second in the series and an excellent read. I didn't want to put it down.
September 21, 2019
Wow this was a gruesome, brutal and sexually repulsive story. DCI Andy Gilchrist is faced with the dismembered body of his son's girlfriend, Chloe, and the kidnapping of his own daughter Maureen, by a vengeful deranged psychopath, Bully Reid. Bully is in prison, but having his brother Jimmy with the help of Wee Kenny Finnigan, do all the carving up and abducting, while directing the drugs trafficking that he expects will pay for his attorney getting him an early release and high life in Spain. He had pledged to get Gilchrist when he was sentenced. He is obsessed with the poetry Robbie Burns as clues, and has his brother carve words on the body, (MURDER/MASSACRE/BLUDGEON/MATRICIDE) successive letters from which are to lead Andy to the intended victim, his daughter. Bully has Mo put near a tower in a sealed room to die. The secually deviant behavior of Jimmy is expecially abhorent, along with the horrific dismembering of Chloe's body and the notes carved on her skin. Gilchrist has to get the Strathclyde Police HQ head DCI Small in Glasgow to coordinate the search for Mo.
The majority of the story takes place on the Old Course of St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland, and the descriptions and atmosphere were particularly clever. We get additional development of Gilchrist's life: his Mercedes SLK Roadster figures prominently, his move from the home he shared with his ex Gail, to Crail, Gail in the final stages of her terminal cancer, his difficult relationships with his daughter Mo and son Jack, his tentative relationship with DS "Nance" Wilson, and the danger his family is in as a result of his job. He is forced to work with DS Ronnie Watt, who Chief Superintendent Tom Gleaves is aware Andy detests. Watts had seduced Maureen when she was just 15, Andy had caught them together, and the relationship has been continuing. This relationship Andy discovers is partly so Watts can use her in his outside investigation. In the end it is revealed that Watts is possibly with MI5 or MI6, one of which has been involved in stopping and international drug ring. But he put Maureen in grave danger, and the tenacious and strong willed Maureen was not to be stopped once becoming too involved. It's always frustrating when the upper ranks of the police and political factions have the target fixed on the police hero of the story, as it is in this installment. His control and personality (and his drinking) deteriorate as he quickly loses hope he will find his daughter in time.
As distasteful as the story was at times, it was compelling and the characters fascinating. And with help of google it was fun revisiting St. Andrews where Dennis and I spent some time in the early 70s.
The majority of the story takes place on the Old Course of St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland, and the descriptions and atmosphere were particularly clever. We get additional development of Gilchrist's life: his Mercedes SLK Roadster figures prominently, his move from the home he shared with his ex Gail, to Crail, Gail in the final stages of her terminal cancer, his difficult relationships with his daughter Mo and son Jack, his tentative relationship with DS "Nance" Wilson, and the danger his family is in as a result of his job. He is forced to work with DS Ronnie Watt, who Chief Superintendent Tom Gleaves is aware Andy detests. Watts had seduced Maureen when she was just 15, Andy had caught them together, and the relationship has been continuing. This relationship Andy discovers is partly so Watts can use her in his outside investigation. In the end it is revealed that Watts is possibly with MI5 or MI6, one of which has been involved in stopping and international drug ring. But he put Maureen in grave danger, and the tenacious and strong willed Maureen was not to be stopped once becoming too involved. It's always frustrating when the upper ranks of the police and political factions have the target fixed on the police hero of the story, as it is in this installment. His control and personality (and his drinking) deteriorate as he quickly loses hope he will find his daughter in time.
As distasteful as the story was at times, it was compelling and the characters fascinating. And with help of google it was fun revisiting St. Andrews where Dennis and I spent some time in the early 70s.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2019
I hope I am forgiven for listing a mystery in Scotland under British mystery. Once Brexit is done, if ever, I'll have to create a separate shelf!
It seems police procedurals get more personal angst-y all the time. No DCInspector Barnabys any more, I guess. This DCI has quite a handful (sorry about the pun) of family problems etc. which are interwoven cleverly into the narrative. The underage sexual encounter of his daughter (willingly) with a law officer in his precinct is one--would that not have caused more than a simple (apparently) reprimand? (Well, as so often happens, the guy is "promoted" out and so no longer a precinct problem.) And so on. I did have trouble empathizing with Gilchrist, who had been so job driven that he essentially excised himself out of his family. However, this is a series so there may be some resolution to these problems. The murder is idiosyncratic enough, and of course Gilchrist is uncertain of the loyalty of his partners and his superiors, all of which add to the complications. There are several twists to the plot that take it in new directions, truly, not just apparently down a side rabbit hole. Fast-paced, tense, will the latest victim escape and if so how badly damaged? I'll read another in this series.
It seems police procedurals get more personal angst-y all the time. No DCInspector Barnabys any more, I guess. This DCI has quite a handful (sorry about the pun) of family problems etc. which are interwoven cleverly into the narrative. The underage sexual encounter of his daughter (willingly) with a law officer in his precinct is one--would that not have caused more than a simple (apparently) reprimand? (Well, as so often happens, the guy is "promoted" out and so no longer a precinct problem.) And so on. I did have trouble empathizing with Gilchrist, who had been so job driven that he essentially excised himself out of his family. However, this is a series so there may be some resolution to these problems. The murder is idiosyncratic enough, and of course Gilchrist is uncertain of the loyalty of his partners and his superiors, all of which add to the complications. There are several twists to the plot that take it in new directions, truly, not just apparently down a side rabbit hole. Fast-paced, tense, will the latest victim escape and if so how badly damaged? I'll read another in this series.
August 22, 2020
Second in the Andy Gilchrist series. Admittedly, I read 1 then 3 then 2 and that probably stole some of the thunder from this one, but the other two were superior to this entry. Hard to say why. This one is a little more explicit, I guess. And Gilchrist is such a self-destructive bozo in this one. Stupid decisions with his personal relationships, his drinking, his family, etc. And no way his bosses allow him to investigate his son’s girlfriend’s death and his own daughter’s kidnapping. As with all three I’ve read so far, Gilchrist is a magician at pulling tenuous and flimsy evidence into conclusions that leave the reader thinking, “ahh, I’ll just go with that for now.” Muir’s writing is what saves the day here, but after three entries, he’s going to need to start mixing up his formula to keep me around. I’m giving no 4 a chance next because I’ve already bought it, but I think that I’ll be done after that. 5-8 probably won’t make my Want To Read list.
February 25, 2017
I enjoyed book one so thought I would try book 2 which takes up soon after book 1. Gilchrist is still trying to juggle work and personal life without much success. His ex wife is mentioned as hooked to a morphine pump and dying slowly. His son calls him 'Andy' and seems non plussed if he has contact with him or not. His daughter Maureen pretty much avoids him. Gilchrist does not have an easy relationship with his Police seniors. Add to this a detective added to his team who Gilchrist cannot stand due to a personal issue in the past.
Body parts are being delivered with notes for the attention of Gilchrist. It is obvious that the victim is near to Gilchrist personally.
Thus starts the race to find the murderer with Gilchrist mentally unravelling in the process. There is a bit of romance for Gilchrist in the mix. I did enjoy this one and will be reaching for book 3.
Body parts are being delivered with notes for the attention of Gilchrist. It is obvious that the victim is near to Gilchrist personally.
Thus starts the race to find the murderer with Gilchrist mentally unravelling in the process. There is a bit of romance for Gilchrist in the mix. I did enjoy this one and will be reaching for book 3.
September 13, 2019
Murder mystery set in Scottish town.
Enjoyed this book. immensely.I have been going through to St Andrew's and surrounding area since I was a child. It's great following Gilchrist through streets you recognise, and The Old Aisle Cemetery in Kirkintilloch where my grandfather is buried. This author is doing to St Andrew's what Ian Rankin did for Edinburgh. His family life , if any is quite complicated and If you haven't read his first book, working out who is who especially when his son calls him by his first name might be a bit confusing. Using a character you might expect to be in his books for a while as the victim, was unexpected. Quite graphic in bits but as a murder mystery ...It's to be expected. You'll check out the bunkers on The Old Course just in-case! Next book downloaded and ready to go. Keep them coming T.F. and us guessing.
Enjoyed this book. immensely.I have been going through to St Andrew's and surrounding area since I was a child. It's great following Gilchrist through streets you recognise, and The Old Aisle Cemetery in Kirkintilloch where my grandfather is buried. This author is doing to St Andrew's what Ian Rankin did for Edinburgh. His family life , if any is quite complicated and If you haven't read his first book, working out who is who especially when his son calls him by his first name might be a bit confusing. Using a character you might expect to be in his books for a while as the victim, was unexpected. Quite graphic in bits but as a murder mystery ...It's to be expected. You'll check out the bunkers on The Old Course just in-case! Next book downloaded and ready to go. Keep them coming T.F. and us guessing.
February 5, 2024
Another dark police procedural that is definitely not for the faint hearted. Individual body parts start to appear on an around the Old Course at St Andrews all with a single word message for DCI Gilchrist. The identification of the body comes to close to home for Gilchrist as it turns out to be his son's girlfriend Chloe. What do the messages mean? Then his daughter goes missing and suddenly the meaning of the notes is clear to him. Can Gilchrist find his daughter before more body parts are discovered?
I have only given this three stars as whilst it is a well constructed police procedural it does feel like a fictional far too convoluted crime, which for me lacks an element of reality. Stories of criminals plotting long and complex revenges on their arresting officer only seem to happen in fiction. I don't know why in all police series, the detectives are always mavericks who don't quite follow the rules, have rubbish social lives and nearly always drink too much and there are always at least 1 novel where they (or family) members are the target /case gives them the chance to solve an old family mystery. Would be good sometimes have normal detectives who aren't personally involved, since as we all know in such cases the detective involved would be immediately removed from the case.
I have only given this three stars as whilst it is a well constructed police procedural it does feel like a fictional far too convoluted crime, which for me lacks an element of reality. Stories of criminals plotting long and complex revenges on their arresting officer only seem to happen in fiction. I don't know why in all police series, the detectives are always mavericks who don't quite follow the rules, have rubbish social lives and nearly always drink too much and there are always at least 1 novel where they (or family) members are the target /case gives them the chance to solve an old family mystery. Would be good sometimes have normal detectives who aren't personally involved, since as we all know in such cases the detective involved would be immediately removed from the case.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2018
This is the second DCI Gilchrist book. I definitely recommend reading the first one first. Andy Gilchrist is a drinker who does not play by the rules, has trouble with his boss and ex-wife, difficult relations with his adult children, not above a little rough stuff with a witness and is brilliant at solving crimes. If you want a cliche driven detective novel this is it. But it is a compelling read and not badly written.
Once I got going I had a hard time putting it down.
The book is set in St. Andrews and Glasgow.
Once I got going I had a hard time putting it down.
The book is set in St. Andrews and Glasgow.
May 23, 2022
I think it was a mistake to put characters that have not been fully developed, and that had strained relationships with Gilchrist, at the center since it's hard to care/ see the impact if they die or not. Gilchrist's life wouldn't actually change if his adult children are alive or not since their relationships are so tenuous, and we don't know them well enough to be fearful for them. The books so far borrow a lot from the Logan Mcrae /Stuart Macbride books based in Aberdeenshire but are weaker on the procedural side.
August 29, 2025
Like I wrote about
Eye For An Eye
the first in this series, it goes for this book as well: "A quick and easy read with quite a lot of clichés, but not more than I could manage. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read!" It's fair to say that I still am curious enough to want to continue with the series.
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).
November 15, 2022
Oh my this was a thrilling read. Gilchrist must uncover who is leaving body parts with messages to him...it begins with a hand with a note to him...then branding on the parts...when he figures out who the parts belong to he is devastated...but then it gets even worse personally for him. Yes I've read the reviews about the grit and the imho pitiful sex scenes but move on, it's scottish noir. I'm enjoying this series a lot.
September 30, 2023
4.5 stars
The plot was outstanding and the stakes were high in this one, I was invested in the story and really felt the tension. I loved that the author didn't shy away from involving important characters in the main plot. The connexions between some of the nefarious characters were a bit difficult to follow at times, but definitely a series that doesn't shy away from the darker details and from playing with the main character's life.
The plot was outstanding and the stakes were high in this one, I was invested in the story and really felt the tension. I loved that the author didn't shy away from involving important characters in the main plot. The connexions between some of the nefarious characters were a bit difficult to follow at times, but definitely a series that doesn't shy away from the darker details and from playing with the main character's life.
July 11, 2017
I enjoy T.F. Muir's writing, but this story had an overcomplicated plot. At times this made the story a tad tedious and even slow.
I did not feel that the gratuitous foul and sexual explicit language added anything to the story and even made me feel rather uncomfortable 're the father daughter aspect.
I won't t be rushing to buy the next in series ,they really are a bit overpriced.
I did not feel that the gratuitous foul and sexual explicit language added anything to the story and even made me feel rather uncomfortable 're the father daughter aspect.
I won't t be rushing to buy the next in series ,they really are a bit overpriced.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2021
Second in the series for DCI Gilchrist, based in St. Andrews although Glasgow is the core of much of the story. Dismembered body parts on the Old Course to kick off the story but Gilchrist’s daughter goes missing and it seems unlikely to me that his continued involvement would be permitted in the way that this taut story progresses. Pretty dark stuff.
January 26, 2022
This has to be the fastest I have Read a book in over two years. Once I started reading I found it very hard to put the book down. It deserves the five stars I have given it. It has all the elements a crime novel should have, in my opinion, from the conflicted hero to the many twists and turns that came along. Highly recommended.
October 9, 2022
This was a brilliant read. It had me on the edge of my seat at times. The realisation of what was happening hits you in the pit of your stomach as you go through the day to day chores of the detective Andy Gilchrist. A really good Scottish background too. It’s nice to see places surrounding you involved as places seem familiar
March 29, 2025
4 stars for a compelling page-turner. I reduced the stars because the book was too graphic for me about sex, torture, and bodily fluids. I am not a wimp and read a great deal of Scandinavian Noir, but this author's images were too graphic for me. Not certain that I will give the series another try.... Kristi & Abby Tabby Childless Cat Lady
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