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Logan McRae #1
Cold Granite
Stuart MacBride’s Number One bestselling crime series opens with this award-winning debut. DS Logan McRae and the police in Aberdeen hunt a child killer who stalks the frozen streets.
Winter in murder, mayhem and terrible weather…
It’s DS Logan McRae’s first day back on the job after a year off on the sick, and it couldn’t get much worse. Three-year-old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch, strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking the Granite City and the local media are baying for blood.
Soon the dead are piling up in the morgue almost as fast as the snow on the streets, and Logan knows time is running out. More children are going missing. More are going to die. And if Logan isn’t careful, he could end up joining them…
Winter in murder, mayhem and terrible weather…
It’s DS Logan McRae’s first day back on the job after a year off on the sick, and it couldn’t get much worse. Three-year-old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch, strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking the Granite City and the local media are baying for blood.
Soon the dead are piling up in the morgue almost as fast as the snow on the streets, and Logan knows time is running out. More children are going missing. More are going to die. And if Logan isn’t careful, he could end up joining them…
467 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
1260 people are currently reading
12985 people want to read
About the author
Stuart MacBride
87 books2,720 followersAka Stuart B. MacBride
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,693 reviews
April 25, 2017
With more red herrings than you can shake a fishing rod at, Scottish author Stuart MacBride has kept me guessing pretty much the whole way through Cold Granite.
Aberdeen, Scotland is the setting, and in the midst of winter it's a bitterly cold and unforgiving location. The icy chills stem not only from the weather though, as there is a monster of a serial killer stalking its streets. The disturbing storyline of child abduction and murder, means it's always going to be a difficult read, but gosh it was so compelling, the characters so realistic.
DS Logan McRae is fully challenged with his first case after a year off work on sick. It begins with the discovery of the body of 4 year old David Reid, he'd been strangled and mutilated, and dumped in a ditch. This is just the beginning though, as there are more horrific discoveries to be made, and it's both heartbreaking and gripping at the same time. I was holding my breath and hoping for the best whilst dreading what was coming next.
Stuart MacBride has constructed a brilliant beginning to the DS McRae series. There are some really meaty characters in the form of DI Insch, and DI Steele, their sense of humour was a joy to witness, and they provided light relief from some pretty horrific and graphic details. It was hard to put this one down, the sense of the clock ticking before another victim is discovered was palpable. Comparisons are bound to be made with Ian Rankin's Rebus ( who I love ) but I have to say that Stuart MacBride stands up to the comparison really well. A great police procedural.
Aberdeen, Scotland is the setting, and in the midst of winter it's a bitterly cold and unforgiving location. The icy chills stem not only from the weather though, as there is a monster of a serial killer stalking its streets. The disturbing storyline of child abduction and murder, means it's always going to be a difficult read, but gosh it was so compelling, the characters so realistic.
DS Logan McRae is fully challenged with his first case after a year off work on sick. It begins with the discovery of the body of 4 year old David Reid, he'd been strangled and mutilated, and dumped in a ditch. This is just the beginning though, as there are more horrific discoveries to be made, and it's both heartbreaking and gripping at the same time. I was holding my breath and hoping for the best whilst dreading what was coming next.
Stuart MacBride has constructed a brilliant beginning to the DS McRae series. There are some really meaty characters in the form of DI Insch, and DI Steele, their sense of humour was a joy to witness, and they provided light relief from some pretty horrific and graphic details. It was hard to put this one down, the sense of the clock ticking before another victim is discovered was palpable. Comparisons are bound to be made with Ian Rankin's Rebus ( who I love ) but I have to say that Stuart MacBride stands up to the comparison really well. A great police procedural.
October 7, 2019
”Dead things had always been special to him. Their delicate coldness. The feel of the skin. The ripe, sweet smell as they decayed. As they returned to God.”
Detective Logan McRae comes back to work after months of recovery from a savage knife attack from a suspect which left him severely wounded. His stomach is a mass of scar tissue. His mental state is reasonably stable considering that scars on the body tend to leave scars on the mind, as well. He works for the Aberdeen police department, located in the Scottish Highlands. The weather is wet and windy, and because it is wet, the granite hills surrounding Aberdeen seem even more desolate to the eye, and because it is windy, the cold chills the body to the bone.
It all begins, barely before McRae can warm a seat at the station, with the discovery of a dead child. Then another. Then another child goes missing. The window for a live recovery of a child taken is a very small amount of time, and McRae soon finds himself in a pressure cooker to find something, anything, that will put him on the right trail.
He also has another case, involving an adult male. He has a pretty good idea which of the local heavies has thrown this grotesque artwork into the water, but he needs some evidence to tie the bastards to the crime.
”And no kneecaps. Both hairy legs had ragged holes in them where a normal person would keep their knees. The flesh was torn and tattered around the joint, yellow bone poking through the mess of hacked-up tissue. Whoever had done this hadn’t been bothered about making a tidy job of it. This was unelective surgery by enthusiasm rather than skill.”
As if Logan McCrae’s life isn’t difficult enough, in walks Colin Miller, local reporter, who has information that will help him with his case. The only problem is Miller is ambitious and wants a quid pro quo. The type of information that will jam McCrae up with his pocket full of sweets boss DI Insch, ”. . . the inspector, who had discovered an open packet of winegums in his overcoat and was busily picking off the little bits of fluff and pocket-grit.” Ahh yes, do be careful about the tuffs of lint when accepting a piece of candy from DI Insch.
Another complication for McCrae is watching his ex-girlfriend, the medical examiner, walking around like God’s gift to all mankind. ”Isobel MacAlister turned up looking as if she’d just stepped off a catwalk: long Burberry raincoat, dark-green trouser suit, cream high-collared blouse, delicate pearl earrings, her short hair artistically tousled. Wellington boots three sizes too big for her … She looked so good it hurt.”
A further problem is, if McRae and the team can not make progress soon, the “professionals” from down south will be up both their nostrils. ”If we don’t watch out, Edinburgh are going to take over. And we’ll all end up looking like sheep-shagging, small-town halfwits.”
Needless to say, all of these elements increase the pressure on an inspector who is trying to shake the rust off before one of his mistakes costs a child his life. The people populating this novel are refreshingly not PC. The setting is damp and cold, adding hindrances to an already complicated investigation. There is a defense attorney who is loathed by everyone but his clients. The police officers refer to him as Sandy the Snake or Hissing Sid and much worse. The press, through the manipulations of Miller, are creating havoc with the direction of the investigation. There are also vigilantes, just to add some extra curry to the mix, who are deciding who is guilty. The question is, can McRae set aside the myriad of distractions and focus on the slender stack of clues? Can he catch the killer before another young child is taken?
I’m definitely continuing with the series. The bungling, the luck, the exploration of human weakness, and the intuitive deductions give this series a feel of a real life, human drama. The setting in cold, granite Aberdeen certainly adds some fascinating elements to the plot. Stuart McBride is creatively descriptive of rather grotesque situations, so a word of caution for those who like their mysteries softboiled rather than gritty and of the Scotch egg variety.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
Detective Logan McRae comes back to work after months of recovery from a savage knife attack from a suspect which left him severely wounded. His stomach is a mass of scar tissue. His mental state is reasonably stable considering that scars on the body tend to leave scars on the mind, as well. He works for the Aberdeen police department, located in the Scottish Highlands. The weather is wet and windy, and because it is wet, the granite hills surrounding Aberdeen seem even more desolate to the eye, and because it is windy, the cold chills the body to the bone.
It all begins, barely before McRae can warm a seat at the station, with the discovery of a dead child. Then another. Then another child goes missing. The window for a live recovery of a child taken is a very small amount of time, and McRae soon finds himself in a pressure cooker to find something, anything, that will put him on the right trail.
He also has another case, involving an adult male. He has a pretty good idea which of the local heavies has thrown this grotesque artwork into the water, but he needs some evidence to tie the bastards to the crime.
”And no kneecaps. Both hairy legs had ragged holes in them where a normal person would keep their knees. The flesh was torn and tattered around the joint, yellow bone poking through the mess of hacked-up tissue. Whoever had done this hadn’t been bothered about making a tidy job of it. This was unelective surgery by enthusiasm rather than skill.”
As if Logan McCrae’s life isn’t difficult enough, in walks Colin Miller, local reporter, who has information that will help him with his case. The only problem is Miller is ambitious and wants a quid pro quo. The type of information that will jam McCrae up with his pocket full of sweets boss DI Insch, ”. . . the inspector, who had discovered an open packet of winegums in his overcoat and was busily picking off the little bits of fluff and pocket-grit.” Ahh yes, do be careful about the tuffs of lint when accepting a piece of candy from DI Insch.
Another complication for McCrae is watching his ex-girlfriend, the medical examiner, walking around like God’s gift to all mankind. ”Isobel MacAlister turned up looking as if she’d just stepped off a catwalk: long Burberry raincoat, dark-green trouser suit, cream high-collared blouse, delicate pearl earrings, her short hair artistically tousled. Wellington boots three sizes too big for her … She looked so good it hurt.”
A further problem is, if McRae and the team can not make progress soon, the “professionals” from down south will be up both their nostrils. ”If we don’t watch out, Edinburgh are going to take over. And we’ll all end up looking like sheep-shagging, small-town halfwits.”
Needless to say, all of these elements increase the pressure on an inspector who is trying to shake the rust off before one of his mistakes costs a child his life. The people populating this novel are refreshingly not PC. The setting is damp and cold, adding hindrances to an already complicated investigation. There is a defense attorney who is loathed by everyone but his clients. The police officers refer to him as Sandy the Snake or Hissing Sid and much worse. The press, through the manipulations of Miller, are creating havoc with the direction of the investigation. There are also vigilantes, just to add some extra curry to the mix, who are deciding who is guilty. The question is, can McRae set aside the myriad of distractions and focus on the slender stack of clues? Can he catch the killer before another young child is taken?
I’m definitely continuing with the series. The bungling, the luck, the exploration of human weakness, and the intuitive deductions give this series a feel of a real life, human drama. The setting in cold, granite Aberdeen certainly adds some fascinating elements to the plot. Stuart McBride is creatively descriptive of rather grotesque situations, so a word of caution for those who like their mysteries softboiled rather than gritty and of the Scotch egg variety.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
January 11, 2018
4.5 stars (rounded to 5 stars)
Hot Dog! I have myself another fabulous series to dig into. I love discovering these older series as there will be books waiting for me whenever I get the urge to revisit the characters. In addition, there is something about some of these more “vintage” novels that you do not see in books published today. Some sort of “IT” factor that is difficult to explain.
Cold Granite is the debut novel and a great start to Mr. McBride’s Logan McRae collection. The setting is Aberdeen, Scotland. What a totally miserable place. It’s like chapter 20 and STILL raining. At least it finally stops. When we reach December. Then it doesn’t stop snowing. I’ll say one thing though--Mr. McBride is such a creative guy that I could not help marveling at how many ways he is able to mesmerizingly describe the never-changing weather. He makes sure we never forget where we are and how wretched an environment it is. Made me feel cozy in my nice warm house with a steaming cup of coffee
DS McRae is coming off sick leave after being seriously wounded during his previous case. He’s supposed to be easing back in. Right. For the next 2 weeks, he does not get any time off as he chases down the suspects of multiple abductions and murders. Do we have a serial killer? Or are these crimes even related? The plot is fast moving and complex. It seemed like every time I thought I was starting to figure things out, yet another “event” would occur, messing up my thinking. This book totally engaged me with all that was going on.
The characters are very well written. Even all the potential baddies are well drawn, despite the reader not actually getting into their heads. Roadkill was my fave, along with Desperate Doug (what a loser). I loved the cops. McRae had my sympathy almost right off the bat. His two DI’s are a treat. DI Insch, who I wasn’t sure about at first, eventually won my affection. He’s a gruff guy, but has a good heart. His penchant for eating sugar-laden treats is very entertaining, especially to a sugar fan such as myself. I learned a lot about English confectionaries, many I would love to try myself; I feel bad they are not available to me here across the pond. Then there is DI Steel. Oh my. She doesn’t have a huge part in this story, but enough to intrigue me. I hope to see more of her tough stuff in future books. WPC Watson, assigned to drive McRae around, is a gem. Her nickname is Ball Breaker. Enough said. Oh, and Colin Miller, the hated (by his colleagues) crime investigator from the local newspaper--I loved seeing the evolution of his relationship with McRae.
The writing is top notch. Period.
I am thrilled to have finally discovered Stuart McBride. I was totally captivated by Cold Granite and look forward to reading more of this series. I rate this book 4.5 stars. I cannot help but round up to 5 stars despite the fact that gives me minimal room to award future books a higher rating. Oh well, it gets what it deserves. Needless to say, I highly recommend Cold Granite to all crime fiction/thriller fans.
Hot Dog! I have myself another fabulous series to dig into. I love discovering these older series as there will be books waiting for me whenever I get the urge to revisit the characters. In addition, there is something about some of these more “vintage” novels that you do not see in books published today. Some sort of “IT” factor that is difficult to explain.
Cold Granite is the debut novel and a great start to Mr. McBride’s Logan McRae collection. The setting is Aberdeen, Scotland. What a totally miserable place. It’s like chapter 20 and STILL raining. At least it finally stops. When we reach December. Then it doesn’t stop snowing. I’ll say one thing though--Mr. McBride is such a creative guy that I could not help marveling at how many ways he is able to mesmerizingly describe the never-changing weather. He makes sure we never forget where we are and how wretched an environment it is. Made me feel cozy in my nice warm house with a steaming cup of coffee
DS McRae is coming off sick leave after being seriously wounded during his previous case. He’s supposed to be easing back in. Right. For the next 2 weeks, he does not get any time off as he chases down the suspects of multiple abductions and murders. Do we have a serial killer? Or are these crimes even related? The plot is fast moving and complex. It seemed like every time I thought I was starting to figure things out, yet another “event” would occur, messing up my thinking. This book totally engaged me with all that was going on.
The characters are very well written. Even all the potential baddies are well drawn, despite the reader not actually getting into their heads. Roadkill was my fave, along with Desperate Doug (what a loser). I loved the cops. McRae had my sympathy almost right off the bat. His two DI’s are a treat. DI Insch, who I wasn’t sure about at first, eventually won my affection. He’s a gruff guy, but has a good heart. His penchant for eating sugar-laden treats is very entertaining, especially to a sugar fan such as myself. I learned a lot about English confectionaries, many I would love to try myself; I feel bad they are not available to me here across the pond. Then there is DI Steel. Oh my. She doesn’t have a huge part in this story, but enough to intrigue me. I hope to see more of her tough stuff in future books. WPC Watson, assigned to drive McRae around, is a gem. Her nickname is Ball Breaker. Enough said. Oh, and Colin Miller, the hated (by his colleagues) crime investigator from the local newspaper--I loved seeing the evolution of his relationship with McRae.
The writing is top notch. Period.
I am thrilled to have finally discovered Stuart McBride. I was totally captivated by Cold Granite and look forward to reading more of this series. I rate this book 4.5 stars. I cannot help but round up to 5 stars despite the fact that gives me minimal room to award future books a higher rating. Oh well, it gets what it deserves. Needless to say, I highly recommend Cold Granite to all crime fiction/thriller fans.
September 10, 2016
My first book by this author and definitely not my last. I became quite attached to D.I. Logan McCrae and enjoyed many of the other characters too. The story was excellent if a little too graphic at times. I am quite accomplished at skimming the really upsetting bits so the nasty details did not bother me too much. I found it to be quite neatly put together and rather realistic in terms of police procedure etc. Another new author. Hooray,
,
,
Read
December 4, 2018The Hook My GR friend Jean and then Christine both gave Cold Granite rousing thumbs up reviews. I trust these women so thought “Why not”?
The Line - ”The lasagne tasted like damp newspaper to him.”
Lasange is the Scottish rendition of lasagna, just in case someone wants to correct my spelling.
The Sinker - As Christine said “Hot Dog”. It's a debut and a humdinger. Now if you're expecting cream puffs and muffins, forget this one. Though there's lots of candy floating around in this police department, this is no fluffy police procedural. If mistletoe, Christmas Carols, and the spirit of the season is making you merry and bright, wait until the doldrums of January or maybe even February to take this one on. It's brutal in its killing and the images and smells of the dead reek off the page, are descriptive, if not a bit gory. So why did I like it? Well drawn characters, dialog that sounds real (though I've never been at a crime scene like any of these), and a superior officer, Insch, who is well, superior. The main character, Detective Sergeant Logan MacRae, is on his first day back after a leave of absence, only to be hit with the mutilated body of a young boy found in a ditch. Makes one want to take a couple of more weeks off. His ex, not certain you could call her a girlfriend, the pathologist he doesn't want to see, shows up at the crime scene. MacRae who'd rather be anywhere than here can't help this non-professional thought running through his head, Dr Isobel MacAlister: thirty-three, bobbed hair, brunette, five foot four. Makes little mewing noises when the inside of her thigh is nibbled. She was dressed immaculately in a fitted grey trouser suit and black overcoat, the effect only slightly spoiled by a huge pair of Wellington boots flapping about up to her knees. Add in Constable Jackie Watson, know as the Ball Breaker who becomes MacRae's charge and you've got a station house that comes alive and pumps with action.
My only regret is that there are 10 in this series already and I'm really slow to read series fiction. Stuart Macbride will get his chance to wow me again.
The Line - ”The lasagne tasted like damp newspaper to him.”
Lasange is the Scottish rendition of lasagna, just in case someone wants to correct my spelling.
The Sinker - As Christine said “Hot Dog”. It's a debut and a humdinger. Now if you're expecting cream puffs and muffins, forget this one. Though there's lots of candy floating around in this police department, this is no fluffy police procedural. If mistletoe, Christmas Carols, and the spirit of the season is making you merry and bright, wait until the doldrums of January or maybe even February to take this one on. It's brutal in its killing and the images and smells of the dead reek off the page, are descriptive, if not a bit gory. So why did I like it? Well drawn characters, dialog that sounds real (though I've never been at a crime scene like any of these), and a superior officer, Insch, who is well, superior. The main character, Detective Sergeant Logan MacRae, is on his first day back after a leave of absence, only to be hit with the mutilated body of a young boy found in a ditch. Makes one want to take a couple of more weeks off. His ex, not certain you could call her a girlfriend, the pathologist he doesn't want to see, shows up at the crime scene. MacRae who'd rather be anywhere than here can't help this non-professional thought running through his head, Dr Isobel MacAlister: thirty-three, bobbed hair, brunette, five foot four. Makes little mewing noises when the inside of her thigh is nibbled. She was dressed immaculately in a fitted grey trouser suit and black overcoat, the effect only slightly spoiled by a huge pair of Wellington boots flapping about up to her knees. Add in Constable Jackie Watson, know as the Ball Breaker who becomes MacRae's charge and you've got a station house that comes alive and pumps with action.
My only regret is that there are 10 in this series already and I'm really slow to read series fiction. Stuart Macbride will get his chance to wow me again.
August 21, 2018
“It’s raining; it’s pouring. The old man is snoring.
He bumped his head and went to bed,
And couldn’t get up in the morning.” (English nursery rhyme)
Detective Sergeant Logan MacRae could only wish for such a case! But, no! His very first day back on the job after a year of sick leave after being stabbed while on duty is quite grim. Stuart McBride’s debut novel of the Logan MacRae series begins with Aberdeen police at the scene of a grisly discovery: a young boy’s strangled, mutilated body lying in a ditch. The “poor wee sod” was only three years old. It’s not long before it’s raining missing and dead children.
It’s been a hot, humid August in Minnesota, and there’s nothing like a cold, wet thriller to chill me to the bone. Cold Granite certainly fits the bill! Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland, is known as “the Granite City,” and statistically is the coldest city in the UK. I love a thriller where the weather almost becomes another character, and Mr. McBride certainly manages to make Mother Nature a key figure. If it’s not raining, it’s miserably damp and misty. If it’s not doing either of those, it’s snowing.
What is most chilling, of course, is the work of the serial killer. But is there really only one killer? That’s what Logan and his team must learn. The victims are all quite young, but there are differences between them, and things that don’t add up. Reading about a child abuser was not really what I had in mind when I was looking for a break from the summer heat, but McBride manages to skirt around some of the nastiest details. In addition, he throws in a second case. It’s supposed to be DI Steele’s case, but she manages to pass it on to him, and he ends up trying to solve the murder of a guy who ended up in the drink with his kneecaps hacked off. Entertainment at its best.
There are twists and turns, some of which are predictable, but a few wrinkles surprised me. The characters are superb. DI Insch, Logan’s boss, is a gruff guy with a sweet tooth. Man, I hope that guy has a good dentist, a good endocrinologist, and excellent insurance. Every time MacRae was around him, Insch was popping some kind of candy into his mouth and offering him a piece too. Then there’s the aforementioned Steele. What a tough cookie she is! And I can’t forget Constable Jackie Watson, AKA “Ball Breaker”. I loved her! Those are just the cops. We also see a lot of Colin Miller, the newspaper fella with no scruples and Isobel MacAlister, the pathologist Logan used to date – another source of ice in this tale. We don’t get much background, but the temperature drops every time the two are anywhere near each other. Stuart McBride’s characters are flawed, funny, and so much fun to read. His witnesses, suspects, and killers are very well written also.
The writing is excellent. I so enjoyed the Scottish-isms and the bits of humor. Don't get me wrong. Cold Granite is serious stuff, and much of it is really not meant to be read at the breakfast table. But if you've got a strong stomach, you may very well find it to be your cup of tea. (They drink a lot of tea in this book - and plenty of stronger stuff too.) I can’t wait to read more of this series. By the way, I read Mr. McBride’s Goodread’s bio. It’s great for a more than a few chuckles. Thanks, Chris, for your recommendation! It won’t be long before I’m on to Dying Light.
4.5 stars
He bumped his head and went to bed,
And couldn’t get up in the morning.” (English nursery rhyme)
Detective Sergeant Logan MacRae could only wish for such a case! But, no! His very first day back on the job after a year of sick leave after being stabbed while on duty is quite grim. Stuart McBride’s debut novel of the Logan MacRae series begins with Aberdeen police at the scene of a grisly discovery: a young boy’s strangled, mutilated body lying in a ditch. The “poor wee sod” was only three years old. It’s not long before it’s raining missing and dead children.
It’s been a hot, humid August in Minnesota, and there’s nothing like a cold, wet thriller to chill me to the bone. Cold Granite certainly fits the bill! Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland, is known as “the Granite City,” and statistically is the coldest city in the UK. I love a thriller where the weather almost becomes another character, and Mr. McBride certainly manages to make Mother Nature a key figure. If it’s not raining, it’s miserably damp and misty. If it’s not doing either of those, it’s snowing.
What is most chilling, of course, is the work of the serial killer. But is there really only one killer? That’s what Logan and his team must learn. The victims are all quite young, but there are differences between them, and things that don’t add up. Reading about a child abuser was not really what I had in mind when I was looking for a break from the summer heat, but McBride manages to skirt around some of the nastiest details. In addition, he throws in a second case. It’s supposed to be DI Steele’s case, but she manages to pass it on to him, and he ends up trying to solve the murder of a guy who ended up in the drink with his kneecaps hacked off. Entertainment at its best.
There are twists and turns, some of which are predictable, but a few wrinkles surprised me. The characters are superb. DI Insch, Logan’s boss, is a gruff guy with a sweet tooth. Man, I hope that guy has a good dentist, a good endocrinologist, and excellent insurance. Every time MacRae was around him, Insch was popping some kind of candy into his mouth and offering him a piece too. Then there’s the aforementioned Steele. What a tough cookie she is! And I can’t forget Constable Jackie Watson, AKA “Ball Breaker”. I loved her! Those are just the cops. We also see a lot of Colin Miller, the newspaper fella with no scruples and Isobel MacAlister, the pathologist Logan used to date – another source of ice in this tale. We don’t get much background, but the temperature drops every time the two are anywhere near each other. Stuart McBride’s characters are flawed, funny, and so much fun to read. His witnesses, suspects, and killers are very well written also.
The writing is excellent. I so enjoyed the Scottish-isms and the bits of humor. Don't get me wrong. Cold Granite is serious stuff, and much of it is really not meant to be read at the breakfast table. But if you've got a strong stomach, you may very well find it to be your cup of tea. (They drink a lot of tea in this book - and plenty of stronger stuff too.) I can’t wait to read more of this series. By the way, I read Mr. McBride’s Goodread’s bio. It’s great for a more than a few chuckles. Thanks, Chris, for your recommendation! It won’t be long before I’m on to Dying Light.
4.5 stars
September 11, 2022
There is no doubt that this is good. Like really good. Incredible characters, great writing, and an excellent level of tension that was maintained throughout the whole novel. But I really struggled with the nature of the crimes. They were the brutal murders of young children. The crime scene descriptions were stomach churningly grizzly and I had actual chest pains thinking about the children's final moments and the horrors perpetrated upon them after they were killed. I had to force myself to keep reading because I was compelled to see justice served. In hindsight I should have bailed in chapter one as I am not sure the balance between the crimes themselves and the investigations was quite right. I did really enjoy the characters tasked with finding the killer so that made it all somewhat more tolerable.
CW: brutal murders of children with detailed descriptions of bodies and causes of injuries and death.
CW: brutal murders of children with detailed descriptions of bodies and causes of injuries and death.
July 26, 2015
With DS Logan McRae back at work after spending a year recovering from a near-fatal stabbing, he had been directed to ease into the job. But when the call came in that a body had been found, and that body was of a child, he found himself lead investigator in a case that would consume him and the local police for the next few weeks. The weather in Aberdeen was cruel – an icy cold winter had attacked the residents with the bitter wind relentless in its fury. The snow removed any chance of finding evidence, the constant rain made everyone’s lives miserable. He could see this would be one that no-one would want to volunteer for…
Within days there were more children missing; more bodies being found. A sadistic serial killer was on the loose and the full resources of the law were needed to stop the horror. But it seemed the media knew more than the police did. Did the department have a leak? How could the reporter know immediately they did – even sometimes before the detectives knew?
As the dangers intensified and the suspects multiplied, Logan felt the intense pressure of looming failure – would they find the vicious killer before more died?
I thoroughly enjoyed this brilliant crime novel by Scottish author Stuart McBride – Cold Granite is gripping and intense with a rollicking pace that kept the pages turning until the end. I hated having to put the book down, wanting to get back to the thrill of the chase; the chills of discovering the answers. I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending Cold Granite, and will be getting my hands on #2 in the series very soon.
Within days there were more children missing; more bodies being found. A sadistic serial killer was on the loose and the full resources of the law were needed to stop the horror. But it seemed the media knew more than the police did. Did the department have a leak? How could the reporter know immediately they did – even sometimes before the detectives knew?
As the dangers intensified and the suspects multiplied, Logan felt the intense pressure of looming failure – would they find the vicious killer before more died?
I thoroughly enjoyed this brilliant crime novel by Scottish author Stuart McBride – Cold Granite is gripping and intense with a rollicking pace that kept the pages turning until the end. I hated having to put the book down, wanting to get back to the thrill of the chase; the chills of discovering the answers. I have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending Cold Granite, and will be getting my hands on #2 in the series very soon.
August 27, 2018
This is Stuart MacBride’s debut novel and I was pleasantly surprised how good it was. It’s not perfect, though, and I’ll get to my criticism in a minute.
I liked the complex story. With toddlers missing, the kneecapped body from the harbor, the bin-bag girl, and more, this was a busy book, but the story flowed very well. I liked DS Logan McRae. I could be wrong, but most books set in the UK that I’ve read seem to have a lead character who is a DI with a DS sidekick. Main character DS McRae was a nice change. I liked DI Insch and his laid-back management style. I even liked Roadkill and I could just smell his steadings. I also liked the humor.
Now, critically, at 458 pages, the book was too long. There was a lot of repetition that eventually became boring. Examples are Insch with his constant eating of sweets and sitting half-cheeked on desktops, McRae with his vulnerable abdominal scarring, and the constant denigration of the lawyer. I don’t need to be constantly reminded of these things, and the book would have benefitted from a strong editing. Some characters, like Dr. Isobel MacAlister, didn’t get as well developed and her history with McRae had no depth.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will continue with the book number 2. I am hoping for growth, both in the characters and the author.
I liked the complex story. With toddlers missing, the kneecapped body from the harbor, the bin-bag girl, and more, this was a busy book, but the story flowed very well. I liked DS Logan McRae. I could be wrong, but most books set in the UK that I’ve read seem to have a lead character who is a DI with a DS sidekick. Main character DS McRae was a nice change. I liked DI Insch and his laid-back management style. I even liked Roadkill and I could just smell his steadings. I also liked the humor.
Now, critically, at 458 pages, the book was too long. There was a lot of repetition that eventually became boring. Examples are Insch with his constant eating of sweets and sitting half-cheeked on desktops, McRae with his vulnerable abdominal scarring, and the constant denigration of the lawyer. I don’t need to be constantly reminded of these things, and the book would have benefitted from a strong editing. Some characters, like Dr. Isobel MacAlister, didn’t get as well developed and her history with McRae had no depth.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will continue with the book number 2. I am hoping for growth, both in the characters and the author.
May 17, 2018
This is the first novel featuring Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, who is a very human and flawed character. When we meet him he has been off work for a year, after being seriously knifed in the stomach. We also learn that whatever happened on the day he was injured, resulted in his losing his relationship with pathologist Dr Isobel MacAlister. This is unfortunate, as their paths will cross many times in this book. In fact, almost as soon as McRae returns to work, the crime rate is about to soar.
This is a gritty and hard hitting novel, involving two different investigations, which somehow merge along the way. The first involves the fact that little boys are being abducted and killed. The second concerns the murder of a gangster, who has ended up in the river minus his kneecaps. Thrown into the deep end, McRae finds himself trying to solve the crimes, stay warm (which doesn't sound easy in the portrait the author paints of a freezing Aberdeen!) and try to discover who is leaking information to the press.
There are some fantastic characters - DI Insch, with his constant munching of sweets, slimy journalist Colin Miller, possible future love interest WPC Watson and that isn't even mentioning the criminals encountered. Stuart MacBride manages to tie in several storylines in a believable way, has great dialogue and a fast moving plot. I look forward to following this series.
This is a gritty and hard hitting novel, involving two different investigations, which somehow merge along the way. The first involves the fact that little boys are being abducted and killed. The second concerns the murder of a gangster, who has ended up in the river minus his kneecaps. Thrown into the deep end, McRae finds himself trying to solve the crimes, stay warm (which doesn't sound easy in the portrait the author paints of a freezing Aberdeen!) and try to discover who is leaking information to the press.
There are some fantastic characters - DI Insch, with his constant munching of sweets, slimy journalist Colin Miller, possible future love interest WPC Watson and that isn't even mentioning the criminals encountered. Stuart MacBride manages to tie in several storylines in a believable way, has great dialogue and a fast moving plot. I look forward to following this series.
June 18, 2019
DS Logan Rae #1
This is first book in the DS Logan Rae series. He has his hands full trying to find a missing toddler. Set in Aberdeen where the scenery is beautiful but the subject matter is not. A serial killer needs to be caught and quickly before another child is taken. The press are also causing problems, they are getting information (leaked to them) and getting to the crime scenes at the same time as the police.
This is the second time that I have read this book. It's a hard book to read about because of the subject matter, but they are not too graphic. The characters are strong and believable. Logan is just back at work after being viciously attacked a year ago, he's also struggling with his self confidence. This is a well written book with lots of twists. It will have you on the edge of your seat. Great start to this series.
I would like to thank MetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Stuart MacBride for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is first book in the DS Logan Rae series. He has his hands full trying to find a missing toddler. Set in Aberdeen where the scenery is beautiful but the subject matter is not. A serial killer needs to be caught and quickly before another child is taken. The press are also causing problems, they are getting information (leaked to them) and getting to the crime scenes at the same time as the police.
This is the second time that I have read this book. It's a hard book to read about because of the subject matter, but they are not too graphic. The characters are strong and believable. Logan is just back at work after being viciously attacked a year ago, he's also struggling with his self confidence. This is a well written book with lots of twists. It will have you on the edge of your seat. Great start to this series.
I would like to thank MetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Stuart MacBride for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2015
I have found another new author Scottish born Stuart Macbride kept me turning the pages & could not put down Cold Granite tells the story of DI logan Mcrae who is investigating the brutal murders of a 3 year old boy who was found on the river Don the setting is in Aberdeen Scotland the little boy is tortured some of this story was graphic to say the least but its what these killers do & makes it real soon another little girls body is found exactly the same way & its up to DI Logan Mcrae to bring the person to justice\This story is every parents nightmare
September 20, 2015
"Aye? Shame. He was fucking tasty in his day. Quite the lady-killer.
But we couldn't prove it." - Detective Inspector Steel
There is a lot to like in Stuart MacBride’s police procedural, Cold Granite. To start with, the story is sprinkled with humorous lines like the one above, delivered by likeable, almost quirky, characters. Some moments actually made me laugh out loud, which I found surprising as I didn’t expect it to be filled with such dark humor. The author does a great job of balancing the humorous moments with the more serious, and quite gruesome, aspects of the main story.
Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, the MC, is also very likeable. I liked that he was human—sometimes he got things wrong and sometimes he got things right. He was also just a man trying to do his job. One thing I would have liked, though, was a little more insight into his personal life. We do get a backstory involving a case he worked prior to the events of Cold Granite, but I would have liked to learn more about his family, parents, friends (outside of the police force), etc. It would have been nice to have seen a bit of interaction with them. I think because of this, Logan initially felt like a bit of a void to me. But, of course, this changed as the story progressed. And I assume we’ll get more of this in later books of the series.
Another aspect of the story I liked was the setting. It takes place in Aberdeen, Scotland, and the city itself truly becomes like a secondary character. The author intertwines the city, the weather, the regional slang, etc. with the story, and makes it come alive.
The main mystery/crime was really well done. Some things I caught quickly and then had to wait for Logan to catch up, but the main part of the mystery kept me guessing until the very end. Just a word of warning that MacBride doesn't hold back when it comes to the horrifying aspects of the murders. There are minor descriptions of autopsies, and detailed descriptions of the children’s injuries, as well as other horrors endured by these poor kids. So just keep that in mind.
All in all, an extremely enjoyable read. Highly recommended for fans of police procedurals.
Final Rating: 4 stars
But we couldn't prove it." - Detective Inspector Steel
There is a lot to like in Stuart MacBride’s police procedural, Cold Granite. To start with, the story is sprinkled with humorous lines like the one above, delivered by likeable, almost quirky, characters. Some moments actually made me laugh out loud, which I found surprising as I didn’t expect it to be filled with such dark humor. The author does a great job of balancing the humorous moments with the more serious, and quite gruesome, aspects of the main story.
Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, the MC, is also very likeable. I liked that he was human—sometimes he got things wrong and sometimes he got things right. He was also just a man trying to do his job. One thing I would have liked, though, was a little more insight into his personal life. We do get a backstory involving a case he worked prior to the events of Cold Granite, but I would have liked to learn more about his family, parents, friends (outside of the police force), etc. It would have been nice to have seen a bit of interaction with them. I think because of this, Logan initially felt like a bit of a void to me. But, of course, this changed as the story progressed. And I assume we’ll get more of this in later books of the series.
Another aspect of the story I liked was the setting. It takes place in Aberdeen, Scotland, and the city itself truly becomes like a secondary character. The author intertwines the city, the weather, the regional slang, etc. with the story, and makes it come alive.
The main mystery/crime was really well done. Some things I caught quickly and then had to wait for Logan to catch up, but the main part of the mystery kept me guessing until the very end. Just a word of warning that MacBride doesn't hold back when it comes to the horrifying aspects of the murders. There are minor descriptions of autopsies, and detailed descriptions of the children’s injuries, as well as other horrors endured by these poor kids. So just keep that in mind.
All in all, an extremely enjoyable read. Highly recommended for fans of police procedurals.
Final Rating: 4 stars
September 30, 2025
⭐⭐⭐✰✰ 3.25 Stars — A solid thriller, filled with red-herrings, Cold Granite Wallace been a top-notch police-procedural thriller in 2005. Nothing other than this fact, impacts its rating.. there is just simply so many incredible crime novels these days, it doesn’t quite got the level we see in 2025. But it is a good read, well written & worth the investment.
Stuart MacBride’s Cold Granite is a novel that promises a plunging entry into the cold, wet, unforgiving streets of Aberdeen — and, for the most part, it delivers. This is crime fiction that feels heavy with drizzle & grit; a procedural that seeks to embrace the bleakness of both its landscape and its cast for the better.
I found the greatest strength here not in the mechanics of the mystery itself but in the texture. Macbride writes well, but in this effort there is a lack of a vivid sense of place, instead of conjuring an Aberdeen that is dour yet oddly magnetic as I imagined, it’s left to the back burner. His prose, though is solid, rarely ever overindulgent, manages to thread gallows humour into the brutality of child murders — a risky tonal dance, but one he largely pulls off. DS Logan McRae, fresh from a year-long medical leave, emerges as a protagonist both wry and bruised, someone who feels believable if not wholly sympathetic.
In its 500+ pages, the placing remains consistent, inc the aforementioned twists and turns. The procedural threads knot and tangle; suspects and red herrings come thick and fast, but on occasion it is at the expense of tautness. Midway, I found myself wishing MacBride had been more ruthless in his trimming. The dialogue too — while often witty — occasionally drifts into banter that just deftly blunts the tension.
That said, the climax does hold its nerve, and there’s something to admire in a debut that refuses to sand off its rough edges. It reminded me, in its darker hues, of Rankin’s Rebus or even some of James Ellroy’s lesser-polished works — a world where every character carries a stain, and where justice is murky at best.
For me, Cold Granite sits comfortably in the realm of “good, sometimes great, but not special.” It establishes Macbride as an author with atmosphere to burn, but also one prone to excess. A novel that freezes you in its sodden embrace, but doesn’t quite convince you to stay too long in the rain.
Stuart MacBride’s Cold Granite is a novel that promises a plunging entry into the cold, wet, unforgiving streets of Aberdeen — and, for the most part, it delivers. This is crime fiction that feels heavy with drizzle & grit; a procedural that seeks to embrace the bleakness of both its landscape and its cast for the better.
I found the greatest strength here not in the mechanics of the mystery itself but in the texture. Macbride writes well, but in this effort there is a lack of a vivid sense of place, instead of conjuring an Aberdeen that is dour yet oddly magnetic as I imagined, it’s left to the back burner. His prose, though is solid, rarely ever overindulgent, manages to thread gallows humour into the brutality of child murders — a risky tonal dance, but one he largely pulls off. DS Logan McRae, fresh from a year-long medical leave, emerges as a protagonist both wry and bruised, someone who feels believable if not wholly sympathetic.
In its 500+ pages, the placing remains consistent, inc the aforementioned twists and turns. The procedural threads knot and tangle; suspects and red herrings come thick and fast, but on occasion it is at the expense of tautness. Midway, I found myself wishing MacBride had been more ruthless in his trimming. The dialogue too — while often witty — occasionally drifts into banter that just deftly blunts the tension.
That said, the climax does hold its nerve, and there’s something to admire in a debut that refuses to sand off its rough edges. It reminded me, in its darker hues, of Rankin’s Rebus or even some of James Ellroy’s lesser-polished works — a world where every character carries a stain, and where justice is murky at best.
For me, Cold Granite sits comfortably in the realm of “good, sometimes great, but not special.” It establishes Macbride as an author with atmosphere to burn, but also one prone to excess. A novel that freezes you in its sodden embrace, but doesn’t quite convince you to stay too long in the rain.
June 27, 2019
Logan McRae is back after being on sick leave for over a year after nearly dying after an attack. The first day could have started better when the news that a little boy that has been missing has been found dead in a ditch. And, soon everything it will just get worse when another child goes missing.
I read book nine in the series recently and I liked it so I decided to read the series from the beginning. It was a very grim book, I have previously stated that I don't like reading books that deal with children getting harmed. So even though the book was well written and it was nice to read about McRae and Steel and read about DI Insch for the first time was it also a tough book to read. Since the book I read previously in this series also was about dead children so I hope this isn't a returning subject for Stuart MacBride.
I liked getting to know Logan from the beginning. Though I felt that it was a lot of background history that one just gets pieces from; the case that almost killed him, his sick leave, his past relationship with Isobel. But it made his return to work also a bit more interesting since even though he is fully recovered physically he still has the memories of being attacked and he was after all clinically dead on the operating table for five minutes. He is Lazarus returned to work!
I'm looking forward to reading the next book soon (I have it so at least I don't have to wait). I hope Logan and Jackie Watson will still be working together (liked her, she's a tough chick) and I especially hope that Steele will have a bigger role to play in the next book!
I read book nine in the series recently and I liked it so I decided to read the series from the beginning. It was a very grim book, I have previously stated that I don't like reading books that deal with children getting harmed. So even though the book was well written and it was nice to read about McRae and Steel and read about DI Insch for the first time was it also a tough book to read. Since the book I read previously in this series also was about dead children so I hope this isn't a returning subject for Stuart MacBride.
I liked getting to know Logan from the beginning. Though I felt that it was a lot of background history that one just gets pieces from; the case that almost killed him, his sick leave, his past relationship with Isobel. But it made his return to work also a bit more interesting since even though he is fully recovered physically he still has the memories of being attacked and he was after all clinically dead on the operating table for five minutes. He is Lazarus returned to work!
I'm looking forward to reading the next book soon (I have it so at least I don't have to wait). I hope Logan and Jackie Watson will still be working together (liked her, she's a tough chick) and I especially hope that Steele will have a bigger role to play in the next book!
April 14, 2022
Някои неща доста ми допаднаха, но за сметка на това имаше и бая, които не ми. 50/50 е работата с тази книга. Може и да не ми беше моментът за нея, може и да съм очаквала нещо хипер-мега-уау, може... много неща може. Ще дам шанс със сигурност на следващата книга от поредицата, пък да видим тогава :)
July 26, 2020
It's been long enough since I last read this series that I now have to start over to catch up - good thing they're good books!
There's a few British procedurals out there, so it takes a bit to stand out from the pack. Stuart MacBride has managed to do it, though; set in Aberdeen, Scotland, Cold Granite comes roaring out of the gate. It's a full-throttle start to the series, with missing and murdered children, a protagonist who's just come back to work following a rooftop showdown with a psychopath, and a weather system that's authentic in it's never-ending rain. With multiple strands of storyline to follow, this would have been a mess in anyone else's hands. But despite this being a debut (from what I could find, and it certainly appears to be the first full length novel from this author), storylines are juggled masterfully.
This is a really good book in a genre where "good enough" makes it big all too often. And it's certainly aged much better than many other novels from 2005; definitely one I'm happy to be returning to.
There's a few British procedurals out there, so it takes a bit to stand out from the pack. Stuart MacBride has managed to do it, though; set in Aberdeen, Scotland, Cold Granite comes roaring out of the gate. It's a full-throttle start to the series, with missing and murdered children, a protagonist who's just come back to work following a rooftop showdown with a psychopath, and a weather system that's authentic in it's never-ending rain. With multiple strands of storyline to follow, this would have been a mess in anyone else's hands. But despite this being a debut (from what I could find, and it certainly appears to be the first full length novel from this author), storylines are juggled masterfully.
This is a really good book in a genre where "good enough" makes it big all too often. And it's certainly aged much better than many other novels from 2005; definitely one I'm happy to be returning to.
April 19, 2017
Cold Granite
4 Stars
Following a year of recuperation, DS Logan McRae is hoping for a slow return to the Aberdeen force. However, with the discovery of the body of a 3-year-old boy, McRae is thrust into a heartbreaking and horrific investigation. As the bodies begin piling up and several children go missing, the press is convinced that a serial killer is on the loose, and McRae will have to use all of his wits and experience to uncover the truth.
***Warning***: This book contains graphic and disturbing descriptions of child murder, and is not for readers offended by this type of story and writing.
The plot is comprised of several seemingly unrelated threads that MacBride ultimately weaves together to form a unified whole. While some of the plot twists are obvious, others come as a surprise and the finale is intense and satisfying. MacBride's writing is brisk with sufficient humor to offset the terrible nature of the crimes without being callous or cold-blooded.
DS Logan McRae is an appealing mix of experience and naiveté. While he is a skilled investigator with excellent instincts, he is almost childlike when it comes to personal and professional relationships.
The secondary characters are well-developed whether it is McRae's tetchy boss with his penchant for charity pantomimes or the smarmy journalist with his loathsome attitude or the feisty and capable WPC assigned to keep McRae out of trouble.
In sum, Cold Granite is a riveting police procedural with engaging characters and a complex and multifaceted storyline. Highly recommended for fans of British crime novels and the writing of Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter.
4 Stars
Following a year of recuperation, DS Logan McRae is hoping for a slow return to the Aberdeen force. However, with the discovery of the body of a 3-year-old boy, McRae is thrust into a heartbreaking and horrific investigation. As the bodies begin piling up and several children go missing, the press is convinced that a serial killer is on the loose, and McRae will have to use all of his wits and experience to uncover the truth.
***Warning***: This book contains graphic and disturbing descriptions of child murder, and is not for readers offended by this type of story and writing.
The plot is comprised of several seemingly unrelated threads that MacBride ultimately weaves together to form a unified whole. While some of the plot twists are obvious, others come as a surprise and the finale is intense and satisfying. MacBride's writing is brisk with sufficient humor to offset the terrible nature of the crimes without being callous or cold-blooded.
DS Logan McRae is an appealing mix of experience and naiveté. While he is a skilled investigator with excellent instincts, he is almost childlike when it comes to personal and professional relationships.
The secondary characters are well-developed whether it is McRae's tetchy boss with his penchant for charity pantomimes or the smarmy journalist with his loathsome attitude or the feisty and capable WPC assigned to keep McRae out of trouble.
In sum, Cold Granite is a riveting police procedural with engaging characters and a complex and multifaceted storyline. Highly recommended for fans of British crime novels and the writing of Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter.
August 11, 2016
Description: Stuart MacBride’s Number One bestselling crime series opens with this award-winning debut. DS Logan McRae and the police in Aberdeen hunt a child killer who stalks the frozen streets.
Winter in Aberdeen: murder, mayhem and terrible weather…
It’s DS Logan McRae’s first day back on the job after a year off on the sick, and it couldn’t get much worse. Three-year-old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch, strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking the Granite City and the local media are baying for blood.
Soon the dead are piling up in the morgue almost as fast as the snow on the streets, and Logan knows time is running out. More children are going missing. More are going to die. And if Logan isn’t careful, he could end up joining them…
Opening: Dead things had always been special to him. Their delicate coldness. The feel of the skin. The ripe, sweet smell as they decayed. As they returned to God.
Anyone else spot the bad basic maths on page ~346.
Winter in Aberdeen: murder, mayhem and terrible weather…
It’s DS Logan McRae’s first day back on the job after a year off on the sick, and it couldn’t get much worse. Three-year-old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch, strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking the Granite City and the local media are baying for blood.
Soon the dead are piling up in the morgue almost as fast as the snow on the streets, and Logan knows time is running out. More children are going missing. More are going to die. And if Logan isn’t careful, he could end up joining them…
Opening: Dead things had always been special to him. Their delicate coldness. The feel of the skin. The ripe, sweet smell as they decayed. As they returned to God.
Anyone else spot the bad basic maths on page ~346.
October 20, 2023
“A child killer stalks the frozen streets”
The back cover marketing blurb synopsis is dead on and will give a potential reader an excellent idea of the story they can expect, “Three year old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch: strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking [Aberdeen] and the local media are baying for blood … More children are gong missing. More are going to die.”
A straight-up complimentary review could hardly be simpler. Stuart MacBride’s COLD GRANITE can be characterized as a clinic on the creation of a first rate gripping police-procedural. It includes police politics and its relationship with city government. We witness the close and often tense relationship between law enforcement and journalists, the reality that journalists must zealously protect the confidentiality of their sources and the frequently difficult ethical conundrums that they face. COLD GRANITE showcases the real life subtleties of the interpretation of clues and following them to the solution of a crime. And, (last but not least), MacBride has created a convincing cast of compelling, credible characters and character relationships that a reader will care about! (I’d be very surprised if the desperately laughable, heating-up, school-boyish romance between Logan McRae and Constable Jackie Watson doesn’t have more to be told in the next novel) Despite a full set of false trails and red herrings, MacBride never loses track of a fistful of plot threads and every single one of them is resolved beautifully. One of them, for example, doesn’t get wound up until the final paragraph!
Highly recommended. I’m definitely a fan and now I’m on the hunt for a copy of DYING LIGHT, Logan McRae #2.
Paul Weiss
The back cover marketing blurb synopsis is dead on and will give a potential reader an excellent idea of the story they can expect, “Three year old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch: strangled, mutilated and a long time dead. And he’s only the first. There’s a serial killer stalking [Aberdeen] and the local media are baying for blood … More children are gong missing. More are going to die.”
A straight-up complimentary review could hardly be simpler. Stuart MacBride’s COLD GRANITE can be characterized as a clinic on the creation of a first rate gripping police-procedural. It includes police politics and its relationship with city government. We witness the close and often tense relationship between law enforcement and journalists, the reality that journalists must zealously protect the confidentiality of their sources and the frequently difficult ethical conundrums that they face. COLD GRANITE showcases the real life subtleties of the interpretation of clues and following them to the solution of a crime. And, (last but not least), MacBride has created a convincing cast of compelling, credible characters and character relationships that a reader will care about! (I’d be very surprised if the desperately laughable, heating-up, school-boyish romance between Logan McRae and Constable Jackie Watson doesn’t have more to be told in the next novel) Despite a full set of false trails and red herrings, MacBride never loses track of a fistful of plot threads and every single one of them is resolved beautifully. One of them, for example, doesn’t get wound up until the final paragraph!
Highly recommended. I’m definitely a fan and now I’m on the hunt for a copy of DYING LIGHT, Logan McRae #2.
Paul Weiss
May 20, 2024
Cold Granite is the first book in a grim, hardboiled police procedural set in Aberdeen, Scotland and featuring DS Logan McRae. This is a compelling murder mystery that presents all kinds of difficulties for the police and the forensic team alike.
Logan McRae has just returned to work after recovering from a horrific stabbing attack that put him on the sidelines for a year. Almost everything’s changed, the faces, the office, the boss. But the one thing that’s stayed the same is the crime rate and he walks straight into the discovery of the body of a 4 year old boy, dead in a ditch.
Most concerning is that this won’t be the last child to be found as an apparent serial killer is active in the city.
Elsewhere, Logan’s also dragged into another case, that of a known gangster enforcer who was found floating in the harbour minus his kneecaps. The identification of the body comes from a newspaper reporter who reveals the name to Logan under the agreement that the sharing of information would be a two-way street. It’s an alliance that’s fraught with problems.
Logan’s a particularly complex character dealing with a complicated past which already gives him complexity and added interest. He’s also not investigating this case on his own with his boss, the sugar-addicted DI David Insch along with WPC Jackie Hawkins ever at his side, protecting his back. In fact, there’s quite an eclectic cast of characters within his direct orbit to provide plenty of support and not a little bit of angst, most notable is the sharp-tongued DI Steel.
Cold Granite is an engaging story that moves at a solid pace. However, the subject matter is challenging and won’t be to everyone’s taste. The crimes being investigated are child abductions and murders, very young children and the details are explained pretty graphically without ever going over the top.
This is a very solid first book of the series with a well defined storyline that I found to be complex enough to keep me guessing throughout. There’s much to learn and discover about the various characters going forward and even the drab city of Aberdeen held a certain level of intrigue. I’m looking forward to what comes next.
Logan McRae has just returned to work after recovering from a horrific stabbing attack that put him on the sidelines for a year. Almost everything’s changed, the faces, the office, the boss. But the one thing that’s stayed the same is the crime rate and he walks straight into the discovery of the body of a 4 year old boy, dead in a ditch.
Most concerning is that this won’t be the last child to be found as an apparent serial killer is active in the city.
Elsewhere, Logan’s also dragged into another case, that of a known gangster enforcer who was found floating in the harbour minus his kneecaps. The identification of the body comes from a newspaper reporter who reveals the name to Logan under the agreement that the sharing of information would be a two-way street. It’s an alliance that’s fraught with problems.
Logan’s a particularly complex character dealing with a complicated past which already gives him complexity and added interest. He’s also not investigating this case on his own with his boss, the sugar-addicted DI David Insch along with WPC Jackie Hawkins ever at his side, protecting his back. In fact, there’s quite an eclectic cast of characters within his direct orbit to provide plenty of support and not a little bit of angst, most notable is the sharp-tongued DI Steel.
Cold Granite is an engaging story that moves at a solid pace. However, the subject matter is challenging and won’t be to everyone’s taste. The crimes being investigated are child abductions and murders, very young children and the details are explained pretty graphically without ever going over the top.
This is a very solid first book of the series with a well defined storyline that I found to be complex enough to keep me guessing throughout. There’s much to learn and discover about the various characters going forward and even the drab city of Aberdeen held a certain level of intrigue. I’m looking forward to what comes next.
August 23, 2018
Excellent reading. Excellent combination of police procedures and forensics coming together to make for a cracking crime thriller. After reading other reviews I expected this book to be more graphic and gruesome and whilst the storyline centres predominantly on the hunt for a child serial killer, it's not as graphic as other similar novels I have read.
It has the right amount of detail, good strong characters and a few good twists and turns along the way. Ultimately the book ends up winding a few crime cases together into one super read. I visualised every scene as if watching a police crime drama show on TV.
This is the first of McBride books I have read but I intend to read them all, I was impressed to say the least and I read a lot of crime books. Recommended for a really good read. Set in Scotland! Loved it.
It has the right amount of detail, good strong characters and a few good twists and turns along the way. Ultimately the book ends up winding a few crime cases together into one super read. I visualised every scene as if watching a police crime drama show on TV.
This is the first of McBride books I have read but I intend to read them all, I was impressed to say the least and I read a lot of crime books. Recommended for a really good read. Set in Scotland! Loved it.
September 12, 2016
My reaction to Cold Granite is ambivalent. Although I read the book with enthusiasm, I found it frustrated me in certain aspects, thus lowering my overall rating of it.
Firstly, some positives - the descriptions of Aberdeen and its wintry climate were well-drawn. I could almost shiver with the bleakness of the weather and the dreariness of those grey buildings. Although almost stomach-churning at times, the descriptions of the death scenes were graphic and intense, and I could almost smell the stench. It was an apt setting for a very grim series of crimes.
I admired DS McRae’s tenacity and perceptiveness under extremely tough conditions - it was he who made clever and unexpected links between bits of information and evidence, thus solving some cases that seems insoluble.
I enjoyed the character of DI Insch, McRae’s somewhat quirky superior officer. He embodied some old-fashioned police values with a refreshingly independent turn of mind. His insatiable appetite for lollies made him endearingly human.
BUT
Somewhere between page 250 and page 300 of my copy (a 458 page paperback edition) my bookmark fell out. Trying to replace it, I realised I had absolutely no idea where I was. After some moments of confusion, I went back to the start, pencil and notepad to hand, and skimmed the entire story again, just to try to get a handle on all the concurrent cases and various goings-on.
This signifies my main criticism of this novel - its excessive complexity. I counted six cases which involved DS McRae relating to child disappearances, plus the ‘floater’ in the harbour, plus the various issues with the roadkill manager, plus the consequences of the paedophile court case. Added to that was the situation with the flash git journalist, who may or may not have been leaked confidential information by a police person… I think the story would have worked better with fewer cases, and more time spent on each. In the end, everything was solved, and the loose ends were neatly tied up, but for me some of the resolution felt a bit pat, and a bit blokey.
Another issue I had with the story was the rather sketchy feel I developed for DS McRae. We learned over and over again ad nauseum about the pain of his stomach injury, but very little about his home life, his interests and his history. He lacked definition, and he came over as grey and miserable as the Aberdeen weather. The fictional crime-solvers I love have some quirk, or an angle or hook to grab my attention - I’m thinking of Harry Bosch and his love of jazz, or wandering Jack Reacher and his absence of possessions, or Kay Scarpetta and her passion for cooking.
Apart from WPC Watson, there is not a single positive female character in the book.
I really did not like the frequent use of nick names for certain characters. While the occasional witty sobriquet was cheering, I found it grated on me over time, because it signifies the author's efforts at some cheap laughs. The multiple epithets for the obnoxious lawyer became tedious, and I felt for PC Rennie, persistently referred to as The Bastard - hey, not funny Mr MacBride! Having grouched about this niggle of mine, I accept that name-calling might be part of the police culture in that grim, miserable city, and that MacBride was trying to evoke the gritty humour of the Scots when faced with harrowing circumstances.
For a debut novel, this is a decent effort, and I did enjoy it overall. However, it fell short of the mark in some areas for me. In particular, my feelings of confusion when the multiple cases began to blur has caused me to give this book a middling rating.
3.5★s
Firstly, some positives - the descriptions of Aberdeen and its wintry climate were well-drawn. I could almost shiver with the bleakness of the weather and the dreariness of those grey buildings. Although almost stomach-churning at times, the descriptions of the death scenes were graphic and intense, and I could almost smell the stench. It was an apt setting for a very grim series of crimes.
I admired DS McRae’s tenacity and perceptiveness under extremely tough conditions - it was he who made clever and unexpected links between bits of information and evidence, thus solving some cases that seems insoluble.
I enjoyed the character of DI Insch, McRae’s somewhat quirky superior officer. He embodied some old-fashioned police values with a refreshingly independent turn of mind. His insatiable appetite for lollies made him endearingly human.
BUT
Somewhere between page 250 and page 300 of my copy (a 458 page paperback edition) my bookmark fell out. Trying to replace it, I realised I had absolutely no idea where I was. After some moments of confusion, I went back to the start, pencil and notepad to hand, and skimmed the entire story again, just to try to get a handle on all the concurrent cases and various goings-on.
This signifies my main criticism of this novel - its excessive complexity. I counted six cases which involved DS McRae relating to child disappearances, plus the ‘floater’ in the harbour, plus the various issues with the roadkill manager, plus the consequences of the paedophile court case. Added to that was the situation with the flash git journalist, who may or may not have been leaked confidential information by a police person… I think the story would have worked better with fewer cases, and more time spent on each. In the end, everything was solved, and the loose ends were neatly tied up, but for me some of the resolution felt a bit pat, and a bit blokey.
Another issue I had with the story was the rather sketchy feel I developed for DS McRae. We learned over and over again ad nauseum about the pain of his stomach injury, but very little about his home life, his interests and his history. He lacked definition, and he came over as grey and miserable as the Aberdeen weather. The fictional crime-solvers I love have some quirk, or an angle or hook to grab my attention - I’m thinking of Harry Bosch and his love of jazz, or wandering Jack Reacher and his absence of possessions, or Kay Scarpetta and her passion for cooking.
Apart from WPC Watson, there is not a single positive female character in the book.
I really did not like the frequent use of nick names for certain characters. While the occasional witty sobriquet was cheering, I found it grated on me over time, because it signifies the author's efforts at some cheap laughs. The multiple epithets for the obnoxious lawyer became tedious, and I felt for PC Rennie, persistently referred to as The Bastard - hey, not funny Mr MacBride! Having grouched about this niggle of mine, I accept that name-calling might be part of the police culture in that grim, miserable city, and that MacBride was trying to evoke the gritty humour of the Scots when faced with harrowing circumstances.
For a debut novel, this is a decent effort, and I did enjoy it overall. However, it fell short of the mark in some areas for me. In particular, my feelings of confusion when the multiple cases began to blur has caused me to give this book a middling rating.
3.5★s
October 13, 2020
This crime debut written in 2005 by Stuart Macbride. DS Logan McRae is back to the force.
11 days of the worst murders in Aberdeen- The Granite City-. Murders that claim the lives of few innocent children.
The characters are realistic. Logan is lonely, workaholic, alcoholic, smart, and independent. His superiors are at their wit’s end.
The setting is cold, rainy, snowy, sleet and fog.
The murders are gruesome , dark, and bleak.
11 days of the worst murders in Aberdeen- The Granite City-. Murders that claim the lives of few innocent children.
The characters are realistic. Logan is lonely, workaholic, alcoholic, smart, and independent. His superiors are at their wit’s end.
The setting is cold, rainy, snowy, sleet and fog.
The murders are gruesome , dark, and bleak.
May 16, 2015
Stone Granite was a first class read. Moreover, it was a great first book and has caused me to put many of MacBride's later books on my "to read" list. It features a young detective named Logan MacRae and is set in Aberdeen, Scotland.
The book is pretty gritty in that it contains pretty gruesome details about the murders of children. As such, it is clearly not for the squeamish and I would warn you off if graphic detail bothers you. For those morbid souls, like me, who believe that such detail enhances a story, if done well, you are more likely to enjoy the book.
In addition to containing a damn good mystery story, Stone Granite is enfused (isn't that a great word!) with quite clever humor as well as a good deal about the town of Aberdeen and the differences between several of Scotland's larger cities. Being pretty ignorant about such things, I very much enjoyed their inclusion.
McRae was badly wounded on his last case and has just returned to active duty after a year of recuperation. The complex child serial killer case falls in his lap and provides a substantial challenge. He, and others working on the case, go down several blind alleys as the murderer eludes them for quite some time. Just as the police from a larger and presumably more sophisticated force are brought in, our boy cracks the case.
On my 1 to 10 pure enjoyment scale, I give this book an eight because I very much looked forward to returning to it each evening. Withe the proviso described above, I strongly recommend Stone Granite to those who love a gritty mystery story.
The book is pretty gritty in that it contains pretty gruesome details about the murders of children. As such, it is clearly not for the squeamish and I would warn you off if graphic detail bothers you. For those morbid souls, like me, who believe that such detail enhances a story, if done well, you are more likely to enjoy the book.
In addition to containing a damn good mystery story, Stone Granite is enfused (isn't that a great word!) with quite clever humor as well as a good deal about the town of Aberdeen and the differences between several of Scotland's larger cities. Being pretty ignorant about such things, I very much enjoyed their inclusion.
McRae was badly wounded on his last case and has just returned to active duty after a year of recuperation. The complex child serial killer case falls in his lap and provides a substantial challenge. He, and others working on the case, go down several blind alleys as the murderer eludes them for quite some time. Just as the police from a larger and presumably more sophisticated force are brought in, our boy cracks the case.
On my 1 to 10 pure enjoyment scale, I give this book an eight because I very much looked forward to returning to it each evening. Withe the proviso described above, I strongly recommend Stone Granite to those who love a gritty mystery story.
June 7, 2021
Having read and enjoyed three novels and one short story from Stuart MacBride's Logan McRae series over the past few months, I decided it was time I got my act together and read the first book in the series, Cold Granite.
Detective Sargeant Logan McRae has just returned to work for Aberdeen police, following a year's medical leave after a confrontation with a notorious serial killer. It's not a gentle reintroduction, by any means. A child's decomposing remains are found in a ditch near the River Don and another young boy is reported missing shortly thereafter. It's looking like a vicious serial killer is active in Aberdeen. Meanwhile, the corpse of a gangster from Edinburgh is found floating in the harbour, minus its kneecaps.
As with the rest of the series, this is not a "cosy mystery" - the violence is at times disturbing, although I don't feel it was gratuitous, in light of the grittiness of the storylines. The themes of child murder and sexual abuse will mean this book won't be suitable for all readers.
The central character, Logan McRae, is complex and sympathetic. The cast of supporting characters, particularly Logan's love interest WPC Jackie "Ballbreaker" Watson and Inspectors David Insch and Roberta Steel, alternately acting as foils to McRae, add frequent moments of dark humour to the narrative. The acerbic DI Steel's use of language is something to be beheld...
This is a strong introduction to the Logan McRae series, with multiple intersecting storylines, great characters and a thrilling denouement. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a gritty police drama.
Detective Sargeant Logan McRae has just returned to work for Aberdeen police, following a year's medical leave after a confrontation with a notorious serial killer. It's not a gentle reintroduction, by any means. A child's decomposing remains are found in a ditch near the River Don and another young boy is reported missing shortly thereafter. It's looking like a vicious serial killer is active in Aberdeen. Meanwhile, the corpse of a gangster from Edinburgh is found floating in the harbour, minus its kneecaps.
As with the rest of the series, this is not a "cosy mystery" - the violence is at times disturbing, although I don't feel it was gratuitous, in light of the grittiness of the storylines. The themes of child murder and sexual abuse will mean this book won't be suitable for all readers.
The central character, Logan McRae, is complex and sympathetic. The cast of supporting characters, particularly Logan's love interest WPC Jackie "Ballbreaker" Watson and Inspectors David Insch and Roberta Steel, alternately acting as foils to McRae, add frequent moments of dark humour to the narrative. The acerbic DI Steel's use of language is something to be beheld...
This is a strong introduction to the Logan McRae series, with multiple intersecting storylines, great characters and a thrilling denouement. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a gritty police drama.
April 17, 2018
Το "Ψυχρός γρανίτης" ήταν ένα βιβλίο που συνεχώς έβλεπα μπροστά μου στο Goodreads και σε άλλες βιβλιοφιλικές ιστοσελίδες, όταν έψαχνα λίστες με τα καλύτερα και πιο δυνατά αστυνομικά/ψυχολογικά θρίλερ. Και όποτε το έβλεπα, πραγματικά αναρωτιόμουν πότε θα μεταφραζόταν επιτέλους και στα ελληνικά. Τόσα θρίλερ μας έχουν κατακλύσει τα τελευταία χρόνια, αυτό σε πηγάδι κατούρησε; Να, όμως, που οι εκδόσεις Ελληνικά Γράμματα μας έκαναν τη χάρη, έστω και τόσα χρόνια μετά την πρώτη κυκλοφορία του (η σειρά στην οποία ανήκει έχει φτάσει αισίως στα έντεκα βιβλία και συνεχίζει!).
Πρόκειται για ένα άκρως ενδιαφέρον και εθιστικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, με μυστήριο, δράση, ένταση και αγωνία, με την πλοκή να κρύβει γενικά κάποιες εκπλήξεις αλλά και υπερβολές. Τοπίο δράσης είναι το βροχερό και κρύο Αμπερντίν, όπου ένας δολοφόνος μικρών παιδιών έχει βγει παγανιά και έχει αναστατώσει ολόκληρη την πόλη. Ο αρχιφύλακας Λόγκαν ΜακΡέι επιστρέφει από αναρρωτική άδεια και θα προσπαθήσει μαζί με τους συναδέλφους του να βάλει ένα τέλος στα ειδεχθή εγκλήματα του κατά συρροή δολοφόνου. Όμως πολλά πράγματα θα αποδειχθούν εξαιρετικά μπερδεμένα και επικίνδυνα...
Νομίζω ότι την όλη διαφορά στο βιβλίο την κάνει η γραφή του Στιούαρτ ΜακΜπράιντ, που είναι κυριολεκτικά βουτηγμένη στο κυνικό χιούμορ. Η γραφή είναι πραγματικά πολύ καλή και εθιστική, με γλαφυρές περιγραφές των τοπίων και των διαφόρων καταστάσεων, καθώς και με μπόλικο απολαυστικό Σκωτσέζικο χιούμορ. Επίσης, οι χαρακτήρες έχουν το ενδιαφέρον τους, με τον πρωταγωνιστή να είναι ένας πραγματικά ωραίος τύπος, κάργα συμπαθητικός. Γενικά είναι ένα πολύ καλό θρίλερ (με τις όποιες ευκολίες και υπερβολές που συνήθως έχουν τα θρίλερ), που θα κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος.
Πρόκειται για ένα άκρως ενδιαφέρον και εθιστικό αστυνομικό θρίλερ, με μυστήριο, δράση, ένταση και αγωνία, με την πλοκή να κρύβει γενικά κάποιες εκπλήξεις αλλά και υπερβολές. Τοπίο δράσης είναι το βροχερό και κρύο Αμπερντίν, όπου ένας δολοφόνος μικρών παιδιών έχει βγει παγανιά και έχει αναστατώσει ολόκληρη την πόλη. Ο αρχιφύλακας Λόγκαν ΜακΡέι επιστρέφει από αναρρωτική άδεια και θα προσπαθήσει μαζί με τους συναδέλφους του να βάλει ένα τέλος στα ειδεχθή εγκλήματα του κατά συρροή δολοφόνου. Όμως πολλά πράγματα θα αποδειχθούν εξαιρετικά μπερδεμένα και επικίνδυνα...
Νομίζω ότι την όλη διαφορά στο βιβλίο την κάνει η γραφή του Στιούαρτ ΜακΜπράιντ, που είναι κυριολεκτικά βουτηγμένη στο κυνικό χιούμορ. Η γραφή είναι πραγματικά πολύ καλή και εθιστική, με γλαφυρές περιγραφές των τοπίων και των διαφόρων καταστάσεων, καθώς και με μπόλικο απολαυστικό Σκωτσέζικο χιούμορ. Επίσης, οι χαρακτήρες έχουν το ενδιαφέρον τους, με τον πρωταγωνιστή να είναι ένας πραγματικά ωραίος τύπος, κάργα συμπαθητικός. Γενικά είναι ένα πολύ καλό θρίλερ (με τις όποιες ευκολίες και υπερβολές που συνήθως έχουν τα θρίλερ), που θα κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος.
August 28, 2013
Stuart MacBride’s stunning debut novel Cold Granite propels DS Logan McRae into the detective hall of fame in no time at all.
McRae is a likeable protagonist with a genuine back story: allusions to his professional and personal life pre-novel make this clear. He is haunted by an injury sustained in a previous case and is burned from the breakdown of a relationship.
The star is presented as fundamentally human. He has hope, ambition and refreshing optimism when it’s warranted, despite his demons. He isn’t an alcoholic or a divorcee. He forms genuine opinions of people and situations, which evolve over time. He has highs and lows and no insanely outlandish eureka moments.
The supporting cast are an equally excellent bunch. Detective Inspectors Insch and Steel steal every scene they appear in, particularly the single-buttock-perching, sweetie-munching, ever-ranting Insch who brings colour with each appearance. Journalist Colin Miller, lawyer ‘Sid the Snake’ Moir-Faquarson, pathologist Isobel and WPC Jackie ‘Ball-Breaker’ Watson are other stand outs.
As the novel continues, the supporting cast also develop where lesser writers leave their extras to stagnate in the background. Interpersonal relationships between the factions also adjust as the story unfolds.
Onto the case, and the chilling, sometimes gruesome, abductions and mutilations of children are investigated by Aberdeen’s police force. A secondary investigation involves the knee-capping and dumping of an Edinburgh chancer. It’s incredibly well-plotted, with red herrings and misdirection all along the way. Instead of your run-of-the-mill “someone’s a serial killer” thread, there are genuine suspects who are counted in and counted out like some sort of judicial hokey-kokey which makes a genuinely interesting and often surprising read.
McBride’s writing style is excellent. With dry wit and enough black humour, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments both inside and outside of the dialogue – genuine audible guffaws. The Aberdeen McBride paints is authentic and consistent, with the weather becoming a de facto character and amusing running theme. The pace is also perfect, with no fillers yet always enough time to see the effects of various twists play out and think about what might happen next.
My only quibble is with the very last page. A surprise twist in the denouement was weak. It seemed unnecessary and added nothing to the plot, causing what would have been a perfectly acceptable closing scene to end with an anti-climax. It would have been better omitted, but takes nothing away from what preceded it.
In short, McRae is set up for a long and brilliant series in Aberdeen’s police HQ. MacBride’s story and patter are second to none, and he never misses a moment to develop his characters and plots. The only thing more inevitable than reading the next book, is not visiting Aberdeen ever again!
McRae is a likeable protagonist with a genuine back story: allusions to his professional and personal life pre-novel make this clear. He is haunted by an injury sustained in a previous case and is burned from the breakdown of a relationship.
The star is presented as fundamentally human. He has hope, ambition and refreshing optimism when it’s warranted, despite his demons. He isn’t an alcoholic or a divorcee. He forms genuine opinions of people and situations, which evolve over time. He has highs and lows and no insanely outlandish eureka moments.
The supporting cast are an equally excellent bunch. Detective Inspectors Insch and Steel steal every scene they appear in, particularly the single-buttock-perching, sweetie-munching, ever-ranting Insch who brings colour with each appearance. Journalist Colin Miller, lawyer ‘Sid the Snake’ Moir-Faquarson, pathologist Isobel and WPC Jackie ‘Ball-Breaker’ Watson are other stand outs.
As the novel continues, the supporting cast also develop where lesser writers leave their extras to stagnate in the background. Interpersonal relationships between the factions also adjust as the story unfolds.
Onto the case, and the chilling, sometimes gruesome, abductions and mutilations of children are investigated by Aberdeen’s police force. A secondary investigation involves the knee-capping and dumping of an Edinburgh chancer. It’s incredibly well-plotted, with red herrings and misdirection all along the way. Instead of your run-of-the-mill “someone’s a serial killer” thread, there are genuine suspects who are counted in and counted out like some sort of judicial hokey-kokey which makes a genuinely interesting and often surprising read.
McBride’s writing style is excellent. With dry wit and enough black humour, there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments both inside and outside of the dialogue – genuine audible guffaws. The Aberdeen McBride paints is authentic and consistent, with the weather becoming a de facto character and amusing running theme. The pace is also perfect, with no fillers yet always enough time to see the effects of various twists play out and think about what might happen next.
My only quibble is with the very last page. A surprise twist in the denouement was weak. It seemed unnecessary and added nothing to the plot, causing what would have been a perfectly acceptable closing scene to end with an anti-climax. It would have been better omitted, but takes nothing away from what preceded it.
In short, McRae is set up for a long and brilliant series in Aberdeen’s police HQ. MacBride’s story and patter are second to none, and he never misses a moment to develop his characters and plots. The only thing more inevitable than reading the next book, is not visiting Aberdeen ever again!
April 7, 2025
I have read all the stand-alone books MacBride has written, in them there are plenty of interesting and quirky characters (which I love) but that is missing from Cold Granite. It could be because this book is older than the stand-alones that there is an absence of interesting and eccentric characters, that could be the reason or probably fictional Oldcastle has plenty of peculiar (some may call them crazy) people. The humor that permeates so many of MacBride’s standalones is also less in Cold Granite. I have to make an exception of DI Steel, she oozes the author’s dark humor, that could be the reason or probably is because she is from Oldcastle .
Logan also comes across as a perfect investigator, a far cry from Lucy McVeigh but of course Lucy had “problems”. Logan comes across as a man who tries to make sense of a world that have gone mad.
To avoid confusion, all the stand-alone books by MacBride and his Ash Henderson series take place in fictional Oldcastle but this book as well as all Logan’s installments take place in a very real Aberdeen. I miss Oldcastle….
Logan also comes across as a perfect investigator, a far cry from Lucy McVeigh but of course Lucy had “problems”. Logan comes across as a man who tries to make sense of a world that have gone mad.
To avoid confusion, all the stand-alone books by MacBride and his Ash Henderson series take place in fictional Oldcastle but this book as well as all Logan’s installments take place in a very real Aberdeen. I miss Oldcastle….
October 26, 2014
Gritty Scottish police procedural set in the granite city (Aberdeen). My heart sank when I read the opening of this book and realised it was dealing with the distasteful topic of the death and mutilation of very young children. However, after the prologue there was no further description of the actual killing or mutilation of children and the body count wasn't too high.
Logan McRae has just returned to work after almost being stabbed to death. He's thrown into the deep end when the body of a young boy is found and another boy goes missing. Several other cases weave their way through the main story including a man found dumped in the harbour missing his kneecaps and a young girl's body found dumped in the garbage. Quick paced action made this an easy read.I'm not sure if I like Logan yet - he's yet to become a character for me and is painted as the stereotypical (fiction) detective, getting drunk in the pub with other cops and drinking alone over a take out meal in his barely furnished bachelor pad and unable to maintain a stable relationship because of his job. Hopefully he'll develop his own persona over the course of the series. However, despite the confronting topic, this is a good start to a series and I will definitely read more.
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