My Continuing Look at Mysteries - The Scots Part Deux

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you Canadians celebrating this weekend!

Jo and I have started our road back to sanity this weekend. We cancelled our US News packages; it was just getting us too upset. I mean I guess we can't really do anything about it so why watch and let it upset us. So we spent this weekend watching much more enjoyable shows. The first Doctor Who of the new season with the first woman Doctor was this morning. Loved it. It was so entertaining. And Madam Secretary is on again, even if it is political, it's still enjoyable.

I'm enjoying the books I'm currently reading, especially pleasantly surprised with the first book in the Spenser series, The Godwulf Manuscript, by Robert B. Parker. I sometimes wonder why it took me so long to try a series. Anyway, glad that I have, so far.

Today I'm going to continue with my look at Scottish - centric mysteries. I discussed 3 authors in my last entry. I'll look at the final three today.

The Mystery Genre - UK Style (Mainland Scotland)

T. Frank Muir

1.  T. Frank Muir (DCI Gilchrist). Born in Glasgow, Scottish mystery writer Muir is known for his DCI Andy Gilchrist series. I've only newly discovered it and enjoyed the first book, Eye for an Eye. Since 2007, he has written 8 books in the series.

a. Eye for an Eye (2007).

"Eye for an Eye is the first DI Andy Gilchrist mystery by Frank Muir. Andy Gilchrist is working to solve the Stabber murders in the small town of St. Andrew's Scotland, a community south of Dundee and north of Edinburgh. The Stabber has been murdering men who have mistreated their wives. So far 6 have been murdered. Gilchrist is under extreme pressure from his boss,  DCI Patterson, who hates Gilchrist and is trying to get rid of him. He brings in an investigator from the Scottish crime division and suspends Gilchrist.

While the story progresses from Gilchrist's perspective, we also get insights into the character of the Stabber. As well, we see another killer who is stalking an ex-girlfriend of Gilchrist, that being Beth who runs a shop in town. 

Gilchrist is also trying to deal with his family (don't all of these inspectors seem to be doing that?), his ex-wife is dying of cancer and he has only irregular contact with his son and daughter. All the while Gilchrist continues to work on the case, even while under suspension. He's unsure who to trust in the police force, has a few friends but also some whose motives he is unsure of.
The story is a slow build, even though it is quite gritty, especially when you get more involved in the murders. As it progresses, the intensity builds very nicely and the case(s) and suspect(s) become more interesting.

Gilchrist relies very much on his gut feelings about cases which is fine in this story. He does make some leaps but they do work out and don't seem overly suspect. He has a lot of pressure from Patterson, who in his efforts to get rid of Gilchrist, even files charges against him. Overall, the case(s) was / were very interesting and the book became a page turner the more I got into the story. The final resolution was satisfying although the ultimate explanations for the actions weren't totally explained, I don't think. But it didn't really take away from the story and ultimately, I enjoyed very much. Now to get #2, Hand for a Hand. (4 stars)"

The remaining seven books in the series are -

- Hand for Hand (2009)

- Tooth for Tooth (2012)

-  Life for a Life (2013)

- A Christmas Tail (2013)

- The Meating Room (2014)

- Blood Torment (2016)

- The Killing Connection (2017)

Now I have to get a copy of the 2nd book.

Ian Rankin

2. Ian Rankin (Inspector Rebus). The next two series feature characters created by Scottish writer Ian Rankin. Rankin was born in 1958 in Fife. I was introduced to the Inspector Rebus series when Jo and I enjoyed both of the TV series based on the books. The first starred John Hannah as Rebus, the second Ken Stott. Personally I think Stott is my image of Rebus. Anyway, while I was stationed down in Victoria, one Christmas, Jo surprised me with almost the whole book series of the Rebus books. Since 1987, Rankin has written 22 books featuring crusty, grumpy Inspector Rebus. Some of the books also feature the other character which I will highlight next. I have read the first 13 books in the series so far. They have all been enjoyable. Let's highlight some of my favorites.

The Rebus Books; I have to get the latest ones

a. Let It Bleed (#7 / 1995). I ranked this book 5 stars. I read it in 2010.

"Struggling through another Edinburgh winter Rebus finds himself sucked into a web of intrigue that throws up more questions than answers. City councilor shredding documents that should have been waste paper years ago? And why on earth is Rebus invited to a clay pigeon shoot at the home of the Scottish Office's Permanent Secretary? That some of his enemies may be beyond justice... "  

b. The Hanging Garden (#9 / 1998). I read this in 2010 as well and rated it 5 stars.

"Tough and complex, Detective John Rebus gets personally involved in a case when he rescues a young Bosnian girl forced into prostitution. Add to that the hunt for an elderly Nazi accused of slaughtering a French village, and Rebus wonders just how evil humans can be. But when his daughter is mortally injured, he just might make a deal with the devil to find the culprit. 

Rankin won critical acclaim for his novel "Black and Blue." Optioned for a BBC film series. Martin's Press.The Hanging Gardens of Babylon... The hanging of four French villagers in World War II... The hanging of an old man in a Scottish cemetery... Seemingly random facts linked to one man... Detective Inspector John Rebus is buried under a pile of paperwork generated by his investigations into a suspected war criminal, and his immediate supervisors are more than happy to have him tucked away in a quiet backwater for several months. However, the escalating dispute between upstart Tommy Telford and Big Ger Cafferty's gang soon gives Rebus an escape clause. 

Telford is known to have close ties to a man nicknamed Mr. Pink Eyes, a brutal gangster running a lucrative business bringing Chechen refugees into Britain to work as prostitutes. And when Rebus takes under his wing a distraught Bosnian call girl, it gives him a personal reason to make sure Telford takes the high road out of town. Within days, Rebus's daughter is the victim of an all-too-professional hit-and-run, and Rebus knows that there's nothing he won't do to bring down prime suspect Tommy Telford--even if it means cutting a deal with the devil. A chilling glimpse into the darkest extremes of human cruelty, a page-turning literary thriller, this ninth entry in Ian Rankin's award-winning series confirms his reputation as a writer of rare and lasting gifts."

c. The Falls (#12 / 2001). I read this one in 2014 and it was also a 5 - star read.

"It's been about a year since I read my last Rebus mystery and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to read the next, The Falls. I can't recall when I've more enjoyed a mystery. Rebus and the gang are involved trying to solve the disappearance of a young woman, the gang including Siobhan Clark, Ellen Wylie, and new boss, Gil Templer. 

Rebus is looking at his life, as always, trying to sell his flat, see a potential new lady friend, fend off Templer's attempts to make him see a doctor, while investigating the disappearance. He finds similarities to old cases and heads down past byways, while Siobhan is investigating a computer - based role-playing game that the missing girl was involved with, meaning involvement with a cryptic online 'Quizmaster'. 

The story was so well-crafted and presented and I just enjoyed getting involved with Rebus, his life and his friends. It's nice about these stories that Ian Rankin takes the time to develop the characters of those around Rebus and to get them deeply involved in the cases as well. Excellent and most enjoyable read."

Next in line is A Question of Blood, #14.

"Two seventeen-year-olds are killed by an ex-Army loner who has gone off the rails. The mystery takes Rebus into the heart of a shattered community. Ex-Army himself, Rebus becomes fascinated by the killer, and finds he is not alone. Army investigators are on the scene, and won't be shaken off. The killer had friends and enemies to spare and left behind a legacy of secrets and lies.

Rebus has more than his share of personal problems, too. He's fresh out of hospital, but won't say how it happened. Could there be a connection with a house-fire and the unfortunate death of a petty criminal who had been harassing Rebus's colleague Siobhan Clarke?"

The other solo Rebus books on my list yet to read are -

-  Fleshmarket Close (#15 / 2004)

- The Naming of the Dead (#16 / 2006)

- Exit Music (#17 / 2007)

18 - 21 are Rebus and Fox together

- In a House of Lies (#22 / 2018)

2. Malcolm Fox (The Complaints). The next series that I'm going to follow is that featuring Malcolm Fox, who works in the Complaints and Conduct Department of the Lothian and Borders. I have yet to start the series but I have purchased a few of the books. I want to finish the Rebus books first. At the moment there are six novels in this series, 4 of which also feature Inspector Rebus.

a. The Complaints (Malcolm Fox #1 / 2009).

"Nobody likes The Complaints - they're the cops who investigate other cops. It's where Malcolm Fox works. He's just had a result, and should be feeling good about himself. But he's a man with problems of his own. In the midst of an aggressive Edinburgh winter, the reluctant Fox is given a new task - investigate Jamie Breck."

b. The Impossible Dead (#2 / 2011).

"Malcolm Fox and his team are back, investigating whether fellow cops covered up for Detective Paul Carter. Carter has been found guilty of misconduct, but what should be a simple job is soon complicated by a brutal murder and a weapon that should not even exist.

A trail of revelations leads Fox back to 1985, a year of desperate unrest when letter-bombs and poisonous spores were sent to government offices, and kidnappings and murders were plotted. But while the body count rises the clock starts ticking, and a dramatic turn of events sees Fox in mortal danger."

The remaining Malcolm Fox books include Inspector Rebus -

- Standing In Another Man's Grave (Fox #3 / Rebus #18 / 2012)

- Saints of the Shadow Bible (Fox #4 / Rebus #19 / 2013)

- Even Dogs in the Wild (Fox #5 / Rebus #20 / 2015)

- Rather Be the Devil (Fox #6 / Rebus #21 / 2016) 

So there you go, feel like a visit to Scotland?