DI Harry McCoy’s second outing, has him up against a serial killer with a penchant for carving messages into his victim’s chests. This is 70’s Glasgow - a time of infamous street gangs, where the mere thrill of violence for the sake of it, was replaced by a need to also protect one’s patch, and therefore one’s profits, with the growing supply in illegal drugs.
It’s against this backdrop that McCoy returns to work bruised and battered from his previous case, to discover that a former minder and gang member has gone rogue and is systematically killing those he feels have wronged him. In addition, new drugs have arrived in the city, causing new levels of violence to erupt in a bid to control this lucrative trade, and McCoy’s gangster friend Cooper, seems to be right in the thick of it.
This is a fast paced plot that allows little time to catch your breath as McCoy and his team pursue the killer. The characters are mainly ruthless, resulting in some distressing scenes, and our protagonist (despite being a police officer) is not exactly saintly either, though he somehow manages to have you onside.
Though this is the second in the series, it reads well as a stand-alone. Author Alan Parks has spent over 20 years in the music industry, but it’s clear that he’s really found his calling with two excellent books under his belt, and the third in the series publishing shortly. Make a note of his name - because in my humble opinion, he’s right up there with the best already, and certainly one to watch out for!
It’s against this backdrop that McCoy returns to work bruised and battered from his previous case, to discover that a former minder and gang member has gone rogue and is systematically killing those he feels have wronged him. In addition, new drugs have arrived in the city, causing new levels of violence to erupt in a bid to control this lucrative trade, and McCoy’s gangster friend Cooper, seems to be right in the thick of it.
This is a fast paced plot that allows little time to catch your breath as McCoy and his team pursue the killer. The characters are mainly ruthless, resulting in some distressing scenes, and our protagonist (despite being a police officer) is not exactly saintly either, though he somehow manages to have you onside.
Though this is the second in the series, it reads well as a stand-alone. Author Alan Parks has spent over 20 years in the music industry, but it’s clear that he’s really found his calling with two excellent books under his belt, and the third in the series publishing shortly. Make a note of his name - because in my humble opinion, he’s right up there with the best already, and certainly one to watch out for!