It's difficult to entirely pin down what I like so much about Mackay's Glasgow-set crime series. It's certainly not down to its locale - it's written in such a way that, bar some familiar names, it's practically placeless. And it's not the characters who, while often engaging because of their line of "work", are rather straightforward and practical sorts. And while, yes, the narratives are propulsive, they're not enough on their own to explain why all of his books have proven such catnip to me. I can only think that it's all of the above, alchemically combining into crime yarns of quite unique and compelling flavour. And this one's no exception, seemingly effortlessly building on the crimes and criminals of its predecessors, without feeling the least bit tired or over-familiar. I'll definitely be chasing down its successor volumes.
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