The Heretic
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4.3 • 12 Ratings
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- £4.49
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
From the award-winning author comes a much-anticipated sequel to the Scottish Crime Book of the Year The Quaker…
Glasgow 1975
A deadly fire
An arson attack on a Glasgow warehouse causes the deaths of a young mother and child.
Police suspect it’s the latest act in a brutal gang warfare that’s tearing the city apart – one that DI Duncan McCormack has been tasked with stopping.
A brutal murder
Five years ago he was walking on water as the cop who tracked down a notorious serial killer. But he made powerful enemies and when a mutilated body is found in a Tradeston slum,
McCormack is assigned a case that no one wants. The dead man is wearing a masonic ring, though, and Duncan realizes the victim is not the down-and-out his boss had first assumed.
A catastrophic explosion
As McCormack looks into both crimes, the investigations are disrupted by a shocking event.
A bomb rips through a pub packed with people – and a cop is killed in the blast. The cases are stacking up and with one of his own unit now dead, McCormack is in the firing line.
But he’s starting to see a thread – one that connects all three attacks…
Reviews
Praise for Liam McIlvanney:
‘Gripping, twisted, and bristling with atmosphere and memorable characters, The Heretic cements Liam’s position as a crime writer at the top of his game.’ Stuart MacBride
'McIlvanney writes with graceful skill and the characters in The Heretic are wonderfully drawn. All in all an excellent read' James Oswald
‘Gripping and suspenseful plot’ Sunday Times Scotland
‘Terrific Stuff’ Shotsmag
‘It's a complex plot and McCormack is an appealing figure, but the star of the book is the city itself – mad, bad and dangerous to know.’ The Sun
‘The Heretic is an outstanding example of Tartan Noir… McIlvanney is a fine craftsman who knows just what he is doing and how to do it’ The Scotsman
‘Liam McIlvanney’s The Heretic, his forthcoming sequel to his prize-winning The Quaker, is equally big, equally bold, even more impressive.’ Mick Herron
‘McIlvanney is an enormous talent and his writing brims with compassion, lyricism and good old-fashioned thrills.’ Adrian McKinty
’As soon as I finished it, I looked forward to reading it again. Not only did I love the evocative recreation of Glasgow but the characters created were refreshing and surprising.’ Susan Calman
‘Every aspect of The Quaker is superb’ Washington Post
‘A vivid portrayal of a city’ Sun
‘A totally gripping murder mystery, thought provoking but thoroughly entertaining’ NB Magazine
‘Pacy, inventive, assured – and authentic … a story of brilliantly crafted shifts of plot and pace … McIlvanney is a writer with unfolding, developing and substantial gifts’ The Herald
‘Skilfully dovetailed … atmospheric … a solidly crafted and satisfying detective story’ Laura Wilson, Guardian
‘An absolute master of Tartan noir … the corruption of the late Sixties is splendidly evoked, as is DI Duncan McCormack’ Daily Mail
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
McIlvanney's outstanding sequel to 2019's The Quaker makes the mean streets of Glasgow palpable in the service of a memorable whodunit plot. In 1975, Det. Insp. Duncan McCormack returns home to Glasgow, after a six-year stint as a member of London's Flying Squad, to head a unit of the new Serious Crime Squad. His first task is to locate Walter Maitland, an elusive criminal who's been prowling the labyrinth of the city's underworld. Then he lands another hot potato—a man found on a rubbish heap with his head bashed in turns out to be Gavin Elliot, a former Tory MP and slumlord, who was once accused of rape. A bombing that claims six lives, including Maitland's brother, and possibly linked to Elliot's killing, ups the ante. McCormack must keep his homosexuality a secret as he contends with the brass who haven't forgotten that during the Quaker investigation he brought down the head of CID for the City of Glasgow Police and did so "with what many people... considered an unseemly glee." Tartan noir fans will hope to see a lot more of this complex, flawed lead.
