Publisher Description
THE FIRST IN THE ORIGINAL LAIDLAW TRILOGY. WINNER OF THE CWA SILVER DAGGER.
'If you only read one crime novel this year, this should be it’ Guardian
'A bloody good read' Val McDermid
When a young woman is found brutally murdered in Kelvingrove Park, only one man stands a chance of finding her killer. Jack Laidlaw. He is a man of contrasts, ravaged by inner demons but driven by a deep compassion for the violent criminals in Glasgow’s underworld. But will Laidlaw’s unorthodox methods get him to the killer in time, when the victim’s father is baying for blood?
Acclaimed for its corrosive wit, dark themes and original maverick detective, the Laidlaw trilogy has earned the status of classic crime fiction.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
First published in 1977, this reissue of the stunning first volume of McIllvaney's Scottish crime trilogy introduces Det. Insp. Jack Laidlaw. The brooding, philosophical Laidlaw is the odd man out in his Glaswegian police cadre, always the one who's more interested in the "why" than the "how." His latest case involves the rape and murder of 18-year-old Jennifer Lawson, who just happens to be the daughter of a notorious gang figure, Bud Lawson. Laidlaw sifts through conflicting clues, along with his new partner, Det. Constable Brian Harkness, all the while trying to keep one step ahead of both the murderer and his more conventional superiors. Peppered with authentic Scottish slang, with much of the dialogue written in Glaswegian dialect, this is the novel that gave birth to the movement known as Tartan Noir and inspired the likes of Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, and Denise Mina. For anyone looking for a cop who's more than a badge, Laidlaw is the perfect hero.
