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1970s: A Glasgow detective has to deal with violence on the streets..
1970s: A Glasgow detective has to deal with violence on the streets..
When a teenage boy shoots a young woman dead in the middle of a busy Glasgow street and then commits suicide, Detective Harry McCoy is sure of one thing. It wasn’t a random act of violence.
With his new partner in tow, McCoy uses his underworld network to lead the investigation but soon runs up against a secret society led by Glasgow’s wealthiest family, the Dunlops.
McCoy’s boss doesn’t want him to investigate. The Dunlops seem untouchable. But McCoy has other ideas . . .
“Outside, the snow was gently falling, covering Glasgow in a fresh white layer, hiding the dirt beneath…”
From the doors and cells of Barlinnie Prison, this is a dark walk into the streets of Glasgow Noir. In fact this is so much darker than Noir, there’s no name for it. Mix in drugs, sex, corruption and strange rituals and you have quite the visit! There’s also themes of child abuse so things get very bleak indeed. It’s gritty and punches you in the face as you read.
This paints a very bleak portrait of the city which was at this time, down on its knees begging for its life, if this novel is anything to go by. It’s not the city we know today. The cultural and political references as well as the Scottish vernacular help to paint the full picture.
Destination: Glasgow Author/Guide: Alan Parks Departure Time: 1970s
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