Travel to the Squeaky Clean locations of Glasgow with Callum McSorley

Submitted: 27th September 2023

Travel to the Squeaky Clean locations of Glasgow

Travel to the Squeaky Clean locations of Glasgow with Callum McSorley – Squeaky Clean is a crime thriller set at a car wash in the East End of Glasgow. It tells the story of a hapless car wash employee called Davey who ends up in serious debt to notorious gangster Paulo McGuinn. Unable to pay up, Paulo takes over the car wash and Davey finds himself cleaning up more than just cars. Potentially trying to help Davey is disgraced police detective DI Alison ‘Ally’ McCoist, who having let Paulo slip away once before is on a path of redemption and revenge.

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

Callum Mcsorley

I grew up in East Kilbride, visiting Glasgow frequently, then moved to the city when was 18 and stayed there for the next ten years. It was only natural that when I began writing stories, it was often my backdrop. And it’s not just the streets and buildings when it comes to Glasgow, it’s the accent, it’s the language, it’s the patter, the way people speak to each other. Recreating that sound was as important to bringing the world of Squeaky Clean, to life and evoking Glasgow as describing the gothic facades and minging alleyways.

There are some wonderful cultural sights to visit in Glasgow, from the space age-looking Riverside Museum to the hallowed halls of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. Tread the storied, highly-patterned carpets of the Mitchel Library; see the mural Alasdair Grey painted on the ceiling of the Oran Mor – a church turned pub/restaurant/venue.

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

Squeaky Clean Callum McSorley

But let me take you to a few key locations in Squeaky Clean, not the usual landmarks but skirting close to them:

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

The car wash in the story is based on the car wash I used to work in on Bell Street, working out of a unit under the railway bridge. The owner has decorated every inch of the stone walls in geometric patterns. A textured mural made from wooden off-cuts sits high above the dry-wall office at the back. It’s a sight to behold, I promise you’ve never seen a car wash like it!

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

It’s not far from the famous Barras marketplace – the smell of fresh fried donuts will always transport me there – and as such, there were often guys coming round to sell pirate DVDs, stolen goods, and legal highs. One of these blokes broke into a car just down the street one time, only to be lifted by the polis who were right across the road.

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

A fairly unique feature of Glasgow – not a particularly good one – is that it is slashed right through the middle by the M8 motorway. There used to be bridge crossing the motorway in the north of town, going from the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Glasgow Cathedral next door – an impressive and imperious medieval building of blackened brick and Verdigris roofs – to Sighthill. It was a notorious bottleneck for ambushes and folk crossing it would sometimes find themselves back at the Royal. In Squeaky Clean, such a fate occurs to Fred Nile, who’s been using a fake identity since leaving prison years before to avoid his old gangland connections.

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

The old bridge is gone now, with recent funds being put into regenerating the Sighthill area, and the new Sighthill Bridge is open. Modern, grand, sweeping, made entirely in rust-coloured ‘weathering steel’, it is part of Sighthill Walk, a pleasantly winding, planted path. (And a great place to skateboard!)

Literary locations in Squeaky Clean

Fancy a drink? Davey meets his former colleague, uni student Tim, at a trendy bar in the city centre where he feels the pints are both too fancy and expensive for him. This is based on a couple of pubs down Renfield Lane – Stereo and The Old Hairdressers – where I like to go when I’m meeting friends in town. Both are arts venues putting on gigs and events, and Stereo does great vegan food. Definitely a hipster hangout, but I reckon you’d like it!

First round’s on you.

Thanks Callum. As for that last sentence, as long as the second and third are on you haha