The Mother by Alex Kane

The Mother by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -

Publisher - Hera Books

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Being head of a family is what she knows best
A decade ago, Cara Fraser, wife to one of Glasgow’s most notorious gangsters, was left a widow after Kyle Fraser was slain on the city streets.

The intervening years haven’t been easy – not least as Kyle’s murder left her to bring up little Ryan and Sean alone.

Now, Ryan and Sean are adults, and honouring their father’s memory by rising up to become the top gangsters on the dark streets of Glasgow.

Cara’s kept her head down, but has spent the last few years vowing to take vengeance on the crime family who killed her beloved husband and left her children without a father.

Glasgow gangland is about to discover that a mother will do anything for her family… even murder.



My Review

The blurb focuses a lot on Cara Fraser and her sons, Ryan and Sean and whilst the latter part of the book they do come more to the front it is the Bryson's who feature as the main runners at the start. Angie Bryson & her husband Dale have their fingers in a lot of pies and Cara's husband Kyle and brother Ian work for the Brysons, distributing drugs primarily. Angie and Cara don't get on and Kyle and Ian have put their plans in motion to become the top dogs. The timeline splits between then and now when the Frasers have decided, again the time is right, the time is now.

There is a lot of rivalry, competitiveness as often there is in gangland type books, fights for power, actions and consequences, shady underhanded behaviour and of course some people will go to any levels for what they feel is due them. Revenge, pride, business, drugs, rivalry, family, murder and is it even a gangster stle book if we don't have betrayal.

There are quite a few relationship dynamics, some you are shaking your head at antics/choices and behaviours but in this lifestyle it is a different world. One characters behavior though I was almost screaming NOOOOOOOO what are you doing?!?!?!

I have read a few of Kane's books and have another couple on my tbrm, when you pick up the books you can get lost in a different world or chaos and danger just waiting for some consequence to their actions. Bad behaviour, shady choices and the old secrets can never remain in the past dun dun dun, 4/5 for me, a wee bit of build up setting the scene and then you are plunged right in! This is a standalone, if you like gangster/ganglands then this is for you - oh and it is set in Glasgow.

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Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

She has a full-time remote job and her rescue cat Fred. Her best friend Sadie visits with her two children. There's her online support group, her jigsaw puzzles and favorite recipes, her beloved Emily Dickinson, the internet, the grocery delivery man. Also keeping her company are treacherous memories of an unstable childhood, the estrangement from her sister, and a traumatic event that had sent her reeling.

But something's about to change. Whether Meredith likes it or not, the world is coming to her door. Does she have the courage to overcome what's been keeping her inside all this time?



My Review

Meet Meredith, she has been a prisoner in her own home for over 1214 days, she has a phobia of going outside but it hasn't always been this way. We meet Meredith on the morning it kicks off, ready to leave for work before being overcome and thereon in, effectively a prisoner of her home. However she has a full life, she has her wee companion Fred the cat, she is a dab hand at jigsaws, has online friends and support, her bestie comes round with the kids and she can make beautiful cakes. She has routine, her house is sparkling clean and now she has a "companion" coming, Tom, she doesn't expect much, he is paid to be there. However she finds herself opening up a little between Tom, her new online friend Celeste and one of the local kids who is cheekily charming. Meredith isn't speaking to her family and as the story unfolds we start to learn all about Meredith, her family and her condition and what brought her to how her life is now.

I really like this book, it brought me out of my reading slump and in some ways found myself relating to Meredith. I have withdrawn a bit from everything I love/do normally whilst trying to deal with grief/loss so finding some of Meredith's routines brought a bit of comfort. Set in Glasgow, who doesn't love a book with a location you know and or can relate to and whilst we predominantly are in Merediths life and house it is still nice.

The book has humour, hard themes, loss/grief (also of self), friendship, recovery, mental health, abuse, secrets, family, coping mechanisms as we go through life with Meredith not as a self help type. The book packs a lot in and whilst some scenes gave you a chuckle some made you just want to hug her. I think depending on your own experiences will depend on how much impact the book has on you but regardless of that I think just about everyone would enjoy it. It covers a wide range of issues through Meredith's personal accounts/experiences and gives the reader a chance for empathy rather than preaching or teaching but I think it carries an important message within. This is a great debut, 4.5/5 for me.

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The Family Business by Alex Kane

This is my first blog tour for Zooloos Blog Tours and what a book to start with. We have followed Alex Kane since she was writing under her own name and The Family Business is a belter! For my stop on the tour I have my, as always, non spoiler review, enjoy.

About the author

Alex Kane is a psychological thriller writer who lives in Glasgow. She is a huge fan of the genre, with her favourite authors in the genre being Lisa Hall, BA Paris and Sarah Stovell. If she is not writing, she can be found playing with her cat, reading, or drinking tea and/or gin (sometimes all of the above).

Buy link from Amazon UK click HERE

The Family Business by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 368

Publisher - Hera Books

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

Blood's thicker than water... and they're not afraid to spill it

Donnie Black. Charming, successful… and utterly terrifying, he rules the Glasgow underworld with an iron fist. Nothing - or no one - will stop him and he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty to grow his fortune.

Layla Black. She’s been married to Donnie for twenty years, enjoying the lavish world he has worked hard to create. But behind the perfect image Layla is crumbling, numbing her pain with alcohol. But Layla doesn’t know the secrets Donnie keeps – and the truth will send her spiralling.

Louise Bellshaw. She’s young, beautiful and innocent. She’s charmed by Donnie’s sweet words, and believes she’s found true love. But Louise doesn’t know her dream man has plans that will turn her life into a nightmare.

As the three collide, no one can predict how family ties will turn to bloodshed. Because you’ll do anything for the ones you love, won’t you?

A dark, twisty and totally gripping thriller set in the heart of Glasgow gangland - fans of Mandasue Heller and Kimberley Chambers won't be able to put this down.



My Review

Hello Glasgow, meet Donnie Black - we first meet him as a young teen and quickly get the measure of his character. Skip on to him as an adult, the loss of his father and taking over the empire with his brother, making his mark on things. His wife Layla, sweet Layla had no idea back then what she was getting into and loses herself in a cloud of booze to cope with her life. Layla has no idea just how bad Donnie is and Donnie is about to get his hands even dirtier.

I do think Kane goes from strength to strength, I read her first book and have a few others on the tbrm. Gangland, turf wars, a gangster wanting to prove himself just as good as his old man and getting into darker avenues. He really is scum, he manipulates, exploits, uses people because to him they are commodities, a means to an end.

The book looks at some really dark aspects of humanity, human trafficking, violence, murder, drugs, family all of the dark and dangerous goings on and it is set in Glasgow! I love when a book takes place somewhere you know or have been, for me it adds a bit of something.

The family business looks at how some people test loyalty, have none, destroy anything, risk everything and the good old actions and consequences. It is hard to go into without spoilers and I don't do spoilers. The book is bursting with action, shocking behaviour, redemption, emotional, abuse, violence and absolute breath holding moments, 4.5/5 for me this time. I need to bump the rest of them up my tbrm. I hope she brings us more set in the city of Glasgow!

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Random by Craig Robertson

Random by Craig Robertson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 329

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Bought (bookstore I think)

Blurb from Goodreads

Glasgow is being terrorised by a serial killer the media have nicknamed The Cutter. The murders have left the police baffled. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason behind the killings; no kind of pattern or motive; an entirely different method of murder each time, and nothing that connects the victims except for the fact that the little fingers of their right hands have been severed.
If DS Rachel Narey could only work out the key to the seemingly random murders, how and why the killer selects his victims, she would be well on her way to catching him. But as the police, the press and a threatening figure from Glasgow's underworld begin to close in on The Cutter, his carefully-laid plans threaten to unravel - with horrifying consequences.


My Review

Told in first person narrative we open with the killer, awaiting his next victim, people watching but instead of usual intrigue and being nosey he is lining up his next victim. We watch him zone out his date and hone in and assess/dismiss whether this could be the person to be murdered. We follow the killer follow his prey until the moment he strikes. We read about his killing via a newspaper which reports every so often throughout the story.

This book is the start of a series, the heart of the book is around the killer, his life, thoughts, routine and eventually we get a better understanding on who he is as a person. It will be interesting to see where the path of the other books go as the police input is flashes between the news clippings and small interactions.

Set in Glasgow which is always nice to read about a place you know and I don't think I have read many books set here. I think this is a good start to a series and I am looking forward to the rest of the series, I have book six I think it is so I need to go buy book two now.

I think this one stands out, for me, as a bit different from the copious amounts of other books I have read like this is the killer is pretty human. Yes yes I know all of them are but some are sadistic, void of humanity but this killer is different, I thought, as he IS pretty human. Yes he is brutal in his killings and at one scene I was like oh God no no don't do that but as we follow him in his mission and learn more about him dare I say you feel a bit sorry for him. He isn't like so many of the other serial killers created in books and once you read this I think you will get what I mean. 3.5/5 for me this time, a good start and I will be buying book two, my first dance with this author it won't be my last.

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Ed's Dead by Russel D McLean

Ed's Dead by Russel D. McLean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 264

Publisher - Contraband

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

"A high-octane read." - Maxim Jakubowski Meet Jen. She works in a bookshop and likes the odd glass of Prosecco... oh, and she’s about to be branded The Most Dangerous Woman in Scotland. 
Jen Carter is a failed writer with a rubbish boyfriend, Ed. That is, until she accidentally kills him one night. Now that Ed’s dead, she has to decide what to do with his body, his drugs and a big pile of cash. And, more pressingly, how to escape the hitman who’s been sent to recover Ed’s stash. Soon Jen’s on the run from criminals, corrupt police officers and the prying eyes of the media. Who can she trust? And how can she convince them that the trail of corpses left in her wake are just accidental deaths? 
A modern noir that proves, once and for all, the female of the species really is more deadly than the male.


My Review

Jen works in a bookshop, her boyfriend Ed is a bit of a muppet. As well as thinking he is God's gift to women he is mixed up in things that Jen wasn't aware of. This all comes home when Jen accidentally kills Ed. Finding herself with a body isn't enough to shake up her life, when Ed disappears people he works for comes a looking. Jen finds herself in danger, trying to keep out of the way of the bad guys and of the cops. Things just go from bad to worse for Jen, how do you keep ahead of cops and tough guys when you are just a wee book seller?

This is my first book by McLean, it won't be my last. Initially I wasn't loving Jen, he boyfriend annoyed me and I just wanted her to kick his butt! Soon she finds herself in a predicament and she has to sink or swim, she turns into a bit of a badass and I love that. We need more strong women in books and whilst she started with me saying ugh just dump him already, wake up Jen, she really progresses in toughness and durability.

There is a lot of action, we have an ordinary girl brought into a dark world and follow how she copes in the dangerous unknown. Cops, bad guys and regular humans and what happens when their worlds cross over. Action, humour of the darker variety, relationships, boundaries, violence and murder is just some of the themes that feature in the book. I could have easily read this in one sitting had time permitted. I personally love when a book is set somewhere you have been or lived, you can identify with the places and for me see it playing out much more vivid because you have once walked in the places the characters are going along. 4/5 for me this time, this may have been my first dance with McLean but it won't be my last. I do hope this is a book that turns into a series as I would love to read more about the characters I met in this one!

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Buy Buy Baby by Helen MacKinven - Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the Buy Buy Baby Blog tour, the second book released by Helen MacKinven. Her first was Talk Of The Toun, you can find my review of that here.



Helen had the book launch night last night in Falkirk, I was working so I am gutted to say I missed it, this is Helen from her first book signing. She will be chatting about Buy Buy Baby in Waterstones Glasgow Argyll Street on the 19th of July, for more info click here.







Buy Buy Baby is quite a different feel from Talk Of The Toun however both are Scottish, deal with some delicate issues and laced with humour, you can read my review for it here.







You can find Helen on Twitter at @HelenMacKinven or visit her website here.



Buy Buy Baby is available to buy now. I have one paperback copy up for grabs, as usual entries below using the Rafflecopter, I will leave the giveaway open for approximately 1 week. Good luck if you are entering & thanks for stopping by for the tour.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Buy Baby by Helen MacKinven

Buy Buy Baby by Helen MacKinven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - Cranachan

Pages - 298

Blurb from Goodreads

What price tag would you put on a baby?

Set in and around Glasgow, Buy Buy Baby is a moving and funny story of life, loss and longing.

Packed full of bitchy banter, it follows the bittersweet quest of two very different women united by the same desire - they desperately want a baby.

Carol talks to her dog, has an expensive eBay habit and relies on wine to forget she's no longer a mum following the death of her young son.

Cheeky besom Julia is career-driven and appears to have it all. But after disastrous attempts at internet dating, she feels there is a baby-shaped hole in her life.

In steps Dan, a total charmer with a solution to their problems.

But only if they are willing to pay the price, on every level...



My Review

Two women living in Glasgow, Carol who, life as she knew it halted after her son's death and is now filled with Ebay impulse buys and talking to, and for, her dog Jinky. And Julia, a career driven woman with disastrous online dating attempts and a ticking biological clock. The two women could not be more different but both have a longing for a baby and one man could be the answer to their prayers.

I don't often comment on book covers, although to be fair, of late, I have found myself drawn to or passing comment on some. Buy Buy Baby sports the face of a doll with piercing blue eyes which I think most people would stop for a gander passing it on a bookshelf. It catches your eye and draws you to it, not giving much away to what the genre or content could be, kudos to the designer & team, it certainly deserves a mention. My copy is the exact same as the picture featured on this review & synced picture on Goodreads, if you normally scroll past have a wee scroll back up and check it out, eerie and eye catching!

This is MacKinven's second book and sports her trademark humor stamp but also having, a deeper, more adult feel to it. The themes cover grief, loss, love, relationships, abuse, friendship and many more infused with Glasgow humour whilst tackling some dark subjects. Looking at how one woman tries to cope with the loss of a child and get through everyday with the other coming to realise something is missing in her life and just how far each will go to obtain their goal.

I think this book may stir up a host of emotions for many readers, the content addresses some brutal aspects of adult life that many readers may have experienced or identify with. Buy Buy Baby is a story that will make you snort with laughter & well up as you go on an emotional rollercoaster with two ladies desperate for a baby. Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review, 4/5 for me this time. I look forward to more from this author and you can get a copy for yourself from 7th July 2016 from any good retailer.

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Never Somewhere Else by Alex Gray

Never Somewhere Else by Alex Gray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Publisher - Sphere

Pages - 308

Blurb from Goodreads

When a series of young women are discovered strangled and mutilated in a Glasgow park, it is up to DCI Lorimer to find their killer. He enlists the services of Dr Solomon Brightman, a psychologist and criminal profiler.

My review

A young woman's body is found mutilated and strangled in a Glasgow park, she isn't the first and the police know they need to find and stop the killer before another woman is killed. DCI Lorimer is in charge and enlists the help of Solomon Brightman, a profiler and psychologist. The two work together and with the help of a witness they uncover significant information on how the killer is operating. Before long, it appears no one is safe, young women or people involved in the investigation!

It has been a while since I read Alex Gray, it is always good to read a story set in or around places you know, well I think so anyway. The chapters are relatively short which I generally enjoy in books, especially when you are working and can't spare long periods to read some days. The prologue kicks off with a murder so your attention is grasped immediately, the characters however took me a bit longer to warm up to.

There is plenty to keep your interest peaked, the police investigation goes along at an acceptable pace and Dr Solomon does some digging at the same time. Clues pop up, some twists and turns and overall it was a good read. I would read this author again if I came across her, I won't be rushing out to buy up the whole series though, 3/5 for me this time.

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Blue wicked by Alan Jones

Blue Wicked by Alan Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Publisher - Ailsa Publishing

pages - 302

Blurb from Goodreads

'Blue Wicked' is a Gritty thriller set in the south side of Glasgow. Eddie Henderson finds himself as the unlikely investigator with information that there's a serial killer targeting the substance dependent underclass who inhabit the notorious Glasgow housing estates. The police force ignore his warnings but one young detective believes him and she helps him search for the truth, despite putting her own career at risk. Their desperate search for the truth on their own proves Eddie right and sparks off a massive manhunt, with Eddie and Catherine, the young detective, at the forefront of the investigation. The book contains a fair bit of strong language and Glasgow dialect, and has some very violent passages.


My Review

The prologue sets the scene for the horrors to come, we open with a rather gorey scene of animal torture. Introducing Eddie, a veterinarian who helps out the SSPCA with cases such as this as he specializes in animal abuse and poisoning. Eddie crosses paths with DC Catherine Douglas looking into the abuse cases and soon pair up as the killer branches out from animals to humans. An up hill battle commences to get the police to head Eddie and take notice of his findings to catch a sadistic killer before they can strike again.

You all know I have major issues with animal cruelty, I was forewarned before reading this and therefore I am giving you all a heads up. Sadly, because of the way many killers work it is a necessity to the tale and gives the story realism. The chapters are not too long which is always a good thing in my opinion, it allows the reader to nip in and out, especially if working or don't have time to read in one sitting. As the book is set in Glasgow some of the characters speak in Glaswegian slang, glossary and translations can be found at the back. Some of the language may be very offensive to some readers, the language is explicit and swear words are frequent with some of the characters, the C word being just one of them.

The scenes are pretty gorey, I have read many horrors, crime and thrillers but some moments in this really had my stomach going. The method of killing I found quite unique, the choice of victims fairly smart on the part of the killer. As much as the reader is horrified, you are compelled to go from page to page for the next horrific crime and hope the killer will be brought to justice before they can strike again. The glossary at the back of the book is really helpful however I think it would be better at the front as I didn't find it until after I had finished. Glasgow slang is fine for me however for many readers not familiar with it, this would be beneficial at the beginning of the book. A really good read, also featuring quite a bit of Glasgow which is an additional plus for readers who enjoy reading about other cities. If you like your crimes gritty and your murders cruel you will love this book! This is my first time reading this author & certainly one worth keeping an eye out for, I would certainly read him again just maybe not when eating! 4/5 for me this time, thanks so much to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan

Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 2.5 days

Blurb From Goodreads

'Apocalypse Cow made me snort with laughter' - Terry Pratchett.

Forget the cud. They want blood. An outrageous an anarchic comic take on the zombie apocalypse - and joint winner of the first Terry Pratchett ‘Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now’ prize.

It began with a cow that just wouldn’t die. It would become an epidemic that transformed Britain’s livestock into sneezing, slavering, flesh-craving four-legged zombies.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, the fate of the nation seems to rest on the shoulders of three unlikely heroes: an abattoir worker whose love life is non-existent thanks to the stench of death that clings to him, a teenage vegan with eczema and a weird crush on his maths teacher, and an inept journalist who wouldn’t recognise a scoop if she tripped over one.

As the nation descends into chaos, can they pool their resources, unlock a cure, and save the world?

Three losers. Overwhelming odds. One outcome . . .

Yup, we’re screwed.

My Review

I love zombies books (as you may have noticed), so when I heard about this one I thought I just had to give it a read. Geldof is a 15 year old Vegan boy, embarrassed by his hippy parents. If they aren't screaming at the neighbors for their murder and consumption of flesh(animals of course), forcing him to be a Vegan and wearing God awful natural fiber clothes his mum is bartering for food in the shop with vegetables. What follows is an unlikely team against the zombie animals. Something goes wrong at the abattoir, a weird plague amongst the cows gets out and spreads among domestic animals and soon everyone in Glasgow (and Britain) is at risk of being humped, mauled and or eaten.

This book is hilarious, disgusting and so UN PC - it has everything rolled into one story. The nerdy boy with the crush on the teacher, the hippy parents, the teenage bullies that need to be addressed or obeyed and of course the threat of being killed by rabid flesh eating animals from cows to rats.

Some of the brutality to the animals is a bit uncomfortable reading (in any kind of context) but taking the book as it is with silliness you can get through it, after all it the small matter of survival. This is my first encounter with this author and I would read him again, I also secretly (not so secret now) hope there is a follow up to this book. Will Geldof survive? Does he get the woman of his dreams and be the hero at the end? Well you have to read it and find out for yourselves folks. Thanks to Transworld publishers for giving me the chance to review this and introducing me to a new author, 4/5 for me this time. Just to add, I reviewed this in 2012 however the review was missing from this blog. I just received a copy of the next book in this series so reposting this!

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The Bad Fire by Campbell Armstrong

The Bad Fire. Campbell Armstrong by Campbell Armstrong
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 8 days

Publisher - Harper Collins

Pages - 442

Blurb from the back cover

Commit a sin and you'll go to the Bad Fire... That's what Eddie Mallon was told when he was growing up in Glasgow. Now he's about to discover that even after all these years, the fire never goes out.


Eddie was just a child when his familysplit down the middle. He went to America with his mother and later became a cop; his sister Joyce stayed in Glasgow with their father, the charming, violent, mercurial Jackie Mallon. Now Jackie has been murdered and the son he didn't know is coming home for the funeral. But while he's back in town, Eddie can't help questioning the work of the local investigators. And when he does, he finds himself spiralling into the mysteries of the past as well as the present.


My Review

My friend recommended Campbell Armstrong to me years ago and it is only recently I have got round to picking him up. The story is set in Glasgow, Jackie Mallon is a known face to the police, they know he is involved in illegal activities they just can't nail him for anything major. He is respected by those he does business with, one face wants in on the action and Jackie isn't playing. Jackie is killed and his trusty sidekick is missing, his estranged son is back in Glasgow, to bury his father and get some answers!

I loved the descriptions of the streets and places within Glasgow. Some I knew and are still in standing, others I need to Google or ask around to see if they were about or just add ins from Campbell's story telling. The location is a perfect place to write about crime, just look at some of the statistics from the last 30 years. Family and loyalty are a big part of this tale too which are also attributes strong in the city, I feel.

There is a lot going on to keep you interested in the book, murder, secrets, investigations however I have to admit, in some parts I struggled. It is not exactly how the author writes as you can follow it easily enough, more some of the phrases. For example "Murder's very rich gravy', Perlman said and focused his good eye hard on Eddie. 'Can you make it stick to the wall, son?" and random phrases like that I just didn't warm to. Then there was a few turns in the story that I just felt didn't add anything and were maybe added as an afterthought. I was left with some questions which I never like happening although the story overall was fine and you did get pretty much everything answered in the end. Therefore 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again however I won't be rushing out to get the back catalogue just yet.

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Lennox by Criag Russell

Lennox by Craig Russell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 425

Publisher - Quercus

Blurb from Amazon

Glasgow, 1953: the war may be over but the battle for the streets is just beginning. Three crime bosses control the murky streets, but a small-scale con is trying to invade their territory. The balance is shifting. Lennox, a hard man in a hard city at a hard time, finds himself caught in the middle - a dangerous place to be.

One night, a body is discovered on the road, his head mashed to pulp, and Lennox is in the frame for murder. The only way of proving his innocence is to solve the crime - but he'll have to dodge men more deadly than Glasgow's crime bosses before he gets any answers.

The first in a unique and memorable crime series, Lennox is gritty, fast-paced, mordantly funny and totally compelling.



My Review

It is Glasgow, 1950s. There are crime bosses and small time criminals trying to carve a bit of business out for themselves. When a particularly brutal slaying of one of the small time players is carried out Lennox is called upon to investigate. Lennox is a private eye, has fists of steel and an attitude to match. He has no intention of getting involved until suddenly he is being fingered as a suspect and the police are turning up the heat. Can he uncover the killer before he goes to jail, or worse, is taken out!

This is the first in a series, Lennox is a hard man, not entirely likable to be honest, he is a bit of a cad to the ladies although his background gives some insight into his thought process and actions. He is intelligent, sly like a fox and tough enough to keep himself protected although manages to annoy and bring violence where he goes.

Good paced story, certainly a good start to a series, I liked reading a tale set in old Glasgow. It is littered with coarse language which some readers may find offensive. Can't say I loved any of the characters to be honest although they are cleverly created in fitting with the theme of the tale. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again.

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Hen's Teeth by Manda Scott

Hen's Teeth by Manda Scott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 480

Publisher - Review

Blurb From Goodreads

A debut crime thriller in which a woman appeals for help after finding her lover dead, and along with her pathologist friend and a genetic scientist with an unusual interest in chickens, becomes tied in a web of intrigue, death and deceit.


My Review

This is the first in a series. Therapist Kellen Stewart gets a call in the middle of the night, the body of her ex lover Bridget has been found. The police believe it to be a heart attack, the attending doctor believes it is suicide and Kellen knows it is neither. As she digs into it and discovers Bridget isn't the only on to die in similar circumstances she needs to investigate, with her doctor friend and try to discover who would want to hurt Bridget and why. Lies, deceit, deception and danger are all lurking, will Kellen survive finding out what happened to her friend?

The book is set in Scotland, the body is found in Glasgow which is always nice to read about a place you know and love, well for me anyway. The story covers a lot from genetics, murder, friendships, lies and lesbianism. The genetics storyline was a bit much for me although it was interesting to read about something new, the lesbian aspects didn't go into graphic details or distract from the story. However, there is a lot of questions left unanswered and I am not sure if its set that way as it is the first book or if the questions are answered later. It isn't really about the plot but more a lot of questions about the main character Kellen, why did they fall out, why did she go away, lots of things that are mentioned or hinted to but not addressed.

Otherwise I quite liked it, theres plenty or suspense and intrigue plus the whole who done it and who may be next. First time reading this author and I would read her again, 3/5 for me.

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Five Ways to Kill A Man by Alex Gray

Five Ways to Kill a Man by Alex Gray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Pages - 424

Publisher - Little, Brown Book Group

Blurb from Goodreads

A beautifully crafted, darkly atmospheric crime novel from one of Scotland's most talked-about crime writers An unpredictable killer is loose on the streets of Glasgow, experimenting with death. Beginning with brute force, the murderer moves on to poison and drowning, greedy for new and better ways to kill. Faced with a string of unconnected victims, DCI Lorimer turns to psychologist and friend Solomon Brightman for his insights. Lorimer is also assigned to review the case of a fatal house fire. His suspicions are raised by shocking omissions in the original investigation. Some uncomfortable questions have been buried but Lorimer is the man to ask them. As the serial killer gets closer to Lorimer's family, can the DCI unmask the volatile murderer before the next victim is found too close to home?


My Review

DCI Lorimer has a dangerous killer on his hands, to begin with they seem to kill indiscriminately and it takes a bit for the police to catch on their is a serial killer. However once the killer has gained confidence and targets their preferred group, the police pull together and set about "catching their man". Lorimers personal woes are laced through the story, his family life, inlaws. This seemed to be to give the reader a bit more understanding and depth of the character but there is actually a bit more to it which is revealed later.

In under 30 pages we had three murders so the book starts off quite fast paced. The descriptions of locations and minute details are emphasized so even if you are unfamiliar with Glasgow, you get quite a picture. I think for some people it adds enjoyment to a story if you know some of the places it is based in and it was one of the things I did like in this book. I believe this is quite a few along in a series, however I haven't read the previous ones and got on fine with this one.

It isn't too often I guess who the killer is however with this one I did. The build up and all the small things are explained very clearly however the motive is largely left to the reader to gleam from the details that are given. For me this brought the overall enjoyment of the story down and raised questions as to why the killer did a lot of the things they did. I don't like loose ends although some readers enjoy books that do that, for me it is a 3/5. I would read this author again but I won't be rushing to get anymore or chasing up the back catalogue.

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Review - The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell

The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - <3 hours

Publisher - Harper

Pages - 320

Blurb from Goodreads

A riveting, brilliantly written debut novel-a coming-of-age story with the strong voice and powerful resonance of Swamplandia! and The Secret Life of Bees—in which two young sisters attempt to hold the world at bay after the mysterious death of their parents.

Today is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard. Neither of them were beloved.

Marnie and her little sister Nelly are on their own now. Only they know what happened to their parents, Izzy and Gene, and they aren’t telling. While life in Glasgow’s Hazlehurst housing estate isn’t grand, they do have each other. Besides, it’s only one year until Marnie will be considered an adult and can legally take care of them both.

As the new year comes and goes, Lennie, the old man next door, realizes that his young neighbors are alone and need his help. Or does he need theirs? But he’s not the only one who suspects something isn’t right. Soon, the sisters’ friends, their other neighbors, the authorities, and even Gene’s nosy drug dealer begin to ask questions. As one lie leads to another, dark secrets about the girls’ family surface, creating complications that threaten to tear them apart.


My Review

I have had this book on my TBR for ages and picked it up last night as it had Christmas in it, the story was not anything like I was expecting. The blurb packs a punch immediately "
Today is Christmas Eve. Today is my birthday. Today I am fifteen. Today I buried my parents in the backyard. Neither of them were beloved." The story starts in Winter, just before Christmas with Marnie, 15 years old and her younger sister Nelly. The chapters are split and titled by the person who is talking in that chapter which makes for easy reading, despite their being a few voices telling their tale. As well as Marnie & Nelly, Lennie comes into the tale, he is the pervert next door, nosey and always watching, which causes concern for Marnie in case he sees them burying their folks. As the tale progresses we see there is more to Lenny than first suggested and we hear the tale from the perspective of the three main characters.

This is a great read, despite the dark content within it, murder of ones parents, abuse of the children, a pedophile next door, drugs, underage sex and thats just a few of the topics covered. Marnie is trying to cope with keeping up appearances so the authorities don't find out the girls are home alone, food, bills, education, keeping some semblance of a normal life. Nelly is a unique wee character, she is socially awkward, has no filter and sees the world in a unique light which cause Marnie concern and irritation in equal measure.

Lennie is a threat to the girls secret being exposed, between his nosey window watching and his wee dog constantly digging up their garden. However as the story progresses, the girls form a relationship with Lennie and he offers them support in ways they couldn't have imagined.

It is a story that is hard to put into one box, it covers a lot of content, is set in Glasgow so has some fresh language, swearing and behaviours that some people may find uncomfortable or upsetting to read. Whilst there is abuse, it is not heavily centred or described in the book, however it is enough for you to be aware it has taken place.

This is a fantastic, strong, gripping, dark and somewhat humourous in places, debut novel. I had never read this author before, got through this in under 3 hours, in one sitting and would certainly read more by this author! 5/5 for me this time and I would recommend it to anyone to be honest, certainly worth checking out and I will seek out what else is on offer from this author.

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ARR - Coconut Badger by Mark MacNicol

Coconut Badger by Mark MacNicol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 249

Blurb from the back cover

Tam suffers from panic attacks avoiding potential triggers like attractive women and confrontations. After an approach from a local widower he is introduced to a technique turning him from zero to hero. Tam's life is transformed with men fearing him and women lusting after him - but has he made a pact with the devil?

My review

Meet Tam, our main character, a young lad from a Glasgow scheme with a big problem: panic attacks, shy and no self confidence. Not exactly the qualities you need to survive the life in a scheme or get the girl of your dreams. After an embarrassing and violent attack, help comes in the form of Pat, an older bloke from the estates who knows a thing or two about surviving Glasgow. Soon he is teaching his young protege some techniques that totally changes his life. All is great in the beginning but soon Tam finds himself in deeper than he imagined and with life changing consequences.

I had never heard of this author but I am always keen to give everyone a go, especially when the story takes place in a city I know. Tam is a character that goes through quite a transformation, however the reader gets to follow him through it in a way that I believe many could sympathize with, if you lived in a scheme at any point. I went through phases of rooting for him, to disliking him and back again. Pat is a character, love him or hate him he definitely brings the story, and the murky dark happenings to life. There are some other key characters, however one who isn't a huge part but I loved his name and is worthy of mention is Wan Brick.

The story itself is quite violent in parts, certainly graphic and conjures quite the picture in your head, like a movie I could visualize it playing out. I think it would make for a great movie, which according to MacNicol's website it is in the pipelines.

There is quite a few layers to this story, it isn't just violence, sex and drugs although to be fair there is all of that in the mix so be warned. However it is also a story of personal growth, consequences, love, lust, friendship, betrayal and honor to name but a few.

The story does have quite a bit of Glaswegian patter and dialogue when the characters are conversing which some non Scots may find hard to follow. Phrases, which added to my enjoyment to be fair, as it was like days of old or visiting old friends. Weesht meaning be quiet, Awright - Ok? and Hawnle - handle - look after yourself. I think an excerpt at the back with translation may be a good idea for future publishing would help for the non Scottish readers.

The chapters were fairly short in between, which if your a follower of my reviews you know I love. Especially when you don't have a lot of time to read as your studying or just busy in general so not getting a lot of time to read, this helped me fly through the book. I really enjoyed this book, there are a few twists that I didn't see coming, one of which actually had me exclaim, was so glad I wasn't on public transport! A really good debut novel, I hope that there may be another in the works on the early life of Pat, I would love to read that. Enjoyable, good paced, hooks you in and evokes quit a few emotions, 5/5 for me this time and I would certainly read this author again. Thanks so much to Mark for introducing me to his work, this book is available to buy in paperback for £7.99 from his website www.markmacnicol.com and the ebook is, at time of posting £0.99 you can also follow him on twitter @markmacnicol

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