This Scottish novel is the third part of the Garnethill trilogy. Reviews of Garnethill and Exile.
After the first two, I had great expectations to the grand finale, and the first page sounds promising, don´t you think?
“The police were out there. Angus didn´t know what they were going to charge him with yet. He guessed the murders and not the rapes. They didn´t have any good witnesses for the rapes.”
When this volume begins, Maureen is waiting for the trial of Angus Farrell who killed her lover, Douglas. Maureen has spent the money Douglas left her without knowing she would be taxed so she has begun selling cigarettes from a stall together with her loyal friend, Leslie, to pay her debt. Soon an old stallholder, Ella McGee, disappears from the market, and Maureen discovers that she has been assaulted. Even though Ella seems to be on the mend, Maureen takes a keen interest in her son, Simon McGee´s affairs. And last, but not least, she is waiting for the birth of her sister´s baby, dreading the thought of a new baby in the family with her father on the lose.
The Garnethill trilogy is a brilliant crime series, but it is also a wonderful and realistic portrayal of life down among the women. Maureen and her friends know that the police will swoop down on the perpetrator as soon as someone has committed a crime, but who is there to save them from violence, abuse, poverty and alcoholism? No one but themselves.
In short, this is Scottish crime when it is best!
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11 kommentarer:
Dorte - Thanks for this terrific review! I haven't gotten to this one in the trilogy yet, but I'm going to have to. Garnethill was excellent! If this one's anything like that one, you're 100% right about the way Mina portrays the characters. That's one thing I like about her style, at least in this trilogy.
Margot: she is one of the best authors I have discovered so far in 2010. I have heard that her next series is not nearly as good, though (seems to be YA which is just not my taste).
I have three of her books sitting on my shelves. But none from this series.
A favourite with a good friend of ours, perhaps I'll get around to reading these books sometime.
Patti: my British blog friends seem to think the Garnethill trilogy is among her best work, but her stand-alones also sound good.
Tracy: They are wonderful even though the second was somewhat dark. Well, if you want to write a trilogy about one woman, I suppose you have to let her go through a lot before the satisfactory ending.
Great review, Dorte. Although I was slightly down on Still Midnight, it is a good novel and many liked it (eg got rave reviews in national press..I have my theories about that, though!). I will send you my copy if you like.
Maxine, it is so good to hear from you again!
I think when some authors have developed a certain kind of reputation, it is easier for them to get rave reviews no matter what they write. I would like to read it, though, even if it may not be her very best.
Take care!
I'm not familiar with this author, but these sound good.
I'll keep them in mind.
Kelly: I think they are excellent.
Dorte - Please stop by my blog. Something awaits you there : ).
Oh, thank you very much, Margot!
I will post about it tomorrow.
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