This is crime fiction at it's best. Set in 1969 Glasgow, the sense of place is excellent, the characters, clothes, language all breath that era. It is dark, there are brutal rapes and murders and very dubious policing but the characters are alive, the plot works with its twists and turns and the writing is superb. It reminded me a little of Adrian McKinty's books set in 70's Ireland in its sense of time and place but both have their own unique and readable styles. I was kept enthralled from the beginning, grateful not to still be in that era but enjoying the style and dash that The Quaker evoked. A great read, I look forward to more.

Really enjoyed this book and can see the main character coming back in future books. Lots of twists, a bit of historical interest and plenty of Glasgow.

I recommend this chilling crime novel from Liam Mcllvanney.

This is the first book I have read from this author, it will not be the last.

The author keeps the reader hooked, turning pages quicker and quicker to keep up with the plot as he takes us through the streets of Glasgow.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Having been brought up near Glasgow in the 50's and 60's, there were some very familiar names and venues mentioned. I even went to the Barrowland and a few of the other dance halls in Glasgow in the 60's. Very dark and spell binding and very much a tale of it's time and the attitudes to women then. Fabulously written and the detective's determination that the truth would prevail kept me guessing till the very end. Would definitely read more from this author.in the future.

The Quaker was a riveting read. A very carefully crafted story which engaged the reader on many levels. After reading the book it made me consider if there really was a ‘bigger picture’ where there was a symbiotic relationship between elements of organised crime and the police. I would hope not but fear it possibly is. Pragmatically, if nature abhors a vacuum then there will always be pretenders to the criminal throne but there may be advantages in having stability. Having said that I’m glad McGlashan and Levein got their comeuppance albeit with McCormack paying the price. My only criticism was with Paton. A clever individual who always seemed a step ahead of the police, I wonder why he didn’t escape to the Spanish Costa’s? The Scottish vocabulary was a bit of a challenge at times too.

There's been a murder! Well 3 of them actually and what a great book this was as it unpeeled the various layers to find out who was responsible. Lots of twists to keep you enthralled even more!

Very reminiscent of the Bible John murders in 1960s Glasgow this is a super read. A broken city and broken lives (not just those who lose theirs) reflects the thoughts and ideas of the time Which makes you stop and realise just how much has changed ...and what stays the same. A page turning, engrossing crime novel which has me looking out for the McIlvanney name again

An interesting enough read despite the rather convenient inspirations coming to the main character. It was all rather depressing in the end.

Set in Glasgow a serial killer has everyone bamboozled..Why are young woman being targeted, what is the gangland connection. Lots of twists and turns.

Brilliant old style detective book set in 1960's Glasgow.
Very gritty and keeps you hooked from the first page.
If you like police crime thrillers with abit of everything thrown in then I'd recommend this book.
I'll be recommending it!

A great and gritty detective crime novel that will keep you guessing until the very end!

Set in Glasgow (in 1969) we follow the tale of 'The Quaker', a serial killer who acquires this nickname because of the religious theme surrounding the death of the women he has killed. The story is told through the eyes of the main protagonist, DI McCormack, who is seconded from the Flying Squad and assigned the task of reviewing the investigation. In real terms this means 'shut it down'; - because despite the amount of time, finances and manpower expended - the Police still have no clue who the killer is. This creates a hostile working environment for McCormack from the other officers from the outset, while we follow McCormack through the gritty streets of Glasgow as he hunts the killer who has left women in fear.

While this is happening, a group of criminals are conspiring to carry out a robbery and while this event seems unrelated, we later find out that there may be a link that brings them closer to finding out who the killer is but under the watchful eye of the well-known Glasgow Gangster no one wants to talk. Meanwhile, McCormack is hiding secrets of his own that may come to light.

The story moves quite slowly for the first part of the book. It doesn't seem that much is happening and for a long time it seems that we are following the protagonist and his daily interactions, and a separate group of characters with no purpose. It definitely picks up about half-way through the book and as another murder occurs and possible links are established the hunt for the killer is on!

We get to see McCormack's true character, which is a mix of vulnerability, and his gritty determination to investigate despite the obstacles being thrown in his way. Through good old fashioned and pain staking detective work, he sets about bringing the killer to justice.. The plot and structure are both well developed and the high pace continues right up until the conclusion. There's a few surprises at the end when the killer is finally revealed and the conclusion has a different outcome than you would expect with most detective novels (which is a good thing).

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this ARC.

Set in the Glasgow of 1969 The Quaker shows a dark city beset by gang violence. Three women have been murdered. The police seem to have hit a wall & the media is giving them a hard time. Duncan McCormack- a detective doing great things in the Flying Squad is sent to the station trying to solve the case to see if everything has been done correctly & if the investigation should be scaled down. This was not a job that was going to make him popular!

Although Duncan had been unwilling to leave his previous investigation he soon becomes embroiled in the case of The Quaker he begins to believe that there may be more than murder involved, that it involves corruption in many levels.

This was an atmospheric read. Hopefully the behaviour & attitudes of the police has improved a great deal in the nearly fifty years that has passed from when this book was set. Glasgow has certainly got a better image nowadays! I found Duncan an engaging character, battling his own demons whilst trying to do the right thing. I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets on at the Met!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I always enjoy books by Liam McIlvanney and this did not disappoint. Set in 1969 Glasgow and based loosely on a real case, The plot is fast moving and the book divided into four parts with great characterisation. A bit slow to start but don't let that put you off reading this gritty crime novel with roots in a true case from the 1960's. I would recommend this book. A very good read. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. reviews on Amazon, Facebook and Goodreads.

Excellent detective story. I thoroughly enjoyed following McCormack’s journey to catch the killer, teaming up with the unlikely Goldie. This was a real gritty murder story with elements of gangland brutality and police corruption. Although the crimes were undoubtedly unpleasant, there was never really a focus on details.

I’ll definitely read more by Liam McIlvanney.

This is the first book that I have read by Liam McIlvanney and I really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the writing style. I read this book in one sitting. I was gripped from the start. The book is set in atmospheric Glasgow and that made everything more real and easy to visualise. The plot was complicated and really well thought out. I thought it was totally credible. I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Set in Glasgow this gritty police investigation seems to have stalled and the Top Brass are looking for excuses to shut it down. The flying squad DI sent in to report on the performance of the team naturally meets with hostility and resentment from his colleagues. Just as he sends of his report the body of a fourth woman is discovered in a tenenent scheduled for demolition. Is this another Quaker victim? Or is it there to frame someone else? What is the DI's guilty secret and will it scupper the investigation? An intriguing and puzzling plot.

This is a cracking good read, well paced and full of twists and turns leading you to a ending as unexpected as a trip on the top step.

I had not read anything by this author before, a little slow at first and then I couldn't put it down. A fantastic thriller. Very impressive well recommended.

The Quaker is the first book I've read by Liam McIlvanney. I wasn't sure what to make of it initially. It's a fictional account, set in 1969 Glasgow, of the hunt for a serial killer which is very loosely based on a real case. Three women, each raped, strangled and dumped; each believed to have met their killer, a respectable looking, bible quoting man, at the Barrowland Ballroom.

I felt the prologue was a bit too long but it did set the scene and once I got past the first couple of chapters, the more I read, the better I liked the story.

Glasgow is in the grip of one of the worst winters and months of police investigation into the murders is getting nowhere. There are posters everywhere showing an artist's impression of the Quaker's face – a respectable looking man; the victims faces are splashed across the newspapers; rumours abound as to the Quaker's identity. Thousands of police hours are spent following up every call, every letter written by members of the public, taking statements, crossing the city to interview possible suspects but still the investigation is getting nowhere. Following the discovery of the third victim, there are no further murders but the investigating team are still going through boxes and boxes of statements trying to make connections that might solve the case.

Against this background DI Duncan McCormack arrives on secondment from the Flying Squad to review the investigation and make recommendations. He's not made welcome by the Quaker team. He's an outsider in more ways than one and the team make life very difficult for him. They suspect McCormack is meant to write a report that will shut the investigation down. He gets a particularly hard time from another officer, Derek Goldie.

In the meantime there is another story going on involving a specialist criminal Alex Paton who has been in London for 10 years but is returning to Glasgow to take part in a big auction house heist. The two main stories seem unconnected but following the heist, Paton goes to ground in an empty top floor flat in a building due for demolition. He's still hiding out there when a body is found in one of the ground floor flats. Police believe she's the fourth victim of the Quaker. With the discovery of Paton's hideout they feel they're making progress in catching the Quaker.

There's a lot to get your teeth into. The author manages to weave the various threads into a gritty, dark tale set in a time before social media and mobile communications. Gathering evidence was a painstaking task. It was only when I got to the end that I realised how many clues I had missed. There are also quite a few red herrings. I liked that the murder victims had a voice too, each one briefly telling us what was happening in their life around the time of their murder.

I often enjoy stories set in locations I know. I feel more involved with the story and can easily picture places and events. (Good writing helps too of course!) I hope this will just be the first of a series of books featuring DI Duncan McCormack. I think I want to know a bit more about him.

Atmospheric and authentic are the best adjectives to describe this story. The menacing ethos of 1960s Glasgow is apparent on every page and is compelling.

The characters' prejudices and secrets vividly depicted make them realistic. The sinister undercurrent as people wonder when 'The Quaker'will kill again makes for a tense thriller. The murders are described in painstaking detail but not overly graphic, just enough to inform the plot and allow the reader to glimpse the horror of the crime.

Police procedural is the mainstay of the plot, but the suspense and supernatural impressions from the Quaker's victims add a twist that makes this even more chilling to read. McCormack is a complex detective, a loner he is dedicated to his job at the cost of his relationships.

The ending draws from all the clues laid earlier in the plot, it is convincing and clever and with a final sting in its tail.

'The Quaker' is not an easy read, the dialogue and complexity of Glasgow society at this time needs to be understood to get the most of this story.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins - Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.