Fifty years ago, an unknown killer terrorized Glasgow. His clean-cut visage, an artist’s impression from witness statements, stared from newspaper front pages. ‘Bible John’ butchered three women who’d been enjoying nights out at a local dance hall, and left the police chasing smoke. He was never caught.

Literary professor and award-winning novelist Liam McIlvanney explores the effect of those killings on his home city in The Quaker, a novel with strong echoes of Glasgow’s real past. He shows a deft touch for character and setting throughout this absorbing, atmospheric read. Duncan McCormack is the man tasked with sorting out the long-stalled investigation into the murders of three women. He’s parachuted into the ‘Quaker’ investigation from the elite Flying Squad, with instructions to work out what’s gone wrong and why the Quaker hasn’t been caught. It’s a test for the fast-rising copper from the Highlands, and a poisoned chalice. His new colleagues are tired, frustrated, and dislike him on sight, the bosses are demanding certain outcomes for political purposes, and he’s harbouring dangerous secrets of his own.

McIlvanney has crafted a superb tale with a vivid sense of time and place. 1960s Glasgow was a different era, but he also brings some modern sensibilities by giving the female victims a voice, rather than being inert props for the male cops and criminals. The Quaker is an evocative slice of the past that’s populated with an array of intriguing characters, tough issues, and some nuanced interplay between them.

Di McCormack of the Glasgow Polis as they say back in 1969 in parts of Scotland I'm told and this book spells it. Well McCormack is in there flying squad and about to be transferred to make a report on a unit that has spent a lot of time and money trying to find the Quacker as he is called, a killer and sexual deviant who takes rapes then defiled the dead bodies. McCornack's task to write a report and find a way to close down this enquiry that seems to be going nowhere and it's almost a year since the last murder. As you can probably guess he isn't the most popular guy in the room or the station for that matter and this point is made clear incase he was in any doubt. However there is still a vicious criminal out there that needs to be caught and no one on the floor wants to give up even though no or little head way is being made. But to find out anymore I will let you read it yourself and see how it all plans out and I'm guessing you won't get it till you read it as the trust and turns will have you guessing and then rethinking all the way through.
I enjoyed the era it is set in late 1960's I may be too young to remember the time but it's a great read and more of a raw investigation were back street deals are made and going to the library to search the history rather than the pc, sledgehammer to open doors. It's more about people than labs and science not that that's wrong this is just more fun, less high brow. The criminals have a honour that still let's em kill whoever they want just not the mindless killing more reason than because they don't like the way you look. In my opinion this is a great book and got me hooked from the start and I didn't want to put it down and now it's finished I wish there was more, not be I was short as it wasn't just because I loved it and will read it again it is on my list.
I had this book from Netgalley and this is my honest review.

This isn't going to be on the Glasgow Tourist boards list of recommended reads anytime soon! Although it is apparently inspired by a real life event which took place in the 1960s. The scene setting and set up of the crime in neatly done - the scenes before a girl was found were especially creepy and the sense of dread and gloom reigned supreme throughout.

The Quaker gives connotations of a life gone by and the historical aspect was nicely done. The name brings fear to everyone in a city already on the edge and a murder mystery set at such a time was a new insight . the police do end up chasing a ghost and it was interesting to be in the corridors, on the streets etc when the grappled with the desperation of the chase.

A bit dark in places but then it is a crime novel. Glasgow in the 60s was not the place you'd want to be given this read but it was a good reading experience!