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.

Set in late 1960s Glasgow's city centre and east end, this is a police detective story relying more on hard graft and clever thinking than all the modern gadgets and tests that help so much in solving crime today. The crime here is the brutal and shocking killings of three women who have all been at the local dance hall for a night out. Local CID are struggling to catch him and he casts a grim shadow of fear over the city as the public wonder whether he will ever be caught or will he strike again? The book is slower paced than some and more thoughtful in places, with other crimes and problems running along side the main theme. The author paints a great picture of a grim dark time in the city with sights and smells that are almost real to the senses and probably still live on in some readers' memories. As DI McCormack, originally brought in to report on the handling of the case, becomes involved in trying to solve the case himself there are many twists and turns before the conclusion is reached. Overall a very clever and well told story which I can highly recommend.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m glad I did.
As my husband is from Glasgow, the setting appealed to me and I really liked the main character, McCormack. When a murder inquiry seems to be going nowhere, he is called in to make a report and wind the investigation down. Despite the antagonism from the team, he is drawn into the inquiry and uncovers a web of corruption and dirty dealings.
This is a very well written crime novel, which doesn’t rely on twists and turns to engage the reader, just good police work.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this copy.

Nearly gave up on this book several times l found the constant Gaelic quite annoying although understand why it was used but l feel the description of the area and main character was enough to illustrate where we were so yes I carried on but not sure I would read another in a series too much hard work

The Quaker, a serial killer in the Scottish city of Glasgow, has evaded the police and captured and killed his victims with seeming ease. DI Duncan McCormack joins the murder squad to ascertain why the Quaker hasn't been identified - is there a reason besides incompetence and/or bad luck, and has the Quaker finished his killing spree?

Using 1960s Glasgow as a backdrop, McIlvanney weaves an evocative, gritty crime novel. There are some of the usual crime tropes - the 'maverick outsider' main character for example - but they work well here. I enjoyed reading it and would be happy to read more in the series. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves gritty crime dramas.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

The story is set in Glasgow in 1969 and is loosely based the true story of killer Bible John. The Quaker is a bible quoting killer who seems to be the perfect gentleman, courteous and polite. Three women are raped, beaten and murdered close to home after a night at the Barrowlands Ballroom.

The police seem unable to catch him and the city is gripped by fear. DI Duncan McCormack, a leading light is drafted in to close the case down and write a report. There is a fourth murder which is similar but not the same as the previous ones and the police wonder if a copycat killer is at large.

Alex Paton, a peterman based in London arrives in his home city to take part in an auction house heist. He's set up to lie low in an abandoned slum flat which will be torn down in a few weeks as part of the city regeneration. But he seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and the police want to nail him as The Quaker.

McCormack is a brilliant and tenacious character (who I'm looking forward to meeting again in book #2). He's willing to risk all at great personal cost to see those guilty sent to prison. A great read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Super murder mystery set beautifully in late 1960's Glasgow. The hunt for a triple murderer seemingly bogged down a fresh set of eyes brought in to look at then close the investigation down is told in parallel with a seemingly unconnected large burglary. The two are cleverly knitted together with the discovery of a fourth victim. The pace is relentless and even our hero has his own dark secret. Splendidly evocative of a time gone by this is a brilliant yarn.

This is the first book by Liam McIlvanney which I have read.

I found the geographical and recent historical settings used in this crime novel, very enjoyable.
The author has created a wide range of interesting characters.
The plot moves swiftly. All the way through there are new and exciting strands added to the story.

In consequence there are plenty of twists in the plot and a veritable shoal of red herrings to keep the reader engaged.

In all this is a multiple murder mystery with some clever contemporary police procedural elements. Not to mention a couple of very interesting twists in the conclusion.

When reading an author who is new to me, I always ask myself, would I read other books?. In this case the answer is yes.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for a copy in exchange for this review.

This is a police procedural set in 1960 Glasgow. The police are at loggerheads as they have not managed to solve the murders, and are under pressure from the press and public.
I'm afraid it was a bit too ' gritty' for me although I am sure it is authentic. Certainly not one for the faint hearted or easily offended.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC

Set in 1960’s Glasgow the author descriptions took me into the heart of city and East End. I have no knowledge of Glasgow and my knowledge of the 1960’s and the police is a mish mash of the television programmes Call a Midwife, Heartbeat and vague recollections of Inspector George Gently and a hint of Life on Mars but Liam McIlvanney made it real. I could taste the whisky, smell the cigarette smoke and hear the music of the dancing halls as he took me into the slums and condemned buildings and murky criminal underworld.

The story follows DI McCormack as he deals with the backlash and resentment from murder team after he arrives because they have been unable to crack the case. He is deep, thoughtful and has is own secrets. I enjoyed the tension and relationship between him and Goldie who takes the role of his antagonist.

Liam McIlvanney wove the threads murders, backstories and gangsters together to produce a novel I struggled to put down. It may not be fast paced like some crime novels where action follows action but the strength of character and plot made me want to read one more chapter. He produced twists I did not see coming which left me wanting to read more of his work and I truly hope this book will not be the only time I meet DI McCormack.

Set in the 1960's, with a killer on the loose and no sign of being caught, DI McCormack is sent in to review the case and close it down. However, when a suspect is charged, McCormack realises that the real killer is still on the loose.

After a fairly slow start, I was soon hooked and really wanted McCormacks character to be developed more - hopefully this will lead to a series.

I haven't come across Liam McIlvanney before, but based on how much I enjoyed The Quaker, I'll look out for more. This story is really convincing. I'm sure there are elements of fact; there was a serial killer in Scotland at the time and some of his victims had been to the infamous Barrowland dance hall.

This is a really well written crime thriller which really captures policing at the time and the era in general. In the early section, the dedicated hard graft of officers involved in a major investigation really comes across, particularly the front station at lack of progress and a killer still on the loose. The relationships between the team, the tensions, language and near contempt for some senior colleagues is well depicted. The thread of a sub plot around a gallery theft runs through as a separate story and keeps the plot and pace moving. Quite a few chapters end on a cliffhanger and the narrative moves to a different part of the story leaving you desperate to know what happens next.

I liked the way each of the victims were given their own voice and described events. All the characters are well rounded, the use of language and dialect adds to the tale and the hunt to bring The Quaker killer to justice is convincing. Really enjoyed this.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Glesga Ripper

As someone who calls the Dear Green Place home, I was keen to read this novel. Even when the subject matter is as dark as this, there's something pleasing in understanding all of the streets and venues mentioned and understanding the Glaswegian Scots patter. Very pleased I live in the city as it is today, rather than in the 1960s - this book paints a grim, yet from what I understand, accurate past.

In many ways, this is a book about basic human rights. I'm sure it won't be sold as such, but it recognises the danger to women when they choose to do nothing more than go to a simple dance hall for a night out and when people make life choices that don't accord with others' belief systems.

The details are in part gory, as the victims "re-live" the nights of the crimes involved and I found myself wanting things to end differently, even though I knew what was going to happen.

The pace of the book was wonderful - really kept me wondering how it was going to finish and I think that, given the ending, we'll be seeing more of McCormack!

Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and Liam McIlvanney for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE QUAKER by Liam McIlvanney is an atmospheric Thriller that grips the imagination in the harshness of a 1969 Glasgow. The attention to detail is breathtaking. I could smell the cigarette smoke, the damp, and the sweat. I felt totally immersed in the story.

The lead character, DI McCormack searches for the truth in a case that sees women dying in terrible circumstances. The writing is refreshing and gritty.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for the opportunity to review this book. #THEQUAKER

★★★★★ 5 STARS

I have never read anything by Mcllvanney before but I will definitely read more.
I was totally absorbed in this tale, loosely based on a real life event that happened in Glasgow in the 1960’s, DI Duncan McCormack is set the task of investigating a series of murder a that happened several months previously. A fast paced , gritty and terrifying read. Highly recommend.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of The Quaker, a standalone police procedural set in Glasgow, 1969.

DI Duncan McCormack is sent to assess the work of The Quaker murder enquiry seven months after the last murder. The team is working hard but has still to find a suspect but when a fourth body is found McCormack joins the hunt and soon finds some leads.

I enjoyed The Quaker which is a police procedural with its roots in true crime. No Glaswegian of a certain age can fail to recognise The Quaker as a thinly disguised Bible John, the real life serial killer who murdered three women and disappeared. Almost fifty years later his identity and fate are still a mystery and the subject of much debate, making him fertile ground for fiction writers ready to spin their own ideas and theories with Mr McIlvanney being the latest.

The novel is slow to start in an investigative sense with the fourth body not turning up till about 40% in. This means that most of the first half is scene setting with very little happening. It's not as bad as that sounds because it gives Mr McIlvanney the opportunity to fully develop his characters and environment, in fact I don't think I've ever read a better or more detailed evocation of Glasgow in the sixties and it makes for a fascinating read as, although I was a child at the time, it brings back many memories. All that is missing is the black humour. Once the final body is found the action and tension ramp up as the author abandons his faction and moves to straight fiction. The plotting is imaginative and believable and widens to something much more than the hunt for a serial killer. This is the first time I've read Mr McIlvanney's work and I'm impressed.

Duncan McCormack is an interesting character. As a Highlander he's an outsider in the Glasgow City Police, but not as much as you might imagine as there was a long tradition of Highlanders joining up so it's more his nature, he's not very collegiate and the novel hints that he's gay which was illegal in Scotland at the time. When he joins The Quaker team as an assessor he's the outsider on the team as well and relations are necessarily strained. I thoroughly enjoyed the skirmishing which is well done and seems authentic and the way he gradually develops a good working relationship and trust with his main antagonist, DS Goldie.

The Quaker, while slow to start, is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.