DI Logan McRae is a slightly grumpy, but dedicated detective at the police of Scotland. Back on the job after a year away from the force and still recovering from a stab wound to the abdomen, Logan is looking for a simple case to solve while easing back into work. His new boss, Julie Bevan, is busy crocheting, collecting well wishes on greetings cards for staff members and organizing pot luck dinners. Professor and anti-independence campaigner Nicholas Wilson has vanished, leaving behind a pool of blood at his house, and his ageing dog and no traces of the kidnapper. The only leads point to an anonymous online mob, with which Professor Wilson engaged in fierce debates, making the hunt for the killer exceedingly difficult. Once the media gets wind of Wilson’s disappearance, as well as the political past of DI King of the police of Scotland, the pressure mounts.

The thriller unfolds against the backdrop of political turmoil and presents an intriguing and suspenseful plot. Appearances by Logan’s flamboyant and extravagant friends in the film business and Tufty, a shy, but over-caffeinated hacker employed by the police force make for quite a few humorous moments. The characters are well developed, although, as others have rightly pointed out, the language used by characters was a bit coarse at times.
This is the 12th book in the DI Logan McRae series, but the first book of the series that I have read. I would read other books in this series.

Book 12 in the excellent Logan McRae series is in my opinion Stuart MacBride back to writing at his very best,having read every book in the series this is up there with the best.Having read some unfavourable reviews i really cannot understand why,yes there is some Scottish language in,but what do you expect from a book and an author based in Scotland ? and the story is based on Scottish nationalist's who do exist !! Once again Logan teams up with the ever funny Steel,Tufty and Rennie after returning to work after his year off in a case which tests the team to their limits.All That's Dead is a superbly written story and once again MacBride is back on top of his game with a 5 star stunner !

Ooh I love Stuart MacBride books, Logan is back, this book speeds along as if you are in a f1 car, I think tufty is on speed, brilliant to be back in all of their company, even steel, kept me on the edge of my bed all night, get this as soon as you can, you won't regret it.

The latest Logan Macrae novel is always something I look forward to.

Stuart MacBride has created a wonderful cast of characters, realistic and very very funny.
They also happen to be very good at their jobs, if a little unconventional at times.

Logan is looking to ease back to work after long term sickness but that's never likely to happen....

This story revolves around the extremes of the Scottish Independence debate.
Extreme unionist, Professor Wilson goes missing and a manhunt ensues. More high profile Unionists are abducted along the way as the team try to track down the guilty parties.

All the usual elements are present and correct here. A brilliant story well told, humour, character development and roller coaster page turning excitement.

Stuart MacBride is one of my favourite authors and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment.

An eye opening view of Police Scotland. This is the first of this series that I've read. The story is a good one, but the characters are mental.

I think I enjoyed it.

All That's Dead is the twelfth book in the DI Logan McRae series and although most series' would be running out of steam at this point, this is as fresh and captivating as the first ones. The dark sardonic humour is as great as ever and helps break up the brutal crimes and investigation into the two killers by giving the reader some light relief. MacBride has an army of devotees who appreciate the character-driven narrative he creates and each member of the cast is detailed and three-dimensional. He is one of the best at crafting incredibly real, believable and relatable characters in the crime fiction genre.

I rarely comment on dialogue included in a story, but MacBride does a superb job of moving the narrative forward in a very natural way. It's a highly entertaining read with a complex plot and a variety of threads which are woven together cleverly. Once you pick it up you're guaranteed a good time; I read it in a single sitting and was on the edge of my seat for most of it. I found myself laughing out loud many times throughout this cracking read too. The ragtag crew of McRae, Tufty, Rennie and Steel are as strange, intriguing and unusual as they have always been, but you never get tired of them due to their idiosyncrasies.

They are foul-mouthed and wonderful, but although not essential I'd advise reading the previous novels first. This is a fast-paced, high-octane, politically-influenced police procedural and is well worth the time of all crime readers. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

All That's Dead by Stuart MacBride

It’s Inspector Logan McRae’s first day back at work after a year off on the sick. Somebody’s taken his desk. Not a good start but at least he should be able to take things easy for a bit, get back into it slowly. And then high-profile anti-Scottish independence campaigner Professor Wilson goes missing and someone else with similar opinions vanishes. DI King is in charge of the investigation and it’s not going well. His past has raised its ugly head and he’s fighting to hang onto his job. Logan, who’s still working for Professional Standards, is given the job of keeping an eye on him. As the case grabs more and more media attention, as the police become more and more divided, as the political rows heat up, and the hunt becomes increasingly urgent and macabre, Logan finds himself working with the old crew again, and that means Roberta Steel and Tufty. Poor old Tufty. As for Steel…

Stuart MacBride can do no wrong in my eyes. His novels always feature in my top five books of the year, if not in the top one, and I was desperate to read All That’s Dead (understatement). And it is fantastic! It’s the twelfth Logan McRae novel. It stands alone very well as a mystery but I think to gain optimum enjoyment you’d need to have read at least a few more of the series. That way you’ll know how these detectives function, or usually don’t function, as a team. Because these people are an absolute joy to read about.

Logan is our man in charge (and how I love him) but he has his hands full with this lot. Tufty deserves books of his own and he’s at his most irritable and yet endearing best here. He really needs to be kept in a cupboard and only let out on rare occasions when he can be closely monitored. Steel has had her own book (the brilliant Now We Are Dead) and she just gets better and better at being utterly awful, with her itching and scratching, scoffing and leering. She is my favourite detective and, as is usual, she steals every page she’s on, although Tufty gives her a good run for her money.

Stuart MacBride is the wittiest of writers and All That’s Dead sparkles. This is such clever writing. It makes the reader laugh but this contrasts so effectively with other sections of the book which are utterly shocking. The case at the heart of the novel is horrifying. It builds slowly towards something unforgettable. It is astonishing.

There are politics bubbling away in the background, giving the book a timeliness. But, unusually, this is Scotland in a heatwave! We’re used to rain in these books but now the sun has come out and it’s making everybody very tetchy. These people were not designed for heat or sunshine.

I could rave about All That’s Dead all week. This is with no doubt at all my favourite crime series and Stuart MacBride is my favourite crime writer. I urge you to read them. Everybody needs to meet Roberta Steel! And Tufty. Poor Tufty…

Other reviews
Logan McRae series
In the Cold Dark Ground
A Dark So Deadly
Now We Are Dead
The Blood Road

I have read most of the Logan MCrae series, but this one did not match up to the others.
It took a little time to get going and at times it was really repetitive and somewhat tedious.
Tufty was fun, but how did he get away with doing nothing much but playing on his phone/computer.
I think the time has come to retire Logan and Steel.

If you’re not reading this series, you are missing a massive treat. Like others in the series, All That’s Dead can very well be read as a stand-alone, but the characters, their interplay and development, all make for a reading of this series from the beginning to enjoy watching them grow and to follow their progress. Because these are characters you are invested in; people you care about, from the annoying, irrepressible, on overdrive PC Quirrel, universally known as Tufty, to D.S. Roberta Steele, the permanently vaping, never quite finding a bra that fits, fabulously foul mouthed detective.

In All That’s Dead, Logan McRae is back to Professional Standards after a 12 month absence on sick leave following a stabbing. Though he wasn’t expecting a party, McRae is disconcerted to find that they’ve given his desk away. His new boss, Superintendent Bevan, is all first names, team birthday cards and home baking – not at all what Logan is used to.

Julie, as Bevan insists that McRae calls her, plans to ease him back in to work, assisting D.I. Frank King who is a struggling with a collapsing marriage and who is investigating the disappearance of an academic known for his staunch anti-independence stance.

At once MacBride plunges us into the murky world of extreme Scottish politics; a world where there are no shades of grey and you are a traitor to one side of the debate, whichever side you are on. You would not necessarily think this is the best platform for snappy dialogue and wisecracking, but of course it is in adversity that Logan’s team come into their own, exchanging excruciating and sparkling observations, accompanied by a range of astonishingly queasy food options that add to more than one stomach churning moment in this book.

As Logan begins his stint on the investigation into the abduction of Professor Nicholas Wilson, he soon realises that the team is up against a perpetrator who knows how to avoid leaving trace evidence and soon the team are facing a series of similar abductions and chasing their tails to find and catch the perpetrator, have to face the fact that they are getting nowhere as body parts start to arrive in the mail.

To make matters worse, D.I. King is starting to disintegrate in front of his eyes. The media are in hot pursuit, eager to pin Police Scotland to the wall for any mistakes they may make, and one journalist in particular has King’s youthful indiscretions in his sights.

As the investigation heats up, McRae has to contend with not only the mess that is a faltering King, but also Tufty in serious overdrive, the idiot that is DS Rennie and a host of superior officers whose only concern is that they are not held responsible for any fall out from a botched investigation.

The joy of all of this is that not only do we get a fabulously plotted, gloriously characterised crime novel with a devious perpetrator and a gory campaign plan, but we get it in a smart talking, witty and clever wrapper that makes us laugh out loud and extends our liking for these characters a hundredfold.

Verdict: I loved this book. All That’s Dead is a cracking story, brilliantly told. MacBride is on top form and this is a blistering must read.

It is so wonderful to be back in Logan's world again, after his nearly being killed off. An eccentric man with many enemies is taken from his run'down home . unloved by colleagues but an old enemy has captured him (or is he dead) and Logan had been asked to spy on someone top doing investigating
and cited Logan, first facts back its rough. Meanwhile his days have begun top level and Logan finds his life and being a higher up had down side too. But energetic

The Logan McRae Novels by Stuart MacBride are captivating and addictive. They are always on my pre-order list, as is anything else MacBride writes. So to say I was thrilled with the opportunity to receive an advance copy of All That’s Dead would be an understatement. And it did not disappoint. As always, Logan McRae and the rest of the cast of characters go through a lot – a LOT: horrific crimes, murders, serial killers. With a lot of humor and craziness thrown in. And a lot of eating. I am always hungry for sausage and chips when reading and I am about ready to travel to Aberdeen to try a bacon butty and visit the Lobster People from the Planet Too-Ginger-to-Be-in-the-Sun.

Police Scotland Inspector Logan McRae is just back to work after a year of recovery from almost being killed. He’s not all that thrilled to be assigned to Professional Standards but he is looking forward to some simple cases to work his way back into things. Well, that’s not going to happen. He’s assigned as more or less an observer of the officer in charge of solving the disappearance of the high-profile anti-independence campaigner, Professor Wilson, but the powers to be want results quickly and decide that Logan is the one to get them.

While Logan was off recuperating, author MacBride was kind enough to give us an in-between standalone featuring Detective Sergeant Robert Steel. She used to be Detective Chief Inspector Roberta Steel and Logan’s boss until she got caught breaking the rules. She is infuriating. Uncouth, crude, always with the bra strap, has such a mean streak, but there’s also some softness trying to get out. I waited with bated breath until she showed up in All That’s Dead. I love her and Logan and all the rest – Tufty, Milky, Rennie, Tara, Susan, the whole lot of them. They are like a family, a very dysfunctional family.

All That’s Dead is an exciting, thrilling mystery, with a fast-moving plot and a lot of danger, twists and turns and surprises. Because of Logan’s often sarcastic, pessimistic attitude I sometimes forget just how good a detective he really is, how proficient. It’s a joy watching him sort through all the facts and inch toward the murderer. The infighting in the police ranks and battles for and against Scottish Nationalism add depth to the story.

This is the 12th book in the Logan McRae series but you can jump in anytime in any book; they all standalone. But – you shouldn’t. You should start at the beginning and take Logan’s journey with him or you’ll miss out on so much: his up and down career, his many injuries, his lost loves and heartbreak, and his hope and recovery, the depth of his relationship with Steel and much more.

Thanks to author Stuart MacBride, publisher Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of All That’s Dead for my reading pleasure and honest review. Read any one of his books and you’ll be like me, impatiently waiting for the next.

Long term followers of my blog, or folks you have just seen me witter on upon Twitter (or should that be twitter on ...) , will know that I am somewhat of a fan of Stuart MacBride's work. He's the kind of author I stalk Amazon for, keeping an eye on when the next book is out for pre-order, making sure I'm at the front of the queue when it comes to order pickings and the like. I have all the books in first edition - yes, I'm one of those people. So when I saw All That's Dead was up on Amazon, I pressed buy and didn't look back. Getting an early copy via Netgalley was just the icing on the cake.

If you have read any books at all in this series, in particular the last two or three books starting with the Roberta Steel led title, Now We Are Dead, then you will know the kind of story you are going to be getting when you pick up this book. A blend of dark crime and undeniably classic MacBride humour. All of this is present in All That's Dead, a story in which Logan finds himself caught up in the investigation into the somewhat bloody disappearance of a pro-union University Professor whose hobby was to inflame arguments with Scottish Nationalists via Twitter. There is still a chance the disappearance could be entirely innocent, albeit a very slim one, one that is completely written off when an unexpected and unsavoury package arrives at the BBC ...

From here, the threat, and sense of tension and jeopardy increases when another well known figure who spoke in favour of the Union disappears in similarly macabre circumstances. It makes for a perplexing case and even though Logan and co have a firm suspect, he remains frustratingly elusive, adding to the drama for both the police and the reader. It's all classic Logan McRae territory - the chase, the near misses, the very real risk of injury or worse to one or more members of the team ... It works well and, as the investigation ramps up, it really does keep you glued to the book.

But ... and I really do hate to say this, for me, this was only really from the halfway point onward. This was a much slower story to develop, and to be perfectly honest, I wasn't really that empathetic towards the first victim which made it harder to really become invested in his fate. And despite the humour being one of the elements I have really enjoyed in the past few books, this time it felt, I don't know, a little forced maybe? Almost as though the book was becoming a parody of the series itself. Whereas in prior books the sarcasm and colourful language seemed to come predominantly from Steel, in this book it felt as though everyone was acting just a little too unprofessionally, even Logan's superiors, who out Steel'd Steel at times for inventive use of language. I know theirs is the kind of job in which banter is essential and gallows humour is a form of self defence, but this was fudgemonkery on steroids.

Whereas normally the humour comes as welcome relief from the dark subject matters MacBride excels in writing, certainly for the first hundred pages or so I found myself hoping that someone's head would show up in a box all Seven-stylee, just to add some of the darkness that I missed so much. I'm not a monster (not entirely at least), but that perfect blend of light and shade was what won me over to the series in the first place. Cold, dark, grey, granite tough, Aberdonian murder and madness. You know - the stuff that makes you (me) smile? Too much analysis of Logan's fish finger sandwich and not enough on the actual victims of the crime perhaps, objectionable as they were. Or perhaps, tenure in Professional Standards aside, Logan is just too damned happy these day. I do kind of miss the melancholy old sod of yesteryear.

Now what you do get in abundance is Mr MacBride's brilliant ability to bring the setting, and the characters, to life. There are many old and familiar faces to welcome back, as well as few new ones to get to know and potentially loathe. Notably in this book it is DI King who becomes the focus of everyone's attention, for all the wrong reasons, and not just because he's struggling to solve the case. He's under pressure from all sides and although I didn't especially like him as a person, as a defective detective I really did. Regarding setting, I think anyone who is from the area, or who has ever had the dubious delight of trying to traverse the city or fight their way up past Bridge of Don to head on North, will recognise the sense of futility and subsequent resignation which accompanies the frequent car journeys that poor Logan and co have to make. It's that sense of place, that feeling of "I know exactly where you mean', that really brings the story to life. Even if you don't know Aberdeen, you can still picture it quite clearly. That ability to capture the location on the page is the author's forte, and something I don't believe will ever change or fade.

There is a strong socio-political theme throughout this book - pro v anti independence for Scotland, even pro v anti Brexit - and although the author stops short of ever showing the reader Logan's feelings on the subject, many other characters, King included, nail their colours to the mast. No pun intended there to those in the know btw ... ;) It is highly topical, particularly because of the Brexit fiasco which is still ongoing and the rise in intolerance which has come in its wake. The story certainly strikes a chord, although hopefully nobody, no matter their political bias, would go as far as the villains in this particular piece.

I really wanted to be able to rave about this book, and was as excited about reading it as I have been all the others. And I didn't not like it, I just didn't love it as much as I'd wanted to either. It's a great story, and I found the second half of the book really drew in me and the time spent reading just flew by. It did make me laugh, as well as frustrate me at times, so maybe the problem is really more with me than with the book. Who knows? What drove me crazy, others will adore. Reading is all subjective anyway, right?

Because there were those typically MacBride moments of 'ewww, gross ... teehee', the ones that you always find in his books that keep the macabre murder lover (fictional) in me quite contented. And there is absolutely no doubt that Stuart MacBride is a master story teller, and king of the quip. But I'm just hoping that in the next book as least one of the police team takes the investigation just a touch more seriously, and that we have a few more moments of rationality to contrast against the inevitable, and quite frankly well needed, madness. I'll admit though, that when it comes to writing about British politics right now, that would be a tall order for any author, even one as good as Stuart MacBride.

Having read and thoroughly loved one of Mr MacBride's previous outings starring Logan McRae - A Dark So Deadly - I was thrilled to be accepted by the publisher, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, via NetGalley to read and review "All That's Dead" before publication in return for an honest and unbiased review.

This instalment had a lot to live up to and, overall, it hit the mark with it's dark humour, the fantastic characters, the setting, the twists and all wrapped up in an excellent plot amongst the backdrop of domestic terrorism and the independence movement in Scotland which although results in a fair bit of English-bashing, does mirror Brexit (oh how I hate that word!) in many respects which makes it topical and current too!

I did have a few niggles that did irritate me somewhat ... one or two of the characters who were supposed to be Police Officers did not come across as very believable; they were overly childish and not very good at their jobs. In addition, I found the word "sooked" extremely annoying for some reason - not sure why but it just wound me up.

I am absolutely certain that it would be better to read the series in order, it does work as a standalone pretty successfully and although the niggles prevented me from awarding this a 5 star read, I would still recommend it.

Can I make a polite suggestion?  Please read the previous books.  I am quite sure that, apart from being great stories to read, there is a wealth of back story that will assist with understanding some of the interpersonal dynamics here.

So, to the story.  The narrative, shot through with humour, nevertheless delivers on tension at a somewhat frenetic pace.  There is a real sense of the police running to catch up here, and this is apparent both in the interactions between colleagues, as well as their superiors, who are not portrayed favourably. 

The bad guys become apparent reasonably early on in the book, and although there are some surprising twists, the straightforward nature of that plot thread really served to provide a steadiness against the feeling of chaos in the police investigation.

In summary, although this was a book which left me a little bamboozled at times with the sheer number of characters, it was still an enjoying, suspenseful read.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

This is a stunning read! One of my favourite crime authors who never fails to deliver. Book 12 in the Logan Mc Rae series is every bit as fresh as book one. Logan is investigating a trail of missing bodies, an investigating officer with a serious mark on his record and the character of DS Steel on the team. So much humour, great pace, tight plot and a well written tale make this a 5* read from Stuart MacBride. I just love this series and have no hesitation in recommending this book. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. Reviews on Goodreads and Facebook with Amazon to follow on publication day.

Another fantastic book from Stuart MacBride in the Logan McRae series. Great characters and a great storyline that has you hooked right until the end. Roll on the next book!

Love this series. Love everything about it. The characters, the plot, the humour. The writing style. Love it all. Have devoured the whole series.

Every time I review a Stuart Macbride novel I have a terrible time because honestly all I want to do is dance the awesome book dance. Yes it’s a thing in my house, the youngest did one last night having finished the fourth Harry Potter..

Anyway, you can’t see me so I’ll just have to use my words…All That’s Dead is yet another fantastic addition to this series, completely gripping first page to last, irreverently hilarious and also dark as you like.

Our favourite characters are back doing their own awesome book dance alongside a truly villainous villain, a massive dose of reality and some rather horrific happenings. The plot is taut and effective as ever, it is an utter delight to read, as they all are.

Is there any need to say more? Nope. Well ok, just that if you are looking for quality writing, brilliant observation and genuinely addictive plots within your crime fiction, this series and this author should be high up on your reading list.

Exceptional stuff.

Highly Recommended.

4.5 Stars
Inspector Logan McRae returns to work after a year & hopes he’ll be able to ease back to work with an easy case. No chance!
The high-profile anti-independence campaigner, Professor Wilson, has gone missing, leaving nothing but bloodstains behind. A superior officer with problems, who unravels leaving McRae to cope. Although this is the twelfth book in the series the series is still fresh & I just love the series , strong characters & a fast paced story just what I need for an enjoyable read. I loved the mix of dark humour & tension (unlike the previous book where I felt the humour didn’t work) & read the book under a day. There are twists & turns along the way, I can highly recommend this book & the whole series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of All That’s Dead, the twelfth novel to feature DI Logan MacRae of Police Scotland.

Logan returns to a job in Professional Standards after a year off on invalidity. To ease him in he is asked to investigate DI King who is facing exposure in the press. It should be a simple job but DI King is investigating the disappearance of staunch and combative anti independence campaigner Professor Nicholas Wilson. As Logan gets pulled into the investigation his gentle easing in turns into anything but.

I thoroughly enjoyed All That’s Dead which is another fine addition to an excellent series. It made me laugh while clinging to the edge of my seat as the tension and excitement rise. There are plenty of twists and turns as Logan tries to find out what happened to Professor Wilson, many of them gory as Mr MacBride does not shy away from the violence implicit in crimes of this nature.

It is an interesting subject to cover and I enjoyed the running commentary on Independence. It has been somewhat overshadowed by Brexit in the press but is still a hot button topic in Scotland. I was particularly interested in what Mr MacBride calls the Alt-Nat, the rabid pro-independence movement which surfaced during the referendum as I hadn’t realised the extent of it. It makes for interesting if shameful reading for any Scot. For non Scots the politics may not be quite as interesting but the story they shape will surely hold the attention.

It is equally interesting to see the once feckless Logan MacRae turn into the voice of reason and often the only adult in the room. He has his hands full in this novel trying to corral a motley crew of colleagues, including the irrepressible DS Roberta Steele who, as ever, has a way with words and attitude that has me in stitches on a regular basis.

All That’s Dead is a great read that I have no hesitation in recommending.