I do really love these Alan Parks books. I love the time period. I love the Scottishness. I love that they’re published by Canongate. I love the characters and that there’s an almost Oliver Twist type vibe between Harry and Stevie. But this one wasn’t as thrilling for me as the other books in the series. I don’t know if it’s Wattie’s baby or the almost and I say that sparingly settling down of Stevie but it wasn’t quite there for me. Still loved it. Still a great series. It’s definitely evolutionary.

we are here in the hands of a real professional writer here - pulling us along with him in this twisting tale full of atmospheric underpinnings ... friends through thick and thin, policemen have the same life of supporting each other as they rest of us do. greeting an old friend/foe straight out of prison who is going to fall into his old ways takes our man way out of his comfort zone

what really made me sit up with this one was the characterisations - the plot for me was just a bit meandering.; but i read on and decided it did not matter all that much to me ..

really good value - I like Parks a lot - 5 stars for sure...

Harry McCoy's life has suddenly get very complicated. His day job has him searching for a bomber in Glasgow as well as a missing US seaman from the Holy Loch base, his childhood friend (and local gangster) is out of jail and seemingly looking for revenge, his protoge has a new baby and now the Special Branch think he is an IRA agent - suddenly his ulcer is the least of his concerns.
The McCoy series goes from strength to strength with this latest episode. It feels so authentic with the setting in 1970s Glasgow and McCoy being the sort of unreconstructed, hard-living cop so familiar from original books and tv. Here the complex plots have lots of political driving - the conflict in Northern Ireland, torture by British soldiers, anti-Gypsy racism etc - yet nothing is done to death, it is just part of the excellent story.

This is another strong four-star entry in Parks' Glasgow-based 1970s police series. This time out, bombs are exploding around Glasgow and Harry McCoy is on the trail again, bringing his own brand of warped morals, an underlying vulnerability, and a commitment to solving the case.

The book does a grand job of further developing the cast of characters from the previous stories in the context of a gripping and well-plotted mystery.

4th book in the Harry McCoy series. Set in Glasgow in 1974 Harry sets out to investigate the disappearance of an American sailor from the Holy Loch submarine base, whilst currently investigating a bomb explosion. Could these two incidents be connected?
Full of violence, not just the criminals but the Scottish police as well which was quite shocking at times.
Well written crime mystery, not for the faint hearted. But enjoyed the fast pace and well written characters.
4 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

I enjoyed this Harry McCoy thriller just as much as ‘Bobby March Will Live Forever’ and perhaps even more as it was less confusing for me. That is not to say less intriguing or interesting as the plot keeps the reader baffled just enough to be compelling.
1970s Glasgow is still portrayed in a dismal light but realistic too and I like Park’s inclusions of descriptive details from that era (‘the bamboo-effect wallpaper’ and ‘not easy to squash a six-foot-four frame into the back of a Viva’, for example) that help provide some colour and light amongst all the tension and depression.
A gritty read for those who like detective thrillers with a scattering of nostalgia.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the 1st time I've read a book by Alan Parks and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I find the style easy to read and the storyline grips you till the end!

Poor Harry McCoy has his hands full. Who is turning Glasgow into a Belfast? Why are there bombs going off? Who is behind it and what's the objective? He is also asked to look into the disappearance of an American naval officer whose father is desperate to find him and is not happy with the help or lack of he's been receiving from the local police. On top of it all, his childhood friend is released from prison and he must try and keep him on the straight and narrow. No wonder he is sitting with an ulcer at the age of 32!

I will definitely be reading more from this author! Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Please note, The April Dead is the fourth Harry McCoy novel. Though these novels can be viewed as standalone works I would suggest beginning with book one, Bloody January. With that in mind, the review that follows may contain a mild spoiler or two if you haven’t started there. Consider yourselves suitably warned.

When an American sailor from the Holy Loch Base goes missing, Harry McCoy is determined to find him. But as he investigates, a wave of bombings hits Glasgow – with the threat of more to come. Soon McCoy realises that the sailor may be part of a shadowy organisation committed to a very different kind of Scotland. One they are prepared to kill for.

Meanwhile Cooper, McCoy’s long-time criminal friend, is released from jail and convinced he has a traitor in his midst. As allies become enemies, Cooper has to fight for his position and his life. He needs McCoy to do something for him. Something illegal.

McCoy is running out of time to stop another bomb, save himself from the corrupt forces who want to see him fail and save the sailor from certain death. But McCoy discovers a deeper, darker secret – the sailor is not the first young man to go missing in April.

Alan Parks latest Harry McCoy crime thriller has arrived, and the good news is, it is another absolute blinder. The April Dead picks up in 1974 and Glasgow’s reputation for being a dangerously violent city is splashed across the pages of every tabloid newsletter. The last thing the authorities need is the threat of bombs being added into the mix. Harry and Wattie are tasked with discovering the truth behinds the bombings. Are the sectarian troubles of Ireland finding their way to Scotland’s shores, or is there something else afoot? Meanwhile, Harry has to also deal with a missing person and the continued rise of Steve Cooper.

The constant pressure of police work is beginning to take a physical toll on Harry. The vast number of cigarettes and copious amounts of alcohol probably don’t help either. Probably not the best coping mechanism I’d imagine. It’s true that Harry remains as tenacious as ever but there are signs he is starting to unravel. Chasing down villains consumes Harry, and without that, he doesn’t know who he is. I think there may even be a part of him that doesn’t want to know. I like these little introspective moments where we get to see exactly what going on in Harry’s head. It really humanises him and adds genuine depth to the character. It’s one of the reasons I know I’m going to read every novel featuring this detective as long as Alan Parks continues to write them*.

I’m really enjoying the continued evolution of his character. Harry’s best friend/raising star of the criminal underworld is the perfect counterpoint to our protagonist. Copper exhibits a ruthless cunning paired with barely contained sociopathic tendencies. His attitude towards any potential competition is to deal with them in a brutally efficient manner. Cooper is always up to some scheme or another and Harry often finds himself having to deal with the fallout. Once again it makes me wonder just how long Harry is going to put up with Cooper’s actions. The direction each of the men are going in suggests that the boyhood friends are going to end up having to face off against one another eventually. The irony is that, outside of police work, Cooper is about the only constant in Harry’s life. You can tell Stevie Cooper is a great character because whenever he doesn’t appear in a scene you want to know what he is up to.

The April Dead feels like the darkest Harry McCoy novel to date. The subject matter starts simply enough but gets grimmer and grimmer as the narrative unfolds. It makes for a suitably tense read. Harry finds himself in a race against time and the final chapters are particularly nerve-wracking. We are also starting to see evidence of a larger story beginning to take shape. There are enough loose ends to ensure events in this novel are going to be referenced again in the future.

From my perspective, I think we’ve reached the point where Harry deserves to make the leap from page to screen. Gritty police drama set in bustling nineteen seventies Glasgow. Booze, drugs, violence and a lead character who is a bit of a mess–what’s not to love? It would make for perfect television; I’d certainly watch it. The only question I need answering – who would play Harry? Time to get my thinking cap on.

I came to these novels a bit late. I only read book three, Bobby March Will Live Forever, last month. In one respect that’s great news. I’ve only had to wait a few weeks to get my hands on the latest instalment. Now I’m going to have to wait an undetermined length of time until book five arrives. I’m not sure I can cope! Especially after that ending.

Kudos to Alan Parks for his work with this series. He continues to do a great job of bringing the darker side of Glasgow to life. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of these novels and I’m pleased to see them go from strength to strength. Each new Harry McCoy novel has successfully expanded on its predecessor. The cast of recurring characters grow and flesh out Harry’s world and the plots are never anything less than riveting.

The April Dead is published by Canongate and is available now. Highly recommended.

My musical recommendation to accompany The April Dead is the rock and blues marvel that is Thunderbox by Humble Pie. Pairing each new Harry McCoy novel with an album from the same year the book is set in just feels right. Part of me can imagine Harry popping this album onto a turntable, pouring himself a whisky, lighting up a cigarette and drifting off in his favourite chair while the music washes over him. I know, I’m an old sentimentalist at heart.

*Based on the titles so far, I figure we have at least another eight books to go. I am totally ok with that.

Glasgow, 1974.
Detective Harry McCoy doesn't feel well. His doctor suggests he lays off the booze and cigarettes, and eats a bland diet.
He's called to investigate a bombing gone wrong in the Woodlands area. The investigation is complex, but nowhere near as complex as his relationship with childhood pal/bully, gangland boss Stevie Cooper.
This thriller is so complex, so beautifully realised, and shows such a development of McCoy and his world since book three I was completely seduced by it. There are some ropey plot elements but that doesn't detract from the sense of place and time, the dread and the disappointments.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Cannongate Books for an advance copy of The April Dead in exchange for an honest review.

A fabulous book, from what I class as a 'quality author' great plot, great setting, good characters and plenty of intrigues. A brilliant book to get stuck into. Recommended.

The fourth book in this outstanding series is set in April 1974, nearly a year on from the previous one, and Harry is pretty much in the same place, living in a small flat on his own, no girlfriend and he’s even got an ulcer now! On the brighter side, Harry's boss Chief Inspector Murray is back at Stewart Street and content in his new relationship with Phyllis Gilroy, the local pathologist. Raeburn is gone, now a private detective, and Wattie is on the up, now having baby wee Duggie with girlfriend reporter Mary. The story begins with a bomb blast on Easter Friday in a grotty rented flat in the back end of Glasgow. Wattie and McCoy have to attend the scene, always a joy for McCoy with his hatred of all things bloody. They are puzzled as to why the place would have been targeted until Faulds, back from Belfast, explains the dead man was actually making the bomb when it went off. Out that night with Wattie and his brothers, McCoy runs into an American named Andrew Stewart. The man is a retired US Navy captain and is here looking for his son Donny who has gone missing from their base at Holy Loch, over the water from Greenock. After tracking him down at his hotel the next day, Stewart travels with McCoy as he makes the drive up to Aberdeen to fetch Stevie Cooper on his release from Peterhead prison. He was serving time for attacking Pat Dixon and McCoy warns Stevie to keep his head down as Pat’s psycho brother Jamsie will be looking to take his revenge but well, you know Stevie and you just know trouble lies ahead. McCoy agrees to help Stewart trace his missing son, whilst Stewart and Cooper strike up an unlikely friendship over boxing. Then another bomb goes off, this time in Glasgow Cathedral and Jamsie Dixon is found murdered. Another search of the bomb maker’s flat reveals there were two people there, and it looks like the injured one who got away could be Donny. The hunt leads McCoy to the British Army, a hippy commune and a man obsessed with the military. All whilst trying to find an AWOL sailor, a bomber who is planning more attacks and keep himself out of gang wars and revenge killings at the same time. As they try to prevent more deaths, the detectives make some truly shocking discoveries they could not have dreamt of in their worst nightmares, leading to an ending which is both thrilling and strangely satisfying all round.
McCoy is known all over Glasgow, good and bad places, good and bad people. Sometimes this is why he ends up caught between them, and this story is no exception. Although I’m sure you can enjoy this as a stand alone, you really need to read the books in order to properly understand the dynamic between McCoy and Stevie Cooper. Many of the old faces, like Jumbo, Billy Weir and Iris are back again and this time there is less by way of introduction or explanation of the history between them. These books can't be faulted and you can almost taste the grime and poverty of some of the back streets and pubs in Glasgow, with their wealth of colourful and very believable characters. Dark, atmospheric and totally absorbing! I cannot wait to see what May brings. 5*

Another great story about life in the 70s Glasgow police force. The mean streets are still mean. While on a night out in Greenock celebrating Wattie's baby son, McCoy meets American Andy Stewart, over looking for his son, Donny, who has disappeared from his US naval ship in the Holy Loch. McCoy agrees to help look for Donny, and the next thing Andy is accompanying him on a journey to Peterhead Prison to pick up Stevie Cooper on his release. The American and the Glasgow hard man form an unlikely friendship. McCoy walks on the edge as usual with his friendship with Stevie conflicting with his duty as a Police Officer. As usual, stories become linked, lines are blurred and you're never quite sure how it will all work out - especially when you add in bombs and a secret army of young cadets. An explosive addition to Alan Parks' series. #netgalley #theaprildead

I never repeat the blurb. Another excellent instalment in this series....started perhaps a little slowly but picked up pace well. More please.

I never do this!
“For a bit of excellent Tartan Noir”, said my Glaswegian pal, “try Alan Parks starting with Bloody January.” So, Paul’s recommendations being highly valued, I started with BLOODY JANUARY. A couple of weeks later, I had read all four of Park’s Harry McCoy novels back-to-back.

Just released, THE APRIL DEAD. April 1974. Bombs are going off in Glasgow but, despite the city sharing some of Northern Ireland’s sectarianism, this doesn’t feel like the IRA to Harry McCoy. Meanwhile, Harry is approached by the father of a US sailor who has gone missing from a nearby American naval base.

All four novels are well plotted mystery-thrillers, Alan Parks clearly knowing how to construct a story. But it is the characters and the setting, the atmosphere that sets these books apart. Parks’s Glasgow is a dark, bleak place populated by drug dealers, prostitutes, criminal gangs, the homeless, good and bad polis, police in the Glasgow vernacular. It feels authentic, as much a character in the stories as Raymond Chandler’s Los Angeles or Lawrence Block’s New York.

McCoy is not a dirty cop, or polis, but he is conflicted. He has a strong sense of morality, knows what is right and wrong, but the dividing line doesn’t always tally with where others, particularly other polis, would consider it to be. He has allies in his boss, Murray and his new partner, Wattie, but continually tests their support. He has a complicated relationship with Stevie Cooper, to whom he has a strong loyalty due to their shared past when Cooper protected the young McCoy, often suffering in his stead. But McCoy is not blind to Cooper’s sociopathic nature. In Cooper, we see echoes of Hawk in Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels or Mouse in Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins stories. Cooper is no sidekick, no gangster with a heart of gold. He is a genuinely dangerous man, one whom McCoy reluctantly allows to run, feeling perhaps that Cooper is a better alternative to his criminal rivals, but knowing that there will be a reckoning and that he will someday have to take Cooper down. The reader, and Harry McCoy, suspect that this may prove impossible.

This is simply one of the best continuing series out there at present and can stand with the best of any era. Think Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald, William McIllvaney, Ian Rankin. Yes, all the standard elements are there and, in lesser hands, the books could be clichéd but they transcend the genre. Violently. Viscerally.

The only real problem is that, now that I have caught up, it’s going to be a long wait for the next in the series. I can’t wait for May, whenever that might be…

Having read the first three books in this series, Bloody January, February’s Son, and Bobby March Will Live Forever, with all three earning a well deserved place in my top 10s of the year, now the indomitable Harry McCoy returns in The April Dead.

There is always the danger when you keep reviewing an established series that you will run out of ways to get across how good the series is. Yep. Think I’m now rapidly approaching that point. But seriously, Parks once again immerses us completely in the environs of grim 1970s Glasgow with a bombing campaign beginning, perpetrated by a new and disciplined faction, McCoy being again tied up in the nefarious activities of his criminal pal, Stevie Cooper, whilst trying to apply himself to finding the bombers and embarking on a search for an AWOL American sailor, all of which culminates in a couple of truly nail biting cliff-hangers.

Phew.

It’s all going on in this one.

One of the constants of this series is the way that Parks uses McCoy to criss-cross the lines between morality and immorality, not only in the cases he is tasked with, but also in his mercurial friendship with Cooper. I absolutely love the ups and downs of this relationship, and the way that McCoy grapples with the balance between being an upholder of the law, but also bending to Cooper’s manipulative will more often than not. As Cooper is trying to thwart a potential power grab by another Glasgow criminal face, McCoy is dragged reluctantly into the struggle, trying to cover his position as a police officer, but with this also deep seated, but vehemently denied at times, loyalty to his friend. There is a wee ratcheting up of the tension between them again in this one, which adds a real colourful edge to the book, by turns darkly funny but also puts McCoy on a sticky wicket throughout. Alongside this friendship there is the usual badinage between McCoy and his colleague Wattie, with Wattie experiencing a bit of a crisis as to how good a copper he actually is, suffering the stresses of recent fatherhood, and at one point modelling a rather disturbing pair of underpants (that’s intrigued you hasn’t it?) All this gives plenty of scope in the book for gentle ribbing, and some almost touching concern from McCoy to his protégé. It’s actually quite surprising how often McCoy shows a more sensitive side to his character in this one, particularly in his dealings with the father of the missing sailor, and perhaps the stalking shadow of his own mortality has something to do with it…

As always Glasgow looms large with Parks warts-and-all depiction of a city fuelled by the blackest humour, grinding poverty, and sectarianism, suffering the effects of a bombing campaign with a particularly malevolent mastermind behind it, and a case for McCoy that may have further repercussions down the line. As always Parks perfectly navigates the line between brutal truth and undeniable affection for Glasgow and its inhabitants, as the book travels its familiar course of wry observation that also reveals deeper social fissures in the city. It’s also a good device that by incorporating the American abroad with the Andy Stewart character (searching for his missing son) this gives the reader another perception of the city from an outsider looking in, and by the same token incorporating some interesting background on the American naval strand of the story. As usual the dialogue is as slick and polished as the plot, carrying us along on a wave of ribald humour and punchy coarseness that is sharp and fluid.

Having said before that I would totally and completely recommend this series on the strength of three books, I can only say now that I would totally and completely recommend this series with the fourth included. The April Dead is a cracking addition, leaving a couple of unanswered questions at its close that will guarantee this reader will be waiting for what may come, come what may. Highly recommended.

1974 and Glasgow is shaken by homemade bombs. What so far was only known to happen in Northern Ireland, now also seems to have reached Scotland. Detective Harry McCoy is assigned the investigation, but first, he needs to head to the prison where his oldest friends Stevie Cooper is released. Harry tells him to keep his head down for a couple of days, despite knowing Stevie’s character only too well. Thus, he starts a series of gang feuds in Glasgow’s underworld which adds to the mysterious bombings. And there is another case which Harry tries to solve: an American father is looking for his son who disappeared while being stationed with the navy in Scotland. Just like always, all things happen at the same time and McCoy has another couple of challenging days ahead.

Following the Harry McCoy series from the first instalment, I have since been a huge fan of Alan Park’s novels. The first two, “Bloody January” and “February’s Son” presented us the protagonist of the series and his family background and link to the underworld, “Bobby March Will Live Forever” focussed a bit more on the police world in 1970s Glasgow, the latest book is again brilliant in creating a special atmosphere and gives insight in how, at times, the truth needs to be adapted to the needs while not losing sight of rightfulness and justice.

The bombings plot is quickly linked to a paramilitary army which, of course, strongly reminds of the IRA. A charismatic leader who abuses his followers to accomplish his mission in a complex political environment is perfectly chosen for a crime novel. The missing son is an interesting addition since this illustrates the family pressure which was much stronger five decades ago than today.

Undoubtedly the most fascinating aspect was this time how McCoy is torn between his conviction as a member of the police and his bond with Cooper, himself the number one of Glasgow’s underworld. McCoy is not actually afraid of what Cooper might be willing to do to him, but he shows respect while making his point as a detective, at the same time. Even though he follows his instinct, which is often totally right, he is also at fault at times and has to cope with the consequences and challenge his sense of justice.

Another enjoyable and suspenseful novel which is not only highly complex but cleverly made-up with a careful rhythm and thus, for me, one of the best crime series at the moment.

This was an interesting first encounter for me with the work of Alan Parks. First impressions were that, in common with other notable Scottish crime writers, the author has an easy style that captured the atmosphere of Glasgow and the murky world of gangs and thugs encountered by the lead character. The plot was well structured and held the reader’s interest with a compelling desire to keep reading beyond any planned ‘lights out’ time. However, for this reader, the somewhat gratuitous violence described in the unfolding storyline added little to the plot and sat uneasily in the later chapters. More convincing was the urban terrorism theme and the efforts to dismantle the threat facing the city. Recommended

The April Dead is the fourth instalment in the Detective Inspector Harry McCoy Thriller series, set in Glasgow. It's April 1974 and when an American sailor from the Holy Loch Base goes missing, Harry McCoy is determined to find him. Having been approached by US Navy Captain Andrew Stewart, he had been roped into helping him find his son, Donny, who has been missing from the US Naval base for two days now. But as he investigates, a wave of bombings, not unlike the one's that we're part of an IRA bombing campaign targeting London, Manchester and Birmingham, hits Glasgow - the first in a small flat in an inconsequential part of the city had blown up and killed the seemingly inept bombmaker - with the threat of more to come. Soon McCoy realises that the sailor may be part of a shadowy organisation committed to a very different kind of Scotland.

One they are prepared to kill for. Meanwhile, Stevie Cooper, McCoy's longtime criminal friend, is released from jail and convinced he has a traitor in his midst. McCoy will need to keep him close if he has any chance of stemming the rising tide of crime, thuggery and gang violence throughout the city. As allies become enemies, Cooper has to fight for his position and his life. He needs McCoy to do something for him. Something illegal. McCoy is running out of time to stop another bomb, save himself from the corrupt forces who want to see him fail and save the sailor from certain death. But McCoy discovers a deeper, darker secret - the sailor is not the first young man to go missing in April.

This is another seriously cracking read with a blistering plot, scalpel-sharp writing and a rich, three-dimensional character in McCoy himself. Detectives often have gut feelings, but Harry McCoy’s guts are in turmoil. At the age of 32, drinking, smoking and bad food have given him a peptic ulcer. Bring out the boiled cod and Smash. He's given the facade of a tough, no-nonsense individual but peel away the layers and there's a heart of gold behind the sometimes macho attitude. The setting is a character in itself as it comes alive as you read revealing the murkiness of Glasgow's criminal underworld, gangland factions fighting for power and turf and the dingy, oppressive atmosphere that accompanies these activities. A compulsive, enthralling and richly atmospheric read and a series that shows no sign of flagging. Highly recommended.

Harry McCoy is back and it’s now 1974 in Glasgow. When a bomb goes off, he is part of the investigation team, which soon spirals into a dark, complex problem. On top of the investigation, McCoy still has friends in low places and is trying to avoid being sucked into a vicious gangland feud which has potential to end very badly.

This is the fourth in the Harry McCoy series and it’s a strong addition! This can be read as a stand-alone but it links in well with the previous stories, as there is good character development from the beginning, so it is well worth reading the series as a whole. I’m really enjoying this series, the characters are distinct and interesting, they all seem human - no one is entirely good or bad, everyone is drawn in shades of grey. Being from Glasgow myself, I find the descriptions of the city extremely vivid, and in some cases, not too different from how it is today.

I would absolutely recommend this book, I think it examines some interesting issues and it’s refreshing to see them through the lens of the 1970s. The series as a whole is great and I would recommend it all, I’ve found each book to be really engaging.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alan Parks and Harry McCoy return for a 4th book , entitled The April Dead.

In a series that has fast become one of my most hotly anticipated series of the Year, Parks again writes an absolutely superb thriller dripping with the dark and gritty prose he has established.

Back on the streets of Glasgow in the 70s and McCoy and wet behind the ears partner “Wattie” find themselves hunting for a bomber when an accident in a flat seemingly kills the bomb-maker, when he detonates his homemade explosive.

Parks has become a master at running several plot lines through his books, and in this Harry is also on the case of a missing American Naval Soldier as well as the ever dangerous gangster and child friend Stevie Cooper continuing to prove more than a just a thorn in McCoys side. Add to that some threats from the Government’s inner sanctum and failing health, McCoy really is up against it.

In McCoy , Parks has created a character who though seems so hard and thick skinned he actually in fact is far from that, and appears to care deeply for Wattie, and even Cooper, and is almost his one man mission to keep Glasgow safe in the face of all adversities.

The Strings to this outstanding thriller soon knit together as Parks paces his story with masterful skill leading to a quite absorbing and entertaining read and finale that left both an open mouth and sly grin upon my face.

Quite Brilliant and one of the stand out reads for me so far this year.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥