Once again Alan Parks knocks it out of the park in the 4th of his hard boiled historical Scottish Noir series set in the dark, dangerous, violent, sectarian, mean and gang ridden streets of 1970s Glasgow, featuring DI Harry McCoy. His friendship with volatile crime boss Stevie Cooper goes back to their childhood days where Stevie protected him, makes him few friends amongst fellow police officers, but that doesn't stop him picking him up at Peterhead prison in Aberdeen after Stevie's 6 month stint inside. Stevie is not the same man who went inside as he returns to his past home, a council estate flat, an unforgiving man who prizes loyalty above all else, including from McCoy, as he hunts for a traitor amidst his cohorts. Harry and Wattie found themselves at the scene of a bombing in the Woodlands, hardly the kind of prominent target that would interest the IRA, so what is going on?

It turns out the only casualty of the bombing is the bombmaker, a young lad making a 'co-op bomb' the ingredients of which can be found in any supermarket, and whose remains are splattered into smithereens in the flat. Expecting the investigation to be taken over by Special Branch, McCoy is surprised to hear they are not interested and it falls to Glasgow police to investigate. Harry's worries are borne out when a bombing at the cathedral causes considerable damage, with numerous injuries and death, he is certain more bombs and carnage will follow. Additionally, Harry has been persuaded to look for the missing AWOL son, Donny Stewart, of a wealthy ex-naval captain, the American Andrew Stewart, a distraught father who has flown over to find him. Donny is based at the US naval base at Holy Loch. Wattie, and his reporter partner, Mary, now have an infant son, leaving Wattie struggling with the lack of sleep, as he implores Harry to help him. Pressure is piling on Wattie from Chief Inspector Murray who thinks little of his abilities, who puts Wattie in charge of the inquiry into the murder of Jamsie Dixon, with Stevie the main suspect. Harry's life is made even more difficult when a friendly warning to Faulds results in a meeting with bullying Special Branch officer accusing him of IRA connections.

In a dark, tense, action packed and thrilling narrative, Harry hunts for bombers targeting drinking establishments, and loyal to their murderous and insane army leader. A search of a country home finds shocking nightmarish evidence of unspeakable torture and killing, both from the past with the despicable, illegal, and unspeakable acts committed by the British military as the empire began to collapse, and in the present. Army boys have been going missing around the month of April for some years, preyed upon by those they trusted, only to end up as part of the 'April Dead'. This is a stellar series that will appeal to readers who love gritty Scottish Noir, the atmospheric 1970s Glasgow setting and the characterisations, particularly that of McCoy, are particular highlights. Many thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

Compelling novel, good crime fiction, I could not put it down until I had finished it. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance reading copy.

Going by the blurb, I thought this would have been a book I would enjoy and one I would get really into from the start. Sadly it wasn’t. Gave it an extra couple of pages, but enough was enough and I gave it up. So sorry, it just was not one for me.

This is a solid follow on from Bobby March, picking up with Harry McCoy in April 1974 this continues the gritty Glasgow crime series, the main crime this time being unexplained bombings with a side of a missing American naval officer thrown in. McCoy continues to tread a fine line with his friendship with hard man Stevie Cooper and this continues to test him. The storyline is set in a sensible timescale, it’s good to see the characters roles evolving and the storylines weave well throughout it. It’s got a hint of gruesome, plenty of no nonsense policing and the continued effect of the job on McCoy well thought out. Had a great ending, sets up well for the next book which I look forward to reading.