What can I say? Ian Rankin has done a superb job with McIlvanneys manuscript. This book shows the dark and gritty side of Glasgow in the 70's and I bloody loved it! Laidlaw is such a brilliant character, full of determination and doesn't follow the rules! This book grabbed my attention from the start and held it to the end. A really good read!

My introduction to William McIlvanney, and to the character he created back in the day, DI Jack Laidlaw, the hardbitten, cynical, deep-thinking truth seeker, which set the template for so many that followed, and created a genre which continues to thrive and surprise to this day: Glasgow Noir.

Apparently this is a prequel, based on an unfinished manuscript found after the death of William McIlvanney, and completed and finished by Ian Rankin, so as a newcomer to McIlvanney, I cannot comment on Rankin's literary 'impression' of the original, other to say I found it a compelling read.

There was a flowing narrative which expanded naturally and never ceased to capture and thrill this reader's imagination, set in a very credible rough-and-ready Glasgow of the 70s.

A flawed, angry but essentially moral hero, a brilliant depiction of 1970s Glasgow before it became gentrified, and a plot that weaves and turns convincingly through the mean but also oddly warm streets of a great city.

A very enjoyable and effortless read, perfect holiday reading, or to wind down to at the end of shift. Highly Recommended. 8/10

Bobby Carter was a notoriously venal lawyer, he was in up to his eyeballs with Glasgow’s criminal fraternity. It had been his job to protect and give guidance to an assortment of miscreants and villains of Glasgow, and now he’s dead - murdered and dumped in a dirty alleyway. The problem is, his killing is likely to cause a vicious war between the two main gangs, so the murder needs solving quickly, before all hell is let loose on the streets of Glasgow.

Investigating officers D.C. Jack Laidlaw and DS Bob Lilley make a brilliant pair - I love the way they bounce off each other. (Laidlaw, on the face of it, isn’t particularly likeable, but he has a wicked sense of humour, and I love that), though he does prefer to do his own investigating without any obstructions, so he often leaves Lilley behind - yes Laidlaw is very much a force of nature. He also isn’t one to furnish his boss with every little piece of information that he comes across, and that can sometimes give him an advantage in extracting said information from the criminals on his patch, who think he’s not like the other coppers, meaning they’re more likely to spill the beans. Another strange quirk of Laidlaw’s is his preference for travelling by public transport, namely the bus, rather than the car, it gives him time to think, and he does a lot of that. He’s a plain talking man, with a philosophical mind, he sees what others don’t, and that makes him a great copper!

Dark Remains is set in 1972 in Glasgow, against a backdrop of hard men, poverty, alcohol abuse, sectarianism, strip clubs and general dens of iniquity.

When Scottish writer William McIlvanney died in 2015, he left behind a half finished manuscript, which was handed to his publisher by his widow, and was then completed by that other wonderful Scottish writer Ian Rankin! What a terrific combination this is, resulting in a fine example of gritty Tartan Noir!

As a massive Ian Rankin fan I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. A brilliantly written prequel that does not, in anyway, take anything from the Laidlaw trilogy, it simply adds another layer to a superb tale.

So pleased to have discovered William McIlvanny with the help of Ian Rankin. I have no idea how much Rankin has added to this but the 1970s burst off the page. Love Laidlaw and will now be tracking down all McIlvanney's work. Thanks to Netgalley.

As an avid Ian Rankin fan, I'd like to thank him for completing the Dark Remains manuscript, left by William Mcilvanney; who I now see as the master of dark Scottish characters,

Shamefully, I had never come across the Laidlaw series. The prequel so enthralled and intrigued me, it left me needing to know more about the character of Jack Laidlaw. I quickly bought and devoured Mcilvanney's 3 book Laidlaw series, it is an understatement to say I was not disappointed.

Pour yourself a wee dram, snuggle up and enter the shadowy world of Laidlaw, you will not be disappointed.

Five stars, I'd give it more if I could.

Just finished “The Dark Remains” by William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin and it conjures up perfectly the atmosphere of early 1970’s Glasgow with its gangs and casual violence. DC Laidlaw is a perfect example of a literary maverick detective, going his own way, following his own leads and ignoring his bosses. Laidlaw goes one step further by actively antagonizing his DI who he trained with and believes has only been promoted due to his links to the Freemasons.

If you are of a squeamish nature and don’t relish reading about murder and gang warfare, worry not as the violence is kept to a minimum and is not graphic. The story however moves along at a good pace and kept me interested throughout. I have to confess to never having read any of William McIlvanney’s earlier novels but will be looking out for them in the future.

The Dark Remains - McIlvanney and Rankin

If the truth's in the shadows, get out of the light . . .

When William McIlvanney died in 2015 he left an unfinished manuscript. Set in 1972 it was intended to be a prequel to his three Glasgow based crime novels featuring loner Jack Laidlaw, the troubled detective with a strong sense of justice.
Ian Rankin, who’s a huge fan of McIlvanney, was asked if he would be interested in completing the novel - he agreed and set to on a detective puzzle of his own, firstly by studying the notes McIlvanney left, then trying to work out how he would have developed the story.
He’s done a great job bringing to life the criminal world of that era in a breathtaking, gritty ‘tartan noir’ novel that’s an absolute belter.
The story opens with the murder of lawyer Bobby Carter who worked for Cam Colvin one of the local gang leaders.
DC Jack Laidlaw has just been transferred to the Glasgow Crime Squad. Unpopular with his superiors they grudgingly admit he has a sixth sense for what’s happening on the mean streets of Glasgow and need to find out who was responsible for Carter’s death before there is an all out war between the rival gangs.
DS Bob Lilley is assigned to work with & report back on Laidlaw though they quickly come to have a respect for each other with Lilley being almost as subversive as Laidlaw on occasion.

What comes across really well in the book is the sense of deprivation and brutality lurking on the streets and the paranoia of criminals never able to take their eye off the ball for one moment. Lots of colourful characters and laugh aloud moments of sardonic humour and at the heart of it Jack Laidlaw
the philosophising unorthodox detective who, to the detriment of his marriage, prefers to sleep in a hotel at night so nothing distracts him from solving the crime which isn’t quite as simple as his superiors suspect…

An extraordinary delight to savour, this is a pitch perfect smart collaboration between the legendary godfather of Scottish Noir, William McIlvanney, who left behind half a manuscript, a prequel of the trilogy featuring the original DI Laidlaw, expertly and authentically completed here by the creator of John Rebus, Ian Rankin. The year is 1972, and a atmospheric picture of the Glasgow of this period is evoked, the grit and the grime, the poverty, high unemployment, alcohol and domestic abuse, the casual brutality and violence, the sectarianism, the gangs, the hard men, the sexism and misogyny. When the dead body of lawyer Bobby Carter, right hand man and consigliere of gangster Cam Colvin, is found in the alley beside the Parlour pub, tensions escalate sky high, the threat of rival gang wars exploding hanging like a dark cloud, as metaphorical lit match thrown on a tinder dry bonfire.

DC Jack Laidlaw is now with the Glasgow Crime Squad, working on the case under the blindly ambitious DI Ernie Milligan. Laidlaw's partner, DS Bob Lilley has been tasked with keeping an eye on him by Commander Robert Frederick. Not known for being a team player, Jack goes his own way, travelling by bus, staying at the Burleigh hotel for the duration of the case, leaving behind his unhappy wife, Ena, and his 3 young children, Moya, Sandra and Jack. With his desk littered with philosophical texts, Jack is no ordinary copper, looking for answers in the nature of humanity, for whom every victim matters. Picking apart Carter's life, he follows a multitude of threads, a dancer, a former footballer, gang leaders and members, utilising informants, but none of it adds up, what is he missing?

This was an utter joy to read, beautifully written, with the force of nature that is the poetry loving Laidlaw believing 'the law is not about justice. It's a system we've put in place because we can't have justice.'. The highlights include the wonderful sense of the 1970s streets of Glasgow, and the stellar characterisation, my favourites including the likes of Lilley, Ena, and crime boss, John Rhodes. This is an unmissable crime treat for everyone who loves the gritty crime and mystery genre, particularly that of Tartan Noir. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I'm a fan of both William McIllvaney and Ian Rankin so just had to read this prequel to the Laidlaw books focussing on gang warfare in Glasgow.. As expected this tartan noir makes excellent reading and definitely to be recommended.

This is not easy to say, but I was expecting more from this book from such authors. Set as it is in Glasgow fifty years ago, the city is now a very different place, having progressed so much, though still far from perfect. But then, no city is.
I am of an age to remember these times in Scotland, and though it is authentic, it comes across as very dated.
The entire story is dialogue- driven, and in fact, not a lot happens. What does happen is underplayed, and mostly related after the fact. The dialogue does contain some gems of one liners, but it often tips over into a few too many smart Alec comments, which just feel contrived.
The maverick cop with a troubled home life, who always solves the case scenario is still being exploited by various authors, and I understand that DC Laidlaw may have been the prototype, though such a deep thinking philosopher would have been hard to find in any local nick in the 1970s. It just doesn’t ring true for me.
It seems that in this case, Laidlaw’s immediate superior officer, DS Lillie, just rolls over and lets Laidlaw do as he pleases while he covers for him. Lillie seems more interested in keeping their respective wives sweet by arranging dinner dates together, and has little interest in solving the case. Another jarring note that doesn’t ring true.
It’s a disappointed 3 star review from me.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book. I so wish I had liked it more.

It must be the best part of thirty years since a friend of mine lent me a battered copy of Knots & Crosses, since then Rebus and I have aged together in real time. That loan set me off on reading Scottish crime fiction – from Chris Brookmyre to Stuart MacBride and many others but it was only a couple of years ago that I came across the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish crime fiction. I investigated the man after whom it was named and read the Laidlaw Trilogy in about a week.
So when NetGalley offered me the chance to read an advance copy of The Dark Remains I couldn’t resist. This is Ian Rankin’s realisation of a Laidlaw prequel – composed around notes left by William McIlvanney when he died in 2015.
The plotting is tight and the denouement very satisfying but, in a way, that is the least important part of the book. Rankin brings back McIlvanney’s Glasgow – the pubs, the streets, the tattoos and, of course, the buses. The city, as ever, is the overriding character in the book, but there’s still room for familiar names; Lilley and Milligan on the one side and Rhodes and Colvin on the other. Also new characters such as the splendidly monikered Spanner Thomson.
All the traits of the Laidlaw trilogy are in place here – the grime of the streets, the threat of violence threatening to erupt at any time, the era and the humour, e.g. “He smelled of Old Spice and ambition, neither of which particularly bothered Lilley, though he was an Aramis man himself”
If you are a McIlvanney fan do yourself a favour and read this, if you are coming to this from a Rankin direction – read it then go on to read the original trilogy, they will not disappoint.

I'm a little bit ashamed to say this is my first Ian Rankin book, but also my first Laidlaw book. So I cannot comment on the faithfulness to the character, or compare Rankin to McIlvanney. But I can say I enjoyed this book immensely and will definitely be going back to read the original Laidlaw novels.

Scottish crime writing at its best. Rankin has taken McIlvenneys unfinished manuscript and written in his style, to create the perfect crime novel.

My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've never read the Laidlaw books but as I'm always excited to read a new Ian Rankin book this seemed a good way in. The writing does well at creating the 1970s setting and the story of crime gangs and their possible territory battles is a great set-up. I found the book a little hard to get into and I'm not sure why but it took me longer to get through than I expected. I'm sure if you're a fan of the existing Laidlaw stories this will appeal to you. If you're a new reader your enjoyment may vary.

The Two Fingered Gardener
Product Tester and Garden Writer and Professional Book Reviewer

Book Review. The Dark Remains by William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin.
JUNE 7, 2021 ~ LEAVE A COMMENT
Star rating… 5 stars

Set in the 1970’s amidst the ganglands of Glasgow. this book was actually an unfinished manuscript by William McILvanney. It was discovered by his wife after his death and the publishing company approached Ian Rankin to ask if he thought he could finish this unfinished, and thankfully yes he did and what a superb job he has done with it.

The book is the first case for William McILvanney’s well known and much loved Detective Jack Laidlaw, who is a law unto himself and certainly not a team player. He likes to get results but in his own way, on his own.

After the death of Bobby Carter, right hand man to gang leader Cam Colvin, gangland rivalry threatens to escalate and it quickly becomes a race against time and Laidlaw’s seemingly incompetent boss to solve the grisly murder.

Written with good strong characters and a plot that has many twists and turns. it definitely keeps you on your toes. I figured out the killer a few minutes after it’s apparent that Laidlaw has realised who it is. To me this is the sign of a seriously well written book, leading you to the obvious conclusion without any blindingly obvious clues along the way. You have to piece the clues together and this really makes you feel invested in Laidlaw’s character and you unravel the plot with him. I loved every minute of this book. It kept me wake into the small hours reading “just one more chapter"

I would highly recommend this book. If you are a lover of crime novels, Ian Rankin and great Scottish Crime Drama then this is a must read for you.


Publisher: Cannongate

Publish Date: 02 September 2021
Reviewed: Niki Preston
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This is a novel about gangs in Glasgow. A top player is missing and the police know this could mean a gang war and nobody wants that.
Lilley and Laidlaw are the detectives doing the legwork, though Laidlaw works to his own rules. Two rival bosses are at war, but who stands to benefit?
A good read.

This was an absolute joy to read. It was a welcome reminder of just how good MacIlvanney was and how Rankin was influenced in his own writing by the "father of Tartan Noir'. It made me ache for more MacIlvanney writing and so I'm off to re-read his books. Job done Ian, job done!

This is a prequel to the renowned Laidlaw series by William McIlvanney, with an incomplete manuscript being finished by Ian Rankin.

Jack Laidlaw is a relatively new face in the Glasgow police squad, and people aren’t quite sure what to make of him. He’s good at his job but he doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of team, keeping philosophy books on his desk instead of tabloid newspapers. After the murder of a notable crime figure, Laidlaw sets to work to solve the murder before simmering tensions in Glasgow’s criminal underworld explode, having a catastrophic effect on the city. Along the way he has to contend with warring factions, crime bosses, dancers, football legends and his own wife. Everyone has a story to tell, but in a city like Glasgow, who can you trust?

I am already a huge fan of Ian Rankin and I think he has done a fantastic job of completing this story with a distinctly Glaswegian flavour. I could definitely recognise some aspects of his writing, but thought this was brought together skilfully and written well, there is lots here to please established fans of this character and genre, and plenty for new recruits to get their teeth into. I really enjoyed this and thought it was a great mystery overall!

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

Having read the original Laidlaw trilogy , I was thrilled to be able to read this prequel.
Warring gang bosses and mistrust and arguments in each of their camps follow the murder of a shady lawyer in a back street of Glasgow. Jack Laidlaw has his unique methods of investigation which are at odds with those of his police superiors. The novel gives us a mixture of the 70s Glasgow gangland scene and Laidlaw’s early career.
Ian Rankin has taken McIlvanney’s unfinished manuscript and created a perfect crime novel. He writes in McIlvanney’s style and gets to the heart of Laidlaw’s complex character. Snappy dialogue, brilliant characterisation and humour create a slick piece of writing.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC : it was very much appreciated.