DS Lucy McVeigh is on the trail of the Bloodsmith, a serial killer who is terrorising Oldcastle and has been for seventeen months. The senior members of the force are getting antsy and are keen to see progress and pressure is being applied from all directions to solve the case and get the killer off the streets. Lucy and her partner the Dunk are revisiting the old crime scenes to see if there are any clues that have been overlooked, and Lucy is trying her best to not get derailed by a different case involving Benedict Strachan, who killed a homeless man for no apparent reason when he was only eleven years old. He has now been released from prison but has been ostracised from his family and society for his actions, but seems to be full of regret and is making promises to ‘do it right next time’

Can Lucy put her wits against the Bloodsmith and figure out Benedict’s case? And will the Bloodsmith turn his attention to Lucy if she starts getting too close?

I am a big fan of Stuart MacBride and always really enjoy his books, the characters are always interesting and feel realistic - obviously they are fictional, but I think that no one is entirely black or white, there are a lot of shades of grey here. The story is fast paced and interesting with lots of twists and turns. I will say as a warning, if you haven’t read any Stuart MacBride before, the violence can be graphic, but I read a lot of crime, and to be honest, violence IS graphic so I don’t always find it hard to read and didn’t think it was bad here.
I found the story interesting and didn’t predict the ending which I really enjoyed! I’m not sure if we will be back in Lucy’s world but I wouldn’t be opposed to it - I’d like to see how her life follows on from here. I would definitely recommend this book but I would make a point of being aware that there is some graphic violence and traumatic events being referenced, but I do find Stuart MacBride to be a skilled writer!

Firstly, I must thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

I have read books by this author in the past and was looking forward to reading this. I was enjoying what was a really good police procedural whodunnit when, nearing the end it went a very surprising and unwanted direction. I read the final chapters more than once but was still none the wiser! Very disappointing.

This has been on my tbr list for over a year and honestly it probably should have stayed there. I know MacBride has a reputation for sad and ugly places and coarse and unpleasant characters but this one is a litany of unpleasantness of place and characters.

I stopped reading it several times but I still wanted to know “whodunnit”. Even now having finished the book I neither know nor care - the final 20% of the book was a totally confusing stream of consciousness which left me struggling with the plotting and editing.

I’ve been a fan since MacBride’s early work but I will tread cautiously with his future output. Nonetheless my thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Gosh I LOVED this. So very much. Stuart Macbride has always been a "go to" author for me when I want twisted plotting, brilliantly vivid characters and unexpected outcomes, alongside his trademark dark humour.

With "No Less The Devil" he has outdone himself. Fully absorbing, both hilarious and very very disturbing this novel is a tale of two halves and goes nowhere you could expect or predict.

Intelligent, superbly written and an absolute blast to read, this may be my favourite Macbride yet. Awesomesauce.

I’m still fairly new to this author so haven’t yet got to grips with his writing style. I can’t say this book had me engrossed or enthralled from the first page but it was okay.
There was some very good parts and some parts where I struggled a bit to concentrate on the storyline. I also felt some parts were a bit slow . It hasn’t put me off though and look forward to reading more of Stuart McBride’s books.

I have loved Stuart Macbrides books for years, they are usually brilliant, excellent story lines, great characters with funny here and there. This one was all that then it changed around 3/4 through it become unbelievable and rubbish. Very disappointing.

A gripping thrill-ride to the start of a new tartan police thriller series from author MacBride featuring DS McVeigh. On the trail of a serial killer nick-named 'Bloodsmith' who has butchered five victims over 17-months. Pay attention! The plot twists, which you won't see coming, are delivered thick and fast to the very end.

It's been seventeen months since the Bloodsmith butchered his first victim and Operation Maypole is still no nearer to catching him. The media is whipping up a storm, the top brass are demanding results, but the investigation is sinking fast.

Now isn't the time to get distracted with other cases, but Detective Sergeant Lucy McVeigh doesn't have much choice. When Benedict Strachan was just eleven, he hunted down and killed a homeless man. No one's ever figured out why Benedict did it, but now, after sixteen years, he's back on the streets again - battered, frightened, convinced a shadowy 'They' are out to get him, and begging Lucy for help.

It sounds like paranoia, but what if he's right? What if he really is caught up in something bigger and darker than Lucy's ever dealt with before? What if the Bloodsmith isn't the only monster out there? And what's going to happen when Lucy goes after them?

I hadn't read anything previously by Stuart MacBride and went into reading this with an open mind and interest for the plot summary. I was quickly hooked, it's a great serial killer police drama plot, with an older case intertwined. The characters particularly Lucy evolved and were so engaging - when more details of her previous trauma came out it was a real shocking moment for me and so well written.
I'd say that book for 70/80% was an amazing crime novel and I was so excited to get to the conclusion when along came a twist like an articulated lorry slamming into your side! i hadn't expected that at all and was a little confused at what I had read previously that led me to that point. None the less I rode (read!) the wave and came through the other side and enjoyed the remaining chapters of the book and the conclusion. Did this twist spoil the book for me?? Maybe slightly but I still really enjoyed it and rated it - Did it need the twist??? No definitely not! I think I'd give this 4.5 stars but will mark it up to 5 fo my overall enjoyment. I think I'll definitely read more of his books as reviews seem to all be of the opinion that his other books are better.
Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NoLessTheDevil #NetGalley

I’m so disappointed with this book by Stuart MacBride. I really enjoyed the others I’ve read by the author so, perhaps my expectations were too high. The plot meandered and wandered from here to there and I just couldn’t force myself to finish it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the complimentary copy.

As usual Stuart MacBride write with pure genius. A master of his craft.

A fast paced book that builds tension with every turn of the page.

Dark humour fills almost every page and a twist that will side swipe you off your feet and leave you feeling faint.

A brilliantly dark, thrilling book that kept me awake well into the night to "just read one more page".

Thoroughly enjoyed, 5 stars from me.

Having read previous books by this author, I was really looking forward to this one. It wasn’t part of the series I have read (Ash Henderson) but nevertheless I was enjoying it until, like many other reviewers, I was completely thrown by the last 80% or so. I didn’t really like the turn it took - I thought it was ridiculous and completely over the top. I did like Dunk though. I will continue with the Ash Henderson series but i cant really say I’d recommend Ty s one.

This book started off as a really goid police Procedural novel with the central characters Lucy and Dunk trying to discover the identity of the bloodsmith who is responsible for the purdets of a nber of homeless people and a prostitute. So far so good. Got two thirds through the book and the story was progressing nicely. However, all of a sudden the story wandered off into very strange territory and deviated so far that I thought I'd picked up the wrong book. I struggled to follow this sub plot and I'm still not quite sure exactly what happened. Found it hard to follow which is a shame as up to that point it was really good.

Another good book by Stuart
Wasn’t as good as his others
But will still read more
And can’t wait for the next book
Thanks NetGalley

Sorry but mixed feelings about this book. Great fan of Macbride and loved it it… until the end, and I felt a bit cheated.

No Less the Devil is most definitely a tale of two parts. The first 80% is a taut, twisty detective novel with wit and sarcasm aplenty…the norm for a Stuart MacBride novel. The last 20% however, had me flummoxed. I uttered the words WTF a lot and found myself physically scratching my head. If this was the plot all along it felt incredibly rushed and didn’t make much sense. I can’t give much more away without big spoilers, trust me, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

No Less the Devil opens with the Bloodsmith still being at large. Seventeen months have passed and the officers conducting Operation Maypole are still no closer to cracking it. It’s like the perpetrator is a ghost, leaving no clues and no DNA behind. The public and the bereaved family members of the victims have no faith in their ability to catch them and the media are tearing them apart. DI Tudor is now in charge of the operation, acting more like a scapegoat rather than his superiors having any faith that his team will crack it. DS Lucy McVeigh is part of the team, and she is determined to bust it wide open.

McVeigh is a very complex character. She has the potential to ride all the way to the top in her police career. She gets results and isn’t afraid to bend the rules to get them. She is joined by her partner, The Dunk, which brings some much-needed satirical relief. An anti-establishment character who isn’t afraid to tell you what he thinks about those in power. He was my favourite character with his “unfit” ramblings whilst trying to keep up with McVeigh.

No Less the Devil is the examination of the case is pushed onto The Dunk and McVeigh, and they revisit each of the five crime scenes to try and look at it from a different perspective. Although they find new evidence, they are pulling at strings trying to find a connection between all five victims. Lucy is also preoccupied with the evolving problem that is Benedict Strachan. He has recently been released from prison after serving many years for the murder of a homeless man when he was eleven. He wants her help after professing that “they” are after him, is it just the ramblings of a deranged mind?

It’s clear she is struggling with PTSD so professional standards are on her back to engage with her therapist. They seem to be following her everywhere why can’t she get any relief and just get on with her damn job!

Lucy McVeigh has just returned to work after a traumatic episode that left her signed off for months. A serial killer called the Bloodsmith is haunting Oldcastle and a childkiller has just been released. However as McVeigh delves deeper into the cases she finds herself haunted by Professional Standards and her past.
Starting off as a superior police procedural this book sees Macbride on his usual, excellent form. However there is more to this tale and suddenly it starts to go down a really weird path. I felt the handling of mental illness was extremely empathetic and even the crazy twist was just part of the exhilarating ride. It's different and bizarre but, as ever, brilliant.

A superb standalone novel by Stuart Macbride. DS Lucy McVeigh is on the hunt for the Bloodsmith a ruthless serial killer, but the investigation is going nowhere.
Benedict Strachan was a boy when he killed a homeless man he was eleven at the time, he has just been released from prison, with people asking the question why did he do it.
Two mysteries that Lucy would like to solve, but it seems there could be something more sinister going on. Can Lucy find the answers she needs before things get out of control.
Hard hitting and gritty, with the authors brilliant sense of humour.
This is a book that gets its hooks into you and doesn’t let go, it’s full of twists and turns and is a magnificent example of what a great writer Stuart Macbride is.
Another superb story which I highly recommend.

I had heard great things about the Stuart MacBride detective series, so I was delighted when Netgalley gave me the chance to read this book.. Unfortunately, I found it very hard to keep reading this one, and was sorely tempted to ditch it half way through. The main character Detective Lucy, is extremely hard to like, bitchy to her partner and just downright mean and snappy. If I was her partner I would be requesting a transfer! I was interested to see how the story would play out but about 80% in, the story took a weird crazy turn and it was like I was reading a different book. It made it all seem very unbelievable. It was a struggle to finish this book and took me much longer than normal to get through it. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

I'm afraid this wasn't for me. It took me forever to read & I wish I'd just bitten the bullet & DNF'd it but every time I almost did something would happen to drive me to read on.

The good bits were fantastic but there just wasn't enough story for a book this length & the twist fried my brain & soured what I had enjoyed of the story.

It's a 2.5 from me, because there was just enough to keep me going.

No Less the Devil by Stuart McBride is the first book which I have read by this author and although I loved the style of writing the story got a bit silly towards the end…just a little bit over the top for me, which was a shame as I was racing through the book until it completely exposed a mega twist which sent me spinning into the twilight zone!
In short, we follow DS Lucy McVeigh and the perturbing case of a serial killer investigation which as gone unsolved for 17 months. The killer, named as the Bloodsmith, has brutally tortured and murdered 5 victims, leaving the words ‘Help Me’ with every dead body.
I enjoyed the witty banter and dark humour throughout the book and thought ‘The Dunk’, Lucy’s trusty sidekick, was a brilliant character…perhaps he should have his own series!
If you can keep an open mind then you will probably enjoy this dark and twisty book and although I was disappointed in the latter part of the storyline I really did enjoy the majority of it, so I’m definitely interested in reading more from Stuart McBride.
Big thanks to Stuart McBride, Random House UK and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.