This started as a rather gruesome, visceral and brutal police procedural amongst some very black humour. DS Lucy McVeigh is back at work although still traumatised from an earlier case; she's ably assisted by the Gothic Dunk given to bad clothes, bad hair and bad jokes - but they work together well and their dialogues, or should I say two monologues, are a hoot. All set around Aberdeen which, clearly, the author loves - no-one could be that rude or observant if not. His descriptions are fantastic. Bloodsmith is a gory, murdering bastard whom no-one can catch. Jump. Twenty years ago an 11 year old and mate hunted and killed a homeless man. The 11-year old was banged up but is now out with his own gory demons. Lucy has sympathy for him at one level because she has dark episodes in her past. Jump. Bring in a very posh school with students having a ripping good time, what, and things get even more complicated. All well and good, story progressing erratically slowly from the police point of view until about 70-80% I obviously got blootered and lost out until about 97% - given the reviews of some other people we must have had a really good party! I think the paracetamol (other pain killers are available) helped and I think that I understood the end, maybe. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A superb dark crime drama from Stuart MacBride. Like all his books, it is absorbing and tense, keeping you guessing throughout.

I am a huge Stuart McBride fan, have his books on my shelf as I type, so I was very excited to read the start of a possible new series.

Bloodsmith is a serial killer who has been operating for approx 17 months, randomly killing his victims, and there seem to be no leads for the police.

For the first 70% of the book, I was very interested in the story (albeit it is very dragged out) and then the book goes in quite a different way and becomes just puzzling! I just couldn't see what the point of the last 30% was for? Just plain silly!!

Not for me and won't read anymore of this series

Would not recommend

I am a big fan of Stuart MacBride’s writing plus the characters he creates and having lived in the NE of Scotland on and off from the 1970’s to the 2000’s, I can tell you he captures the spirit, colour and humour of the region, perfectly! This, his latest book, is no different and we are introduced to two wonderful new characters, DS Lucy McVeigh and her sidekick DC Duncan Fraser who operate in the fictional city of Oldcastle. Lucy is young, ambitious and clearly a very good detective but also the owner of a troubled past, the effects of which she cannot seem to shake off. Duncan or “The Dunk” is the complete opposite, useless, lazy and as annoying as the fly you can’t get out of the car and that won’t be still long enough to be squashed. As such he is the root of much of the deprecating humour and together they make an amusing but effective duo.
The central case is that of a serial killer aka “The Bloodsmith” who has struck multiple times over a 17 month period and the Oldcastle Police seem no closer to catching him. Lucy and The Dunk are assigned to “Operation Maypole” as a fresh pair of eyes though they and their boss suspect all are being positioned as sacrificial lambs should efforts fail and the news hounds demand blood. Thus set up, the story progresses into a fascinating and superbly written mystery / police procedural the likes of which we are well used to seeing crafted by MacBride. Then everything gets turned on it’s head!
Without giving anything away, the last 20% of the book questions your understanding of the previous 80% and I was left convinced hallucinogenic drugs were involved I just did not know who had taken them, the main character, the author or even myself! All I would say to any reader is pay attention throughout the story and just hang on for the ride at the end.
I would like to thank the Author, Random House and NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book.

Stuart Macbride is one of my favourite authors so when I was chosen to read this I was so excited. I got drawn into the story from the first page and galloped through it until about 80% in when,in my opinion, it just turned a bit strange. I struggled from to keep up with what was happening in the story, the main characters delusions and hallucinations made it difficult for me to understand what was going on. This may be because I'm ill and on antibiotics but I couldn't actually tell you who the murderer was in the end. I think I will have to reread it to get a clearer picture. Not my favourite book of this authors I'm afraid.

A stupendous book,, Where do I start? I loved Stuart’s other series of books, so was excited to learn about the development of a new police character Lucy McVeigh.

I loved how this novel started out focusing on the police procedural, chasing the “Bloodsmith” serial killer, trying to stop them before they struck again. The relationship between Dunk and McVeigh is perfectly balanced, his annoying habits just enough to be slightly endearing.

The plot twist is divine and had me chopping and changing my mind, right up to the very last pages about which way it was going to play out. An absolute magnificent feast of a crime thriller read!

This is a standalone novel from MacBride, although set in the same fictional Scottish city, Oldcastle, as his Ash Henderson series. MacBride is an absolute master of understated dark humour and this book is absolutely shot through with it. That's not to say it's a comic novel, though - it's absolutely not, in any way.; for me, it stands somewhere between a police procedural and a thriller.

Characterisation is excellent, all the main players are well drawn, well rounded characters who exist in shades of grey, there is no black and white here. As well as the human characters, Oldcastle itself is becoming more and more fleshed out with each book and plays a major part in the story.

The "twist" at about three-quarters of the way through the book, however, is telegraphed and to any reader paying attention it won't come as a surprise. Perhaps it should have come earlier when it was less obvious, but nevertheless it doesn't detract from the novel.

The only slight negative is that the book is perhaps a little too long, at about double the length of the normal entry into this genre - it meanders a little at certain stages and might have benefitted from some judicious editing. This is not unusual for MacBride, however, and regular readers will be expecting this style.

Despite my minor criticisms above, this book is very worthy of five stars. Readers of this genre will find it enjoyable.

Over the last year someone has been killing people, cutting them up and stealing body parts. Nicknamed the Bloodsmith the police haven’t made any progress on finding the killer.
The case is dumped on DI Tudor who dumps it on DS Lucy McVeigh .
Lucy is suffering from PTSD after a recent attack and her bosses are worried about her.
This is fast paced, full of McBride’s humour and complex characters.
I loved the book for the most part but struggled with the ending - it is so out of left field that I didn’t see it coming, in reflection I think it is an interesting direction - certainly different from the author’s usual focus.
4 Stars ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

I was really looking forward to reading this as the blurb sounded so good but afraid I didn’t enjoy it’s much as I thought.
The character of Lucy was ok but The Donk I just didn’t take to, he would go off on a tangent complaining about people with money etc, I wondered while reading if it was just the author talking.
There seemed to be a lot of stories in one that lost me though I would have liked to have read more about Lucy and what happened to her

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an advance copy of No Less the Devil, a stand-alone police procedural featuring DS Lucy McVeigh, set in the fictional Scottish town of Oldcastle.

Lucy and her sidekick DC Duncan “The Dunk” Fraser are part of operation Maypole which has been hunting a serial killer known as The Bloodsmith for seventeen months. The investigation is going nowhere when Benedict Strachan, who murdered a homeless man at the age of eleven and is newly released after serving sixteen years, contacts her asking for help, because “They” are after him. It’s not the time for distraction but she can’t help but be intrigued.

I thoroughly enjoyed No Less the Devil, which is an engrossing, straightforward read for 80% with the last 20% taking a decidedly conspiratorial turn along with the revelation of Lucy’s secrets. The contrast is stark, but kudos to the author for wanting to try and succeed in something different. It’s certainly interesting, even if I’m not sure I totally understood it all, and I certainly feel challenged in trying to discuss it without giving anything away.

The main body of the novel, Operation Maypole and Benedict’s escapades, is as absorbing as the author’s more standard offerings. The Bloodsmith’s crimes are brutal and his identity remains a mystery for much of the novel with the opening chapter throwing a huge spanner in the works. Where and how does it fit in? I got some of it right, but not enough to count and getting the answer propelled me through the novel as I turned over a myriad of possibilities.

The novel is told from Lucy’s point of view, so her perspective is what colours the reader’s view of events. She has a troubled past, both in childhood and more recently, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. The Dunk bears the brunt of her sarcasm, which is both biting and funny, but no one is immune, even if only in her thoughts. I would be interested to see how she gets on in the years to come.

No Less the Devil is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

The Bloodsmith murder investigation is seventeen months old and going nowhere. The top brass have dumped the case on D I Tudor expecting him to fail.

But they reckon without D S Lucy McVeigh and her sidekick "The Dunk" who are revisiting the crime scenes and uncover new evidence. Meanwhile Lucy is fighting her own demons and trying to help Benedict Strachan a killer who was convicted at the age of 11.

Many twists and turns before we discover who the Bloodsmith is.

A strange but unputdownable book

What a crazy book, tricky to review without giving anything away. I felt like I was having a fever dream by the end of it! Typical Stuart Macbride in the black humour and subject matter but personally I didn't like the ending. It was perfectly executed so no complaints there, just left me with a goldfish expression of but....but...but at the end :-) Can't wait to discuss it with someone else when they've read it!

I absolutely love Stuart’s style of writing and was not disappointed with this. He has excellent and hilarious characterisation, exceptionally astute observational and sarcastic humour and this is the perfect accompaniment for the darker and gorier moments in the story. He also has a unique way of painting a scene down to the brilliantly expressive descriptions of noises (got to love a buzzzzzding for starters)
His appreciation of the detail of Police work, the comradeship and the ribbing is spot on and very welcomed.
Coupled with all of this the storyline was original and ingenious, despite the feeling I didn’t feel a hundred percent sure what was going on part of the time, but that is part of the fun of the ride. I think you’re enjoying messing with my head here…..
I wouldn’t say I was as connected with the lead detective as much as I was with the, completely mesmerising, McCrae and Steel combination of previous books, but, to be fair, they are a hard act to live up to and maybe I need to give Lucy more of a chance. She had all the hallmarks of a decent lead detective, with a tragic and complex childhood. I still can’t decide if this is slightly cliche or a deliberate cheeky nod to the (sometimes) predictable mould of other crime writers. All in all, thoroughly enjoyable, a real treat as I predicted.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel. Stuart MacBride is the author of two series of novels featuring Logan McRae and Ash Henderson as well as a number of stand-alone stories & novellas. No Less the Devil is one of the stand-alone books (so far anyway), though it is set in the same fictional location as the Ash Henderson series.
Sergeant Lucy McVeigh & her sidekick DC Duncan (Dunk) Fraser are on Operation Maypole, trying to track down a serial killer - The Bloodsmith who has been active for 17 months. The interactions between Lucy & the Dunk are often very funny indeed in Stuart MacBride's inimitable style, as is the relationship between her and her boss DI Tudor.
So far so normal, though some of the scenes are gruesome in the extreme. However about two thirds of the way in the book takes an extreme turn-about - the nearest thing I can compare it to is the movie From Dusk Till Dawn, though here vampires are not involved. I won't say more for the risk of spoilers.
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the book, though not an easy read - though I can see why some of the other reviewers have their doubts. One star knocked off for the, to me, somewhat implausible shift in relationship between Lucy and one of her main adversaries.

What a weird book! First 80% was like a normal enjoyable police murder story then it became very very confusing as too who was real & what was real!

As usual with Stuart Macbride books, I make his books jump to the top of my book pile. I did the same for this one.

I'm not sure if this book is the start of a new series or a standalone. Either way, it doesn't come across as anything new. I feel tastings of Logan and Ash coming through in streams with Lucy. Some similarities from these other series are evident. I thought maybe a cameo appearance would happen but no such thing.

Poor Lucy is struggling to hide the fact that something happened to her in the past which eventually comes out to us the reader, but I don't think her partner, The Dunk, does. Higher officers do and encourage or force or to see à shrink.

Lucy and the drunk have a serial killer case to solve that other police teams haven't managed to solve. Gruesome killings with the hearts taken out.

A side case of trying to catch up with another killer linked to a prestigious private school.

It must be in my reading style of only reading a few chapter at night and nodding off that I miss vital happenings n the plot so I will have to reread this at some point, maybe again once its released. It does go a bit doo-lally near the latter part of the book but I won't reveal why as it confused me to start with.

Not one of the best from Stuart in MY opinion. Go try it for yourself. I normally give his books 5 stars but this was nearly 3 stars but plunged for 4 instead coz macbride is awesome!

I initially thought No Less The Devil was Stuart MacBride going through the motions. DS Lucy McVeigh and her long-suffering sidekick DS Duncan "The Dunk" Fraser both seem familiar from previous characters of his and despite the trademark dark humour and sarky one-liners it took a while for the story to grip me. McVeigh and the Dunk are tasked with tracking down a serial who has been on the rampage for 17 months with the police, literally,clueless. At the same time Brendan Strachan,newly released after serving time for murder as a young boy, asks her for help claiming that dark forces are out to get him.
For the first couple of chapters the book is a bit "busy" and a bit of effort is required to keep up with the various plot strands, then it really picks up,not least as McVeigh's past is slowly revealed.
Once into my stride and enjoying the unrolling tale MacBride throws a complete curveball and the whole nature of the book changes,after initial confusion I loved it,not everyone will. Without spoiling anything this is a wild ride, and unlike anything Stuart MacBride has written before. All is very far from what it seems and it's often quite surreal. It's one of those books you'll finish and think hard about afterwards and interpret in your own way .
I really enjoyed the book once it picked up from a rather messy beginning,it's certainly something different from Stuart MacBride,and very brave as this one will certainly split opinions,not least amongst his vast loyal regular readership. Be aware also that there are sensitive issues addressed and part of it is plain brutal. That said congratulations to MacBride for slamming home the reality of a life-changing experience for those affected,I'm not squeamish but had to stop reading for a while.
Powerful,surreal,different.

What a disappointment. I was excited to get this book as I loved the Logan series.
The premise sounded exciting but Lucy, the protagonist is the most irritating character I've read in quite a while. I almost gave up on this one a few times because she was so annoying.and and unbelievably rude to superiors..And then....I don't know what the author was thinking but the story went off on the most ridiculous and often confusing tangent and I really struggled to finish the book. I actually just scanned the last few pages and if this is a series I’m afraid it is just not my cup to tea. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

No Less the Devil is a standalone thriller from Stuart MacBride, master of the Scottish police procedural. DS Lucy McVeigh is fast talking, easy to angry and suffering (although she won’t admit it) from PTSD. She and her partner Dunk are assigned to the Bloodsmith case and that near constant work lets her continue to avoid much needed therapy. Seventeen months ago, the serial killer named the Bloodsmith began his work and, after a lull, new cases escalate. Lucy and Dunk begin to revisit locations where the murders took place and discover some new leads. However, the plot takes some odd and confusing turns which cannot be mentioned without spoilers. I am, however, unsure whether some of the events that happened in Lucy’s past are real or imagined. Does the title No Less the Devil refer to children who commit crimes?

Obviously, I had some problems with this mystery. However, Stuart MacBride is one of my favorite authors and a talented writer. No Less the Devil may fall short but its still a 4 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK and Stuart MacBride for this ARC.

Holy … wow! This chilling thriller is going to stay with me for a long time.

A standalone story, this story is set in the same fictional Scottish city of Oldcastle that the author’s Ash Henderson books are set. There’s a reference to Ash’s last outing in passing (a journalist who wrote a book about the Coffinmaker serial killer is talked about), but otherwise there’s no cross-over her that I picked up on.

Detective Sergeant Lucy McVeigh is on the hunt for a serial killer of her own. The Bloodsmith removes his victims’ hearts and signs the scene, but the police aren’t having any success tracking him down.

In the meantime a man released from prison for a murder he committed aged 11 has gone missing, a mother who blames Lucy for the death of her rapist son is out to get her, and someone seems to be following her.

There are three or four distinct plotlines within the book, but all tie neatly around Lucy as the main character. This helps make it possible to follow the action, and Lucy herself centres it all as an engaging and increasingly layered character, and one who beings the dark humour which is a welcome feature of a Stuart MacBride novel.

I’ve read some high concept thrillers which felt overly convoluted, but this novel ratchets up the tension and keeps it there even as a more and more complex truth emerges.

Very dark, very gripping and a thriller which absolutely delivers.