All That’s Dead

This latest outing for Logan McRae is an enjoyable read as the Inspector is drawn in to a case that is, right from the start, altogether bloody and gruesome. The action, plot and the humour keep the pages turning and the motley crew working with McRae add their own delights.
Not afraid to challenge the intolerance that can exist in Scotland, MacBride brings a politic dimension to the attention of his readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read 'All That's Dead'.

This may be the 12th addition to the DI Logan McRae series by Stuart MacBride set in Aberdeen, but I still anticipate the newest book with an eagerness and anticipation that places me amongst the community of readers that are die hard fans of the series. At this stage, I know there is little that will surprise me, but this makes little difference to the huge level of enjoyment that I know I am guaranteed to experience. All the elements I expect are here, the humour, the comic wit, the mayhem, the iconic, shambolic lesbian queen that is DS Roberta Steel, and a Logan that MacBride has really put through the mill, it is nothing short of a miracle that he has managed to survive. Here, Logan is returning to work after a year of recovering from a previous stabbing. His new boss at Professional Standards, the crocheting Superintendent Julie Bevan, is easing him into work to support DI Frank King, whose past a journalist is planning to expose, and it is Logan's job to help Police Scotland manage this disastrous state of affairs.

Needless to say, it turns out Logan has to do far more than support King who unravels in spectacular fashion as he hits the bottle, sinks into an all consuming depression, facing a wife that is intent on making his life a misery, and the worrying prospect of losing his job, thanks to youthful errors of judgement. In the meantime, Scotland is facing the kind of political nightmare that parallels our contemporary politics of Brexit, with a deadly battle between those who support the union between England and Scotland and the extreme Alt-Nats, intent on a independent nation, by whatever means necessary, as they create a poisonous climate of fear with gruesome and brutal murders. Professor Nicholas Wilson is a stridently prominent voice supporting the union and ridiculing independence supporters. He is a man disliked by everyone who knows him, and has been abducted from his home, leaving behind a heavily blood spattered crime scene. The perpetrator(s) display a comprehensive awareness of forensics as there is no trace left behind as it becomes clear that Wilson is not the only person abducted and in danger.

The put upon Logan has to babysit King, put up with the idiots Tufty and DS Rennie, and confront a desperate police hierarchy intent on avoiding any individual blame with scapegoats lined up, bullying the lower orders as their stress levels hit sky high levels with the unfolding disasters and the never ending unwelcome pressure from the media. What can I say??? Simply a fantastic novel and a rip roaring, entertaining, character driven narrative that will be loved by fans. For those who have never read this series, I strongly urge you to give it a try. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

What a great book sometimes had trouble with the Scottish words and had to read them again till I understood them but I think that was my failing lol

Logan McRae is back from the "nearly dead" and looking forward to an easy return to Police work as a newly minted,if slightly perforated,hero. Of course that would far too easy for "Laz" and he's "volunteered" as a babysitter to a struggling colleague who is investigating the disappearance of an anti-independence campaigning academic. To say much more would to be to spoil a cracking yarn but needless to say Stuart MacBride's warped imagination and motley crew of weird and wonderful characters make for the usual laugh out loud ,gory,sweary and just plain outrageous roller coaster ride.
It's quite a political read with the storyline involving those who want the English out of Scotland,something which may be new to many south of the border but has been bubbling away under the surface for decades amongst various extremist groups. I met one such character when I lived there and was told a tale of bank robberies ,fire bombings and eventually death threats when he was suspected of being a police informer so I know the back story to this book isn't as far-fetched as it may seem.
I'm glad to see in this book that MacBride has toned things down a bit and "the lovely" Roberta Steel has stepped back from the caricature she was fast becoming in the later McRea books. She's still a foul-mouthed harridan but just a tad more believable in All That's Dead. All the other favourites are there,including Tufty Quirrel who is possibly the most irritating fictional character in any book,anywhere...ever.
You'll get a lot more out of this book if you've read the rest of the series but it's not essential, another hit for Stuart MacBride,another very funny book on a great series.

Big thanks to Stuart MacBride, HarperCollins and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an unbiased review.

Logan McRae is back and at his best in story that had me hooked from the first page to the very last one. Dealing a stressed out colleague under personal and professional pressure as well as home grown terrorists MacBride's clever and witty dialogue produces a cracking read.

I’ve read all the books in this series. This I’ve certainly didn’t disappoint. Highly entertaining, amazing characters you want to keep hearing about & being Scottish I love it even more with places featured being local to me. I can’t wait to read more in this amazing series.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, which was very entertaining.
All That’s Dead by Stuart MacBride is vastly entertaining and enjoyable. It was more about the police characters than any crime that was committed. For followers of the Logan McRae series you were entertained by McRae, Steel, Rennie and Tufty in all of their idiotic synchronicities. I found it extremely funny and entertaining.
Highly recommended.

An atmospheric, menacing, suspenseful start draws you in the Logan McRae's next case. Returning from sick leave, after his last job resulted in a near-death experience, Logan finds himself in a babysitting role, to save a colleague's career, and avoid being the establishment's sacrificial lamb.

Political in nature, this story focuses on a fictitious Scottish Nationalist organisation, who appear to be using crime, to further their political agenda, or is this just a smokescreen for something else? The story has an authentic ethos, dealing with contemporary issues, like social media and the dark web. The crimes are grisly, but seemingly unconnected until Logan and his colleagues, painstakingly begin to make the connections, but they are against the clock, and each delay means another atrocity.

Scotland's historic battle with England over its self-determination and its 21st-century implications are important in this plot, which has many twists. The clues are there, you just need to widen your perspective to see them.
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Logan is a quirky, yet charismatic character, even though this is only the second book I've read in the series, I like him and his cynical outlook and self-deprecating humour. The interactions between the police colleagues are realistic and amusing, a necessary contrast with the terrible crimes they investigate.

This story focuses more on the detective team, and less on the antagonists and crimes, than the previous book I've read. Despite this, it is an absorbing, adrenaline-fueled read. The final chapter makes me think this could be the last we see of Logan?

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK - Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Wow! This is probably one of the best police procedural/crime novels that I have ever read. It is my first Stuart MacBride book, but it definitely will not be my last.
Scotland has survived two referenda. In the first they voted against independence, believing the “Better Together” campaign. So, in the second – the EU referendum – they also voted to remain together, and were royally shafted by the English nationalists, who decided that it was OK for the English to vote to “take back control”, but not the Scots. It is not a huge leap to understand that many Scots are a wee bit miffed. However, thankfully no one has yet taken their ‘disappointment’ to the extreme level of the so-called Scottish Nationalists in this book.
Someone is targeting high profile, anti-(Scottish)-independence, pro-English rent-a-mouths, and they are not just throwing milkshakes and eggs. First target is Nicholas Wilson – a constitutional scholar, who is loathed by even his closest associates. So, when he goes missing, not a lot of tears are shed. However, the blood left in his home, and a macabre parcel later to delivered to BBC Scotland., make it clear, that this is no ordinary Missing Person situation.
DI Frank King has been assigned to lead the investigation, and Inspector Logan McCrae, from Professional Standards (back at work after being stabbed in a previous book), has been assigned to keep an eye on DI King. King is under suspicion of having Alt-Nat terrorist links. His marriage is failing, he is drinking too much and Logan has his work cut out for him if he wants to save King’s career (and his own), and solve this crime: “the scapegoat’s scapegoat had no intention of letting the original-issue scapegoat screw things up and land him in it”.
King explains: “You know how the Alt-Right is full of white supremacists, gun nuts, racists, and neo-Nazis? Well, Alt-Nats are our own home-grown version. Only without the guns and Nazis. And it’s the English they hate.”
The crime, the many unexpected twists and turns before the eventual solution, are so well designed, that you are compelled to keep reading right to the bitter end. But that is just window-dressing for the real treasures in this novel: the wonderful writing and the amazing characters.
The scenes are always so perfectly set, that you could be a fly on the wall. For example: “A small bark crackled out in the hallway, and Stalin hobbled through the study door. Wheezing and whining. Fading brown spots. Legs stiff with arthritis. A clockwork Jack Russell that was slowly winding down.”; “Bees bumbled their way between the flowering weeds that lined the drive, hoverflies buzzing amongst the thunderheads, house martins reenacting the Battle of Britain – jinking and swooping and diving, while a clatter of jackdaws looked on from the farmhouse roof.”; “A clipped voice came from a room off to one side, as if every word was being throttled to stop it screaming, emphasising the Highland burr.”; “Deep wrinkles slashed their way across her forehead, barely concealed by a sweaty brown fringe. Mid-forties, going on homicidal”. And then there are the Scottish dialect words, expressions and insults, which I loved discovering. Luckily each is used in a context that makes it easy for non-Scots to understand e.g. “Mrs Bag-For-Life raised a walking stick and took a wee hurpley step forward”, “one of the lippy auld wifies”. My favourite insult was the “Womble-funting dick-muppets”. There were so many great sentences, that I just had to read out to my husband.
Because I had not (yet) read any of the earlier books, I missed some of the character development – and was, on the whole, presented with perfectly formed unique, believable characters (such as Logan and the intimidating, foul-mouthed lesbian, Steel), and had a little catching up to do. However, my favourite of all was the ever-cheery, ever-helpful, high-as-a-kite (on caffeine) Tufty: “like a kicked dachshund. ‘Pity poor Tufty…’ Bless his little Starfleet socks, but that lad was a complete and utter weirdo”. Tufty is severely underrated by his colleagues (“asking Tufty had always been a long shot. It wasn’t as if he was renowned for his Sherlock-Holmes-style steel-trap intellect, was it? He wasn’t completely thick – the boy was great on sci-fi trivia, so if Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Battlestar Galactica came up at a pub quiz, he was your man – but actual police work? Might as well ask a drunken hedgehog to fill out your tax return”), but really is a computer whiz (“Brave Sir Tufty’s algorithmic methodology is inspired, but without more computing power, it’s like trying to push a ten-tonne blancmange uphill wearing nothing but flip-flops and an amusing hat.” ), and eventually he comes up with the goods. He also makes a habit of hacking Logan’s phone.
Nationalism is a blight on every country, and in the book, nationalism is taken to obscene lengths. Steel sums up the feelings of many Scots: “I’m all for independence. But I want a Scotland of the Enlightenment; a nation of fairness and equality; a nation that cares about the smallest, weakest person living here every bit as much as the biggest, richest one. A nation that welcomes everyone: aye, even the English … What I don’t want is some sort of apartheid s****hole full of racist, moronic, ethnic cleansing w*** spasms like you.”
I loved this book and can highly recommend it to everyone. I have already bought book number one in this series. My husband is scouring the library for the rest, as he is also hooked. Read and be enthralled. Ten out of five stars!

Book 12 in the excellent Logan McRae series is in my opinion Stuart MacBride back to writing at his very best,having read every book in the series this is up there with the best.Having read some unfavourable reviews i really cannot understand why,yes there is some Scottish language in,but what do you expect from a book and an author based in Scotland ? and the story is based on Scottish nationalist's who do exist !! Once again Logan teams up with the ever funny Steel,Tufty and Rennie after returning to work after his year off in a case which tests the team to their limits.All That's Dead is a superbly written story and once again MacBride is back on top of his game with a 5 star stunner !

Having read all of the author’s books I was overjoyed to be approved for an advance copy of All That’s Dead. Coming from the area the book is set in means that MacBride’s brilliant descriptions of settings and traffic nightmares are wonderfully familiar. As always the characters are a delight, the dialogue is realistic and the story line is relevant, peppered with a brilliant sense of humor. My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for sending me a publication day copy via NetGalley. I love the Logan McRae series and this was no exception. I’m pleased to see Logan has stayed where he belongs in Aberdeen working with Idiot Rennie and Horrible Steel. I didn’t enjoy the series so much when it was set in Banff.

Logan has returned to work after a year off sick and finds himself thrown into an abduction case against a background of Scottish Independence policies and Brexit. A very current context that complimented the murder plot.

Steel is one of my favourite characters in any detective series so I was pleased to see her afforded a central part. Really hoping Stuart Macbride is planning to continue this series as I did worry the ending wasn’t much of a cliffhanger!

In a way, reviewing the twelfth book in a series feels superfluous- if you’re new to Logan McRae then the completist in me says go back to the start (seriously, on you go, they’re great). If you’re not new then you’ll know what to expect - violence, some gruesome descriptions, mordant Scottish wit and an underpinning police procedural that recognises that everyone, including our hero, is flawed.

This, like earlier books, is compellingly readable.

It had seemed an age since the previous Logan McRae novel, but the wait was SO worthwhile...the familiar characters, the dark humour and the well-devised, contemporary plot...just wonderful.

It seemed like a good idea. Logan 'Lazarus' McRae was back at work after a year off sick. He'd been stabbed in the line of duty and recovery had been slow: he still had some pain. His first case was to be a simple one - just to ease him back into work - but it turned out to be anything but. Professor Wilson, a high-profile anti-independence campaigner has gone missing, apparently abducted from his home, but nothing was left behind except some bloodstains. In much the same way that Brexit is dividing people south of the border, there's going to be a war between the pro- and anti-independence factions in Scotland - and the police are not above being involved.

It's a big book - just about 450 pages if you're reading it and just shy of fourteen hours if you're listening - and Stuart MacBride allows himself full rein. You'll get to know all (the good and the bad) about the team in Professional Standards and you'll understand how they interact with each other. Personally I could swing for Tufty, who annoys the hell out of me, but I've got to admit that I laughed a lot as I read and listened. Whether or not you enjoy this book will depend on your sensitivities. If you're offended by coarse language, graphic descriptions of crime scenes, anti-English sentiments and childishness in public office, then it's probably not for you. If you're OK with all of that then the book's a cracker.

I've been a bit naive in my thinking on Scottish independence: I thought it was a part of a country deciding that it wanted to go it alone. I'd never fully appreciated the extent to which voter's feelings were based on what they were wanting to escape from (ties to the vile English) as what they wanted to achieve. MacBride illustrates this perfectly to the extent that one of my long term plans has changed. My husband is Scottish by birth and we'd always thought that if Scotland did achieve independence we might well move there in the hope that we would, at some point in the not-too-distant future, become European citizens again. I don't have the advantage of Scottish birth and I now think I would be reluctant to brave the anti-English feelings.

That didn't spoil a great plot though. Logan's 'simple' case turns rather more complicated when the hands of the man who's been abducted turn up in the post at the television studios. As if that wasn't enough, the Inspector in charge of the case is about to be outed as a former member of a terrorist cell. As Logan's from Professional Standards the decision is made that he will 'assist' the Inspector, but in reality, keep an eye on him. It's better than sacking him as that would make the police look guilty, instead he'll be in charge of the case and if it isn't settled quickly, he'll be the scapegoat. Logan's position makes him the scapegoat's scapegoat.

As well as reading the book, I listened to an audio recording (which I paid for myself) narrated by Steve Worsley. He was superb, with one of the best ranges of voices which I've encountered. I was never in doubt as to which character I was listening to and whilst some narrators come between the reader and the book, Worsley never does. In fact he makes it more accessible. I've listened to other recordings from this series and Worsley is consistently good throughout.

I'd like to thank the publishers for making the book available to the Bookbag.

The book reads well as a standalone, but you might understand more of the complex relationships within the police if you read earlier books in the series. It's no burden!

This is a first class crime novel, the twelfth in the series, and an excellent read. There are a great many very good crime writers who have the gift of storytelling, providing investigations which test the reader and outcomes which reassure, shock or horrify. Mr MacBride does all this but it is his dialogue, his character driven scenes, whether directly related or incidental to the main theme, which sets him apart.

The relationships are ever evolving, there are the deliciously devious, downright weird, or just plain arrogant officers who stand alongside Logan McRae and even the somewhat stereotypical higher ranked staff members have a little extra. The story is gruesome but even though the antagonists are identified quite early, there is no letting up on the tension, and it is a very satisfying page turner right to the end.

The independence campaigners unsatisfied following the referendum play a major role as Logan and his not altogether cohesive multi-departmental force try to get one step ahead. His superiors don't care about any infighting they want quick results and media approval whatever the cost and murder, mayhem and online antagonism all conspire against the team as they struggle to get anywhere close to the answers.

I was able to read a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this series or wants to discover a master of his craft.

Stuart MacBride right back on song with this latest offering in the Logan McRae series of books. Logan returns from the backwoods and to gentle him into his new role he is given a floundering King to try to support. The later turns out to be a true liability. The book brings the usual humour along with serious policing , gruesome activities alongside contemporaneous issues about devolution . An excellent read. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an Arc copy to review

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins UK for the ARC.
I really could not put this book down - a fast-paced page-turner if ever there was one. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I haven't read the whole of this series but it was easy enough to pick up the characters' backgrounds.
Logan McRae returns from his year-long sick leave to his office in Professional Standards, Police Scotland. Although hoping for a gentle easing into casework he finds himself having to shadow DI King on a high-profile missing person case. The missing Professor is an outspoken academic in regard to Scottish Nationalism and the whole case is mired in police politicking because a journalist is threatening to publish a story exposing DI King's membership of a Nationalist organisation.
Hapless Logan finds himself and his team working with DI King to chase down the identity of the abductor before the Professor dies. Along the way we have grizzly mutilations and murders with a suspected serial killer.
I loved the way this story moves forward with brilliant dialogue between the main characters, whether they are bantering about the heat wave in the granite city or cursing about the lack of back-up and resources. It IS gritty dialogue but also witty and humorous. I thought Tufty the computer geek was absolutely fantastic.
I would love to see Logan McRae as a TV series.
Highly recommended.

Another darkly hilarious tale of Logan McBride and his crew of weird and wonderful police colleagues! The violent passages vie with the dark humour to entertain throughput with our hero the seemingly only sane voice in the madcap world of some ultra ultra Scottish Nationalists hell bent on gruesome assaults that turn into murder. There is a hint that McBride's turn in professional standards may be coming to an end so I very much look forward to seeing where he ends up and suspect that all the main characters still have a big part to play.Brilliant!

It’s been some time since I have caught up with Logan McRay. There’s been promotions and demotions, with him and DI Steele reversing roles. Another fantastic story line from Stuart MacBride.

The ever reliable Stuart MacBride takes his endearing cast of Police Scotland characters out to solve another set of crimes. This time Inspector Logan McRae, just back from a long break, is tasked with looking into the Investigation of the disappearance of an academic. There’s suggestions of the involvement of extreme Scottish nationalists and tempers fray in a long hot summer.

Yet another great thriller by Stuart MacBride whose ragtag bunch of police officers always get there in the end. This rattles along at pace, with twists and turns, against a topical backdrop. If you’ve loved the series so far, this is another winner.

This is a real return to form for MacBride and the Logan Macrae series. I usually put in an advance order for the series but was holding off on this one as the pace, plot and dialogue of the last couple weren’t as good as the earlier ones. I’d happily pay full price for this one though, it’s got everything!
Macrae has a new role in the police force after a lengthy time off recovering from injury. It’s made him more measured, more self-reliant and more assertive, which is an intriguing direction to take the character. It does fit, though, and it gives a new dynamic to his interactions with Tufty, Rennie and Steel etc. Tufty was maybe a tad too.....bouncy? Didn’t detract from the book for me, however and Steel remains her glorious, wrinkled, acerbic self.
The plot centring around Alt-Nats gives the perfect background for the trademark violence, social commentary and twists and turns without ever becoming too farfetched. Macrae ‘s new job gives him chance to set more of the moral tone of the book than previously.

Absolutely love the Logan MacRae series and this one just continues to get better and better. Fab characters, snappy dialogue and love the dark sense of humour throughout.

Have alway's ;loved the Logan series, but have not read a few for sometime and in this one Logan has been off for a year apparently with a stab wound so that is one I missed, has now been promoted to Inspector McRae, but obviously still bearing the scars and still in a bit of discomfort.. The Story is about an over-enthusiastic Scottish Nationalism that wants Scotland to break away from the UK but it is after the Scottish Referendum, and belongs to a fascist group and decides there are a few Scottish people of clout that are anti-independence and need to be taught a lesson. Starts with abduction and sending body parts to the media, not a good idea, but is he dead or alive? a lot of blood but no actual body and Logan has been given what is thought an easy case to ease him back after his long leave and to babysit D.I King who at times seems to be losing it a bit, and his marriage is falling apart, and no one has caught him but is he drinking on the job.? D I Steel is King's sidekick but she has been demoted to Sargeant another one I missed, but the good thing about these novels you can read them independently as is always a different story but is nice to keep up with the characters. S MacBride has really got Logan and Steele off to a charm Logan used to be under her and now above her, but she is still a force to be reckoned with. A great story has me wanting more. I must thank Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for a copy and this is an honest review. Well worth a read leaves you wanting more can be a bit like a soap opera but fully intense.

This is the 12th book in the series featuring DI Logan McRae written by Stuart MacBride, and as ever they are brilliantly written. The writing (so far) has never faltered, it's quick, witty and totally grips you from the start. The humour/banter between McRae and Steel is beyond compare.

Logan is back after being injured yet again, but now working at Professional Standards with his old side kick of Rennie. His new case is to babysit DI King, who apparently is set to star in newspaper expose on his past exploits when he was a teenager.

Unfortunately the case King is working on is the kidnap of a pro Union supporter who is disliked by everyone. There is quite a lot of politics in the book which is to be expected given the subject matter, but is done in an unbiased way

This book had me laughing out loud in places, just a thoroughly enjoyable read and highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the chance to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

Ooh I love Stuart MacBride books, Logan is back, this book speeds along as if you are in a f1 car, I think tufty is on speed, brilliant to be back in all of their company, even steel, kept me on the edge of my bed all night, get this as soon as you can, you won't regret it.

The latest Logan Macrae novel is always something I look forward to.

Stuart MacBride has created a wonderful cast of characters, realistic and very very funny.
They also happen to be very good at their jobs, if a little unconventional at times.

Logan is looking to ease back to work after long term sickness but that's never likely to happen....

This story revolves around the extremes of the Scottish Independence debate.
Extreme unionist, Professor Wilson goes missing and a manhunt ensues. More high profile Unionists are abducted along the way as the team try to track down the guilty parties.

All the usual elements are present and correct here. A brilliant story well told, humour, character development and roller coaster page turning excitement.

Stuart MacBride is one of my favourite authors and I'm already looking forward to the next instalment.

An eye opening view of Police Scotland. This is the first of this series that I've read. The story is a good one, but the characters are mental.

I think I enjoyed it.

All That's Dead is the twelfth book in the DI Logan McRae series and although most series' would be running out of steam at this point, this is as fresh and captivating as the first ones. The dark sardonic humour is as great as ever and helps break up the brutal crimes and investigation into the two killers by giving the reader some light relief. MacBride has an army of devotees who appreciate the character-driven narrative he creates and each member of the cast is detailed and three-dimensional. He is one of the best at crafting incredibly real, believable and relatable characters in the crime fiction genre.

I rarely comment on dialogue included in a story, but MacBride does a superb job of moving the narrative forward in a very natural way. It's a highly entertaining read with a complex plot and a variety of threads which are woven together cleverly. Once you pick it up you're guaranteed a good time; I read it in a single sitting and was on the edge of my seat for most of it. I found myself laughing out loud many times throughout this cracking read too. The ragtag crew of McRae, Tufty, Rennie and Steel are as strange, intriguing and unusual as they have always been, but you never get tired of them due to their idiosyncrasies.

They are foul-mouthed and wonderful, but although not essential I'd advise reading the previous novels first. This is a fast-paced, high-octane, politically-influenced police procedural and is well worth the time of all crime readers. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

All That's Dead by Stuart MacBride

It’s Inspector Logan McRae’s first day back at work after a year off on the sick. Somebody’s taken his desk. Not a good start but at least he should be able to take things easy for a bit, get back into it slowly. And then high-profile anti-Scottish independence campaigner Professor Wilson goes missing and someone else with similar opinions vanishes. DI King is in charge of the investigation and it’s not going well. His past has raised its ugly head and he’s fighting to hang onto his job. Logan, who’s still working for Professional Standards, is given the job of keeping an eye on him. As the case grabs more and more media attention, as the police become more and more divided, as the political rows heat up, and the hunt becomes increasingly urgent and macabre, Logan finds himself working with the old crew again, and that means Roberta Steel and Tufty. Poor old Tufty. As for Steel…

Stuart MacBride can do no wrong in my eyes. His novels always feature in my top five books of the year, if not in the top one, and I was desperate to read All That’s Dead (understatement). And it is fantastic! It’s the twelfth Logan McRae novel. It stands alone very well as a mystery but I think to gain optimum enjoyment you’d need to have read at least a few more of the series. That way you’ll know how these detectives function, or usually don’t function, as a team. Because these people are an absolute joy to read about.

Logan is our man in charge (and how I love him) but he has his hands full with this lot. Tufty deserves books of his own and he’s at his most irritable and yet endearing best here. He really needs to be kept in a cupboard and only let out on rare occasions when he can be closely monitored. Steel has had her own book (the brilliant Now We Are Dead) and she just gets better and better at being utterly awful, with her itching and scratching, scoffing and leering. She is my favourite detective and, as is usual, she steals every page she’s on, although Tufty gives her a good run for her money.

Stuart MacBride is the wittiest of writers and All That’s Dead sparkles. This is such clever writing. It makes the reader laugh but this contrasts so effectively with other sections of the book which are utterly shocking. The case at the heart of the novel is horrifying. It builds slowly towards something unforgettable. It is astonishing.

There are politics bubbling away in the background, giving the book a timeliness. But, unusually, this is Scotland in a heatwave! We’re used to rain in these books but now the sun has come out and it’s making everybody very tetchy. These people were not designed for heat or sunshine.

I could rave about All That’s Dead all week. This is with no doubt at all my favourite crime series and Stuart MacBride is my favourite crime writer. I urge you to read them. Everybody needs to meet Roberta Steel! And Tufty. Poor Tufty…

Other reviews
Logan McRae series
In the Cold Dark Ground
A Dark So Deadly
Now We Are Dead
The Blood Road

If you’re not reading this series, you are missing a massive treat. Like others in the series, All That’s Dead can very well be read as a stand-alone, but the characters, their interplay and development, all make for a reading of this series from the beginning to enjoy watching them grow and to follow their progress. Because these are characters you are invested in; people you care about, from the annoying, irrepressible, on overdrive PC Quirrel, universally known as Tufty, to D.S. Roberta Steele, the permanently vaping, never quite finding a bra that fits, fabulously foul mouthed detective.

In All That’s Dead, Logan McRae is back to Professional Standards after a 12 month absence on sick leave following a stabbing. Though he wasn’t expecting a party, McRae is disconcerted to find that they’ve given his desk away. His new boss, Superintendent Bevan, is all first names, team birthday cards and home baking – not at all what Logan is used to.

Julie, as Bevan insists that McRae calls her, plans to ease him back in to work, assisting D.I. Frank King who is a struggling with a collapsing marriage and who is investigating the disappearance of an academic known for his staunch anti-independence stance.

At once MacBride plunges us into the murky world of extreme Scottish politics; a world where there are no shades of grey and you are a traitor to one side of the debate, whichever side you are on. You would not necessarily think this is the best platform for snappy dialogue and wisecracking, but of course it is in adversity that Logan’s team come into their own, exchanging excruciating and sparkling observations, accompanied by a range of astonishingly queasy food options that add to more than one stomach churning moment in this book.

As Logan begins his stint on the investigation into the abduction of Professor Nicholas Wilson, he soon realises that the team is up against a perpetrator who knows how to avoid leaving trace evidence and soon the team are facing a series of similar abductions and chasing their tails to find and catch the perpetrator, have to face the fact that they are getting nowhere as body parts start to arrive in the mail.

To make matters worse, D.I. King is starting to disintegrate in front of his eyes. The media are in hot pursuit, eager to pin Police Scotland to the wall for any mistakes they may make, and one journalist in particular has King’s youthful indiscretions in his sights.

As the investigation heats up, McRae has to contend with not only the mess that is a faltering King, but also Tufty in serious overdrive, the idiot that is DS Rennie and a host of superior officers whose only concern is that they are not held responsible for any fall out from a botched investigation.

The joy of all of this is that not only do we get a fabulously plotted, gloriously characterised crime novel with a devious perpetrator and a gory campaign plan, but we get it in a smart talking, witty and clever wrapper that makes us laugh out loud and extends our liking for these characters a hundredfold.

Verdict: I loved this book. All That’s Dead is a cracking story, brilliantly told. MacBride is on top form and this is a blistering must read.

It is so wonderful to be back in Logan's world again, after his nearly being killed off. An eccentric man with many enemies is taken from his run'down home . unloved by colleagues but an old enemy has captured him (or is he dead) and Logan had been asked to spy on someone top doing investigating
and cited Logan, first facts back its rough. Meanwhile his days have begun top level and Logan finds his life and being a higher up had down side too. But energetic

The Logan McRae Novels by Stuart MacBride are captivating and addictive. They are always on my pre-order list, as is anything else MacBride writes. So to say I was thrilled with the opportunity to receive an advance copy of All That’s Dead would be an understatement. And it did not disappoint. As always, Logan McRae and the rest of the cast of characters go through a lot – a LOT: horrific crimes, murders, serial killers. With a lot of humor and craziness thrown in. And a lot of eating. I am always hungry for sausage and chips when reading and I am about ready to travel to Aberdeen to try a bacon butty and visit the Lobster People from the Planet Too-Ginger-to-Be-in-the-Sun.

Police Scotland Inspector Logan McRae is just back to work after a year of recovery from almost being killed. He’s not all that thrilled to be assigned to Professional Standards but he is looking forward to some simple cases to work his way back into things. Well, that’s not going to happen. He’s assigned as more or less an observer of the officer in charge of solving the disappearance of the high-profile anti-independence campaigner, Professor Wilson, but the powers to be want results quickly and decide that Logan is the one to get them.

While Logan was off recuperating, author MacBride was kind enough to give us an in-between standalone featuring Detective Sergeant Robert Steel. She used to be Detective Chief Inspector Roberta Steel and Logan’s boss until she got caught breaking the rules. She is infuriating. Uncouth, crude, always with the bra strap, has such a mean streak, but there’s also some softness trying to get out. I waited with bated breath until she showed up in All That’s Dead. I love her and Logan and all the rest – Tufty, Milky, Rennie, Tara, Susan, the whole lot of them. They are like a family, a very dysfunctional family.

All That’s Dead is an exciting, thrilling mystery, with a fast-moving plot and a lot of danger, twists and turns and surprises. Because of Logan’s often sarcastic, pessimistic attitude I sometimes forget just how good a detective he really is, how proficient. It’s a joy watching him sort through all the facts and inch toward the murderer. The infighting in the police ranks and battles for and against Scottish Nationalism add depth to the story.

This is the 12th book in the Logan McRae series but you can jump in anytime in any book; they all standalone. But – you shouldn’t. You should start at the beginning and take Logan’s journey with him or you’ll miss out on so much: his up and down career, his many injuries, his lost loves and heartbreak, and his hope and recovery, the depth of his relationship with Steel and much more.

Thanks to author Stuart MacBride, publisher Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of All That’s Dead for my reading pleasure and honest review. Read any one of his books and you’ll be like me, impatiently waiting for the next.

This is a stunning read! One of my favourite crime authors who never fails to deliver. Book 12 in the Logan Mc Rae series is every bit as fresh as book one. Logan is investigating a trail of missing bodies, an investigating officer with a serious mark on his record and the character of DS Steel on the team. So much humour, great pace, tight plot and a well written tale make this a 5* read from Stuart MacBride. I just love this series and have no hesitation in recommending this book. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC. Reviews on Goodreads and Facebook with Amazon to follow on publication day.

Another fantastic book from Stuart MacBride in the Logan McRae series. Great characters and a great storyline that has you hooked right until the end. Roll on the next book!

Love this series. Love everything about it. The characters, the plot, the humour. The writing style. Love it all. Have devoured the whole series.

Every time I review a Stuart Macbride novel I have a terrible time because honestly all I want to do is dance the awesome book dance. Yes it’s a thing in my house, the youngest did one last night having finished the fourth Harry Potter..

Anyway, you can’t see me so I’ll just have to use my words…All That’s Dead is yet another fantastic addition to this series, completely gripping first page to last, irreverently hilarious and also dark as you like.

Our favourite characters are back doing their own awesome book dance alongside a truly villainous villain, a massive dose of reality and some rather horrific happenings. The plot is taut and effective as ever, it is an utter delight to read, as they all are.

Is there any need to say more? Nope. Well ok, just that if you are looking for quality writing, brilliant observation and genuinely addictive plots within your crime fiction, this series and this author should be high up on your reading list.

Exceptional stuff.

Highly Recommended.

4.5 Stars
Inspector Logan McRae returns to work after a year & hopes he’ll be able to ease back to work with an easy case. No chance!
The high-profile anti-independence campaigner, Professor Wilson, has gone missing, leaving nothing but bloodstains behind. A superior officer with problems, who unravels leaving McRae to cope. Although this is the twelfth book in the series the series is still fresh & I just love the series , strong characters & a fast paced story just what I need for an enjoyable read. I loved the mix of dark humour & tension (unlike the previous book where I felt the humour didn’t work) & read the book under a day. There are twists & turns along the way, I can highly recommend this book & the whole series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of All That’s Dead, the twelfth novel to feature DI Logan MacRae of Police Scotland.

Logan returns to a job in Professional Standards after a year off on invalidity. To ease him in he is asked to investigate DI King who is facing exposure in the press. It should be a simple job but DI King is investigating the disappearance of staunch and combative anti independence campaigner Professor Nicholas Wilson. As Logan gets pulled into the investigation his gentle easing in turns into anything but.

I thoroughly enjoyed All That’s Dead which is another fine addition to an excellent series. It made me laugh while clinging to the edge of my seat as the tension and excitement rise. There are plenty of twists and turns as Logan tries to find out what happened to Professor Wilson, many of them gory as Mr MacBride does not shy away from the violence implicit in crimes of this nature.

It is an interesting subject to cover and I enjoyed the running commentary on Independence. It has been somewhat overshadowed by Brexit in the press but is still a hot button topic in Scotland. I was particularly interested in what Mr MacBride calls the Alt-Nat, the rabid pro-independence movement which surfaced during the referendum as I hadn’t realised the extent of it. It makes for interesting if shameful reading for any Scot. For non Scots the politics may not be quite as interesting but the story they shape will surely hold the attention.

It is equally interesting to see the once feckless Logan MacRae turn into the voice of reason and often the only adult in the room. He has his hands full in this novel trying to corral a motley crew of colleagues, including the irrepressible DS Roberta Steele who, as ever, has a way with words and attitude that has me in stitches on a regular basis.

All That’s Dead is a great read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Wow !!!! Waited for this book and it definitely does not disappoint
His books get better every time
The storyline is gripping and will have you up till the early hours
Highly recommended

A bit uncomfortable reading with English little me reading in Scotland but still a good storyline. I've not come across this one before and I like to have a new topic in a storyline. Stuart has a good knack of writing his characters with a good sense of humour and that's a good thing considering what they see and come across in their day to day duties. They didn't respond to a colleague's death which I thought which was disappointing. Some excellent news for Logan at the very end though. Always look forward to a Stuart Macbride book. Continuous good banter between Logan and Roberta. Stuart's books are based in and around Aberdeen which isn't far from me and I am very much looking forward to seeing Stuart at a book talk. Can't wait for the next one!!!

This maybe the 12th book in the DI Logan MacRae series and I still can't wait to read the latest because I know that I am going to be thoroughly entertained. This author has a die hard following and I am very glad to say that I am one of them. This book is full of humour ( laugh out loud ) comic wit which this author does so well. Roberta Steele lesbian queen extraordinaire who always comes up smelling of roses and usually at some else's expense. Long suffering DI Logan McRae who tries desperately to keep it altogether while working with the likes of the Tuffinator and Rennie. As Logan says Its like working in a kindergarten. The one liners are priceless, a spate of grisly murders to be solved. I have been thoroughly entertained for the last few hours. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended I LOVED IT !!!!!!
I would like to thank the author, Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

DI Logan "Lazarus" McRae is back in Stuart MacBride's excellent All That's Dead.

Returning to work after a year off injured McRae is thrown back into the deep end with a high profile case.

As usual MacBride has written an excellent dark and at times comedic police procedural thriller which confirms that he is one of the best authors currently writing.

The book is well paced and very engaging with lots of chaos and confusion and all the regulars reappear.

This is one of the best series around and is 100% thoroughly recommended.

The Logan McRae series is a favorite series of mine. No one can mix crime and humor as Stuart Macbride and this book is no exception. And, it all starts with a missing body, and that's not the first body to go missing. However, Logan also has to deal with the fact that the cop that runs this investigation has, let's say a black spot on his record. And, now a journalist is threatening to reveal it all. And, to top it all Logan is the one set to help out the investigation because the powers to be needs a scapegoat. And, who's better than Logan?

There is so much going on in this book that I will just say this: This book is great from the beginning until the end. There are plenty of funny moments, my favorite fictional cat Cthulhu and Logan's children have great cameos. The case is interesting, and of course, Roberta Steel is there to make Logan's life worse. And, that ending...

So, what are you waiting for? Go out and get a copy of this book (and the rest of the books in the series)...

I read every episode in the Logan series with my heart in my throat with fear about what's going to happen to Logan next. Fairly justified I think given that we open with his return to work after a years leave still suffering with pain from his horrific injuries last time round. Thankfully and I hope things isn't too spoilery we get through this installment without too many horrific injuries (at least not to Logan ......). This is one of my top cop thriller series and I always try to read them as slow as possible to savour it but I just couldn't manage it and flew through this chaotic installment with glee.

Stuart Macbride does it again!

Logan McRae is easily one of my favorite characters ever, and I always jump at the chance to read more about him.
The story was full of wit and jokes but still managed to build a lot of suspense and tension. I would recommend this to anyone!

Another fantastic installment in the Logan Mcrae series, Stuart Macbride is constantly on my recommendation list to my customers and never fails to disappoint.

Fabulous as always. Witty, well-written full of suspense. Great characters, suspense plenty of twists and turns.

A brutal thriller with a laugh out loud wicked sense of humour. Logan McRae returns in his 14th outing in this police series.

All That’s Dead provides another entertaining outing for inspector McCrae and his assorted weird colleagues in Scotland’s finest. The writing is as good as in his previous offerings, with dialogue offering plenty of black humour. The plot is a perfectly adequate police procedural based around some current themes of Scottish Independence and the more extreme actions of some alt-nats. However, what lifts this novel from the ordinary police procedural is the way in which the author breathes life into his characters, and - particularly- the very creative use of humorous dialogue to help the reader through some scenes that may be just a little gratuitous in their use of violence. Highly recommended.

A fantastic read that kept me gripped until the last page.
I loved the relationship between steel and Logan: nothing changes there he’s now her boss but she still leads the show

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and found the twists and turns intriguing and fascinating. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading this genre.

This was an excellent read. Not something I would usually pick up but It had me hooked from the outset and throughout. Will be keeping an eye out for more in the future.