Before the Storm

Lorimer is up there with the best, when it comes to Scottish detectives and full credit to Alex Gray for putting him there..
If you haven’t read any of her previous books, then this one will certainly convince you do so.
There is no clutter of characters that you often find in other books, while Lorimer immediately becomes not simply a good policeman, but an extremely likeable person.
Hopefully the next instalment follows soon.
Highly recommended.

I was so excited to be given the advanced copy of this book. I have read all of Alex Gray's books and this new instalment did not disappoint.
Familiar and well loved characters such as the Lorimers and Goodman return alongside new additions to complete the fast paced, dramatic investigation that is as exciting and unexpected as I’ve become accustomed to with Alex Gray. I hope it’s not too long before the next one.

Another brilliant book in this long standing series The only improvement would be more Glasgow humour, Netta is a perfect example of the welcoming people in the city.

In Glasgow, it never rains but it pours....

Undercover officers on active investigations are being compromised, there's a suspected leak from within Police Scotland, and rumours of a terrorist attack planned for Christmas.

As usual, William Lorimer's in the thick of it. And them he meets a man from Zimbabwe.....

Another brilliant Lorimer adventure

I love books by Alex Gray and was not disappointed in her new crime novel.
Still DS Lorimer and a bit of Professor Brightman in the story but this one had the added spice of new character from South Africa, Daniel.
Can they fine the terrorist cell who plan an attack in George square at Christmas and also solve the murder of a few well known local lawyers?
I did no housework until I found out the answers!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have seen a lot of books by this author and have not read any. I shall be looking out for me. Great storyline, good page turner thoroughly enjoyed it.

Alex Gray's latest in her Glasgow based crime series featuring Detective Superintendent William 'Bill' Lorimer, has Lorimer pensively wondering about his future as he approaches nearly 30 years in the Scottish police service, reviewing the changes that have taken place, he is currently heading the Major Incident Team. It is a job that has taken its toll on him, but what else could he possibly do? In Zimbabwe, Police Inspector Daniel Kohi's life is shattered as his wife and son are killed in a deliberately started fire, all because he refused to become corrupt, leaving him forced to flee to escape the danger to his life. He is now a refugee, unable to work although he can volunteer, in a cold and dark Glasgow, where he has been allocated a flat in a impoverished part of the city. On arrival, he spots a man with a bloody knife down an alley. Given his former profession, Daniel can't help being curious and investigating.

Lorimer, Deputy Chief Constable Caroline Flint and Acting Chief Constable David Mearns are in the unenviable position of having to deal with the fallout from the leaking to the media of the names of undercover police officers, a leak that could only have come from within the police force. The undercover officers can no longer operate, a loss of valuable resources, with two being now desk bound, and the other quitting. Intelligence suggests there are terrorist cells in Glasgow, planning a spectacular atrocity in the run up to Christmas, and that there is a woman behind it. DS Sylvie Maxwell is working undercover at Thomas Bryson solicitors, suspected of handling funds for terrorism. DI Graham Brownlee finds himself leading an inquiry into the discovery of a burnt corpse, surprised to find Lorimer taking an interest. Daniel and Lorimer's paths connect in a tense investigation in the race to stop the nightmare scenario of multiple deaths and mayhem.

One of my favourite aspects of this series is the character of Lorimer, a man of compassion, depth and intelligence, willing to do what is necessary to get results, even if it means breaking the rules, as he does here in involving civilians, like his good friend, psychologist Professor Solomon Brightman and his new friend and informal colleague, Daniel. The haunted Daniel is a stellar character, having to acclimatise to a new country and culture, depressed but still in all respects a functioning police officer. I loved seeing his growing relationship with his elderly neighbour, Nella, and getting drawn into Lorimer's personal and professional circles. This is a riveting addition to this wonderful series, intense, engaging, and entertaining Scottish crime fiction that I think many other readers will enjoy. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

Before the Storm is the 18th book in Alex Gray's extremely popular William Lorimer series.
Lorimer finds himself fighting against the clock to track down a group of terrorists that he's been tipped off are going to launch an attack in Glasgow. There are suspicions that there is a "mole" within Police Scotland exposing the identities of undercover police operatives involved in the investigation so only a small,select group of people are "in the loop".
Zimbabwean refugee Daniel Kohi witnesses something disturbing almost withing minutes of arriving in Glasgow while walking to his allocated accommodation and being a policeman before being forced out of his home country he decides he has to do something about it and fate brings him to Lorimer.
As usual in this series the book is an easy read with a decent plot and familiar characters ,regulars will love it. Some parts do stretch belief a tad but it's entertaining and works as a standalone for those who are new to the series.
Daniel Kohi ,and his neighbour Netta,are great new characters and there's plenty of scope for a new series,not least as Lorimer is close to retirement now.There are plenty of signs in this book that a couple of younger characters are also being introduced to carry on when Bill finally bows out and hints of Daniel's potential future.
A great read that's up to Alex Gray's usual high standards.

Daniel Kohi was once a Police Inspector in Zimbabwe. He was also a husband and father. Now he is a refugee living in Glasgow, Scotland, grieving the deaths of his wife and son who perished in a fire set by his enemies on the force. On his first night in Glasgow, he sees a man with a bloody knife step out of an office building then go back in. He’s intrigued and decides to investigate.

Detective Superintendant Bill Lorimer has a problem. He’s heard rumors about a terrorist plot aimed at the city and the identities of four of his undercover police have been revealed in the local newspaper. That means someone in his department is leaking information to the press. Then a body is found. A man was stabbed to death and burned. He worked at the law firm where Lorimer has placed an undercover agent.

Kohi and Lorimer are investigating the same case. A chance meeting brings them together and an exchange of information moves them closer to solving murder and ending terrorist attacks.

This is the first police procedural I have read by Alex Gray and it will not be my last. Before the Storm has depth in the setting, characters and plot. The opening scene, where Daniel tries to rescue his family, is so visual as is the apartment where he live and the refugee center. The characters are well described and nuanced. Although Daniel is wracked by grief, his intelligence and dignity shine. His neighbor, Netta Gordon, radiates kindness. This is a 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Alex Gray for this ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of Before the Storm, the eighteenth novel set in Glasgow and its environs to feature Detective Superintendent William Lorimer.

Daniel Kohi, an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe, arrives in Glasgow and sees something suspicious. Meanwhile Lorimer is looking at an abnormally low murder rate, and is quietly pleased as it allows him to devote his time to more pressing matters, notably a potential attack in Glasgow and a leaker revealing the identity of undercover officers. Then the murders start and he co-opts Daniel for some”voluntary” work.

I thoroughly enjoyed Before the Storm, which is a tense read with a compulsive plot. It had me suspecting a good few characters as the mastermind behind the potential attack and while I might have been in the ballpark with my guesses I was more in the stands than on the field. The author does a great job of hiding the perpetrator’s identity while making the motive clear. With so much going on I was glued to the pages with my mind racing at all the permutations and possibilities. The novel is told from several points of view with Lorimer and Daniel as the main narrators, but the other voices give the reader depth and a broader perspective on events and a little insider knowledge the police don’t have. Be still my racing mind!

Daniel Kohi is the surprise bonus in this novel, whom I would love to see as a regular character. He illustrates the problems with seeking asylum, bureaucratic, financial and psychological stress with his story of coming to the UK. He is, however, a strong resourceful man with a well developed sense of justice and honesty. His friendship with the wee wifey next door, Netta, is a joy because she’s so authentic. I could give the novel 5 stars for that alone, but, as they say it’s all about location, so being set in my old stomping grounds of the South Side of Glasgow is even better.

Before the Storm is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Another excellent novel in the Lorimer series with a slight departure from the norm with refugee Daniel assisting Police Scotland with their investigations. As usual with this series the tension mounts and the reader is increasingly keen to discover if Loriner will be successful. I have read all the series and came with great expectations of the book. It did not disappoint.
Thank you for my advance cipy.

Another really enjoyable novel by Alex Gray which I was really looking forward to. As a fan of police procedurals I would definitely recommend.

The latest book from Alex Gray in the Detective Lorimer series, set in Glasgow and Paisley, is a very good read. I love the characters of Lorimer and his wife, Maggie. The introduction of Daniel, a refugee from Zimbabwe, is an excellent addition to the familiar character list. There is plenty tension and good dialogue in this riveting addition to Scottish crime fiction. One of my favourite series and a worthy 5*. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

It's been a while since I read an Alex Grey book and this is something I need to address. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the stories of William Lorimer. Always good to read a book set in your home towann but even better when some of the action takes place just down the road from you!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm off now to seek out some more Lorimer adventures!

This was a bit disconcerting to begin with. The story line starts in ZImbabwe rather than Glasgow. The action soon moves North and Lorimer is on high alert as there is a possible mole with Police Scotland who has released the names of undercover officers, compromising both the officers and their investigations.
Alongside this a body has just been found ruining his hope of a whole month without a murder.
The story gathers layers and speed and I found I was so engrossed in it, I completely missed something I was waiting for at home. I hope the new characters get to stay in future novels.

I’ve been reading lots of crime fiction during lockdown, finding that I need things to read that are distracting and fast-paced. I’d heard about Alex Gray’s Lorimer series of police procedural novels set in Glasgow, but hadn’t read any before, so decided to take the plunge with Number 18 in the series.

Due to the main character, Bill Lorimer, now being head of the Major Incident Team within Police Scotland (I assume he has been promoted at some point during the series), his role involves dealing with things at the highest level, so although there is a murder fairly early on in this story, Lorimer’s job isn’t directly to solve this. He’s busy trying to foil a suspected planned terrorist attack on the centre of Glasgow, as well as trace the source of recent press leaks of the identities of undercover officers, which has led to several officers having to take up desk duties and has underpowered the local police force. There are some interesting layers at work, with officers working on the murder case wondering why Lorimer is suddenly taking such an interest in their work.

Daniel, an ex-member of the Zimbabwean police, who has had to flee the country due to threats against his life, turns up in Glasgow seeking asylum, and immediately witnesses something suspicious. Unable to resist using his own policing skills to start investigating, he soon enters the orbit of Bill Lorimer and they discover that they’ve been working in parallel.

The character of Daniel brings a lot to this story. He’s a skilled police officer, but through his experiences we get a taste of the restrictions placed on asylum seekers, and he has to work in an unofficial, unrecognised way. He forges a heart-warming friendship with his elderly neighbour Netta, a salt-of-the-earth Glaswegian who despite being generous to the core is no stranger to social exclusion herself, poverty having led her into the path of loan sharks.

Before the Storm struck a good balance for me between crime solving action and human interest story. I’m not always in the mood for white-knuckle-ride twists or lots of gory detail, and Alex Gray’s writing seems to steer clear of these while still providing an absorbing plot and a cast of interesting characters. I just need to read through the other 17 books in the series now.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Alex Gray for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first Alex Gray book I’ve read, and now she has me hooked.
If you haven’t read any of the other DSI William (Bill) Lorimer series, don’t worry - Before The Storm works perfectly well as a standalone.

Alex Gray’s fabulous attention to detail really allows you to visualise her characters. I was particularly fond of Netty and Daniel, and the heart-warming relationship they formed. The characters have great depth, and I was totally invested in their story.

The book wasn’t overly littered with characters either - allowing you to easily follow the plot, without having to digest too much information.

Overall, an excellent police procedural, with a gripping storyline and a few red herrings thrown in for good measure.

I will now be adding the other seventeen (!) to my TBR list.

I would highly recommend.

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