Open Wounds

Thank you very much for permission to read this book. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. Douglas Skelton is one of my favourite Scottish authors and Open Wounds did not disappoint. I love the lead character of Davie Mc Call and the plot galloped along at a great pace. Set in Glasgow, it was gritty and believable wìth unexpected twists in the story. I was sad at the ending but this was the best book yet from the author. I would definitely recommend it to lovers of crime genre.

The book opens with an odd assortment of people at a funeral. We're not privy to the identity of the narrator or who has died but it's clear they were both once familiar with what it means to be in "the Life".

Flashback 2 years & we meet Davie McCall, hard man & enforcer for Big Rab McClymont. Rab runs a criminal empire & they've known each other for decades. But lately Davie has begun to question his choices & wonder if it's possible to walk away before he loses what is left of his soul.

In short order he finds himself looking into an old armed robbery that's attracted the attention of a police task force. And there's the lovely woman who has moved in upstairs.....

This is a tense & gritty tale of Glasgow gangsters that pulls you in from the opening pages. The cast includes criminals, victims, detectives & bent cops. Everyone has an agenda & with some playing both sides, it can be difficult to tell the good guys from the bad.

But the centre of it all is Davie. Despite his history, he's a sympathetic character. Yes, he's done terrible things but has a strict moral code that makes him seem more ethical than those plotting to put him away.
As tension builds & bodies pile up, the story explores themes of friendship & loyalty. After all, being in the life is a business & sometimes that has to trump your personal choices.

Although this is book #4, enough history is provided so this can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel. It's the harsh yet poignant story of a conflicted man & you'll find yourself rooting for the "hero" while dreading what may appear on the next page.The end is particularly effective, leaving a glimmer of hope among the carnage.

Engrossing, surprising & atmospheric....it combines the grit of Stuart MacBride with brutal prose reminiscent of Ken Bruen's "Jack Taylor" series. If you're a fan of celtic noir you've found your next read.

I read Open Wounds with a heavy heart as I know that it's the last in the Davie McCall series. But what a finale of a book! Once again I found myself dragged into the streets of Glasgow, through the familiar East End and the well kent faces of Davie McCall's associates in "The Life".
Davie wants out of The Life, he's afraid that the Dark will take over him completely and he will have nowhere else to go but is it as easy as just upping sticks and leaving? The "dark Knight" is still out there and it seems there's one more job to be done as Davie and Private Investigator, Donovan look to find out the truth behind the imprisonment of O'Neill for a crime he denied all involvement with - out on appeal O'Neill is visited by Davie and one of Big Rab McLymonts associates to warn him off his quest to clear his name - but Davie has another agenda...
A massive five stars for Open Wounds - Douglas Skelton has a canny knack of taking the reader on a journey that embroiled them into the "Life" but also transports them right onto the streets of Glasgow - through the tenement buildings, up the dark closes and places you'd never want to go - reading his books makes me live, breathe and experience the world of Davie McCall.
So sad the series has come to an end but what a series it is! Highly recommend this books to all. Crime fiction lovers and a huge thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I haven't had the privilege of reading anything by Douglas Skelton before, and I can honestly say - I've missed out!!! It seems as if this book is part of a series, featuring David McCall. David has to investigate a murder, in Glasgow, while struggling with a lot of personal issues. When I hear Glasgow, I see in my mind's eye dark and cold streets, almost like the Rebus tv-series by Ian Rankin, one of my favorite tv series' ever. This book and storyline compared easily as good as the Rebus series, so I can recommend it to anyone who loves some good old-fashioned crime fiction!

I received a copy of this book via Luath Press/ Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Before I even start my review, I have to give a HUGE thanks to my #Twinnie, Sharon of Chapter In My Life who encouraged me to bump this author’s books up my TBR…definitely one of my better decisions! Woohoo!

Right…so now my thoughts! I am not sure if I can even express how much I adore #DavieMcCall and this series! Set in Glasgow the themes of redemption; change; haunting memories; betrayal; loyalty are just a few threads that run seamlessly throughout the plot of Open Wounds. The title itself is aptly chosen and once you read the book ( as you MUST read this book!) you will see exactly what I mean.

The opening chapter had me hooked from the start and I was absolutely thrilled to be reading about Davie McCall again. I found myself thrown into the pages and learning more about #TheLife that Davie was now so desperate to escape from. It was a great story-line, perfectly paced and superbly gripping.

Being a real character addict, I really enjoyed the mix of good and bad in Open Wounds. Needless to say, Davie McCall stole the show with his haunted darkness and desire to move away from #TheLife which has kept hold of him for so long. I adore his “gangster with morals” attitude and the inner turmoil he fights on a daily basis. Davie keeps people at arms length as his past reminds him not to let people get too close. There is just something about this guy that makes me *swoon* …..

A few of the other characters that grabbed me were Jimsie: loved the banter between him and McCall. Jimsie is a loose cannon and one that raised a red flag for me early on. Donna is a new girl on the block and without giving away any spoilers, I really felt for McCall when the moment of truth arrived – talk about a HUGE punch in the gut! Women are definitely McCall’s “achilles heel”!! This book saw me equally drawn to Frank Donovan. There was a gumshoe detective feel to his character and the more I learned about him, the more I liked him. But Rab…*shakes heads* – WTF is going on with this guy! He is McCall’s oldest friend but tragedy from Book 3 seems to have really messed up his mind –rightly or wrongly, he is one to keep and eye on!

I love that there were story-lines from the other books in the series dropped into the pages so that this could easily be read as a stand-alone….though once you read it, you may want to go back and read the whole series! I still have Book 1 and 2 to read and I am eager to do so as soon as my TBR becomes a little less…crazy! #MyBad

As the book went on I had 4⭐️’s firmly planted in my head – it was a great read and I was enjoying it immensely. But then OMFG!!! Douglas Skelton cranked it up a notch moving this to a kickass 5⭐️ all the way! There was tension, twists and OMG moments that had my emotions going absolutely haywire! It all happened so fast I was left in shock! And then the ending…OMFG ….WOW WOW WOW! Is it really the end for Davie? I hope not, as this was a series I absolutely fell for head over friggin heels!

So if you are looking for some #TartanNoir, a gripping series full of Glasgow grit, suspense, action and edge of the seat twists – I highly recommend this book and the whole series! Head over to amazon to introduce yourself to Davie McCall and be prepared to pulled into #TheLife …

This is a romp through the Glasgow underworld that was electrifying! This is 4th in a series of 4, and I really, really, wish I had read the first three.

Davie McCall is what we would call an enforcer. Although he’s ruthless, he has a code. He doesn’t hurt women, or children, or animals. He’s been working for his old friend, Big Rab, for years, and now he wants out. He’s tired of all the violence, tired of the life.

McCall finds himself investigating a crime that took place several years previous. Old friends become new enemies. Secrets are uncovered …. But are they enough to allow McCall to leave the life behind?

This is a brutal, violent, compelling read. Davie is a bad guy … but not always. He has personal issues to work through, mostly remembering those he has hurt. He has only one true friend that he will protect at any cost. And there’s the woman who has moved upstairs that might be his salvation. And then there is a corrupt cop who seems to be the catalyst for a lot of crime.

A good plot and believable characters make this a must read for anyone who appreciates crime fiction.

Many thanks to the author / Luath Press / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.