“Dying Light – Logan McRae #2” by Stuart MacBride – grim, violent crime in Aberdeen

I didn’t enjoy “Dying Light” as much as its predecessor  “Cold Granite”, the first in this series.

The same cast of characters were there as before but now DS Logan McRae has been allocated to the Fuck Up Squad after an officer ended up in a coma during a drugs raid that he lead.

I enjoyed the humour and the tension that comes from the orderly McRae having to deal with his chaotic, despotic but strangely charismatic boss in the Fuck Up Squad. The local feel of the book remained strong and the depiction of bored police officers playing “If you had to or die” or “Spit or swallow” while on endless stakeouts seemed credible.

The plot was as twisted as in the first book but the sense of compassion and loss was not as strong. I was also put off by the maiming of one of the main characters by a gangster hard man. I recognise that this kind of thing is realistic but the detail in which it was described and the lack of empathy demonstrated by McRae and others left a bad taste.

I will continue with this series because it’s well written and has strong characters but I’m hoping for something beyond twisted plot and escalating violence in the next book.

 

Kenny Blythe does a great job as the narrator. Click on the SoundCloud link below to hear him do his stuff.

 

 

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