noveldeelights's review against another edition
5.0
First let me say, I am a huge Stuart MacBride fan. His Logan McRae series is one of my most favourite things ever. Like right up there with wine and boots. That's saying something.
So when I first heard that he'd written a stand-alone, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I miss the characters I've loved for so long? Would it be as brilliant as everything else I've read by him?
The answer is : of course it's as bloody brilliant! And actually, the Misfit Mob made for a nice change from the usual characters. We're still in a dark, gloomy, wet and slightly depressing area of Scotland. We still have a host of fabulously realistic characters. And of course, the humour.
The Misfit Mob is made up of officers that Police Scotland can't get rid of. If you think that knowledge creates some kind of bond between them, you'd be wrong. What it does provide, is banter and lots of chuckles.
DC Callum MacGregor's life has been going downhill for a while now, and it's not getting any better. For reasons you'll have to discover yourself, he's not exactly accepted. But things will soon become a whole lot more interesting.
This is a long book but at no point does it ever become boring. There's a fabulous backstory that will leave you itching to find out more. There's a serial killer with one of the most innovative ways to murder someone that I've ever read. There are twists and turns and I was so utterly engrossed that I stayed up way too late to finish.
So, no, I shouldn't have worried. Stuart MacBride knows exactly what he's doing and I can't wait for his next book. Whether it is another Logan McRae, another Misfit Mob maybe or something else, I'll be first in line. I'll be using elbows, people. Don't say I didn't warn you.
(Note : Since writing this review, it's been revealed a new book is coming in November and it's a Roberta Steel spin-off! I may have wet myself. Or scratched my boobs, in honour of the fabulous lady *ahem* herself. My elbows are greased! Is it November yet? How about now?)
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy, which I chose to review.
So when I first heard that he'd written a stand-alone, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I miss the characters I've loved for so long? Would it be as brilliant as everything else I've read by him?
The answer is : of course it's as bloody brilliant! And actually, the Misfit Mob made for a nice change from the usual characters. We're still in a dark, gloomy, wet and slightly depressing area of Scotland. We still have a host of fabulously realistic characters. And of course, the humour.
The Misfit Mob is made up of officers that Police Scotland can't get rid of. If you think that knowledge creates some kind of bond between them, you'd be wrong. What it does provide, is banter and lots of chuckles.
DC Callum MacGregor's life has been going downhill for a while now, and it's not getting any better. For reasons you'll have to discover yourself, he's not exactly accepted. But things will soon become a whole lot more interesting.
This is a long book but at no point does it ever become boring. There's a fabulous backstory that will leave you itching to find out more. There's a serial killer with one of the most innovative ways to murder someone that I've ever read. There are twists and turns and I was so utterly engrossed that I stayed up way too late to finish.
So, no, I shouldn't have worried. Stuart MacBride knows exactly what he's doing and I can't wait for his next book. Whether it is another Logan McRae, another Misfit Mob maybe or something else, I'll be first in line. I'll be using elbows, people. Don't say I didn't warn you.
(Note : Since writing this review, it's been revealed a new book is coming in November and it's a Roberta Steel spin-off! I may have wet myself. Or scratched my boobs, in honour of the fabulous lady *ahem* herself. My elbows are greased! Is it November yet? How about now?)
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy, which I chose to review.
fonril's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a recent inductee to the Stuart MacBride fan base, I've read the Ash Henderson series and absolutely love them. This one is a stand alone but follows a similar vein of dark, gruesoke themes, incredible gritty and hard-punching dialogue and superbly drawn characters.
DC Callum MacGregor is a man who is struggling - at work, he's stuck in the Misfit Mob, the group of police officers who, for one reason or another, are relegated to the crappiest office to deal with the most mundane and undesirable cases. He has a pregnant girlfriend at home and because he took the blame for a mistake she made, his colleagues think he purposely mucked up a crime scene because he was bribed.
When a mummified body turns up at a local dump, it seems like a tedious case involving endless phone calls to museums to see who has lost one od their exhibits. That is, until it becomes clear that the mummy is not historical at all but a recent victim of a deranged killer.
Like his other novels that I've read, this rolicks along at a good pace and in some sections, I just couldn't read fast enough to get to the next page to find out what happened next. I adore the dark humour, the banter between the characters is done very well and it's peppered with plenty of crude violence and mayhem to keep you engaged.
Another triumph of a book by this author.
DC Callum MacGregor is a man who is struggling - at work, he's stuck in the Misfit Mob, the group of police officers who, for one reason or another, are relegated to the crappiest office to deal with the most mundane and undesirable cases. He has a pregnant girlfriend at home and because he took the blame for a mistake she made, his colleagues think he purposely mucked up a crime scene because he was bribed.
When a mummified body turns up at a local dump, it seems like a tedious case involving endless phone calls to museums to see who has lost one od their exhibits. That is, until it becomes clear that the mummy is not historical at all but a recent victim of a deranged killer.
Like his other novels that I've read, this rolicks along at a good pace and in some sections, I just couldn't read fast enough to get to the next page to find out what happened next. I adore the dark humour, the banter between the characters is done very well and it's peppered with plenty of crude violence and mayhem to keep you engaged.
Another triumph of a book by this author.
themaxdog's review
3.0
Full review now up on the blog: https://www.thewritinggreyhound.co.uk/2021/03/book-review-dark-so-deadly-stuart-macbride.html
A Dark So Deadly is a suspenseful crime thriller packed with shocking twists and turns.
This is not a short book, but it is well-paced and remains engaging throughout. It is almost like several books rolled into one - multiple cases crop up throughout the story, and each brings its own subplot to the overall arc. Of course, the individual cases tie together in surprising ways, but reading about each unique crime is interesting.
DC Callum MacGregor is an endearing and likeable character. Down on his luck and struggling with the repercussions of a difficult choice, things only seem to get worse as Callum's life quickly spirals downhill out of control. Yet despite the high stakes and intensity of the case, he remains (for the most part) approachable and honest. Callum is a great character with strong morals - which is ironic, considering the reason why he ended up in the Misfit Mob!
The other police officers in the Misfit Mob are as eclectic and eccentric as you can imagine. From feminist new girl Franklin to jelly-baby-loving 'Mother', the senior officer leading the team, you never quite know what you are going to get with this bunch. Despite that, each has their own reasons for ending up in the Misfit Mob and their backstories are gradually uncovered throughout the book.
The cases themselves are gruesome yet intriguing. With a serial killer on the loose, mummified bodies showing up all over town, and a cast of shifty characters as suspects, there's definitely plenty to keep Callum and his colleagues busy.
A Dark So Deadly is a strong crime thriller set in rainy Scotland. Suspenseful and mysterious, it's full of surprises right to the end!
A Dark So Deadly is a suspenseful crime thriller packed with shocking twists and turns.
This is not a short book, but it is well-paced and remains engaging throughout. It is almost like several books rolled into one - multiple cases crop up throughout the story, and each brings its own subplot to the overall arc. Of course, the individual cases tie together in surprising ways, but reading about each unique crime is interesting.
DC Callum MacGregor is an endearing and likeable character. Down on his luck and struggling with the repercussions of a difficult choice, things only seem to get worse as Callum's life quickly spirals downhill out of control. Yet despite the high stakes and intensity of the case, he remains (for the most part) approachable and honest. Callum is a great character with strong morals - which is ironic, considering the reason why he ended up in the Misfit Mob!
The other police officers in the Misfit Mob are as eclectic and eccentric as you can imagine. From feminist new girl Franklin to jelly-baby-loving 'Mother', the senior officer leading the team, you never quite know what you are going to get with this bunch. Despite that, each has their own reasons for ending up in the Misfit Mob and their backstories are gradually uncovered throughout the book.
The cases themselves are gruesome yet intriguing. With a serial killer on the loose, mummified bodies showing up all over town, and a cast of shifty characters as suspects, there's definitely plenty to keep Callum and his colleagues busy.
A Dark So Deadly is a strong crime thriller set in rainy Scotland. Suspenseful and mysterious, it's full of surprises right to the end!
syren1532's review against another edition
5.0
DC Callum MacGregor is stuck in the misfit mob - the group of police offers where those who are troublemakers, whistleblowers or refuse to retire are put - because he's been accused of messing up a crime scene to ensure a criminal gets off. He is called to the local tip where a body has been found - he is quite excited as the misfit mob are not usually allowed to investigate murders - but the body turns out to be a mummy and appears to be very old so theft is more likely than murder. Then another mummified corpse is found and following x-rays at the mortuary it becomes clear that these are not ancient mummies but the bodies of young men who have been starved and smoked like fish. While the investigation continues Callum has to deal with the break up of his relationship, conflict with a superior and a discovery relating to the abduction of his family when he was five years old. A fantastic read from start to finish - couldn't put it down. Certainly didn't work out who the murderer was. Loved the characters in the misfit mob and look forward to reading more about them.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Stuart MacBride for the opportunity to read and review this title.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Stuart MacBride for the opportunity to read and review this title.
mackenzierm's review
4.0
First line: " The wall whispers to him with splintered wooden lips."
This was a longer book than I've read in awhile, but it was a great read nonetheless. This is the first novel I've read by Stuart MacBride (to my recollection), but it was a great debut into this author's work. The characters are realistic, they have a certain depth which allows you to connect to the character's emotions in many situations. The plot was intricate and kept me coming back for more. There were twists and turns left, right, and centre... the majority of them quite unexpected.
I've come to realize that I don't really like most novels set in the United Kingdom... I've never discriminated upon a book because of its setting, but I find it harder to "get in" to the novel, so to speak. Compared to North American English, the terms used are sometimes quite different and obscure. This novel was different to me in the sense that, although I was initially discouraged by the Scottish setting and the sheer length of the book, I actually was pulled into the story quite quickly. The terms that are, most probably, used quite frequently in Scotland were not distracting to my reading, as they sometimes can be.
The main character, Callaum MacGregor, is quite a hoot. You learn so much about his way of thinking, his emotions, and how he copes with what life throws his way. I have to say that this poor man went through a lot of things throughout this novel that left me saying to myself: "How is this even possible?" or "Again, seriously?!". He gets handed a lot of shitty situations and manages to come out swinging despite it all.
I was definitely surprised by the outcome of this novel. Like I said previously, Stuart MacBride's work is phenomenal in the sense that he keeps the reader going. He brings you on a wild goose chase to figure out who the murderer is, just to show you that it's not really them. I will definitely be looking into reading more of this author's work in the near future.
Finally, a big thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel!
This was a longer book than I've read in awhile, but it was a great read nonetheless. This is the first novel I've read by Stuart MacBride (to my recollection), but it was a great debut into this author's work. The characters are realistic, they have a certain depth which allows you to connect to the character's emotions in many situations. The plot was intricate and kept me coming back for more. There were twists and turns left, right, and centre... the majority of them quite unexpected.
I've come to realize that I don't really like most novels set in the United Kingdom... I've never discriminated upon a book because of its setting, but I find it harder to "get in" to the novel, so to speak. Compared to North American English, the terms used are sometimes quite different and obscure. This novel was different to me in the sense that, although I was initially discouraged by the Scottish setting and the sheer length of the book, I actually was pulled into the story quite quickly. The terms that are, most probably, used quite frequently in Scotland were not distracting to my reading, as they sometimes can be.
The main character, Callaum MacGregor, is quite a hoot. You learn so much about his way of thinking, his emotions, and how he copes with what life throws his way. I have to say that this poor man went through a lot of things throughout this novel that left me saying to myself: "How is this even possible?" or "Again, seriously?!". He gets handed a lot of shitty situations and manages to come out swinging despite it all.
I was definitely surprised by the outcome of this novel. Like I said previously, Stuart MacBride's work is phenomenal in the sense that he keeps the reader going. He brings you on a wild goose chase to figure out who the murderer is, just to show you that it's not really them. I will definitely be looking into reading more of this author's work in the near future.
Finally, a big thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel!
martyfried's review against another edition
5.0
I've become a Stuart MacBride groupie after reading this. I liked his Logan McRae series (of the 4 I've read so far), but this one was better to me. It took a little bit to get into the flow; at first, it seemed all the characters were either complete assholes or total losers, or both. Well, they're all somewhat losers, sort of like the Slough House series by Mick Herron, one of my all-time favorites. And like Slough House, the characters grew on me.
There's a lot of really dark humor here, along with a really dark story. I recommend you don't even try to guess how it will end (I don't know if that's even possible), just enjoy the ride. I thought the audiobook was excellent, by the way.
I was enjoying this so much I even checked out the author's website. It was pretty entertaining. Even his bio here on Goodreads and the website are entertaining.
After reading this, I'm looking forward to continuing with the Logan McRae series soon.
There's a lot of really dark humor here, along with a really dark story. I recommend you don't even try to guess how it will end (I don't know if that's even possible), just enjoy the ride. I thought the audiobook was excellent, by the way.
I was enjoying this so much I even checked out the author's website. It was pretty entertaining. Even his bio here on Goodreads and the website are entertaining.
After reading this, I'm looking forward to continuing with the Logan McRae series soon.
gill71's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Great characters and a gripping read. Plot gets a bit silly towards the end though.
sil_aros's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bookworm_brad's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a huge fan of Stuart MacBride and this is one of the few books of his that I hadn't read yet, all of them as audiobooks as I can listen while I work (delivery driver).
This was a dark and at times macabre book but with the usual humour thrown into the mix. Great characters, good dialogue, murder, mystery etc made it a fast paced and exciting read. Steve Worsley, as always, did a super job of narrating and bringing the characters and the story to life.
I'd have given this a 5 star rating if not for the twists at the end which, although I didn't see them coming, were rather implausible, far-fetched and frankly, beggared belief. I guess it's just fiction after all but a more realistic outcome was expected.
This was a dark and at times macabre book but with the usual humour thrown into the mix. Great characters, good dialogue, murder, mystery etc made it a fast paced and exciting read. Steve Worsley, as always, did a super job of narrating and bringing the characters and the story to life.
I'd have given this a 5 star rating if not for the twists at the end which, although I didn't see them coming, were rather implausible, far-fetched and frankly, beggared belief. I guess it's just fiction after all but a more realistic outcome was expected.