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I really urge people to try Scottish crime fiction or tartan noir as it's called


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Old 05-09-2016, 17:37
clm2071
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One name not mentioned so far is Denzil Meyrick who is three books into a series featuring DCI Daley. Can't wait for the next instalment!

Being set in a rural location there is always the incredulity that so much crime can be found in such as a small place (as one poster wrote about the T F Muir books, which incidentally I'd also recommend) but that never stopped Colin Dexter and Morse in Oxford!
I'm going to throw another mention Denzil Meyricks way. I've just started the first of his DCI Daley thrillers - Whisky From Small Glasses - and it's absolutely fantastic so far, gripping and with a delicious vein of dark humour running through it. Highly recommended.

The first 2 books are in The Works current deal, 4 for £5 so no excuse not to indulge!
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Old 06-09-2016, 18:21
Hildaonpluto
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I'm going to throw another mention Denzil Meyricks way. I've just started the first of his DCI Daley thrillers - Whisky From Small Glasses - and it's absolutely fantastic so far, gripping and with a delicious vein of dark humour running through it. Highly recommended.

The first 2 books are in The Works current deal, 4 for £5 so no excuse not to indulge!
I must confess I don't think I've heard of that author.
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Old 06-09-2016, 18:34
clm2071
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I must confess I don't think I've heard of that author.
A bit different to the MacBride/Rankin/Oswald et all books.

The first one seems a bit more gritty than the norm. The author is an ex police officer so it seems very realistic.

Quite gory and theres a lot of swearing (I'm making no comment on how realistic that is!). There's a lot of Scottish dialect which some reviewers have said they found difficult but I've not had a problem with it.
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Old 07-09-2016, 17:02
Hildaonpluto
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A bit different to the MacBride/Rankin/Oswald et all books.

The first one seems a bit more gritty than the norm. The author is an ex police officer so it seems very realistic.

Quite gory and theres a lot of swearing (I'm making no comment on how realistic that is!). There's a lot of Scottish dialect which some reviewers have said they found difficult but I've not had a problem with it.
Ok Thanks -I will put them on my list. 👍

I love anything with a Scottish feel to it so that's all fine by me.
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Old 21-10-2016, 17:40
Hildaonpluto
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Has anyone tried "Icelandic Noir"?

Pretty good and likely to appeal to Tartan noir fans.
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Old 01-11-2016, 16:13
ihatemarmite
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Has anyone tried "Icelandic Noir"?

Pretty good and likely to appeal to Tartan noir fans.
I've just found this thread and thanks to you lot, I'll have no money left (local library is hopeless and much of its crime writing stock has gone 'missing'!). I'm not quite sure where to start though; so many interesting recommendations on here.

I love Rankin's Rebus books and am eagerly awaiting his new one. Not so keen on McDermid (although haven't read many) and didn't like the one Stuart MacBride that I did read (The Missing and the Dead). Love early Henning Mankel - I like political/social context crime writing & Kurt Wallander is a wonderful creation - but I don't like gratuitously violent or bleak novels.
I read a couple of Arnaldur Indridason 's Icelandic noir books and although they were interesting and have stayed with me, I found them almost comically bleak at times.

Anyone going to this in a few weeks' time? http://iceland-noir-iocy.squarespace.com/authors-2016/
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Old 01-11-2016, 16:59
newda898
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I've just found this thread and thanks to you lot, I'll have no money left (local library is hopeless and much of its crime writing stock has gone 'missing'!). I'm not quite sure where to start though; so many interesting recommendations on here.
Oh I've certainly found a few good authors thanks to this thread

I love Rankin's Rebus books and am eagerly awaiting his new one. Not so keen on McDermid (although haven't read many) and didn't like the one Stuart MacBride that I did read (The Missing and the Dead).
I would say that's without doubt the weakest Logan book he's written, I found it monotonous, plodding and a bit "diary of a copper".
Any of his other Logan books are much better, particularly the first few.
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Old 01-11-2016, 17:02
Jim_McIntosh
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Old one probably already mentioned as it paved the way for many of the newer writers.

Complicity by Iain Banks.

They made a film. Avoid that. It is rubbish. The book is graphic and nasty (not quite American Psycho but not Miss Marple either) but it's a good thriller.
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Old 02-11-2016, 02:19
Hildaonpluto
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I've just found this thread and thanks to you lot, I'll have no money left (local library is hopeless and much of its crime writing stock has gone 'missing'!). I'm not quite sure where to start though; so many interesting recommendations on here.

I love Rankin's Rebus books and am eagerly awaiting his new one. Not so keen on McDermid (although haven't read many) and didn't like the one Stuart MacBride that I did read (The Missing and the Dead). Love early Henning Mankel - I like political/social context crime writing & Kurt Wallander is a wonderful creation - but I don't like gratuitously violent or bleak novels.
I read a couple of Arnaldur Indridason 's Icelandic noir books and although they were interesting and have stayed with me, I found them almost comically bleak at times.

Anyone going to this in a few weeks' time? http://iceland-noir-iocy.squarespace.com/authors-2016/
Thanks for posting!

No I'm not sadly going to that Icelandic noir event but I do recommend you try read one of its best authors Ragnar Jonasson he really captures the feeling of Icelandic society whilst retaining the best qualities of tartan noir with all the moral landscape dark and otherwise and all its ambiguity explored.

People who like tartan noir will like Icelandic noir in my opinion.

PS Ragnar isn't bleak -check out his novel Snowblind. 👍
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Old 02-11-2016, 12:54
ihatemarmite
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Thanks for posting!

No I'm not sadly going to that Icelandic noir event but I do recommend you try read one of its best authors Ragnar Jonasson he really captures the feeling of Icelandic society whilst retaining the best qualities of tartan noir with all the moral landscape dark and otherwise and all its ambiguity explored.

People who like tartan noir will like Icelandic noir in my opinion.

PS Ragnar isn't bleak -check out his novel Snowblind. 👍
consider me snowblinded! Thanks! I'm sick at present so am looking for something to read right now.
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Old 03-11-2016, 09:34
farmer bob
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Another vote for Denzil Meyrick's DCI Jim Daley series, have read the first two books. Decent
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Old 04-11-2016, 10:12
ihatemarmite
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My new Ian Rankin arrived yesterday - one for next week

Which Denise Mina should I start with please? I don't necessarily need sequential order (I started reading James Lee Burke with In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead, then moved backwards...and forwards), just want to read something really good.
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Old 14-11-2016, 17:46
ayrshireman1
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Read a good article by Douglas Skelton (top real crime writer) recently, pointing out that the father of Tartan Noir is not William McIlvanney, but the great TV writer and novelist Edward Boyd. And his Daniel Pike books.

http://bookbanter.co.uk/douglasskelt...f-daniel-pike/

Ironically my mum and dad knew both. McIlvanney was my mother's English teacher, and my father knew Boyd and his family, as they both came/come from the Stevenston/Saltcoats area.
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Old 14-11-2016, 17:50
ayrshireman1
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Good link for older Tartan Noir/crime:

http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv131.html
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Old 17-11-2016, 17:18
ihatemarmite
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have really got into Caro Ramsey's books. I'm on my 3rd with 3 more ordered through intra library loan!
thanks for the recommendation.
I love the word 'bint' btw (as in 'silly bint' ). Is that glaswegian for 'hen'?
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Old 18-11-2016, 19:06
mimik1uk
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have really got into Caro Ramsey's books. I'm on my 3rd with 3 more ordered through intra library loan!
thanks for the recommendation.
I love the word 'bint' btw (as in 'silly bint' ). Is that glaswegian for 'hen'?
i think its a little bit ruder than "hen" but not quite as rude as other four letter words if that makes sense
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Old 19-11-2016, 21:00
Eddie Badger
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Just finished the new Rebus and loved it. Our favourite grumpy retired cop is dealing with an unsolved murder, an attack on a rising star in the underworld, a disappearing banker, his arch-enemy Big Ger Cafferty and failing health due to his lifestyle.
And with typical skill Ian Rankin weaves all these threads together and leaves the reader wanting more.
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Old 19-11-2016, 21:06
Hildaonpluto
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have really got into Caro Ramsey's books. I'm on my 3rd with 3 more ordered through intra library loan!
thanks for the recommendation.
I love the word 'bint' btw (as in 'silly bint' ). Is that glaswegian for 'hen'?
Thanks I'm delighted you like her!

I think more tartan noir fans would if they gave her a try!

She's Glasgow born but lives Ayrshire way now I believe
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Old 22-11-2016, 11:03
ihatemarmite
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I didn't like Blood of Crows as much as the other Caro Ramseys I've read. The ending was the problem for me. Still enjoyed it though.
Just ordered Snowblind so off to Iceland for a bit. I'm snow phobic - I still vividly remember the horror of reading Hoeg's Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow way back when.

I haven't touched the Rankin yet........but I just might start today I know I will love it.
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Old 25-11-2016, 07:53
Hildaonpluto
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I didn't like Blood of Crows as much as the other Caro Ramseys I've read. The ending was the problem for me. Still enjoyed it though.
Just ordered Snowblind so off to Iceland for a bit. I'm snow phobic - I still vividly remember the horror of reading Hoeg's Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow way back when.

I haven't touched the Rankin yet........but I just might start today I know I will love it.
Would love to hear your thoughts on Snowblind once you've read it!
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did ☺👍
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Old 25-11-2016, 11:56
jam73
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I've read and enjoyed all 3 of Ragnar Jonasson's Dark Iceland series this year.
Looking forward to number 4 in January.
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Old 26-11-2016, 08:41
ihatemarmite
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Would love to hear your thoughts on Snowblind once you've read it!
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did ☺👍
About 100 pages in and enjoying it so far. Hats off to the translator as it's nicely done. Thanks again for the recomm
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Old 27-11-2016, 13:29
Hildaonpluto
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About 100 pages in and enjoying it so far. Hats off to the translator as it's nicely done. Thanks again for the recomm
Your Welcome!

The follow on book Nightblind is really good and atmospheric too. You can feel the chilling ice and cold leap of the pages! 😁
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Old 27-11-2016, 13:30
Hildaonpluto
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I've read and enjoyed all 3 of Ragnar Jonasson's Dark Iceland series this year.
Looking forward to number 4 in January.
Good for you!

What was the third book called please?

Do you read much tartan noir?
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Old 27-11-2016, 13:33
Hildaonpluto
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I didn't like Blood of Crows as much as the other Caro Ramseys I've read. The ending was the problem for me. Still enjoyed it though.
Just ordered Snowblind so off to Iceland for a bit. I'm snow phobic - I still vividly remember the horror of reading Hoeg's Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow way back when.

I haven't touched the Rankin yet........but I just might start today I know I will love it.
I liked blood of Crows but it was a bit gory in parts -slightly preferred Dark Water more and a more recent one I loaned from the library -Nighthunter?
That was very outrageous but gripping!
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