THE MERCY SEAT, the first in the Joe Donovan series of novels by Martyn Waites is a blistering read. Taut, dark and compulsive, it reminded me of James Ellroy (with a Geordie accent). Donovan, an ex-journalist traumatised by the disappearance of his young son, is hauled back into the dangers of modern-day Edinburgh when Jamal, a teenage runaway with a problem, calls on him for help.
SAVAGE NIGHT by Allan Guthrie is a prize-winner waiting to happen. Billed as a bloody revenge drama, it features Andy Park, a con with a violent-streak who just happens to pass out at the sight of blood. The narrative structure is chopped up in an entertainingly complex way, and the novel is shot through with Guthrie's trademark black humour.
Martin Edwards' THE ARESNIC LABYRINTH is a beautifully constructed tale, and part of the Lake District series of novels featuring historian Daniel Kind and DCI Hannah Scarlett. The novel is built around the unexplained disappearance of Emma Bestwick from a rural community, but it's about a lot more besides. Character and relationships are explored in satisfying detail, lending the crimes at the heart of this intricate novel a real emotional kick. You won't want to go walking alone in the Lake District for quite some time...
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