A Breath on Dying Embers by Denzil Meyrick

I am just thrilled to sharing my review of A Breath on Dying Embers on its publication day! Happy publication day Denzil! I have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Denzil Meyrick on several occasions - in fact, he's led me astray in a couple of them! Well one anyway... pretty sure I led myself astray the other time... Sorry, I digress. He's absolutely lovely and wickedly funny, which definitely comes across in his writing.

The Blurb:

Longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2019.

When the luxury cruiser, hastily renamed Great Britain, berths in Kinloch harbour, the pressure is on DCI Jim Daley. The UK Government are taking a high-powered group of businessmen and women on a tour of the British isles, golfing and seeing the sights, as part of a push for global trade. But when one of the crew goes missing, and an elderly local ornithologist disappears, will the pressure become too great?

The arrival of a face from the past, sends Daley’s world into a tailspin. And the lives of the passengers and crew of SS Great Britain, as well as the country’s economic future are in jeopardy. DS Brian Scott comes to the fore, and replete with a temporary promotion, is once more - most reluctantly, in his case - back at sea.

Daley faces a life and death struggle, but is this his last throw of the dice?

A Breath on Dying Embers is published by Polygon today and is available to buy from the author's website, Waterstones, Amazon UK, Amazon US and other good bookshops.


My Review:

This is seventh book in the DCI Daley series, and to mark its release, publisher Polygon has reissued the whole series with brand spanking new covers. Featuring photographs by Raymond Hosie, they are all stunning, as you can see:

I came to this book having only read the first couple in the series. The only reason for this has been lack of time, and I can't wait to start again at the beginning and work my way through them. But I hadn't realised what an impression Jim Daley and Brian Scott had already made on me - meeting them again in this book was just like seeing old friends - delightful. There is clearly lots I need to catch up on in the intervening four books, some of which is referenced here, but I was absolutely able to enjoy this book in spite of this, as everything I needed to know was explained.

A cruise liner full of important business folk from all around the world has arrived in Kinloch, and it is important that the town and it's inhabitants make a good impression. Which involves Daley putting in a dress uniform for the first time in some years... But a crew member goes missing, and then an older local man too, and some of the well made plans start to unravel a bit... And there have been sightings of a white van that no one recognises in the hills. On top of all this, Jim has to confront one or two things happening at home, and Brian has to step right out of his comfort zone...

I loved everything about this book! The main storyline is very current, very now and potentially very real. In addition, it has obviously been well researched.

The descriptions of Kinloch and the surrounding area are beautiful. I have never visited Campbeltown, on which fictional Kinloch is based, but this and the previous books I've read, I would love to go.

But this is really a book about people. Meyrick understands people, what makes them tick, how they relate to one another. And it is so obvious in his writing. There are some fabulous characters - Hamish and Annie stand out, as does Brian's wife Ella. But key to the story is the relationship between DCI Jim Daley and DS Brian Scott. It's lovely to see such obvious affection between two men. And I had forgotten how funny Brian Scott is. (He has a Twitter account, did you know? Find him at @DSBrianScott1 - he's well worth a look). The conversation he and his wife Ella have with business folk on the cruise ship about wind power had me laughing out loud. But my favourite funny exchange is between Brian and Jim very early in the book, and I can safely share without spoiling anything:
   BS: 'Is that one o' they euphoniums?'
   JD: 'Euphemisms. And no, it's not.'

Of course, it's not all fun and games. There is an awful lot of serious stuff going on as Daley has to confront various issues in his personal life. This means Scott has a much more active role to play in the story, and a pile of extra worries. The main storyline builds steadily to a shocking and surprising (to me, at least) conclusion. And the end of the book? Oh my. Denzil Meyrick is playing with our emotions...

A fabulous read and one I heartily recommend. I can't wait to catch up with the series, and I'm so excited about what's coming next.


The Author:

Denzil Meyrick was born in Glasgow and brought up in Campbeltown. After studying politics, he pursued a varied career including time spent as a police officer, freelance journalist, and director of several companies. He now lives in Loch Lomond side with his wife Fiona.

Beginning with Whisky from Small Glasses, then The Last Witness, Dark Suits and Sad Songs, The Rat Stone Serenade, and Well of the Winds, the DCI Daley series have all become Scottish Crime bestsellers. Whisky from Small Glasses reached number 2 in the UK Kindle store in 2016.

An anthology of short stories, One Last Dram, was published in late 2017.

The Daley series to date have all been number one bestselling UK audiobooks on Audible. DCI Daley number 6, The Relentless Tide, was one of the Scotsman newspaper's books of 2018. Number seven in the DCI Daley series, A Breath on Dying Embers, is longlisted for the Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize 2019 and available on Kindle and in print now!!

Author Social Media Links:

Website: https://denzilmeyrick.com
Facebook: Denzil Meyrick Author
Twitter: @Lochlomonden