Author MR Mackenzie has taken a break from his Anna Scavolini series to write this standalone Glasgow-set crime novel, and I'm delighted to share my review for the blog tour. Huge thanks to Heather Fitt at Overview Media for the invitation and to the author for my review copy.
The Blurb:
‘An immersive slow burn, peppered with disquieting fire-crackers of revelation.’ – Morgan Cry
Alyssa Clark is about to find out that reading really can be murder.
She thought her new job in Thornhill Library would be safe and uneventful. Boring, even. But on her first day at work, a masked gunman storms into the building and blows away every member of staff on duty. Alyssa barely escapes with her life.
The police are satisfied they’ve got their man, but Davy, Alyssa’s colleague and the only other survivor of the massacre, is convinced the real killer is still at large. Alyssa – trying to move on with her life while dealing with traumatic flashbacks and the unwanted advances of an obsessive ex – is sceptical. However, when she stumbles across damning evidence of a cover-up, she agrees to join forces with Davy to help track down the real culprit.
But in her pursuit of the truth, will she find the closure she desperately craves… or provoke the wrath of a killer with unfinished business on his mind?
If you like twists, turns and compelling, conflicted characters, you’ll love this gripping new mystery from the McIlvanney Prize-nominated author of In the Silence.
The Library Murders was published by Mad House on 20th August 2020.
My Review:
I was lucky enough to get an early read of this and knew then it was a winner. A recent re-read confirmed that, and the few changes that have been made have only improved it. This is a standalone which sees Mackenzie taking a break from his Anna Scavolini series (see my review of McIlvanney Prize longlisted In The Silence here) but for Anna fans she makes the briefest blink-and-you-miss-it cameo here, and will be back properly in Mackenzie's next book, The Shadow Men. The Library Murders sounds like it should be a cosy mystery and there are elements of that here - the amateur sleuth and sidekick, the library setting - but it doesn't read as cosy crime, which for my personal taste is a good thing.
Alyssa Clark, a young Canadian living in Glasgow, turns up late and hungover for her first shift at Thornhill Library. Fifteen minutes after she arrives a gunman enters the library and shoots all the members of staff, Alyssa included. She survives, and together with colleague Davy, seeks the truth behind the event, convinced that the police are looking in the wrong direction.
Alyssa is not an easy woman to like! She's prickly, brash, abrupt and selfish. But 'The Event' helps her look at things a little differently as she struggles with previously absent anxiety and paranoia in the aftermath of the shooting. We also learn where much of her anger and guilt come from later in the book. But whilst she's not easy to like, at least initially, she is a fabulously written character. Mackenzie seemingly writes young women (see also Anna and Zoe in previous books) with such ease it's slightly alarming! 😂 Alyssa comes across as completely authentic, beautifully drawn and described. The author has had some fun with her dialogue too, a favourite of mine being 'my dude'. She goes on a bit of a journey (sorry!) in this book, and by the end of it she was someone I'd happily go for a beer with.
But Alyssa is not the only player here. There is a cast of colourful characters here, mainly, but certainly not all, library employees and customers. All different, individual but all rounded and whole. Davy and Metcalfe deserve a mention as does Benny, the latter being a more minor character but one who really stood out for me. Mackenzie has clearly enjoyed himself creating these characters with one or two being larger than life, but we'll all recognise someone we've known, lived next door to, worked with or whatever amongst them. The dialogue between them all is fantastic - lots of Glasgow banter and slang here, all very natural.
But Alyssa is not the only player here. There is a cast of colourful characters here, mainly, but certainly not all, library employees and customers. All different, individual but all rounded and whole. Davy and Metcalfe deserve a mention as does Benny, the latter being a more minor character but one who really stood out for me. Mackenzie has clearly enjoyed himself creating these characters with one or two being larger than life, but we'll all recognise someone we've known, lived next door to, worked with or whatever amongst them. The dialogue between them all is fantastic - lots of Glasgow banter and slang here, all very natural.
As I hinted earlier the story is not cosy. The after effects of the opening incident for Alyssa are vividly described, as are the murders themselves. As in every good mystery there are a few red herrings and dead ends and the whole story is shot through with a wry humour. Mackenzie's writing is beautiful, almost lyrical in places, although my personal highlight is a little more low brow! 😂 He contracts 'For f**k's sake' into 'F**ksake' and then uses it as a verb which I just loved! Genius! But believe me when I say the writing is superb.
The Library Murders is a joy to read - an intelligent, often humorous, well crafted crime thriller which will keep you turning the pages. And it touches on some serious issues such as loneliness, anxiety and guilt. But murder, blood and shattered glasses aside, it's a bit of a love letter to libraries and librarians, which given that the author was one himself until recently perhaps shouldn't come as a surprise. And we all need reminded of the importance of libraries. This book comes highly recommended - go get it!
The Author:
MR Mackenzie was born and lives in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied at Glasgow University and has an MA in English and a PhD in Film Studies.
In addition to writing, he works as a Blu-ray/DVD producer and has overseen releases of films by a number of acclaimed directors, among them Dario Argento, Joe Dante, Hideo Nakata and Jacques Tourneur. Writing as Michael Mackenzie, he has contributed chapters to books on cult cinema and regularly provides video essays and liner notes for new releases of celebrated films. He used to work in a library, before leaving to spend more time with books.
In 2019, his first novel, In the Silence, was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year and longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize.
'With well observed characterisation, MR Mackenzie writes with precision and passion. He is a writer to watch.' — Caro Ramsay, author of the Anderson & Costello thrillers
'Mackenzie brings a fresh new voice to the field of Tartan Noir.' — James Oswald, author of the Inspector McLean novels
'MR Mackenzie is right up there with the best contemporary authors working today. His prose is of such high-quality that I am instantly addicted to the words on his pages.' — David B. Lyons, author of Whatever Happened to Betsy Blake?
'This is splendidly written stuff, triumphing in a variety of areas – not least that of its dialogue, which is idiomatic and vivid (overcoming the hurdle at which many contemporary crime novels fall).' — Barry Forshaw, Crime Time
No comments:
Post a Comment