Stuart MacBride Cold Granite

Cold Granite

Stuart MacBride

St. Martin's, Jul 2005, $24.95, 464 pp.

ISBN: 031233995X

Grampian Police Detective Sergeant Logan McRae has been out on sick leave for almost a year recovering from the stab wound to his stomach by since convicted killer Angus Robertson. On his first day back, Logan is at a riverbank in Aberdeen, Scotland where the corpse of a three year old child David Reid lies ritualistically mutilated. Since no Detective Inspector arrives at the scene, Logan takes charge and visits the victim's mother to tell her the tragic news; however Press and Journal slimy reporter Colin Miller broke the story and already called the family for reactions. The grandfather punches Logan in the stab wound; the cop is rushed to the hospital but is okay.

The next morning, DI Insch informs Logan that if Logan cannot hold up he will push paper. As Insch and his team make inquiries with the lingering fear that a serial killer has just started, a child Richard Erskine is reported missing; once again the media obtains a leak. Dubbed Laz by the team, Logan feels he must stop a ritualistic murderer and uncover who is selling out to the press making the effort that much more difficult.

This novel is a strong Scottish police procedural starring a solid support cast led by no nonsense Insch and other strong protagonists, but centered and held together by Logan, a fine cop doing his job in accordance to rules and regulations. Stuart MacBride displays a fondness for the COLD GRANITE of Aberdeen that adds an urban noir feel to the investigative story line. In spite of the overuse of serial killers glutting the market, readers will want more police stories starring Logan and company.

Harriet Klausner