"Cast a Cold Eye" was a fitting sequel. The author does a great job of displaying how violence and terror contributes to moral ambiguity; how easy it can be to cross the line and then to justify one's actions as for the sake of a greater good. The story exemplifies how violence begets violence, revenge begets revenge, and how past events influence our future and how long we remember injustices. The story also displays the loyalty we have towards those we care about, and the lengths to which people will go to protect those who are important to them.

As someone with an interest in early 20th century Irish history, I enjoyed that a significant element of the plot revolved around the Easter Rising, the creation of the Irish Free State, and the violence carried out by the IRA and the Black and Tans and other paramilitary groups.

Part of the appeal of this book and its predecessor is the Scottish words and turns of phrase used by the characters.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

In 1930s Glasgow, the depression has a tight hold on everyone. Detective Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn and Sergeant Archibald McDaid capture thief Dixie White, but soon find themselves investigating the murder of Rex Smith aboard the “Blue Bonnet,” his narrowboat.

Their investigation raises questions . . . is the execution tied to the festering political tensions or the IRA? Or could it be gang violence? Before they have an answer to those questions, they have another murder identical in its execution.

Could there be some connection between the two executions?

As Dreghorn and McDaid investigate, they find more questions than answers. And then their investigation collides with that of the Special Branch . . . .

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Set in 1930s Glasgow, Scotland, this book is the second in the author’s Jimmy Dreghorn Mystery series. With sufficient backstory, this book works well as a standalone for readers new to the series.

Anchored by a strong sense of place, the history of the time weaves itself throughout the telling of this gritty yet compelling tale. Unexpected plot twists keep readers guessing as the intriguing narrative offers readers some unforeseen surprises.

The characters, especially Dreghorn and McDaid, are nuanced and believable. The characters’ interactions are realistic; sometimes charming, sometimes amusing. The only downside here is the unnecessary overuse of an offensive expletive; this lowers the rating for the book.

Readers who enjoy historical mysteries and police procedurals are sure to enjoy this tale of corruption, murder, and mayhem.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
#CastaColdEye #NetGalley

“Cast A Cold Eye” is author Robbie Morison’s second novel in a series of murder mysteries set in Glasgow, Scotland during the Great Depression and starring police detectives Jimmy Dreghorn and Archie McDaid. I enjoyed his first, “Edge of the Grave” very much. Initially, I was disappointed in “Cast a Cold Eye,” finding it to be slow-moving and not as absorbing. But as the story progressed, Mr. Morrison’s fine writing, dry wit, and characters took hold of me. Ultimately, I enjoyed this novel much more than I expected.

Two men are shot in the back of the head, one on his river barge, the other in the Men’s room at a soccer stadium during a match. Both murders seem professional. Are they linked? Who are the victims? If connected, how? Who killed them and why? Those are the questions detectives Dreghorn and McDaid seek to answer. Their investigation leads them through Glasgow’s gritty underworld and into another investigation run by Special Branch, the politically connected and much more powerful arm of His Majesty’s Government charged with combatting threats to national security. Special Branch wants Dreghorn and McDaid out of the way. Dreghorn and McDaid want to know what the IRA has to do with anything, especially since this is Scotland.

As he did in “Edge of the Grave,” Mr. Morrison has done a first-rate job of recreating Glasgow in the 1930s. If you’re a fan of all things Scottish, or at least all things Glaswegian,” then this may well be the novel for you. Mr. Morrison goes to great lengths to give readers the sights, smells, layout, and atmosphere of the city. His research is excellent.

I did find the first half of the novel challenging. For me, it moved slowly, included lots of digressions, and was filled with Scottish slang, idiom, and patois. It seemed “Cast a Cold Eye” was going to be a chore to get through, especially since I was constantly looking up terms like “bunnet,” “sleekit,” “weans,” “skelly,” “teutcher,” “gallusness,” “stramash,” and “stechie,” to name just a few. And while I like noir as much as anyone, this story, set during the Great Depression in a rainy, smoky, soot-covered Glasgow steeped in poverty and riven by sectarian violence—and involving characters recovering from WWI or the 1919 Anglo-Irish War, or both, not to mention more than one soured love affair—struck me as all too depressing. At one point, I almost gave up.

However, on the strength of “Edge of the Grave,” I kept going. I’m glad I did. I enjoyed spending time with Mr. Morrison’s characters, whom I found well-drawn and complex. At times, they’re wounded and vulnerable, evoking empathy or sympathy. At other times, they’re charming, quick-witted, and wryly amusing. The relationships Mr. Morrison developed between various characters was, for me, one of the book’s most enjoyable features.

Mr. Morrison also weaves interesting history into his tale, mostly about the 1919 Anglo-Irish War and Scottish participation in it, but also about WWI, the Great Depression, the relationship between Scotland and England, the possibility of a new war with Germany, and the changing role of women in Scottish society.

Once the novel gets going, there’s ample action and suspense. Some readers may wish to know that there’s a fair amount of violence, including shootings, bombings, beatings, and even what some might regard as torture. While there are references to sexual liaisons, there are no graphic love scenes.

For those who enjoy plot twists and surprises, Mr. Morrison has built more than one into “Cast a Cold Eye.” And, although the plot may have dragged, for me, in places, I found his writing—his prose and dialogue—to be a pleasure.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Robbie Morison, and publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for providing me with a complementary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

This historical novel set, in 1930s Scotland, is rich in character development and painting a picture of the political climate, both past and present, that contributed to the crime. If only it weren't so rich in length, like 20% shorter, I would have enjoyed it more. Much of the book dragged, but at least the ending was good.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.