Blood, Rust and Steel
The Brand-New Roberta Steel Novel From Bestselling Author Stuart MacBride
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Pub Date Aug 18 2026 | Archive Date Jul 30 2026
Pan Macmillan | Macmillan UK
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Description
'A cracking read' – Susan Calman
'Stuart MacBride is an automatic must-read for me . . . always fast, hard, authentic – and different' – Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series
Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Val McDermid, Blood, Rust and Steel is darkly funny and gripping Scottish crime at its very best.
All good things must come to an end . . .
Acting Detective Inspector Roberta Steel has never been shy, but she’s finally retiring. After thirty years of policing Aberdeen’s underbelly, she’s all set for her twilight years to feature gardening gloves, afternoon tea, crossword puzzles, and shouting at the telly.
So, when a body turns up in a wheelie bin, it looks like an excellent way to round off her career and go out with a bang. But the Northeast of Scotland isn’t finished with her yet:
There’s a violent protest to stop; far-right populist politicians, and sketchy government spooks; a by-election; drugs, dogs, and baby-doll nighties; and a desperate ex-colleague, begging her for help.
With only her Queen Street Irregulars for backup, and the top brass desperate to get shot of her, these final few weeks might just be the death of her . . .
* * *
Praise for Stuart MacBride:
'MacBride is a damned fine writer' – Peter James, UK Number One Bestselling Author
'Dark and brilliantly written' – Linwood Barclay, author of I Will Ruin You
'MacBride is a masterful storyteller with a terrific eye for detail and razor-sharp wit' – Karin Slaughter, author of This Is Why We Lied
'Crime fiction of the highest order' – Mark Billingham, author of The Last Dance
Advance Praise
Praise for Stuart MacBride:
"MacBride is a damned fine writer." —Peter James, UK Number One Bestselling Author
"Dark and brilliantly written." —Linwood Barclay, author of I Will Ruin You
"MacBride is a masterful storyteller with a terrific eye for detail and razor-sharp wit." —Karin Slaughter, author of This Is Why We Lied
"Crime fiction of the highest order." —Mark Billingham, author of The Last Dance
"Stuart MacBride is an automatic must-read for me... always fast, hard, authentic – and different." —Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781035064984 |
| PRICE | $30.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 400 |
Available on NetGalley
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Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.orgAverage rating from 2 members
Featured Reviews
Shannon M, Reviewer
I was so happy when NetGalley approved my request for BLOOD, RUST AND STEEL in early June because I love Stuart MacBride's novels. I have read most of his books, and have listed a few of my reviews below.
I started to read BLOOD, RUST AND STEEL soon after I downloaded it, but stopped shortly after I began. To fully enjoy a Stuart MacBride novel, I need to feel fully aware, and during June (and July) I was suffering from "old folks' ailments". So I started and stopped twice because I found it slow going. Then on July 29, I started again. Once I reached the 22% point, I couldn't stop because it engrossed me. So I read the majority of this <i>very</i> long novel during a period of two days, stopping only briefly to rest my eyes.
The story follows <i>Acting</i> Detective Inspector Roberta Steel as she investigates two cases during the countdown to her retirement. The first is a body (actually a rotting corpse) discovered in a wheelie bin at a rest stop located off a main highway. The second is a stabbing—a near murder—that occurs while her small team is trying to stop a violent political protest a few miles away from where the corpse was discovered. Plus there is a ex-colleague who is pestering her for information about the owners of three cars whose license plates he has sent to her. Then to top it off, Roberta is injured during another political rally; maybe she won't get to investigate anything before she is forced to retire.
All this and I'm only at the 25% point in this novel—eight more hours of reading left to go.
I have always enjoyed MacBride's Logan McRae character better than his Roberta Steel one. Steel was comedy relief, whereas McRae was someone with whom I could easily empathize. In BLOOD, RUST AND STEEL, Roberta becomes someone I can understand. Not someone I <i>like</i> a lot; Steel is not a likeable person. (Although dogs seem to love her.) But finally, in this novel, I found that I enjoyed riding along with her, viewing the world from her POV, while she tries to stay afloat with the help of her "crazy" Queen Street Irregulars—a band of misfit police officers whom she has taken under her wing. (Many of them appear to be neurodivergent.)
The novel branches off in many directions. And there were surprises—twists that I didn't expect—near the end. Yes, the novel is long. Yes, there are sections that are annoying. But overall, it is a magnificent opus. I highly recommend it for Stuart MacBride fans. (Although I suggest that newcomers to the MacBride universe start with an easier-to-read Logan McRae novel before attempting to tackle this one.)
Thanks to Pan MacMillan for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
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My reviews for some Stuart MacBride novels:
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8352478946 > And The Corpse Wore Tartan (D.S. Roberta Steel, #2) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7505608379 > This House of Burning Bones <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3501737224 > In the Cold Dark Ground (Logan McRae, #10) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3504836891 > The Blood Road (Logan McRae, #11) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3509598695 > All That’s Dead (Logan McRae, #12) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3982405325 > The Coffin Maker’s Garden (Ash Henderson, #3) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4330540109 > No Less the Devil (Oldcastle) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4671102673 > A Dark So Deadly (Oldcastle) <a>
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5353494658 > The Dead of Winter (Oldcastle) <a>
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Gary H, Reviewer
A rollicking romp with soon to retire D.I. Roberta Steel who is a foul mouthed, sarcastic, pain in the ass but she is also an excellent cop. Steel juggles multiple cases in the few days she has until retirement (and a little below the radar after retirement). Lots of whacky characters, lots of misdirection, lots of shenanigans and of course in the end, Steel emerges the hero as the reader can't help but cheer for her. Now that she's retired, it'll be interesting to see where the author (or if) takes her next.