Close to the Bone

I have read all of the previous 7 in this series and this is definitely helpful in terms of understanding the characters and some of the references made. Grayson Perry said "Artists ... put jokes in their work. I think it's part of reflecting human life" - and this, for me, could apply to Stuart MacBride's art of writing. There is a lot of both light and very dark humour which I can laugh at - then underneath the surface there is a deeper truth highlighted as to why a person behaves and reacts in certain ways.The huge amount of research carried out in bleaker areas really comes through, ie. an autopsy, forensic anthropology and the reader is always given the rationale for murder from the criminal's point of view which seem to make some sense to them.As other reviewers have said, characterisation is over the top, - Steel is always mentioned and that no way would she serving in the Police Service today and definitely not running CID. I did agree somewhat in this novel with Dr Marks in that her constant references were overkill and then in danger of not being so funny. Generally, I think so what, MacBride is an artist and this brilliantly over the top characters always reveal a truth under the surface.Unusually the story line dragged a bit for me but conversely the parts involving Logan and Samantha were very emotional.

Set in my home town of Aberdeen, where I haven't set foot for far too long, acting DI McRae takes me down Union Street and down the stairs to The Green with the shrieking of seagulls and I am hooked. Having read the entire series the overworked and undervalued McRae has become a firm favourite being far more grounded than another of my favourite Scottish cops - Skinner in Edinburgh. The plot is as ever, gruesome, and the novel has a great balance between procedural, the characters, and the wonderful black humour. Even after all this time I cannot make my mind up if I love or hate Steel, now acting Head of CID, but what a character. I really wish Stuart MacBride's books would be turned into TV series - what is wrong with BBC Scotland. McRae and Aberdeen with its fantastic beach, ancient Fitty and all that goes with being an oil capital is the equal of Rebus and Edinburgh any day. A great read.

I have given this book 3 stars, not as a criticism of the writing, but because I really wished I had started the Logan McRae books at the beginning. It really didn't work for me as a stand alone story. I thoroughly enjoyed the main aspects of the story, the characterisations, the sometimes dark humour, how the characters sparked off of each other. However, I was really at a loss when it came to the previous events and relationships often referred to in the book: is Samantha in hospital in a coma; does Logan imagine all the conversations and interaction he has with her? How is he the father of Jasmine, seemingly the daughter of his DI and her girlfriend? etc.,etc. I know, this is my fault for not beginning at the beginning and I would advise other readers to do so. The story itself is dark, sinister and an absolute page turner involving the murderer re-enacting scenes from a book (currently being made into a film) concerning witch finders; people being crippled in supposed racist attacks and drug dealers. Now I am off to order the first book.....

Im a fan of the Logan series, similar in its writing to the Rebus series by Ian Rankin. The characters and their nicknames add a nice feel to the set up Mc Bride has created within the Aberdeen force. DCI Steel is an absolute godsend in the book and always conjuring up cringingly great visual images!This book has a great storyline, only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is that I felt the book was a bit drawn out and could do with being around 100 pages shorter for me. Also usual twist at the end which I felt was somewhat expected.I do enjoy the relationship between Logan and Steel and long may it continue!

Absolutely no doubt about it, the man knows how to write a thoroughly entertaining, engrossing tale with enough vividly-drawn characters - both new and old - to people it and to fill my head so I wake at five a.m. and have to get up to an icy November morning just find out what comes next.I was immensely relieved not to be on a train, or reading this in public, when I reached page 77 and the scene where Logan crouches down in the mortuary ...