Name: The Dead Hour
Rating: 4.333333333333333 (3 reviews)
ISBN: 9780553815603

Denise Mina

Paddy Meehan, Glasgow's aspiring journalist, is back on the beat, trawling the streets of Glasgow for a story - something to prove she can write. And then she meets the woman with the poodle perm at the door of a wealthy suburb in the north of the city - blood dripping from her chin.

The Dead Hour

The domestic dispute in a wealthy suburb seems like nothing unusual. The elegant blonde bleeding in the shadows doesn't want help; and the well-dressed, ingratiating man at the front door tells investigative journalist Paddy Meehan everything's fine. Then

A Novel

Tim Pendry

A solid crime thriller set in the depressed Glasgow of the 1980s with plenty of local colour, action and clear writing (that is, once you get past the first two chapters where Mina tries the high literature trick of giving you information after you need it to make sense of things before returning to clarity). It is the second in a series. Not remarkable perhaps but a well written entertainment with genuine human sympathy within it. Although violent and even sexual in parts, it is to the author's credit that this is always relevant and never done simply to excite. It was a pleasure to read.

Melody Izard

Paddy is an interesting character. I look forward to reading more Mina. This one is the second - wish that I had read the first one first - but it didn't ruin it that I hadn't. Judging from the last sentence in this book - you definitely want to read this one before the third. 

You learn a bit about Scotland and some about the cocaine world and more about failing newspapers.

The Dead Hour

Reviews

Highlights