Many thanks to NetGalley and to Storm Publishing for letting me see an advance reader’s copy of The Devil’s Cut by Andrew James Grieg.
The Devil’s Cut is the second in the DI Corstorphine Scottish crime series. This time, an acquaintance of Corstorphine meets his end atop a mountain, whilst DC McKenzie is investigating a suicide.
I’m really enjoying this series so far. I love the characters, I love the setting, and I love the tartan noir.
The detective’s name isn’t an easy name to read to oneself and I shorten it to Corsto inside my head, or use his first name James.
I also found too many similar sounding names again too confusing. We have Jack, Jimmy, James, John and June, and there was a June in the first book in the series. There’s a Robb and a Cobb, a Keir and a Keith, a Phil and a Bill as well as a Paul and a Patricia and a Phoebe, and a Sarah, a Sandy and a Shamila.
The writing is a tad old-fashioned, with long and complex sentences instead of short, simple and punchy ones. Americanisms are used instead of Anglicisms, such as sneakers instead of pumps or plimsolls. And there are some unnecessary expressions such as ornate ornaments. Ornaments are usually ornate.
There are continuity issues, such as going backwards and forwards in time, a lot, with the different viewpoint characters. Plus pages and pages of science to prove the author has done his research really aren’t necessary. I skipped over that part.
Overall, though, I do love the stories. They’re dark, gritty and disturbing. Wonderful!
Four stars.
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