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The last and only MacBride novel I read was Halfhead on a flight to Glasgow fifteen years ago, I absolutely loved it and can’t explain why I’d not read another since- especially since there are five more sitting patiently in my library! I have read and enjoyed this author's work before and am sure I will again but this was a disappointing and strange experience. It was a little confusing at the start but seemed to find its feet encouraging me to feel hopeful for the remainder of the story. Instead everything got seriously weird and, to me at least, more than a little unrealistic. Although I didn't feel the PTSD was clearly signposted it did gradually became more apparent, unfortunately it wasn't enough to even begin to explain the sudden changes which became the main focus of the story. So why three stars instead of five? I think this is partly my fault for expecting the novel to fit the genre neatly – I had expectations for the resolution and it just didn’t go the way I thought, In fact – without giving spoilers – it takes some unnerving, unexpected and brave paths. I think some readers will absolutely love the denouement – it’s clever and interesting – but it was just a little too confusing for me, There were times when it was a 3, and also times when it was a 5+++ so in the end I've plumped for a 4.
In loving memory of Grendel MacBride, my constant companion, muse, and very own little fuzzy serial killer. 2004-2021.Ratchets up the tension and keeps it there' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The plot twist is divine' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The last quarter of the book goes to an all-time new level' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'MacBride is an absolute master of understated dark humour' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The hunt for the Bloodsmith runs alongside a personal problem for Lucy McVeigh when she has to deal with a recently released killer, who, at the age of 11, murdered a homeless man. He’s out of prison after sixteen years and frightened. McVeigh is in the crosshairs of a violent mother whose son died while he was with her. Somehow these different strands will eventually link up, but each is handled in an intriguing, standalone style. This novel takes the reader into some uncomfortable reading and spins the reader sideways with all the twists and turns. No spoilers but it will mess with you head! A really enjoyable read, very dark in many places. And Scottish - so I found myself reading it in a Scottish accent.Well, this new novel from Stuart MacBride is bound to stir up some controversy amongst his readers!
If you don't believe that the human mind is the most dangerous place on earth, you are probably not going to get the most out of this book. Stuart MacBride delves into the deepest recesses of the mind: PTSD, paranoia, delusions, hallucinations and psychopathy. Delicious stuff for me! Launching into this novel, I'd expected a tightly-plotted police procedural, featuring complex characters, gritty themes and dark humour. And that's exactly what it was ... up until about the 80% point. No Less The Devil is more than just a crime fiction novel though. It is a stunning commentary on post Covid society and MacBride has chosen to mainly provide this commentary through the eyes of The Dunc, which works beautifully in my opinion. I view Dunk as the alter ego of the author. MacBride is laughing at himself. Not just comedy relief then, but a statement of where he fits into this cultural environment — fiction based on reality. Dunk is constantly complaining about writers who don’t use punctuation properly in their reports and, at one point, likens himself Dr. Watson following Holmes (Lucy) — in other words, a writer, telling a story about Lucy’s investigative prowess.Not Lo No Less The Devil is a standalone crime thriller by bestselling Scottish author Stuart MacBride, known for his brilliant Logan McRae / Roberta Steel and Ash Henderson series. Set in the fictional Scottish city of Oldcastle, No Less The Devil fits within the Ash Henderson universe, but like A Dark So Deadly features its own set of unique characters. DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of No Less the Devil by Stuart MacBride for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. It sounds like paranoia, but what if he's right? What if the Bloodsmith isn't the only monster out there? Then around the 80% mark the story takes a sharp turn. I was expecting some of it—the foreshadowing of Lucy’s PTSD—but not all of it. There are more twists and turns through the last 20%, some I liked and some I didn’t like. But at the end, I was left with an uneasy feeling, because many of the killers escaped justice. In real life, this is often true, but most of us read thrillers because we want things to end right, the culprits caught, and justice to prevail. When an author doesn’t give us that satisfaction, we are left with a feeling of unease. Yes, MacBride throws us tidbits: not all the culprits escape; some are captured/killed. But some flourish.
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