The Heretic

BY LIAM MCILVANNEY

HARPER COLLINS £14.99

★★★★

The prequel to this, McIlvanney’s The Quaker, earned him ‘The Scottish Crime Book of the Year’ prize, and I’ve little doubt this will do just as well. It has all the ingredients for a classic piece of crime fiction: a dark, gritty plot, authentic characters and an unpredictable ending. Set in Scotland’s Dear Green Place in the 1970s, DI McCormack investigates a string of brutal murders, and with one of his own unit dead he begins to join the dots. A compelling read. Recommend to all the Tartan Noir enthusiasts out there.