The Heretic

Starred review from February 14, 2022
McIlvanney’s outstanding sequel to 2019’s The Quaker makes the mean streets of Glasgow palpable in the service of a memorable whodunit plot. In 1975, Det. Insp. Duncan McCormack returns home to Glasgow, after a six-year stint as a member of London’s Flying Squad, to head a unit of the new Serious Crime Squad. His first task is to locate Walter Maitland, an elusive criminal who’s been prowling the labyrinth of the city’s underworld. Then he lands another hot potato—a man found on a rubbish heap with his head bashed in turns out to be Gavin Elliot, a former Tory MP and slumlord, who was once accused of rape. A bombing that claims six lives, including Maitland’s brother, and possibly linked to Elliot’s killing, ups the ante. McCormack must keep his homosexuality a secret as he contends with the brass who haven’t forgotten that during the Quaker investigation he brought down the head of CID for the City of Glasgow Police and did so “with what many people... considered an unseemly glee.” Tartan noir fans will hope to see a lot more of this complex, flawed lead. Agent: Jim Gill, United Agents (U.K.).

September 1, 2022

McIlvanney brilliantly re-creates gritty 1970s Glasgow in this sequel to his highly regarded The Quaker. After sending a corrupt Glasgow police officer to prison, Detective Duncan McCormack spent three years in London and has now returned home. Contending with suspicion and doubt from his colleagues, McCormack and his team are tasked with investigating a horrific tenement fire that killed four, including a mother and child. Suspects are members of rival gangs, making everyone afraid to give evidence. Narrator Angus King adeptly portrays McCormack as a tough, no-holds-barred detective who is also fair and compassionate. King's portrayal of other team members is equally skillful, including pluckily rendered Detective Nichol, who prevails despite the chauvinism she encounters, both on and off the force. Police and political corruption abound; Irish and Scottish ex-military are still fighting old battles; and McCormack's life as a gay man (something he must hide from public view, as sex between men is still illegal in 1970s Scotland) is compelling. VERDICT Fascinating details about the detectives' personal lives, a vibrant city atmosphere, class differences, and the many conversations that always include the listener make for an affecting listening experience.--Susan G. Baird

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