The Quaker

by Liam McIlvanney

Overview

WINNER 2018 MCILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF 2019

Based on true events, a “Dickensian crime novel” (Mystery Matters) set in 1960s Glasgow

It is 1969 and Glasgow is in the grip of the worst winter in decades yet it is something else that has Glaswegians on edge: a serial killer is at large. The brutality of The Quaker‘s latest murder— a young woman snatched from a nightclub, her body dumped like trash in the back of a cold-water tenement—has left the city trembling with fear. The assassin leaves no clues and the police investigation seems to be going nowhere.

Duncan McCormick, a talented young detective from the Highlands, is brought into the investigation to identify where, exactly, it’s gone wrong. An outsider with troubling secrets of his own, DI McCormack has few friends in his adopted city and a lot to prove. His arrival is met with anger and distrust by cops who are desperate to nail a suspect. When they identify a petty thief as the man seen leaving the building where the Quaker’s last victim was found, they decide they’ve found their serial killer. But McCormack isn’t convinced.

From ruined backstreets, to deserted public parks, and down into the dark heart of Glasgow, McCormack follows a trail of secrets that will change the city—and his life—forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609455408
Publisher:	Europa Editions, Incorporated
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	340,089
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Liam McIlvanney’s first book, Burns the Radical, won the Saltire First Book Award. He is also the author of two previous novels, All the Colors of the Town and Where the Dead Men Go, which won the 2014 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel. He is a regular contributor to numerous publications, including the London Review of Books, the Times Literary Supplement, and the Guardian. He is Stuart Professor of Scottish Studies at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He lives in Dunedin with his wife and four sons.

Editorial Reviews

McIlvanney composes beautiful prose about ugly things, but there's another attribute that makes him special: He writes excellent curses, presumably plucked from these dark, cold streets.

The New York Times Book Review - Marilyn Stasio

★ 10/21/2019

A serial killer dubbed the Quaker stalks the dance halls of 1969 Glasgow in this engrossing crime thriller from McIlvanney (Where the Dead Men Go). With the public jeering at the police for failing to find the killer of three women in its months-long investigation, the brass brings in Det. Insp. Duncan McCormack, fresh from a successful takedown of corrupt officials, to determine where the investigation went wrong. An outsider to this most sectarian of cities, McCormack faces not only an elusive killer but investigators willing to ignore the lack of evidence and charge a suspect to close the case. Despite the open hostility, McCormack pursues his own theories. An auction house heist leads McCormack to believe that the murders may involve a man intricately tied to city power brokers with little to fear from the authorities. McIlvanney’s depiction of a terror-gripped Glasgow upended by redevelopment and shattered neighborhoods is as important to the story as the arresting characters he has created. Readers will welcome a new master of tartan noir. Agent: Jim Gill, United Agents. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Quaker

“Every aspect of The Quaker is superb.”
—Washington Post

“A new master of tartan noir.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“McIlvanney composes beautiful prose about ugly things”
—The New York Times Book Review

“A beautifully crafted police procedural.”
—Seattle Review of Books

“A Dickensian crime novel.”
—Mystery Matters

“Intricately plotted, resourceful in its characterization, and gorgeously written.”
—Toronto Star

“[Liam McIlvanney] shows a deft touch for character and setting throughout this absorbing, atmospheric read.”
—Crime Watch

“Another atmospheric, scary, and utterly brilliant book from Liam McIlvanney. Superb.”
—Adrian McKinty, award-winning author of Rain Dogs

“Atmospheric and arresting, The Quaker reveals 1960s Glasgow in all its lurid shades.”
—Val McDermid, bestselling author of the Dr. Tony Hill series

“This is a terrific novel, dark, powerful, and beautifully written. I finished it a while ago, but I’m still haunted by the characters and the place.”
—Ann Cleeves, bestselling author of Shetland

“Skilfully dovetailed … atmospheric … a solidly crafted and satisfying detective story.”
—Laura Wilson, The Guardian

“An absolute master of Tartan noir … the corruption of the late Sixties is splendidly evoked, as is DI Duncan McCormack.”
—Daily Mail

“The Quaker is one of my favourite reads of the year. A powerhouse of a book with Liam McIlvanney's full lyrical powers on display. Loved it.”
—Steve Cavanagh

From the Publisher

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