Cast a Cold Eye is Robbie Morrison’s second novel featuring DI Jimmy Dreghorn and DS Archie McDaid of the Special Crime Squad. Set in Glasgow in 1933, with the city fully in the grip of the Depression, a body found on a narrowboat on the Forth and Clyde canal rings alarm bells for the detectives. The victim has been shot in the back of the head, execution style, which is unusual in a city where violence and knife crime are rife, but guns are not. The complicated plot involves criminal gangs and the IRA, and nobody knows what the Special Branch officers are up to, as they are not big fans of sharing information with the detectives.
This atmospheric crime novel portrays the city of Glasgow as a hotbed of sectarian violence, and gives the reader an insight into the history behind it all. Robbie Morrison paints a vivid portrait of Glasgow at this time. I grew up in the area in the 1960s and 1970s, and could still recognise a lot of the places he describes. Make no mistake, this is a very violent story, but the banter between the detectives helps to take the edge off.
At the heart of this series are the characters of Dreghorn and McDaid. We get a bit more background in this second book, and this helps us to understand them better. Dreghorn is a flawed character, traumatised by what he experienced during WW1. He is no stranger to violence, sometimes makes questionable choices, but this is a nuanced portrayal of a damaged individual who has nothing in his life apart from his job. McDaid, on the other hand, is a devoted family man who can leave his work behind when he goes home. They make a good team – their unorthodox methods certainly get results.
I read a lot of what is termed ‘Tartan Noir’, and Cast a Cold Eye is up there with the best. It stands out because of the excellent characterisation, and the strong sense of time and place. I look forward to reading the next book in this gripping series. Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

"Cast a Cold Eye" attempts to break through the standards set by "Edge of the Grave" whose oscillation between method and madness is memorable, but the sophomore adventure of Glasgow cop Jimmy Dreghorn, while certainly not lacking in ambition, is not as captivating as the first. The plot feels even more convoluted, by design, naturally, but it doesn't make the reader invest in the events either. It's a thematically-stronger novel, bringing in the trouble in Ireland and the questionable means by which it remains attached to the Empire, but the themes don't assert themselves well enough alongside the genre beats.

While there's a lot to admire in this historical fiction set in Depression-era Glasgow, the actual story is convoluted, long-drawn out and fundamentally quite dull. As a result I'm abandoning it at just over the halfway mark, since I'm finding myself increasingly uninterested in finding out who did what to whom.

The author has clearly researched the time period in depth, which is both a strength and a weakness of the book. As a Glaswegian, I found the look back at the history of the city interesting, especially the inclusion of many real prominent people from those times. However, there's far too much detail - people who know the city's history or the history of the Black and Tans don't need all this background information, and people who don't will probably not be interested in any of it that isn't directly related to the plot. At first I enjoyed the mention of real places, such as the Press Bar, which were still a fixture of the city in my own youth, several decades after the period of the novel. But after a bit the constant mention of street names and shops that used to exist and the names of bars, etc., began to irritate me, since they add nothing to the story and serve merely to slow it to a crawl.

The characterisation is also somewhat mixed. The two main characters, Dreghorn and McDaid, are well drawn and make a good partnership, though their propensity for random theft and violence didn't exactly endear them to me. Ellen, the obligatory female police officer, is of course way ahead of her time, and we are treated to the usual "strong woman fighting against the patriarchy" stuff, which frankly has been grossly overdone in recent years. She'd have been sacked in the real world, and since otherwise the book is trying hard and quite successfully to portray the real world, her character stands out like a sore thumb as an unbelievable anachronism.

The writing is good and there's quite a lot of humour in it. The Glasgow "patter" is excellent, and happily free of anachronism as far as I could tell. Too much foul language, of course, but sadly that's now standard in crime fiction - amazing that the great writers of the past are still read given their refusal to use language that would make a docker blush. Less is more.

So overall, I have mixed feelings about it. Lots of positives and lots of potential, but the plot failed to hold my attention, and I felt that a good edit to remove some of the extraneous info-dumping would have improved it considerably.

Glasgow, 1933

Murder is nothing new in the Depression-era city, especially to war veterans Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn and his partner ‘Bonnie’ Archie McDaid. But the dead man found in a narrowboat on the Forth and Clyde Canal, executed with a single shot to the back of the head, is no ordinary killing.

Violence usually erupts in the heat of the moment – the razor-gangs that stalk the streets settle scores with knives and fists. Firearms suggest something more sinister, especially when the killer strikes again. Meanwhile, other forces are stirring within the city. A suspected IRA cell is at large, embedded within the criminal gangs and attracting the ruthless attention of Special Branch agents from London.

With political and sectarian tensions rising, and the body count mounting, Dreghorn and McDaid pursue an investigation into the dark heart of humanity – where one person’s freedom fighter is another’s terrorist, and noble ideals are swept away by bloody vengeance.

Back in March 2021 I read Robbie Morrison’s first novel, Edge of the Grave. It’s a rather fine historical crime fiction set in 1930s Glasgow*. I’ve been waiting impatiently for its sequel, Cast A Cold Eye, to reach the top of my review pile, and this week it finally got there.

One of the things I enjoyed most about Detective Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn is he’s a flawed but likeable protagonist. Traumatic events during The Great War have left him suffering something akin to PTSD. If Dreghorn is not consumed by working a case, he can barely function. Like all the best detectives he is an absolute mess of a human being. On the outside, Dreghorn may appear the quintessential Glasgow hard man but there is a broken soul hiding beneath his brittle exterior.

As far as the other characters are concerned, of course it’s Archie McDaid who remains a firm favourite. Dreghorn’s monolithic partner is the polar opposite of Jimmy. McDaid is a family man, never happier than when surrounded by the members of his chaotic brood. This novel features more moments viewed from his perspective, and we get a real insight into McDaid’s motivations. There is far more to Bonnie Archie than just his giant muscles. Not only is he fiercely loyal to his friends, he is also driven by a personal code that transcends to religious violence that surrounds him. There are a few tantalizing hints about what events drove the highlander to Glasgow and I’m burning with curiosity to discover more of his backstory. Dreghorn’s too for that matter. Enquiring minds need to know more about his time overseas!

I’ll always have a place for Glasgow in my heart, I grew up only about ten miles away, but I’m under no illusions that it has always been a bit rough around the edges. It’s probably even fair to say that the city has often revelled in its notorious reputation. In the early decades of the 20th-century, gang warfare, usually based along sectarian lines, was rife. This tension was further added to the city’s relatively close proximity to Ireland. Events across the Irish Sea had a tendency to spill over to Scotland. The politics of this time period were morally dubious at best. Violence leads to more violence in what seems to be a never-ending cycle of vicious one-upmanship. Everyone is entirely convinced that their point of view is the right one and death to everyone else. What’s that phrase? One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. From a reader’s perspective, all this political upheaval adds an extra layer of tension to the plot.

A word of warning to the more delicate amongst you. Morrison’s latest novel does contain some pretty violent scenes. There was one that was particularly visceral, so much so that I’ll admit a classic Glaswegian expletive escaped my lips once I finished reading it. Other reviews are bound to use words like ‘gritty’ or ‘hard-hitting’. I’m not sure that does the narrative justice; it’s far more than that. Morrison’s writing has heart. It’s a dark heart, but it’s there nonetheless. Perhaps I’m just overly sentimental, even when it comes to razor-welding gangsters, but I loved it all. Morrison also manages some nice plot twists that all land perfectly. No spoilers here, obviously, but one was particularly well executed. I’ll admit I did not see it coming at all.

This series goes from strength to strength. Edge of the Grave was good, but I think this second novel is better. The characters get more room to breathe and evolve. There is little better than seeing an author really hit their stride. Long may this trend continue.

Cast a Cold Eye is published by Pan Macmillan and is available now. Highly recommended.

My musical recommendation to accompany this novel is the soundtrack to The Devil’s Hour by The Newton Brothers. It has a suitably tense vibe that fits the dark tone of the novel perfectly. You know the drill by now, if you’re inclined, listen to one while reading the other and enjoy both.

*Don’t just take my word for it the international crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland, awarded it Scottish Crime Debut of the Year.

Glasgow 1933 and life is hard during the Depression as people struggle to survive. Armed gangs evade the police but when a man is found shot in an execution-style, this is something else. Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn and his partner Archie McDaid are well-known amongst the criminal fraternity and they are determined to get to the bottom of this crime. Meanwhile an IRA cell is at large, on the face of to sort out an issue with Lottery tickets but, with the theft of a load of explosives, there may be a bigger issue. Then the Special Branch turn up...
I hadn't read Morrison's first novel so it took a while to pick up the characters however that didn't stop me getting hooked on the action. This is a beautifully drawn period piece, set in the early 1930s during the Depression but with the plot based on the independence fighting in Ireland of the 1920s. the story is really convincing, the characters well-rounded and the narrative fast-paced. It's a terrific read.

Detectives Dreghorn and McDaid in another dark and violent crime novel set in 30s Glasgow with lots of dry humour amongst the mayhem. A murder discovered on a river barge sets the scene and the investigation begins but with Irish connections Special Branch become involved which doesn’t please our heroes. Thwarted at times by officers on their own side the murders mount up and the violence past and present increases. All beautifully described with an atmospheric city at its heart this is a superb tale and one waits for more.

Everything about this book is first rate, the characters, the plot and especially the sense of time and place. Dreghorn and McDaid are authentic old-style cops in a violent and lawless city. The language feels real to the modern reader and the details of life in 1930s Scotland evince tremendous knowledge and attention to detail. A worthy sequel to Edge Of The Grave.

Hugely excited to read this one after loving Edge of the Grave and I was not disappointed.

This is another fabulous gritty Glasgow crime novel.

We’re reunited again with Inspectors Jimmy Dreghorn and ‘Bonnie’ Archie McDaid as they use their wits and place in the Tartan Untouchables to put the city's criminals to rights.

This time they are on the hunt for suspected Irish republican terrorists bringing murder to Glasgow and with it a rise in already simmering sectarian tensions.

Cast A Cold Eye is an excellent crime story with a great plot and plenty of action that will keep you turning the pages. It also paints a vivid picture of 1930s Glasgow. A place where sectarianism is rife and life is hard as the depression bites. It is also a place with something of an olde world charm to it with kids playing in the streets, grand dance halls and trams and steam trains travelling the city. Morrison conjures it all so effortlessly.

Some actual laugh out loud moments brought to us courtesy of the often colourful Glasgow banter. Love the inclusion of so many Scots words - special shout out to houghmagandie - adding to the authentic feel of time and place the author creates.

The story is populated with great characters. As well as the development of Jimmy & Archie, there are fabulous descriptions of some of the minor characters making them so easy to picture.

Another belter of a read from Morrison and already looking forward to his next book.

Huge thanks to Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read an early copy

This is a cracking sequel to the award winning historical crime noir, Edge of the Grave, by Robbie Morrison, featuring the scarred ex-war veteran, Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn and his partner, the man mountain, ex-Olympic wrestler, and family man, Sergeant Archie McDaid, part of the Special Crime Squad, the 'Untouchables', set up by Chief Constable Percy Sillitoe, to tackle the sectarianism and brutally violent gangs of Glasgow. Set in 1933, we are immersed in the dirt and grime of the city, the unemployment, poverty, overcrowded tenements, disease, sexism, misogyny, where life is cheap, the humour is dark, and people do whatever they can to survive. Whilst murderous violence is the norm in Glasgow, the use of guns is not, so when Dreghorn stumbles across a dead man on a narrowboat on the Forth and Clyde Canal, shot execution style with a single shot in the back of the head, it is no longer business as usual for the police.

The police race to find the killer, but find themselves in the middle of political intrigue as the killer strikes again as another murder with a similar MO is discovered, and the tentacles of the horrors of British history in Ireland reaching out in search of revenge in Glasgow. We have suspected IRA elements mingling with its notoriously sectarian criminal gangs as tensions rise sky high. This is exacerbated by the arrival of ruthless Special Branch agents and the justified concerns raised by the Gangard robbery and the stealing of explosives. The brave and courageous WPC Ellen Duncan finds herself once again having to fight off the unwanted attentions and misogyny of the despicable Inspector Boyd Strachan, no longer put off by Dreghorn.

As the body count rises, Dreghorn and McDaid find themselves locking horns with Special Branch, and Dreghorn's personal life comes back to haunt him, and a welcome face from his schooldays, Rachel McAdam, assistant to Martha Hepburn, comes back into his life. Jimmy and Archie are the good guys in a Glasgow of its time, but to achieve results and simply survive, they have to fight fire with fire, they cannot remain untainted by the violence they face on a daily basis. Morrison draws on the reality of what the British did in Ireland, the repercussions it has many years later on a Scottish city with a significant Irish Catholic population, whilst simultaneously capturing the unrestrained, partisan and underhand machinations of Special Branch. This is a exceptional historical crime series that I am sure many readers will appreciate and adore. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Loved this book. Great development on from Edge of the Grave, with an enjoyably gritty take on the police in 1930s Glasgow. This time we also have a big focus on Irish Republican activities, an area i have particular interest in, and that brings a fascinating dynamic to the catholic policeman in a Protestant majority force. Can’t wait to see more from Morrison.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Cast a Cold Eye, the second novel to feature Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn and Sergeant Archie McDaid, of Glasgow Police, set in 1933.

Dreghorn and McDaid are alive to the implications when they find a man shot execution style on his barge, Glasgow is a violent city, but firearms and intent are not usual. Then there is another, similar murder and the arrival of Special Branch, hot on the heels of a suspected IRA terrorist.

I have not read the previous novel in the series, Edge of the Grave, so I was unprepared for the brilliance of Cast a Cold Eye. It is one of the best novels I have read in a long time with a gripping plot, tension, strong characterisation, twists and an amazing sense of time and place. I was glued to the pages from start to finish.

In the interests of full disclosure I was born and brought up in Glasgow, so I have familiarity with the locations and the vernacular and that is always a comfort in a read. It seems to me that the author has captured the mindset and speech of the locals perfectly with a certain dark humour and specifically Glaswegian vocabulary, some of which I had forgotten, but all of which I understood only too well. I felt quite nostalgic reading about the locations, many of which were still going in the 70s and 80s when I frequented the city centre.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, which centres principally around the hunt for a murderer and soon gets enmeshed in the IRA cell’s activities, which in turn leads to conflict with Special Branch and various other factions in the department. Needless to say sectarianism is also a focus. I was impressed by the way the author manages his material. This is a dark, violent novel and while there is always a justification for the violence, the morality of it isn’t so clear cut as gradually becomes apparent as the novel progresses. I like the way he examines these questions in clear, concise terms, but leaves room for reader interpretation. In contrast I also like the ambiguity of who did what and why.

The characters of Dreghorn and McDaid are flawed but realistic. Both survived the war physically intact, but Dreghorn in particular has nightmares about it still. He is darker and more volatile than McDaid, who is more settled with a family and a calmer demeanour. They are an extremely effective team, albeit a product of their times, not averse to mixing it up with the local neds.

I cannot do justice to such a strong, powerful novel, so all I can say is that I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Always enjoy books set in Glasgow and often those from a bygone age, like this one, has the edge over those of the present day settings.
A highly enjoyable read and recommended.

Cast A Cold Eye is Robbie Morrisons' follow up to his Bloody Scotland Debut of the Year winning Edge of the Grave and it's just as good - if not better.

The Tartan Noir genre may be oversaturated but Morrison is definitely a stand out author, with his fantastic writing style adding nuance and depth to his novels. Jimmy Dreghorn and Archie McDaid are wonderful characters who I hope we'll be seeing a lot more of. Archie McDaid - the intimidating, stocky sidekick who would generally be the resident "tough guy" is the more sensitive of the two, favouring non-violence, much unlike Jimmy Dreghorn who does some brutal things in this novel in order to bring about swift justice. Both however - unlike a lot of Tartan Noir characters - have a lot more going on under the surface which makes the novel a joy to read.

Overall, excellently written with loveable characters, perfect pacing, plenty of twists and turns and a good dose of gallows humour - if you're a Tartan Noir fan and haven't read Robbie Morrison yet, you're missing out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.