‘Gunner’, by Alan Parks,the author responsible for the excellent Detective Harry McCoy books ,opens a new series.Happily on first impressions the high standards are maintained.
Although similarly set in Glasgow and its surrounding regions ,on this occasion we are taken back in time to the World War Two era.Instantly it feels like being immersed in the setting with the palpable sense of dread as the luftwaffe continue to blitz the area.There is tragically many civilian lives lost and much devastation of many properties.
Gunner is barely off the train,after being wounded and sent home,when his dodgy old Police boss,Drummond ropes him into a murder investigation of a mutilated corpse left among the massive casualties to be found at the Kelvin Hall.From there the case escalates in many directions for Gunner…
This crime novel dazzles with a mixed bunch of entertaining new characters as well as a gripping storyline based in a setting that feels authentically true to the 1940s.

Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for an Advance Readers Copy.

Very readable story that is a good mix of WW2 story, police drama and spy thriller all set in Glasgow! I was intrigued by the characters (though I didn't always like them), and found myself caught up in the story. It is violent, and was a bit gory and gruesome in places for me but I know others will enjoy that side of things! I'd read another anyway, as I'm intrigued to see what happens to Gunner next.

Great read. A mix between a police crime and spy/ espionage thriller., which I really enjoy. Interesting setting of WW2 Glasgow which was very interesting as it gave the story and setting another dimension. I was glad of a different location to London as the city setting. Gunner is a likeable if gruff character, a sort of anti hero/ hero and I hope to read more books featuring him.

A new author for me, and I am glad I read his suspenseful new novel, part of a new series! I enjoyed all the action interwoven with events of the Second World War in Scotland. I liked Joe, the wounded soldier who did not choose to be a policeman again but ended up investigating intriguing murders anyway. The convincing and scary plot held my attention all through. Really good! I will definitely read his earlier novels!
I loved it!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

The Harry McCoy series by Alan Parks is an outstanding body of work so I was intrigued to read the first in what I hope will be a long lived series featuring Gunner, newly returned to his native Glasgow after being invalided out of the army owing to his injuries incurred at Dunkirk.

He is inveigled back into a police investigation by his shady former boss and it all kicks off from there with nothing and nobody being quite what they seem.

What is fascinating is the depiction of Glasgow in the 1940s and the descriptions of the people and places. The action is nonstop with lots of twists and turns linked to what was for me a fairly preposterous link to Rudolf Hess.

An excellent start which is highly recommended..

As a long term fan of Park's Harry McCoy novels I was really interested to read this, set in different time and different world from McCoy in Gunner Park's manages to stay true to his Glasgow roots and writes a brilliantly crafted novel in a time that is not often written about. I loved reading about the city at that time and I thought Gunner was deep interesting character that I hope will develop over time as did McCoy. As usual plot is well thought out believable if not a bit disturbing, it captures your interest along with engaging Gunner. I hope this is first of many books featuring Gunner...But please do the next months of McCoy along with it