Flesh House

Those who like their crime thrillers diamond hard (but shot through with macabre humour) need look no further than Stuart MacBride. As Flesh House, his latest, once again proves, he has few equals in this area, and is more than worthy of the ever-growing legion of admirers he is gleaning. His tough protagonist, Logan McRae, is once again negotiating the mean streets of Aberdeen, with violence and threat forever at his elbow. Those who have read Cold Granite, Dying Light and Broken Skin will know what to expect here -- and they'll be aware that they're not in for a comfortable ride.

The city is in a state of fear. Some 20 years ago, the Grampian police nailed a particularly vicious serial killer known as The Flesher, a monster who had claimed victims throughout the country. But one of those frequent legal appeals which so often release dangerous criminals into the community has freed him, and when a container with human body parts appears at Aberdeen harbour, it looks like the stage is once again set for carnage on a massive scale. DS Logan McRae (along with his less experienced colleague, Chief Constable Mark Faulds from Birmingham -- who was on the original team tracking down The Flesher), finds himself in charge of one of the most ambitious manhunts city has ever seen. And then members of the original team tracking down their serial killer prey (whose real name is Ken Wiseman) begin to disappear -- and more human meat is making grisly appearances. All of this is delivered with the requisite grasp of tension and characterisation that we have come to expect from Stuart MacBride. There are those who will feel he has gone too far in Flesh House in confronting the less savoury aspects of human behaviour, but fans of uncompromising crime writing will be in their element. --Barry Forshaw

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Comment on Audio CD - Rated
Bring back John Sessions who at least had a good accent and the knack for the right emphasis and tone. New narrator (Cameron Stewart) just doesn't have what it takes for a gritty Aiberdeen narrative, and it really detracts from the audio version.

Agree with other comments - the book not his best, but as an ex-pat Aberdonian, with a police officer father, all Stuart MacBride's books take me 'home', and I love them!

I Beg to differ! - Rated
Sorry, but I feel so strongly about some of the other reviews that I felt I must right a review. Like most other readers, I loved the other Macbride books. I however was NOT dissapointed with this one....I was gripped from the first page and though some scenes in the book are gruesome...I couldn't put it down and have devoured it in two days flat!!! I won't say too much about the story as wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone...but I will say I didn't guess the perpetrator, not even at the end!!! Gripping read, don't be put off by other reviews I rated it 5 stars. WONDERFUL!

Worst in series - Rated
This is the worst book in the series, the others all deserve 5 stars but this one lacked the humour and credibility I have become used to from Stuart Macbride. The team are on a twenty year serial killer case but favourite character DI Steel doesn't appear enough and an ending that borders on ridiculous makes this one just an average read. Only worth it to keep your collection complete.

Flesh House - Rated

What a disappointment! It was not up to his usual standard. Perhaps his agent was "hurrying him up".

3 great novels ....then this - Rated
I loved his first three books, gory and funny at the same time, but this was just streching credibility a little too far. An unbelievable plot from start to finish...what a shame