A Dark So Deadly is the first one of Stuart MacBride's books that I've read. It's a standalone thriller.

I wasn’t at all sure that I would like it thinking it might be too ‘noir’ for me, but whilst it is dark with some violent and disturbing scenes I was soon hooked into the mystery, the setting, the characters, some of them pretty weird, sordid and really nasty characters and the humour. It’s grisly rather than gory. It’s also long, over 600 pages, but the strength of the writing and the pace carried me effortlessly along. It’s a gripping page-turner that kept me glued to the book – I didn’t want to put it down.

It has quite a large cast of characters, but each one is so individually described that I had no trouble distinguishing them. It’s set in Oldcastle, a fictional town in the north east of Scotland (there is a detailed, coloured map) where it seems to rain all the time. DC Callum MacGregor had taken the blame for cocking up a crime scene to protect his pregnant, crime-scene tech girlfriend and so had been moved to join ‘Mother’s Misfit Mob’.

The ‘Mob’ is made up of the officers no one else wanted. ‘Mother’ is DI Flora Malcolmson and the team consists of DS Andy McAdams, who speaks in rhyming verse and is dying from bowel cancer, DS Dorothy (Dot) Hodgkin in her wheelchair called ‘Keith’, grumpy DC John Watt and the newest team member, DC Franklin, big, black and beautiful who had punched a superintendent. I became very fond of this team of ‘misfits’. They made me laugh and exasperated me at the same time as they interacted, sometimes with friction rather than as a well-run team. They may be ‘misfits’ but they’re dedicated and caring police officers, Callum most of all. Their back history comes out naturally as the novel proceeds, without interrupting the narrative.

The plot is, needless to say really, complicated with plenty of unexpected and definitely strange episodes, as the team investigate mummified bodies found in the local rubbish tip. It’s told mostly from Callum’s point of view and as well as investigating what turns out to be a serial killer Callum, who was brought up in care from the age of 5, is trying to discover what had happened to his parents and twin brother.

A Dark So Deadly is a fantastic book. It’s complex, compelling and it kept me guessing right to the end. I shall definitely read more of Stuart MacBride’s books, beginning with Cold Granite, the first in his Logan McRae series.

It always takes a while to get used to the style of writing and prose used by MacBride but once you do you are off on a rollercoaster ride of excitement. Full of twists and turns and unexpected outcomes, thrilling read.

It took me a while to get into this book. I haven't read books by this author before and I found the mixture of dark humour and macabre murders quite a challenging mixture. Having said that, once I had adjusted my expectations from a more conventional police procedural novel to this writer's style, I was motivated to read to the end, despite having guessed the eventual outcome. This was an enjoyable read which would appeal to crime fiction fans who like something a little different.

This is an absorbing read: witty, amusing yet at the same time chilling. McBride captures character, setting and plot and (almost) ties it up cleverly.

This is a standalone darkly comic novel from the prolific author Stuart MacBride, whose Logan and Steele books I absolutely adore. Set in the familiar fictional town of Oldcastle from the Ash series, we have DC Callum MacGregor, a put upon, conscientious good guy who has been shunted to the Misfit Mob, a unit for the troubled, deranged, damaged, and the incompetent whom the police force cannot sack. It is headed by DI Flora 'Mother' Malcolmson and includes the dying, irritatingly poetic DS Andy McAdams, wheelchair bound Dot, DC Watt, a man no-one wants to work with, and the beautiful black 'don't mess with me' DC Franklin, the most recent recruit who partners Callum.

Callum is in the unit because his pregnant girlfriend Elaine compromised a crime scene that allowed Big Johnny Simpson to go free. He takes the blame, doing this for love and so Elaine would not be fired and miss out on maternity benefits. He has to put up with non stop condemnations and insinuations that he is corrupt and incompetent from every corner and is being investigated by Professional Standards. It begins with Callum unexpectedly nabbing the slippery Ainsley Dugdale and arresting him with much furore. A mother and her children have a history of being domestically abused, Callum just has to do something about this. An ancient mummy turns up at a rubbish tip, only for another to turn up in a car boot. This leads the police to three missing men and the realisation they have a serial killer on their hands. At the age of 5, the boy Callum encountered a paedophile, and his parents and brother, Alastair, disappeared resulting in Callum entering the care system. He has never got over his traumatising past, and at long last there are developments that might tell him what exactly happened. His domestic bliss with Elaine is destined to blow up in his face as she reveals her true manipulative side. All the multiple threads slowly connect but not before a shed load of misery, numerous injuries and assaults, and close calls with death for our hero and the misfit team

This is just a fabulous read. The dark humour, comic touches and superb banter bear all of the trademark elements of MacBride's writing. What marks this out as a excellent read are the characters, just plain wonderful. Their interactions and relationships of this diverse collection of oddballs keep the reader gripped and glued to the book. There is only one gripe that I have and why I did not give the full five stars and that is that it is too reminiscent of the Logan and Steel series. In reality that is a very minor complaint as I just loved it. Highly recommended. Thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

A Dark So Deadly is a novel as alluring as it is repelling. You need to know what happens next, despite how disturbing the contents are. Systematic abuse, kidnapping and rape, paedophelia, cannibalism and murder all play a role. This novel is definitely for mature readers only. It isn't a cozy and is far darker than a lot of British police procedurals.

The Misfit Mob are where all the detectives that no one else wants are sent. DC Callum MacGregor is assigned to the group when he takes the blame for his pregnant girlfriend’s mistake - a mistake that got a known criminal off a murder charge. They get all the crap cases, but this time they get something special. What looks to be an ancient mummy, possibly stolen from a museum is in fact the mummified form of a missing young man. And he is only the first to be discovered.

The narrative alternates between Callum’s perspective, that of the serial killer, and that of his dying victims. The devastating damage caused abuse and the extreme evil that men can do is all laid out among the pages. Part of what makes the novel readable is DC Callum MacGregor. He is a good man and a good detective. It is easy to feel for him when he suffers the indignities of unjust accusations and the betrayal of his pregnant girlfriend. The other members of the Misfit Mob are also easy to empathize with, except for DS MacAdams who spouts doggerel and takes every opportunity to wind up Callum. Even then you feel for him because you know he’s dying.

This is not a novel for everyone. There is a lot of violence and many disturbing themes. A Dark so Deadly is a well written thriller, with quite a few surprises in store for the reader.

4 / 5

I received a copy of A Dark so Deadly from the publisher and Netgalley.com

--Crittermom

Wow, what a rollercoaster! I really love MacBride's books and this one is one of his best so far. I love Mac'Bride's humor, I love his characters, I could live easily with less violence, but so be it.
The book is promoted as a stand-alone, but is really some kind of spin-off of the Ash Anderson books.
I loved the book from start to finish, enjoy!

This has a complicated and entirely unlikely story line. The number of life crushing events for the young detective is equally impossible to believe. That is without commentary no on the racist,sexist language that the author seems to believe pervades a police force. I did not enjoy this book.

You think you’re having a bad day? DC Callum McGregor is having a bad life. After being raised in care, he became a cop to help people like himself. But the trajectory of his career took a nose dive after covering for his pregnant girlfriend when she screwed up a crime scene. Now he works in the unit of last resort with a motley crew who have all been “specially selected” for various reasons.

They are the dogsbodies who get all the grunt work….like picking through Oldcastle’s garbage dump after receiving reports of a body. DI “Mother” Malcomson & DS McAdams are hoping for a nice juicy murder case. Instead, they find a mummy.

Callum gets no end of grief from his co-workers who think he purposely contaminated a crime scene on behalf of a local gangster. So when DC Franklin joins the unit, he gets the babysitting job. She’s a gorgeous black woman, 3 things that ensure she’s had to put up with more than your average cop. And she wastes no time putting Callum in his place. Great…one more person to dump on him.

They get called out to an abandoned vehicle only to find the trunk is inhabited. By another mummy. It’s the start of an investigation that leads to more bodies, odd evidence, missing persons & forensic fumbles.

Of course, WE know what’s going on. In alternate chapters we peek over the shoulder of a deranged & twisted killer trying to buy his way into heaven. As the story progresses we get the 411 on what they’re doing & why, everything except their name (I’m just going to take a moment & say “Eeewww”).

And that’s only one thread of the story. There are multiple side plots having to do with domestic abuse, office politics & Callum’s personal life. There’s a large cast who are well developed with distinct personalities. Incredibly, despite the number of characters & story lines, you never feel lost or confused & everything is neatly woven together by the end.

To be honest, it took me a bit to fully sign on with this one. I’m a huge fan of the author & wait (im)patiently for his books. One reason is a gift for black humour that makes me giggle at the most inappropriate times & I missed that here. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of funny bits, particularly some of Callum’s dialogue in the second half as he comes into his own. It’s of the less dark variety but that’s just a personal preference thing & no reflection on the writing. I even got used to McAdams’ tendency to speak in haikus. Then a couple of things happened that changed Callum & his circumstances & from that point I was all in.

The evolution of the “Misfit Mob” feels authentic & is very well done. Initially they interact like bickering school kids, all of them resenting where they’ve ended up. But as the scope of what they’re dealing with becomes clear, they start to work as a unit & learn to tolerate each others’ personal tics. Oh they still squabble but it’s more like siblings instead of sworn enemies.

If you noticed and/or felt intimidated by the page count, you can relax. The story lines get equal time & it all zips along at a pace that keeps you on your toes. The killer is not the only man of mystery & you’ll keep reading into the wee hours just to learn the real identity of several of the characters. And as it heads into the last quarter, don’t be surprised if you find yourself curled up in the fetal position with every light on. It becomes compulsive reading & I’m willing to bet you’ll reach the end in less time than some books that are half the size. It’s a proper big stonking read with great characters & here’s hoping we run into Callum & his crew again.

I would like to thank NetGalley for my copy of A Dark so Deadly. A must read for Macbride fan, or anyone who enjoys dark thrillers with alot of wit and humour throughout. A fantastic read, I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, one of my favourite thrillers this year. I read this one fast as it kept me wanting more. I loved the characters and plots. Great work. Thanks to NetGalley

I do enjoy Stuart McBride, however I found the style of writing in this book a bit limiting. The story focuses on DC Callum who is having a bad week. After various encounters he has a bruised face, a broken hand and is single and homeless. The reader does feel sympathy for him and he is likeable, trapped in the Misfits Mob of the police investigation team, yet still trying to help others.
The story followed a number of murder enquiries. Callum himself lost his parents when young, bodies are found on a dump site and a serial killer is on the loose. The action keeps moving and gives good character interaction.
The only thing I found frustrating was the language. Every character in the novel says 'Gah' at several points, many say Aargh, often in capital letters stretched out over a whole line. It looks amateur. And every tussle with a suspect includes the shout 'get off me'.
But an entertaining read that kept me hooked.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins for an advance copy of A Dark So Deadly, a police procedural set in the fictional town of Oldcastle, scene of the Ash Henderson novels.

DC Callum MacGregor is nobody's favourite person having been accused of taking a bribe to contaminate a crime scene and let a well known local gangster walk on a murder charge. As a result he has been transferred to the Misfit Mob, a dumping ground for the officers no one else wants to work with. The team get all the worst jobs but a trawl of the local tip unearths more bodies than the regular squad can deal with so they get one body to investigate. It turns out to be a mummy but when they discover fillings at the postmortem the team spring into action.

I enjoyed A Dark So Deadly, not as much as Logan McRae because the format is different, but still enough to warrant 4 stars. The novel is long and the plot rather fantastical but such is the strength of the writing it held my attention throughout. It has a third person narrative told mostly from Callum's point of view but occasionally switches to "Justin", the killer and flashbacks to his childhood. I didn't find these convincing, more serial killer 101, and felt that they could have been left out without any impact on the novel.

The plot stretches credibility but it is taut, exciting and gripping so I for one didn't care if it bore no resemblance to reality. It has a number of different strands which all hold your attention and while they are complicated they are not difficult to follow. The twists have great impact and while some were hinted at they are well disguised.

There is a large cast of characters but again it is not difficult to keep up. I think the length of the novel gives the reader time to assimilate them. The Misfit Mob is not a new idea as Mick Herron has had great success with his Slow Horses but it is an ideal way to assemble a fairly wide assortment of colourful characters and have some fun as they are forced to work together. Tensions run high within the group but in the usual cliché they pull together when required. To be honest I don't see much difference, apart from the setting and backstory, between Callum MacGregor and Logan McRae. They both have a tendency towards gallantry, impulsiveness, doing the right thing and landing themselves in hot water.

The beauty of the novel, however, lies in the banter. It is rough, tough and has a take no prisoners approach. It is natural, extremely funny and had me laughing out loud in parts.

A Dark So Deadly is a well written and constructed novel with some mordant humour so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Most entertaining!
A slightly improbable police procedural, but written well enough that the improbabilities don't matter. Very plausible twists and turns in the plot and the characters develop during the story such that the reader is keen to meet them again.

Marvellous thriller filled with dark humour and gruesome murder plot line. Super characterisations a hero with many faults apparently but with a heart of gold of course! A splendid mix of co-stars keep things simmering along gloriously all builds to a shocking climax. Excellent!

It’s not hard to get wrapped up in Stuart MacBride’s latest offering, not when the descriptive passages drag you into the heart of the story. Consider this description of a garbage dump crime scene: “The rancid stench of rotting meat and vegetables mingled with the sticky-brown reek of used nappies, all underpinned by the dark, peppery odour of black plastic left to broil in the sun.” Takes you right into the heart of the story and drags you through the muck at the same time. This is a book that moves at a fast pace, yet I find myself reading slowly, savoring every word.

Callum MacGregor is the main character, and the author deftly hints at past troubles without fully describing what has transpired. One can’t help but continue to read and hope for an explanation, which Mr. MacBride offers naturally in drips and dribbles. MacGregor is the lowest member of the Misfit Mob, police who have been “exiled” to a separate division because of past conduct. The author allows us to meet and interact with all of them, through MacGregor, and their daily duties are a picture of multiple duties all threshed and jumbled together. MacGregor has his personal demons he must sort out while he and his coworkers struggle to solve the cases that come their way.

At the top of the list is a serial killer, and we are brought along to examine all the clues, be they promising or total dead ends. Mr. MacBride deftly separates his characters, making their quirks seem natural and their interactions realistic. The pacing is good, speeding up in some spots and then slowing down to make sure we catch up. The book and music lyric interludes before chapters are amusing and tantalizing at the same time, adding to the uniqueness of this book.

Although I earlier complimented the author on his writing, I did find that incomplete sentences were used so many times that it became bothersome and began to affect the flow of the story. I didn’t notice them until around Chapter 10 (though a quick look back showed they were there all along). Thankfully, the technique slowed somewhere around the middle of the book, and though the phrases continued throughout the rest of the book, either they were not used as frequently or I became used to them.

Although it is the story that propels this book, it is that same plot that eventually undermines it. Admittedly, the author’s use of characterizations to provide insight and depth make it difficult to set this book down. However, it is every author’s desire to fool the reader with a twist and thus provide an enjoyable read. Mr. MacBride had crafted an intense, realistic crime novel for most of the book, but the urge to confound the reader suddenly produced two unrealistic suspects. By the time the story twisted the third and final time, the author had left any strands of reality behind, along with me.

This was my first Stuart MacBride novel, and while I was disappointed with the twists, the characters intrigued me and the plot is a page-turner. Fans of the author will probably love this book, without question. I enjoyed most of it, and will probably give another MacBride novel a try. As for this book, three-and-a-half stars rounded to four.

i enjoyed this as the author can really write and i loved his other police procedural series.

The premise here is clever - a unit where all the police screwups are sent where they can be kept out of sight and mind and ideally can do little harm.

Not totally original an idea as Mick Herron has done something similar with his Slow Horses spooks series but despite being overlong this tale never ceases to entertain with its plot twists and dark sense of humour.

I've read all of Stuart MacBride's books but he has absolutely excelled with this one. I could not put it down. Dark and twisted and at times hilarious, Callum, Mother, Franklin and the rest of the misfits are the best and oddest team in policing. Can't recommend enough!

I love Stuart MacBride, his books are always humorous and definitely fast paced. Really enjoyed this and look forward to more books by him. I have read several of his and they are always a treat. Thank you

Really good crime thriller. Would make wonderful tv. I enjoyed the mummies and the police investigation and all its intricacies. The subplots were all well entwined with the main story and although not all the characters were too likeable you feel a little warmth for them at the end. I'd be really interested to see how this progresses in another book

Rambling, clichéd, chaotic, self-congratulatory, overblown, written like a bad Hollywood script.

How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.

Rejected before the end of chapter six.

Example of the never-ending prose. The whole book is like this.....

<i>
Callum logged off his steam-powered computer, stretched, yawned, slumped in his seat for a moment, then hauled himself to his feet. The office’s fluorescent lighting buzzed overhead, giving everything the warm and welcoming ambience of a horror film. Shame he was the only one there to enjoy it.