Thank you Net Galley and the Publisher for allowing me to read and review "Bloody January" by Alan Parks.

The book is what I describe as Scottish noir crime (think Rebus in the '70s), and centers around the seeming random killings of a young woman, the boy who killed her and the con who tipped off the police to the crime-to-be. At times it seems as though not one of the characters has any redeeming qualities (cops taking drugs, drinking to excess, frequenting 'ladies of the evening' and still trying to solve crimes...), but this is definitely a book worth reading if you enjoy crime noir. Definitely deserves the 4-star rating I give.

From the start this book is highly atmospheric. It says that those who were not around for the events of Bloody January say it "can't have been that bad - but they were wrong". Effectively the whole story takes place in the early part of January 1973 although reference is made to earlier events too. Harry McCoy, a cop who may be one of the "good guys" gets a tip off from an inmate in Barlinnie prison of a forthcoming murder. He's not sure why he was selected for the information nor exactly what he can do about it as it is not very specific.

The story follows the investigation of this and other crimes. Throughout this book I got a very clear feel of the 70s and Glasgow. It is often hard and dirty and I guess some folk may find parts of this offensive but it seemed appropriate to me. The language is very colloquial generally. It starts dark and frankly gets darker. Much though I like the character of McCoy it would be hard to point to anyone who is on the side of the angels by the end of this!

Harry McCoy is the standout character here and I liked him a lot. He is flawed - drink, drugs and at least one undesirable friend underpin that. However he is also an attractive person. The other characters are mostly more sketched than filled out however that didn't detract from the book for me. Even sketched they were very rooted in the time and place as Harry was.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is dark and dirty but even that is well done. The morality of almost all the characters can be questioned - the "good" guys just as much as they criminals. That added some depth and layers to this crime story and it was better for that. For me it clearly captured place and time in the narrative. There were odd times when I felt the story was somewhat disjointed but never to a degree that bothered me. I really would like to read Alan Parks's next book.

review this book ahead of publication. I have not been paid for providing this review and is my own honest opinion of the book.
A debut publication from Alan Parks set in 1973 Glasgow and introducing McCoy a far from traditional detective. To say McCoy’s methods are unconventional is an understatement, as is the company he keeps.
As someone who is from the West of Scotland and familiar with all the areas of Glasgow referred to this just added to my interest as I could visualize where events were taking place.
The story starts with the shooting of a young woman at the main bus station and the young man who commits the crime then turns the gun on himself. Don’t wish to give away any more of the story, but events spiral out of control as McCoy and his rookie sidekick Wattie investigate.
In summary a great first novel and hopefully the first of many more to come featuring McCoy.

First book in what I anticipate (hope) will be a new series. This very gritty, very realistic crime novel set in 1973 Glasgow was excellent. Detective Harry McCoy is summoned to Barlinnie prison by an inmate who has information about an upcoming hit. When that hit shortly occurs right in front of him, the trail leads to some pretty powerful people in Glasgow and McCoy is warned off the case multiple times.

Detective Harry McCoy at first glance seemed a little cliche-ish as he has a troubled past, feuds with his superiors, uses drugs and alcohol liberally and isn't overly particular about how he gets the job done, but he became so much more complex as the story unfolded. Rich in characters with a morally complex plot and a no frills delivery, I loved this book. If you like Stuart McBride or Adrian McKinty, you will also enjoy it. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Super old fashioned police yarn,loads of graphic violence with a slightly bent hero and his virgin sidekick upto their ears in dodgy dealings. Starts with a bang with two murders in quick succession the pace is relentless,throw in seedy nobility,dubious senior cops and you have pure entertainment!

Hopefully, there will be more from this author. The book is raw and demanding of the reader's emotions. The description of 1970's Glasgow is credible and unfortunately true. There are no goodies for the reader to support. The criminals and the police would all face criminal charges. That is part of the attraction of the story.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canongate Books for an advance copy of Bloody January, the first in a projected series of police procedurals set in 1970s Glasgow to feature detective Harry McCoy.

Harry gets a call to go to Barlinnie prison where violent inmate, Howie Nairn, tells him that a young girl called Lorna who works in a posh restaurant is going to be killed soon. It's not a lot to go on and Harry doesn't think much of the information but eventually decides to look in to it. He locates her, only to see her shot dead in front of him and her killer then shoot himself. Chief Inspector Murray, Harry's boss, wants to know why.

I am predisposed to liking crime fiction with a Scottish setting, especially those set in my old home town of Glasgow but Bloody January has surpassed all my expectations and is an excellent début. I won't sugarcoat it so it is bleak, violent and full of swearing but it is extremely realistic with some wonderful period detail.

I don't know where to start with my praise. The 1973 setting is vividly and realistically described and it takes me back. It's the little things like ice on the inside of the windows (central heating was a luxury back then in Glasgow) which bring it to life and add authenticity. The dialogue is also realistic, too much swearing, but that's the way it probably still is between men, with a bit of vernacular, not enough to put non Glaswegians off but enough to give a flavour. There are very few modern sensibilities in the novel and Mr Parks has produced a very authentic novel.

The plotting is tight and tense. There isn't much new in it but Mr Parks does a wonderful job putting his own spin on it. The idea of rich men getting away with whatever they want is universal and it seems as if it always will be. He had me glued to the pages from start to finish.

I also love the sense of ambiguity in the novel. None of the characters can hold the moral high ground but it is often circumstances and history that dictate how far up or down the hill they stand. The whiff of corruption is pervasive and makes for great reading.

Harry Vincent McCoy is at first glance a stereotypical detective, foul mouthed, borderline alcoholic with a recreational drug habit and a penchant for prostitutes and low company. There are hints in the novel of the reasons for this but I think more will be revealed as the series progresses - I can't wait. He is also, smart, resourceful and vengeful.

Bloody January is an excellent read, possibly my book of the year so far, which I recommend wholeheartedly.