This is a most peculiar book. I had a lot of trouble getting through it: at first, I thought it was funny; then, it was melodramatic, in the details of Dreghorn's past and war experiences; then, it become a massive criminal underworld "world-building"-focussed crime fic. Overall, maybe for that reason, I can't really say it doesn't hold together. But what didn't work for me was the shifts in tone: from humour to melodrama, from farce to tragedy. I wish I could have liked it a lot more, the writing is fine and there were moments that were lovely (like Mairi McCaid showing Dreghorn the sleeping little girl he rescued).