Blind Eye [Paperback]

Stuart MacBride (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Harper (January 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007342578
• ISBN-13: 978-0007342570
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,129,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Your Mother's Scottish Crime Fiction!, October 12, 2009

By 

Lisa Marie (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blind Eye (Logan McRae) (Hardcover)

I've read all MacBride's Logan novels and this one was a welcome return to form. The last one, Flesh House, while good was very violent and dark - a real departure from earlier outings. While Blind Eye isn't short on the more vicious aspects of the crimes committed (the title is a major clue), I'm happy to say the overall tone is considerably lighter than the past few entries and much more in line with the first book, Cold Granite. Another reviewer felt the banter between Logan and his crass, lesbian boss Steel was far-fetched and weak. I respect the reviewer's opionion but strongly disagree - I laughed out loud several times during their exchanges...especially when Steel and her partner want children and she practically orders Logan to volunteer his "services"! I delighted in this scruffy, oddball duo with their warped yet winning cameraderie (if you can even call it that). Yes you have to suspend disbelief to a certain degree - after all, nearly everyone in the book - good and bad guys - are barmy, but that is what makes it all the more enjoyable a read!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars `Well ... He's definitely unhinged. No sane person uses so many exclamation marks.', December 7, 2009

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blind Eye (Hardcover)

Someone is preying on Aberdeen's growing Polish community. Men are found abandoned, barely alive, on building sites with their eyes gouged out and the sockets burned. Threatening letters arriving at police headquarters make it clear that the attacks will continue.

The victims are too scared to talk to police, and the only witness is a paedophile on the run. Grampian Police are not making much progress in capturing the offender they have tagged Oedipus. There is another big case happening at the same time (involving firearms) and Detective Sergeant Logan (`Lazarus' or `Laz') McRae has his hands full. McRae is also hoping for a promotion: one of the Detective Inspectors is about to retire, and catching Oedipus could only enhance his chances.

This is an interesting, and at times brutal, police procedural. There is plenty of action, mostly in Aberdeen but also in Poland. There are also some juicy red herrings, some fascinating personal challenges (especially for DS McRae and Detective Inspector Roberta Steel). This is not a novel for the squeamish, but it does have some delightful humour.

I am reading this series out of order, and this is my first exposure to DS McRae and his superior officer, DI Roberta Steel. It won't be the last: these are characters worth exploring and I'll be tracking down the earlier four novels.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "In the country of the blind, a one eyed man is King." Michael Apostoulis, June 6, 2010

By 

michael a. draper (Guilford, CT) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Blind Eye (Logan McRae) (Hardcover)

In Aberdeen, Scotland, Det. Sgt. Logan "Laz" McRae is investigating a series of attacks on Polish immigrants. The attacker gouges out their eyes, cauterizes the eyes and leaves them in their injured state. One note that was left stated that the Poles have taken our jobs, our women and our God. The attacker is given the nickhame Oedipus.

As this case is being investigated, one of Aberdeen's major crime bosses is found with his eyes gouged out in the same manner. Shortly afterwards a large quantity of weapons and ammunition is found. Police fear that this could be preparation for an all out gang war to take over the gang leader's operation.

Logan is under the strick disciplinarian, DCI Finnie, who never seems satisfied with Logan's work. Logan also works with Det. Inspector Steel, a fiesty lesbian officer who needs a curse box to donate to because she curses so much. She's currently under stress because she and her partner, Susan, have been turned down for adoption and now Steel wants Logan to donate the sperm needed for artificial insemination.

This is a madcap police procedural. Since the police in Scotland don't normally carry guns, there are a number of skirmishes that could have involved the Three Stooges; police officer hit with a beer bottle, kicked in the crotch and shot at without rear of return fire.

There's lots of action presented in a realistic manner where the reader gets to see the mistakes that police, who are human, can make. McRae is an excellent protagonist with a strong sense of right and wrong. He's moral, determined and as relentless as a hungry pit-bull.