Customer Reviews

A Small Death in the Great Glen: A Novel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's 1950 in the western Highlands of Scotland. Little Jamie Fraser has gone missing on his way home from school and Joanne Ross's daughters, Annie and Wee Jean, were the last ones to see him alive: "We saw him," she [Wee Jean] explained, "me and Annie, we saw this great big black hoodie crow. He opens the door, all of a sudden like, an' he spreads out his wings . . . and he picks up Jamie in his wings and takes him . . . ." When Jamie is later found dead in the canal and the coroner determines the boy was "interfered with" and murdered, Joanne and her coworkers at the local newspaper wonder--Do the girls actaully know something, or is it just their imaginations trying to make sense out of the death of a friend?

"A Small Death in the Great Glen" is Scottish writer A. D. Scott's debut novel in what looks to be a very promising new series centered around a local newspaper in Inverness, Scotland during the 1950s when the scars of World War II were still red and raw. While the plot of the story turns on the murder of the young boy Jamie, the theme revolves around abuse--child abuse; spousal abuse; alcohol abuse; the abuse of power and position, both civic and religious--and the community's silent acceptance that enables such abuse to continue.

The narrative juggles multiple plot threads that are woven into and around the hunt for Jamie's killer. There's Joanne, a part-time typist for the Highland Gazette, a job of which her husband, Bill Ross, greatly disapproves. Their marriage is one of constant mental and physical tension but divorce is not an acceptable option 1950s rural Scotland. Also, there's Joanne's Italian friend, Chiara, whose family has settled in Scotland after fleeing Italy during the war and now owns a successful cafe in town. She's engaged to Peter Kowalski, a Polish imigrant. Then there's the Polish seaman who jumped shipped hoping to find asylum. Not everyone is eager to embrace those from outside their country's borders. And when Jamie is murdered, the natives naturally look to the outsiders for the killer. The seaman makes a very convenient scapegoat for Inspector Thompson who doesn't see the reason for looking any further when the solution is so obvious. Add in the Tinkers, Scotland's roving band of gypsies who aren't anxious to come forward with their knowledge of events, and the Gazette's editor-in-chief, John McAllister, who has his own mystery concerning his brother's suicide to solve, and you have a constantly shifting flow of action and perspective with a meanwhile-back-at-the-ranch quality that keeps you thoroughly engaged.

While there are some abrupt shifts between storylines that can be somewhat jarring, "A Small Death in the Great Glen" is packed with plots, personalities and all the drama of a close-knit community struggling to adjust to a post-war world. Yet the story never loses sight of the central plot and ties off all the seemingly loose threads neatly in the end. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel that is due to be released in the summer of 2011.

This is an excellent, thoughtful, well-paced murder mystery set in the Highlands in 1956. It deals with the then taboo issues of sexual abuse of boys and spousal abuse. The characters are intriguing and well-rounded. The author clearly was recreating her childhood in the Scottish Highlands of the 1950s, and shows both the beauty and the narrow-mindedness of many of its residents. The Highlands are starting to change, with Poles and Italians moving in, causing some comment among the long-term residents.

The great strength of this book is its very strong sense of place. We get to see small and large towns, the camps of the Travelers, and the great glen itself, emptied by enclosure.

In addition, Joanne, one of the main characters, is very likable and we get to see her moving from being an abused wife to a woman who takes control of her destiny. She works at a newspaper, and the description of newspaper life also helps to drive the plot forward. Obviously, not everyone is going to be able to get the book, but for those with an interest in well-written British mysteries, this is worth your time and money.

This book set in the 1950's in the Highlands of Scotland, is about a newspaper and people trying to move past the War and into the future. The editor of the paper wants it to be more than it is, the part-time receptionist wants to leave an abusive marriage and the cub reporter wants to move on to the big time. In the midst of this struggle, a young boy is abused and murdered and the newspaper employees struggle to find the answer without police help. The author gets the atmosphere of the Highlands down. The only drawback is some of the dialogue is chunky and could use a good editor.

This mystery evokes a wonderful sense of mid 50's Scotland, the people and environment. A small boy's death is the catalyst for the unravelling of many secrets, seemingly unrelated events are tied by past evil. Enjoyed the growing independence of female lead and introduction of new characters throughout the novel. Loved the descriptions of country and town; reminded me of my favourite Scandanavian authors.

I love mysteries and books set in Scotland so I was hoping for 5 stars. I can only give it 3 stars because instead of being "hard to put down" as the jacket claimed, it was hard to continue. It did deliver very well on giving a feeling of time and place. However, my understanding could have been improved with the addition of an appendix with definitions of some of the more obscure local words. The mystery part was unsatisfying because, from early on, I wanted to ask one character one question that both the police and reporters seemed to ignore. Who, what, where, when, why, and how can't all be answered or there is no mystery. But to ignore asking an obvious one makes the plot seem contrived. I hope that doesn't spoil the plot for anyone. I may give Scott another try because the characters were interesting (meaning I became interested in them). When her second in the series comes out next summer, I will probably wait until it is available at the library instead of buying it

A.D. Scott's debut novel A SMALL DEATH IN THE GREAT GLEN is an outstanding work of crime fiction. Scotland and especially The Highlands have a unique atmosphere and Ms. Scott captures this in a period piece of her mother's generation.

Their world is changing from the tiny hamlets, isolated crofts, traveling caravans of native born tinkers, displaced refuges from WWII and the evolution of women into the workforce in a male dominated culture.

The story time is 1956. McAllister arrives in a teeny hamlet to breath new life into a century old newspaper with both the hindrance and help of an old editor, a cub reporter, and a part-time typist.

Each character steps on stage for a vivid portrayal of their life and time when a young boy is found in the lock. The child had been sexually abused and discarded like a lump of worn out clothes and McAllister is driven to unmask a killer hiding the the shroud of respectability.

Nash Black, author of Indie finalists WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and HAINTS.

I picked up A Small Death in the Great Glen by A.D. Scott because it came with a recommendation by Peter Robinson, one of my favorite mystery writers. The first couple of chapters felt very familiar, as though I'd read the book before or seen it produced on PBS, but judging by its publication date the latter is not likely. The hub of the story is the newsroom of the weekly Highland Gazette in 1950's Inverness. The new publisher John McAllister is trying to push the small-town ad and gossip rag into serious modern journalism. The sub-editor "and all around fusspot" Don McLeod morphs too quickly from crusty resistance to helpful accomplice. The two remaining members of the staff include a female typist Joanne Ross, who is trying to escape from her abusive husband and will likely end up the love interest of the crusading publisher, and a naive cub reporter Rob, who still lives at home and is as likeable as a furry puppy.

A young boy, Jamie, has been found naked and drowned in the canal, and the coroner later finds that he has been interfered with and murdered. Joanne's daughters Annie and Wee Jean, were the last to see him alive. They spin such a fanciful tale about "a hoodie crow" that no one takes them seriously, although the reader will start putting together the pieces before the denouement. Annie is one of the best written characters in the novel. Interwoven into the tale is a 'sailor who has jumped ship from a Russian freighter, a family of Scots tinkers who live by their own code, greedy politicians, a former Polish prisoner-of-war who has stayed on to marry the daughter of Italian imigrants who own a thriving chip shop, McAllister's own tortured history, and the various prejudices against outsiders, women, and change.

Scott's debut novel holds promise, enough that I ordered the second in the series, A Double Death on the Black Isle. Character development is not quite as "probing" as advertised, but it's on its way and not limited to just the main players. A few plot twists are telegraphed or manipulated unnaturally, as when intelligent people ignore the obvious in order to maintain suspense. I became annoyed at some of the characters at times, but still cared what happened to them. In fact, my annoyance was due to the fact that the bones of the book are too good to settle for the facile. I imagine Scott will improve with time. She does provide a fascinating insight into post-war Scotland, with local color and a strong burr limning the strained relationships.

The most delightful part of the whole book, however, was learning the word "dreich," which sounds like what it means: the gray, damp, and cold weather Scotland is prone to and of which New England has its fair share. I give the book a 6 out of 10.

This mystery has it all! Great characters that you can really like (and dislike!), a top notch who dunnit, several underlying themes and a shocking ending! Set just after the war in a rural Scottish Village full of dark family secrets and mistrust for 'outsiders'. There is Joanne the young mother of 2 girls, her marriage isn't all it is cracked up to be and she suffers in silence because thats the code back then. She takes a job in the local paper at a time when women in the work force were frowned upon. You'll find yourself truly liking Joanne and rooting for her! Then there is McAllister the new editor, a seasoned journalist who wants to bring the small town rag up to date with relevant news and stories in a town that doesn't want change. Rob the inexperienced cub reporter eager to get the job down and Don, the cynical reporter that has been with the paper forever and gives McAllister a hard time. It was fun watching this ragtag group come together and really bond and get to the bottom of the horrible murder of a small child.

In addition to women in the work force we have racism in the deep mistrust and suspicion against the Polish sailor just trying to start over after the war and the Italian family that runs the local restaurant and then there is the political corruption going and the search for a pedophile that takes McAllister back to memories he would rather forget. A full, meaty story with something for everyone! A must read! Great book club selection. Enjoy and let me know how you like it!

This was a fantastic book with a great plot (and plot twists) and lovable characters. I really enjoyed the unique insights A.D. Scott brought into the book that only a native Scotswoman (?) would know - it really made me feel like I was in a small Scottish town during the 50's. The interactions between the characters were touching and often funny, and you really get attached to the main characters. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the fact that some things in the book were a bit confusing. The way some sentences were worded made me have to go back and re-read them several times to understand what Scott was trying to say. It might be that I'm an American trying to read a British book, thus the confusion, but I think some of the sentences are just awkward and difficult to understand. OTHERWISE it was a fantastic book! I liked the bit of Scottish folklore that was mixed into this murder mystery, I liked feeling like I was a part of the small Scottish town, and I definitely intend to get A.D. Scott's sequel to this one!

First Line: He dressed the boy's body whilst it was still warm.

It's 1956 in the Highlands of Scotland. and the village that the Highland Gazette calls home probably believes it's filled with modern thinkers. After all, Italians and Poles have moved into the community, opened businesses, and been accepted by the villagers. Unfortunately, when the body of a young boy is pulled from a canal, everyone finds that they aren't quite as modern as they wanted to think. Gossip is rampant, and suspicions are cast at any newcomer to the area. The editor of the Gazette wants to change the sleepy paper into something with more hard-hitting news. He believes that he and his staff are going to be able to help the police in their investigation. What he doesn't know is just how much this investigation is going to change his staff and the community.

This book begins slowly and proceeds with great care in setting up the cast of characters and the area in which everyone lives. Once or twice I had a fleeting thought about when they were going to start focusing on the murder, but that's all they were: fleeting thoughts. A.D. Scott is masterful at setting her scene and each of her characters is built, brushstroke by brushstroke, with great care. A Small Death in the Great Glen is as much a character study as it is a mystery, so if you are a character-driven reader, this should definitely be your cup of tea.

The staff of the Highland Gazette is a brilliant bunch of characters-- every one fascinating in his or her own way. We have an escapee from the big city of Glasgow, the old Eternal Cynic, the cub reporter dreaming of his first big break, and an abused wife. We get to know each one during the course of the book, and each one is going to have a part in the investigation.

We're teased along with bits and pieces of the murder investigation, and a clue is left out in sight here and there, but once A Small Death in the Great Glen settles down to find the killer, the ride to justice is filled with twists and turns. I thought I had it all figured out-- but I only had it half right. Another thing I liked is that, although things are deadly serious, Scott lightens the tone with laugh-out-loud funny bits throughout. I know that once I've had a laugh about something the next shocking thing that happens hits me that much harder-- and makes me that much more reluctant to stop reading.

If you're in the mood for a mystery that builds slowly to a climax while it paints a vivid portrait of life in a provincial Scottish village AND creates a marvelous cast of characters, I'd say you were in the mood for A Small Death in the Great Glen. The next book in the series is due to be released at the end of September, and you'd better believe it's on my wishlist!