First published 1977
Jack Laidlaw works the streets of Glasgow as a detective who breaks the rules. When a case lands on his desk, he refuses to follow standard procedure. Laidlaw reads philosophy between interrogations and drinks in pubs where other cops fear to go. He talks to criminals like human beings and treats witnesses with unexpected respect. His methods anger his superiors and puzzle his colleagues. The city's underworld knows him as different from other police officers. Laidlaw believes in understanding people rather than simply arresting them. He sees connections others miss and asks questions that make everyone uncomfortable. His investigation pulls him deeper into Glasgow's hidden corners where violence and desperation collide. The case tests not just his detective skills but his faith in justice itself.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-ambiguity, unconventional-detective
Setting: Glasgow
Period: 20th-century
150 pages · Paperback · Hodder & Stoughton