January 1, 2018
Crawford, author among other things of Fallen Glory (2017), a history of 20 of the world's most famous ruined buildings, as well as several books of photographs of Scotland viewed from the air, blends archaeology, architecture, and detection in this collection.Together with Lin Anderson, co-founder of the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival, and festival director Bob McDevitt, Crawford devised a challenge: gather a dozen of Scotland's top crime writers and ask each to set a story in one of the country's iconic buildings. The result is a collection both diverse and surprisingly cohesive. The stories range in time from Lin Anderson's "Orkahaugr," which starts in the present but flows back to the 12th century, to Chris Brookmyre's hilarious "The Last Siege of Bothwell Castle," in which two larcenous urchins confront a band of Islamic State group terrorists. They also range in tone, from Sara Sheridan's earnest "Sanctuary," in which an abused wife seeks safe haven as caretaker at Kinneil House, to Stuart MacBride's antic "Stevenson's Candle," the tale of an inspector whose attempts to restore order at Kinnaird Head Lighthouse spiral increasingly out of control. But the stories all convey a strong sense of place. The characters' attachment to the site may be instrumental, as in Doug Johnstone's "Painting the Forth Bridge," or thematic, as in Denise Mina's "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit," or even mystical, as in Ann Cleeves' "The Return." But it is never incidental. In bloody Scotland, geography, not biology, is destiny, and these 12 stories demonstrate that fate is not always kind.Here's hoping that Scotland boasts enough landmarks to give Crawford the chance for an encore.
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January 22, 2018
The dozen entries in this fine anthology of original crime stories edited by Crawford (Fallen Glory) all feature actual Scottish landmarks, from castles to weaving mills. Highlights include Val McDermid’s “Ancient and Modern,” a revenge tale set around a secret structure that’s the site of great love and tragedy, depending on one’s point of view, and Ann Cleeve’s “The Return,” set, as readers of her Inspector Jimmy Perez series will be pleased to discover, on the remote Shetland Islands. (Perez makes the briefest of cameos.) The story is more mythological than procedural, drawing on the connection of the islands—and the protagonist—to the old Norse gods. Perhaps the standout is Denise Mina’s “Nemo Me Impune Lacessit” (Latin for “no one provokes me with impunity”). Focused on parenting, nature, and what is beyond one’s control, this harrowing tale will leave readers feeling as gutted as the day’s fishing catch. Other notable contributors include Stuart MacBride and Christopher Brookmyre. Fans of contemporary Scottish crime fiction will be well pleased.
Starred review from January 1, 2018
Scotland is a land soaked in stories. For this superb contemporary collection, editor Crawford (publisher, Historic Environment Scotland) challenged 12 of Scotland's finest crime writers to pen a short story inspired by some of the country's iconic buildings. Val McDermid, Denise Mina, Ann Cleeves, among others certainly rose to the challenge, and the locations include Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, the Forth Bridge, and Edinburgh Castle. As the title suggests, murder and mayhem ensue. But there is so much more, including revenge, retribution, redemption, horror, and humor. The tales feature a Viking cold case, a modern-day siege, the inescapable brutalities of World War II, and insidious terror of domestic violence. Throughout, the landscape and buildings bear witness to the extremes of human folly. Sometimes they are even complicit in the crimes. VERDICT Perfect for reading during a long winter's evening by a fire with a wee dram of a favorite single malt in hand, these stories will transport mystery lovers to an unforgettable landscape.--Penelope J.M. Klein, Fayetteville, NY
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