The Storm by Neil Broadfoot (Contraband)
Last year, Neil’s debut thriller ‘Falling Fast’ was short-listed for the Deanston Scottish Crime Book of the Year. It took a few months but I finally stopped pouting. However, my bottom lip is trembling again because I suspect his follow-up will be similarly honoured. And if it’s not, it should be.
The tricky second novel is something that haunts writers when their first is so well-received. Can they replicate the magic that made the first one work so well? Obviously, Neil has powered through that barrier like a stunt car through a plate glass window to come up with a sequel that is even better than the first.
‘The Storm’ is so firmly set in Edinburgh that you can practically hear that piper near Waverley Station.
Once again we meet Doug McGregor (fine Christian name), a hard-bitten hack on a daily newspaper who is working his way through not just the politics of his industry but a story which brings murder and mayhem right onto his doorstep when his editor falls prey to a gunman. Doug’s pal DS Susie Drummond also has work place politics to contend with, but mainly because she’s Doug’s pal.
The story moves from Edinburgh to Skye. There’s more violence, more skulduggery, as Doug begins to realise the answer to what seems like unconnected deaths and attacks lies close to his home.
Neil writes about the newspaper extremely well. He should, he’s an ex-hack himself and he knows whereof he speaks.
But he has settled in nicely to his new role as crime writer. His writing packs punch and pace (my, that’s a lot of ‘p’s) and the solution is neat and satisfying.
‘The Storm’ is a gripping page turner with prose like a sniper’s bullet – straight, true and hitting the mark.
‘Falling Fast’ was an astonishing debut. ‘The Storm’ shows it was no fluke.
It’s sickening, really.
The book is being launched during Aye Write and Neil will be on stage with Stuart MacBride and Malcom McKay on Saturday April 18.
You’ll find more details here