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Laidlaw

By William McIlvanney
Series: Laidlaw Trilogy
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Laidlaw by William McIlvanney is a gritty Scottish crime novel that follows Detective Inspector Jack Laidlaw as he investigates a brutal murder in Glasgow. Set against the backdrop of the city's underworld, Laidlaw's unorthodox methods and deep understanding of human nature guide him through a maze of suspects and motives. The story explores themes of justice and morality, weaving a compelling and atmospheric tale of crime and character.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate gritty crime novels with a philosophical twist, as it combines a detective story set in Glasgow with deep character studies. The narrative delves into the moral complexities of crime and justice, exploring the psychological landscapes of its characters in a way that enriches the traditional noir genre.

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In the beginning there was Laidlaw...The CWA Silver Dagger-winning masterpiece that launched a genre, from the godfather of Scottish crime fiction.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
WINNER OF THE CWA SILVER DAGGER

'If you only read one crime novel this year, this should be it' - Guardian

'A bloody good read' - Val McDermid

When a young woman is found brutally murdered in Kelvingrove Park, only one man stands a chance of finding her killer. Jack Laidlaw. He is a man of contrasts, ravaged by inner demons but driven by a deep compassion for the violent criminals in Glasgow's underworld. But will Laidlaw's unorthodox methods get him to the killer in time, when the victim's father is baying for blood?

Acclaimed for its corrosive wit, dark themes, and original maverick detective, the Laidlaw trilogy has earned the status of classic crime fiction.

'It's doubtful I would be a crime writer without the influence of McIlvanney's Laidlaw' - IAN RANKIN

Series: Laidlaw Trilogy

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  • Strange Loyalties
    The Laidlaw books are not just great crime novels, they are important ones - Mark Billingham It's doubtful I would be a crime writer without the influence of McIlvanney's Laidlaw - Ian Rankin When his brother dies stepping out in front of a car, Jack Laidlaw is determined to find out what really happened. Laidlaw begins an emotional quest through...
    By William McIlvanney
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Laidlaw
    WINNER OF THE CWA SILVER DAGGER 'If you only read one crime novel this year, this should be it' - Guardian 'A bloody good read' - Val McDermid When a young woman is found brutally murdered in Kelvingrove Park, only one man stands a chance of finding her killer. Jack Laidlaw. He is a man of contrasts, ravaged by inner...
    By William McIlvanney
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Papers of Tony Veitch
    WINNER OF THE CWA SILVER DAGGER 'In a class of his own' - Guardian 'Reads like a breathless scalpel through the bloody heart of a great city' - Denise Mina Eck Adamson, an alcoholic vagrant, summons Jack Laidlaw to his deathbed. Probably the only policeman in Glasgow who would bother to respond, Laidlaw sees in Eck's cryptic last message a...
    By William McIlvanney
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Laidlaw by William McIlvanney is highly regarded as a cornerstone of Scottish crime fiction. Influential authors like Val McDermid and Ian Rankin credit it as opening doors for them in the genre, while Peter May describes it as the quintessential expression of Scottish crime writing. Denise Mina praises its sharp and evocative narrative style, capturing the essence of a city with precision.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781838856199

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 205g

Pages: 304

Collections

Classic Fiction Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction Police Procedural Series: Laidlaw Trilogy William McIlvanney

About the Author

William McIlvanney's first novel, Remedy is None, won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and with Docherty he won the Whitbread Award for Fiction. Laidlaw and The Papers of Tony Veitch both gained Silver Daggers from the Crime Writers' Association, while the third in the Laidlaw trilogy, Strange Loyalties, won the Glasgow Herald's People's Prize. He died in December 2015.

Laidlaw is the first book in the Laidlaw Trilogy.

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  • The Dark Remains
    Fantastic - like witnessing Scottish noir's Big Bang creation in the company of its greatest living exponent... like Maradona and Messi playing in the same team. - LEE CHILD Lawyer Bobby Carter did a lot of work for the wrong type of people. Now he's dead, and it was no accident. Besides a distraught family and a heap of powerful...
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  • Strange Loyalties
    The Laidlaw books are not just great crime novels, they are important ones - Mark Billingham It's doubtful I would be a crime writer without the influence of McIlvanney's Laidlaw - Ian Rankin When his brother dies stepping out in front of a car, Jack Laidlaw is determined to find out what really happened. Laidlaw begins an emotional quest through...
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  • The Papers of Tony Veitch
    WINNER OF THE CWA SILVER DAGGER 'In a class of his own' - Guardian 'Reads like a breathless scalpel through the bloody heart of a great city' - Denise Mina Eck Adamson, an alcoholic vagrant, summons Jack Laidlaw to his deathbed. Probably the only policeman in Glasgow who would bother to respond, Laidlaw sees in Eck's cryptic last message a...
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    Elsewhere:
    $2799
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    Ships in 4-6 weeks

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