‘Ways to die in Glasgow’, by Jay Stringer

Make time for a little coffee break and we can start already! 😉

Discovery:

I came across this book as part of the Samsung Book Deals on Kindle and I am really happy I chose this one.

Brainstorm:

I’ve been reading crime stories since I was about twelve, and that sometimes makes it very hard to find a novel of the genre that still moves my insides, that makes me feel something… a book that in a way offers something new.

I chose this one partly because I’ve always been fascinated by Scotland, though I’ve never been there. I’m pretty sure I have a(n az least slightly) romanticized, fairy tale kind of view in my head about it that has basically nothing to do with the actual place, but that doesn’t mean I’m not eager to find out what it is like in real life. So, of course, I had some heartwarming expectations from the ‘title character’ Glasgow (if I may call a place that) as well. The Glasgow I found in the book took me by surprise. It was not the cozy tea drinking inside, windy weather outside kind of place that I expected at all. It was messy and sinful and in many ways repulsive. But it was honest and that’s amazing. It felt real. Weirdly, though making the city look the complete opposite of what I dreamed, it made me want to see it for myself even more.

Storywise this book was not less strong. Of course, some happenings I expected (this always happens after you read at least a hundred crime stories), but far not all of them. There were several plot twists that took me by surprise and I was so happy about it! Moreover, the characters really got to me. There are so many crime novels that make people look so black-and-white, and that’s just so not how it is in reality. Here all the characters are kind of gray, they all, even the smallest ones, have some level of uniqueness. They are – just as the city Glasgow – coming to life while you’re reading.

Let’s give it a grade!

Story: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Style: 5/5
The Subjective Factor: 5/5

GPA: 4,75

Uniqueness:

Stringer has a unique voice and uses it well to describe the setting and the characters. He made me feel like I was there and that, along with the fact his characters feel real as well, in my opinion is rarer in the genre than it should be.

Recommend to:

People who love hard boiled crime, and want something that is not the exact copy of most of its genre. This book really creates an atmosphere.

Drink tip:

Gin tonic

Music room:

The Who

Future:

This novel made me want to read more by this author. I am definitely going to read the sequel. And I have another book by him ony tbr list.

I hope you had a nice time reading my review. Have you read anything by Stringer? What was it like? Visit the comment section below! 😉

Hugs 🙂