The Less Dead by Denise Mina*****

Reading dates: 03-23 October 2021

I loved everything about this book. As a crime novel, I cannot fault it. It is energetically written, interesting, conjures images, has a surprising plot and the main character is not a traditional detective or someone with detection skills. I have been a Mina fan for quite a while and I love it when I read a new book by her that is as well rounded as my favourite Garnethill. The Less Dead is also very Glasgow. I recognise the city I live in and its people, with its unique characteristic and intonations. It is the closest I have read to McIlvanney’s precise depiction of the city. And the solution to the mystery is in the very last page (which if you read you won’t understand without the others). That is quite a feat that takes courage to do.