I liked this book but it did lose its way a bit.
Set in Glasgow early 2000s The main character is Mr. Riike we don't find out his first name.
He is a auctioneer he clears houses and auctions off the good stuff.
He has his own back story he hangs out at known homosexual pick up points.
Riike discovers some very dodgy old photos in the latest house he is clearing. He is working on behalf of the dead man's sister an old spinster.
Its a big job, He decides to investigate the possibility of these photos being of Ladies being killed he should really tell the Police but he doesnt. He meets some interesting characters along the way. He is convinced they are real, the Old spinster dies, Riike and his partner Rose decide to keep the auction money they get robbed.
Final chapter sees them in Paris looking at possible locations of the dodgy photos. ( )

I first read this striking novel around twenty years ago, shortly after the paperback edition was first released. I decided to reread it because Louise Welsh has now published a further novel featuring the protagonist Rilke. Despite having read more than two thousand books since I first finished it, some scenes remained very clear in my mind, although the resolution of the plot had not.

Rilke is a charismatic figure, being notably tall and thin, and preferring dark faux-Goth suits. He is lead auctioneer, and Assistant Manager, of one of the coming auction houses in Glasgow, and has an extensive network of questionable contacts, some of whom have a flexible relationship with the law. Rilke is approached by the elderly sister of a recently deceased wealthy businessman. She wants Rilke to clear her brother’s house, and dispose of the contents, as quickly as possible. Knowing that his auction house is in urgent need of money, Rilke agrees to a very short timetable for the clearance, and starts reviewing the contents. In the businessman’s study, hidden away in the converted attic of the house, Rilke comes across a valuable collection of pornographic literature, which he recognises as of considerable value to collectors of the genre. However, he also finds a collection of photographs which clearly feature the businessman himself in what appears to be a scene in which a young woman has been tortured and probably killed. Rilke is therefore left in a quandary – should he proceed with the sale and ignore the photos, or report them to the police and lose the profitable sale. Rilke actually opts for a third choice, and decides to use his network of dubious contacts to try to investigate for himself, aware that the clock is ticking towards the deadline for clearance that he agreed with the dead man’s sister.

This takes the reader on an intriguing journey through the Glasgow underworld, as Rilke seeks to find out whether the horrible photographs are genuine, and if so, who might have been responsible for them. It turns out, however, that other people have picked up on the reports of the death of the businessman, and are conducting their own search for the pictures that Rilke has removed, which they consider as valuable criminal assets.

Twenty years on this novel remained sharp and well-constructed. I had forgotten how well written it was (especially given that it was Welsh’s debut novel), strewn with clever literary allusions that elevate the book from its squalid subject matter. I am, therefore, looking forward to the new book, although with a slight trepidation about how much more sordid some of the context might prove to be. ( )

This really isn't my cup of tea. It's well done, but the whole tale of sexual abuse, prostitution, drugs etc was just too sordid for me. A palate cleanser is needed to rinse the taste of it from my mouth. ( )

Dark, disturbing, explicit, yet entertaining and not without humour. Rilke, an auctioneer in a second-rate auction house, is tasked by the sister of a dead man to empty her brother's house for auction and to personally deal with the contents of a locked room and destroy everything. When he has a first look in the attic room he finds a collection of pornographic books and distressing snuff photography. Gripped by a set of photos featuring a young woman, Rilke is compelled to find out if they were staged or if the girl was murdered. He begins by asking some shady characters he knows if this kind of setting can be faked.

Rilke himself is no angel, avenging or not, but a seedy, dissolute type who in the first few pages is arrested for having an illicit sexual encounter with a stranger in the park. Welsh lets the plot digress somewhat while she provides a picture of Glasgow's transvestite bars, drug dealers and Rilke's sexual experiences. She also offers an interesting look at auction houses and their sidekick clientele bent on fixing prices and profiting from legitimate transactions.

I almost abandoned this book after only a few pages but knowing the acclaim Welsh received, I'm glad I chose to continue because it is a brilliant example of literary noir fiction. Welsh's writing and characters have originality, and both are delightfully Glaswegian. It's not a book that I can recommend universally, but for those who enjoy the genre, it's a must read. I will definitely be reading more by Welsh. ( )

I failed to complete this book. Far too seedy a setting and graphic sex scenes. It made me feel soiled. Not my cup of tea. Too many good books await ( )