Alex Gray (1) (1951–)

So, this volume in the Lorimer series is good, in that it's well-paced and the crime at the center of it is interesting. That couldn't happen at a better time, as I was beginning to feel like we were treading familiar territory in Glasgow with the good detective. Then something odd happened.

A couple of books back, I can't remember exactly which one, there was a scene that was both completely, specifically religious and completely out of place. I mean, it came out of nowhere and stood out show more like a bloody nose. It was so specific as to be doctrinal and was memorable for that reason (full disclosure, I am an atheist but during my entire childhood I was a "son of the manse"). Obviously, religion is a part of the world we live in, and I don't hold to every view of the characters in anything I read much less crime novels. That said, this little wobble into bad writing (because it was, regardless of what I think of the content--it just didn't fit) struck me because it was, well, bad. Clumsy, like the lyrics of a Christian pop song that is obviously written in the style of a mainstream artist.

When I read the next in the series, it happened again, and I began to wonder if Ms Gray had some kind of religious experience that compelled to include yet another out there scene that really just didn't fit. Don't get me wrong--I know that the "Lewis man" Niall was religious from the beginning, but that was always what these two scenes were not. Niall was religious, even Christian, without it being a disquisition on some article of faith. These two scenes, one each in the two volumes preceding When Shadows Fall were just that: jarring, very specific to the point of being evangelical, and seemingly out of place.

So imagine my surprise, and disappointment, when yet again, When Shadows Fall included a very specific, doctrinal element with one of the characters. This time, it was different, however. This time, Jesus or the holy spirit or something (because it happens to a "bad" guy, the character doesn't have the language to fully describe it) actually solves the case. I won't go into spoiler territory, except to say that Lorimer doesn't solve this case except through an undeniably supernatural event that happens in Barlinney prison. Yes! And it's clear, this case would not have been solved without the deus ex vox midway through the novel.

I don't care if authors want to include religion in their novels. I've read the Rabbi Small series and loved them all. I love Tolkien in spite of the Catholicity of his fairy stories. Hell, I even admire how Stephanie Meyer slips Mormonism in through the backdoor in the Twilight refashioning of vampire mythology. But the effect of this particular inclusion is really no different than having a leprechaun appear and nudge the polis in the right direction. It felt sudden, out of place, and the effect was that it made Lorimer, one of the best recurring characters, seem weak. Not weak in an emasculating sense, but in the way that matters most: his ability to outthink the criminal element.

That said, it's still worth the read. I just can't help now wondering if this is some kind of proselytizing effort on Gray's part. I didn't think much about how openly stripped of Judaism Solly Brightman was in this series because hey, I live in a largely Jewish community and it happens, some Jews are just circumstantially Jewish. I used to think highly of Alex Gray for including one of the few religious minorities in Scottish crime fiction--now, I wonder if she stripped him down intentionally? It makes me hesitant to continue the series because that would be truly heartbreaking. show less

A Small Weeping by Alex Grey is the second book in her police procedural series set in Glasgow, Scotland. This book opens with a murdered prostitute found in a Glasgow train station. The main character DCI Lorimer and his team are investigating this murder when a second one occurs this one a young nurse in a care home. Both bodies are arranged in an identical ritualistic manner yet Lorimer’s psychiatric profiler Dr. Solomon Brightman isn’t convinced they are hunting for only one show more murderer.

This was an interesting procedural that is set in Glasgow but includes a side trip to the island of Lewis. Lorimer and Brightman make an interesting team. Lorimer is extremely immersed in his job which doesn’t leave much time for a private life, and in this book, we learn more about his wife and how she copes with such an absent husband. Brightman is getting involved in a relationship with Dr. Rosie Fergusson, a forensic pathologist. These relationships help to gather the reader’s interest in the lives of these characters but the author doesn’t skimp on the dark side and delivers a gripping suspenseful story. show less

This was my first encounter with DCI William Lorimer although it’s the second book of 22 so plenty more where this came from! I read quite a lot of crime fiction - murder mysteries, detective stories, psychological thrillers and I’d best describe A Small Weeping as old school. It’s calm and composed, concise and considered, page-turning and intriguing without relying too heavily on tortuous twists and turns, spine-tingling shocks and gruesome discoveries. I really enjoyed the show more atmospheric contrast of the pulsating heart of Glasgow and stark beauty of The Hebrides. The descriptions of MS and the impact it has on sufferers and carers alike was extremely thought-provoking and moving while the mental health issues of a certain character were harrowing, nauseating and disturbing. I did guess bits of the outcome but there were enough red herrings to throw me off track. Credible characters, a good plot and a satisfying read. show less

This is the second DS Lorimer novel I’ve read recently and found it just as compelling and clever as the first. In this, we learn more about Lorimer’s early days as Glasgow police and the early, tragic days of his marriage. Gray does a fine job of filling out the reader’s view of Lorimer and his wife, and handles the heartbreak of lost babies and infertility with sensitivity. The mystery is well-plotted and paced, and thoroughly engaging. Recommended. (Full review at show more target="_top">http://itsallaboutthebook.org) show less