Shatter the Bones

MacBride gets darker, and better, with each installment of his Logan MacRae series. [b:Shatter the Bones|8901992|Shatter The Bones (Logan McRae, #7)|Stuart MacBride|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1344678159s/8901992.jpg|13778223] is damned good.

OK, I'm a sucker for procedurals, and I consider myself an aficionado. This series, unlike most which start off great, proceed solidly, then taper off to mediocre, seems to be getting better and I find that remarkable. Listen to me; I need to tone down the praise. But I seriously was going to pre-order the next volume (due out in September), when originally this was supposed to be a casual read, like my Jack Reacher novels. Never pay full price, and until now all ebooks have cost me show more about $4 each. Don't know that that streak will last.

I suppose I don't need to repeat my previous reasons for liking the series, such as the complexity of daily life for the Aberdeen polis, and that is all true for this one as well. What MacBride improves on is the one big complaint I've had for a few volumes. This is a spoiler, so be warned: Logan is finally promoted to Inspector. I mean, really. How could it have taken this long?

It doesn't happen right away, and I found myself falling into the easy enjoyment of familiar characters. Having hated DI Steel in the first novel, she is now one of my favorite characters and has really grown in depth of development. Bravo, and for such an unusual character who could easily (in another series) been merely a punch line. But familiarity isn't enough to sustain a series, and sometimes that familiarity is enough to put me off altogether. I stopped reading the Tempe Brennan series because it seemed to be relying solely on the established character, with precious little plot. Same with the Scarpetta series, which is a shame because both of those at the beginning were top notch procedurals from interesting perspectives.

MacBride avoids this pitfall by doing something that seems a no-brainer: he takes the time to weave an interesting plot. Moreover this time, he actually drops some clues that lead me to figure out some (but not all!) details of the final unraveling. That he did it with somewhat obscure Doctor Who references only added to my pleasure.

The books get darker, however. There were a couple of times, as I was reading, where I thought to myself, "How does he even write that down?" From time to time, I had to go back and reassure myself that I'd read correctly, and believe me, MacBride pulls no punches. Still, for all the explicitness, there's nothing gratuitous. Further, by being so blunt in presenting the world of violent crime (kidnapping, in this case involving a mother and child), he manages to do something I haven't noticed before. In this book (and perhaps in others, but noticeably so in this one) MacBride shows a social conscience. Not that I didn't think he had one, but the crime that runs parallel to the main narrative serves as a sober reminder of the social inequity that exists in ever country, and how celebrity and privilege (even if not the privilege we expect) heightens that inequality.

I'm going back to change this to a five-star rating. It really was that good, and I need to stop being a crime novel snob. No one (yet) is going to top Mina, so I'm going to retire her from my comparison. Denise will still have to live up to her own standard, true, but MacBride has certainly established his own. show less

Mr. MacBride's latest installment in the horrific misadventures of DS Logan McRae in scenic Aberdeen is cause for celebration. "Fierce, unflinching and shot through with the blackest of humor" promised the cover blurb. That's what I expected and, dang, did "Shatter the Bones" ever deliver.

Over the first 6 books in this uber-noir series, I've developed real love for the recurring characters in Logan McRae's nightmare world. DI Steele, DC Rennie, Biohazard Bob, Wee Hamish Mowat, DCI Finnie, gal-pal Samantha: they're all on deck. The new crop of baddies, pervs, druggies and idiots are fascinating.

What I wasn't expecting was to be so instantly, completely sucked in that I couldn't put the book down. I can't recall the last time I read show more through the night. But at 5am this morning, I finished up in awe.

Thanks, Mr. MacBride, for more than the usual blindsiding plot twists and wicked gallows humor. Our hero's character development took an Olympic Class leap this time out. How long before my next fix? show less

Here's the thing. You hoard a book because it's a favourite series, and there's no sign of the next one yet. But then there are noises about the next one, but that's not out for ages, but you can't wait any longer so you read the one you've had tucked away. Then you've not got that little thing of joy hidden away in the bookcases anymore. So now you're stuck in that horrible no man's land, because the next book's not out for ages, and you've given into temptation. It's a nightmare.

Mind you, that's about the only complaint I can come up with about SHATTER THE BONES. But then I'm a huge fan of Stuart MacBride's Logan McRae series. He's one of those writers that combine violence, brutality and some truly shocking story lines with absolute show more laugh out loud moments, a heap of creative swearing, some terrific insights into human nature and, in this case, social commentary into the bargain. There's a sense of urgency, lunacy and hurtling madness about most of the investigations in the McRae books that feels real. There are believable, fantastic characters performing over and above the call of duty, desperately hanging onto family and personal in the middle of an absolute storm of crazy.

In SHATTER THE BONES MacBride is also taking a wee shufty at the madness of reality TV - the way that a frenzy of interest and concern whips up when a mother and daughter are kidnapped, an interest that seems unlikely to have occurred without their TV profile. In amongst the kidnapping, the reactions, an investigation hampered by a total lack of forensic information, and some very cunning acts on the part of the kidnappers, further hinderance comes from closer to home. When the serious crimes squad sends in an "expert" you just know that things are going to get complicated, but the level of idiocy of this bloke is beyond the pale.

Whilst a lot of the madness, and the characters and their personal situations are carrying forward from the earlier books (thank goodness DI Steele remains a standout as frankly I'd be spitting the dummy well hard if she backed off), there are things that are moving forward. McRae's actually in danger of developing a personal life of his own, the relationships between the team are expanding a little, and ranks are progressing. There's also more than a few smacks around the head at the end of this book, and there's a final scene that's an absolute kicker.

CLOSE TO THE BONE is out in January 2013. I might ... just ... last ... until ... then.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/shatter-bones-stuart-macbride show less

A noir mystery from Aberdeen, gritty and filled with ribald humour, not recommended for those with tender sensitivities. A small child and her mother, both stars of a tv reality show, have been abducted and held for ransom to which the public are only too eager to contribute. The police are ineffective and waste a lot of time arguing, pulling rank, pandering to public opinion and going after red herrings. There is plenty of action here demanding attention because MacBride doesn't waste time with contemplation or filler. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

As Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride is the seventh book in his Logan McRae police procedural series, I knew pretty much exactly what I had signed up for. Lots of action, lots of violence, lots of gross humor and I was more than ready to settle down and catch up with this crew of misfits from Aberdeen, Scotland, but I did hope for something a little more, something original, but alas, this wasn’t to be.

Don’t get me wrong, I always enjoy reading this author, but I am afraid that the very things that once made this a fresh and different type of police procedural have become overused and stale. I hate to say it but the author has fallen into the trap of keeping to a formula and unfortunately this is at the cost of originality and show more character development. Because of this it’s difficult to latch onto the plot or have much empathy with the victims. There were some things that I quite enjoyed, firstly his taking a shot at the many talent shows such as Britian Has Talent etc. that takes celebrity-ism to an extreme and the use of the Dr. Who names that the kidnappers went by was cool, although I was disappointed that my favorite David (Tennant) seemed to be the meanest.

These books used to make me gasp with shock at the brutality and snigger at the twisted humor but now I am sighing a little regretfully that the author doesn’t seem to have anything new to bring to this series. I haven’t got to the point where I am ready to abandon McRae and the gang, but I also won’t be waiting on tenterhooks for the next volume to arrive either. show less

Kidnappings, mutilations, drug raids and arson. The dark comedy of a Stuart MacBride novel feels like Tom Sharpe crossed with Derek Raymond, with a Scottish accent.

I like this series, but it's starting to get a little old. I've read the 6 previous books, so maybe I just need a break, and your mileage may vary. The humor is good, but it's losing its appeal, and the fact that the protagonist is basically an incompetent clown who somehow manages to solve crimes through persistent but crazy investigation gets to me sometimes. How many times can he try to arrest someone, often the same person, and get beat up and lose the guy through being dumb or inattentive before it gets old? I find myself saying "Not again!" too often.

The crimes are pretty gruesome, so humor is appreciated, though; it just needs more variety. And the plots were good in this one; neither I nor the characters in the book guessed who show more the villains were. They only figured it out by chance, and McRae was as surprised as I was.

I'm sure I'll read more, but not right away. Besides, I have lots of other books in my pile. show less