Dead Men And Broken Hearts

I have to preface this review by saying I am a slave to Lennox and not the most objective of reviewers, but this is with good reason.

There are so many elements of every Lennox book to enjoy: the outsider's view of Glasgow, the humour, the descriptions of a city I love so well, the period detail, the supporting cast and more. This goes for every Lennox book and Dead Men and Broken Hearts doesn't disappoint.

I really love the rehabilitation of Twinkletoes McBride in particular in this book. The self-improving man mountain isn't unique to Craig Russell's books but little details such as the pride Twinkle takes in his car and on being on the phone just tickle me, as well as the acknowledgement that in his harder core days he knew all about being on the run and came to Lennox's help after he escaped custody and hid in the barge. I felt every step of Lennox's exhausting and painful journey back to the barge in the smog.

This book contains one of the most incredible pen portraits I've ever read. At the beginning of Ch 3 Lennox describes a case which involved tailing a sales clerk accused of theft. His account of following her and what she spent the money on was extraordinarily moving and pathetic and restrained, and incredibly effective.

This book keeps you guessing. Unfortunately because of the way I came across the books I'd already read vol 5 so knew about Fiona, but apart from that the twists and turns in the plot of this story having you changing your mind every five minutes about who the bad guys really are. I like the fact that sometimes you can't apply that label and it depends on your perspective. Russell is always good at bringing in suspense as Lennox sails far too close to the wind, goes places he shouldn't and gets into seemingly inescapable situations, but he always comes out alive, if not intact.

If you want wit, excellently drawn characters, a city that's a central character and an effective whodunnit, pick yourself up a Lennox.