Glasgow author Andrew Raymond is well-known for his political and spy thrillers, but The Bonnie Dead is his first venture into the crime genre – a police procedural set in his home city. You’ll find it has all the things we love about Tartan noir with its distinctive Scottish setting, endearing characters, a strong plot and some of that sardonic, self-effacing Scottish humour.
Raymond lulls us into a false sense of security with a familiar scenario of family life. A mother and father are telling their five-year-old son his favourite bedtime story. They are a happy family with all they need – a townhouse in the Dowanhill area, partnerships in a thriving law firm and a good income that enables them to take four holidays a year. FOUR!
But all is not as it seems. As Jack goes to sleep, his father Maitland Ferguson receives a menacing text message: “You’re about to enter a nightmare unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Just remember, you could have stopped this…”
Maitland dismisses it – an empty threat from the woman he has been having an affair with. The life-altering events that follow could either be a coincidence or the desperate actions of a woman scorned. An intruder overpowers and drugs Maitland and Fiona in little Jack’s room. Paralysed, they helplessly watch as the boy is kidnapped, unable to prevent it.
The abduction is reminiscent of a series of similar crimes five years earlier which culminated in murder. The victims were dubbed The Bonnie Dead in the media. The Sandman left piles of sand in their eyes and beds. Each time the kids were drugged with a paralysing substance, the bodies dumped five days later.
The Sandman case is the one case DCI John Lomond can’t let go. The kidnappings instilled widespread fear among parents who blamed the police, leaving Lomond feeling responsible. He’s been pursuing the serial child killer ever since. Jack’s abduction raises the question: has the Sandman returned? However, this time around, the parents were drugged, not the child, so could it be a copycat killer?
But Raymond piles more pain on Lomond. During the Sandman case, our protagonist lost his wife and newborn child, going from a new father to a grieving widower within minutes. His tragic backstory and commitment to achieving justice for the parents of The Bonnie Dead make him both flawed and relatable.
Affectionately known as ‘Lurch’ and ‘Long Dark’ due to his six-foot frame and brooding demeanour, Lomond is deeply affected by his past. He battles not only a serial killer but also corruption within Police Scotland, facing constant internal pressure.
The discovery of Martin Scullion’s body, a former Strathclyde sergeant fired for corruption and indecency, throws all possible theories of who the killer might be out the window. Scullion’s body is found with a child’s bones and both have sand in their eyes. It does, however, link Jack’s kidnapping to a 20-year-old cold case involving a missing girl. And where does Sandy Driscoll, the man John suspected five years ago, fit in? Either way, the team now faces a five-day deadline to locate Jack before he is murdered. To Lomond, it feels like history repeating itself.
He’s surrounded by a diverse cast. Detective Superintendent Linda Boyle leads the Major Investigations Team, characterised by her relentless dedication. Other members include DI Willie Sneddon, Detective Constable Pardeep Varma and Detective Constable Jason Yang. Constable Donna Higgins became a cop after a policeman saved her mother from her drunken, drugged-up father.
Another distinctive character is journalist Colin Mowatt, whom Lomond describes as ‘a little ginger weasel’. This brings us to Raymond’s caustic Glaswegian humour, which juxtaposes the serious subject matter with lighter moments, Lomond spewing lines like, “He cuts more corners than a Black and Decker…” and “Show me a murder investigation that’s easy and I’ll show you a unicorn that farts rainbows.”
The Bonnie Dead balances character depth with a complex plot and an ongoing criminal investigation. Lomond’s trauma directly fuels his relentless pursuit of the killer, making the investigation more than a standard police procedural and a noteworthy addition to Scottish crime fiction.
You can read more about Andrew Raymond’s writing process and background in our recent interview with him.
Vinci Books
Print/Kindle/iBook
£8.44
CFL Rating: 4 Stars
