The Dark Remains

by William McIlvanney and Ian Rankin

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Dark Remains is a retro vibe first case in the perennially popular Laidlaw series by the late William McIlvanney with an assist from Ian Rankin. Released 7th Sept 2021 by Europa Editions on their World Noir imprint, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

There has been an ocean of commentary on tartan noir (and Scandi-noir and all the siblings). I have heard Laidlaw (there are three other books in addition to this prequel) referred to as Scottish noir or at least a precursor and while that might be strictly speaking true, and it is certainly gritty and brooding and Scottish, it's much more than that. I love crime novels with imperfect protagonists, Laidlaw has that in spades. This prequel, ghost written from a previously unfinished manuscript, has the vibe and voice and without knowing the background, I wouldn't have pegged it for a collaboration.

One of the things that sets this one apart is that McIlvanney was a remarkably adept writer, precise and masterful. There is not one fumble in the book. There is a spareness to the prose (the author was also quite well known as a poet). The characterizations are rich, varied, and precisely rendered.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 31 minutes and is well narrated by Brian Cox. He walks a razor edge, keeping true to the spirit of the Glaswegian accents and at the same time enunciating clearly and well and rendering the whole understandable.

That being said, this is a relentlessly dark book. It's also a beautifully written book. I'm glad to see this new entry being finished in a manner worthy of McIlvanney's oeuvre.

Four and a half stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.