Novels show that Seamus is a star on the rise

BLACK IS THE COLOUR

Written by Seamus Connolly

Independently Published

Price: £8.99

THIS is a good first novel by a new author joining the scene of Scottish crime writing. The main character is Cal Lynch and the book opens with his arrival in Paisley. It emerges that almost three decades earlier Cal left Scotland following the brutal murder of his father. He and his mother moved to London, but Cal’s return was long-planned with his focus being on Eddie Quinn who he believed was responsible. His mother was clear in her intention of not returning.

Back as an adult Cal having trained and practised as a lawyer sets up a practice in Paisley, so to be close to his target. The author does well to describe a man who is focused on revenge. He also paints a picture of a complex character who is trying to find his feet both professionally and personally.

Quinn is a central figure whose criminal network reaches across Europe to Spain and Morocco. It’s Cal’s intention that the empire should crumble down. Quinn has developed several aspects to his business which are central to the importing and distribution of illegal drugs. The menacing nature of Quinn and his immediate staff are well outlined. His business includes a mini cab business and a security business where one its drivers, Peter, has been forced to inform to the police of the activities.

Peter’s story is a classic story of what happened in areas such as Paisley at the height of Thatcherism. Qualified as a millwright Peter had worked for 25 years in a small family business. Caught claiming benefits while driving a cab in Quinn’s business, Peter has few choices. His main concern is the welfare of his children Elizabeth and Mikey. By becoming an informer, he manages to gain an apprentice role for his son in Portsmouth. However, his activities also unwittingly draw the attention of Quinn to his friend Dixie Clark. Peter and Dixie have in common being casualties of the deindustrialisation of the West of Scotland as well as children who are friends and have a passion for music. The story of how Cal uses his network to gain scholarships for two of the youngsters at the Conservatoire of Berlin is a great way to tying up some loose ends and is a reminder of the challenges of that generation had to strive to survive.

I really liked how Dixie Clark is portrayed, a very likeable character and there is no doubt that the author has the capacity to vividly describe people and places. Dixie is wee bit of a wheeler dealer but immensely proud of his children and town. He knows everyone and in essence is an obliging odd job man having lost his job in Ferguslie Mill when it closed. Cal becomes friendly with Dixie having dealt with a case for him as Dixie’s payback on an unhappy customer didn’t go well! Cal would never have anticipated Dixie’s ultimate demise would be similar to that of his father. It reads like history repeating itself. This is an especially powerful part of the book where Dixie finds himself in serious trouble, probably with members of Quinn’s gang. Unknown to many, a young almost mute girl, Mary, witnesses the comings and goings of where Dixie was being held captive which enables Cal to bring together several aspects of the story.

It takes until Chapter 16 to really understand the reasons for Cal’s revenge and it’s from here onwards that very quickly many of the loose ends are brought together. A scene where Cal goes to visit Quinn at Barlinnie Prison and attacks him felt unbelievable but maybe these things happen?

As Quinn’s empire crumbles, assumptions which Cal held also begin to fall apart. In a dramatic fashion he realises that his girlfriend Suzie is no innocent, although her escape left me wondering if they will meet again. Cal also resolves the lingering question of who is responsible for the passing of information, adding drama and tension to the conclusion.

Having had a gentle pace at the beginning of the book the last few chapters fit a lot in and it almost all happens too fast. My advice to readers is to give those chapters plenty of time.

In the final pages Cal is involved with a Police Officer called Lawrie who he has become close to, where they reflect on what’s happened. Cal is seen as no innocent in Quinn’s death and a hint as to the future is offered with the words ‘I’ve only just got started’. This all sets up for another book.

As a first novel this is an excellent start—some sections could be a bit tighter, but it all holds together well.

DEATH BEFORE REVENGE

Written by Seamus Connolly

Published by Amazon

Price: £10.99

THIS is the second in what is a series of books whose central character is Cal Lynch a lawyer who was born in Glasgow, but left following the murder of his father. He returned some years later as an adult to pursue the people and organisation responsible for his father’s death.

If you are new to Cal Lynch, reading the first book Black is the Colour would offer a deeper understanding of the story’s arch and characters. However, the details in this book are also sufficient for it to be a standalone read.

The sequel incorporates iconic cities such as Berlin, London, and Paisley, during the Live Aid event of 1985. This is a very good way of grounding the book in a particular era and from the descriptions offered it’s a very good approach.

The book opens with Cal’s mother Cathy asking her son why she’s been followed. Cal explains that a friend of his was just keeping an eye on her. The friend is Nikki Henshaw, a senior police officer with whom Cal has developed a close and intimate relationship. The couple have become enmeshed in trying to bring down a complex criminal network called the Russo. The network has an international reach and has members in the higher echelons of the police. Things ends tragically as Nikki is murdered and to add to the pain it is revealed that at the time of her death. she was in early pregnancy. Towards the end of the book it becomes clear that Nikki’s murder could only have happened following information shared by Cal’s mother.

The transfer of two gangland figures, Suzie McGrath from custody in Liverpool and the extradition of her father Jimmy Junior Quinn, is a central part of the book. Their efforts to escape custody and try to murder Cal are a major part of the story. The prison and custody scenes are really well-placed and offer evidence of excellent research. They also give an incredible pace and urgency to the reader wanting to know what happens next.

The young people who are portrayed in the book are well done. In the main they offer some light relief from what at times are grim stories of life, especially in Paisley. The sons of Grace Clark, in particular, are well brought out as three individuals with their difficulties following the horrible murder of their father. Terence ends up playing for an orchestra in Berlin and an episode associated with an escapee from East Germany is excellent. He has big decisions to make as he matures and choses an unanticipated path. His friend Mairi-Clare is a key participant is the escape scenario. Joseph is angry about the impact of Thatcher and is planning a career in politics. Stephen, the youngest, is struggling and his deterioration is very sensitively portrayed. Their mother Grace works for Cal and is an important character as is the beginning of her relationship with a detective Frank Lawrie. She also takes no prisoners as far as her sons are concerned.

The book has many twists and turns. It would be unfair to reveal these to potential readers. The words of the title appear deep into the narrative, by which time potential bloodshed is ever present. The placement of a character Ger Johnston in chapter two and for him to then make an essential appearance much later is very clever and keeps the reader on their toes.

As the book moves to its conclusion, we go from Scotland to the place of Cal’s upbringing in London. Cal is confronted with some difficult news about his mother’s role in The Russo. Based on this reviewer’s own lived experience, the Camden Town of the early 1980s in very accurate.

As Cal begins to decide that he can return to his work as lawyer he shares with Frank Lawrie a letter written by Nikki which reveals a list of names from across the country and their connections with The Russo with the instruction ‘use this if something goes wrong.’ This sets the agenda for Cal’s next efforts with the words: “My normal from here on in will be to smash The Russo... this is my life’s work.” It sets the context for what should be another excellent book.

James Kennedy trained as a nurse in London from the late 1970s and developed a career in nursing and heath care management in London and Scotland. He has had a long-standing interest in local history and lives in the Trossachs