Stuart MacBride
Encyclopedia
Stuart MacBride is a Scottish
writer
, most famous for his crime thriller
s set in the "Granite City" of Aberdeen
and featuring Detective Sergeant Logan McRae.
, however set it 60 years in the future and it's bloody sci-fi!"
MacBride's publishing deal was secured with the writing of Halfhead, however the publishers were more interested in Cold Granite, concerning DS Logan MacRae. He was signed on a three-book Logan deal, which was further extended to six books. In 2009 he signed another deal, allowing him to write two more Logan books, and two standalone novels, the first of which is due after the sixth installment of the Logan MacRae series.
He now lives in north-east Scotland with his wife, Fiona and their cat Grendel. He is reputed to be a passionate potato grower
, but claims to have a "vegetable patch full of weeds".
Published in America as Bloodshot
who preys on Polish migrant workers. It's Summer in the Granite City
, but even the sunshine can't improve the mood at Grampian Police
Headquarters. Aberdeen
's growing Polish
community is under attack from a serial offender who leaves mutilated victims to be discovered on building sites—eyes gouged out and the sockets burned. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae is assigned to the investigation, codenamed Operation Oedipus
, but with the victims too scared to talk, it's going nowhere fast. When the next victim turns out to be not a newly arrive eastern european, but Simon McLeod, owner of the Turf n' Track bookies, Logan suddenly finds himself caught up in a world of drug
wars, prostitution
rings and gun-running courtesy of Aberdeen's oldest and most vicious crime lord.
-- the man who put Knox behind bars for ten years—supposedly here to 'keep an eye on things'. Only things are about to go very, very wrong. Edinburgh gangster
Malk the Knife wants a slice of the development boom Donald Trump's golf course is bringing to the Granite City
, whether local crime lord Wee Hamish Mowat likes it or not. Three heavies from Newcastle want a 'quiet word' with DSI
Danby about a missing mob accountant. And Richard Knox's dark past isn't done with him yet!
Sawbones was written for Barrington Stoke
's 'Most Wanted' series of books, designed for reluctant and emerging readers. As such it is considerably shorter than any of MacBride's other works at only 18,500 words.
The plot revolves around Glasgow, and is set in the not-too distant future. Criminals are 'halfheaded' for their crimes. Essentially, their lower jaw is cut off, they are lobotomised and they are herded into undertaking menial tasks to aid the community. However, one 'halfheading' doesn't go according to plan...
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, most famous for his crime thriller
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
s set in the "Granite City" of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and featuring Detective Sergeant Logan McRae.
Biography
Stuart MacBride was born Feb 27 1969 in Dumbarton, Scotland and raised in Aberdeen. His careers include scrubbing toilets offshore, graphic design, web design and IT/computer programming. MacBride claims his origins in writing lie in science fiction, however maintains that his upcoming book, Halfhead, is not science fiction. In his words, "crime fiction set in Victorian times is historic crime fiction, crime fiction set in the 21st Century is crime fictionCrime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
, however set it 60 years in the future and it's bloody sci-fi!"
MacBride's publishing deal was secured with the writing of Halfhead, however the publishers were more interested in Cold Granite, concerning DS Logan MacRae. He was signed on a three-book Logan deal, which was further extended to six books. In 2009 he signed another deal, allowing him to write two more Logan books, and two standalone novels, the first of which is due after the sixth installment of the Logan MacRae series.
He now lives in north-east Scotland with his wife, Fiona and their cat Grendel. He is reputed to be a passionate potato grower
, but claims to have a "vegetable patch full of weeds".
Cold Granite (2005)
The first Logan McRae book finds the detective returning from a year off sick leave to investigate a serial killer preying on children.Dying Light (2006)
A naked prostitute is found murdered down by Aberdeen docks. Logan, recently assigned to the unpredictable D.I. Steel’s team, has to investigate this as well as that of an arsonist whose idea of fun is to burn squatters to death.Broken Skin (2007)
A serial rapist is at large in the Granite City and Logan's girlfriend is being used as bait to catch the culprit. On top of this, a murder victim dumped at the local hospital turns out to feature in a stash of explicit films. Logan is dragged into the seedy world of pornography in an attempt to find the killer.Published in America as Bloodshot
Flesh House (2008)
The fourth book was released in mid-2008. According to MacBride's blog, it is his favourite, although was 'annoying' to write and edit! On his website, MacBride warns readers to "expect cannibalism". Readers have been known to comment that they have experienced nightmares and prolonged bed-wetting as a result of reading this book.Blind Eye (2009)
Blind Eye concerns a serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who preys on Polish migrant workers. It's Summer in the Granite City
Granite City
Granite City may refer to:*Granite City, Illinois*St. Cloud, Minnesota*Aberdeen, Scotland...
, but even the sunshine can't improve the mood at Grampian Police
Grampian Police
Grampian Police is the territorial police force of the northeast region of Scotland, covering the council areas of Aberdeenshire, the City of Aberdeen, and Moray . The Force area also covers some of the North Sea, giving Grampian Police the responsibility of policing the oil and gas platforms of...
Headquarters. Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
's growing Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
community is under attack from a serial offender who leaves mutilated victims to be discovered on building sites—eyes gouged out and the sockets burned. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae is assigned to the investigation, codenamed Operation Oedipus
Oedipus
Oedipus was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. He fulfilled a prophecy that said he would kill his father and marry his mother, and thus brought disaster on his city and family...
, but with the victims too scared to talk, it's going nowhere fast. When the next victim turns out to be not a newly arrive eastern european, but Simon McLeod, owner of the Turf n' Track bookies, Logan suddenly finds himself caught up in a world of drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
wars, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
rings and gun-running courtesy of Aberdeen's oldest and most vicious crime lord.
Dark Blood (2010)
Published on 29 April 2010. Richard Knox has served his time, so why shouldn't he be allowed to live wherever he wants? Yes, in the past he was a violent rapist, but he's seen the error of his ways. Found God. Wants to leave his dark past in Newcastle behind him and make a new start. Or so he says. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae isn't exactly thrilled to be part of the team helping Knox settle Northumbria PoliceNorthumbria Police
Northumbria Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the areas of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear in North East England. The service is the sixth largest police force in England and Wales. The current Chief Constable is Sue Sim who was appointed by Northumbria Police...
-- the man who put Knox behind bars for ten years—supposedly here to 'keep an eye on things'. Only things are about to go very, very wrong. Edinburgh gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
Malk the Knife wants a slice of the development boom Donald Trump's golf course is bringing to the Granite City
Granite City
Granite City may refer to:*Granite City, Illinois*St. Cloud, Minnesota*Aberdeen, Scotland...
, whether local crime lord Wee Hamish Mowat likes it or not. Three heavies from Newcastle want a 'quiet word' with DSI
DSI
DSI is an initialism for the following companies:* Dave Smith Instruments, an American synthesizer company* Delphi Schools, Inc.* Delphine Software International, a now bankrupt software company* Destination Software, Inc., a video game company...
Danby about a missing mob accountant. And Richard Knox's dark past isn't done with him yet!
Shatter The Bones (2011)
The new Logan McRae thriller set in gritty Aberdeen, from the bestselling author of Cold Granite and Dark Blood. 'You will raise money for the safe return of Alison and Jenny McGregor. If you raise enough money within fourteen days they will be released. If not, Jenny will be killed.' Alison and Jenny McGregor—Aberdeen's own mother-daughter singing sensation—are through to the semi-finals of TV smash-hit Britain's Next Big Star. They're in all the gossip magazines, they've got millions of YouTube hits, everyone loves them. But their reality-TV dream has turned into a real-life nightmare. The ransom demand appears in all the papers, on the TV, and the internet, telling the nation to dig deep if they want to keep Alison and Jenny alive. The media want action; the public displays of grief and anger are reaching fever-pitch. Time is running out, but DS Logan McRae and his colleagues have nothing to go on: the kidnappers haven't left a single piece of forensic evidence. The investigation is going nowhere. It looks as if the price of fame just got a lot higher!Sawbones (2008)
MacBride's first published work that does not feature Logan McRae. Set in America, it follows a roadtrip undertaken by gangsters. According to thrillerbook.com, Sawbones contains “optional scenes of shootouts, dismemberments and castration”.Sawbones was written for Barrington Stoke
Barrington Stoke
Barrington Stoke is a children's book publisher based in Edinburgh, Scotland.The company was founded in 1997. It publishes fiction and non-fiction adapted to a reading age of 8 for reluctant, underconfident and dyslexic readers aged 9–16....
's 'Most Wanted' series of books, designed for reluctant and emerging readers. As such it is considerably shorter than any of MacBride's other works at only 18,500 words.
Halfhead (2009)
Often classified as science fiction, MacBride's first future-crime novel was published in September 2009. The book, "Halfhead" (the name of the author's blog), was written before the Logan McRae series, and was the text that gained MacBride his publishing deal, but it is only now set to see the light of day. It has been rewritten and edited, and has caused MacBride much grief, the process meaning he is behind on writing the sixth Logan MacRae novel.The plot revolves around Glasgow, and is set in the not-too distant future. Criminals are 'halfheaded' for their crimes. Essentially, their lower jaw is cut off, they are lobotomised and they are herded into undertaking menial tasks to aid the community. However, one 'halfheading' doesn't go according to plan...
Standalone Novel 1 (Due January 2012)
This is the first of two standalone novels which have been included in MacBride's new publishing contract. It will not feature characters from the Logan McRae series.Standalone Novel 2 (Due January 2014)
This is the second of two standalone novels which have been included in MacBride's new publishing contract. It will not feature characters from the Logan McRae series.Characters
The main characters in the Logan McRae series:- Detective Sergeant Logan McRae: The main character in Stuart MacBride's books. A Detective Sergeant with Grampian PoliceGrampian PoliceGrampian Police is the territorial police force of the northeast region of Scotland, covering the council areas of Aberdeenshire, the City of Aberdeen, and Moray . The Force area also covers some of the North Sea, giving Grampian Police the responsibility of policing the oil and gas platforms of...
based at Police Headquarters (FHQ) in Queen Street, AberdeenAberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. The series starts just as he returns from a years sick leave after being stabbed 23 times in the stomach by Angus Robertson, "The Mastrick Monster". He is seen by his colleagues as a very capable and useful member of the team, and for his part is fiercely loyal to those he respects.
- WPC Jackie Watson: Known as "Ball Breaker", she is Logan’s girlfriend through most of the books. She has a reputation for having a very short temper and this has got her into trouble on more than one occasion.
- Dr. Isobel MacAlister: Logan’s ex-girlfriend and the Chief Pathologist.
- Colin Miller: A Glaswegian journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
working for the Press and JournalPress and Journal (Scotland)The Press and Journal, often called the P&J, is a daily regional newspaper serving the northern counties of Scotland including the cities of Aberdeen and Inverness...
.
- Detective Inspector David Insch: D.S Logan’s first boss. A very overweight man who does not suffer fools gladly and has a fondness for large packets of sweeties. Insch is also an aspiring director and actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and throughout the books is involved in amateur dramatics.
- Detective Inspector Roberta Steel: Logan’s chain-smoking boss when he is sent to her team in Dying Light. An unashamed lesbian with a talent for inappropriate comments, she is charge of the "Screw-up Squad" - a team of officers who have lumped together due to their seemingly poor ability to solve even the simplest of cases.
- Detective Constable Simon Rennie: Recently made a DC, Rennie was expected to be a bit of a screw up from the start after being assigned to DI Steel's screw-up squad. He does later prove himself to be of some use by pointing out things the team have missed and even being a capable firearms officer.
- Samantha - A gothic forensic analyst, she begins dating Logan in Blind Eye.
- Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Finnie: Sarcastic DCI introduced in Blind Eye.
- Detective Sergeant/Detective Inspector Beattie: Nicknamed Beardy Beattie. An unfit DS promoted to DI ahead of DS McRae in Blind Eye. And is fired near the end of Dark Blood.
- Detective Chief Superintendent Bain: Head of Grampian Police CID.
Awards
- Won, Barry Award for Best First Novel, 2006 (for Cold Granite).
- Won, CWACrime Writers' AssociationThe Crime Writers Association is a writers' association in the United Kingdom. Founded by John Creasey in 1953, it is currently chaired by Peter James and claims 450+ members....
Dagger in the LibraryDagger in the LibraryThe Dagger in the Library is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association to a particular author. The award is given to a "living author who has given the most pleasure to readers". Yearly shortlists are drawn up from submissions by libraries across United Kingdom, and the final...
Award , 2007. - Won, ITV3 Crime Thriller Award for Breakthrough Author of the Year, 2008 (for Broken Skin).
- Nominated, International Thriller Writers' Best Debut Novel, 2006 (for Cold Granite).
- Nominated, Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year AwardTheakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year AwardThe Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is a crime-fiction award, sponsored by Theakston's Old Peculier. It is awarded annually at Harrogate Crime Writing Festival in the UK, held every July. The winner receives £3000 and a small hand-carved oak beer cask carved by one of...
, 2006 (for Cold Granite). - Nominated, Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year AwardTheakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year AwardThe Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is a crime-fiction award, sponsored by Theakston's Old Peculier. It is awarded annually at Harrogate Crime Writing Festival in the UK, held every July. The winner receives £3000 and a small hand-carved oak beer cask carved by one of...
, 2007 (for Dying Light). - Nominated, Barry Award for Best British Crime Novel, 2007 (for Dying Light).
- Nominated, Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year AwardTheakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year AwardThe Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is a crime-fiction award, sponsored by Theakston's Old Peculier. It is awarded annually at Harrogate Crime Writing Festival in the UK, held every July. The winner receives £3000 and a small hand-carved oak beer cask carved by one of...
, 2009 (for Broken Skin).