"The Laidlaw books are like fine malt whiskey–the pure distilled essence of Scottish crime writing."–Peter May, international bestselling author of the Lewis trilogy
"Fastest, first and best, Laidlaw is the melancholy heir to Marlowe. Reads like a breathless scalpel cut through the bloody heart of a city."–
Denise Mina, award-winning author of
Conviction"This extraordinary and beautifully written novel... Captivating and unforgettable."–Publishers Weekly
"One of the finest things in modern fiction, in the Chandler and Simenon class."–Spectator
"Starts on the streets and ends up in the soul."–The Daily Telegraph
"Allan Guthrie probably comes closest to McIlvanney in his mix of humor and compassion, but even that top-flight crime writer doesn't do it with the same concentration."–Peter Rozovsky, Detectives Beyond Borders
"The Laidlaw books are not just great crime novels, they are important ones. McIlvanney proved that crime writing could have both perfect style and huge ambition. Most of us writing crime fiction today are standing on the shoulders of giants. McIlvanney is one such giant."–Mark Billingham, author of Sleepyhead
"McIlvanney's prose is simultaneously sparse and lyrical. Short sentences, paragraphs and, indeed, chapters give the feel of a thriller to some beautiful writing."–Killing Time Crime