He works with Rose, femme fatale, and we are introduced to a few other characters who made an appearance in the second book. While doing a ‘confidentiality is important’ clearout of a house, Rilke discovers pornographic photos, and our morally challenged man takes it upon himself to discover if the woman, who appears dead, is the victim of any crime. These three things are his coping mechanisms in a life that shows the gritty, seedy underbelly of Glasgow. Rilke’ is simply an absurd name for a scummy detective character, but worse is the sub-Dickensian villain, named ‘McKindless’.

More tease, less strip | Books | The Guardian More tease, less strip | Books | The Guardian

These three features made the novel not just an exemplary crime novel, but an exemplary novel per se. Some of her characters make some pretty explicit speeches about the shortcomings of the international justice system in countering and preventing such smuggling rings from operating. The story also shows the dangers that come with obsessions and their abilities to drive the most visionary individuals into darkness. Still, I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy literary crime novels, morally challenged characters, and don’t mind graphic and disturbing situations.

Incorporating an insight into human trafficking and how it might occur, this thought provoking, although sometimes not quite believable, story was keeping tensions on high for much of its pages.

The Cutting Room Series by Louise Welsh - Goodreads The Cutting Room Series by Louise Welsh - Goodreads

I also really enjoyed the auction house aspects of this story, which were not that dissimilar from my own experiences in the book biz. While the young woman would rather be out in the field chasing stories, her good looks make her job in front of the camera easy. I am too long in the tooth to make predictions, but I would not be averse another instalment at all.The reason for her haste soon becomes clear when Rilke works his way up to her brother's office and finds all kinds of books, photographs, and art devoted to morbidly sadistic fetishes that cross into psychotic: an obsession not just for causing pain, but also to mortally wound.

Louise Welsh, review: Squalid, sardonic and The Second Cut, Louise Welsh, review: Squalid, sardonic and

Antiques of that calibre hadn't seen the inside of a Glasgow saleroom for years, hadn't seen Bowery Auctions ever. This is the 30th book, but considering Alex has survived "Kill Alex Cross" before, chances are he survives this one. The author will take you on a tour to shady businesses while letting out bits and pieces of information on the murdered woman’s mystery. I'll need to take a look around before I can give you a preliminary estimate of how long it'll take. Naturally Rilke can't resist a very good look around and in amongst the very impressive collection of exclusive erotica, he finds a cache of photographs.She takes us beyond the Taggart-style "mean city", while her protagonist's musings on the implications of his quest are sharp and precise: "I turned to the other books.

Louise Welsh - The Scotsman Book review: The Second Cut, by Louise Welsh - The Scotsman

All heroes have an Achilles heel, and it is Rilke's rejection of intimacy itself, rather than with whom he may be intimate, that points to weakness. When Miss McKindless tells Rilke to burn the books in the attic, he crosses his fingers and assures her that he will do the deed. Welsh meditates on the various possibilities: the photos could be faked, staged; they could be real, a living, breathing woman could have been killed for someone's entertainment and sexual gratification. Some of the individuals that Rilke encounters are respected members of society he would never have associated with this form of lifestyle.Her second book, Tamburlaine Must Die, a novelette written around the final three days of the poet Christopher Marlowe's life, was published in 2004. He caught my stare and raised his free hand in a half-defensive wave, like a man staving off a blow. It’s not the typos that bother me – although they’re there – it’s the way that the novel’s mystery (about ‘snuff’ pornography) fails to mesh with its milieu and cast of characters.