The April Dead By Alan Parks #TheAprilDead @AlanJParks @blackthornbks #HarryMcCoy @RandomTTours

 

Published 25th March 2021 by Black Thorn Books. My thanks to the publisher for the review copy and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me on to the blog tour. The April Dead by Alan Parks is the fourth book to feature Harry McCoy. The previous titles are: 

Bloody January (Book 1)
February's Son (Book 2)
Bobby March Will Live Forever (Book 3)

NO ONE WILL FORGET . . .

 
In a grimy flat in Glasgow, a homemade bomb explodes, leaving few remains
to identify its maker.

Detective Harry McCoy knows in his gut that there’ll be more to follow. The
hunt for a missing sailor from the local US naval base leads him to the
secretive group behind the bomb, and their disturbing, dominating leader.

On top of that, McCoy thinks he’s doing an old friend a favour when he
passes on a warning, but instead he’s pulled into a vicious gang feud. And in
the meantime, there’s word another bigger explosion is coming Glasgow’s
way – so if the city is to survive, it’ll take everything McCoy’s got . . .

My Thoughts: 

 The April Dead is my second instalment of Detective Harry McCoy as I read and reviewed Bobby March Will Live Forever last month. I was so looking forward to returning to the streets of Glasgow and I was not disappointed. 

Reading this series is so immersive. I instantly felt transported to April 1974 in Glasgow. If it is at all possible the streets seemed that little bit seedier and dirtier this time around. Bombs are going off and Harry McCoy knows this is only the beginning. So at the outset when a bomb maker has met their own maker Harry has got his work cut out once again. He needs to put a stop to this before is goes too far.

At the same time a missing sailor leads Harry McCoy to a US naval base. Is it possible that the bombs and the missing person are interlinked? Or is Harry McCoy sailing a bit close to the wind himself. He has got an ulcer and has been told to stop smoking and drinking, to take care of himself. I don't think that is going to happen somehow. 

Whilst all of the above is going on Harry McCoy is still mixing with gangs. His old pal Stevie Cooper has just got out of prison. As always nothing is ever simple and I adore the way that Harry McCoy treads the invisible line between right and wrong, moral and immoral, polis or corrupt. He is quite simply one of my favourite detectives of all time. I would far rather have him in my corner than against me. He is memorable and incredibly likeable despite his flaws. I very much enjoyed the interaction between Harry and his partner Wattie too.

I welcomed this return to the streets of Glasgow with open arms and it did not disappoint. In fact I enjoyed this one even more than Bobby March. I love the way the story developed and the strands unravelled. Alan Parks is a magnificent story teller.

 I will definitely be going back to buy the first two so I can say that I have read them all. I can't wait for the next one. My only disappointment is that I don't know when that will be. 

 Highly recommended, so good!

About the Author: 

Alan Parks has worked in the music industry for over twenty years. His debut
novel Bloody January was shortlisted for the Grand Prix de Littérature
Policière. He lives and works in Glasgow.
The April Dead is the fourth Harry McCoy thriller.

You can find the author on Twitter: @AlanJParks

Please do have a look at the other stops on the blog tour.