Garnethill (Denise Mina) Chapters 28-The End

Maureen is something of an anti-hero, a bit like Lisbeth Salander in Stieg Larsson’s The Girl Who… series; not someone your mother would approve of – ‘He took the whisky from her, poured it into the plastic cup and sipped carefully.   Maureen smiled and sat down.  “You don’t drink much, do you?  I’d have walloped that back in a oner.”  Shan looked at her can of lager.  “How the f--- can you drink that stuff?  It tastes like ethanol.”  “Yeah,” she said.  “That’s why I like it.” ’  But in the end, she does an admirable job of taking things into her own hands, much to the displeasure of the police, and doles out “justice” in a way that the police would have loved to, but never can or should.

The mystery was solved in a different way than I had anticipated.  The protagonist figures out who the killer is (at least she is fervently hoping she’s right about it!) long before this reader does, and we are kept in suspense for many chapters while she goes about setting up her revenge and the killer’s exposure.  Once she targets him and carries out her plan, there’s really not a lot of explaining to do at the end, not many loose ends to tie up.  She visits Benny in the hospital (after his drubbing by her brother Liam), mainly to ask him why he betrayed her.  She shows Siobhain the footage of the newscast of the killer’s arrest, to set her mind at ease that the danger is over.  Just minor tidying up after the climax.  Visiting Hugh at the Incest Survivor’s meeting might seem unnecessary, but it implies a future friendship of some kind for them – and after all, there is a sequel or two for this book, which I fully intend to read sometime in the next year or so!

I’m not mentioning the name of the killer here, mostly out of principle, rather than in an attempt to avoid a Spoiler.  (I mean, how many murder mysteries put the name of the killer as the title of the last chapter, anyway?!)  There is so much about this novel that is original, that doesn’t fall into the stereotypes and formulas of standard mystery-writing that it’s no wonder it won The John Creasey Award for Best First Crime Novel.  The originality alone gives it high marks in my book, but I truly liked everything about it.

Best supporting character:  Leslie, Maureen’s tough, motorcycle-riding, in-your-face bestie.   There is some nice irony as Maureen gets more courageous toward the end and Leslie begins to have second thoughts:  ‘Leslie brought out a coffee for her and sat on the settee watching her drink it.  “So, what’s the deal today, then?”  “Just hang around here with Siobhain and don’t answer the door without checking it first.  When we get to Millport all you have to do is sit tight and I’ll take care of everything.”  “Right,” said Leslie quietly.  “Maureen, you’re not going to stab him, are you?”  “Naa.” Maureen climbed out of the sleeping bag and rolled it up.  “All being well I won’t even touch him.”  Leslie nodded soberly and patted her knees with her open hands.  “Are you losing your bottle, Leslie?”  [Love this Glasgow slang!]  “Yeah,” Leslie said.  “To be honest I think I am.”  “Why?”  “Dunno.  I just don’t feel like attacking anyone at the moment.  You losing your bottle, Mauri?”  “No,” said Maureen certainly.  “I’m not.  I’m getting angrier.” ’

Maureen’s method of incapacitating the Bad Guy is brilliantly detailed in the tautly-paced climax without bogging it down at all.  Just beautiful writing.  And she didn’t even touch him, just like she said.  Well, okay, besides a couple of head butts . . .  Give us more Ms. Mina, give us all you’ve got!  I for one will be returning to this “Glaswegian dystopia” for more, thank you very much!

Join us for February's book of the month:

“The 158-Pound Marriage,” by John Irving!

Amazon.com Review

The darker vision and sexual ambiguities of this erotic, ironic tale about a ménage a quatre in a New England university town foreshadow those of The World According to Garp; but this very trim and precise novel is a marked departure from the author's generally robust, boisterous style. Though Mr. Irving's cool eye spares none of his foursome, he writes with genuine compassion for the sexual tests and illusions they perpetrate on each other; but the sexual intrigue between them demonstrates how even the kind can be ungenerous, and even the well-intentioned, destructive.

Week 1:  Chapters 1-3

(First post, 2-6-15)

Week 2:  Chapters 4-5
Week 3:  Chapters 6-7
Week 4:  Chapters 8-10