THE RIVERMAN by Alex Gray

There is always the sense that author Alex Gray knows exactly what she is talking about; such is the impression of total authority and confidence in her words.  THE RIVERMAN is the fourth book in this series showing a pleasing graduation of intensity and detailing of investigative procedure from the first entry, NEVER SOMEWHERE ELSE.    They walk on the dark side for sure; the Lorimer/Brightman series is dancing with that level of seriousness that could yet deviate from "darkly" atmospheric to completely dour and unappetizing.  Gray excels in setting the scene and has made the river a character without words in THE RIVERMAN, all but floating the mist right up out of the pages.  Is it all becoming a tad too bleak and grey - the balance in this novel is precarious but it is felt that it has been a deliberate effort to make it so.   As with other fine Scottish crime series that do no need to be named, Gray has a wonderful sense of place, firmly rooting her stories in Glasgow and making it more about the effects of urban discontent than of about the personal doings of the characters.  

THE RIVERMAN would have benefited from some trimming of scenes that draw away from the tying up of the threads.  In order to make the read more of an investigative experience for the reader the findings of other forensic personnel and consultants etc would have been a welcome inclusion.  The viewpoint was narrow here for the police, yet included much of what for they were not privy to with the actions of the suspects as it all begins to fall apart for them.  

A solid entry in a series that is up there with the best, included in that select group, if you'll forgive its mention one more time, of the "Tartan noir".