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Narey & Winter #1
Random
Glasgow is being terrorised by a serial killer the media have nicknamed The Cutter. The murders have left the police baffled. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason behind the killings; no kind of pattern or motive; an entirely different method of murder each time, and nothing that connects the victims except for the fact that the little fingers of their right hands have been severed. If DS Rachel Narey could only work out the key to the seemingly random murders, how and why the killer selects his victims, she would be well on her way to catching him. But as the police, the press and a threatening figure from Glasgow's underworld begin to close in on The Cutter, his carefully-laid plans threaten to unravel - with horrifying consequences.
329 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
January 6, 2022
I have meant to read Craig Robertson for a long while, but, as is the way, did not get around to reading him until just now. This is the first in his Narey and Winter series, although Winter does not appear and Rachel Narey is barely in the novel.
This is an unusual serial killer book, as it is told from the point of view of the killer himself. It is hard to be sympathetic with someone who is killing people, randomly choosing his victims in different ways – a business card plucked from a bowl, the next person to get off a bus, a name chosen from a phone book – but, as you discover his motivations, you do feel a deep sadness for him.
Without doubt, this is a clever and twisted tale, with a dark humour. For, as our killer embarks on his killing spree, he manages to accidentally ignite a gang war on the streets of Glasgow. You soon realise that there is a plan behind the killer’s actions and the ending is both extremely moving and very cleverly done. This is a gruesome read at time, but I am pleased that I finally tried Robertson’s writing and know that I will definitely be reading on in the series, where I look forward to getting to know Narey better and, hopefully, meeting Winter.
This is something of an update. I did read one but stalled in the series and have decided, this year, to revisit at least some of the crime series I have meant to read. As such, this is a re-read and I enjoyed it greatly. Highly recommend this series.
This is an unusual serial killer book, as it is told from the point of view of the killer himself. It is hard to be sympathetic with someone who is killing people, randomly choosing his victims in different ways – a business card plucked from a bowl, the next person to get off a bus, a name chosen from a phone book – but, as you discover his motivations, you do feel a deep sadness for him.
Without doubt, this is a clever and twisted tale, with a dark humour. For, as our killer embarks on his killing spree, he manages to accidentally ignite a gang war on the streets of Glasgow. You soon realise that there is a plan behind the killer’s actions and the ending is both extremely moving and very cleverly done. This is a gruesome read at time, but I am pleased that I finally tried Robertson’s writing and know that I will definitely be reading on in the series, where I look forward to getting to know Narey better and, hopefully, meeting Winter.
This is something of an update. I did read one but stalled in the series and have decided, this year, to revisit at least some of the crime series I have meant to read. As such, this is a re-read and I enjoyed it greatly. Highly recommend this series.
March 12, 2015
I can honestly say this was the first time I felt such sadness for a serial killer. The entire book is written from his point of view ... what's he doing, why he's doing it. There are no forensics to speak of and the police take a long step back, away from all the action.
He chooses victims at random .. the 3rd person who passes him on the street..... pulls a business card out of the bowl at the bar .... picks up the phone directory and chooses a name, any name will do. Then he stalks them, sometimes for weeks, sometimes longer.
He chooses various ways to kill, but always cuts off the pinkie finger to ensure the police know it's his work. One of the human failings ... he eventually wants his 15 minute of fame.
Mistakes are made along the way. One of his victims worked for a major drug dealer and now the police aren't the only ones looking for him.
The book is well-written. The characters come to life under the author's nimble fingers. There were a couple of twists that I absolutely did not see coming. I think I've found another favorite author.
He chooses victims at random .. the 3rd person who passes him on the street..... pulls a business card out of the bowl at the bar .... picks up the phone directory and chooses a name, any name will do. Then he stalks them, sometimes for weeks, sometimes longer.
He chooses various ways to kill, but always cuts off the pinkie finger to ensure the police know it's his work. One of the human failings ... he eventually wants his 15 minute of fame.
Mistakes are made along the way. One of his victims worked for a major drug dealer and now the police aren't the only ones looking for him.
The book is well-written. The characters come to life under the author's nimble fingers. There were a couple of twists that I absolutely did not see coming. I think I've found another favorite author.
April 6, 2014
If you've read the blurb above you know the main plot of this book. A serial killer is loose in Glasgow & the frustration felt by the police is matched only by the public's fear as seemingly random victims are chosen for a gruesome demise.
But this is a book of surprises. First, the story is narrated by the killer. The reader is plunked down into his head so we are privy to his thoughts. Slowly we learn how personal tragedy transformed him from a happy family man to one who no longer feels joy or empathy. Grief has given him one goal...someone must pay.
The style of writing is another surprise. The prose is terse & blunt in places, caustic & darkly funny in others. We follow his stream of consciousness as it files through his head & even begin to understand his logic. Scary thought.
He's smart meticulous & patient as the bodies pile up over a period of a couple of years. The police are completely stumped. One of them, DS Rachel Nary, comes closer than most. Despite the notes on the book jacket, her part is a small one & we don't follow her around as in a typical police procedural. The narrative is always in his voice. But we do watch the killer watching her & although she'll never know it, she plays a pivotal role in his final decision.
He makes one mistake that threatens to derail his plans. One of his victims was a bagman for Glashow's biggest mobster & he's not taking it well. He sees it as a personal insult & joins the cops in the hunt for the "Cutter", unaware they've already met. This results in a gang war that plays out while the killer continues working on his (who)to-do list.
The city itself is as much of a character as any of the cast. Glasgow is described as having two faces. The bright urban bustle & quiet neighbourhoods of law abiding citizens coexist with a gritty & prosperous criminal community (with some blurry areas around the edges).
Because of how it's written, you feel like you're riding shotgun with the killer as an invisible passenger. But the author holds back some crucial tidbits 'til the end which I can honestly say I never saw coming. Suddenly you realize innocent or throw away comments were actually big red flags. It made me sit up & stop reading for a moment to reconsider everything in this new light & admire how cleverly it was done.
This belongs to the Tartan Noir genre that's gaining popularity but not for everyone. It doesn't follow the standard format of a police procedural. It's more of a character study of the killer with the cops playing a very minor almost anonymous role. I really enjoyed this author's style & will definitely check out his next book.
But this is a book of surprises. First, the story is narrated by the killer. The reader is plunked down into his head so we are privy to his thoughts. Slowly we learn how personal tragedy transformed him from a happy family man to one who no longer feels joy or empathy. Grief has given him one goal...someone must pay.
The style of writing is another surprise. The prose is terse & blunt in places, caustic & darkly funny in others. We follow his stream of consciousness as it files through his head & even begin to understand his logic. Scary thought.
He's smart meticulous & patient as the bodies pile up over a period of a couple of years. The police are completely stumped. One of them, DS Rachel Nary, comes closer than most. Despite the notes on the book jacket, her part is a small one & we don't follow her around as in a typical police procedural. The narrative is always in his voice. But we do watch the killer watching her & although she'll never know it, she plays a pivotal role in his final decision.
He makes one mistake that threatens to derail his plans. One of his victims was a bagman for Glashow's biggest mobster & he's not taking it well. He sees it as a personal insult & joins the cops in the hunt for the "Cutter", unaware they've already met. This results in a gang war that plays out while the killer continues working on his (who)to-do list.
The city itself is as much of a character as any of the cast. Glasgow is described as having two faces. The bright urban bustle & quiet neighbourhoods of law abiding citizens coexist with a gritty & prosperous criminal community (with some blurry areas around the edges).
Because of how it's written, you feel like you're riding shotgun with the killer as an invisible passenger. But the author holds back some crucial tidbits 'til the end which I can honestly say I never saw coming. Suddenly you realize innocent or throw away comments were actually big red flags. It made me sit up & stop reading for a moment to reconsider everything in this new light & admire how cleverly it was done.
This belongs to the Tartan Noir genre that's gaining popularity but not for everyone. It doesn't follow the standard format of a police procedural. It's more of a character study of the killer with the cops playing a very minor almost anonymous role. I really enjoyed this author's style & will definitely check out his next book.
August 14, 2024
Craig Robertson’s debut novel is somewhat unusual, in that it is narrated by a serial killer. Known as “The Cutter” (the previously annoying, press-assigned “Jock The Ripper” being abandoned), his victims seem to bear no relationship to each other; all male, but different age groups, professions, backgrounds etc. This makes it impossible for the Glasgow police to guess where he’ll strike next.
For much of the book, the author manages to pull off the near impossible feat of making the narrator sympathetic. He has suffered a devastating tragedy in the past and none of his first four victims are particularly pleasant characters.
This is the first novel of a series featuring Rachel Narey (here a Detective Sergeant), although for most of the novel she is just a name in newspaper reports and doesn’t appear in person until later on.
The Cutter could have made a big mistake when he kills a drug dealer. The victim himself may be small time, but he has links to one of Glasgow’s biggest and most ruthless crime lords. Now The Cutter has two sets of people on his trail and the police could be the lesser of his worries. However, he could still be ahead of them all. He has obviously carefully planned things out beforehand and has a convenient fall guy in place, even before he begins his killing spree.
This is a superlative effort for a debut novel and, although it ends rather sadly, that, all things considered, seems inevitable.
For much of the book, the author manages to pull off the near impossible feat of making the narrator sympathetic. He has suffered a devastating tragedy in the past and none of his first four victims are particularly pleasant characters.
This is the first novel of a series featuring Rachel Narey (here a Detective Sergeant), although for most of the novel she is just a name in newspaper reports and doesn’t appear in person until later on.
The Cutter could have made a big mistake when he kills a drug dealer. The victim himself may be small time, but he has links to one of Glasgow’s biggest and most ruthless crime lords. Now The Cutter has two sets of people on his trail and the police could be the lesser of his worries. However, he could still be ahead of them all. He has obviously carefully planned things out beforehand and has a convenient fall guy in place, even before he begins his killing spree.
This is a superlative effort for a debut novel and, although it ends rather sadly, that, all things considered, seems inevitable.
June 1, 2010
One of the things that I really like about reading review books is that I constantly find absolutes in my reading tastes aren't. Ask me about serial killer books before reading RANDOM and I would have categorically stated been there, over it. Add being inside the serial killer's head for the entire of the book and I'd have put my hand on my heart and said it's all too tedious. Then I read RANDOM and found myself really hooked on the internal monologue of a serial killer.
Based in Glasgow, RANDOM, on one level is your typical serial killer book. Unconnected victim's, strange signature from the killer, police are baffled. This time the killer isn't using a signature methodology, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason to the killings. Whilst there is a police investigation and DS Rachel Narey is struggling against pressure from police hierarchy and the shenanigans that go on at that level when the media are finally alerted (by our killer) to the connections, this isn't really a story of the pursuit of a killer. Where RANDOM starts to vary is that our serial killer in this book is undoubtedly vicious and driven and quite quite odd - but he's also flawed and not mad, and strangely not totally bad. He's also made a big mistake with the selection of one of his victims which makes his life very very complicated and the police pursuit the least of his problems. Told from the point of view of the killer, his true identity is slowly revealed, as are the methods he is using to select his victims, the way that he kills his victims, and even more slowly, his reasons.
RANDOM really was a book that I simply wasn't expecting, especially after reading the blurb with that slow sinking feeling. But being a review book, you have to press on and I am really really glad I did. It seems a very odd thing to be saying about a serial killer book, but I enjoyed this book. RANDOM is undoubtedly manipulative, the reader is pulled into this killer's mind and into his life in a way that was subtle and clever. Balancing the way that this man selects his victims, the way that he is so ruthless in his decisions on who to kill and who not to, against a home life that is not your typical abusive, weird family relationship, but something more touching, sad, heart-breaking; and I did find myself in a really odd place - feeling sympathy for a serial killer.
There's a final twist in the tail of this book which on one level I knew was probably coming, but I didn't quite expect the way it played out. And it was affecting, and challenging and sad and right and wrong all at the same time. RANDOM was a real reading revelation for me. Flagged as a thriller it is a pacy, tense and disturbing book. It's also a reflective, moving and quite emotional book. Perhaps if you're a reader who holds their preference for no more serial killers under any circumstances closer to their core than I do, this might not be the book for you. For me, it was one of those books that took all my reading assumptions, pitched them out a window and ran over them with a bus just to make sure they were well dead and buried.
Based in Glasgow, RANDOM, on one level is your typical serial killer book. Unconnected victim's, strange signature from the killer, police are baffled. This time the killer isn't using a signature methodology, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme nor reason to the killings. Whilst there is a police investigation and DS Rachel Narey is struggling against pressure from police hierarchy and the shenanigans that go on at that level when the media are finally alerted (by our killer) to the connections, this isn't really a story of the pursuit of a killer. Where RANDOM starts to vary is that our serial killer in this book is undoubtedly vicious and driven and quite quite odd - but he's also flawed and not mad, and strangely not totally bad. He's also made a big mistake with the selection of one of his victims which makes his life very very complicated and the police pursuit the least of his problems. Told from the point of view of the killer, his true identity is slowly revealed, as are the methods he is using to select his victims, the way that he kills his victims, and even more slowly, his reasons.
RANDOM really was a book that I simply wasn't expecting, especially after reading the blurb with that slow sinking feeling. But being a review book, you have to press on and I am really really glad I did. It seems a very odd thing to be saying about a serial killer book, but I enjoyed this book. RANDOM is undoubtedly manipulative, the reader is pulled into this killer's mind and into his life in a way that was subtle and clever. Balancing the way that this man selects his victims, the way that he is so ruthless in his decisions on who to kill and who not to, against a home life that is not your typical abusive, weird family relationship, but something more touching, sad, heart-breaking; and I did find myself in a really odd place - feeling sympathy for a serial killer.
There's a final twist in the tail of this book which on one level I knew was probably coming, but I didn't quite expect the way it played out. And it was affecting, and challenging and sad and right and wrong all at the same time. RANDOM was a real reading revelation for me. Flagged as a thriller it is a pacy, tense and disturbing book. It's also a reflective, moving and quite emotional book. Perhaps if you're a reader who holds their preference for no more serial killers under any circumstances closer to their core than I do, this might not be the book for you. For me, it was one of those books that took all my reading assumptions, pitched them out a window and ran over them with a bus just to make sure they were well dead and buried.
March 5, 2018
This is my first book by this author and certainly won’t be my last!
I have to admit I’m not quite sure if this is the start of a series or not as the police side of things is very low key. The whole story centres around the serial killer himself. I enjoyed that we get to see everything from his point of view and I think overall readers are going to take to him.
Getting to see a serial killer in his work and home life really humanised him for me. You can’t help but have some empathy for the guy. Just for being a taxi driver alone! The author nails the small talk and the constant stream of the same questions and has made me think twice about what I will talk about next time I get into one.
The papers give the killer the nick name of ‘Jock the Ripper’ which I found highly amusing. It’s always the little things but it bought a little bit of humour into what is otherwise a raw and gritty read.
Random is a dark and gripping read that I found myself flying through. As all the pieces started to come together, it certainly held some surprises and shocks in store and I thought it was very cleverly done. Look forward to reading more by the author.
I have to admit I’m not quite sure if this is the start of a series or not as the police side of things is very low key. The whole story centres around the serial killer himself. I enjoyed that we get to see everything from his point of view and I think overall readers are going to take to him.
Getting to see a serial killer in his work and home life really humanised him for me. You can’t help but have some empathy for the guy. Just for being a taxi driver alone! The author nails the small talk and the constant stream of the same questions and has made me think twice about what I will talk about next time I get into one.
The papers give the killer the nick name of ‘Jock the Ripper’ which I found highly amusing. It’s always the little things but it bought a little bit of humour into what is otherwise a raw and gritty read.
Random is a dark and gripping read that I found myself flying through. As all the pieces started to come together, it certainly held some surprises and shocks in store and I thought it was very cleverly done. Look forward to reading more by the author.
January 26, 2019
"Random" is the story of a serial killer like none I've read before. This is not some Hannibal Lecter evil-genius anti-hero, nor the all too common I-like-to-cause-women-pain serial killer, or even the Dexter "dark passenger" kind of killer.
This is a story of a disciplined man, following a plan with minimal emotional involvement. A plan that will get him an outcome that he greatly desires.
At least, that's how it starts.
Executing the plan costs our killer. It eats away at his humanity. It stresses him to the point where he struggles to keep control and starts to give way to paranoia and anger.
The whole story is told from the killer's point of view and we get to watch him fall apart.
"Random" delivers many of the things that attract people to serial killer books: tension and suspense, ingeniously managed kills, a strong sense of place, a high level of plausibility and a level of graphic violence that is convincing enough to be disturbing but never crosses the line into voyeuristic murder porn.
Yet the most interesting thing about the book is not who gets killed and how but the why of it all. The motivation behind the plan. The end game that you won't see coming. This is all brilliantly done through interior dialogue and memories. Memories are important in this novel. Our killer says:
"Memories are like landmines. You never know which one will blow up in your face".
Our killer is a fully developed character. Someone I could feel pity for. Someone who has lost himself. Someone doing things that he knows are unforgivable but which he makes himself do anyway.
Being inside this man's head is not a pleasant experience but it's not a trip to loony town either. It's unpleasant because any of us might find ourselves where he is.
The plot is clever and the pacing works. It's an astonishing debut by an author I want more of.
I picked up "Random" as part of my Thirty Firsts 2019 TBR Reading Challenge.The book is marketed as "Narey and Winter #1" so I expected it to be the first in a series of police detective stories, set in Glasgow, about two police detectives.
In reality, I spent all my time in the killer's head. Narey features throughout the book as a kind of remote threat of justice. Winter didn't make an appearance. I have no idea where book two will go.
It sounds to me like "Random" was a successful one-off novel that begged for an encore. Craig Roberstons writing is good enough to convince me to give the next book a try and find out where it goes.
This is a story of a disciplined man, following a plan with minimal emotional involvement. A plan that will get him an outcome that he greatly desires.
At least, that's how it starts.
Executing the plan costs our killer. It eats away at his humanity. It stresses him to the point where he struggles to keep control and starts to give way to paranoia and anger.
The whole story is told from the killer's point of view and we get to watch him fall apart.
"Random" delivers many of the things that attract people to serial killer books: tension and suspense, ingeniously managed kills, a strong sense of place, a high level of plausibility and a level of graphic violence that is convincing enough to be disturbing but never crosses the line into voyeuristic murder porn.
Yet the most interesting thing about the book is not who gets killed and how but the why of it all. The motivation behind the plan. The end game that you won't see coming. This is all brilliantly done through interior dialogue and memories. Memories are important in this novel. Our killer says:
"Memories are like landmines. You never know which one will blow up in your face".
Our killer is a fully developed character. Someone I could feel pity for. Someone who has lost himself. Someone doing things that he knows are unforgivable but which he makes himself do anyway.
Being inside this man's head is not a pleasant experience but it's not a trip to loony town either. It's unpleasant because any of us might find ourselves where he is.
The plot is clever and the pacing works. It's an astonishing debut by an author I want more of.
I picked up "Random" as part of my Thirty Firsts 2019 TBR Reading Challenge.The book is marketed as "Narey and Winter #1" so I expected it to be the first in a series of police detective stories, set in Glasgow, about two police detectives.
In reality, I spent all my time in the killer's head. Narey features throughout the book as a kind of remote threat of justice. Winter didn't make an appearance. I have no idea where book two will go.
It sounds to me like "Random" was a successful one-off novel that begged for an encore. Craig Roberstons writing is good enough to convince me to give the next book a try and find out where it goes.
June 19, 2012
Craig Robertson has had a twenty year career with the Glasgow Post. He has not only interviewed three different Prime Ministers, he has also attended some major news stories such as 9/11, Dunblane and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. This is his first novel and is entitled Random.
The cover of his book is pretty eye catching with its red cover and a picture of a figure in the shadows. The jacket information was even more interesting with a description of a Serial Killer operating in Glasgow. He has been nicknamed The Cutter by the media and the police are baffled by the killings. DS Rachel Narey is on the case and she cannot seem to find any connection between the victims. There seems to be no real motive or reason for the murders and there seems to be absolutely no links between the people.
When I opened the book the first thing that was strange was the fact that the book is written in the first person, and said first person is the killer himself. There was something slightly unsettling about that in the beginning for me. As the book progresses the story is stretched and we learn more not only about his mindset but the reasons behind the killings.
I don't particularly like spoilers but this book is very hard to describe without some risk of spoiling the plot. I will say however, that the more you read the more you will question "what would I do if that was me?" I found that over halfway in not only had the unsettling feeling I started with gone, I found myself seeing things through the eyes of somebody in his position.
Ultimately as the title and jacket information describe, the serial killings are made entirely at random. This is not only a disturbing thought, but one that is written with incredible skill. I was amazed at how I felt whilst reading it and felt myself becoming more and more absorbed by it. The story is set in Glasgow and the writing and speech of the Glaswegians is done superbly.
The pace of the book is also pretty good, I wouldn't say particularly fast but reasonably paced with more intent on seeing things from the `bad' side of the fence. This gave the story good momentum and more intent on the sheer genius of being inside a killers mind. I cannot say anything bad about this book; I thoroughly enjoyed it and eagerly await the next novel by Mr Robertson.
The cover of his book is pretty eye catching with its red cover and a picture of a figure in the shadows. The jacket information was even more interesting with a description of a Serial Killer operating in Glasgow. He has been nicknamed The Cutter by the media and the police are baffled by the killings. DS Rachel Narey is on the case and she cannot seem to find any connection between the victims. There seems to be no real motive or reason for the murders and there seems to be absolutely no links between the people.
When I opened the book the first thing that was strange was the fact that the book is written in the first person, and said first person is the killer himself. There was something slightly unsettling about that in the beginning for me. As the book progresses the story is stretched and we learn more not only about his mindset but the reasons behind the killings.
I don't particularly like spoilers but this book is very hard to describe without some risk of spoiling the plot. I will say however, that the more you read the more you will question "what would I do if that was me?" I found that over halfway in not only had the unsettling feeling I started with gone, I found myself seeing things through the eyes of somebody in his position.
Ultimately as the title and jacket information describe, the serial killings are made entirely at random. This is not only a disturbing thought, but one that is written with incredible skill. I was amazed at how I felt whilst reading it and felt myself becoming more and more absorbed by it. The story is set in Glasgow and the writing and speech of the Glaswegians is done superbly.
The pace of the book is also pretty good, I wouldn't say particularly fast but reasonably paced with more intent on seeing things from the `bad' side of the fence. This gave the story good momentum and more intent on the sheer genius of being inside a killers mind. I cannot say anything bad about this book; I thoroughly enjoyed it and eagerly await the next novel by Mr Robertson.
July 7, 2018
I found this book interesting. I didn't necessarily like it, but it was interesting to be in the mind of a serial killer for an entire book, to see his emotions and thought processes, to know why he was doing these things and what effect it had on him. The deaths were rather graphic, and I'm not entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing, but it was interesting to see how methodically the killer thought about them. There were a few parts of the book that I did not appreciate, including the sections about gangs, with overtly graphic torture scenes, the tiny bit about dog fighting and the random fat shaming. They felt right in the setting of the book and from the main character's perspective, but also, no, thanks.
July 2, 2013
Fabulously written,straight into the action from page 1,you almost think to yourself that you cant wait for the next murder,its that compelling a story.Utter genious.
May 7, 2015
Enjoyed this book,my first from this writer but it will not be my last.
November 1, 2015
This novel is told from the point of view of “The Cutter”. It’s the second novel this year that I’ve read where the novel is narrated from the point of view of the serial killer and it’s the second novel this year that I’ve loved that about it.
You’re thrown straight into his mind as the novel starts and it’s a dark and focused place.
The title of the novel comes from the fact that the way he murders his victims is always random, never the same way twice and Robertson is quite inventive when choosing modes of murder for his victims! I particularly liked his first one and was interested to find out during BritCrime at the weekend that it had been used as a real way to murder someone.
But don’t be fooled by the random but inventive deaths. This is no killer on a spree, this is a great story of a man unravelling. It also has a whole other twisted story wrapped around in it and at the end you are left in awe at how Robertson pulled all the threads together. Like I say; not just a spree killer novel.
Glasgow also plays a great role in Random. You can see and hear the sights and sounds of the city as our killer moves about within it.
Random was Robertson’s debut. I now can’t wait to read his other books. This is one I’d definitely recommend.
You’re thrown straight into his mind as the novel starts and it’s a dark and focused place.
The title of the novel comes from the fact that the way he murders his victims is always random, never the same way twice and Robertson is quite inventive when choosing modes of murder for his victims! I particularly liked his first one and was interested to find out during BritCrime at the weekend that it had been used as a real way to murder someone.
But don’t be fooled by the random but inventive deaths. This is no killer on a spree, this is a great story of a man unravelling. It also has a whole other twisted story wrapped around in it and at the end you are left in awe at how Robertson pulled all the threads together. Like I say; not just a spree killer novel.
Glasgow also plays a great role in Random. You can see and hear the sights and sounds of the city as our killer moves about within it.
Random was Robertson’s debut. I now can’t wait to read his other books. This is one I’d definitely recommend.
February 27, 2018
A powerful ending to a story which had me captivated the whole time I was reading. My only criticism is that I didn't enjoy the dialogue but found the rest of the writing style (minus a few editing errors) to be intriguing. Being able to relate to a serial killer is always an interesting plot point to enable you to empathise and reflect on your own moral stand points and what you would do in similar situations.
March 21, 2016
A serial killer is terrorising the streets of Glasgow leaving the police baffled, there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the killings.
This book is told from the killers perspective so from the outset you know who he is but not why. A dark and brutal tale of a man driven to the depths of despair.
Fantastic debut from Craig Robertson and I'm looking forward to reading more from him
This book is told from the killers perspective so from the outset you know who he is but not why. A dark and brutal tale of a man driven to the depths of despair.
Fantastic debut from Craig Robertson and I'm looking forward to reading more from him
April 17, 2019
3.5 stars
Because I'm a totally normal person I've read this series in the order of 5, then 6, and now 1. I figured they would stand alone fairly well if read out of sequence, and while I wasn't wrong, I wasn't quite expecting this...
Unlike books 5 and 6 of the Narey & Winter saga, this first entry isn't narrated by Narey, and doesn't even feature Winter.
Previous (future?) books have started with points of view of the killer, or at least a witness to the crime, so things started off as expected, but I kept waiting for a new chapter and DS Narey to come in... It took a while to accept that wasn't going to happen. She does turn up eventually, but very much as an intrusive figure in the narrator's world. There's enough context and time given to build her character up a little, and to set her apart from just another investigating police officer, but I doubt it would've been enough to make me expect her to be the focal point of the series that this book was to kick off. I can only assume this was never planned to be the first in a series when it was conceived.
Is it any worse off for it? No, I wouldn't say so. It's an interesting point of view, and the story is as inventive and dark as what I've come to expect from Robertson. I guess the only thing that's really missing is the "whodunnit" aspect, which is replaced to some extent by "Will he get away with it?"
Possibly the biggest accomplishment of this approach to telling the story was how it struck a balance of empathy and disgust for the main character. You are after all reading about a man indiscriminately killing off people at random - at surface level there's no reason at all why the reader should get behind that and root for him. As you read on though you learn about his justifications for doing it, and what he's trying to accomplish, and it's a pretty tragic back story, which although doesn't excuse his behaviour, does go some way to making you feel sympathy and contextualise his actions as those of a sane person with a very real goal, as opposed to a nutter on the loose.
There's quite a lot of scathing remarks about journalism and journalists, and I was trying to figure out if these were tongue-in-cheek in jokes, or genuine criticisms at an industry Robertson's fallen out of love with, given his background.
And once again this book reads like a love story to Glasgow - lots of detail and references, which I enjoy, and really breathes life into it. I'm not sure if I've ever read a book set somewhere I'm not familiar with that goes into so much detail - I wonder what affect it has on someone reading who isn't familiar with Glasgow.
Because I'm a totally normal person I've read this series in the order of 5, then 6, and now 1. I figured they would stand alone fairly well if read out of sequence, and while I wasn't wrong, I wasn't quite expecting this...
Unlike books 5 and 6 of the Narey & Winter saga, this first entry isn't narrated by Narey, and doesn't even feature Winter.
Previous (future?) books have started with points of view of the killer, or at least a witness to the crime, so things started off as expected, but I kept waiting for a new chapter and DS Narey to come in... It took a while to accept that wasn't going to happen. She does turn up eventually, but very much as an intrusive figure in the narrator's world. There's enough context and time given to build her character up a little, and to set her apart from just another investigating police officer, but I doubt it would've been enough to make me expect her to be the focal point of the series that this book was to kick off. I can only assume this was never planned to be the first in a series when it was conceived.
Is it any worse off for it? No, I wouldn't say so. It's an interesting point of view, and the story is as inventive and dark as what I've come to expect from Robertson. I guess the only thing that's really missing is the "whodunnit" aspect, which is replaced to some extent by "Will he get away with it?"
Possibly the biggest accomplishment of this approach to telling the story was how it struck a balance of empathy and disgust for the main character. You are after all reading about a man indiscriminately killing off people at random - at surface level there's no reason at all why the reader should get behind that and root for him. As you read on though you learn about his justifications for doing it, and what he's trying to accomplish, and it's a pretty tragic back story, which although doesn't excuse his behaviour, does go some way to making you feel sympathy and contextualise his actions as those of a sane person with a very real goal, as opposed to a nutter on the loose.
There's quite a lot of scathing remarks about journalism and journalists, and I was trying to figure out if these were tongue-in-cheek in jokes, or genuine criticisms at an industry Robertson's fallen out of love with, given his background.
And once again this book reads like a love story to Glasgow - lots of detail and references, which I enjoy, and really breathes life into it. I'm not sure if I've ever read a book set somewhere I'm not familiar with that goes into so much detail - I wonder what affect it has on someone reading who isn't familiar with Glasgow.
April 30, 2023
This is the first book in the Narey and Winter series but I’m not sure it was originally meant to be, as Detective Sergeant Rachel Narey barely appears and Winter isn’t there at all. It’s actually told entirely from the point of view of the killer. It has an ingeniously thought out plot which.unfolds slowly revealing a clever and twisted tale. I did feel a lot of sympathy for “The Cutter”, and despite knowing his deeds there was still a part of me that was routing for him. I loved the descriptions of Glasgow especially in the final chapter which was amazing, even although you know the outcome.
June 2, 2018
An intelligent and unusual thriller, written completely from the perspective of the killer. I understand that this is the first in a series. I'm curious to see how this series evolves. This is one of these thrillers that is not too graphic but leans more on a good story which kept me interested until the very end. It has a well thought out twist towards the end and the end of the story itself is believable. Highly recommended.
November 3, 2019
What a shit ending 💩🤣
I didn't like the way the book was regarding the short sentences throughout and it spoke in first person for the most of it .... And there was a few mistakes in spelling, I also clocked on to a mistake with one of the victims ...
The scenes with the murders were actually really good! And I loved the history it went in to with other serial killers and I loved how smart the killer was ......
But other than that .... Not that great!
3 stars!!
I didn't like the way the book was regarding the short sentences throughout and it spoke in first person for the most of it .... And there was a few mistakes in spelling, I also clocked on to a mistake with one of the victims ...
The scenes with the murders were actually really good! And I loved the history it went in to with other serial killers and I loved how smart the killer was ......
But other than that .... Not that great!
3 stars!!
June 21, 2018
Really enjoyed this one. Easy to get into with a good storyline, all from the killer's viewpoint. I felt quite sorry for him really. Looking forward to reading more from Craig Robertson
February 9, 2019
This was Graig's debut. I enjoyed it, though I have spoken to people who have said the first person narrative grated with them. The police are not as up front in other books but it was good to see through the eyes of a killer.
October 14, 2018
I've given up on this. It's too Scottish for me. Why would you make a book set in Glasgow only available for Scots to understand ? I got cheesed off having to keep looking words up like bunnets, two-tick fiddle or bams (which I still don't get in the context he wrote them, even after looking them up in online Scottish dictionaries). I reached a mention of a jaikie and packed it in at 19%.
Val McDermid doesn't do this and neither does Iain Banks. By writing in this fashion I think this author has narrowed his readership considerably and I am at a loss as to understand why he'd do this. He's also gone with American spellings to add insult to injury....realized, criticized or patronized.
Dog suddenly morphed into dug, though that may have been another Scottish version ? He talks about cab fares he's picked up including 'wee wifies with bags of messages' which meant nothing to me, either !!
Sorry, but I can't keep interrupting my reading to try and translate !!
Val McDermid doesn't do this and neither does Iain Banks. By writing in this fashion I think this author has narrowed his readership considerably and I am at a loss as to understand why he'd do this. He's also gone with American spellings to add insult to injury....realized, criticized or patronized.
Dog suddenly morphed into dug, though that may have been another Scottish version ? He talks about cab fares he's picked up including 'wee wifies with bags of messages' which meant nothing to me, either !!
Sorry, but I can't keep interrupting my reading to try and translate !!
July 11, 2015
Booktrail of the Glasgow locations - Random Booktrail
This side of Glasgow won’t be on any tourist trail or website but it shows the underbelly of a city terrorised by a serial killer who narrates the whole story….
The Cutter
The name leaves little doubt as to the MO of the serial killer stalking the streets of Glasgow. The police have no suspects or motives as the pattern and methods with each murder changes each time. Nothing and no one seems to link each case. Well, there is one thing – each victim has had their little finger of their right hand cut off.
DS Rachel Narey is the one tasked with investigating the murders, but the closer the police get, the more likely it is that his plans will unravel and spill completely out of control.
And that doesn’t bear thinking about
This side of Glasgow won’t be on any tourist map any time soon but then this is what makes it so captivating. Some places you only want to read about in books but its the most chilling view of the city we’ve ever seen.
The story narrated by the killer himself and Glasgow is shaking with fear. Who is stalking their streets and why? The killer gives many interesting view of his Glasgow when stalking his victims. Talking of Jonathon:
I’d followed him. To the Corinthian or from it. From his office to Tiger Tiger. From Glassford Street to the Clyde at Scotstoun.
Glasgow may not know but the reader does from the first few pages. This is the journey of the killer, through his eyes, in his city, on his patch. This man is hunted and with good reason but from both sides – the police and the underworld. And its not the later who he can expect to get the best treatment from.
Glasgow seems a much smaller city at night
The Glasgow underworld are depicted in full graphic detail. Violent and brutal but then the wry comedy emerges –
Nobody in Glasgow was scared of a bit of organised criminal bloodshed
Even the dialect gets in on the act – mirroring the hard faced, graphic, remote, grey and desolate nature of the city itself –
Every one deid is one less bampot on the streets
However, as is very true in Scotland, the moments of comedy can always be overheard in the back of a taxi.
With the main character as a serial killer who goes around Glasgow convinced that what he is doing is right and that it needs to be done, this is a crime novel with a difference. His life is a lonely one, full of regrets and he has this urgent matter to take care of, and that is what he is doing now. More importantly he wants others to know about what he is doing and why – the why being the most important of them all as he wants police and others to know that he’s not just doing this for kicks – no this means something.
How did he get like this and why? What will happen now? Where was the justice system when it was needed? Interesting arguments which I enjoyed getting to grips with.
And Glasgow just has to be the city of choice – its image, style, gallus nature mirrors that of the serial killer. Gallus is a great Scottish word meaning reckless, bold, fearless, cocky….and this is the setting of the novel and its crimes.
The underbelly of the city is vividly and graphically evoked. For me the challenge was to see who I was going to side with – the serial killer or the victims and there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.
This side of Glasgow won’t be on any tourist trail or website but it shows the underbelly of a city terrorised by a serial killer who narrates the whole story….
The Cutter
The name leaves little doubt as to the MO of the serial killer stalking the streets of Glasgow. The police have no suspects or motives as the pattern and methods with each murder changes each time. Nothing and no one seems to link each case. Well, there is one thing – each victim has had their little finger of their right hand cut off.
DS Rachel Narey is the one tasked with investigating the murders, but the closer the police get, the more likely it is that his plans will unravel and spill completely out of control.
And that doesn’t bear thinking about
This side of Glasgow won’t be on any tourist map any time soon but then this is what makes it so captivating. Some places you only want to read about in books but its the most chilling view of the city we’ve ever seen.
The story narrated by the killer himself and Glasgow is shaking with fear. Who is stalking their streets and why? The killer gives many interesting view of his Glasgow when stalking his victims. Talking of Jonathon:
I’d followed him. To the Corinthian or from it. From his office to Tiger Tiger. From Glassford Street to the Clyde at Scotstoun.
Glasgow may not know but the reader does from the first few pages. This is the journey of the killer, through his eyes, in his city, on his patch. This man is hunted and with good reason but from both sides – the police and the underworld. And its not the later who he can expect to get the best treatment from.
Glasgow seems a much smaller city at night
The Glasgow underworld are depicted in full graphic detail. Violent and brutal but then the wry comedy emerges –
Nobody in Glasgow was scared of a bit of organised criminal bloodshed
Even the dialect gets in on the act – mirroring the hard faced, graphic, remote, grey and desolate nature of the city itself –
Every one deid is one less bampot on the streets
However, as is very true in Scotland, the moments of comedy can always be overheard in the back of a taxi.
With the main character as a serial killer who goes around Glasgow convinced that what he is doing is right and that it needs to be done, this is a crime novel with a difference. His life is a lonely one, full of regrets and he has this urgent matter to take care of, and that is what he is doing now. More importantly he wants others to know about what he is doing and why – the why being the most important of them all as he wants police and others to know that he’s not just doing this for kicks – no this means something.
How did he get like this and why? What will happen now? Where was the justice system when it was needed? Interesting arguments which I enjoyed getting to grips with.
And Glasgow just has to be the city of choice – its image, style, gallus nature mirrors that of the serial killer. Gallus is a great Scottish word meaning reckless, bold, fearless, cocky….and this is the setting of the novel and its crimes.
The underbelly of the city is vividly and graphically evoked. For me the challenge was to see who I was going to side with – the serial killer or the victims and there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.
October 31, 2014
This is a tightly-woven thriller which escapes the usual humdrum feeling of Brit crime lit. At first it appears to be a fairly standard 'serial killer does bad stuff' with some ingenious methods for his murders. But then the plot opens out and the killer becomes a rather more sympathetic character, as he gets unwillingly involved in the Glaswegian underworld.
Initially I was a little concerned about the 'hoots mon' aspects of the text; I have found some books which contain big chunks of local dialect to be a bore or occasionally indecipherable. But that really wasn't the case with 'Random'; instead the author constructed an authentic-sounding narrative, sprinkled with the gallus grey, hard-faced nature of the city in all its bleakness. There are some thoroughly gripping sections -- like when the killer takes a real dislike to one of his intended victims, an unfortunate supermarket checkout woman. You can feel the bile in his throat with each bitter description as he becomes more and more angry with her -- and, we suspect, with himself...
The descriptions of low lives, drunkards, yuppie boozers in the wine bar and so on are very entertaining. There's a couple of very tense scenes where the protagonist's future hangs from a thread, and a very neat finale. We don't see very much of the Police investigators, or indeed any of the supporting characters: the novel is focused entirely on the killer himself. That means we have to endure the literary device of newspaper cuttings to fill in the blanks (not my favourite style, but it worked OK).
Overall this is a well-paced, intelligent and easy to read thriller. The concepts aren't very new, but it's delivered with panache and I enjoyed reading it. (With one proviso: the author keeps using the word 'that' when he should be using 'who' and I know it's a tiny whinge but it starts to irritate after a while).
I'll certainly look for Craig Robertson's next book on the strength of this one.
If you like this kind of gritty thriller then you may also enjoy A Last Act of Charity by Frank Westworth. I'm a tiny bit biased about it (reader: I married the author...) but figure that it'll appeal to readers with similarly weird interests...
7/10
Initially I was a little concerned about the 'hoots mon' aspects of the text; I have found some books which contain big chunks of local dialect to be a bore or occasionally indecipherable. But that really wasn't the case with 'Random'; instead the author constructed an authentic-sounding narrative, sprinkled with the gallus grey, hard-faced nature of the city in all its bleakness. There are some thoroughly gripping sections -- like when the killer takes a real dislike to one of his intended victims, an unfortunate supermarket checkout woman. You can feel the bile in his throat with each bitter description as he becomes more and more angry with her -- and, we suspect, with himself...
The descriptions of low lives, drunkards, yuppie boozers in the wine bar and so on are very entertaining. There's a couple of very tense scenes where the protagonist's future hangs from a thread, and a very neat finale. We don't see very much of the Police investigators, or indeed any of the supporting characters: the novel is focused entirely on the killer himself. That means we have to endure the literary device of newspaper cuttings to fill in the blanks (not my favourite style, but it worked OK).
Overall this is a well-paced, intelligent and easy to read thriller. The concepts aren't very new, but it's delivered with panache and I enjoyed reading it. (With one proviso: the author keeps using the word 'that' when he should be using 'who' and I know it's a tiny whinge but it starts to irritate after a while).
I'll certainly look for Craig Robertson's next book on the strength of this one.
If you like this kind of gritty thriller then you may also enjoy A Last Act of Charity by Frank Westworth. I'm a tiny bit biased about it (reader: I married the author...) but figure that it'll appeal to readers with similarly weird interests...
7/10
November 23, 2010
This novel is a whole thrilling insight into the obscure mind of a serial killer with no obvious acting pattern. The Cutter appears to be a dangerous psychopath, on the inside he is a smart and hurt man longing for revenge and destruction. Random involves a murderer plot which is interwoven with a kind of underworld plot. In my opinion the involved underworld plot slows the overall story down and blurs it unnecessarily.
The story is told from the murderer’s point of view that puts the reader into a moral conflict. Other novels are written in the POV of a detective, but Craig Robertson wants to show the other side, show the motives of a desperate murderer. Feel sorry for the culprit or the victims? A decision, not as easy as in most thrillers.
Most interesting about Random are the random tactics and techniques the murderer applies to choose his victims. The author presents a very profound theoretical and historical background to the plot. He provides us with an insight into biological and psychical processes of his victims. Several chapters consist of newspaper articles talking about the cruel murders of the Cutter. Form, style and content are authentically written in newspaper style so that the creation of an actual and authentic crime case is supported. Although the overall atmosphere is dark and depressing, the plot is lightened up by a few jokes and irony.
As a little advice: Some of the murders are brutal and many swear words are applied. Random deals with a dark and criminal milieu, so I don’t recommend reading this novel if you are rather squeamish.
I read this novel on train rides and I never got bored. Reading this novel in public, the most unsafe place you could be in Random, was a new experience, always wondering about murderers minds and the always present anxiety of being a possible victim to fate. I find it very shocking that the applied strategies to sort out a random victim really fascinated me and I thought about how they would work in real life, how dangerous someone applying those methods would be for public life and safety.
THE VERDICT
2/5 ** Random, murderer vs. Glasgow, randomness vs. logic and pleasure vs. fear. The next victim? Maybe you…
The first novel of a journalist with major media knowledge and a great sense for the exciting mind and moral gamesof a killer.
June 18, 2016
I picked this book up at my office book swap purely based on the premise that it's written and from the perspective of the serial killer. The only reason we know details of the police and how well they are doing in the quest to capture a criminal is by the newspaper & TV reports The Cutter sees himself. And I have to call him by his nickname because at no point do I think his real full name is revealed. I caught his surname somewhere but if the first name was said I missed it.
I enjoyed the premise I think it worked quite well. It does make it difficult to get any really feel for secondary characters which was basically everyone besides Cutter. Very much a loner, especially after the death of his daughter I don't think the character talks to anyone except the odd perfunctory chats with his distant wife and as little small talk as possible with passengers sitting in the back of his taxi cab.
The back of the cab serves to drive the plot forward as besides the newspapers this is where he learns how the case is proceeding, gossip about the victims and so on. The downside is that we are expected to believe that in the sections which involve Glasgow gangsters that they regularly take his cab without recognising him (to say more would spoil the plot) at key points later in the book and that they have such loose tongues. Cutter knows far too much about the inner workings of the gang leader and how he goes about his business. This is the one bit of the book I found hard to deal with. It's just not possible to get that level of information.
Going back to reasons for picking this book. The second reason was the nature of the crimes. Each one is chosen at random using different (random) ways to kill - picking from a phone book, the 50th person to walk past him, the last person to get off the bus. Each killing is different; some are obvious, some are designed like accidents. All are to confuse the police while the real masterplan is carried out. I loved the twist at the end - the big reveal of why he kills and what drove him to it. Again to reveal why gives away too many spoilers.
All in all I really enjoyed this book, it made a nice change from formulaic crime dramas with depressed cops. A change of pace must read
I enjoyed the premise I think it worked quite well. It does make it difficult to get any really feel for secondary characters which was basically everyone besides Cutter. Very much a loner, especially after the death of his daughter I don't think the character talks to anyone except the odd perfunctory chats with his distant wife and as little small talk as possible with passengers sitting in the back of his taxi cab.
The back of the cab serves to drive the plot forward as besides the newspapers this is where he learns how the case is proceeding, gossip about the victims and so on. The downside is that we are expected to believe that in the sections which involve Glasgow gangsters that they regularly take his cab without recognising him (to say more would spoil the plot) at key points later in the book and that they have such loose tongues. Cutter knows far too much about the inner workings of the gang leader and how he goes about his business. This is the one bit of the book I found hard to deal with. It's just not possible to get that level of information.
Going back to reasons for picking this book. The second reason was the nature of the crimes. Each one is chosen at random using different (random) ways to kill - picking from a phone book, the 50th person to walk past him, the last person to get off the bus. Each killing is different; some are obvious, some are designed like accidents. All are to confuse the police while the real masterplan is carried out. I loved the twist at the end - the big reveal of why he kills and what drove him to it. Again to reveal why gives away too many spoilers.
All in all I really enjoyed this book, it made a nice change from formulaic crime dramas with depressed cops. A change of pace must read
March 5, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the different tact it took in writing from the perspective of the killer. The plot was engaging, and it was another good example of crime writing set in Scotland, a genre I particularly enjoy.
Glasgow is being targeted by a serial killer, and one who seemingly selects his victims at random. Dubbed 'The Cutter', there is nothing to connect the growing number of victims, except that after each murder, the killer cuts off their pinky-fingers, sending it to the police, or even the local media. Spread out over months, it takes until the third victim for a real connection to be established.
This third murder also draws the attention of Glasgow's criminal underworld, putting the killer in a more precarious position. Interacting as a normal member of society, ferrying people around Glasgow in his job as a taxi driver, we come to appreciate his state of mind, and the loss and guilt he still feels after his daughter Sarah was killed by a drunk driver. The drunk driver in question, Wallace Ogilvie becomes victim #4, with this finally drawing the attention of the police to his door.
This interaction only excites him, especially given that he has developed a fascination towards lead detective, DS Rachel Narey. Although the interview is just a formality, Narey remains suspicious. As victims #5 and #6 are targeted and killed in unique and gruesome ways, the book reaches its climactic end when the killer frames local journalist Keith Imrie for the murders. After being enticed to snoop out evidence, Imrie is ambushed by criminal Alexander Kirkwood, who brutally murders him after his pawn, Thomas 'Spud' Tierney was murdered as victim #3.
The book ends when Narey approaches the killer once more, revealing her suspicions that he is behind the murders. The killer, who throughout remains nameless, eventually takes it upon himself to commit suicide, relishing the opportunity to be reunited with his daughter, as he steps off from the top of the Cineworld complex in Glasgow's city centre.
Glasgow is being targeted by a serial killer, and one who seemingly selects his victims at random. Dubbed 'The Cutter', there is nothing to connect the growing number of victims, except that after each murder, the killer cuts off their pinky-fingers, sending it to the police, or even the local media. Spread out over months, it takes until the third victim for a real connection to be established.
This third murder also draws the attention of Glasgow's criminal underworld, putting the killer in a more precarious position. Interacting as a normal member of society, ferrying people around Glasgow in his job as a taxi driver, we come to appreciate his state of mind, and the loss and guilt he still feels after his daughter Sarah was killed by a drunk driver. The drunk driver in question, Wallace Ogilvie becomes victim #4, with this finally drawing the attention of the police to his door.
This interaction only excites him, especially given that he has developed a fascination towards lead detective, DS Rachel Narey. Although the interview is just a formality, Narey remains suspicious. As victims #5 and #6 are targeted and killed in unique and gruesome ways, the book reaches its climactic end when the killer frames local journalist Keith Imrie for the murders. After being enticed to snoop out evidence, Imrie is ambushed by criminal Alexander Kirkwood, who brutally murders him after his pawn, Thomas 'Spud' Tierney was murdered as victim #3.
The book ends when Narey approaches the killer once more, revealing her suspicions that he is behind the murders. The killer, who throughout remains nameless, eventually takes it upon himself to commit suicide, relishing the opportunity to be reunited with his daughter, as he steps off from the top of the Cineworld complex in Glasgow's city centre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2018
I’m going to be honest here, I had heard incredible things about one of Craig’s books Murderabilia and went to download it, but saw it was number 6 in a series and if you follow my reviews you will know I don’t like reading books out of order and the idea of having to read 5 books just to get to Murderabilia when I currently have over 400 books on my kindle wasn’t overly appealing.
This week all 6 books in this series have been reduced to 99p, so I popped back onto Amazon to see if I should buy them all or not and guess what I saw…? A 1 star review which actually made up my mind and I downloaded it instantly. The idea that a book was too violent and written in the first person by the serial killer actually got me rather excited and I started reading Random as soon as it landed on my kindle.
So, my thoughts on Random…. I loved this book, the pace, the narrator, the gore, the murders, the subtle humour and most of all the story-line. This is the first book in a series featuring DS Rachel Narey, however I think we need to reword “featuring” to “cameo appearance” as Random is told entirely from the point of view of The Cutter or Jock the Ripper a serial killer who is targeting random people in Glasgow and killing them in the most gory and twisted ways imagined, then cutting off their little finger and sending it to the police.
This is not a police procedural book as other than reading the occasional police statements we have no interaction from DS Narey, so be warned – whilst this is a crime book, it’s written from the perspective of the killer. I personally thought the story was gripping and entertaining (yes I do love a gory death on the pages), I felt sympathy towards our serial killer (you will too eventually) and have downloaded the other 6 books immediately as it would be rude not to at 99p each!
This week all 6 books in this series have been reduced to 99p, so I popped back onto Amazon to see if I should buy them all or not and guess what I saw…? A 1 star review which actually made up my mind and I downloaded it instantly. The idea that a book was too violent and written in the first person by the serial killer actually got me rather excited and I started reading Random as soon as it landed on my kindle.
So, my thoughts on Random…. I loved this book, the pace, the narrator, the gore, the murders, the subtle humour and most of all the story-line. This is the first book in a series featuring DS Rachel Narey, however I think we need to reword “featuring” to “cameo appearance” as Random is told entirely from the point of view of The Cutter or Jock the Ripper a serial killer who is targeting random people in Glasgow and killing them in the most gory and twisted ways imagined, then cutting off their little finger and sending it to the police.
This is not a police procedural book as other than reading the occasional police statements we have no interaction from DS Narey, so be warned – whilst this is a crime book, it’s written from the perspective of the killer. I personally thought the story was gripping and entertaining (yes I do love a gory death on the pages), I felt sympathy towards our serial killer (you will too eventually) and have downloaded the other 6 books immediately as it would be rude not to at 99p each!
April 4, 2010
From the moment I started reading this book I could not put it down, My husband managed to persuade me to put it down long enought to have dinner (I continued to read as dinner was cooking). This is a very cleverly written book. You are pulled in to the mind of the killer very quickly and your are hard put not to feel some sympathy and understanding for him. There is a pretty clever twist towards the end. I liked the fact that you found out 'why' quite early on (if you didn't, I don't think it would have flowed as smoothly as it did) it became less of a thriller to some extent and more of a journey into the downward spiral of the killer's mind and what a journey it was (but there is still a really good twist later in the book). I cannot wait for his next book Snapshot to be published. Craig RobertsonRandom
January 5, 2018
This book was gifted to me a few years ago, during a time I was heavily interested in crime fiction and psychology.
I flew through the book, which is always a good sign, and this was helped by the way it was written and the direction of the plot. The author invites you into the mind of a Glaswegian serial killer and successfully leaves the reader immersed and rooting for the bad guy. Although little stands out in my mind about it now (except the ending), it was a fun and intriguing read, perfect to dive into to disconnect from daily woes.
However, I can only really say this is an average book. Definitely enjoyable, a solid story, but I can't foresee that I would ever have the inclination to read it again. It is the type of book you would likely pick up from WHSmith just before your flight to Lanzarote and probably read most of it before you had landed.
Good book, but for me, not enough depth or individuality to be truly memorable.
3/5
I flew through the book, which is always a good sign, and this was helped by the way it was written and the direction of the plot. The author invites you into the mind of a Glaswegian serial killer and successfully leaves the reader immersed and rooting for the bad guy. Although little stands out in my mind about it now (except the ending), it was a fun and intriguing read, perfect to dive into to disconnect from daily woes.
However, I can only really say this is an average book. Definitely enjoyable, a solid story, but I can't foresee that I would ever have the inclination to read it again. It is the type of book you would likely pick up from WHSmith just before your flight to Lanzarote and probably read most of it before you had landed.
Good book, but for me, not enough depth or individuality to be truly memorable.
3/5
September 10, 2011
It was a good story but the writing style left a lot to be desired, it seemed to be much a little boy bragging about the violence of his city of Glasgow and deriving pride from this. The killings are not as random as the blurb of the book purports and perhaps if there had not been this connection in regards to them, it could have more ably taken the name 'Random'. I felt much of the time in terms of the newspaper articles throughout the book that the author was and always will be first and foremost a journalist and rely on that - i also felt that in reading those articles i was rereading the same things over and over again making it a 50 page book of original material and 300 of repetition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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