Bred in the Bone by Christopher Brookmyre

First published in Great Britain in 2013; published by Atlantic Monthly Press on May 6, 2014

When one of Glasgow's most notorious crime figures is gunned down in a car wash, DS Catherine McLeod is anxious to pin the crime on Glen Fallon, toward whom the evidence convincingly points. As readers of the series know, Catherine hates Fallon. Series readers also know that Fallon, apparently seeking absolution for killing Jasmine Sharp's father, has devoted his recent life to looking after Jasmine, who is now a private investigator in Glasgow and no great fan of Catherine.

The first quarter of Bred in the Bone sets up the novel's premise and reminds readers of (or acquaints new readers with) the complicated relationships among the characters. Much of the next quarter develops Fallon's backstory. Fallon is a killer, a loner, and a survivor, the abused son of a crooked cop, but there is a fundamental decency to him that makes him a compelling character (and easier to stomach than self-righteous Catherine). The novel works its way through the various grudges that people hold against Fallon and that Fallon might have reason to hold against others. It eventually develops Fallon's relationship with the gangster who was murdered in the carwash. At the same time, Jasmine delves more deeply into her own family history, much of which was hidden from her while her mother was alive.

The story eventually turns back to the parallel investigations that Jasmine and Catherine have undertaken into the carwash murder. The plot is complex -- you might need to take notes to keep track of the relationships between the various characters -- but it is entirely believable and all the threads come together without a missed stitch. The animosity between Catherine and Jasmine adds an additional undercurrent of drama to the story, as does Catherine's frustration that her superiors (as was true in earlier novels) are more interested in making deals with killers than arresting them. Catherine and Jasmine must both deal with uncomfortable truths about their fathers that add another layer of depth to the story. Toward the end of the novel, Catherine flashes back to a time when she behaved in a surprising, life-changing, and much more interesting way than she has at any other point in the series. The key scene is just a bit over the top but kudos to Christopher Brookmyre for keeping Catherine's character fresh.

In fact, all the characters are given a makeover in Bred in the Bone. The primary characters undergo dramatic changes during the course of the novel, as does the reader's understanding of the characters. The plot has plenty of twists but the story's strength lies in the evolution of its characters. The ending brings to a close a story arc that began in the first novel while charting a new direction for future books.

Brookmyre laces the story with welcome touches of humor but he also introduces relationship drama among secondary characters that lengthens the novel without adding much to it. Some parts of the story are told out of sequence, causing unnecessary confusion to no obvious purpose. Those are quibbles about a book that consistently surprised me, absorbed me, moved me, and made me think. It is the best entry to date in this strong series.

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