The Less Dead

I’ve been a huge fan of Denise Mina’s Glasgow crime novels. She has no rival for deep dives into the urban underbelly, for generating fully-earned sympathy for the downtrodden. Her latest foray takes us into the half-lit Hades of street prostitutes, social castoffs trapped in sex work by poverty and addiction, destined, in too many cases, to be left for dead by a violent client. One such victim is 19-year-old Susan Brodie, deceased for many years, now discovered to have been the birth mother of Margo Dunlop, a young doctor whose adoptive parent has just died and who wants to know the truth about her own origins. For much of the book, unraveling Susan’s problematic personality, dangerous calling and the circumstances of her death is gripping stuff. Mina’s usual motley cast of supporting characters – a slick true-crime journalist, a retired psychic – is as sharply etched as ever and her orchestration of dread is masterful. But about three-quarters of the way, Mina goes off the rails. An undeveloped sub-plot turns extraneously violent. The ex-psychic delivers a sententious homily on the plight of fallen women and the eternal viciousness of . . . men. The conclusion of Margo’s search comes too quickly and unconvincingly. “The Less Dead” has become a case study more appropriate to Margo’s medical education than to the complex journey of self-discovery it promised to be.

This is first-rate Denise Mina. It seemed a return to the strong, gritty women of the Garnet Hill trilogy. Richly detailed with great characters and marvelous plot. Mina’s compassion, humanity, and humor shine through it all. Like Georges Simenon, she embodies her genre and also transcends it. Great book for anybody to read.

When the narrative begins, we learn that Dr Margo Dunlops adoptive mother has died. In cleaning her mothers belongings, she discovers a series of letters sent to her but concealed from her birth mothers sister. This discovery prompts Margo to seek out her birth aunt and learn about her birth family.She learns that her birth mother was a sex worker who was murdered and that her aunt believes that the killer is still at large. Moreover, her aunt has been receiving threatening letters over the years.Soon after the reunion, Margo receives threatening letters as well.
This framework provides the impetus for Margo to become involved in a search for the killer, while delving deeper into her birth familys past.She develops a relationship with her aunt Nikki and haltingly they bond and inch towards the truth.
The resolution of this search is somewhat unexpected. However, for me, the strength of the book lies not in the mystery but in the delineation of the characters and the bonds they form across their divergent societal positions. Heartily recommend.

A prostitute is murdered on the Drag, a seedy backwater in Glasgow. Her birth-daughter is unwittingly dragged into the quest for her killer. She is a doctor (GP) and not very interesting nor smart. Characters in general lack depth with the exception of Nikki & Lizzie. They are colorful and well-drawn. Otherwise this mystery is a yawn.

Mina’s The Long Drop had a richness of period and local scenes that this lacks.

I love Denise Mina’s books, I’ve read them all and each one is full of different gifts and surprises. This in my opinion is one of her best works. It’s a belting thriller for sure, full of tension, but so emotionally moving. These characters are extraordinary and I can’t say I enjoyed reading about their tragic lives. But I’m really glad I did. This book will stay with me forever. Truly one of the best books of the year.

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