Alex Morrow Series by Denise Mina

Armed men invade a family home, shouting for a man nobody's heard of. As DS Morrow tries to uncover one family's secrets, she must protect her own.

When a notorious millionaire banker hangs himself, his death attracts no sympathy. But the legacy of a lifetime of selfishness is widespread, and the carnage most acute among those he ought to be protecting: his family. Meanwhile, in a wealthy suburb of Glasgow, a young woman is found savagely murdered. The community is stunned by what appears to be a vicious, random attack... moreWhen a notorious millionaire banker hangs himself, his death attracts no sympathy. But the legacy of a lifetime of selfishness is widespread, and the carnage most acute among those he ought to be protecting: his family. Meanwhile, in a wealthy suburb of Glasgow, a young woman is found savagely murdered. The community is stunned by what appears to be a vicious, random attack. When Detective Inspector Alex Morrow, heavily pregnant with twins, is called in to investigate, she soon discovers that a tangled web of lies lurks behind the murder. It's a web that will spiral through Alex's own home, the local community, and ultimately right back to a swinging rope, hundreds of miles away. The End of the Wasp Season is an accomplished, compelling and multi-layered novel about family's power of damage-and redemption. less

It's the week before Christmas when a lone robber bursts into a busy Glasgow post office carrying an AK-47. An elderly man suddenly hands his young grandson to a stranger and wordlessly helps the gunman fill bags with cash, then carries them to the door. He opens the door and bows his head; the robber fires off the AK-47, tearing the grandfather in two.DS Alex Morrow arrives on the scene and finds that the alarm system had been disabled before the robbery... moreIt's the week before Christmas when a lone robber bursts into a busy Glasgow post office carrying an AK-47. An elderly man suddenly hands his young grandson to a stranger and wordlessly helps the gunman fill bags with cash, then carries them to the door. He opens the door and bows his head; the robber fires off the AK-47, tearing the grandfather in two.DS Alex Morrow arrives on the scene and finds that the alarm system had been disabled before the robbery. Yet upon investigation, none of the employees can be linked to the gunman. And the grandfather-a life-long campaigner for social justice-is above reproach. As Morrow searches for the killer, she discovers a hidden, sinister political network. Soon it is chillingly clear: no corner of the city is safe, and her involvement will go deeper than she could ever have imagined. less

August 31, 1997. Rose Wilson is fourteen but looks sixteen. Pimped out by her “boyfriend” and let down by a person she thought she loved, she has seen more darkness in life than someone twice her age. On the night of Princess Diana’s death—a night everyone will remember—Rose snaps and commits two terrible crimes. Her life seems effectively over. But then a sympathetic defence lawyer sets out to do what he can to save her, regardless of the consequences.Now... moreAugust 31, 1997. Rose Wilson is fourteen but looks sixteen. Pimped out by her “boyfriend” and let down by a person she thought she loved, she has seen more darkness in life than someone twice her age. On the night of Princess Diana’s death—a night everyone will remember—Rose snaps and commits two terrible crimes. Her life seems effectively over. But then a sympathetic defence lawyer sets out to do what he can to save her, regardless of the consequences.Now.Detective Inspector Alex Morrow is a witness in the case of Michael Brown, a vicious arms dealer, more brutal and damaged than most of the criminals she meets. During the trial, while he is in police custody, Brown’s fingerprints are found at the scene of a murder in the Red Road flats. It is impossible that he could have been there, and it’s a mystery that Morrow just can’t let go.Praise for The Red Road“Denise Mina grows in assurance and becomes more accomplished with every book; and this one is a cracker, beautifully worked-out, every scene serving a purpose.... This is that rare thing, a crime novel that invites, and benefits from, a second reading.” —Scotsman“Brilliantly plotted…. The Red Road is a “tartan noir” police procedural to rival Ian Rankin's best work.”—Irish Times“A brilliant, morally complex look at child abuse, police cover-up and corruption. Uncompromising and written with real psychological depth.” —The Big Issue“Mina is a dab hand at constructing complex reads in which corruption permeates all levels of society and no one is left untainted, and The Red Road is no exception: unsentimental, unsettling, and very, very good.” —The Guardian“This hugely engrossing tale of murder, corruption and lies in Glasgow manages to successfully tackle the political as well as the personal and might be Mina's finest novel.” —Metro“One of [Mina’s] best, which is saying a good deal…. Powerful and compassionate…. Entirely convincing.” —The Spectator“Ingenious and convincing... Her [Mina’s] pawky sense of humour ensures that The Red Road, instead of being depressing, is both appalling and amusing.” —Evening Standard“Along with being one of the finest practitioners of the criminal art, she [Mina] is also a social commentator of perception and humanity, as the new novel reminds us.... Disparate elements are brought together with authority, intricately drawing us into a narrative that engages with a variety of issues, all equally provocative.” —Independent“Old sins cast long shadows in this thriller that proves Mina deserving of the praise being heaped upon her.” —Bella“All Denise Mina’s books combine good reading with interesting sociological insights.... Mina has a social worker's understanding of life at the bottom of society and a fine writer’s ability to bring her characters to life.” —Literary Review“Mina’s crime novels are doing for Glasgow what Rebus did for Edinburgh: these fine mysteries also dig into the life of a city.” —Mail on Sunday less

Salt water lifts blood. Only salt water.Loch Lomond is a mile deep but the woman’s body surfaced anyway.Found bludgeoned and dumped in the water, she now haunts Iain Fraser, the man who put her there. She trusted him and now that misplaced trust is gnawing through Iain’s chest. He thinks it will kill him.Nearby Helensburgh is an idyllic Victorian town. One-time home to a quarter of all the millionaires in Britain, it is quaint, sleepy and chocolate-box pretty... moreSalt water lifts blood. Only salt water.Loch Lomond is a mile deep but the woman’s body surfaced anyway.Found bludgeoned and dumped in the water, she now haunts Iain Fraser, the man who put her there. She trusted him and now that misplaced trust is gnawing through Iain’s chest. He thinks it will kill him.Nearby Helensburgh is an idyllic Victorian town. One-time home to a quarter of all the millionaires in Britain, it is quaint, sleepy and chocolate-box pretty. But the real town is shot through with deception, lies and vested interests.As tensions rise and the police seek a killer, the conflicts that lurk beneath Helensburgh’s calm waters threaten to explode.All Iain Fraser has to do is keep on lying. less