Adrift in the Cemetery
A story about surviving among the dead.
Davie Perdue was a cop. Now he is homeless, by choice, living in limbo in one of the largest cemeteries in Europe. He’s not a missing person, because nobody is looking for him in the London that he’s left or in his Scottish home town where he’s hiding.
When someone goes into the cemetery alive and comes out dead, Davie becomes a person of interest.
The cemetery used to be a place where families got lost looking for grandad’s grave. Now it’s a quiet place for drug deals and murders.
Davie was a cop for long enough to know what’s right and what’s wrong. But Davie and the real cops are not the only people patrolling, trying to prevent crime.
When life and death in the cemetery get confused, Davie Perdue is forced to decide whether to step back into the light or keep his life on hold.
What people are saying…
I really enjoyed this book! I read it in 3 sittings. First of all, it's a good story that keeps us engaged from the unexpected start to the unexpected end. Secondly, it's told very well, with excellent pacing, enhanced by its non-linear narrative and by its frequent hooks that set up small mysteries and make us read on to the next chapter/section avidly. Thirdly, though, and most important, is the range of amazing characters that we meet along the way. These include standard types of people (if there are such things), beautifully observed and described; they also include more unusual characters, described with colour and sympathy. This parade of characters, that intertwine with each other and with the narrative, occasionally seemed random, but eventually they all proved to have a crucial role in the story. Not only, therefore, is this a satisfying tale with an equally satisfying conclusion, it is a window that reveals humanity expertly. This has been a feature of this author's previous novels, and he has surpassed himself here. Similarly, the narrative is peppered with many quirky facts and historical nuggets, presented wittily to punctuate the story, and adding to our entertainment.
Greenock Cemetery is the main setting for the story, which suggests a Gothic type of tale. That, however, is misleading, and the Cemetery mainly serves as a vivid backdrop as many of the events unfold or are recounted. We are also taken to Glasgow, London and elsewhere in Greenock. Although superficially seen as a murder mystery, the main story focuses on one central character, whose psychological history drives his current life, with side stories describing the lives of more minor characters. Fortunately, though, the murder mystery reaches a full conclusion, and the characters that remain are left to get on with their lives. Thanks to our understanding of them by this stage, we can imagine these lives clearly.
An excellent read!
- 5 star review on Goodreads
A book full of vivid, colourful character descriptions, intertwined with the best of West of Scotland humour and insight. A mystery with and unusual ending. Kept me smiling from start to finish. Loved it.
- 5 star review on Goodreads
Great book! Definitely give this a read! You won't regret it! I've really enjoyed trying all these new authors!
- 5 star review on Goodreads
Whilst this book may not win any formal commendations from the Scottish Tourist Board it will both endorse and recruit empathy for the tartan tradition of humour, self deprecation, vivid character definition and subliminal pride penned from the recalled and vicarious influences of one of Scotland's finest !
- 5 star review on Amazon
I really enjoyed this novel... the characters are all explained in such a way that you feel you know them. The descriptions of Greenock Cemetery brought it to life, and there were plenty of twists in the plot. Highly recommended.
- 5 star review on Amazon