Whisky From Small Glasses by D.A. MeyrickMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Whisky From Small Glasses slightly disappointed me. D.A.Meyrick clearly is a talented writer, and this is a decent story, but I felt this book dragged slightly for me as it sagged in the middle. Set in a town on Scotland's west coast which seemed based on the Kintyre area, Meyrick's central character DI Jim Daley has to solve a series of murders which end up involving him more personally.
I wanted to know more of Jim Daley, who is supposed to have a "volcanic temper" and has even been to anger management classes, yet has risen to quite senior levels in the police force; and his temper isn't really an issue in this novel either. Then there's Daley's wife - her releationship with him is unconvincing, and an important character in that relationship simply disappears in he plot, as if forgotten. I felt there was enough for two novels here, and it might have been better as two much shorter ones.
This book is published by Ringwood, and as with at least one other Ringwood novel I've read recently, it suffers a little from a lack of tight editing. There are one or two Ringwood-style curious layout issues, although after a while the reader forgets about them.
All the same, the novel is a decent read. The central plot is a good one, and the author's genuine understanding of the locality means he can visually picture, even feel, the scenery really well. It might well be that I read this book when I wasn't in the right mood for it. I'd certainly consider reading another Jim Daley novel.
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