Open Wounds ~ Review~

Synopsis: 

NOMINATED FOR THE MCILVANNY PRIZE SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016

Davie McCall is tired. Tired of violence, tired of the Life. He’s always managed to stay detached from the brutal nature of his line of work, but recently he has caught himself enjoying it.

In the final instalment in the Davie McCall series old friends clash and long buried secrets are unearthed as McCall investigates a brutal five-year-old crime.

Davie wants out, but the underbelly of Glasgow is all he has ever known. Will what he learns about his old ally Big Rab McClymont be enough to get him out of the Life? And could the mysterious woman who just moved in upstairs be just what he needs?

My Rating: 5/5

My Review:

I received a copy of this book via Luath Press/ Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Before I even start my review, I have to give a HUGE thanks to my #Twinnie, Sharon of Chapter In My Life who encouraged me to bump this author’s books up my TBR…definitely one of my better decisions! Woohoo!

Right…so now my thoughts!  I am not sure if I can even express how much I adore #DavieMcCall and this series!  Set in Glasgow the themes of redemption; change; haunting memories; betrayal; loyalty are just a few threads that run seamlessly throughout the plot of Open Wounds.  The title itself is aptly chosen and once you read the book ( as you MUST read this book!) you will see exactly what I mean.

The opening chapter had me hooked from the start and I was absolutely thrilled to be reading about Davie McCall again.  I found myself thrown into the pages and learning more about #TheLife that Davie was now so desperate to escape from.  It was a great story-line, perfectly paced and superbly gripping.

Being a real character addict, I really enjoyed the mix of good and bad in Open Wounds.  Needless to say, Davie McCall stole the show with his haunted darkness and desire to move away from #TheLife which has kept hold of him for so long.  I adore his “gangster with morals” attitude and the inner turmoil he fights on a daily basis.  Davie keeps people at arms length as his past reminds him not to let people get too close.  There is just something about this guy that makes me *swoon* …..

A few of the other characters that grabbed me were Jimsie: loved the banter between him and McCall.  Jimsie is a loose cannon and one that raised a red flag for me early on. Donna is a new girl on the block and without giving away any spoilers, I really felt for McCall when the moment of truth arrived – talk about a HUGE punch in the gut! Women are definitely McCall’s “achilles heel”!!  This book saw me equally drawn to Frank Donovan.  There was a gumshoe detective feel to his character and the more I learned about him, the more I liked him. But Rab…*shakes heads* – WTF is going on with this guy!  He is McCall’s oldest friend but tragedy from Book 3 seems to have really messed up his mind –rightly or wrongly, he is one to keep and eye on!

I love that there were story-lines from the other books in the series dropped into the pages so that this could easily be read as a stand-alone….though once you read it, you may want to go back and read the whole series!  I still have Book 1 and 2 to read and I am eager to do so as soon as my TBR becomes a little less…crazy!  #MyBad

As the book went on I had 4⭐️’s firmly planted in my head – it was a great read and I was enjoying it immensely. But then OMFG!!! Douglas Skelton cranked it up a notch moving this to a kickass 5⭐️ all the way! There was tension, twists and OMG moments that had my emotions going absolutely haywire!  It all happened so fast I was left in shock! And then the ending…OMFG ….WOW WOW WOW!  Is it really the end for Davie?  I hope not, as this was a series I absolutely fell for head over friggin heels!

So if you are looking for some #TartanNoir, a gripping series full of Glasgow grit, suspense, action and edge of the seat twists – I highly recommend this book and the whole series!  Click the link below to introduce yourself to Davie McCall and be prepared to pulled into #TheLife …

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