A stylish, atmospheric detective story with shades of the Gothic - from the author of the award-winning cult classic The Cutting Room.
'I doubt I'll read a better book this year. Dark, funny and humane, Louise Welsh tells the stories that nobody else dares.' - Val McDermid
Auctioneer Rilke has been trying to stay out of trouble, keeping his life more or less respectable. Business has been slow at Bowery Auctions, so when an old friend, Jojo, gives Rilke a tip-off for a house clearance, life seems to be looking up. The next day Jojo washes up dead.
Jojo liked Grindr hook-ups and recreational drugs - is that the reason the police won't investigate? And if Rilke doesn't find out what happened to Jojo, who will?
Thrilling and atmospheric, The Second Cut delves into the dark side of twenty-first century Glasgow. Twenty years on from his appearance in The Cutting Room, Rilke is still walking a moral tightrope between good and bad, saint and sinner.
'Scottish crime writing at its best' - Sara Sheridan
About the Author
Louise Welsh is an award-winning author of eight novels. The Cutting Room, her debut novel, won the Crime Writers' Association John Creasey Dagger and the Saltire First Book of The Year Award. In 2018, she was awarded the Most Inspiring Saltire First Book Award winner by public vote. She is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow.
Industry Reviews
'I doubt I'll read a better book this year. Dark, funny and humane, Louise Welsh tells the stories that nobody else dares'
Val McDermid
'If writing a sequel to a bona fide Scottish classic weighed heavily on Louise Welsh you'd never know. The Second Cut grips from the very opening pages. The Glasgow it portrays is seamy but humane, its cast of characters flawed but endearing. The whole thing is compelling, immersive and brimming with life. A great achievement'
Graeme Macrae Burnet
'Plunges the reader straight into Glasgow's underbelly. This is hard-boiled Scottish crime writing at its best'
Sara Sheridan
'One of the most enjoyable mysteries I've read this year, The Second Cut had me from the word go. Rilke's world feels rife with possibilities for dark doings - and Welsh's writing is fresh, funny, fearless and fun'
Joseph Knox
'This return to the world of Rilke is a masterclass in engaging storytelling. Emotionally complex, and full of dark wit and deviant energy, this is a wonderful examination of the state of our culture today'
Doug Johnstone
