Cross Purpose by Claire MacLeary. February 2017. Contraband. 360pp Paperback £8.99. ISBN 978-19101-9264-1
Another fantastic new voice in the Scottish noir scene. Maggie and Wilma, the two main characters in this book, are driven to survive against the odds and in so doing carve themselves a niche in the murky world of private detecting - an arena dominated by men.
The story is set in Aberdeen and begins with death. A natural, albeit untimely, death that leaves a woman without her husband and children without a father. The man who died is an honest man who left the police force in dishonourable circumstances, which leaves his family without financial support. Desperately in need of an income that is greater than her current part-time support teacher's salary, Maggie reluctantly decides to take over her husbands business. Her neighbour Wilma, a loud, uncultured, overweight woman, who contrasts Maggie in every way, becomes an unexpected ally and together they drag the detective business back onto its feet. Clients slowly take them on and the money starts to come in. It looks as if they will do very well. Behind everything, though, is Maggie's desire to clear her husband's name with the police. She digs around and finds out things that land her in hot water but keeps on, determined to reach her goal.
At the same time there is another death. This one is not so clear cut and results in the body of a young woman being found, partially clothed and violated, in a graveyard. Despite being warned off, Maggie accidentally ends up on the trail of the murderer, as it ties in with her own surveillance of the area. You, the reader, are taken on a rough ride, over the waste ground in that part of Aberdeen, as you get sucked into the case and want Maggie to get the closure she deserves before the police catch up with her.
An excellent novel of strength and survival in the face of adversity. It would have been so easy for Maggie to give up but she doesn't. It is also the story of unlikely friendship. Two women who are the polar opposites of each other overcome their prejudices and discover they are not so different after all. Contraband, now not such an unknown Scottish publisher, goes from strength to strength and the books it publishes are always first rate!
Many thanks to Contraband for sending me the review copy of this book. Highly recommended.
March 2017.
