The Red Road

A Novel

By: Denise Mina

Narrated by: Cathleen McCarron

Alex Morrow faces her toughest opponents yet in this brilliant thriller about criminals, consequences, and convictions.

Police detective Alex Morrow has met plenty of unsavory characters in her line of work, but arms dealer Michael Brown ranks among the most brutal and damaged of the criminals she's known. Morrow is serving as a witness in Brown's trial, where the case hinges on his fingerprints found on the guns he sells.

When the investigation leads to a privileged Scottish lawyer who's expecting to be assassinated after a money laundering scheme goes bad, and a woman who's spying on the people who put her in jail, Morrow has her hands full. And that's before she even gets to her family issues.

The Red Road is a thrilling new novel from a masterful writer, proving once again that "If you don't love Denise Mina, you don't love crime fiction." (Val McDermid)

Critic reviews

"If anyone can make you root for the murderer, it's Denise Mina, whose defiantly unsentimental novels are less concerned with personal guilt than with the social evils that create criminals and the predators who nurture them. . . [The Red Road is] as fierce a story as any Mina has written."—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

"Edgar-finalist Mina's fourth novel featuring Glasgow Det. Insp. Alex Morrow (after 2013's Gods and Beasts) is perhaps her finest yet, a brilliantly crafted tale of corruption, ruined lives, and the far-reaching ripple effects of crime."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Ms. Mina's narrative is full of suspense, fresh dialogue and sharp glimpses of all sorts of characters. Most interesting of all to watch is Morrow herself."—Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

The plot is as compelling as it is intricate. Denise Mina grows in assurance and becomes more accomplished with every book; and this one is a cracker, beautifully worked-out, every scene serving a purpose. It demands concentration from the reader, but the story is so gripping that you are likely to hurry along, eager to learn how the plot unfolds. Eventually you arrive at a splendid abrupt and laconic conclusion, which rightly leaves some questions open. Then I suggest you may want to go back to savour the details, for this is that rare thing, a crime novel that invites, and benefits from, a second reading.—Allan Massie, The Scotsman

PRAISE FOR GODS AND BEASTS:

"Mina deftly stitches [the story lines] together in time for a powerful climax...Mina again plumbs the depth of the grungy Scottish metropolis, capturing political posturing, class differences, and familial dynamics with equal aplomb... Morrow [is] fast become one of the most intriguing cops in crime fiction. Fans of smart, character-driven procedurals will want to snatch this one up."—Library Journal

Extraordinary Praise for Denise Mina:

"Until further notice, just assume you should buy everything Denise Mina publishes."—Entertainment Weekly

"Excellent...Mina ups the stakes by taking us into the dark, beating heart of modern Glasgow, where the real deals are struck and the spoils divided."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"With subtle humor and a keen eye for the darkness that lurks behind clean, well-lighted lives, Denise Mina confirms her reputation as one of the genre's brightest stars."—George Pelecanos

"[A] thoughtful look at how good people can go bad."—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

"Satisfying...thrilling....With consummate ease and flawless timing, Mina untangles the knot, leaving intact the enmeshed world she has so convincingly created."—Christian Science Monitor

Timeline confusion

This book was confusing to listen to on audiobook. The switching between timelines was not seamless. It would start the 1997 timeline by stating the year, but there was not a transition back to the “present tense”. Also, I thought book 4 was supposed to be finishing up book 3 with all those unresolved storylines. I was displeased to realize that this is a standalone book in relation to the her cases. The only thing this book had continuing on from book 3 was the fact that Morrow had her kids.

I'm completely torn

I love Denise Mina, and it turns out that I love this book. But it just wasn't a good story for an audiobook, at least for me, because it flips back and forth between times and places, and it was just way too hard for me to keep track of given that I listen to audiobooks during my walking commute and while running errands. I gave up partway through but tore through the book in about 2 days. I really can't get enough of Denise Mina and have had to ration my reading so that I don't read all of her books too quickly and so I don't burn out on her.

Well written and narrated

What did you love best about The Red Road?

But it ended abruptly.

What about Cathleen McCarron’s performance did you like?

The narrator handles the characters well. She makes one loathe some characters by the tone of her voice and feel sorry for others.

complex novel took awhile to track

Like the writer but this particular book was too complex for audible; took awhile to keep all the generations and characters straight. Narrator diud not really voice anyone differently but mostly it was 3rd person narration and so hard to ID who was who. Some parts were a bit annoying to me -- "The Hippie" -- Really?? Plot seemed much more important than characters instead of being balanced with both being believable. I think I would have preferred reading this one.

Another great entry from Denise Mina

Any additional comments?

Always well-written and character driven, this author has a place on my list of favorites. Wonderful lead character in this series, a tough, smart but not infallible woman cop trying to make it in a man's world with twins and a young husband at home. Great series, spend the credit, you won't be sorry!