Blood City by Douglas Skelton sampler
Meet Davie McCall – not your average henchman. Abused and tormented by his father for fifteen years, there is a darkness in him searching for a way out. Under the wing of Glasgow’s Godfather, Joe ‘the Tailor’ Klein, he flourishes.
Joe the Tailor may be a killer, but there are some lines he won’t cross, and Davie agrees with his strict moral code. He doesn’t like drugs. He won’t condone foul language. He abhors violence against women. When the Tailor refuses to be part of Glasgow’s new drug trade, the hits start rolling. It’s every man for himself as the entire criminal underworld turns on itself, and Davie is well and truly caught up in the action.
But an attractive young reporter makes him wonder if he can leave his life of crime behind and Davie must learn the hard way that you cannot change what you are. Blood City is a novel set in Glasgow’s underworld at a time when it was undergoing a seismic shift. A tale of violence, corruption and betrayal, loyalties will be tested and friendships torn apart.
Meet Davie McCall – not your average henchman. Abused and tormented by his father for fifteen years, there is a darkness in him searching for a way out. Under the wing of Glasgow’s Godfather, Joe ‘the Tailor’ Klein, he flourishes.
Joe the Tailor may be a killer, but there are some lines he won’t cross, and Davie agrees with his strict moral code. He doesn’t like drugs. He won’t condone foul language. He abhors violence against women. When the Tailor refuses to be part of Glasgow’s new drug trade, the hits start rolling. It’s every man for himself as the entire criminal underworld turns on itself, and Davie is well and truly caught up in the action.
But an attractive young reporter makes him wonder if he can leave his life of crime behind and Davie must learn the hard way that you cannot change what you are. Blood City is a novel set in Glasgow’s underworld at a time when it was undergoing a seismic shift. A tale of violence, corruption and betrayal, loyalties will be tested and friendships torn apart.
douglas skelton lassie here, tell us if you’ve ever seen her before? Just a quick look, that’s all. It’ll be like looking at a picture. Then you can be on your way.’ The boy’s head was shaking from side to side and Donovan thought he could see the livid red marks of a recent wound on his neck, scratch marks that had left blood on his scarf. ‘No,’ said Lowry, ‘I don’t want to look!’ ‘Come on, pal,’ coaxed Knight, now close enough to touch the youth. ‘Just a wee peek…’ Knight lunged, but the boy was quick, jumping back and whirling on his heels before breaking into a sprint back down the pathway. ‘Fuck it!’ Knight took off after him, yelling over his shoulder. ‘Blow it in, Frank – he’s the fucker we want.’ Donovan watched his partner vanish into the dark and leaned into the microphone clipped to his uniform collar. ‘C 1-3-2, C 1-3-2. C 1-0-8 in pursuit of male suspect on towpath of Forth and Clyde Canal, heading towards Firhill Basin. Request immediate assistance. Repeat, request immediate assistance. Suspect is white male, around 20 years of age, name of William Lowry.’ A voice crackled back, ‘Lowry? Like the painter?’ ‘Affirmative.’ Donovan took his finger off the button and looked back along the pathway. The sound of Jimmy Knight’s size tens had long since vanished and he was left once again with the lapping water behind him and the occasional engine on Maryhill Road. There was just him and the girl left now, waiting for the circus to arrive. * * * Knight could hear footfalls ahead of him, but he couldn’t see their source. He pounded after the sound, a smile on his lips. This was the part of the job he enjoyed, chasing a scroat, bringing him down. 18
Luath Press Limited committed to publishing well written books worth reading LUATH PRESS takes its name from Robert Burns, whose little collie Luath (Gael., swift or nimble) tripped up Jean Armour at a wedding and gave him the chance to speak to the woman who was to be his wife and the abiding love of his life. Burns called one of ‘The Twa Dogs’ Luath after Cuchullin’s hunting dog in Ossian’s Fingal. Luath Press was established in 1981 in the heart of Burns country, and now resides a few steps up the road from Burns’ first lodgings on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Luath offers you distinctive writing with a hint of unexpected pleasures. Most bookshops in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe either carry our books in stock or can order them for you. To order direct from us, please send a £sterling cheque, postal order, international money order or your credit card details (number, address of cardholder and expiry date) to us at the address below. Please add post and packing as follows: UK – £1.00 per delivery address; overseas surface mail – £2.50 per delivery address; overseas airmail – £3.50 for the first book to each delivery address, plus £1.00 for each additional book by airmail to the same address. If your order is a gift, we will happily enclose your card or message at no extra charge. Luath Press Limited 543/2 Castlehill The Royal Mile Edinburgh EH1 2ND Scotland Telephone: 0131 225 4326 (24 hours) Fax: 0131 225 4324 email: sales@luath.co.uk Website: www.luath.co.uk ILLUSTRATION: IAN KELLAS
- Page 3: douglas skelton is an established t
- Page 6 and 7: First published 2013 This edition 2
- Page 9 and 10: Prologue october 1977 …voices, fl
- Page 11 and 12: 1 W hen at last Davie fully burst t
- Page 13 and 14: lood city broken one of his cardina
- Page 15 and 16: lood city They had only been here 1
- Page 17 and 18: lood city He glanced back at Donova
- Page 19: lood city The boy shook his head.
douglas skelton<br />
lassie here, tell us if you’ve ever seen her before? Just a quick look,<br />
that’s all. It’ll be like looking at a picture. Then you can be on your<br />
way.’<br />
The boy’s head was shaking from side to side and Donovan<br />
thought he could see the livid red marks of a recent wound on his<br />
neck, scratch marks that had left blood on his scarf. ‘No,’ said<br />
Lowry, ‘I don’t want to look!’<br />
‘Come on, pal,’ coaxed Knight, now close enough to touch the<br />
youth. ‘Just a wee peek…’<br />
Knight lunged, but the boy was quick, jumping back and whirling<br />
on his heels before breaking into a sprint back down the pathway.<br />
‘Fuck it!’ Knight took off after him, yelling over his shoulder.<br />
‘Blow it in, Frank – he’s the fucker we want.’<br />
Donovan watched his partner vanish into the dark and leaned<br />
into the microphone clipped to his uniform collar. ‘C 1-3-2, C<br />
1-3-2. C 1-0-8 in pursuit of male suspect on towpath of Forth and<br />
Clyde Canal, heading towards Firhill Basin. Request immediate<br />
assistance. Repeat, request immediate assistance. Suspect is white<br />
male, around 20 years of age, name of William Lowry.’<br />
A voice crackled back, ‘Lowry? Like the painter?’<br />
‘Affirmative.’<br />
Donovan took his finger off the button and looked back along<br />
the pathway. The sound of Jimmy Knight’s size tens had long since<br />
vanished and he was left once again with the lapping water behind<br />
him and the occasional engine on Maryhill Road. There was just<br />
him and the girl left now, waiting for the circus to arrive.<br />
* * *<br />
Knight could hear footfalls ahead of him, but he couldn’t see their<br />
source. He pounded after the sound, a smile on his lips. This was<br />
the part of the job he enjoyed, chasing a scroat, bringing him down.<br />
18
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