Scottish Review of Books: The Stranger From Home

This latest crime novel from Glasgow- born Lindsay carries a recommendation from Ian Rankin on the cover, which is nice as Rankin’s international status does get a nod in Lindsay’s story. Detective Inspector Jim Meldrum is divorced from his wife, Carole; somewhat estranged from his daughter, Betty; strained at work by younger guys coming up behind him and senior colleagues who don’t appreciate him. So far, so familiar. Where Lindsay goes into slightly different territory is literally – the early parts of the novel are set in Phoenix, where Betty has settled in marriage with a handsome man she barely knows. When her new husband goes missing, Betty returns home to Edinburgh, only to be told by Phoenix police that he’s been killed. A short time later, her supposedly dead husband turns up in her local shopping mall. Meanwhile, an arrogant rich businessman (is there any other kind?) doesn’t seem to care that his wife has gone missing, but as she caught him having sex with a neighbour, perhaps it’s not too surprising. Meldrum is an appealing figure in classic cop guise: silent, strong, good on hunches. Lindsay’s prose, if a little clunky at times, keeps the tension tight.