Skeleton Blues: A Dystopian Thriller Set in Edinburgh

Ex-cop Quint Dalrymple discovers there is something very rotten in the independent city-state of Edinburgh in this near-future dystopian thriller. Edinburgh, spring 2034. The weather’s balmy, there’s a referendum on whether to join a reconstituted Scotland coming up – and a tourist is found strangled. As usual, maverick detective Quint Dalrymple is called in to do the Council of City Guardians’ dirty work. For the first time in his career, Quint is stumped by the complexity of the case. An explosion at the City Zoo is followed by the discovery of another body – and the prime suspect is nowhere to be found. Can Quint and his sidekick, Guard commander Davie, put a stop to the killings before the city erupts into open violence? Are the leaders of other Scottish states planning to take over Edinburgh, or is the source of unrest much closer to home? Quint must race to pull the threads together before he becomes one of the numerous skeletons on display …

Reviews of Skeleton Blues: A Dystopian Thriller Set in Edinburgh

"Johnston's nightmarish Edinburgh is so densely imagined that it'll linger in the memory long after the plot is forgotten." — Kirkus Reviews "Quint is a charismatic and tenacious central character who is blessed with the ability to get straight to the point. He is a maverick outsider who has every reason to distrust the council of guardians. The story is well plotted and compelling. I found myself glued to the story until the end. I have no hesitation in recommending this novel." — P Hayers, reviewer "If you like mysteries with a different twist or novels set in a dystopian society then I recommend Skeleton Blues, even if you haven't read any of the other Quint Dalrymple books." — A Milton, reviewer "As the stakes rise, Johnston keeps the logical twists coming while making his dystopian future plausible" Publishers Weekly Starred Review