Untitled Stuart MacBride 2026

'MacBride is a damned fine writer' – Peter James, UK Number One Bestselling Author

Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin and Val McDermid, Blood, Rust and Steel is darkly funny and gripping Scottish crime at its very best.

All good things must come to an end . . .

Acting Detective Inspector Roberta Steel has never been shy, but she’s finally retiring. After thirty years of policing Aberdeen’s underbelly, she’s all set for her twilight years to feature gardening gloves, afternoon tea, crosswords puzzles, and shouting at the telly.

So, when a body turns up in a wheelie bin, it looks like an excellent way to round off her career and go out with a bang. But the Northeast of Scotland isn’t finished with her yet:

There’s a violent protest to stop; far-right populist politicians, and sketchy government spooks; a by-election; drugs, dogs, and baby-doll nighties; and a desperate ex-colleague, begging her for help.

With only her Queen Street Irregulars for backup, and the top brass desperate to get shot of her, these final few weeks might just be the death of her . . .

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Praise for Stuart MacBride:

'Stuart MacBride is an automatic must-read for me . . . always fast, hard, authentic – and different' – Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series

'Dark and brilliantly written' – Linwood Barclay, author of I Will Ruin You

'MacBride is a masterful storyteller with a terrific eye for detail and razor-sharp wit' – Karin Slaughter, author of This Is Why We Lied

'Crime fiction of the highest order' – Mark Billingham, author of The Last Dance