Thrilling novel set in WW1 LONDON
Tartan Noir set in and around GLASGOW
24th July 2025
Quicksand of Memory by Michael J Malone, tartan noir set in and around Glasgow.
Why have I a not discovered Michael J Malone before now? Quicksand of Memory isn’t his first book, but it is a cracking Tartan Noir/ psychological thriller. The setting is initially Airdrie, and later Glasgow and other nearby towns, though the location is of less importance to the novel than the action. Malone captures the essence of the place, whether he’s describing tenement housing, a downtown nightclub or a semi-rural landscape, without labouring the issue. There’s just enough description to give you a flavour of the location, then he moves on.
The book is beautifully paced. It is pretty much a chronological account of the lives of people who each have a problematic past. In some cases, their history is well-known, and in others there are deep, dark secrets that they hardly dare to remember themselves. As a therapist, it is Luke Forrest’s job to listen to others’ concerns and try to help them to make sense of past issues and move on. Ironically, having been imprisoned for driving a car in which his friend Danny died, he is also trying to rehabilitate himself. He has taken on Nathan, the young son of his late partner Lisa, and he is aiming at some kind of redemption through this caring role, as well as through his work.
Luke’s patients include Jenna Hunter, who seeks help with coping with her changed role as her mother’s carer. Luke is immediately attracted to Jenna and struggles with the fear of being unprofessional. Meanwhile, another consultation involves Jamie Morrison, who has suffered family tragedies, and being fostered in a loveless family, the Richmonds. Jamie’s motivation for seeking Luke’s help turns out to be unusual – and threatening. Each of Malone’s characters thinks they are unworthy of love. Each deals with the trauma in their own way. Some try to make amends for their wrongdoing, whereas others are out for revenge. As the novel progresses, further past deeds and misdeeds come to the surface that have been hidden for many years – with a realisation and a reckoning that surprises even the individuals themselves.
I found this book incredibly involving, to the extent that it was a wrench to come back to reality (for meals and sleep!) before I’d managed to finish reading it. Luke’s thoughtful analysis of his own situation, and his attempts to use his therapy skills to help – and later to thwart – others, are informed by the author’s own experience as a therapist. As such, it rings true throughout. The litany of horrible situations that the characters have endured could make for a depressing read but instead there is enough humour and hope to sustain interest in the plot. The revelations and twists keep coming, right up to the final pages. Quicksand of Memory was published in 2022, so is not a new book, but I’m looking forward to reading more from the same author. I’m confident that his other books will also be great reads.
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