Jen Carter is a failed writer with a rubbish boyfriend, Ed. That is, until she accidentally kills him one night. Now that Ed’s dead, she has to decide what to do with his body, his drugs and a big pile of cash. And, more pressingly, how to escape the hitman who’s been sent to recover Ed’s stash. Soon Jen’s on the run from criminals, corrupt police officers and the prying eyes of the media. Who can she trust? And how can she convince them that the trail of corpses left in her wake are just accidental deaths?
A modern noir that proves, once and for all, the female of the species really is more deadly than the male.
“Funny and fierce, and a heroine worth rooting for…” – Brooke Magnanti
“A really authentic and remarkable read! I loved it!” Martina Cole
Meet Jen, who works in a bookshop and likes the odd glass of Prosecco…oh, and she’s about to be branded The Most Dangerous Woman in Scotland. Jen Carter is a failed writer with a crap boyfriend called Ed – who she accidentally kills one night. Now that Ed’s dead, she has to decide what to do with his body, his drugs and a big pile of cash. And, more pressingly, how to escape the hitman who’s been sent to recover Ed’s stash. Soon Jen’s on the run from criminals, corrupt police officers and the prying eyes of the media. Who can she trust? And how can she convince them that the trail of corpses left in her wake are just accidental deaths? A modern noir that proves, once and for all, the female of the species really is more deadly than the male.
March 2017 from Saraband
German translation (Ed ist Tot) Europa Verlag
French translation (Ed est Mort) Calman Levy/Robert Pepin Presente
Praise for Ed’s Dead:
“Fast, furious, and a whole lot of fun. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.” Carol Wyer
” watch out for Ed’s Dead by Russel D. McLean [Contraband], one of Scotland’s most skilled noiristas, with a book which will appeal to booksellers everywhere, especially homicidal ones…” – Mike Ripley’s Getting Away with Murder Column, March 2017
“…a thoroughly contemporary crime thriller which has its tongue in its cheek while maintaining the suspense and tension that readers would expect.” Scots Whay Hae
”…a beautiful masterpiece of modern Scottish Noir” Euro Crime
“McLean has created an appealing protagonist, with a strong and consistent voice… It seems strange to say that a novel with so many bloody fatalities can be fun, but this one is!” Crime Fiction Lover
“Is [Jen] really an innocent caught up in other people’s deadly games or does she have hidden depths? It is this dichotomy that makes her so fascinating…” The Herald
“Ed’s dead is brilliantly dark and disturbing. It’s also brilliantly funny, and brilliantly Scottish.” – Dundee University Review of the Arts
“…we’re not sure when we last enjoyed a book quite this much….” – Undiscovered Scotland
From the Unofficial Ed’s Dead Blog Tour 2018 (including links to interviews and more):
“Ed’s Dead does not let up the pace, it’s foot down on the accelerator from start to finish so you had better buckle up your seatbelts as you are in for one hell of a ride! Just don’t annoy the bookseller the next time you are in the bookshop!” – Sharon Bairden, Chapter in My Life
Russel’s life in Books at Random Things Through my Letterbox
“This may have been my first dance with McLean but it won’t be my last.” – So Many Books, So Little Time
“With crooked cops and criminal masterminds on her case, you wonder how Jen can possibly escape in one piece, and yet the story still feels believable. Madcap, in a Fargo-esque kind of way, absolutely, but still believable. In fact so Fargo-esque, I was almost waiting for the wood chipper to come out.” – Jen Med’s Book Reviews
“Brilliantly paced, full of tension and a dry black wit” – Live and Deadly
“I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it’s dark, it’s witty and it’s a cracking read!” – The Quiet Knitter
Q&A with Russel at So Many Books, So Little Time
Character Spotlight on Jen Carter at Emma The Little Bookworm
“Would I recommend this book? Hell-to-the-bloody-Yeah, I would! Clever, intense, and executed perfectly – this action-packed, gritty read will have you laughing, gasping and picking your jaw up off the floor!” – Noelle Holton, Crime Book Junkie
“This book is also a masterclass in characterisation. Every single person who features is brilliantly drawn – I could see them in my mind. And the same goes for the scenery – so descriptive, a real sense of place. ” – Suze Reviews
“…an entertaining and gripping Scottish Noir that certainly didn’t disappoint.” – By The Letter Book Reviews
