Reviewed by Gayle Williams
Stuart MacBride’s Blood, Rust, and Steel is yet another reminder of why he remains one of Britain’s most accomplished crime writers. The next instalment in the spin‑off from the Logan McRae series, the novel centres on Acting Detective Inspector Roberta Steel — one of MacBride’s most distinctive and compelling anti‑heroes.
After three decades with Police Scotland, Steel is finally preparing to retire. Her wife, Susan, has no shortage of ideas for how Roberta might productively fill her days. But any hope of a gentle transition evaporates when Steel, catastrophically hungover with “a mariachi band of hobnail‑booted scumbags fiesta‑ing it up inside her skull” following DCI Logan McRae’s barbecue, is called to a grim discovery: a decomposing body stuffed into a wheelie bin at a lay‑by on the A96.
Accompanied by her long‑suffering sidekick, DC Stewart Quirrel — better known as “Tufty” or “The Wee Loon” — Steel battles a choking fog, a murder of crows, and a “horror‑filled reek” so potent that even her cherry vape can’t cut through it. It’s a classic McBride opening: visceral, darkly comic, and immediately immersive.
But there are other problems brewing — a political protest that erupts into violence, a frantic ex‑colleague begging for help, and a bombing that lands Roberta in hospital. Determined to end her career on a high while the powers‑that‑be seem equally determined to usher her out the door, Roberta rallies her “Queen Street Irregulars” to crack the case. Or is it cases? And is there any chance these seemingly disparate events are all connected? Add in drugs and some highly questionable government operatives, and the stage is set for a long, chaotic, thoroughly entertaining ride.
MacBride excels at crime fiction, always blending mayhem with a wicked streak of humour. The novel’s greatest strength is his construction of Roberta Steel herself. Her dialogue is instantly recognisable — sarcastic, crude, abrasive, and often appallingly inappropriate — yet beneath the armour she is loyal, protective, and firmly rooted in a loving family. Her methods may be dubious — she bends rules, cuts corners, and behaves outrageously — but she remains an exceptional investigator who gets results and (mostly) stays on the right side of the law.
Riding shotgun is the eager‑to‑please DC Stewart Quirrel, “Tufty,” whose bumbling charm and rambling Northeast Scots dialect provide a sharp contrast to Steel’s ferocity. McBride shapes him as well‑meaning, occasionally foolish, and prone to spectacular misunderstandings.
The interplay between Steel and Tufty showcases MacBride’s skill as a storyteller. Together, they deliver comic relief against the bleak, violent world they inhabit. While the crimes are undeniably grisly, I found myself laughing out loud throughout the novel, right up until its more‑than‑satisfying conclusion.
With Blood, Rust, and Steel, MacBride firmly cements his place alongside the masters of Tartan Noir — Ian Rankin, Peter May, Val McDermid, and others who have defined the genre.
If you are a fan of Tartan Noir, (and even if you’re not), Blood, Rust, and Steel will take you on a journey through an emotionally brutal world, filled with tension to the very end, with enough humour to leave you wanting more.
Roberta Steel may be retired, but I very much doubt she’s made her final exit from MacBride’s world.
Blood, Rust and Steel
[2026]
by Stuart MacBride
Pan Macmillan
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1035-0-6499-1
$34.99; 610pp