A Bad, Bad Place

Publisher: Transworld Publishers Limited
Publish date: 10 February 2026
Pages: 384
Language: English

Subjects: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Women Sleuths, Thrillers, Suspense, Crime, Psychological, World Literature, Scotland, 21st Century

A sweeping debut crime novel about the far-reaching effects of a murder on a community in Glasgow. An epic story of resilience, redemption and love.

'Clever, honest, heart-rending.' Val McDermid

'Richly authentic, funny, moving and insightful.' Janice Hallett

'I haven't read anything quite as unique as this since Trainspotting.' Lin Anderson

Everyone's talking about Janey Devine...

Glasgow, 1979. While walking her dog, twelve-year-old Janey finds a murdered woman on an abandoned railway - and her innocent childhood ends in a shocking moment of trauma.

When the victim is named as daughter of a local hardman, Janey's nana, Maggie, is distraught and deeply afraid. Janey claims she can't remember what she saw that day, but the police think she's hiding something, and they're not the only ones interested.

Maggie tries desperately to keep Janey safe but is battling long-buried secrets of her own. As fear and rumour stalk the streets of Possilpark, Maggie becomes convinced she will lose her beloved granddaughter forever - especially when Janey starts to remember exactly what happened in that bad, bad place...