Dying Light by Stuart MacBride

Things are never placid in the homicide department of the Aberdeen police department.  Sergeant Logan McRae has been shunted to the 'screw-up squad' after some unfortunate events on his last case.  He's reporting to DI Steel, who rides him hard and takes the credit for his accomplishments.  His old boss, DI Inche hasn't given him up and expects Logan to help on his cases also.  Add in trying to have a relationship with one of his co-workers, Jackie, and Logan's life is busy and chaotic.

The murders just keep coming.  Someone is picking up prostitutes, beating them and murdering them.  Six so far have been killed.  Then there's the woman who calls or comes in each day to see if anyone has found her missing husband.  Add in an arsonist who is now killing the people who live in the apartments and houses he picks out to burn, and there's not enough time to get to everything.

Throughout it all, McRae manages to solve cases while balancing the needs of his bosses and those of his friends and lover.  Stuart MacBride has created such an interesting character in Logan McRae that the reader can barely stand to put down the book at intervals to go on with their own lives.  It is imperative to read further and find out how Logan will solve the cases and resolve his personal issues.  The tone is not brutal even though it is talking about brutal events.  Rather it is full of the dark humor found in jobs that require its employees to see things most of us can't even imagine.  This is the second book in the Logan McRae series and is recommended for mystery lovers.