All the Colours of the Town
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Book Description
A compelling thiller set amid the murky politics of Scotland and Northern Ireland
Product Description
When Glasgow journalist Gerry Conway receives a phone call promising unsavoury information about Scottish Justice Minister Peter Lyons, his instinct is that this apparent scoop won't warrant space in The Tribune. But as Conway's curiosity grows and his leads proliferate, his investigation takes him from Scotland to Belfast. Shocked by the sectarian violence of the past, and by the prejudice and hatred he encounters even now, Conway soon grows obsessed with the story of Lyons and all he represents. And as he digs deeper, he comes to understand that there is indeed a story to be uncovered; and that there are people who will go to great lengths to ensure that it remains hidden.
Compelling, vividly written and shocking, ALL THE COLOURS OF THE TOWN is not only the story of an individual and his community - it is also a complex and thrilling inquiry into loyalty, betrayal and duty.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
All the Colours of the Town is McIlvanney's first novel, and it is an excellent debut. The story follows Gerry Conway, a Glaswegian journalist, as he tries to follow a lead that was dropped in his mailbox one day. Following a hunch, he travels around Glasgow and eventually to Belfast in order to get the story that will propel his career forward.
The book starts well with an intriguing prologue, and is well-paced from the beginning. We are told the man Conway is trying to bring to justice, but the incriminating details are released slowly as Gerry stutters over links, questioning his own morality and even his safety. I found his character to be very convincing; McIlvanney contrasts his 'no holds barred' attitude when it comes to getting his story with the relationship with his family, his recently divorced wife and more poignantly his boys.
McIlvanney's writing is excellent throughout. It stumbles a little through the early chapters, but once he finds his voice the prose is easy to read and very focused. Setting is well-defined too; there is a definite Scottish feel to it, with Scots slang creeping into Conway's speech at times. Glasgow and Belfast are both well-described too, with the author bringing a clear image into the reader's mind of these cities.
The book has a historical context too, with the Troubles being a major theme. This is well researched, although a little bit of knowledge may be required on the part of the reader here as McIlvanney does not always give enough detail to understand the story completely; the importance of certain acronyms or dates is sometimes not clear until much later in the book.
One criticism I do have is that I felt the story built up tension very well, but then everything seemed to come to a head very quickly. Gerry is still searching for evidence then all of a sudden the story is done with and the novel has finished. I felt that another few chapters would have meant that the story was resolved in a more believable way, rather than having the situation seemingly change overnight. Despite this, the book is still an excellent debut, gritty and intelligent, and a welcome addition to the crime genre.
The book starts well with an intriguing prologue, and is well-paced from the beginning. We are told the man Conway is trying to bring to justice, but the incriminating details are released slowly as Gerry stutters over links, questioning his own morality and even his safety. I found his character to be very convincing; McIlvanney contrasts his 'no holds barred' attitude when it comes to getting his story with the relationship with his family, his recently divorced wife and more poignantly his boys.
McIlvanney's writing is excellent throughout. It stumbles a little through the early chapters, but once he finds his voice the prose is easy to read and very focused. Setting is well-defined too; there is a definite Scottish feel to it, with Scots slang creeping into Conway's speech at times. Glasgow and Belfast are both well-described too, with the author bringing a clear image into the reader's mind of these cities.
The book has a historical context too, with the Troubles being a major theme. This is well researched, although a little bit of knowledge may be required on the part of the reader here as McIlvanney does not always give enough detail to understand the story completely; the importance of certain acronyms or dates is sometimes not clear until much later in the book.
One criticism I do have is that I felt the story built up tension very well, but then everything seemed to come to a head very quickly. Gerry is still searching for evidence then all of a sudden the story is done with and the novel has finished. I felt that another few chapters would have meant that the story was resolved in a more believable way, rather than having the situation seemingly change overnight. Despite this, the book is still an excellent debut, gritty and intelligent, and a welcome addition to the crime genre.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
It's tempting to give this a bold five star rating but being his first novel let's not let Mr McIlvanney rest on his laurels too soon.
Intelligently written and chugging along at just the right pace the narrative rarely skips a beat, slowing down only to let Conway drift back in time to his own memories.
The plot? Heres the deal. Gerry Conway, political journo for the Tribune On Sunday ( A newspaper of record and not a drudge report!), receives a tip off about Scottish Justice Minister and aquaintance of his Peter Lyons. A tip off which involves a sordid past of sectarian violence. With his attention grabbed and not much happening in the world of Scottish politics, Conway decides to investigate.
Highly charged from here on in Conway tracks down a host of people involved in violence and murder in Belfasts troubled past. People who will still use violence to stop Conway from finding the truth.
If I am honest it is quite a while since I have read a good book of modern fiction, this one fits the bill well. The scenes are set nicely, from claustraphobic bars to open countryside and the author reaches the right balance in bringing a vibrant picture in your mind of the places Conway visits.
Overall a fine read with plenty of juicy twists and turns to keep you reading right to the end.
Intelligently written and chugging along at just the right pace the narrative rarely skips a beat, slowing down only to let Conway drift back in time to his own memories.
The plot? Heres the deal. Gerry Conway, political journo for the Tribune On Sunday ( A newspaper of record and not a drudge report!), receives a tip off about Scottish Justice Minister and aquaintance of his Peter Lyons. A tip off which involves a sordid past of sectarian violence. With his attention grabbed and not much happening in the world of Scottish politics, Conway decides to investigate.
Highly charged from here on in Conway tracks down a host of people involved in violence and murder in Belfasts troubled past. People who will still use violence to stop Conway from finding the truth.
If I am honest it is quite a while since I have read a good book of modern fiction, this one fits the bill well. The scenes are set nicely, from claustraphobic bars to open countryside and the author reaches the right balance in bringing a vibrant picture in your mind of the places Conway visits.
Overall a fine read with plenty of juicy twists and turns to keep you reading right to the end.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I have to say I'm impressed.
It's not often I pick a book for a first read and stick with it, all through the day, till the last page turn. But with All The Colours Of The Town I did just that.
It came with me on a journey to Scotland and back but only lasted the trip up there.
As you'll have already read no doubt, this superbly written novel takes us on a journey with a well-worn Glasgow journalist through the murky underworld of politics hand in and with sectarianism, bigotry and down and out racism, shockingly so in places. The scene in the small Scottish town when the main character is set upon by the local bigot brigade will live with me for a long time, not because it's overly shocking or graphic, just because it seems so real.
I won't spoil the rest of the book for you, needless to say it's well written and despite the odd meander here and there, is gripping enough to keep anyone interested in Scottish and N.Irish issues, related in a modern and page turning way, well and truly happy.
A good read I'd recommend to anyone.
It's not often I pick a book for a first read and stick with it, all through the day, till the last page turn. But with All The Colours Of The Town I did just that.
It came with me on a journey to Scotland and back but only lasted the trip up there.
As you'll have already read no doubt, this superbly written novel takes us on a journey with a well-worn Glasgow journalist through the murky underworld of politics hand in and with sectarianism, bigotry and down and out racism, shockingly so in places. The scene in the small Scottish town when the main character is set upon by the local bigot brigade will live with me for a long time, not because it's overly shocking or graphic, just because it seems so real.
I won't spoil the rest of the book for you, needless to say it's well written and despite the odd meander here and there, is gripping enough to keep anyone interested in Scottish and N.Irish issues, related in a modern and page turning way, well and truly happy.
A good read I'd recommend to anyone.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Distinct, fascinating....
I'm glad this isn't Ian Rankin. Scotland has not really been represented so well in terms of thriller writers; would it not be a marvellous thing if we had someone like Dennis... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Mark Grindell
Fine debut
Such was the heightened state of political and religious tension in Scotland in 1975 that, when Peter McDougall's ground-breaking drama Just Another Saturday depicted the violence... Read more
Published 9 months ago by BookRambler
Hard to get started
I found it hard to get into this book and struggled to finish it. I think however if you like the gritty detective novel then this will appeal to you but I'm afraid it wasn't my... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. GF Settle
All the clichés of the town
Ostensibly a page-turning thriller, it is perhaps churlish to suggest that Liam McIlvanney's debut novel is formulaic in structure and characterization. Read more
Published on 27 April 2010 by Robert Cordner
Patchy
Having lived in both Scotland and Northern Ireland, I felt that All The Colours Of The Town rang more true in the parts set in Scotland than the parts set in Ireland. Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2010 by MisterHobgoblin
Ayrshire's Zola
Few writers can strike the balance between necessary description and waffle. Liam McIlvanney does it with ease. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2009 by A. H. Ballantyne
Refreshing.
It was only a matter of time before the hidden curse of sectarinaism and its links with politics in Ulster snd Scotland came to light in a novel. Read more
Published on 26 Nov 2009 by Tox
Very enjoyable debut novel
Liam McIlvanney's debut novel is an engrossing read, featuring a strong present-day story line, interesting historical views into the troubles in Northern Ireland and the... Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2009 by M. V. Clarke
A good debut novel.........well written and entertaing....
I enjoyed this book. It is well written and compelling. It tells the story of a journalist who stumbles onto an explosive story.The historical aspects of the book are excellent. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2009 by mandynolan
The story of a story
Centred on the two divided towns of Belfast and Glasgow, it is difficult to describe this book without liberal use of the word gritty. Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2009 by tallpete33
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