Water of Death [Paperback]

The classic noir private eye is someone whose life orbits around the violent and macabre--normality defies their raison d'être. Such is life or Quintilian Dalrymple, the blues-haunted hero of Paul Johnston's dystopian future, Water of Death.

By 2025, Britain has split into independent city-states, with Edinburgh as the "perfect city." Everything from electricity to sex is rationed and a zero-crime level has been achieved at the cost of individualism. "Quint" is a quintessential PI, whose existence is justified by sudden violence and relegated to the dregs when the effects of global warming hit Edinburgh. With water rationed, citizens are mindlessly devoted to two things: the year-round tourist festival and the weekly lottery (Grand Prize: a five-minute shower per week for a month). The mundane peace is shattered with the death of a demoted "auxiliary", or policeman, found in the Water of Leith. The only clue is a bottle of lethal contraband whisky and, as the body count rises, Quint must deal with duplicity, corruption and a ruthless conspiracy.

Johnston beautifully mixes Noir and Orwellian politics with the bonus of sly social satire: "... the Council set up a compulsory lottery last year, turning greed in to a virtue and most citizens into deluded fortune hunters." Stylish and imaginative, it's a captivating mystery with a dash of science fiction. --Danny Graydon

‘A hugely entertaining fantasy ... engagingly imagined’ (The Times on BODY POLITIC )

‘Think of Plato’s Republic with a body count’ (The Sunday Times on BODY POLITIC )

‘An intricate web ... Johnston is a Fawkes among plotters ... Quint’s career looks set to blossom’ (Observer on BODY POLITIC )

‘A powerful, fantastical thriller' (Night and Day (The Mail on Sunday) on THE BONE YAR )

‘This is first-rate crime fiction with an original twist’ (Sunday Telegraph on THE BONE YARD )

‘Impressive follow-up to the award-winning Body Politic...Johnston’s conceit with Edinburgh is brilliant and there’s a mordant Scots wit...stylish’ (Guardian on THE BONE YARD )

‘Think of Plato's Republic with a body count'

‘A powerful, fantastical thriller'

‘An intricate web ... Johnston is a Fawkes among plotters ... Quint's career looks set to blossom'

‘Impressive follow-up to the award-winning Body Politic...Johnston's conceit with Edinburgh is brilliant and there's a mordant Scots wit...stylish'

‘This is first-rate crime fiction with an original twist'

Edinburgh, 2025 - sweat city. Global warming has led to strict water rationing. The ruling Council of City Guardians has been forced to become more user-friendly - so citizens now live for the weekly lottery draw. Then people start dying after drinking poisoned whisky, and subversive, blues-haunted investigator Quintilian Dalrymple is thrown into a nightmare case which threatens the Council’s very existence. For Quint, distinguishing friend from foe soon becomes a question of life or death. And the body count, like the temperature, keeps on rising...

Paul Johnston was born and grew up in Scotland. He now spends much of his time on a small Greek island, but regularly visits the UK. WATER OF DEATH is his third novel to feature the popular Quintilian Dalrymple.