Edge of the Grave is the first novel in a historical crime series set against the backdrop of 1930s Glasgow.

Winner of The Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year
Shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021 and the CWA Historical Dagger 2022

Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison is a dark historical crime novel set in 1930s Glasgow. A city still recovering from the Great War; split by religious division and swarming with razor gangs. For fans of William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw, Denise Mina and Philip Kerr.

'Peaky Blinders meets William McIlvanney in this rollocking riveting read' – Adrian McKinty, author of The Chain

Glasgow, 1932. When the son-in-law of one of the city’s wealthiest shipbuilders is found floating in the River Clyde with his throat cut, it falls to Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn to lead the murder case – despite sharing a troubled history with the victim’s widow, Isla Lockhart.

From the flying fists and flashing blades of Glasgow’s gangland underworld, to the backstabbing upper echelons of government and big business, Dreghorn and his partner ‘Bonnie’ Archie McDaid will have to dig deep into Glasgow society to find out who wanted the man dead and why.

All the while, a sadistic murderer stalks the post-war city leaving a trail of dead bodies in their wake. As the case deepens, will Dreghorn find the killer – or lose his own life in the process?

'Astounding. Tense, absorbing and dripping with gallus Glasgow humour, this book is absolutely wonderful' – Abir Mukherjee, author of the Wyndham & Banerjee series

'A magnificent and enthralling portrait of a dark and dangerous city . . . Chilling and brutal, but also deeply moving and, most importantly, beautifully written' – Mark Billingham, author of the Tom Thorne series

"A Glaswegian version of Peaky Blinders, with razor gangs brawling in the street and festering family secrets . . . it's a dark and powerful story" - Sunday Times

"A hugely impressive debut" - Evening Standard

"Brilliant" - The Times

"Powerful and moving . . . Morrison's portrait of Glasgow and its denizens – both the vicious and the virtuous – is superb" - Literary Review

"This deftly plotted novel is a more than worthy successor to William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw novels: the title is a homage to them. I am very glad that this book is the first in a projected series" - Historical Novel Society

"A highly evocative novel with a strong sense of place and Morrison brings to dark life this time period in an engaging and mesmerizing way. As Morrison grows with each novel, he will indeed be a force to be reckoned with" - Crimesquad.com

"An historical tour de force along with a brilliant plot" - Globe and Mail