The Cost
by Morgan Cry

One man’s race against time to track down a deadly narcotic before it hits the streets of the seaside hometown he thought he’d never return to. The first in a new Tartan Noir mystery series by Bloody Scotland co-founder Gordon Brown writing as Morgan Cry.
Disgraced, demoralised and recently retired Glasgow police constable Blake Glover returns to his childhood home of Fraserburgh on the north-east shoulder of Scotland. While driving a taxi to occupy himself and contemplate his future he is asked to discreetly investigate the disappearance of a young woman.
Blake reluctantly agrees to help and stumbles upon a mysterious stately home which appears to be involved in smuggling people from around the world for a highly addictive and deadly narcotic.
The more Blake investigates the more he uncovers a massive plot involving money, blackmail, drugs and murder. With the fear that the narcotic will make it onto the streets of his hometown, Blake must track down the drugs before time runs out or watch people he cares about meet a gruesome end.
Fans of VAL McDERMID, IAN RANKIN, DENISE MINA and WILLIAM McILVANNEY shouldn’t miss this intricately plotted, clever and suspenseful series debut by Scottish crime writer Morgan Cry.

Reviews

“A cracker of a thriller”

Liam McIlvanney

“Featuring a memorable protagonist fuelled by the best of Scottish fast food, The Cost is a decidedly moreish thriller that will leave you hankering for just one more chapter”

Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus Thrillers

“Simply brilliant”

Abir Mukherjee, author of Hunted

“As dark as a November sky over Fraserburgh, The Cost is about the danger of going back. A tight, elegant tale”

Denise Mina, author of Conviction

“An ex-policeman turned taxi driver in Fraserburgh has secrets of his own as he’s plunged into local intrigues. What great thriller writing: visceral sense of place, finely tuned ear for dialects, believable engaging characters & a tense layered plot. Loved it”

Liz Webb, author of The Daughter

“Morgan Cry is a splendid storyteller”

The Scotsman

“A dark, twisting tale with a gripping plot, a troubled hero, and a haunting and somber conclusion”

Booklist

“Blake Glover is a force to be reckoned with in this twisty thriller”

Lin Anderson, author of the Rhona MacLeod series

“Charismatic, clever and crafty, written with Cry's sharp wit”

Caro Ramsay, author of the DCI Christine Caplan Thrillers

“Sharp prose, superb pace, a finely wrought sense of place combine in this unusual thriller. Blake Glover is a new character to keep us turning the pages”

Douglas Skelton, author of A Thief's Blood

“Morgan Cry’s characterisation is an absolute joy in this compelling novel. A deliciously dark slice of tartan noir”

Marion Todd, author of the DI Clare Mackay series

“Fans of Tartan Noir with a taste for appropriately dour heroes will look forward to the coming installments”

Kirkus Reviews

“A pacy, up-to-the-date mystery, with a large dram of humour”

Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM

“A gripping high-octane masterpiece”

Andrew Child, co-author of the Jack Reacher series, on Six Wounds

“Told with trademark wit and flair . . . a brilliant, pacey, riveting read. A roller coaster of a Euro-thriller, it’s Morgan Cry at his best”

Abir Mukherjee, author of the Sam Wyndham series, on Six Wounds

“Certainly delivers . . . riveting”

The Sunday Post on Six Wounds

“Highly recommended”

Lin Anderson, author of the Rhona MacLeod series, on Six Wounds

“Dark, disreputable and hugely entertaining. I loved it!”

Marion Todd, author of the Detective Clare Mackay series, on Six Wounds

“A tight, taut and totally terrific read from Morgan Cry. Smart characters, smart dialogue and a smart plot”

Douglas Skelton, author of the Rebecca Connolly series, on Six Wounds

“Just brilliant . . . Highly recommended. All the stars”

Helen Fields, author of the DI Callanach thrillers, on Six Wounds

“Morgan Cry possesses that rare magic of being able to tell a dark tale with light humour . . . A breakneck speed read that explodes on to the first page – literally – and doesn’t let up”

Deborah Masson, author of the DI Eve Hunter series, on Six Wounds

“Fans of . . . twisted plots might want to try this one”

Library Journal on Thirty-One Bones

“A complex and immersive thrill ride”

Denise Mina on Thirty-One Bones

“Seedy, sweaty fun”

Ian Rankin on Thirty-One Bones

“Readers who like clever, sun-drenched crime capers will find much to enjoy”

Publishers Weekly on Thirty-One Bones

“Hugely entertaining [and] deftly told”

Irish Independent on Thirty-One Bones

“Brown . . . can still make his readers sweat”

Scotland on Sunday on Thirty-One Bones

“This is one of those stories that from the moment you start reading you can’t stop turning pages”

Varietats on Thirty-One Bones

“A joy to read”

Grab This Book on Thirty-One Bones

“A real rollercoaster of a ride”

The Library Door on Thirty-One Bones

“Starts with a bang and just keeps on shooting all the way through”

Chapter in My Life on Thirty-One Bones

“A super thrilling read”

Live and Deadly on Thirty-One Bones

Morgan Cry

Gordon Brown, also writing as Morgan Cry, has twelve crime and thriller books published to date, along with a novella and a number of short stories.Gordon is a founding director of Bloody Scotland, Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival and runs a strategic planning consultancy. He lives in Scotland (and when Brexit rules allow, Spain) and is married with two children – who have long since flown the nest.In a former life Gordon delivered pizzas in Toronto, sold non-alcoholic beer in the Middle East, launched a creativity training business, floated a high tech company on the London Stock Exchange, compered the main stage at a two-day music festival and was once booed by 49,000 people while on the pitch at a major football Cup Final.

View author page

Editions

The Cost by Morgan Cry is available in the following formats

97814483154371st April 2025 X mm272£0.99
Hardback97814483154201st April 2025144 X 222mm272$39.99
Hardback97814483154201st April 2025144 X 222mm272£21.99
Ebook97814483154371st April 2025N/A272£7.99
Paperback978144831776925th September 2025129 X 198mm272$18.99
Paperback978144831776925th September 2025129 X 198mm272£9.99
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