This was my first venture into the Scottish police procedural, though I guess there are quite a few titles out there if the category has its own name: "Tartan noir". In any event, I enjoyed the tough but likable law enforcement officers of Aberdeen, Scotland and the creepy yet engaging crime story in which they move about. "Cold Granite" also benefits from interesting supporting characters, including an ambitious reporter who keeps getting in the way of the police investigation yet still sort of becomes friends with the central invesitigator, Detective Sergeant Logan MacRae. There's even the occasional romantic scene, between Logan and one of his female officers, to lighten up the dark story from time to time (though the scenes don't so much as depict a romance as Logan's desire for one). I liked the energy and vibrant images of "Cold Granite", as well as its easy readibility. I'll be sure to look for Stuart MacBride's second offering.