The Lost Sister by Russel D. McLean

Ah, Russel McLean... What can you say about a man who grew up in a poverty so severe his family could not afford a second "L" for his first name? Only that he's a brilliant writer. I'm not a quick reader, but the latest by Mr. McLean kept me reading (not just "turning pages"...).

J. McNee is the protagonist. A Private Investigator in Scotland (where, apparently, there's only a long tradition of saying "Private Eye? No such thing in the real world...") who is asked to look into a missing girl case. Problem. The girl's godfather is also a crime godfather. And is that the main police investigator having drinks with this man?

And is one possible suspect in the disappearance a person who doesn't otherwise seem connected to the girl? And is that person mentally and emotionally unstable? In fact, there seem to be plenty of emotionally unstable people running around McLean's Dundee. In any event, it isn't too long before finding the girl involves knocking on doors the police would like him to leave alone and otherwise stepping on police toes. (Never a good idea... I dare you to try it with the next cop you meet...)
Will he find the girl? Never any question of course. What state will she be in when he does is the better question. The clock ticks and McNee launches himself into the investigation with concussion-inducing abandon*.


* He gets the concussion, not readers.