While in hospital after a hit-and-run accident, his best friend, Hod, asks him to investigate the ritual, on-campus hanging of an Edinburgh University student. The murder victim's mother is a high-profile actress, who has promised a big-money reward. Gus, desperate for money, goes undercover at the university, taking a janitor's job, and soon uncovers a similar ritualistic hanging which took place in the '70s. Few of the students are prepared to talk about it-until another one of their group turns up dead by the same method.

But Gus now moves into very dangerous waters as he begins to discover what and who is really behind it all-and he becomes the next target for the executioner.

Praise for LONG TIME DEAD:

"Ripping, gutsy prose and a witty wreck of a protagonist makes this another exceptionally compelling, bright and even original thriller from a writer yet to explode." -Daily Mail, 4 stars

"If you've yet to discover the hardcore brilliance of Gus Drury, pour yourself a large one and start here." -Daily Record

"From the word go, the no-nonsense cynicism of Dury is back and in full throttle... Dury has the potential to be a long-running success story of Tartan Noir." -Scotsman

"A dark, personal journey with convincingly raw emotions and a protagonist who is digging beyond rock bottom." -Eurocrime