Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean

@russeldmclean

Novelist, screenwriter, freelance dev editor. Crime/thriller/sff/horror. General miscreant. Dad of cats. Scottish. Latest Book: THE FRIDAY GIRL (as R.D. McLean) Rep: Allan Guthrie at the North Lit agency

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Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· 20d

Hate the new "trending" section. Interesting to to note that the "trending" summary claims the "viral" post "mocks anti-AI critics" when the fact is that anti-AI critics are the ones doing the righteous mocking of the post. Also, yes, I could get through a workday without AI. I already fucking do.

A screenshot of the "trending" area of Bluesky with the top post claiming "Viral post mocks anti-AI critics"

A screenshot of the real-time posts on showing the original post which asks whether if AI was banned people could last a workday and replies saying that people don't actually use AI or have to work round it in order to actually do work.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· 22d

Just finished WORLD'S EDGE, the final book (unless something else is waiting) from the amazing James Sallis -- five interlinked, near future stories of society trying to reassert itself. Bleak in places, but resiliently human in others -- loved it (as with all Sallis's books!)

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jul 3

Beginning to think this new manuscript might have legs... #amwriting #seekritproject #russelwrites

A scrivener word count screenshot showing 15,055 out of 90k target with a session of 3,197 words to the target of 974.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jul 3

Everything about the Kevin Spacey ring is weird, but avoiding "exercising" really threw me... share.google/8mkQ1xZFIjhp...

Snapshot of text from a Guardian article with last sentence highlighted: you have a maximum of 20 characters to play with, although “offensive or inappropriate messages will not be accepted”. Once it arrives, it is advised that you avoid water, moisture, perfumes, lotions, harsh chemicals and exercising.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jul 1

Me: "I'll just let the draft of that book sit for a month or so and not work on anything else big before then..." Me, a week or so later:

A scrivener word count screenshot showing a manuscript with the working title: "THE PATSY" and a word count of 10,035 out of 90,000

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 18

End of first draft. Putting aside for a while (esp as still waiting to be able to talk about another project... hopefully soon...) to percolate. Needs a LOT of work in editing, but very excited to get to that stage and make it into the book it has the potential to be...

Screenshot of Scrivener word count showing 94,014 of a 90.000 target with 2,241 words written today. Below that we can see "The End. Glasgow, December 2025 - June 2026"

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 17

Definitely going to over-run predictions on the first draft (but my God, it's going to need work in the edit stage...)

A Scrivener word count showing 90,124 of a 90,000 target and 1,111 of a 987 daily word target.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 16

Some books that influenced THE FRIDAY GIRL in the below reel! Be gentle with me as I'm only just figuring out how these things work! Featuring @meganabbott.bsky.social @damedenisemina.bsky.social, Ted Lewis, James Ellroy, George Pelecanos, Don Winslow, David Peace & Derek Raymond....

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 14

Tonight's watch is the bizarre but brilliant CALVAIRE (2004, dir. Fabrice Du Welz) in which a cabaret singer breaks down in the Belgian woods & finds himself stuck in a rural nightmare that rivals DELIVERANCE. it's surreal, unsettling & looks stunning in the @arrowvideo.bsky.social restoration.

The cover for the blu ray of CALVAIRE shows a man 's face in three images, bathed in red light and screaming in increasing agony.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 14

Have a feeling this one's going to go a bit beyond the target in first draft -- it's a mess, especially in the first third, but at least I now know the shape I'll have to whip it into... #amwriting #booksky

A screenshot of a scrivener statistis report showing a project at 86,069 out of 90k words, and a daily session target at 1,672 of 1,191 words.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 13

I LOVED @damedenisemina.bsky.social's THE LONG DROP and can now confirm the stage version, currently at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow is also utterly stunning -- get out and see it, folks!

A view of a stage made up like an old Glasgow pub.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 8

Speaking of bad album covers, I still slightly regret not picking this up at a French antique/junk stall many years ago...

A shot of a collection of second hand records at a market, with the main album called "What's up the Kilt?" (in French) showing a fat man in a kilt looking at girls climbing a stepladder (I know, it's one of the weirdest album covers I've ever seen...)

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 4

Last night's watch: BOB LE FLAMBEUR (1956, dir. Jean-Pierre Melville), an influence on French New Wave influenced by US gangster/noir movies, as a Parisian gambler plans a casino heist. But a bitter rival and a police officer are both on his trail... Cracking early Melville film that still sizzles.

A photograph of a blu ray set of Jean Pierre Melville films, with the first disc for Bob Le Flambeur sitting on top.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 3

Last night's watch was HARPER (1966, dir. Jack Smight). Paul Newman plays the titular detective from a script by William Goldman & based on the novel by Ross MacDonald. It's a breezily brilliant detective movie with snappy dialogue & a cheeky sense of humour -- just what was needed after a long day!

The blu ray cover for Harper shows various stills from the film with cheeky little captions ("Harper looks for trouble. See Harper look. See Harder.") that give you a sense of the fact the film contains guns, fights, girls, and Paul Newman...

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 1

Tonight's watch: a woman searches for her dead sister's baby as the cops smash the baby-buying racket in ABANDONED (1949, dir. Joe Newman), part of @indicator.bsky.social UNIVERSAL NOIR #1 blu ray set. A melodramatic noir also featuring Raymond Burr in the worst fitting suit in cinema history...

The cover for ABANDONED on blu ray shows a wkman holxing a baby with her eyes blacked out, and a man punching another man in the jaw.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Jun 1

Last night's watch was French thriller, THE CRIMSON RIVERS (2000, dir. Mathieu Kassovitz) - a film that has brilliant moments marred by its final scenes. Cassell & Reno are brilliant as cops investgating Se7en-style deaths at an elite college... just a pity it didn't know how to pay off the finale.

The ultraHD blu ray cover for THE CRIMSON RIVERS shows a mountainside with red rivers running down to a lake.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· May 28

It was supposed to be a sequel to Phantom of the Opera, re-using sets from the 1943 film, but THE CLIMAX (1944, dir. George Waggner) became Boris Karloff stealing a woman's voice because she reminds him of the girl he murdered 10 years earlier... hokey, weird, camp, utterly of its time -- loved it!

The blu ray cover of UNIVERSAL TERROR starring Boris Karloff in three folms, NIGHT KEY, THE CLIMAX and THE BLACK CASTLE shows a painted image of a figure entering a dark castle amdist a forbidding landscape.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· May 26

Tonights watch was TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (1954, dir. Jacques Becker), one of the first French "policier" movies that would be refined by the likes of Jacques Melville. The story of two older thieves who must face a young upstart looking to steal their loot, its a stylish tale that still stands up...

The cover of TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI on DVD shows a b/w image of two men -- one older, one younger -- on either side of a stylish, dark haired woman.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· May 25

Tonight's watch was classic late 90s neo noir from Sam Raimi, A SIMPLE PLAN (1998) (German blu ray edition since its harder to find in UK) Absolutely cracking film anchored by Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thorton as brothers who find a bag of stolen cash... & thats when things go very wrong...

The German blu ray of A SIMPLE PLAN (EIN EINFACHER PLAN) shows a crow sitting in snow next to dark blood stains.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· May 21

Last night's watch was ECLIPSE (dir. Simon Perry), a bizarre 1977 British film about a man who witnesses the death of his brother at sea, then returns to stay with his brother's wife and son at Christmas... dark, weird, unsettling, lost for 50 years & anchored by a stunning Tom Conti performance...

The cover of the BFI blu ray of eclipse shows a man with a moustache lying in water, and a background reverse-negative shot of a sailing boat in stormy waters.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 30

Dear. God. They have "ingested trillions of words of information", sure -- but so have searchable databases throughout history (maybe not on this scale). It doesn't mean they understand or properly parse those words though even if they regurgitate them in ways that can appear like they do.

Screenshot of a quote from the Wired Article that is reposted in this text:

"“If as a doctor, you're not using one or more frontier models as a second opinion, my belief is you're bordering on committing malpractice,” Hoffman said, speaking at WIRED Health in London on April 16. “These AI systems, even though many of them are not specifically trained for medicine, have ingested trillion-plus words of information. As a second opinion, it is bringing superpowers that no human being has.”"

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 29

Waiting to hear back about a project, so all I can do is write the next -- first draft now at 60k words, which is when I finally feel like we're about to reach terminal velocity falling to the climax. It's a hot mess of a draft but there's enough in there that the edits will find its true shape...

A screenshot of a Scrivener project targets window showing 60,044 words of a 90k target have been reached.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 29

Tonight's watch was the ultimate in cool crime, French-style, LE SAMOURAI (1967, dir. Pierre Melville) in gorgeous @criterion.bsky.social edition. First time watch and can see its influence on so many of my favourite crime movies... & Dellon just oozes cool in every frame...

The blu ray cover of LE SAMOURAI shows a side-on image of a young man in a sharp suit adjusting his light-coloured trilby hat.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 23

Brilliant evening tonight at Helensburgh Noir at the Bar in support of the Dolly Parton Imagination Libray -- what a line up inc @anncleeves.bsky.social @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social @dvbishop.com @alexkaneauthor.bsky.social & so many more!

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 22

Tomorrow night at the Commodore Osprey Suite in Helensburgh, a special NOIR AT THE BAR in aid of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library -- may still be a few tix left if you want to see not just myself, but @lesleymcdowell.bsky.social @louisewelsh00.bsky.social @anncleeves.bsky.social & so many more!

A flier for NOIR AT THE BAR PRESENTS -- OH, I DO LIKE TO DIE BESIDE THE SEASIDE on Thursday 23 April, 7pm - 10.30pm at the Commodore, Osprey Suite in Helensburgh. Tix £10 plus book fee (via QR code on flier, the skiddle app, or contact via helensburghbookfestival@gmail.com). Books available for purchase & signing bar at event.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 21

Over the last couple of nights, I watched MESRINE pts. 1&2 (2008, dir. Jean-Francois Richet), based on the real life of gangster, Jacques Mesrine, whose multiple prison breaks & audacious schemes were infamous in France & Canada in the 60s & 70s. A stunning central performance from Vincent Casell.

The blu ray of Mesrine shows a close up picture of a man with dark hair, sunglasses, a moustache, and a menacing expression.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 20

Doing a quick search on myself for reasons (to find something I wrote online a while back) & notice of course the AI summary of me is the first thing brought up. Click to expand out of curiosity and of course, two of the five books it says I wrote don't even exist... AI IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.

Screenshot of an AI summary of my books that says:

Russel D. McLean is known for his crime novels, particularly the J. McNee series, with notable titles including "The Good Son" and "The Friday Girl."
Notable Works
The Good Son (J. McNee #1) - This is McLean's debut novel, which has received critical acclaim and is often regarded as a significant entry in Scottish crime fiction.
The Lost Sister (J. McNee #2) - The second book in the J. McNee series, continuing the story of the private investigator.
The Last of the Innocent (J. McNee #3) - The third installment in the series, further exploring McNee's character and cases.
The Friday Girl - A standalone thriller set in 1970s Dundee, showcasing McLean's ability to weave gripping narratives outside of his series work.
The Good Daughter - Another title that adds to his repertoire of engaging crime fiction.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 14

Needing a comfort watch last night & TREMORS (1990, dir. Ron Underwood) in its gorgeous @arrowvideo.bsky.social 4k edition more than fitted the bill. Fond memories of watching the film on TV the first time with my dad & he was terrified by the Grabbers -- something we tease him about to this day...

The cover of TREMORS 4k edition shows a painting of a monster roaring out of the earth wtih snake-like appendages emerging from its jaws.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 12

Last night's watch was the @arrowvideo.bsky.social 4K of SILENT RUNNING (1971, dir. Douglas Turnbull) a movie slightly lost between 2001 & CLOSE ENCOUNTERS but whose environmental concerns still feel scarily relevant. Its also way darker than I remember thanks to Bruce Dern's stunning performance...

The 4K cover to SILENT RUNNING shows a.man and a robot inside a forested dome looking out at the planet of Saturn.

Russel D McLean/R.D. McLean@russeldmclean· Apr 11

JAPANESE GOTHIC by Kylie Lee Baker (pub. 30 April, read via e-arc) is a ghost story, a time travel tale, and a psychological unravelling... to say more is to spoil, but this unusual, unsettling and emotionally devastating novel deserves all the praise it's going to get -- absolutely superb!