The Denburn: Roach & Tennant - Book 1
Death is coming to the Granite City, one click at a time.
Aberdeen sits in the northeast corner of Scotland under the shadow of a killer who has a point to make.
When the lead detective on the case vanishes, DCI Alice Roach must rally a fractured team to face a vigilante who kills with purpose.
Unapologetic and relentless, The Antiquarian is ready to strike again — and time is running out before history repeats itself in blood.
“To the place where the streams flowed, there they flow again.”
The Den Burn and Union Bridge
This an oil painting from the first half of the C19th depicting the women bleaching at the water's edge. The Den Burn provided drinking water, fuelled mills and supplied factories, and ran through the heart of the city until the 1960s.
Union Bridge & Denburn Road
Today, the Denburn is a name rather than a river. It hides between buildings and runs beneath the city from Kingswells to the Harbour. A run down car park and a road under the bridge are all that keeps the name alive today.
The Den Burn
Aberdeen's first water supply
As you can see from the map here The Den Burn has long been part of the city and an essential part of life for the people - for possibly up to 10,000 years according to archaeologists.
Rather than have me paraphrase the experts, you will find great information on the waterway through the city at these wonderful sites:
Doric Columns is a must for anyone with an interest in Aberdeen history with information, photos and insights into the places you know and love.
https://doriccolumns.wordpress.com/water-supply/medieval-water-supply/denburn/
Dr Fiona-Jane Brown is better known as 'The History Quine' and is a fount of knowledge on the hidden side of the city. The link here is for her blog about the Denburn, but find her on social media too for her videos and information about her tours.
https://historyquineaberdeen.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-denburn-valley-10000-years-of.html
Locations in the Book
For those who haven't read the book yet, there may be some spoilers ahead.
Woolmanhill Hospital
Opening location of the book, this is Aberdeen's original Royal Infirmary. An amazing piece of neo-classical architecture by Archibald Simpson now sits abandoned since the NHS shut it down in 2017.
Marischal College
Originally one of two universities in the city, Marischal merged with King's College to for the University of Aberdeen in 1860. Both the city council and police have their headquarters in this gothic granite giant.
The Green
Eight thousand years ago this was the entrance to Aberdeen. Today shops, cafes and bars are the main focus of the space. To most locals of a certain age this space was associated with the markets which sold meat, fish, wool, linen, fruit and veg on different days of the week.
Well o' Spa,
Spa Street
Although this item has moved location over the years, this water spring hails from the C15th. It now sits on Spa Street outside the Denburn car park on a concourse behind His Majesty's Theatre and the Central Library.
Johnston Gardens
Hidden in the west-end of the city, this park is a popular place for families, dog walkers, and wedding photographers. The combination of Japanese influences and traditional western trees and plants makes it a beautiful place to grab a moment's peace.
Source of the Denburn
Made up of smaller feeder burns, The Denburn begins its meandering path towards the city at Kingswells. Now the site of a industrial estate this is where the six and a half miles of life bringing water came from which kept the city alive for centuries.
The Denburn - History, memories & stories
Alongside writing the book itself, one of the things I enjoyed most was the research into the Denburn, its history, and the stories which surround it.
If you have a story, photo, or memory you want to share, please get in touch
Real Life Murders
The Den Burn Mystery of 1851 (William Henderson)
In the mid-1800s, the body of an Aberdeen citizen named William Henderson was discovered lifeless in the waters of the Den Burn. Because the Den Burn area at the time ran through a deeply impoverished, rough slum district (including the notorious Mutton Brae), the discovery of bodies in the water caused massive public sensation. Investigations into whether he was robbed and thrown from one of the rickety wooden bridges into the burn or if he fell after foul play filled local press reports.
The Infamous "Denburn Murder" of 1845
This is the most celebrated mid-1800s murder directly tied to the Den Burn. The Victim was James Lynch who was brutally assaulted and murdered near the banks of the Den Burn by a local man named John Burnett. Burnett was arrested, tried, and found guilty of the crime before being publicly hanged at the Castlegate.