Product Description
As a teenager Jane Bell had dreamt of playing in the casinos of Monte Carlo in the company of James Bond, but in her punk phase she'd got herself pregnant and by the time she reaches forty-six she's a grandmother, her dreams as dry as the dust her Dyson sucks up from her hall carpet every day.Then her son Ross, a researcher working for an arms manufacturer in Switzerland, is forced to disappear before some characters cut from the same cloth as Blofeld persuade him to part with the secrets of his research.But they are not the only ones desperate to locate him.A team of security experts is hired by Ross's firm:headed by the enigmatic Bett, his staff have little in common apart from total professionalism and a thorough disregard for the law. Bett believes the key to Ross's whereabouts is his mother, and in one respect he is right, but even he is taken aback by the verve underlying her determination to secure her son's safety as she learns the black arts of quiet subterfuge and violent attack.The teenage dreams of fast cars, high-tech firepower and extreme action had always promised to be fun and games, but in real life it's likely someone is going to lose an eye...Visit the author's website at www brookmyre.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

OK, so I wouldn't look that good in a wetsuit....
.... being a short fat granny instead of a tall thin one like Jane Bell, this novel's heroine. Plus it's a long time since I was a mere 46 years old.However, this book is a tasty guilty pleasure for me and probably for a lot of other women whose lives have been deficient in sports cars, casinos, guns, and castles in the South of France. Really, it seems to have been written on a dare: a complicated James Bond plot (whose protagonists have already seen the movies) in which the main character is a housewife. Jane has heretofore expended her adrenaline raising kids and overcleaning the house, but when her family is threatened by what turns out to be cadres of drug and arms dealers, she does what needs to be done. I would love to see a movie of this, though by the time the plot is resolved it has folded in on itself a few more times than a script could probably handle. There is something very satisfying, about the fact that football fandom is presented as a kind of universal masculine numbness.
Anyway, very funny novel, highly recommended for any woman who has time to read a novel.

Suspense thriller with lots of humour
Lots of action & glamour with a down-to-earth character, with so much humour I was laughing out loud!I haven't had this much fun from a book for a while!

Scottish suburban mother w/ fondness for Bond films kicks armdealer ass.
I think my husband is jealous-- Christopher Brookmyre makes me laugh aloud. Often.Which my (surprise, we live in L.A.) screenwriter husband has noted.At times with an edge in his voice.But it's all fun and games. I am a fan of Brookmyre's other books, all worth reading. The sweetness underlying all the action is charming, as is the intelligence of the characters.Fully enjoyable, if a bit addictive. ... Read more

Product Description
Like a highball mix of Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen, Christopher Brookmyre hits you hard and fast. Now Brookmyre is back with his most lethal book yet: One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night. Gavin Hutchinson had it all planned out. A unique "floating holiday experience" on a converted North Sea oil rig, a haven for tourists who want a vacation but without the hassle of actually going anywhere. And what better way to test out his venture than to host a fifteenth-year high school reunion, the biggest social event of his life, except no one remembers who Gavin is. That, and his wife has discovered his philandering ways and plans to leave him with a very public announcement in front of his assembled guests. Throw in a band of mercenaries who crash the party even though they aren't on the guest list, and you have a wicked farce of a thriller from one of the most original voices in mystery fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Good (but hardly clean) fun
Funny, fast-paced, and violent. The literary equivalent of a summer action blockbuster, but with better character development. Perfect beach reading.

Very funny book
It's got a bit of everything: blood and guts, sharply observed social situations, distinct characters at cross purposes, and a few set pieces that are for falling on the floor and dying of laughter.
When some British mercenaries take over a floating hotel hosting a ten year high school reunion, thinking that the assembled group is a bunch of rich investors, things happen.Mistakes are made.All to the benefit of the reader.

Not getting props Stateside
True to his roots, Brookmyre uses his fair share of Scots slang and colloquialisms. As an American reader, I found the Scottish language bits easy to pick up and had no problem integrating the Scot-centric words into the general flow of the narrative.

That said, this is a great and really funny story. If you like Tim Dorsey, Christopher Moore, Robert Rankin, Carl Hiaasen, Elmore Leonard, or any other screwball hip writer, this is the stuff for you. Anyone else pooh-pooh-ing on this novel probably reads Grisham or Clancy for a laugh.

good to the last drop
I have tried a number of the authors that other amazon folks have recommended as being "as funny as Christopher Moore" (whom I have loved ever since finding a proof copy of Coyote Blue at a flea market for $1) but so far thisone is the best.The characters are fleshed out and funny, lovingly eccentric, the action is not predictable, and best of all the ending is creative and not just a blood bath. The beginning is a bit bloody, but hang in there for a great ride with a wonderful bunch of characters you would love to party with. Lots of fun, and the man can write.

a perfect read
I find it disappointing that many people use mayhem generally.And it never really seems to get worked into the plot satisfactorily. Thankfully, there is Christopher Brookmyre to remedy this situation.Mr. Brookmyre chooses his words with crisp, dramatic, and killingly comedic perfection.I wish I were someone who has yet to read this book. I think the last time I laughed out loud this often was when I read either another title by this author (although this one is my favorite) or maybe Naked by David Sedaris.I have bought this book several times to give to friends and family.Decommissioned oil rig as leisure fantasy world...off the coast of Scotland.... sigh. ... Read more

Product Description
British critics have compared Christopher Brookmyre's writing to the "sassy, nasty, fast style of the Americans Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen" (The Guardian) and called his work "perpetually in-your-face ... irreverent and stylish" (The Times). Now he returns with another cracked gem of a comic thriller: Country of the Blind. This time, hard-bitten investigative journalist Jack Parlabane -- hero of Brookmyre's award-winning novel Quite Ugly One Morning-finds himself up to his eyeballs in murder, mayhem, and political intrigue when conservative tabloid media mogul Roland Voss is discovered at his country estate with his throat slit and his wife and bodyguards killed. The police have arrested four men fleeing the scene, but for Parlabane it all doesn't add up and he suspects the fix is in ... unless he can get to the bottom of things before everybody else. Packed with Brookmyre's distinctive collection of wacked-out characters and fueled by his trademark hell-for-leather pacing, Country of the Blind is a tart "tartan noir" that will leave you breathless with suspense -- if you're not asphyxiated by convulsions of laughter first. "A high-octane political thriller doused in stinging satire." -- The Sunday Times (London) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Country of the Blind
Another 'double edged sword' of Damocles.Behind the ribald humour is the sneaky suspiscion that the author has experience of corruption in the political arena.But then who hasn't!This author, however, does manage to keep this 'thriller' moving along with some tried and tested characters, and I still am caught out every time with gales of laughter - usually in a place that gets me many pitying looks. Love this style of writing....hope he writes many more.That's what this world needs.....more unabashed belly laughs.

Corrupt elites get their comeuppance
In this darkly humorous romp, Brookmyre takes on the power-crazed elites of Britain and their willingness to do whatever it takes to increase their influence and wealth. The violent murder of a media magnate and the framing of four hapless miscreants for the job is the starting point for mayhem of great vigour and violence, interspersed with Brookmyre's frequent bitter asides about the state of decay in British, and more especially Scottish, society. The voice of reason, speaking, like everyone else, in the grating Glaswegian patois, belongs to investigative hack Jack Parlabane, whose cunning and bloody-mindedness prove sufficient to cause the downfall of the mighty. Thoroughly enjoyable and often insightful -- MJS, author of Forward O Peasant

Another Brookmyre delight
True to the left-of-center credentials of its author, Christopher Brookmyre, `Country of the Blind' takes multiple swipes at right wing businessmen and government ministers who, according to the story, arrange a violent murder and cover-up, eventually raising the wrath of improbable superhero, crusading journalist Jack Parlabane.

Though far from supporting left-wing politics myself (or any `wing' for that matter), I still found myself cheering the good guys and booing the baddies. As with other Brookmyre novels, `Country of the Blind' had me hooked from the first pages where his description of a young lawyer's first clients (Mrs McGrotty) had me in hysterics. Having kicked off to such a great start the story kept up the pace and was as memorable as this author's other novels. The style of writing is very 90s Scotland and includes many pointed comments on the right wing government of 1980s England. Most of these comments aren't entirely original but will reassure the likely leftish, middle-class audience that they have a liberal-minded fellow-traveller who is also quite cross about what went on. Sadly, as comedian Alexei Sayle memorably pointed out, you can't change the world with the lyrics of a pop song - you have to do the dance as well !

... Read more

Product Description
The Guardian (London) has called comic-thriller writer Christopher Brookmyre "the next star of the genre". His American debut, Not the End of the World, is a fast and furious novel set in Los Angeles at the near side of the millennium, at a point when the world is about to spin out of control -- and maybe out of existence. When an oceanic research vessel is discovered with all of its crew vanished, it sets off a chain of events that pulls Lt. Larry Freeman of the LAPD out of the ho-hum assignment of overseeing the security for a B-movie film festival and headlong into a frenzied race to stop a terrorist plot. Along the way he must contend with aging porn stars, rabid evangelical Christians, a mysterious Glaswegian photographer, and an unknown agenda, all in a frenzied -- and ultimately hysterical-race against time. "Imagine Day of the Locust updated and rewritten by Carl Hiaasen. ... Good solid fun." -- Kirkus Reviews "Perpetually in-your-face: sassy, irreverent, and stylish ... [with] a high-octane sense of the absurd." -- The Times (London) "Very violent, very funny ... comedy with a political edge, which you take gleefully in one gulp." -- Literary Review ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Surviving life without God
This book probably reads better now than when it was published in 1998 (set in 1999). My recollection of Y2k fears was that a lot of quite rational secular people were afraid of what negligent computer coding would do to the world when the clocks tried to roll over to the year 2000; Christian millenialists may have taken advantage of the new year to preach the end of the world, but those that were well-situated, like Brookmyre's Luther St. John, were certainly looking ahead to more decades of power. So Brookmyre can't really bite into Y2k per se, and he ends up with a plot that is an acknowledged rip-off of the 1978 Superman movie. However, he does a sharp job on the longing of fundamentalist religion to create a millenial atmosphere, which we have seen since both with 9/11 (where the Christian right quickly associated the World Trade Center and the Pentagon with abortion, feminism, and gay activism) and Hurricane Katrina. His understanding of this kind of spin was chillingly prescient.
He presents a face-off between two Americans, a Christian fundamentalist media mogul with Presidential aspirations and a porn actress, both of whom were abused children. Other characters include Larry Freeman of the LAPD, an old friend of Brookmyre's Scottish hero Jack Parlabane, and Steff Kennedy, a Scottish photographer on assignment--and a Dickensian multiplicity of other vividly sketched characters. Larry and Steff have their own issues, their own reasons to mourn losses of innocence and to question the comfort offered by religion.
Brookmyre does make a lot of mistakes in handling the Los Angeles mentality. There is more to sounding American than saying "ain't" and "no way," and American cops don't suss out conspiracies as they head for the lifts; nor do Americans consume Twiglets; nor are Texas instruments of corporal punishment made in Lochgelly. The first 100 pages or so are more careful, switching smoothly between the Scottish mind of Steff and the American minds of other protagonists, but after that it is written to be read by a Brit. Despite these small annoyances, it is a powerful book and I stayed up late to finish it!

A Scotsman Trying to Play It Like He Knows Los Angeles
From referring to Santa Monica as "Santa M" repeatedly to having his main character claim that he grew up in Los Angeles, Brookmyre is miles away from any reality of Los Angeles.His thinks-he's-so-brilliant quips and cliches are tired and show him to be a dull imitator of greats like Irvine Welsh.The absolte funniest/worst part of the book was his made up translation of an ancient document found on the island of Crete, containing gems such as "Often have I wondered, watching the rhytons being filled in sacrifice from a quaking beast's throat, would we do the same were it a cold, clear water that issued forth, and not this liquid jewel, this decorative prize?"

In the end, Brookmyre's approach is too casual and cocky to be convincing and his prose is sub-par.Save yourself the 10 bucks of buying this book. Trust me.

Excellent satire
I actually bought this book because it, then, had a slight science fiction theme, and had received a sterling review in New Scientist. I ususally do not go for thrillers, but I do make now make exceptions for Christopher Brookmyre! This book is highly satirical, funny, grisly, and thoughtprovoking. The heroes work in porn industry, and the crooks are biblethumpers and "patriots".

A little disappointed
I am a big Brookmyre fan and was a little disappointed with his stab at a story set in the US.There Scottish connection is still there, with the main character a Scotsman, but the punch just wasn't there - which really is his trademark.Just read "Quite Ugly One Morning" and you will see.Don't get me wrong, I still liked the book, but it just wasn't up to his usual standard, that's all.

Dark Social Satire
NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is an apocalyptic millennial book that is dark comedy at its darkest. Although Brookmyre missed a bit on the facts and timing, this tale of fanatical religious zealots trying to destroy America and rebuild it in their image is unfortunately all too timely. The zealots in this fictional account are Christian, not Moslem; but when dealing with fanaticism the exact flavor scarcely matters. However, Brookmyre uses his book to mount a scathing attack on fundamentalism of any sort and simultaneously makes a compelling, albeit tragically jaded, case for atheism: "Some wee old spinster in Coatsbridge, in her hairy coat, plastic Rainmate and furry boots, nipping into the Co-op minimarket for a half-pound of cheap mince on the way home from the chapel, Scottish Catholic Universe under her arm, might tell herself she wasn't, spiritually speaking, doing any harm. But she'd be kidding herself. And acting the humble innocent wouldn't help. Hardline Islamics would have her on the dress-code, for a start. Vain, shameless slattern, flaunting herself like that in public, for all the world to see. Hindus wouldn't go a bundle on her planned ingestion of bloody flesh, or her wider complicity in the sacred animal's slaughter. Attendance at the 'temple of the Satanic anti-Christ of Rome' remains something of a no-no as far as the Scottish Free Presbyterians and Ian Paisley's mob are concerned. And as for a woman being able to read, well, ask the Taleban about that in Kabul. Then duck. Cumulatively, the world's religions could provide a God-given justification to hate anything about anybody. Steff had decided some years ago to hate them all back." And there is much more. In fact, Brookmyre's apparent vitriol toward organized religion is so strong that I am surprised the book was published in America at all.

But those of us who are not offended by that point of view will find NOT THE END OF THE WORLD a terrific thriller, with a fascinating and ever-twisting plot that engages the reader throughout. Just when I thought I knew what would happen next the action took another unexpected but plausible turn. And the characterizations were engaging; even the villains had some sympathetic motivations to their heinous plans.

Brookmyre has a darkly wicked sense of humor and pays homage to the Monty Python gang and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, among others. All in all, NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is definitely worth a read, even though the dates in the book didn't quite pan out. People are still reading 1984, aren't they? ... Read more

Product Description
It was a junket, a freebie. A 'team-building' weekend in the highlands for lawyers, advertising execs, businessmen, even the head of a charity. Oh, and a journalist, specially solicited for his renowned and voluble scepticism - Jack Parlabane. Amid the flying paintballs and flowing Shiraz even the most cynical admit the organisers have pulled some surprises - stalkers in the forest, power cuts in the night, mass mobile phone thefts, disappearing staff, disappearing guests: there's nothing can bring out people's hidden strengths or break down inter-personal barriers quite like not having a clue what's going on and being scared out of your wits. However, when the only vehicular access for thirty miles is cut off it seems that events are being orchestrated not just for pleasure ...And that's before they find the first body. Thereafter, 'finding out who your colleagues really are' is not so much an end product as the key to reaching Monday morning alive. Visit the author's website at www.brookmyre.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Gory mayhem in the Highlands
Scottish novelist Brookmyre opts for a simpler theme in this book, with the duplicity and intrigue of earlier novels replaced by all-out violence. A psychopathic army sergeant who had been imprisoned for setting up a secret assassination squad is on the loose, and decides to eliminate everyone who might identify his style of operations from before.

To this end, he lures them all to a remote estate in the Highlands, cut off from the outside world, and plans to use his own hit-squad to fake the biggest murder-suicide in history, simultaneously eliminating his enemies and deflecting official suspicion.

Unfortunately, among the guests at the estate are the cunning Jack Parlabane and his friend Tim Vale, who has even more experience of fighting off the bad guys. The result is one torched Scottish mansion, gallons of blood and several headless corpses, before Parlabane and Vale finally discover who it who wants them dead and why. Not one of Brookmyre's most careful novels, but full of his trademark snappy writing and political insights.

Pretty decent read
Having read "a big boy did it and ran away" and "the sacred art of stealing" as well as others I was really looking forward to this book.I don't intend to write a synopsis of the plot but needless to say that Brookmyre keeps to the same winning formula with intrigue, humour, politics and a good dose of violence.

I have to say I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put it down.But.And isn't there always a but?This novel was not as compelling as previous books.If your a fan of Brookmyre than I would heartily recommend this, otherise I would suggest one of his earlier books which are generally funnier and have a great degree of character development.

"be my enemy" is a great, fun and violent read.Not exactly for kids but any writer who can make Scotland and Glasgow seem interesting and even perhaps a little exotic deserves an award! ... Read more

Product Description
Their eyes met across a crowded room. She was just a poor servant girl and he was the son of a rich industrialist. Er, no, this is a Christopher Brookmyre novel, although the eyes meeting across a crowded room part is true. Where it differs from the fairy tales is that the room in question was crowded with hostages and armed bank-robbers, and his eyes were the only part of him she could see behind the mask. He is an art-thief par excellence and she is a connoisseur of crooks. Her job is to hunt him to extinction; his is to avoid being caught and he also has a secret agenda more valuable than anything he might steal. There are risks he can take without jeopardising his plans. He can afford to play cat-and-mouse with the female cop who's on his tail; it might even arguably be necessary. What he can't afford is to let her get too close: he could could end up in jail or, even more scary, he could end up in love ...Visit the author's website at www.brookmyre.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

awesome
Cant remember a book I have enjoyed so much.This one has everything - an intriguing plot, great humour and originality. I can't wait for someone to make the film!

Great story. Well written. Couldn't put it down - no, really.
Had me hooked from begining to end. Well developed characters. More twists than Chubby Checker! Keep you guessing. Excellent plot. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (17)

FUNNY, CRUDE, OVER THE TOP, FAST PACE.
Quite Ugly One Morning is a wickedly entertainingstory but the memory of it fades away after you have finished it.Some stories you will remember forever and buy copies for your friends.Not this one. Worth a read/listen but I will only give it 3.5 stars.

A stubborn and brave investigative reporter Jack Parlabane comes along risks his life to expose the culprits and while he is at it, tries to solve a murder of a man who has two fingers one of each hand bitten off.

But there is an awful smell also??? How does he hid a dead dog from its owner who lives downstairs.The stench of the decaying dog overwhelms his appartment.He opens windows, covers his mouth with a BRUT drench hankerchief but the tench is still overwhelming.How does he hide the dead dog from its owner or get it past her always watching eyes.

The Narrator is excellent!!!! Love the accent!!!!!

Funny and Crude
Funny, crude, over the top, entertaining, are some of the first thoughts that popped in my head after finishing this debut novel.Endless greed and pathological selfishness of the New Era capitalists. And there comes stubborn and brave investigative reporter Jack Parlabane and risks his life to expose theculprits and while he is at it, solve a murder.
Its a fast paced, modern mystery that pulls no punches. It entertains us successfully but quickly fades away from our minds.

Quite Ugly One Morning
Christopher Brookmyre is a 'must read' author, especially if you are familiar with the Scottish vernacular. Very funny.

For Those Considering the Audiobook Version....
I agree with previous reviewers regarding the story and the writing style.This is a terrific novel full of quick, funny dialogue and an excellent plot.The characters are fun, complex, and memorable.

But my review pertains specifically to the audiobook, for anyone wondering how David Tennant does narrating this novel.In a word:EXQUISITE.

Those who know David solely as The Doctor from Doctor Who are missing out on his enormous acting range.If you've never heard his audio work, you really need to check out all the stories he has narrated (and there have been many).

David does wonderful accents without tripping over a single syllable, and his timing with the dialogue is perfect.He is not afraid to dive enthusiastically into the story and is highly engaging.I also love the musical bits in between chapters.It adds just the right tone and mood to the story.

If you're wondering whether or not this will be a good purchase, wonder no more.If you enjoy audiobooks, you will not regret investing your money in the audio version of this story.

Quite Ugly and Very Funny
This is your modern day british crime novel with all the requisite gore.It is also one of the funniest books I have ever read, with amixture of witty smart mouth one liners ala Myron Bolitar and farcical Tom Sharpe style comic moments.The crime novel is gripping, the comedy induces hysterical laughter and the one liners make you wish you were that sharp - this is all in one electric package. The story set in Edingburgh involves corruption in the National Health system, an ugly murder and a hitman who bites off the victims fingers before stuffing them up his nostrils.Our hero Jack is a journalist (strange in itself)who escaped LA to avoid a hitman who was after him.He then arrives in his home town of Edinburgh to find the guy in the appartment below has been murdered.Jack to avenge the prior attempt on his life gets involved in this helter skelter ride to help the police catch the crooks with amazing consequences.Quite Ugly One Morning is entertainment nothing more, but superb entertainment at that. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Christopher Brookmyre - A Tale Etched in Blood & Hard Black Pencil
Excellent read. What can you say?Sitting inUSA (and been away from school environment for a couple of decades ) .. yet all the patter and antics of the school playground came flying back... a delicious twist at end as to be expected from Brookmyre's writings. ... Read more

Product Description
Back when they were students, just like everybody else, Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt had dreams about what they'd do when they grew up. In both their cases, it was to be rock stars. Fifteen years later, their mid-thirties are bearing down fast, and just like everybody else, they're having to accept the less glamorous hands reality has dealt them. Nervous new father Ray takes refuge from his responsibilities by living a virtual existence in online games. People say he needs to grow up, but everybody has to find their own way of coping. For some it's affairs, for others it's the bottle, and for Simon it's serial murder, mass slaughter and professional assassination. Visit the author's website on www.brookmyre.co.uk ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Carefully plotted, and very funny, but a little too long

I saw this author's stuff in bookshops in the UK - he is one of the top sellers there, but little known in the USA.What I got turned out to be a good subway book, a page turner that is a little smarter and a lot funnier than most.All in all, an enjoyable if not very enlightening read, and my only complaint is that, at 500 pages, it took up more of my time than it deserved.

Brookmyre, like my friend Tim Cockey, works the border between humor and mystery.His stuff is not quite funny enough to be hardcore humor, and it is a little too lite to be gripping suspense, but of course that is what he is trying to do, and it does work.I did find myself wondering who really is in control here - the clown or the master of suspense.Probably the clown - when he goees into burning sarcasm mode, he is as hot as anybody.But he takes his suspense very seriously, almost a little too seriously for a comic writer.The book is carefully plotted out, and rationales are provided for everything that happens.Practically every page has a cliffhanger on it.

The story centers on a college friendship that went awry.Raymond Ash and Simon Darcourt were flatmates and members of the same mediocre rock band, The Bacchae.Simon, a cold, manipulative egoist, always dreamed of stardom - but when this was denied to him, he became a leading international terrorist known as The Black Spirit.Raymond has recently had his first baby and entered the teaching profession.Raymond apparently spots Simon by chance in an airport, which is strange, because Simon is supposedly dead, perished in a bombed plane.In fact, he engineered the bombing himself.Raymond soon finds himself shot at, then kidnapped by a group of terrorists.I won't give away any more, but the book dips back into the past a lot, explaining Simon's motivations and past relations between Simon and Raymond.The ending is a little too much, and seems designed for Hollywood.

Brookmyre is a meticulouos plotter and a sarcastic humorist.Some sections are hysterically funny, like his description of a corporate workshop coach who gets people to make up raps about how they are going to help their companies - e.g. "Well here I am, my name is Je-re-mee / And my game is enhanced ee-fish-en-see / Sintek en-er-gee! /There for you and me!" etc.Simon kills him.All in all, an entertaining read, one written by an undeniably funny and careful craftsman.

Terribly Black Comedy
Christopher Brookmyre has taken a topic that has become present in the forefront of everyone's consciousness, presented a story in which he has managed to inject numerous humorous anecdotes and still been able to end up with a relevant reminder of how easily our lives may be touched by terrorism.

The title A BIG BOY DID IT AND RAN AWAY is reference to the way terrorists operate with the suggestion being that their acts of terror are nothing more than cowardly attacks by bullies who haven't got the guts to meet their enemies face to face.

The book starts out with a series of terrorist attacks that take place in various parts of the world and can all be attributed to a single man who is only known as the Black Spirit. Each of the attacks was simple yet untraceable and devastatingly effective resulting in the loss of many lives. The disturbing fact for the British Police Force is that the intelligence gathered by MI5 indicates that the Black Spirit's next attack is likely to occur somewhere on British soil.

Raymond Ash is a bored English teacher suffering the sleep deprivation that comes with living with a 3 month old baby with colic. One day while sitting in Aberdeen airport imagining what it might be like to just chuck it all in and jump on a plane out of there, he is startled to see his room-mate from his college days walking through the terminal. The reason for his surprise is that the guy had died in a plane crash 3 years ago. From this innocuous sighting, Raymond is about to have a very bad couple of days and a whole new appreciation of how fortunate he was to have led such a boring life.

The main storyline is set in Scotland with much of the dialogue spoken in Scottish slang for an authentic (although at times hard to understand) feel. We are slowly led towards the terrorist's target and the "against all odds" attempts by an unlikely bunch of "heroes" to avert a full on disaster. Along the way, Christopher Brookmyre has a habit of punctuating his story with a constant stream of asides, anecdotes, character introductions and histories. These interjections are both amusing and entertaining but they tended to break the flow of the story and occasionally made it a little hard to follow at times.

This minor inconvenience is offset by the enormous wealth of background information we get about each of the central characters. Whether it's an explanation on how a low-level marketing guy with a failed attempt at a rock career could become a deadly international terrorist or an interlude to reminisce about Raymond Ash's school days, Brookmyre has a flair for executing with an entertaining delivery. One thing's for sure, thanks to the plentiful supply of anecdotes throughout, we know all of the central characters inside and out. We care about them, we can identify with them and we can understand how they're feeling during the more stressful scenes. And believe me, towards the end of the book there are plenty of stressful moments.

When the finale takes place, it's inside a large complex and was rather reminiscent of some of the Matthew Reilly books that rely on action at all costs and a suspension of disbelief to ensure that a wild ride is had by all. It's a complete change to the way the first three quarters of the book was written, but it certainly entertained. One problem I had was in the convoluted description of the layout of the complex and where all the characters were in relation to one another. This part was crying out for an illustrated layout to be included a la Reilly or Clive Cussler.

For anyone who enjoys a humorous mystery that makes light of the more serious global concerns we face today, Christopher Brookmyre's A BIG BOY DID IT AND RAN AWAY is extremely satisfying. I have heard him compared to Carl Hiaasen both for his humour and his more serious underlying themes and I would have to agree with the comparison. A small warning about the extreme profane language used that may offend some readers.

Another Great Read
CB has produced another fantastic read. Maybe the references are a little parochial, but so what - use your imagination. IMO dry humour works anywhere - if you've travelled beyond your state/country who can't relate to PJ O'Rourke's rantings. CB manages this with a little more subtlety which makes his reading well worth it. His books capture the reader from start to end - which is quite annoying, I've read the fecker dry and wait for his next.

'Big Boy' is fantastic - the losing virginity chapter is laugh out loud funny. Of course I relate to the Glasgow setting (being a glaswegian and ex-QM member), but the characters translate country/cultural divides. Read it for feck sake and kick yourself out of the 'King of The Hill' mentality.

DB

A must read for us nerds
This is great! I never tought I'd read a novel with so many references to computer games, and to think that I even have played ALL of them is insane! (Yes even the most obscure game, I've played it!) The story is also a great read if you don't know about games (I asked my wife what she thought) even tough you might miss out...

Gaming rules, and C. Brookmyre, if you're ever on Rubi-Ka, come see me as Agna, Biola or Thesau ;)

Great Laugh and Good Suspense from the UK
I raced through the 500 pages of this book.It was really funny, witty, and quite a good look into current pop-culture in the UK.Brookmyre the author is able to make you laugh out loud.If you are looking for something that will tell you about life in the UK in an interesting and funny manner this is your book.Read it -- it's just good! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Serial killer targets celebrity airheads. What's not to like?
I'm reviewing the book here, although this is technically the audio book, but I can't find the book for sale on Amazon.

This author was recommended to me by someone who thought I would like it because I am a P.G.Wodehouse fan looking for modern writers I might enjoy. Given that I rarely read modern novels, the first chapter or so was a complete culture shock. I can't say I was comfortable with it. Brookmyre bears no resemblance to Wodehouse whatsoever that I can see.

I did stick with it though, and found myself really enjoying it, right through to the end. I found Brookmyre's style and characters quite fascinating. Also, as I loathe celebrity culture and reality TV, I gleaned some satisfaction in seeing the vapid celebrity victims bumped off.I would not call this book funny or comedic, but it is satisfying in a wry sort of way.

In summary, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this particular genre. I certainly will be exploring more of Brookmyre's work.

Christopher Brookmyre - A Snowball in Hell
Still waiting for a copy of this book .. keep requesting it but order not yet filled!Wishing here in NJ .. it's the last Brookmyre novel I've still to read ... read all the others and need my fix NOW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Humour and insight with a gritty feel
Brookmyre has been described as Britian's answer to Carl Hiaasen, but in this book, Brookmyre's anger at a wide range of aspects of modern British society make for a darker, more gritty read.

The topical plot describes leaders of Scotland's clergy fighting to retain their relevance in the face of the post-modern trashing of anything that smacks of formal religion. In a world where only tawdry shallowness is regarded as important, the church surrenders its future to the street instincts of a professional PR hustler, who has no scruples as to how he achieves his goals.

Mayhem and murder ensue in pursuit of the church's agenda, but in true Brookmyre style, an underdog appears to gum the works, in the figure of the raffish Jack Parlabane, whose morality at times seems to be scarcely higher than the people he is battling.

Throughout the book, Brookmyre tees off on several of his pet hates about Britain in general and Scotland in particular - political spin and correctness, powerful conspiracies, sectarian hatred born of ignorance and above all, the hypocrisy of self-elected religious figures.

Brookmyre is always interesting and insightful, and comes across as a lone voice of reason (and one favouring a strong Scottish accent) in a culture which appears not to notice its own decay. - Maclean J Storer, author of Forward O Peasant ... Read more

Product Description
Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Alex Mcleish, Christopher Brookmyre, John Connolly, Tommy Sloan, Alex Donaldson, Bob Mcphail, John Davidson, Paul Hanvidge, Robert Stevenson, John Anderson, Tommy Logan, James Logan, Gordon Mccorkell, Jim Leslie, William Smart, Jack Quinn. Excerpt:Personal information Alexander "Alex" Pollock Donaldson (4 December 1890 in Barrhead , East Renfrewshire - unknown ) was a Scottish footballer who played for numerous teams in England as well as the Scotland national team . Club career Donaldson played for minor teams Belgrave, Balmoral United and Ripley Athletic before being given his big chance with a trial at Sheffield United , the trial was not a success. However, he was signed by Bolton Wanderers in 1912 from Ripley Athletic and made his debut against Chelsea on 7 September 1912. He made a total of 147 appearances for Bolton over six seasons, scoring six goals. During the war he also guested for Leicester Fosse and Port Vale . He later continued his career with Sunderland , Manchester City , Chorley and Ashton National. International career Donaldson very nearly played for England before being capped by Scotland . While heading for an English international trial match in Sunderland on 21 January 1914, Donaldson revealed that he was actually born in Scotland. He earned his first Scotland cap a month later against Wales . Donaldson won six international caps for Scotland and also scored one goal - against England in April 1920. All of his caps were earned while playing for Bolton Wanderers. References (URLs online) Websites (URLs online) A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at item Personal information item Full name: Alexander McLeish item Date of birth: 21 January 1959 (1959-01-21) item Place of birth: Barrhead , Scotland item Playing position: Central defender item Club inf... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks by Christopher Brookmyre
Christopher Brookmyre is a wickedly funny author who knows how to get the reader involved in a story.After only five minutes of listening to the audio on this one, I was completely hooked.Brookmyre's main character, Jack Parlabane, is sarcastic, world-wise, and more than a bit left of the main stream when it comes to his opinions on important subjects such as religion and education.This story focuses on the question of psychic powers and the afterlife and to say more would spoil a great plot.

The audio is performed by Billy Boyd of "Lord of the Rings" fame. His performance enhances what is already a very good book.He helps to bring the characters to life by giving them individual voices and accents.The author is from Scotland and so there might be a few expressions in the book with which some American readers would not be familiar but nothing that would keep the reader from enjoying the story.I enjoyed this one so much that I have since ordered another of Brookmyre's books.Great plot, interesting idea, and excellent audio.A very nice find all around. ... Read more

Product Description
This is nonfiction commentary. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: The Sacred Art of Stealing, a Big Boy Did It and Ran Away, One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night, Not the End of the World, Country of the Blind, Quite Ugly One Morning, Pandaemonium, All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye, a Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: The Sacred Art of Stealing is a satirical crime novel by the Scottish writer Christopher Brookmyre. It is the author's seventh book and is a stand alone sequel to A Big Boy did it and Ran Away. The book is a tale of the unusual romance between likable thief, half Scottish half Mexican, Zal Innez and D.I. Angelique de Xavia, the police officer whose job it is to catch him. Martial arts expert de Xavia is recovering from her recent experiences as told in A Big Boy did it and Ran Away The book uses a blend of typical Brookmyre black humour, strong language, violence and references to literary and artistic works such as Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. The plot of The Sacred Art of Stealing tells the story of American Zal Innez, a witty and intellectual art-loving thief, who is being blackmailed by crime boss Alessandro Estabol to do one last major job for him. As a warm up to their main heist (the reason why they've been sent from the US to Glasgow), Zal and his team of fellow failed artists (all named after absurdist writers and painters) rob a Glasgow bank of approaching a million pounds. During the raid they use unorthodox methods such as firing itching powder at armed police, carrying fake guns, staging plays and drawing works of art for their hostages to keep casualties to a minimum. It is during this robbery that Zal first meets and falls for Angelique de Xavia, heroine of Brookmyre's previous novel, an...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=5570623 ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Christopher Brookmyre, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 1167 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
Chapters: People From Barrhead, People From Newton Mearns, Alex Mcleish, Brian Robertson, Christopher Brookmyre, John Connolly, Tommy Sloan, Shamus O'brien, Douglas Henshall, Alex Donaldson, Bob Mcphail, John Dick, John Davidson, Jock Mclean, Paul Hanvidge, Robert Stevenson, Jackson Carlaw, John Anderson, Gavin Jarvie, Tommy Logan, John Blair, Ronnie Clark, David Blyth Hanna, James Logan, Gordon Mccorkell, Jim Leslie, John Howie, William Smart, Jack Quinn, Marshall Douglas. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 92. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt:Personal information Alexander "Alex" Pollock Donaldson (4 December 1890 in Barrhead , East Renfrewshire - unknown ) was a Scottish footballer who played for numerous teams in England as well as the Scotland national team .Club career Donaldson played for minor teams Belgrave, Balmoral United and Ripley Athletic before being given his big chance with a trial at Sheffield United , the trial was not a success. However, he was signed by Bolton Wanderers in 1912 from Ripley Athletic and made his debut against Chelsea on 7 September 1912. He made a total of 147 appearances for Bolton over six seasons, scoring six goals. During the war he also guested for Leicester Fosse and Port Vale . He later continued his career with Sunderland , Manchester City , Chorley and Ashton National. International career Donaldson very nearly played for England before being capped by Scotland . While heading for an English international trial match in Sunderland on 21 January 1914, Donaldson revealed that he was actually born in Scotland. He earned his first Scotland cap a month later against Wales .Donaldson won six international caps for Scotland and also scored one goal - against England in April 1920. All of his caps were earned while playing for Bolton Wanderers.References (URLs online) Websites (UR... ... Read more

Product Description
The senior pupils of St Peter's High School are on retreat to an outdoor activity centre, coming to terms with the murder of a pupil. Not so far away, the commanders of a secret military experiment fear they may have unleashed the forces of Hell. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

change of direction
felt like book of 2 halves for a while but came together in classic brookmyre style

All fun and games
Pandaemonium lives up to Christopher usual tightly written and ironically observed previous offerings.He has an amusing yet engaging style of writing that leaves you both believing and gobsmacked. Pandaemonium was no different. The viewpoint switches easily between characters and even the darker elements of the demon cast is not impersonal, or overdone.The topic lends itself potentially, to some measure of fear or skepticism, yet Christopher manages to engage your interest and belief without treating any character as a cartoon. If you have read any of his books, you will also enjoy this one. If this is your first foray into the works and mind of Christopher Brookmyre, welcome, enjoy the read. ... Read more

Product Description
The senior pupils of St Peter's High School are on retreat to an outdoor activity centre, coming to terms with the murder of a pupil. Not so far away, the commanders of a secret military experiment fear they may have unleashed the forces of Hell. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

change of direction
felt like book of 2 halves for a while but came together in classic brookmyre style

All fun and games
Pandaemonium lives up to Christopher usual tightly written and ironically observed previous offerings.He has an amusing yet engaging style of writing that leaves you both believing and gobsmacked. Pandaemonium was no different. The viewpoint switches easily between characters and even the darker elements of the demon cast is not impersonal, or overdone.The topic lends itself potentially, to some measure of fear or skepticism, yet Christopher manages to engage your interest and belief without treating any character as a cartoon. If you have read any of his books, you will also enjoy this one. If this is your first foray into the works and mind of Christopher Brookmyre, welcome, enjoy the read. ... Read more