Book One: Quite Ugly One Morning, by Christopher Brookmyre

First book down!  Quite Ugly One Morning, by Christopher Brookmyre

As I mentioned in my first post, this isn't the first nor the second time that I've read this book.  And I'd read it again, I find it that enjoyable.  I'd listen to it as well; I'd actually heard the audiobook version of this one before I decided to go out and order the book.  I recommend the audiobook, especially if you like hearing men speaking with Scottish accents (and the added bonus of one awesome fandom in-joke at the beginning too...).

Quite Ugly One Morning is the story of a journalist, Jack Parlabane, who stumbles onto a murder in his new apartment building when he locks himself out of his flat in a hungover stupor one morning.  Being a "professional nosy bastard", he can't help but investigate and gets dragged into the mess that's brewing in the Royal Victoria Hospital.  This book isn't so much a whodunit as it is a whydunit.  Fairly early in to the book you know exactly who did what, but it's the motives that slowly unfold throughout the pages.  As a reader I really like that instead of the classical mystery novel path where the build up is all about finding who killed the first guy.

As a writer I love the style the book is written in.  The book rushes by at a breakneck speed which fits the plotline.  I like the characterization of his main characters as well (I especially have a thing for good guys who can be a bit of a bastard or fall on the wrong side of the law, which definitely applies to Parlabane).  The two main bad guys in the story are a wee bit less well rounded, but their motivations are pretty well explained so I don't find this a problem. 

Brookmyre doesn't shy away from his topic, so I'd warn that this book isn't for the faint of stomach.  There are some pretty graphic descriptions of violence and the aftermath thereof, and he's not shy about using the f-word either.  So if you're sensitive to those sort of things in your reading material this book probably isn't for you.  If that doesn't bother you, however, I highly recommend that you check this book out (I ordered my copy through Amazon, so you should be able to find it there if you're interested).  It's fun and speedy, and just an all around good time.  I know I'll be reading it again and still loving it.

And apparently there are sequels to this book.  I must find them....

I think the next book I'm going to start is Knight Life, by Peter David.  I'm fairly sure I've read this one as well, but it was so long ago I don't remember too much about it.  So we'll see where it goes.

Thanks for reading!

E. Iacono