Daren
This has been kicking around my shelves for years. I have read a lot of Colin Bateman's novels when I was more fiction focused, but I never got around to this one.
A few days ago I finished a Gavin Maxwell book which was particularly depressing - I haven't tackled a review of it yet, but I needed something easy and light. I forgot how easy it is to read a 400 page novel, compared to a 200 page non-fiction book, and I feel a little less guilty about my low page count year on year, and my reading of short books.
Dan Starkey, formed journalist, now offers 'a bespoke service for important people with difficult problems'. He has been kicked out of his house by his wife (again) and has no clients.
In the first chapter, he is visited by old acquaintance, radio shock-jock Jack Caramac, who is always stirring things up and courting controversy. In the past days his 4 year old son was abducted (for an hour) and returned with a note, albeit a cryptic threat. So he asked Starkey to help.
Of course, this is only the beginning of an overly complex web of events that take place in Belfast post IRA, but with the UFV still playing terror, selling drugs, and dealing with internal power struggles. Caramac has been giving them grief on air about a 14 year old boy they kneecapped, and Starkey ends up mixed up in it all, dragging long suffering wife Patricia in too.
In typical Bateman style it is high octane with all manner of twists and turns as Starkey pieces together events, taking beatings as the story rolls out.
Short and sweet, enjoyable and easy. Not for those with objections of wanton violence, serial cheating and lots of sexual inuendo (par for the course with Dan Starkey).
4 stars.
This has been kicking around my shelves for years. I have read a lot of Colin Bateman's novels when I was more fiction focused, but I never got around to this one.
A few days ago I finished a Gavin Maxwell book which was particularly depressing - I haven't tackled a review of it yet, but I needed something easy and light. I forgot how easy it is to read a 400 page novel, compared to a 200 page non-fiction book, and I feel a little less guilty about my low page count year on year, and my reading of short books.
Dan Starkey, formed journalist, now offers 'a bespoke service for important people with difficult problems'. He has been kicked out of his house by his wife (again) and has no clients.
In the first chapter, he is visited by old acquaintance, radio shock-jock Jack Caramac, who is always stirring things up and courting controversy. In the past days his 4 year old son was abducted (for an hour) and returned with a note, albeit a cryptic threat. So he asked Starkey to help.
Of course, this is only the beginning of an overly complex web of events that take place in Belfast post IRA, but with the UFV still playing terror, selling drugs, and dealing with internal power struggles. Caramac has been giving them grief on air about a 14 year old boy they kneecapped, and Starkey ends up mixed up in it all, dragging long suffering wife Patricia in too.
In typical Bateman style it is high octane with all manner of twists and turns as Starkey pieces together events, taking beatings as the story rolls out.
Short and sweet, enjoyable and easy. Not for those with objections of wanton violence, serial cheating and lots of sexual inuendo (par for the course with Dan Starkey).
4 stars.