Christopher Brookmyre

I've heard him speak at events a couple of times and I think he did have a Catholic education, Leo35, from what he said and there's more than one book in which he suggests it.

I was introduced to his work by an online reading group discussion with a lot of Americans, though many of them love reading British crime fiction.

The discussion book was Quite Ugly One Morning and a few people just couldn't get past the opening chapter, though.

I was terribly disappointed by the way in which they changed it for TV though, anyone else see that? This isn't a plot spoiler as it features early on, but they couldn't cope with the lesbian policewoman who worries about encountering her drug dealer while she's at work....

Hmm, maybe I'll have to track down a Brookmyre for my next read (I've got all but the most recent but I've only read about 4 so must have quite a few to get to still.

I'm a late comer to this thread, but I LOVE Christopher Brookmyre's books. Even the ones that aren't as good are still worth a read. Loved the one set on the oil rig with the school reunion. And he must have gone to a RC secondary school (A Tale Etched...) in the 1980's because he described a lot of my school days!

I've ordered the next one from the library and I'm so looking forward to reading it.

Another fan here. I lived in Glasgow until my mid twenties, so a lot of the Scottish settings are familar. Very, very funny writing.

ara EEK indeed!!!

squeaver - I struggled a bit with the scottish dialect bits, being from the West Midlands originally, and I'm a bit dim with accents, but the humour often works best with the truly Scottish bits!

I'm off to the library next week with DD (for me not here) check out what Brookmyres they might have that I haven't got. Or maybe I'll just check ebay, just in case!!!

sorry to hijack - SQUILLY, do you still want to join our book club? let me know and i'll tell you who to post to/who'll be posting to you. I'm still interested in getting my hands on some ooks come here

oooohhhhhh, am off for a nosey as well, only problem with me is that I have a 'wish' list on amazon and things miraculously get ordered just to get the free delivery lol

there's a new one?!

[rushes to Amazon]

I thought Hard Balck Pencil was rubbish, but I loved All Fun And Games Until Someone Loses An Eye

nothign beats A Big Boy Did It And Ran Away though

I didn't think Simon Darcourt had died! Will look out for that new on when it's in paperback.

Another detective author I love is Andrea Camilleri. Very different but very good. Has anyone read any of his Inspector Montalbano novels?

pmsl - lapin I remember laughing out loud for AGES at it and trying to read it out to dh (who is a polis btw) and trying to get him to imagine if one of his Sgts had made him do it as part of an investigation

sheer brilliance!

yes it's right at the start of one the books - absolutely brilliant opening to a book.

I haven't read any of his books but we were staying on Tiree last year and DP was reading 'one fine day' before bed - it must have been one of the rambo-esque bits as i woke up at three in the morning as he SANK HIS TEETH INTO MY ARM in his sleep. Eek!

squeaver, I agree completely, I think dh is just lazy, he's lived over here for 13yrs now ffs, what hasn't he had time to pick up?!?

one of the funniest lines have ever read in a book am sure was from brookemyre - about baggin and tagging a jobby that was left at a house break in - am I right or completely wrong? it has been known to happen

Nice to see he's still going to the footie, btw Aitch. (and obviously it's dh - not me! - watching Scotsport. I can't bear to watch without Arthur Montford)

One fine day is hysterical. I've never laughed so much at saomeone getting their arm ripped off by a chainsaw

and i'm a nice gentle person at heart, honest I am!

another vote for Carl Hiassen as an alternative writer. His books are similar, but very different if that makes sense.

Ben Elton is good too, if not even remotely similar.

I've often wondered if non-Scottish people really get him. Obviously they do, judging by his sales (and I'm glad that they do, it's just very specifically Scottish humour iyswim)

Meant to add, my favourite so far is Not the End of The World. All about the stupid things people can do in the name of religion.

I too am huge fan and tried to impress upon irish dh how wonderful he was - not so impressed am afraid, wondered if it was a scottish patter thing that put him off?!?

Ha! Saw this when the OP first posted and thought the same as several other posters; Carl Hiassen is very similar to Christopher Brookmyer. Hiassen wrote Striptease (which was a surprisingly good read). Agree with pruners though that Lucky You is probably his best.

Brookmyer is fab and I have loved every single book of his I have read (which was every one up until a couple of years ago -- don't know what he's had published since then).

Brookmyer and Hiassen both write with a wicked sense of (very) black humour. They are both very anti-establishment within their respective environments (Brookmyer obviously dislikes Scottish politics -- who could blame him?? Similarly, Hiassen hates the politicians and developers hell bent on destroying the Florida environment).

he's very good on the iniquities of the old firm, imo. dh sees him at st mirren a lot. he is a nice bloke, very clever and funny and introspective and dark. but kind, ime. also married to a kinda cousin of mine so am regularly updated when the mothers all get together.