A selection of audiobooks I’ve listened to during the last few weeks.
A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil by Christopher Brookmyre
Published by Little, Brown and Company on 25 May 2006
352 Pages
Format: I listened to the Audible audiobook version which is narrated by Angus King.
A killer and accomplice try to dispose of two bodies. Laughingly incompetent they bungle the job and leave a trail behind. Straightforward then? Not quite because the suspects, the investigating officers and potential defender all know each other, in fact they were all at school together 20 years ago. Objectivity goes out of the window when you know each other so well and after all nobody changes that much, or do they?
The crime aspects of the novel take something of a back seat as the bulk of the story is told by flashbacks to a series of incidents and their effects back in the character’s school days. Starting from the very first day to leaving, these stories provide a rich tapestry of life at school during the 1970’s and 80’s. I’m certain anyone from that era will recognize the voracity of at least some of these anecdotes. Sure they are stretched and embellished but have been done so lovingly and provide a number of genuine laugh out loud moments (as I found to my embarrassment whilst walking the dog). Two which involve the overbearing primary school headmaster are a particular joy.
A superb look at how childhood and coming of age can influence one’s view on life, not always to the good and a timely reminder that we all have the capacity to change. For me the crime story was somewhat secondary.
Lazy Bones by Mark Billingham
Published by Sphere in 2003
436 pages
The third novel in the Tom Thorne series
Format: I listened to the Audible audiobook version which is narrated by the author himself.
A convicted rapist is released from prison and within 10 days he is found dead in a seedy North London hotel room. He has been strangled, tied up with his belt and sodomised. A case of deadly revenge or summary justice but he had been convicted and done his time. A second victim in similar circumstances suggests to DI Tom Thorne that there is a vigilante killer who is going to become a serial killer of convicted rapists if he is not found soon. The attitude that the killer is just reducing reoffending rates doesn’t sit well with Tom.
There are two aspects that make this a standout series for me, the unflinching warts and all approach to the crimes and the everyman interactions between Tom, Phil (Hendricks) and Dave (Holland). In this novel we are not spared the horrible and vindictive nature of the murders. We also have Dave’s doubts and worries about becoming a father which are sensitively covered. Tom also has a love interest which provides some nice scenes away from the crime when Tom gets to relax. This being Tom Thorne though, his love life is never straightforward as he seems to be having self-doubts and issues with commitment.
I’m not a big fan of authors reading their own audiobooks, but this is one of the exceptions as Mark is well experienced in working different media. Here he has produced thoroughly entertaining novel but also one that poses serious questions regarding rape and sentencing. Even after nearly 20 years since this book was written the treatment of victims and prosecution rates remain appalling. There are a few lighthearted moments though, I particularly liked that the burglar found it impossible to sell Thorne’s CD collection. A great installment in a brilliant series which has been recognized by the award of the 2022 CWA ‘Dagger in the Library’ decided by librarians. Congratulations on a well-deserved award.
The Executioner by Chris Carter
Published by Simon & Schuster in June 2010
472 pages
The second novel in the Robert Hunter series
Format: I listened to the Audible audiobook version which is narrated by Thomas Judd.
Hunter and Garcia are called out to a particularly shocking murder scene. The inside of a Los Angeles church is blood splattered worse than any abattoir. On the altar steps is the body of a priest who has been decapitated and his head has been replaced by that of a stray dog. On closer examination the forensic team find the number 3 written on his chest in blood, the blood from a pregnant woman. The number 3 indicates, perhaps, that this is victim number 3 and they have a sadistic serial killer on their hands.
The first murder may hint of anger against religion or devil worship of sorts, but the plot revolves around bullying, albeit bullying of the most extreme and vicious kind. The murders are brutal, almost visceral to the reader. In fact you could run through a thesaurus and still not find the most appropriate gruesome words to describe some, but they are certainly creative. Add to the mix run ins with authority figures, Hunter’s insomnia and emotional issues, and a few twists and turns and you have all you need for a blockbuster of the genre.
There’s plenty of serial killer fiction out there and LA is the perfect location, rather than a small English town, to give credibility as sadly, too many real life examples have proved this in past. The graphic nature may put some off or even offend and it really pushed the envelope of credibility at times but this is fiction written with total conviction and some sense of morality. Compelling at times, for me, but if it’s not your cup of tea I can understand.
The Quaker by Liam McIlvanney
Published by Harper Collins GB on 29 January 2019 (first published 2018)
400 pages
The first novel in the Duncan McCormack series
Format: I listened to the Kobo audiobook version which is narrated by Angus King.
Its 1969 and a serial Killer is at large in Glasgow. He has killed three women from the same nightclub so far and the police are floundering and have little concrete to go on. He seems courteous and nicely dressed, quotes from the bible and preys on menstruating women. He’s been christened the Quaker. DI Duncan McCormack is parachuted in from the Highlands to review the progress so far and make recommendations. Initially he is not well received but eventually he too becomes absorbed into the investigation team. McCormack has a secret though, which if revealed would be his Achilles heel.
Alex Payton is a ‘peter man’ (safe cracker) who was originally from Glasgow but has been in London for the richer pickings and has been tempted home for a big job. He finds more than he bargained for when the two investigations intersect.
Whilst not being a true ‘roman-à-clef’ the Quaker is clearly modelled on the real-life serial killer Bible John whose identity remains a mystery to this day. Many of the facts of the case are retained, the victims are fictional and clearly the investigation and its conclusion are fiction too. Overall, the plot works and doesn’t become distasteful. I found the merging of the two strands of the story smartly done and somewhat unexpected. Dark and grim read, capturing the urban decay of Glasgow of the period well and pulling no punches.
Peter turns the page 