Lothian and Borders Police HQ was on Fettes Avenue. From some windows there was a view towards Fettes College. A few of the officers in the Complaints had been to private schools, but none to Fettes. Fox himself had been educated largely free of charge - Boroughmuir, then Heriot Watt. Supported Hearts FC though seldom managed even a home fixture these days. Had no interest in rugby, even when his city played host to the Six Nations. February was Six Nations month, meaning there'd be hordes of the Welsh in town this weekend, dressed up as dragons and toting oversized inflatable leeks. Fox reckoned he would watch the match on TV, might even rouse himself to go down the pub. Five years now he'd been off the drink, but for the past two he'd trusted himself with occasional visits. Only when he was in the right frame of mind though, only when the willpower was strong.
7 comments:
What do you reckon to this one? I'm waiting for it to drop to 1p plus p&p on Amazon! Read all the Rebus, and noticed the poor reviews for his first post-Rebus, but this one has got better reviews.
Rob
I loved it.
It's close enough to the Rebus books in tone, setting and humour to have that warm glow of reading an old favourite whilst having its own identity.
I hope it turns into a series.
Sounds a good 'un. I'm well in favour of a new series developing.
b.t.w. ever read any James Lee Burke? I used to alternate between Rankin's Edinburgh, then JLB's Louisiana, (or sometimes Montana).
I've just got onto Rebus, after holding out for many years. I heard "Strip Jack" on the radio the other week and got the book. Just finished it. I've an awful feeling that I may do what I did with WJ Burley's "Wycliffe" books - I read the lot one after another. And there are a lot of 'em. The other book that was on Radio 4 recently is one of my all time faves - Hesse's Glass Bead Game. Read by Derek Jacobi. Check it out if you get the chance - really brought the book to life.
"I've an awful feeling that I may do what I did with WJ Burley's "Wycliffe" books - I read the lot one after another. And there are a lot of 'em . . . "
I've done that myself a few times. And, invariably, it was crime writers. I did the self-same thing with Rebus, Resnick, Dalziel and Pascoe, Denise Mina's crime novels and I'm (sort of) doing it now with crime novels of Lehane and Pelecanos.
I too scared to go near McBain and Simenon, in case I fall in love them.
Just realised that on the quiet I'm doing the same thing with Manc author Cath Staincliffe. Her Sal Kilkenny books are rather good, and the latest, hors serie as they say in Accrington, The Kindest Thing, was extremely good. I'll be getting onto Blue Murder shortly. Set in God's Own City of course. 'cept you're in the SPGB so I supose its Engels' Own City for you.
I've never heard of Staincliffe before but I'll definitely keep an eye out for her books.
For all my bingeing on crime fiction at the moment, I realise I've still got some way to go. NPR recently released a Top 100 list of the best crime novels - as voted for by the general public - and it turns out I've only read two of them!
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