by
4.01 of 5 stars
As a teenager Jane Bell had dreamt of playing in the casinos of Monte Carlo in the company of James Bond, but in her punk phase she'd got herself p... read full description

reviews

May 31, 2011
Ben rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Like with every Brookmyre I've ever read, all I could think of after finishing this was how soon I could get another Brookmyre to read. If I saw a granny reading one in the street within an hour of finishing this, I would have robbed her. These books are drugs.

I think I know why. There's a brutal humour, cleverness and charm in Brookmyre's writing, but there's something else too. A third of the way through All Fun And Games, I faced up to the truth that I was reading a thriller. There. More...
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Jan 29, 2008
Guy rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Intussen ook nog wat gelezen: van een uitstap naar Londen eens All Fun And Games Until Somebody Loses An Eye (2005) van Christopher Brookmyre meegebracht. Aan de stapels boeken te zien moet Brookmyre een held zijn in z’n land, en dat is eigenlijk best te begrijpen. Het is immers een bijzonder flukse, slim in elkaar gestoken roman met een gezonde combinatie van humor en actie, pulp en literatuur. De uitgerekte proloog was aanvankelijk wat verwarrend, waardoor het meer dan vijftig pagina’s duurde More...
Mar 02, 2011
Johanna rated it: 5 of 5 stars
A very clever read that takes me right back to the East Kilbride, I hear the characters and see the locations.

For me this book was compulsive first time round and a proper treat to regularly re-read for my brookmyre fix. I particularly enjoy the thread of romance and like to imagine the author is a big softy under the vigilante violence.

If pushed I'd choose this as my favorite Brookmyre although (with the exception of Ducks) I've loved every single book once I get past More...
Oct 02, 2010
Bruce rated it: 3 of 5 stars
The cover promises more humor than I picked up on, but it was written by a Glaswegian and has many unfamiliar words and phrases. Maybe the humor was hidden in them. It's something like "a housewife joins the A-Team", and the plot is somewhat of a stretch. It kept my interest up to the end, though, so I'd recommend it for a light read. I picked it up at the National Gallery gift shop in Edinburgh, which explains the local theme.
Sep 16, 2011
Michael rated it: 5 of 5 stars
A thriller with its tongue firmly in its cheek, but with enough of the genre to keep the plot sailing along. And its Bond, Jayne Bond. She's a great character and the kind of mum to die for ... or who would die for you. Christopher Brookmyre has another series of novels with Jack Parlabane as the main character. The Parlabane series are also funny and exciting and intelligent.
Jan 26, 2010
Debbie rated it: 4 of 5 stars
This is a great romp by Christopher Brookmyre with all the trademark Brookmyre ingredients of murder, mayhem, twists, turns and humour, where the one thing you can be sure of is that nothing is as it seems.

The heroine of the book is a dutiful, downtrodden middle aged wife and mother. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much! Great fun.
0 comments like (1 person liked it)
Mar 22, 2009
DC rated it: 5 of 5 stars
One of the "stand-alone" Brookmyres: not part of the Parlabane or Angelique de Xavia sequences. Possibly a good introduction to his books if you haven't read him before. A life of action-packed, life-threatening adventure suddenly descends upon a Scottish housewife. Full of typical Brookmyre sardonic humour and geekery.
Jul 28, 2011
Mike rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Impressive book - not sure is these are ever turned into films - but this is all action and full of hollywood "coincedences". I guess my love for these is the same as other's love for Bond. I don't know why people like Bond films...so I guess maybe others may not like these!
Jul 10, 2010
Saylaveev rated it: 4 of 5 stars
What a fun book. A little comedy mixed with a little action. It was well written, the characters were engaging, the story was interesting. I just randomly picked up this book at the library while I was on vacation. I'll definately read the other stuff he's written.
Sep 05, 2010
David rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Very typical thriller with no real interesting twists and very typical characters...even the middle aged heroine (a sop to the the aging boomers market..a very cynical piece of writing). Many will enjoy this because almost no thought is required.
Jul 14, 2011
Sarah rated it: 5 of 5 stars
A really, really good read. The characters are excellent, the false trails and surprises are superbly carried out, and the things Jane does to get her son back are staggering. Truly an excellent book.
Apr 17, 2011
Dottycookie rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I wouldn't have chosen this myself, but it was a book club choice and after wading through the first chapter started to thoroughly enjoy it. Completely ridiculous, but sometimes that's just what I want.
Aug 03, 2011
Simon added it
Liked the first chapter, then a little slow to get going, but in the end up to his usual standard. Made me paugh out loud a couple of times. Liked it!!!
May 21, 2011
Gordon rated it: 5 of 5 stars
James Bond meets Good Housekeeping. Brookmyre brings Glasgow's dark sense of humour to the world of international espionage. Maybe not as many laughs per page as his other books, but the humour here is in the absurdist juxtaposition of the characters involved.
Dec 19, 2011
Mark rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Another great book in the brookmyre vein. You know what you getting james bond meets hollyoaks! But it works. Love this as much as any of the others i read and will be picking up another one soon!
Feb 14, 2010
William marked it as to-read
Mentioned in the Boskone 2010 panel on the Heroine's Journey as an example of a grandma going off and having adventures.
Feb 03, 2011
Carole added it
It's a bit too boys toys for me I agree with one of the reviews that said it's like a housewife joins the A team. Have enjoyed other books by him more.
Jan 09, 2009
Meera rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Started off well but descended into the ridiculous. I wasn't buying the love story that was tossed in about halfway through.
Aug 20, 2009
Martin rated it: 5 of 5 stars
My personal favourite Brookmyre book even though it took the longest to get into.
Dec 11, 2010
Coren rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I'm giving all CB's books five stars - brilliant stuff.
Aug 19, 2010
Rob rated it: 4 of 5 stars
A great, fun read. Must be my favourite Brookmyre book.
May 11, 2010
Jess rated it: 2 of 5 stars
A bit too much of a romp...brookmyre meets Tom Sharpe
Nov 06, 2010
Kendall rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Fantastic book, takes and doesn't let up.
Jan 01, 2011
Petra rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This is my all time favourite!!
Jul 27, 2011
Jayne added it
didn't finish
Jul 19, 2011
Cameron rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Exellent book
Sep 26, 2009
Fiona rated it: 5 of 5 stars
sensational read
Jan 13, 2010
Sc rated it: 3 of 5 stars
quite good but not a keeper
Oct 07, 2010
Susan rated it: 3 of 5 stars
A hoot. Power to the geezer mom! Plus some catchy Scottish vocabulary.
May 10, 2008
AJ rated it: 5 of 5 stars
A brilliant novel, fun, sexy, inventive, dark, brilliantly cast.

You'll laugh at and with this book! Enough plot twists to allow you to spot a few and still be happily surprised at the very neat ending.

A great example of solid writing, deft observations and some nicely dark humour.