Nigel Bird's Blog, page 46

One Man's Opinion: THE ACCIDENT by LINWOOD BARCLAY

 Glen Garber’s wife dies in a road accident, taking out a local family in the process. Her blood is full of alcohol, yet she’s never been a big drinker.
This sits uneasily with Glen. Besides having to cope with the emotional stresses of the loss, he’s got to look after his daughter and continue a battle to keep his business afloat.
His journey takes him into the world of counterfeit goods, but the bags and the prescription drugs aren’t the only fakes he encounters – it seems that practically everyone he ever knew has been faking something or other.
The twists and turns are clever and woven into a structure that means this is one of those reads that is difficult to put down. There are very few chapters that end and don’t create an itch to find out what happens next that needs to be scratched immediately.
Glen is a fantastic central character. An average guy with an average life who watches as his life tumbles before him like a house of cards. Some of the most touching moments centre around his attempts to protect his daughter from the outside world, including his powerful mother-in-law, but he’s also keen to look after his employees and even some of the broken people he finds along the way.
There were a few points when I felt the author might have stretched things a little far. The way the mountains of bad luck and sinister revelations build, it is relentless and things are taken as far as they could be in every single direction the plot takes. I found myself questioning whether some things were credible and then that idea would be swallowed by the need to read on to find out just how incredible it might get. The bottom line is that the plot has been so well constructed that each tangent fits to the central hub really well and the characters are so well put together that their actions always make sense in terms of who they are in the circumstances they’ve been in.
It’s a very exciting read that has a really strong sense of pace about it. I’m generally a slow reader, but these 470 pages took me only 4 days and that’s really some going for me.  
Great fiction. THE ACCIDENT IS AVAILABLE HERE.

One Man's Opinion: RAVENFOLD by KATH MIDDLETON

A couple of things before the review.
First of all, if you’ve missed the news about the fabulous event I’ll be involved with this Friday and you happen to live in the East of Scotland or are passing through, check out the information over at Ed James’s blog. I’m really looking forward to it.
Next, if you want to enter a competition where the prizes include a paperback copy of How To Choose A Sweetheart or The Rocks Below, follow this link to ebliving (it’s all online and no purchase is necessary).
And now news of a book that I read on International Women’s Day.
I was lucky enough to have a few hours to myself as I waited for my children to complete various tasks and functions. My choice of book was Ravenfold by Kath Middleton. It had me so involved that by the time I had a few hours free in the evening, it was the book that became my focus.
To my mind, this was the perfect read for a day set aside for reflecting about the rights of women. Not only that, it’s so well written that the journey was a pleasure to take.
The ravens alluded to in the title are birds that have become close to their human friends, a group of teenagers who hang around together enjoying the things that only children can. Life’s an adventure of sorts for all of them, but the fact that they’re growing up means that there’s a dark cloud hanging over them, especially the girls.
Ravenfold (US)is set in medieval times. Things were very different then and those differences are woven into the detail of the story rather skilfully. Above all, the role of girls and women is so limited and rigid as to make the framework tense and charged in itself.
Romelda Bolt is almost fourteen and has caught theattention of a brute of a man who rules the area, Oswald. He has the power to crush people or to raise their status at his whim. It’s not long before Romelda is learning to sew and is then chained in marriage to her drunken lord.
Marriage doesn’t make life any easier for Romelda or her family. Oswald is no noble man and lacks any of the qualities that a decent human being might possess. There’s a sense of claustrophobia about the whole tale as Oswald tightens his fist and we get to see what powders crumble from between his fingers.
I’m loath to give away too much. Suffice to say, things don’t go well and Romelda and her family are deeply damaged by what occurs. It’s this damage that leads to thoughts of taking revenge and for me, that’s exactly what I wanted.

This is a really interesting story. It has a haunting atmosphere right from the off when a young man slaughters a pig and takes away a vial of its blood before leaving. It has the feel of a really strong, dark fairytale where the cruelty and chill have the power to enclose and suffocate. This creates a real drive to find what is about to happen and a real need to reach some kind of escape. I was at the author’s mercy from an early point; whether she was generous or barbaric, I’ll not say.
Back to Women’s Day. A read like this is a strong reminder of how much things have changed over the years and had me reflecting over how much more change is needed. As I sat in my own bubble in a world full of bubbles, I had to remind myself that the shifts that have come through processes of evolution or revolution have not been uniform across the globe. The reminder is not enough unless it causes a shift in thinking in some way; reading a book like this is one way to get the cogs moving. One small cog can sometimes make a big difference. Here’s hoping.

One Man's Opinion: GHOST IN THE MACHINE by ED JAMES

 Facebook has a competitor. It's called Schoolbook and it hooks up old friends. It also leaves some of those friends dead.Ghost In The Machine (US) opens with a blind date that ends in the murder of a young mother in an Edinburgh hotel. This sets off a chain of events that unfolds and brings in Scott Cullen, a detective who is new to me and who brings a wonderful energy to the world of the police procedural.Cullen’s good at his job and is keen to do what is right. That’s not always as easy as it might be, given that his bosses are playing political games and looking after their reputations, while his juniors are often rather incompetent.
As he battles against the lack of imagination of his seniors, Cullen moves off on tangents by following a mix of instinct and logic. It’s a good job he does, too, even if it does get him into hot water with the powers that be. The thing is, he’s the one with the handle on the case and he’s the only one likely to come up with the right result.
I really enjoyed this one. The setting is colourful and the characters well put together. The process of Cullen’s investigation into technologies using ultra-modern techniques is fascinating and well-explained. The pace of the story is terrific and the plot really accelerates from the off. There are plot-twists that came totally unexpectedly for me, yet made complete sense once the pieces of the puzzle were put together. There’s also enough in Cullen’s personal life and general manner to make him a pleasure to get to know.
Most interestingly for me was the style of the book. To me it goes against the writing rules I often read about and discuss, namely in the way that it tells the tale almost entirely through dialogue. It’s a great example of how to buck the norm; in so doing, James creates something that feels fresh and exciting. It helps that he uses strong differentiation between the voices of the characters, whether that be through accent, manner or phrasing. This rhythm adds to the style and pace of the work and helped this reader to shift through the gears with perfect ease.
It’s fair to say that I was bolting along as the climax played out. I was totally hooked and had been from pretty early on. This is a bonus as it helped me save on battery life on my TV remote control, the telly being switched off for the past few days to make way for the real action.
Recommended to anyone who likes a solid police story. I’ll definitely be reading more in the series.

3 GREAT WRITERS, 2 HOURS, 1 STAGE, 0 WORRIES

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OFF THE KUF

When I first put out Dirty Old Town, I approached the selling of the book with a zeal that was completely over the top. I felt it was good. When I felt good, I thought it was really good. I wanted everyone to know that and to help me on my way. 

Being blessed and cursed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, I went for it. My head didn't allow me to rest or hold back and I couldn't resist the pressure that built up. I dropped in everywhere and generally became an irritation. When people pointed out the irritation, I tried to argue back and the tale ended badly. It was just wrong.

In spite of that, the good people at the Kindle Users Forum just seemed to allow me to find my pace. To let me get it all out of my system until I realised what I was doing. It took a while, but I got it in the end. The good folk there have shown patience and kindness in numerous ways. Help has come in the form of consoling, soothing, editing out mistakes in my work, confidence boosting and understanding. I have a thread there that I add to fairly regularly. It's fun and allows me to communicate with the world without getting in anyone's face (or at least I hope so). 

I'd like to think I've given a little back from time to time. If I haven't, submitting work to the Off The Kuf series is my way of offering thanks. The funds raised will help to keep the forum going and I'm all for that. There's the full range of information for discussion from the technological side of things for readers or writers to author advice, suggestions of new and good reads and general fun and socialising. I'm all for the place and hope it can grow in terms of what it offers without losing it's pleasant vibe.

It's not a place that will work for everyone, but if you've not been over why not take a look here.

The other side of being part of an anthology is trying to find a few new readers for your work. I'm hoping that I might find one or two in the process. If you're here, I presume you've read something of mine before, so if you pick up this collection of novellas you'll find someone new. Something here will definitely grab you.

My story is The Rocks Below. You'll see in the margin here that it's on sale for 78p. Pick up the KUF 3 and you'll get 6 novellas for only £1.99. That seems like a bargain to me. A solid bargain.

My reasons for choosing The Rocks Below as a submission were varied. First of all, it has no swearing, killing or sex and that seemed to rule out potential controversy for the forum and this collection. Secondly, it's been a little neglected on the shelves and that makes me sad - it's a fine story and I just hope it's read. Third, I never really knew how to pitch it - it's got a dash of science fiction and it's suitable for a younger reader. Finally, it's about spreading word about environmental issues and getting people (young people, in particular) to think about what we do to our beautiful land in order to exploit resources - I'm sure the weather has done a pretty good job of spreading that message by itself. 

During the recent flooding catastrophes around Britain, it was interesting to hear some of the messages from the government. The good news (cheer here) is that they'll be doing everything they can to stop future flooding and will spend as much as they need to to sort it all out. The other news, they'd love to encourage Fracking in any way possible - extended reliance on fossil fuels, the risk of contaminating a rather precious water supply and spoiling areas of natural beauty in the process. For messages read mixed messages. 

Rant over (that wasn't supposed to be here). 

Basically, I'd like you to think about checking out the KU Forum and it's offerings and see how you like it. It'll never appeal to all, but if you're a lover of stories I'm pretty sure there'll be something there for you to enjoy at some level. 

Thanks. 

Here's the blurb:

Off the KUF Volume 3 is an anthology of novellas, guaranteed to appeal to readers of all genres!

This book brings together six novellas into one 125,000-word collection. Each contains narratives of more depth and richness than a short story could handle, while delivering a punchier impact than a full-length novel. No matter what your tastes, there is plenty here to engage your imagination.

Volume 3 is edited by David Wailing and the contributing authors are Cecilia Peartree, Carl Ashmore, Nigel Bird, Jonathan Hill, David Wailing and Jennifer Hanning. The front cover is by Katie Stewart at Magic Owl Designs.

The Off the KUF trilogy of anthologies is brought to you by the Kindle Users Forum (KUF). All proceeds from ebook sales are used to maintain the forum. Join us at www.kuforum.co.uk.

One Man's Opinion: THE DEVIL DOESN'T WANT ME by ERIC BEETNER

 Here’s a great read for fans of the hit-man genre. Hell, here’s a great read for anyone who likes a good tale that’s well told.
Eric Beetner takes a number of clichés and twists them until they become new and fresh.
Lars has been working in the one hit for seventeen years. During that time he’s kept his killing skills sharp and has taken up yoga to keep his body keen. He’s been hanging around New Mexico in the hope that he’ll finally complete the contract put out by his employer Nikki Senior.
Unfortunately for Lars, Nikki Junior is in the process of taking over the family and he’s not showing his father the respect that he might. Nikki Junior hires a young buck, Trent, to get together with Lars so that the job can finally get done.
The relationship between Lars and Trent is a tricky one. Maybe that’s always the way when the next generation steps up. Thing is, Trent has his ways and means even if he is young, foolish and uncouth. He’s soon leading the way to Mitch the Snitch and the hit that Lars has been waiting to make for so many years of his life is finally about to happen.
Nothing plays out as might have be expected by this reader or by any of the characters involved. You’ll know what I mean when you get there (and get there you should).
The upshot is that Lars ends up on the run with Mitch’s daughter, being chased by Trent and all of Nikki Senior’s resources. Which is just the beginning of Lars’s problems. His past (and a very interesting one he has, too) is to catch up with him, the FBI poke in their noses and the relationship with the teenager (Shaine) is far from easy.
There are a number of layers to the story. I’d pick out the battle between the old and new as one strong theme and the relationship between parents and children as another. Most of all, I’d pick out the fast pace of the story and the way the characters and settings are so well handled. As an example, I’ll highlight the way the description of the heat and environment of the desert had me sweating and reaching for cold drinks. He really nails the atmosphere through his characters – Lars has grown used to it and has altered his pace accordingly, Shaine has never known anything else and Trent is hitting the wall for the first time. This means that the description flows within the story itself and never gets in the way, which takes some doing.
 The whole piece is very entertaining and the outcome ties everything up in a very satisfying (and rather unexpected) way. There’s also an opening for a sequel here. I can see this moving in to the territory of Leon by Luc Besson and doing something rather special. I wonder if Mr Besson’s busy just now.
Mr Besson? Mr Besson... THE DEVIL DOESN'T WANT ME

The Clash: Why They Still Matter – To Authors by Rory Costello

Just a wee note before Rory's brilliant post. There are a couple of books available today for free and I think you should give them a try if you haven't already. The first is One Day In The Life Of Jason Dean, a wonderful novella that will hit you in the heart and, new from Blasted Heath, Gerard Brennan's Breaking Point. Mr Brennan's a great writer and it just needs to be downloaded.

End of public information.

Here's Rory...

It’s been more than a decade since Joe Strummer died. It’s close to 30 years since The Clash put out an album (if you want to remember Cut the Crap, that is).

Yet the legend of “The Only Band That Matters” lives on…and one of the less obvious ways it has done so in recent years is through crime/hard-boiled fiction. At least four authors – Paul D. Brazill, Nick Quantrill, Tony Black, and Martyn Waites – have used Clash song titles to name some of their works. Another, Josh Stallings, has made the band’s music a source of motivation for Moses McGuire, the star of three novels. Black’s star character (Gus Dury) and Quantrill’s (Joe Geraghty) are also clearly shown to be fans. Like Moses, Gus and Joe throw on their favorite Clash albums when they need a lift.
So what’s behind this homage?
In July 2013, shortly after he released Gunsof Brixton , Brazill wrote here, “When I decided to write a faux London gangster story, it seemed the sensible thing to take a title from a song by The Clash, that most London of all London bands.” You could get into a debate with Paul about whether The Jam were even more London – in subject matter at least – but there’s no arguing his main point: “There was something about the scary lyrics…and cod reggae feel that seemed to suit a faux London gangster story down to the ground.”
Just below on the same blog page, there’s one of Paul’s Short, Sharp Interviews – with Nick Quantrill, following the release of The Crooked Beat (Joe Geraghty #3). Nick observed, “It’s also a track on The Clash’s ‘Sandinista!’ album. It pains me to say it, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to track it down.” While the work was in progress, Nick did a close-up with Carol Bridgestock, noting that he too tends to use song titles for his books. Quite simply, “The Crooked Beat” fits the theme of the story nicely.
London Calling is the title cut from a collection of Tony Black’s short pieces. It’s an interesting choice in that much of Black’s work is steeped in Scottishness. But as a key line in the story puts it, “The Clash get me moving; London Calling sets the mood as I fire off the shots.” Gus Dury is an anti-authoritarian character, giving him much in common with Joe Strummer. It’s also interesting to note that the fourth of the Dury series, Long Time Dead, is being developed as a movie by director Richard Jobson. Jobson was once the frontman for The Skids, a Scottish rock band who supported The Clash back in October 1977 (one of the earliest gigs for the boys from Dunfermline).
Originally published in 2008, White Riot is an apt choice for Martyn Waites’ novel (#3 in his Joe Donovan series) about deadly ethnic conflict in Newcastle. After it came out, Tony Black conducted an interview with Waites for Shots, the crime and thriller ezine. The chat started off like this:
TONY BLACK: So, White Riot...bit of a Clash fan?
MARTYN WAITES: Absolutely. I think most right minded people are. And I don’t think it’s just a question of my age, my daughters love the Clash too. But all the books have been named after song titles, some, admittedly, more obscure than others. White Riot was such a perfect fit for this one that I couldn’t resist.
Among others, Waites has drawn upon the works of Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and Talking Heads for some of his other titles. He spoke more broadly here about how music has inspired and informed his writing.
“As for punk – what I loved about it was the same as what I loved about Hammett’s writing for Black Mask. Formulaic but when a great artist is using that formula, exciting as hell. Some people think that the strictures of crime writing…are too rigid. I disagree. Good practitioners can use those restrictions and create something truly unique. That’s what I thought crime writing and punk (and new wave and post-punk) had in common.”
Josh Stallings has also talked about how music influences him in both his professions. In a chat with author Thomas Pluck, he said, “Music drives my brain and my film cutting. Trailers are tightly condensed, highly rhythmic stories.” Josh likes and uses quite a variety of sounds, but when it comes down to it, he says, “More Clash, more Pogues. Can’t have enough of them lads. I have a copy of Josh Rouse doing ‘Straight To Hell’ as a ballad. Fucking blows my mind.”
Yet no author – in crime fiction or any other genre – is ever likely to take the Clash influence as far as Caryl Férey. This Frenchman’s novel La jambe gauche de Joe Strummer (Joe Strummer’s Left Leg) was published in 2007. Such is Férey’s passion that even the chapter titles are drawn from Clash songs. So far, only an excerptfrom this book appears to have been translated into English (and just a few of Férey’s full works are available in translation). But this passage from a French-language interviewwith Férey, which I translate here, nicely captures the spirit that enlivens the works of the other authors discussed here.
“Like many people of my generation [Férey was born in 1967], the first chords of ‘London Calling’ turned my head upside down. I grew up with Strummer’s lyrics, his intransigence and his moral rectitude. A model of ethics, never called into question.”

One Man's Opinion: ROUGH JUSTICE by STEPHEN LEATHER

Rough Justice is a brilliant read. It offers the entertainment and distraction that I like to find in a thriller, but it also had me thinking about a number of issues and really stretched my opinions until they were out of shape.
The subject under investigation is justice itself and the book demonstrates just how complex and thorny a topic it is. Mr Leather pushes the boundaries with the clever juxtaposition of the various strands of the plot. In each of these elements there is a need for justice and in none of them is the outcome either straightforward or the same.
Shepherd is working undercover as a member of an elite police unit. He’s mixing with hard people who have strong beliefs. The investigation is aimed at uncovering a gang of law-enforcers who have decided to take the law into their own hands. We get to follow the gang as they mop up the streets and take serious villains from the streets. Their methods are unorthodox these days, but could be viewed as ‘an-eye-for-an-eye’. Rather importantly, they seem to be succeeding where the law appears to fail time and time again. They’re brutal, efficient and it’s difficult not to feel sympathy with what they’re aiming to achieve – difficult for Shepherd and difficult for me as a reader. To add to the elements here, the issues of racism are raised at a number of levels and examined in ways that aren’t easily or frequently aired.
Added to this, Shepherd finds himself in a position of assisting the Major as he seeks closure for himself and his brother after a number of off-duty soldiers are gunned down by Irish terrorists.
Further fuel is thrown onto the fire when Shepherd’s son is found with a clip of a beating on his phone; because Shepherd reports this to the school, a chain of events is set into motion that leave his home and family at risk. It needs to be dealt with, but the police seem powerless to take it on. Worse still, it’s not long before Shepherd is made to feel like he’s the villain of the piece by one particularly PC PC. Said PC talks sense and brings a liberal mind to the tale, but somehow manages to come out rather badly in doing so. The development of each aspect is taken at the perfect pace. They link together and bounce off each other perfectly to make the whole even greater than the sum of its parts.
I particularly enjoyed the characters. They come across as very real people in very difficult situations and are presented in ways that blur black and white throughout. Stephen Leather does a fantastic job of zooming in and out in order to build a level of sympathy with the majority of the people who inhabit the book and manages to do this without ever giving the sense that he’s out there pulling the strings and manipulating events, something that I found rather impressive.
At the time of reading, the verdict on the Mark Duggan police shooting came through. The conclusion of the courts clearly doesn’t satisfy everyone, nor could it possibly. What the coverage of the story has shown is how powerful the police are and what amazingly difficult situations they have to cope with. Having grown up with some of the old-fashioned policing that is oft referred to in crime novels of late, I’ve rarely been a police sympathiser, but I think this book came close to helping me understand something of the impact the power of being a police officer must have and it was interesting to take a look at the world from such a different point of view.
I also read this immediately after Ian Rankin’s ‘Saints Of The Shadow Bible’, a novel which also deals with issues of justice and police stretching it to try and make it work. The books are both great, very different and complement each other really well.
For Rough Justice, the 5 stars were never in doubt. Any fewer and it would have been a crime.

One Man's Opinion: SAINTS OF THE SHADOW BIBLE by IAN RANKIN

  The latest Rebus novel is a real treat. The tagline on the cover reads ‘Saint or Sinner?’ and we all know there’s no easy answer to that one. It’s his duality that makes the man such an interesting character. It’s that duality that allows us to excuse some of our own extremes.
For a law-enforcer who began his career in a very different climate than we have today, the contradictions of Rebus are marked. He’s to live with the things he sees and understands about human nature and, at the same time, play it by the book and remain squeaky clean. It’s no wonder he’s the maverick he is. I tend to picture him in the style of a star in a noir movie, half his face in bright light, the other in complete darkness. Part Jeckyll, part Hyde, one copper.
This book works really well in terms of exploring aspects of a murky past while at the same time focusing on a current set of interlinking investigations. It’s also wrapped up perfectly with a prologue and epilogue that close the circle beautifully and allow for a highly satisfying conclusion to the novel.
The ingredients are all quality. There’s an investigation into Rebus and his days as a Saint Of the Shadow Bible, where policing methods were rough and tough and sometimes created victims of their own; there’s Siobhan Clarke heading up a murder investigation in relation to the death of a criminal linked to the Shadow Bible members and using some of what she learned from Rebus to do a very fine job; Malcolm Fox from Complaints; a new pathologist and some rather old ones; the conflicting politics of the Yes/No campaigns for Scottish independence; the same old internal wranglings of senior officers over the right to the limelight; a couple of leaders of the underworld; a mummified body; scrap-yard; an ex-lover; an old case of a missing woman; and a few pubs.
The pots are kept simmering wonderfully by Ian Rankin and when he finally allows it them come to the boil, the resulting feast is a treat.
If you’re a Rebus fan, you should be there. If you’re not, but you like your detective novels written with skill and style, why not give this a go? A pound to a penny says you’ll be back.

The Editors

The world of writing is a hugely interesting one. Increasingly, with the advent of eBooks, there are more facets to it all than could have been imagined not so many years ago.
Regardless of the changes, the need to write to the best of one’s ability remains paramount. In order to achieve this, I believe that one has to be constantly working on self-improvement in the craft. Of the things I feel are essential to all but the most original and highly talented minds out there, I’d suggest that reading quality work, mingling with better authors than oneself and working with talented editors can provide the bare bones of such development.
I’ve been lucky over the past few years to have been able to learn my craft from people with more ability and experience than me. I’ve had the benefit of being supported by many within the writing community and I’ve tried to keep it in mind when at the keyboard.
One key character in the process for me has been Chris Rhatigan.
I’ve worked alongside Chris in a number of ways. We’ve written a short piece together (soon to be published in a wonderful magazine), I’ve mingled with him in an editing group called Crimeficwriters and have co-edited the amazing Pulp Ink and Pulp Ink 2 with him.
What I love about working with Chris is his range of skills. He has an intuitive understanding of what a writer is trying to say and can identify ways of helping them say it better with a few slight alterations. He can work with a plot and make sure that it remains on track - where it falls off the rails, he’ll help to get it back on with the minimum of fuss. He can see the minutia as well as the big picture, from sentence level right through to a whole novel, with the skills of someone who is expert with both telescope and microscope alike. He knows how characters are and will be able to spot inconsistency or the need more detail with ease. Best of all, he’s not scared to express an honest opinion, something he can afford to do because he’s constructive and well-meaning from the off. He doesn’t do flannel, ego or pussy-footing but nor does he do assassination or clumsiness.
Needless to say, when I’ve had work that I feel I’ve finished I’ve turned to Chris for an opinion. My belief is that the work has always been better for it and that I hope I can keep him in my corner for a good while yet.
The reason I’m telling you this is that he’s recently set up his own editing service One Bullet Editing. You can check it out here and you’ll see something of his no frills approach. If you need someone to take a look at your writing and would like to team up with someone you can learn from, I reckon Chris could well be your man. Check him out at his site, look at his own writing and at the work he’s edited in the past and I’m pretty sure you’ll be convinced about his credentials. I, as one of many, have no hesitation about recommending him to you.