The Horse With My Name

Dan Starkey #5

by Colin Bateman

Dan Starkey - international man of inaction - rides again. How far can he fall this time?Ex-journalist Dan Starkey is stuck in a grimy Belfast bedsit. His life is a disaster, and his only solace is the pub round the corner (and the last can in his hand). He needs to get out more (particularly since the sessions at Relate with his wife Patricia have been cancelled and she's hooked up with new man Clive). He really, really needs something to get his teeth into.Fellow ex-journalist Mark Corkery provides that something. Corkery, whose secret persona is The Horse Whisperer, an internet horse-racing gossip, wants him to investigate Geordie McClean, the man behind Irish American Racing. Simple enough for a man with Dan's experience, surely? But Trouble is Dan's middle name. And trouble is what he finds.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Humor, Crime

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 2002

About the author

Colin Bateman was a journalist in Northern Ireland before becoming a full-time writer. His first novel, Divorcing Jack, won the Betty Trask Prize, and all his novels have been critically acclaimed. He wrote the screenplays for the feature films of Divorcing Jack, Crossmaheart and Wild About Harry. He lives in Northern Ireland with his family.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Best described as a modern 'Ealing comedy' style farce with a typically inane and annoying Bateman lead male character with bits of internet businesses, horse racing and gambling scandals, with a fare bit of torture and murder thrown in! Probably of interest to Bateman fans, but I find that a lot of the humour is of the childish schoolboy type and not that funny or original as some of his other works. 5 out of 12

[Jeff Hare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dan Starkey finds himself up against gangsters, Chinese mafia and the usual strife with women in the fifth in the series as he is assigned to report on a horse stable owner who it is believed is responsible for the death of a journalist "The Horse Whisperer".

To be honest, this has definitely been the weakest of the Dan Starkey's I've read so far. We're onto Book 5 here and frankly the jarring death at the end of Book 4 still casts a long shadow over our hero.

Yet again we get a casual assignment that descends into mass bloodshed and violence with Dan Starkey as ever at hand for a sarcastic quip which is often very funny, but also completely undercuts any sense of dramatic tension in the tale.

As with previous books, the amount of coincidence relied upon to push the plot forward does at this late stage in the series now begin to feel like cheating by Bateman.

Towards the end, it was a bit of a slog and I certainly didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the likes of "Divorcing Jack" or "Turbulent Priests". That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed Bateman's writing in the past and will return to Starkey's further adventures in the hope this was just a blip.

[Saurabh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast paced thriller

Colin Bateman is known for his dark humour and quick wit and so are his characters. The Horse with My Name is a nice reflection of Bateman’s work. Perhaps not his finest but a worthy read, nonetheless.
What works with the story is the pace and constant engagement. It is enough to keep you hooked on to read a few extra pages before switching off the lights. The characters are consistent, and that’s what you would expect from a writer of Colin’s caliber. The humour is on point, the timing is perfect albeit it does seem forced at some places.
The reader might forget somewhere in between that it is a murder mystery, but then again, it probably never was.
The story has a few untied threads that are left to the reader to imagine but it is not a bugger.
The narration might get unpleasantly visual at a few points for the sensitive reader, but it adds to the story.
All in all, a good book that one might enjoy.

[Taylor Haven Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very different crime book for me. I’ve been hearing about Colin Bateman in the genre of (comedic) Irish crime fiction for forever, but this was my first foray into his world. Bateman has a way with words - he’s very clever - and I found myself chuckling aloud at some of his turns of phrase. The slightly absurd yet ingenious way that this book played out has me thinking about horse racing and the people who horse race in a (very) different way. I’ve heard about another series that Bateman has written, based on the No Alibis Bookstore, and definitely want to get my hands on those.

[Dave Hay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my first Colin Bateman, but my first Dan Starky novel. It is no. 5 in a series, but it is not important to read them in order, I feel. I think a visit to the rest of the series will happen, but not in a hurry.

Good fun, moves along at a nice pace, easy going, yet has some sad aspects. It is a quick read, and worth it.

[Victoria Norris-MacLean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given this book to read and I really didn't want to. I started it and thought it just wasn't my cup of tea, I didn't find it witty at all, but I stuck with it and it grew on me. I won't say I will be rushing to read any more by Bateman but I did almost smile a couple of times, and the story was ok in the end.

[Marc Latilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hoped to learn something about the shady world of actual horse racing, but I didn't.

[John Gaynard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard that Colin Bateman is one of Ian Rankin's favorite authors. This is the first Bateman book I have read. At first I was a little disconcerted by the "stand up" comedy aspect already mentioned by another reviewer, but as I persevered I came across some genuine moments of comedy and the realisation that the whole thing hangs together. I guess he is the sort of writer you either love or hate.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out reading this thinking it was gonna be another generic crime novel, and I was partly right. Colin Bateman writes like he's delivering a stand up routine, and this can occasionally get frustrating. As a whole though, decent story, good characters and a not bad read all round.

[Ciaran Mcfadden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing effort from Bateman ... I'm usually a big fan of his books, but this one just doesn't measure up.
A 10 year old hanging outside any bookies in Belfast would show more knowledge of horse racing and/or breeding than Bateman does.

Avoid !!!

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was about relationships. The author described events in various ways (with humour, disturbing, appalling). I felt many of the experiences described in the book were in the realm of fantasy.

[Mike Worth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read most of his books and can't remember all exactly - just that I have never been let down and have enjoyed Mr Bateman's writing immensely

[Readelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the humour, wasn't blown away by the book.

[Jevron McCrory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another rollicking ride from Mr Bateman!

[Shirley Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cracking story with several laugh out loud moments from Mr Bateman. Loved it.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook
My first read. Good and funny, If you don't mind swearing. I'd read another

[Sarah Woodburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun read

[Chris Frost]

Bateman is a great and engaging story teller and I have enjoyed all of his books up until this one. This effort is way below his normal high standards and is probably the worst researched book I have ever read. If you are going to base the whole of your story around Horse racing and breeding you should at least know something about your subject. The idea that a horse will win the Grand National and then be worth millions at stud is laughable. All of the male participants in the race are geldings and as such cannot go to stud. Only 13 mares have ever won it and none since 1951. The profile of a female horse that can win the national is hardly one that would get breeders rushing for their cheque books. The other glaring error is the switching of the female jockey for a male work rider in disguise. This puts the story into the realms of a St Trinians farce, I half expected George Cole to appear in the parade ring. Firstly the high levels of racecourse security would not allow it and secondly a lady rider with a live chance in the race would be subject to so much media attention that unless there was a "mission impossible" style makeover the deception would be soon rumbled. As for the horse not crossing the winning line, really, just pathetic. Avoid this garbage at all costs.