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Sam Ireland Mysteries #2
How to Kill Friends and Implicate People
Fergus Fletcher is a hit man. For five thousand pounds, he’ll kill anyone you want. For seven, he’ll frame someone else. Pretending to kill someone is a first, but Alex Pennan has stolen from the mob and needs to fake his own death.
Fergus is looking for love. So is Sam Ireland, a private investigator and part-time bike messenger. But she’s got her hands on a very important package and is in a world of trouble with the mob. Joe Pepper, pillar of society and corrupt gangland fixer, will stop at nothing—nothing at all—to intercept the package and protect his reputation.
Can Alex stay dead while his widow dances on his grave? Can Joe save himself before his stomach ulcer explodes? Can Fergus and Sam make it to a second date before Joe hires him to kill her?
Welcome to Glasgow. It’s a love story.
Fergus is looking for love. So is Sam Ireland, a private investigator and part-time bike messenger. But she’s got her hands on a very important package and is in a world of trouble with the mob. Joe Pepper, pillar of society and corrupt gangland fixer, will stop at nothing—nothing at all—to intercept the package and protect his reputation.
Can Alex stay dead while his widow dances on his grave? Can Joe save himself before his stomach ulcer explodes? Can Fergus and Sam make it to a second date before Joe hires him to kill her?
Welcome to Glasgow. It’s a love story.
404 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2016
412 people are currently reading
690 people want to read
About the author
Jay Stringer
40 books111 followersJay Stringer was born in 1980, and he’s not dead yet.
He’s English by birth and Scottish by rumour; born in the Black Country, and claiming Glasgow as his hometown.
Jay is dyslexic, and came to the written word as a second language, via comic books, music, and comedy. He writes hard boiled crime stories, dark comedies, and social fiction.
His first three books, the Eoin Miller Trilogy explored the political and criminal landscape of the West Midlands.
He now writes books set in Glasgow and New York.
Jay won a gold medal in the Antwerp Olympics of 1920. He did not compete in the Helsinki Olympics of 1952, that was some other guy.
Jay is represented by Stacia Decker at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.
He’s English by birth and Scottish by rumour; born in the Black Country, and claiming Glasgow as his hometown.
Jay is dyslexic, and came to the written word as a second language, via comic books, music, and comedy. He writes hard boiled crime stories, dark comedies, and social fiction.
His first three books, the Eoin Miller Trilogy explored the political and criminal landscape of the West Midlands.
He now writes books set in Glasgow and New York.
Jay won a gold medal in the Antwerp Olympics of 1920. He did not compete in the Helsinki Olympics of 1952, that was some other guy.
Jay is represented by Stacia Decker at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
August 2, 2016
One of my favorite characters in Jay Stringer’s Ways to Die in Glasgow was Sam Ireland. Sam is a young female detective who also operates a messenger service in Glasgow along with her brother, Phil. Phil basically spends his time in the office managing both concerns while Sam cycles around Glasgow, detecting and delivering packages. Sam returns in Stringer’s new book, How to Kill Friends and Implicate People, which is subtitled “A Love Story.”
Indeed.
It’s a very entertaining novel with a cast of great characters. The other main protagonist is a hit man named Fergus, and he and Sam both get caught up in what amounts to a gang war to see which criminal elements will control the city. As one might expect, Fergus becomes involved when certain of the parties hire him to do some work on their behalf. Sam gets caught up in this rolling disaster when she innocently accepts a package for delivery from someone who’s mixed up in this contest. It doesn’t help that some of the city’s cops are also involved the battle and the end result is that a girl doesn’t know who she can trust.
Fergus is also hired not to kill someone which opens up a very funny subplot involving the dissolution of a marriage. Suffice it to say that no sensible person would want to be married to either party in this domestic Armageddon.
In their spare time (not like they have a lot of it), Sam and Fergus have both reluctantly signed up for an on-line dating site. The results are amusing and interesting; mostly they make those of us who are not out on these sites very grateful.
To say much more about the plot would be to give too much away. But this is a great ride—violent, funny and sexy—and it will keep readers turning the pages quickly, while at the same time hoping that Jay Stringer is not wasting too much time riding his own bike around Glasgow rather than working on his next novel.
Indeed.
It’s a very entertaining novel with a cast of great characters. The other main protagonist is a hit man named Fergus, and he and Sam both get caught up in what amounts to a gang war to see which criminal elements will control the city. As one might expect, Fergus becomes involved when certain of the parties hire him to do some work on their behalf. Sam gets caught up in this rolling disaster when she innocently accepts a package for delivery from someone who’s mixed up in this contest. It doesn’t help that some of the city’s cops are also involved the battle and the end result is that a girl doesn’t know who she can trust.
Fergus is also hired not to kill someone which opens up a very funny subplot involving the dissolution of a marriage. Suffice it to say that no sensible person would want to be married to either party in this domestic Armageddon.
In their spare time (not like they have a lot of it), Sam and Fergus have both reluctantly signed up for an on-line dating site. The results are amusing and interesting; mostly they make those of us who are not out on these sites very grateful.
To say much more about the plot would be to give too much away. But this is a great ride—violent, funny and sexy—and it will keep readers turning the pages quickly, while at the same time hoping that Jay Stringer is not wasting too much time riding his own bike around Glasgow rather than working on his next novel.
August 15, 2016
"The first time you kill someone, you realize you don't have to suffer fools gladly." (the tao of Fergus)
Glasgow, present day. It may seem like a big city but turns out if you’re living a life that’s just slightly left of centre, you probably know someone who knows someone. In this case, it’s six degrees of hit man Fergus Fletcher.
You see, Fergus was hired by professional fixer Joe Pepper to kill a politician. Unfortunately the pol was “entertaining” a young woman named Paula who’d been sent there by Cal Gibson, son of hard man Mike Gibson. No worries…..nothing Fergus & Joe can’t clean up.
Now Fergus can concentrate on his next job. Alex Pennan has hired him to make it look as if he died so he can disappear with money he’s embezzled from a cartel. It’s a bit of a poser….kind of an un-hit.
But it could open up a whole new line of work. He’s been having a wee existential crisis lately concerning his career & realizes how alone he is. Maybe he should try one of those online dating things…..
Sam Ireland supplements her PI business by running a courier service. After picking up a package from some girl named Paula, she gets a couple of new cases. Mrs. Pennan would like to know if her husband is cheating on her. And local gangster Mike Gibson needs her to find his idiot son Cal. So business is good. She’s just a bit distracted because she recently downloaded a dating app & there’s this guy named Fergus……
Let the games begin. And just a tip: you may find venn diagrams useful. It’s a grab bag of criminals, politicians (redundant?), cops & lawyers providing a backdrop for love, Glasgow style. Characters take turns narrating chapters in Stringer’s trademark economical & witty dialogue. Those written in Glaswegian vernacular are particularly hilarious. The numerous connections between them leave you wondering who’s on the same side & who will walk away.
Make no mistake, this is not a cozy. Sooner or later they all get sucked into the blood thirsty power struggle for the city. It’s obvious early on some of these people won’t survive although in a few cases it shakes your faith in Darwin that they’ve made it this far. Just sit back & enjoy the mayhem as they lie, steal & crash their way around the city.
Several characters pop up in previous books. We met Sam in “Ways to Die in Glasgow”. And stoner Cal was featured in short story “The Goldfish Heist”, where he bravely took on a rogue koi fish.
It’s kind of the literary equivalent of a Tarantino movie where scenes elicit gasps of horror & inappropriate laughter. And like the movies, it won’t be for everyone. But if you’re a fan of smart, intricate plots & tartan noir humour, you’re in for a treat. Please, please let there be a book #3.
Glasgow, present day. It may seem like a big city but turns out if you’re living a life that’s just slightly left of centre, you probably know someone who knows someone. In this case, it’s six degrees of hit man Fergus Fletcher.
You see, Fergus was hired by professional fixer Joe Pepper to kill a politician. Unfortunately the pol was “entertaining” a young woman named Paula who’d been sent there by Cal Gibson, son of hard man Mike Gibson. No worries…..nothing Fergus & Joe can’t clean up.
Now Fergus can concentrate on his next job. Alex Pennan has hired him to make it look as if he died so he can disappear with money he’s embezzled from a cartel. It’s a bit of a poser….kind of an un-hit.
But it could open up a whole new line of work. He’s been having a wee existential crisis lately concerning his career & realizes how alone he is. Maybe he should try one of those online dating things…..
Sam Ireland supplements her PI business by running a courier service. After picking up a package from some girl named Paula, she gets a couple of new cases. Mrs. Pennan would like to know if her husband is cheating on her. And local gangster Mike Gibson needs her to find his idiot son Cal. So business is good. She’s just a bit distracted because she recently downloaded a dating app & there’s this guy named Fergus……
Let the games begin. And just a tip: you may find venn diagrams useful. It’s a grab bag of criminals, politicians (redundant?), cops & lawyers providing a backdrop for love, Glasgow style. Characters take turns narrating chapters in Stringer’s trademark economical & witty dialogue. Those written in Glaswegian vernacular are particularly hilarious. The numerous connections between them leave you wondering who’s on the same side & who will walk away.
Make no mistake, this is not a cozy. Sooner or later they all get sucked into the blood thirsty power struggle for the city. It’s obvious early on some of these people won’t survive although in a few cases it shakes your faith in Darwin that they’ve made it this far. Just sit back & enjoy the mayhem as they lie, steal & crash their way around the city.
Several characters pop up in previous books. We met Sam in “Ways to Die in Glasgow”. And stoner Cal was featured in short story “The Goldfish Heist”, where he bravely took on a rogue koi fish.
It’s kind of the literary equivalent of a Tarantino movie where scenes elicit gasps of horror & inappropriate laughter. And like the movies, it won’t be for everyone. But if you’re a fan of smart, intricate plots & tartan noir humour, you’re in for a treat. Please, please let there be a book #3.
August 23, 2022
If anything that was more entertaining and high octane than the first book. I like Sam Ireland, the overall stories was good and pulled few punches. The last 30% or so was relentlessly paced - very hard indeed to put down. Crime/comedy (this isn't really comedy/crime!) is a hard genre to pull off. Jay String manages it in this for me. I've liked his writing for some years now and his Eoin Miller books are good too. There is a lightness of touch but the writing is very effective. Personally I'd like to see another Sam Ireland story but I'll continue to explore his other writing when I get the time and inclination. If the genre appeals to you this is worth a look - 4.5/5
November 1, 2024
Another amazing book. Having enjoyed the first Sam Ireland investigates story I was keen to read this second novel in this series set in the heart of Glasgow.
Two myths are challenged by Jay Stringer in his latest work; the baddies always get their comeuppance and the good guys prevail and survive the increasing body count. It surely has always been so in literature and movies; the cowboy in the dark hat was destined for a bullet.
With this authors writing nothing is so simple and in words and action scenes a web of intrigue is woven with a number of victims caught up in its tangle and often this leads to killing and death.
San Ireland is a PI who likes to pull at lose ends and always it seems rushes in over her head; although with contacts in the police. As her last serious case throws up, if any lessons were to have been learned don't always play straight and often side with the gangsters of the City.
A clever plot once more. The author rewrites the crime thriller genre and almost transfers it from the traditional american fiction. However, this would be unfair as the comedic and dark noir has a distinctive voice of Stringer from the Glasgow slang to the misdirection and convoluted narrative told in three voices/perspectives. When in addition to Sam's investigation one is a crocked accountant playing all sides and the third a hitman you know trouble and bodybags are lined up.
The writing makes full use of the background of Glasgow and the streets are closer still as Sam is often on her bike. As an investigator she as enough to work part time and she suppliments her income through running a courier service through pedal power; perhaps the quickest way around the crowded city streets.
Her two roles collide when she receives a package from a woman involved in a sting; when she dies and the person it was to be delivered to doesn't turn up Sam knows she has stumbled across another difficult case where her own involvement will ne tricky to deny when others have CCTV evidence placing her at the scene. She is lulled into the schemes as much to flush out the dodgy players as to meet her own questioning response. She is out of her depth but manages to maintain an edge. As the three characters stories converge how will she extricate herself and earn her fee while preserving her health.
When the hitman Fergus, and Sam resort to using an internet dating agency you know that things can only get more complicated still. Great writing, full of one way streets and dangerous cul de sacs the tension builds as the death rate soars.
Clever writing, but nothing is black and white. You think you know where the story is taking you only to be given light and shade. A book never to tire of and with so many levels you could read it again and find new gems and revelations. A pleasure to read and recommend to the discerning.
Two myths are challenged by Jay Stringer in his latest work; the baddies always get their comeuppance and the good guys prevail and survive the increasing body count. It surely has always been so in literature and movies; the cowboy in the dark hat was destined for a bullet.
With this authors writing nothing is so simple and in words and action scenes a web of intrigue is woven with a number of victims caught up in its tangle and often this leads to killing and death.
San Ireland is a PI who likes to pull at lose ends and always it seems rushes in over her head; although with contacts in the police. As her last serious case throws up, if any lessons were to have been learned don't always play straight and often side with the gangsters of the City.
A clever plot once more. The author rewrites the crime thriller genre and almost transfers it from the traditional american fiction. However, this would be unfair as the comedic and dark noir has a distinctive voice of Stringer from the Glasgow slang to the misdirection and convoluted narrative told in three voices/perspectives. When in addition to Sam's investigation one is a crocked accountant playing all sides and the third a hitman you know trouble and bodybags are lined up.
The writing makes full use of the background of Glasgow and the streets are closer still as Sam is often on her bike. As an investigator she as enough to work part time and she suppliments her income through running a courier service through pedal power; perhaps the quickest way around the crowded city streets.
Her two roles collide when she receives a package from a woman involved in a sting; when she dies and the person it was to be delivered to doesn't turn up Sam knows she has stumbled across another difficult case where her own involvement will ne tricky to deny when others have CCTV evidence placing her at the scene. She is lulled into the schemes as much to flush out the dodgy players as to meet her own questioning response. She is out of her depth but manages to maintain an edge. As the three characters stories converge how will she extricate herself and earn her fee while preserving her health.
When the hitman Fergus, and Sam resort to using an internet dating agency you know that things can only get more complicated still. Great writing, full of one way streets and dangerous cul de sacs the tension builds as the death rate soars.
Clever writing, but nothing is black and white. You think you know where the story is taking you only to be given light and shade. A book never to tire of and with so many levels you could read it again and find new gems and revelations. A pleasure to read and recommend to the discerning.
November 24, 2017
Put simply, this is one of my very favourite reads of 2017, of any kind. Stringer was a new-to-me author, though I'd seen his name popping up on various Noir at the Bar and festival events in the UK. So I went into this with an unvarnished mind, with no idea what I might find. The answer was something quite wonderful: kinetic prose, fascinating characters, a tale barmy and brilliant.
How To Kill Friends and Implicate People is a ripsnorter of a read. Taking a step back, it has a slightly implausible hook, yet it just works terrifically thanks to Stringer's storytelling. There's no worries about suspending disbelief, as the reader is sucked into the characters' Glasgow world.
Sam Ireland, bike courier and part-time investigator, returns from Stringer's earlier novel Ways to Die in Glasgow. Her life gets complicated thanks to an unusual package pick-up, a couple of new private eye gigs, and her online dating dalliances with an enigmatic guy named Fergus. Unbeknownst to Sam, Fergus is a professional killer who's own work is entangled with some of what Sam is hired to investigate. Forget six degrees of separation in Glasgow, Sam and Fergus have dangerous crossover.
Meanwhile Fergus is fascinated by Sam, while at the same time juggling the fallout and planning of a couple of different gigs himself; one with the unusual twist of being a non-killing. A man wants to hire Fergus to 'kill him', but not kill him, so he can escape the clutches of criminals he's ripped off.
This is not your usual murder mystery, private eye, or police procedural-style crime novel, but it's a brilliant crime tale. Imagine a Tarantino movie (or perhaps Coen Brothers or Guy Ritchie) in book form. A richly evoked world, memorable characters that leap off the page, and lots of interconnections and entanglements in plotlines and character relationships. It's a heck of a fun read.
It's a little tricky to review this book without providing spoilers, so I'll just say that if you're in the mood for something a little different in your crime reading, something that has a real energy crackling through its writing, vibrant and fascinating characters, and plenty of action, then give this a go.
Highly recommended.
How To Kill Friends and Implicate People is a ripsnorter of a read. Taking a step back, it has a slightly implausible hook, yet it just works terrifically thanks to Stringer's storytelling. There's no worries about suspending disbelief, as the reader is sucked into the characters' Glasgow world.
Sam Ireland, bike courier and part-time investigator, returns from Stringer's earlier novel Ways to Die in Glasgow. Her life gets complicated thanks to an unusual package pick-up, a couple of new private eye gigs, and her online dating dalliances with an enigmatic guy named Fergus. Unbeknownst to Sam, Fergus is a professional killer who's own work is entangled with some of what Sam is hired to investigate. Forget six degrees of separation in Glasgow, Sam and Fergus have dangerous crossover.
Meanwhile Fergus is fascinated by Sam, while at the same time juggling the fallout and planning of a couple of different gigs himself; one with the unusual twist of being a non-killing. A man wants to hire Fergus to 'kill him', but not kill him, so he can escape the clutches of criminals he's ripped off.
This is not your usual murder mystery, private eye, or police procedural-style crime novel, but it's a brilliant crime tale. Imagine a Tarantino movie (or perhaps Coen Brothers or Guy Ritchie) in book form. A richly evoked world, memorable characters that leap off the page, and lots of interconnections and entanglements in plotlines and character relationships. It's a heck of a fun read.
It's a little tricky to review this book without providing spoilers, so I'll just say that if you're in the mood for something a little different in your crime reading, something that has a real energy crackling through its writing, vibrant and fascinating characters, and plenty of action, then give this a go.
Highly recommended.
August 19, 2016
Don't tell my wife but I definitely have a literary crush on the very lovely Glasgow detective/bike messenger Sam Ireland. Her witty dialogue lights up the pages of this brilliant sequel to "Ways to Die in Glasgow". Hanya, her police detective friend enrolls her in a computer dating service where she connects with Fergus, the city's best but reluctant, hit-man. Both charismatic protagonists separately get involved in a deadly power struggle for criminal control of the city. Even the sub plots and minor characters power this totally entertaining book. Probably best to read these first two books in sequence for context but I highly recommend both.
December 31, 2016
I love this book. Wow. I want to laugh and cry and read more dammit.
April 16, 2019
I started reading this series based on the title of this book. I came across it as one of Amazon’s reading suggestions and without even peaking at the synopsis, I knew I was going to like it. How can you pass by a title like that? Then I see some great reviews from friends and it became a no-brainer.
In addition to the main character Sam Ireland (who I just love), this story features a new character - Fergus. Fergus is a contract killer and he’s also single. His latest contract and Sam’s newest investigation job have overlapped, but neither of them know this until the end. They actually meet via an online dating service. It speaks to the level of depraved, despicable characters in a story when you’re rooting for your protagonist to get together with a contract killer.
I really, really like this series!!
In addition to the main character Sam Ireland (who I just love), this story features a new character - Fergus. Fergus is a contract killer and he’s also single. His latest contract and Sam’s newest investigation job have overlapped, but neither of them know this until the end. They actually meet via an online dating service. It speaks to the level of depraved, despicable characters in a story when you’re rooting for your protagonist to get together with a contract killer.
I really, really like this series!!
November 1, 2024
I loved almost everything about this book. Great story, great characters, lots of surprises, ...
The organization was easy to follow because each chapter was one character's point of view, and labeled with the character's name. So, until you remember who all the characters are, you can look back to their previous chapters to remember. This was pretty handy to me, because the first half of the book seemed to be a lot of unrelated characters involved in lots of unrelated plots. Then, of course, they all start coming together in unusual ways, and often a chapter will end with a surprise wtf that makes you want to continue reading.
The action really speeds up towards the end, until it's going fast and furious - literally. Much of it takes place with Sam on her bicycle, racing a train riding her single gear bicycle in traffic at over 30mph average with cops chasing her, cars swerving, pedestrians cursing, sometimes going the wrong way down one-way streets.
My only complaint is that there are no more books in the series. I really liked the first and second ones, so I hope there will be more. I don't even remember the first one that well, so I might need to read it again. This also implies that it's not necessary to read the first one to enjoy this one.
The organization was easy to follow because each chapter was one character's point of view, and labeled with the character's name. So, until you remember who all the characters are, you can look back to their previous chapters to remember. This was pretty handy to me, because the first half of the book seemed to be a lot of unrelated characters involved in lots of unrelated plots. Then, of course, they all start coming together in unusual ways, and often a chapter will end with a surprise wtf that makes you want to continue reading.
The action really speeds up towards the end, until it's going fast and furious - literally. Much of it takes place with Sam on her bicycle, racing a train riding her single gear bicycle in traffic at over 30mph average with cops chasing her, cars swerving, pedestrians cursing, sometimes going the wrong way down one-way streets.
My only complaint is that there are no more books in the series. I really liked the first and second ones, so I hope there will be more. I don't even remember the first one that well, so I might need to read it again. This also implies that it's not necessary to read the first one to enjoy this one.
May 22, 2018
Sam is a part-time bike messenger, part-time private detective. It's clear that her last case didn't go well and she's still struggling to get over it. She has a few new cases to keep her busy and to encourage her to move on emotionally, her best friend signs her up for a dating service through which she eventually meets Fergus. Fergus has had trouble meeting women because it's awkward bringing up that you are a hitman. Lately, he hasn't even been a good hitman - he's gotten sloppy and it seems like he just doesn't want to do it anymore. Unfortunately, a few of his most recent jobs have gone astray and as he works to clean up the mess, it brings his world and Sam's cases crashing together.
This was well done. It played out like a movie in my head. I loved the characters. I loved the action. I loved knowing that all the threads were going to meet up and be tied together at some point, but I couldn't see how. I read this book out of order and I'm definitely going back to read the first in the series. I am hoping that the author continues the series, especially now that Sam and Fergus are together - I think they could do great things together if only someone would write about it (hint, hint, Mr. Stringer).
This was well done. It played out like a movie in my head. I loved the characters. I loved the action. I loved knowing that all the threads were going to meet up and be tied together at some point, but I couldn't see how. I read this book out of order and I'm definitely going back to read the first in the series. I am hoping that the author continues the series, especially now that Sam and Fergus are together - I think they could do great things together if only someone would write about it (hint, hint, Mr. Stringer).
August 15, 2017
Another complex plot with multiple strands and multiple narrators takes time to come together but then races to an exciting climax. Very violent but exhilarating
June 21, 2019
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
This is coming a couple of weeks later than I intended to write it -- mostly because I was trying to get my thoughts in order (yeah, also busy, tired, etc., etc. -- but largely the getting my head wrapped around it bit). I didn't know how it could live up to it's predecessor and then knowing it, I had a hard time knowing how to compare the two; I couldn't decide what was safe to talk about; I'm not sure what I can say about the ending; one of the events of this novel shocked me in ways authors almost never succeed at, and I'm still recovering (this is a good thing -- but I still kind of hate Stringer for it). Frankly, I'm not sure I've decided any of these things, but I don't want to not talk about this anymore.
One of the best parts of Ways to Die in Glasgow was the three first-person narrator structure, and I wondered how Stringer was going to approach this one, given that two of those narrators were unavailable. I was happy to see that he simply replaced them with another two -- and relieved that it was as successful, if not more so, in these pages.
I couldn't help thinking of the opening to Fletch (one of my favorite first chapters ever) as I got into this one. In Fletch, Alan Stanwyk hires Fletch to kill him -- supposedly to prevent him from dying a painful death from a rare form of cancer. This job offer sends Fletch off on a great investigation that results in an ending Stanwyk couldn't have predicted. Here, a businessman who makes Stanwyk look ethical, named Alex Pennan hires hitman Fergus Fletcher* to pretend to kill him. He's done some very bad things, and some very, very bad people are going to want to do very, very, very bad things to him -- the only escape is to die (but not really). Fergus knows this is a bad idea -- but it's such a bad idea that he's interested.
* A connection I just now made -- wow, I'm dense sometimes
Fergus is at something of a crossroads -- he's not sure that being a hitman is the right thing for him anymore. It's not like he's received "a swift, spiritual kick to the head that alters your reality forever" or anything -- but it's similar. He's lost the taste for it, he's making sloppy mistakes. Maybe, just maybe, not killing someone would be a great way to get out of the business.
Alex and Fergus are our two new narrators -- and they have very different takes on their deal, and how things unfold. This alone would be worth reading -- but it gets better, because I haven't talked about Sam Ireland -- part-time PI, part-time bicycle messenger, and all around great character -- our other narrator yet. Alex's wife knows he's up to something sketchy, and hires Sam to prove that he's having an affair. Also, Sam and Fergus have recently met on a dating app (neither is incredibly up front about their careers for their own reasons). So you see -- things are getting even more interesting.
Now, add in the very, very bad people that Alex wants to fool, the people that employed Fergus while he made some sloppy mistakes, some crooked cops, one very not-crooked cop, Alex's wife, Fergus' family, a footballer, a couple of shady politicians, a best-selling crime novel that keeps showing up everywhere, and a few other folks -- and you've got yourself a Grade-A Kerfuffle of Epic Proportions. I really can't say more than that -- but I want to, it's a great roller-coaster of a ride that you'll enjoy while you hang on for dear life.
Alex is a great character -- he's thoroughly convinced that he's smarter than he is -- which doesn't mean he's not going to get away with his plan. He's got big dreams and will do anything -- anything -- to achieve them. But, wow, he's such a lousy person -- you find yourself spending a lot of time hoping that Fergus messes up and actually kills him. Fergus, meanwhile, is objectively a reprehensible person -- he's a very successful hitman, after all -- you should want him dead or rotting away in prison. But you won't -- you'll be cheering him on, hoping he gets the chance to figure out his next career steps.
And Sam? If you've read, Ways to Die in Glasgow, you know all you know everything you need to about Sam.
I want to devote a post or two to Sam's brother and his cockamamie thoughts and observations on comic books. But to do that, I'd end up ruining the reading experience, so I'll keep my powder dry. But Phil made me rethink Jor-El's efforts to save Kal-El and Krypton, and made me laugh audibly while doing so. His ideas are intriguing to me, and I wish to subscribe to his newsletter.
While I'd never pretend to be able to predict everything that happens in various books -- to an extent, you kind of can after awhile. Right? Even when we say to each other "I never saw X coming" -- in retrospect, you usually can see where X came from. The number of stunning, out of left field, I cannot believe Author Y did that moments are few and far between -- maybe a dozen in the past five years. I know the only one that comes to mind in recent memory is John Mars' Her Last Move which left me a reeling for days last November. Stringer did that to me here, I so strongly disbelieved what I'd read that I re-read a particular passage four times before moving on -- only to come back a couple of pages later to try it a couple of more times. Surely it had to be what a pretty unreliable narrator perceived to have happened, not what really happened.
For those of you keeping score -- this is the book that got me in a hopeful and cheery mood moments before Noelle Holten shattered it. But don't infer from that an ending that doesn't exist -- this is one of the most complex denouements I can remember -- following shortly after one of the more exciting climaxes I've read this year. I remember walking into another room to read the last 15 percent or so, because I could not -- would not -- tolerate any distractions. Not that my kids and dog were being more distracting than usual, but it was that kind of ending (and really, my dog's half-pug, so simply breathing is frequently a distracting behavior...). It's that kind of a read -- you will laugh; you may find yourself rooting for the boy in his crime spree to get the girl; you will find your jaw hanging open (even is -- especially if -- you're not the type of person to do that); you will (at the very least want to) cancel/rearrange plans to make time to read; you will wish your reading speed was a little faster so you can find out what happens when Sam tries to (ahem, well); you will find yourself writing/speaking in italics more than you're accustomed to when discussing the novel. It's just that kind of read.
I know Stringer has a non-Sam Ireland book coming out soon, but I sincerely hope that he's not done with her. I'm not ready to be.
✔ Read a book with “how to” in the title.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I can’t pretend that everybody I’ve killed has been a bad egg. I can’t even say they all had it coming. But you want the real truth? We could all be said to have it coming. Write down the worst things you’ve ever done. Just the top ten. The silent little moments of guilt sitting at the back of your eyes in the bathroom mirror.
Did you break someone’s heart? Were you a bad husband or wife? Lousy mother or father? Was there a time you stole some money from the till at work? Maybe you just cheated on a test. We’ve all done things. One day, these things might come to the attention of the wrong person, and you get me knocking on your door.
Morals have to be flexible when you’re self-employed. Sometimes I can turn jobs down if I think they’re shady, but I’ve still got bills to pay.
This is coming a couple of weeks later than I intended to write it -- mostly because I was trying to get my thoughts in order (yeah, also busy, tired, etc., etc. -- but largely the getting my head wrapped around it bit). I didn't know how it could live up to it's predecessor and then knowing it, I had a hard time knowing how to compare the two; I couldn't decide what was safe to talk about; I'm not sure what I can say about the ending; one of the events of this novel shocked me in ways authors almost never succeed at, and I'm still recovering (this is a good thing -- but I still kind of hate Stringer for it). Frankly, I'm not sure I've decided any of these things, but I don't want to not talk about this anymore.
One of the best parts of Ways to Die in Glasgow was the three first-person narrator structure, and I wondered how Stringer was going to approach this one, given that two of those narrators were unavailable. I was happy to see that he simply replaced them with another two -- and relieved that it was as successful, if not more so, in these pages.
I couldn't help thinking of the opening to Fletch (one of my favorite first chapters ever) as I got into this one. In Fletch, Alan Stanwyk hires Fletch to kill him -- supposedly to prevent him from dying a painful death from a rare form of cancer. This job offer sends Fletch off on a great investigation that results in an ending Stanwyk couldn't have predicted. Here, a businessman who makes Stanwyk look ethical, named Alex Pennan hires hitman Fergus Fletcher* to pretend to kill him. He's done some very bad things, and some very, very bad people are going to want to do very, very, very bad things to him -- the only escape is to die (but not really). Fergus knows this is a bad idea -- but it's such a bad idea that he's interested.
* A connection I just now made -- wow, I'm dense sometimes
Fergus is at something of a crossroads -- he's not sure that being a hitman is the right thing for him anymore. It's not like he's received "a swift, spiritual kick to the head that alters your reality forever" or anything -- but it's similar. He's lost the taste for it, he's making sloppy mistakes. Maybe, just maybe, not killing someone would be a great way to get out of the business.
Alex and Fergus are our two new narrators -- and they have very different takes on their deal, and how things unfold. This alone would be worth reading -- but it gets better, because I haven't talked about Sam Ireland -- part-time PI, part-time bicycle messenger, and all around great character -- our other narrator yet. Alex's wife knows he's up to something sketchy, and hires Sam to prove that he's having an affair. Also, Sam and Fergus have recently met on a dating app (neither is incredibly up front about their careers for their own reasons). So you see -- things are getting even more interesting.
Now, add in the very, very bad people that Alex wants to fool, the people that employed Fergus while he made some sloppy mistakes, some crooked cops, one very not-crooked cop, Alex's wife, Fergus' family, a footballer, a couple of shady politicians, a best-selling crime novel that keeps showing up everywhere, and a few other folks -- and you've got yourself a Grade-A Kerfuffle of Epic Proportions. I really can't say more than that -- but I want to, it's a great roller-coaster of a ride that you'll enjoy while you hang on for dear life.
Alex is a great character -- he's thoroughly convinced that he's smarter than he is -- which doesn't mean he's not going to get away with his plan. He's got big dreams and will do anything -- anything -- to achieve them. But, wow, he's such a lousy person -- you find yourself spending a lot of time hoping that Fergus messes up and actually kills him. Fergus, meanwhile, is objectively a reprehensible person -- he's a very successful hitman, after all -- you should want him dead or rotting away in prison. But you won't -- you'll be cheering him on, hoping he gets the chance to figure out his next career steps.
And Sam? If you've read, Ways to Die in Glasgow, you know all you know everything you need to about Sam.
I want to devote a post or two to Sam's brother and his cockamamie thoughts and observations on comic books. But to do that, I'd end up ruining the reading experience, so I'll keep my powder dry. But Phil made me rethink Jor-El's efforts to save Kal-El and Krypton, and made me laugh audibly while doing so. His ideas are intriguing to me, and I wish to subscribe to his newsletter.
While I'd never pretend to be able to predict everything that happens in various books -- to an extent, you kind of can after awhile. Right? Even when we say to each other "I never saw X coming" -- in retrospect, you usually can see where X came from. The number of stunning, out of left field, I cannot believe Author Y did that moments are few and far between -- maybe a dozen in the past five years. I know the only one that comes to mind in recent memory is John Mars' Her Last Move which left me a reeling for days last November. Stringer did that to me here, I so strongly disbelieved what I'd read that I re-read a particular passage four times before moving on -- only to come back a couple of pages later to try it a couple of more times. Surely it had to be what a pretty unreliable narrator perceived to have happened, not what really happened.
For those of you keeping score -- this is the book that got me in a hopeful and cheery mood moments before Noelle Holten shattered it. But don't infer from that an ending that doesn't exist -- this is one of the most complex denouements I can remember -- following shortly after one of the more exciting climaxes I've read this year. I remember walking into another room to read the last 15 percent or so, because I could not -- would not -- tolerate any distractions. Not that my kids and dog were being more distracting than usual, but it was that kind of ending (and really, my dog's half-pug, so simply breathing is frequently a distracting behavior...). It's that kind of a read -- you will laugh; you may find yourself rooting for the boy in his crime spree to get the girl; you will find your jaw hanging open (even is -- especially if -- you're not the type of person to do that); you will (at the very least want to) cancel/rearrange plans to make time to read; you will wish your reading speed was a little faster so you can find out what happens when Sam tries to (ahem, well); you will find yourself writing/speaking in italics more than you're accustomed to when discussing the novel. It's just that kind of read.
I know Stringer has a non-Sam Ireland book coming out soon, but I sincerely hope that he's not done with her. I'm not ready to be.
-----
✔ Read a book with “how to” in the title.
October 1, 2018
How to Kill Friends and Implicate People is the 2nd in the Sam Ireland series, and it's arguably better than the 1st, which in itself is an accomplishment. I almost gave this 5 stars, but settled on 4.5 and held back just 'cause you must read it with while occasionally wearing your critical thinking suspenders. Yeah, there are some scenes that just wouldn't happen in real life-- but hey, it's a fiction book!
So, as you have already undoubtedly read, we've got two really enjoyable main characters: Fergus Fletcher, a hit man who's been considering getting out of the business. He's the best as what he does in Glasgow, Scotland, and is always ready with a clever aside, often directed at the reader. Fergus is also single, and a bit jaded about his chances to meet someone with whom he could have a meaningful relationship. Funny that. So is Sam Ireland, a private investigator and part-time bike messenger. Her gay brother (another really likeable character, and her very good friend, a female cop, among others, have encouraged her to start looking for a man with greater potential than the occasional one-nighter with another bike-messenger.
She's reluctantly agreed to do just that, but she’s also recently received a mysterious package that will, as you can guess, quickly mire her in a complex web of trouble with the mob, crooked cops, and a nasty bad-guy by the name of Joe Pepper, who is looking to accumulate even more power and very much wants the contents of that package. Incidentally, Joe has also done business with none other than our ersatz hero, Fergus, who is torn between wanting out of the business, but now that he and Sam have met & hit it off, wants "in" with her and whatever their future might become. Oy, it's a wee bit complicated, aye.
So, we've got a bonny great story, a complicated and twisty plot, two, well, actually, more like 4 or 5 really well done characters, some thrills, a budding romance, and... achhh, you'll jus' ha to read the bloody book to really see what I'm on about. But I'm tellin ye', it's great fun and I cannae' wait to read another in the series.
So, as you have already undoubtedly read, we've got two really enjoyable main characters: Fergus Fletcher, a hit man who's been considering getting out of the business. He's the best as what he does in Glasgow, Scotland, and is always ready with a clever aside, often directed at the reader. Fergus is also single, and a bit jaded about his chances to meet someone with whom he could have a meaningful relationship. Funny that. So is Sam Ireland, a private investigator and part-time bike messenger. Her gay brother (another really likeable character, and her very good friend, a female cop, among others, have encouraged her to start looking for a man with greater potential than the occasional one-nighter with another bike-messenger.
She's reluctantly agreed to do just that, but she’s also recently received a mysterious package that will, as you can guess, quickly mire her in a complex web of trouble with the mob, crooked cops, and a nasty bad-guy by the name of Joe Pepper, who is looking to accumulate even more power and very much wants the contents of that package. Incidentally, Joe has also done business with none other than our ersatz hero, Fergus, who is torn between wanting out of the business, but now that he and Sam have met & hit it off, wants "in" with her and whatever their future might become. Oy, it's a wee bit complicated, aye.
So, we've got a bonny great story, a complicated and twisty plot, two, well, actually, more like 4 or 5 really well done characters, some thrills, a budding romance, and... achhh, you'll jus' ha to read the bloody book to really see what I'm on about. But I'm tellin ye', it's great fun and I cannae' wait to read another in the series.
October 15, 2016
Nimble blend of crime, romance, and comedy -- a very tricky thing to pull off. Hitchcock classics come to mind, but Jay Stringer's sensibility is much more modern and his Glasgow location is also a world apart. What also makes this story work well is Stringer's insight into human nature and behavior. The finale -- in which the heroine takes off on a breakneck bike chase into the teeth of Glasgow traffic -- screams out for cinematic treatment.
September 9, 2017
To be honest, I can't really remember what happened in the first book in this series. But it didn't matter, I enjoyed it anyway - it always helps when a book is set in your home city. Sam is an appealing lead, and the other characters don't disappoint (Is it wrong that I picture Joe Pepper as looking like Joe Broon?). My only complaint is that the plot needs a couple too many coincidences to really work, but this is easy to forgive.
July 31, 2016
A massive takeover of the Glasgow criminal underworld is underway, and PI Sam Ireland and Hitman Fergus Fletcher are caught in the middle.
Can a private investigator and a Hitman struck by an attack of conscience but aside their differences enough for another date?
Only author Jay Stringer knows. But you can count on two things:
1. It won't be easy.
2. There will be a body count.
Can a private investigator and a Hitman struck by an attack of conscience but aside their differences enough for another date?
Only author Jay Stringer knows. But you can count on two things:
1. It won't be easy.
2. There will be a body count.
April 10, 2020
Having enjoyed the previous "Ways to Die in Glasgow" in this series, I was eager to pick up the next in line, and I was not disappointed. This engaging, and amusing, thriller-cum-love story features Samantha Ireland, Private Investigator and Bike Messenger, and Fergus Fletcher, Professional Hitman. It is full of complex connections among the characters, crackling dialogues, fast-paced action happening on the well-described Glasgow streets, and numerous twists and turns that make for an enjoyable ride. The characters are well etched, especially those of Sam and Fergus, their human side showing through amidst all the violence.
The author does not try to tell the reader everything about why things happen the way they do, leaving one to figure out things as the plot moves forward. While this approach helps in building the pace of the novel, it makes the reading experience somewhat incomplete. The connections that are revealed between the disparate characters of the story, considering that they live in the big metropolis of Glasgow, sometimes feel too convenient to be plausible. And, the romantic part of the plot, while entertainingly executed, feels a bit overstretched.
But these are minor issues that are amply compensated by the superb narrative and the great set of characters. I liked it a lot and would not mind reading another from the series!
The author does not try to tell the reader everything about why things happen the way they do, leaving one to figure out things as the plot moves forward. While this approach helps in building the pace of the novel, it makes the reading experience somewhat incomplete. The connections that are revealed between the disparate characters of the story, considering that they live in the big metropolis of Glasgow, sometimes feel too convenient to be plausible. And, the romantic part of the plot, while entertainingly executed, feels a bit overstretched.
But these are minor issues that are amply compensated by the superb narrative and the great set of characters. I liked it a lot and would not mind reading another from the series!
April 3, 2019
A enjoyable sequel to "Ways to Die in Glasgow". Sam Ireland and her brother Phil continue to operate their father's private investigation service along with a bicycle messenger service. In fact, much of the action takes place as Sam bikes across the crazy busy streets of Glasgow. Mr. Stringer once again structures the novel into fast moving short chapters in which the plot is told through three different characters; Sam, Fergus Fletcher (a professional hitman) and Alex Pennan (a crooked accountant). It is dark, edgy and violent but also quite witty and funny throughout. It is also kind of a love story albeit a strange one. This reader enjoyed the sequel even more than the first book in the series. Cheers!
December 12, 2016
I requested this book because of the title. I thought it was clever. As a result, I actually ended up reading a very entertaining mystery novel. Sam is a PI/ bike messenger in Glasgow and she finds herself entangled in a rather complex murder mystery. There are mobsters, dirty cops, corrupt politicians, and don't forget the hitman. As Sam and Fergus unravel the mystery and try to stay among the living, they also start an internet romance that is bound to be a bit of a failure once they find out what each actually does for a living. I definitely recommend it. I may even go back to read the first one in the series.
January 25, 2023
I just loved this, and the previous Sam Ireland book. Gutted there are only two but they’ve definitely gone out on a high.
Not your usual detective story, but Sam isn’t your usual detective. She’s like a Glaswegian Jessica Jones (if that’s how I picture her) but with slightly less booze.
Well written, fun, with enough edge to keep you guessing.
Not your usual detective story, but Sam isn’t your usual detective. She’s like a Glaswegian Jessica Jones (if that’s how I picture her) but with slightly less booze.
Well written, fun, with enough edge to keep you guessing.
June 13, 2018
Fast paced mystery laced with humor set in Glasgow, Scotland
April 12, 2020
Maybe a little too clever for me. I enjoyed it, some positively loved it. Is there another?
November 22, 2016
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads first reads.
The writer of this book gets major credit for writing a book with such twisty interconnected plot lines. It was a little confusing keeping up with everyone at the beginning, but once they all started coming together, it was really interesting.
However, I can't really give it more than three stars because even by the end of the book, I still didn't particularly like or care about any of these characters.
For anyone who is concerned after the first two chapters or so (I was too), the extensive language does not continue at that level for the rest of the book. There is one character early on who uses the f-word constantly. I was close to calling it a "did not finish" but this character is not really involved past the first few chapters, and thankfully the rest of the characters have much tamer language. there are still a few f-words throughout, but not even close to the level of the first few chapters.
Overall, it's a decent read, but definitely not top of the list. If I were making a book recommendation to a friend, this would not be it.
The writer of this book gets major credit for writing a book with such twisty interconnected plot lines. It was a little confusing keeping up with everyone at the beginning, but once they all started coming together, it was really interesting.
However, I can't really give it more than three stars because even by the end of the book, I still didn't particularly like or care about any of these characters.
For anyone who is concerned after the first two chapters or so (I was too), the extensive language does not continue at that level for the rest of the book. There is one character early on who uses the f-word constantly. I was close to calling it a "did not finish" but this character is not really involved past the first few chapters, and thankfully the rest of the characters have much tamer language. there are still a few f-words throughout, but not even close to the level of the first few chapters.
Overall, it's a decent read, but definitely not top of the list. If I were making a book recommendation to a friend, this would not be it.
December 9, 2024
We’re not in some shitty spy movie, are we?
Och mah bit that wis bloody stoatin 'n' jolly guid fin! Author Jay Stringer did a pure dead brilliant jab o' takin wae me th'gither sic a disparate group o' fowk, mixing 'n' matching thair motivations wi' aplomb 'n' mair than juist a paukit bit o' tension alang th' wey! Ah mean, a dinnae ken Glescae itself that weel - maist o' mah bygane business wis in either Paisley (translated to "shitehole") or Houston (pronounced Hoooston by th' locals) - bit this wis a top-notch mystery crime thriller that hud me reading non-stop ower th' weekend! 'n' it didnae even maiter tae me that ah clocked ah wis reading th' seicont book foremaist aboot hauf wey thro'! It aye wirks gey weel as a stand-alone!
Morals have to be flexible when you’re self-employed.
OK, that's a bit exhausting and I think the folks at scotranslate-dot-com would like me to leave now and stop stressin' their servers! If you need a quick translation of what I've just said, I just wanted to confirm that author Jay Stringer's "How To Kill Friends And Implicate People (A Sam Ireland Mystery Book 2)" was so much fun! The way he brings together such a wild mélange of just the weirdest mix of characters and blends them into a common story-line is just fantastic! And yes, I'm a bit of an eejit for only noticing rather far into this book that I had indeed started with the second tome in this series, but I don't think I missed much as the descriptives and situations worked extremely well as stand-alone material.
I’m not a bad guy, if we overlook the fact that I am a bad guy.
In the author's own words (more or less), this was indeed a hard-boiled crime story that equally could be called a thoroughly Stygian comedy as well as what he describes as "social pulp fiction". I think the Glaswegians in my life could speak to this better than I but if you've ever had the sheer pleasure to spend any time in Glasgow - and not just the bloody airport where I've sat for far too many hours in my life - you'll know what that means. Kindly note as well that there is Glasgow and there is Scotland and in my eyes, never shall the two be confused with each other! But as fate would have it, at no point does this stray very far from the conically-clad gaze of the Duke of Wellington. Which is also very consistent with many of the Scots I know, namely, they never seem all that interested in venturing out into the countryside and seeing the many sights that the most beautiful country in the world has to offer (my French wife is the same about France, so...). Anyway, this should be a book review, not a travel advisory, so back to it…
Relax. You’ll be fine. Dying’s going to be easy.
Although this was ever-so-slightly outside of my usual comfort zone in terms of reading choices - there was nary a troll nor a wererat/-cat of any kind to be found - I still found myself chewing my fingernails to the quick as this tale unwound. Just as we were thinking "ok, smile, breathe, enjoy" well we then were quickly faced with "shoot, dispose, burn". All a day's work in the big city I guess. But again, the characters that Stringer conjures and brings to life were just so much fun to get to know, even when they were doing their best to "shoot, dispose and/or burn" each other into oblivion! But there is one thing I simply could not grasp: how could ANYONE be a bicycle courier in Glasgow ("Basically, we’re Uber for parcels and mysteries.")? It's a city that despite sitting all nestled - and grubby - on the River Clyde would give San Francisco a run for its money in terms of hilly streets and overall traffic chaos … and that's not even mentioning the 360 days of rain a year! If those scenes themselves don't bring you the necessary level of utter frazzlement you seek, well, you might want to check your pulse to see if you're still alive!
I’m a part-time private detective. I’m paid to have trust issues.
And I have to say that I had so much fun reading HTKF&IP that I'm not even going to gripe TOO MUCH about the fact that the book is divided into 107!!! chapters over around 396 pages (and as I like to point out, the average works out to 3.7 pp/ch!). However, in this case, instead of finding myself twitching uncontrollably every time I saw a blank half-page or more notifying me that the next chapterlet was on its way, I found that the author used this formatting to cleverly bring in another viewpoint - literally in most cases - of a situation that was unfolding before us. For example, to so seamlessly switch from Sam's perspective ("Hiya!") over to what Fergus was thinking or doing was extremely positive, like a master cameraman plying his craft in a high budget thriller! And being a few times - even more than a few times - in the heads of both the killer(s) and the killees was very interesting to experience!
That was perhaps the nicest threat I’d ever received.
In the end, it was an almost perfect read and I think perfect for the noir-crime fans out there. I still had a few questions once we faded away - like why did an undercover cop pretending to be a hooker go so far as to ACTUALLY do what it is that hookers are paid to do (I mean: YUCK!) - but nothing that just made me stop and think "ok, that's it, I'm too confused/disgusted/insert-your-emotion-here to continue." So whether you're a Rangers or Celtic fan (I used to work with a fellow that was a HUGE Dundee United fan so… yay?) I think this would be the kind of book you'll really enjoy no matter what your usual genre of choice happens to be. Extremely well-written, very tense, funny when it needed to be and just the opposite when that was required, too! Wance mair : 'twas a lot o' fin, sae pat doon yer copy o' "girl meets laddie oan a crime spree", poap open a kin o' Irn-Bru 'n' git th' grill gaun!
Och mah bit that wis bloody stoatin 'n' jolly guid fin! Author Jay Stringer did a pure dead brilliant jab o' takin wae me th'gither sic a disparate group o' fowk, mixing 'n' matching thair motivations wi' aplomb 'n' mair than juist a paukit bit o' tension alang th' wey! Ah mean, a dinnae ken Glescae itself that weel - maist o' mah bygane business wis in either Paisley (translated to "shitehole") or Houston (pronounced Hoooston by th' locals) - bit this wis a top-notch mystery crime thriller that hud me reading non-stop ower th' weekend! 'n' it didnae even maiter tae me that ah clocked ah wis reading th' seicont book foremaist aboot hauf wey thro'! It aye wirks gey weel as a stand-alone!
Morals have to be flexible when you’re self-employed.
OK, that's a bit exhausting and I think the folks at scotranslate-dot-com would like me to leave now and stop stressin' their servers! If you need a quick translation of what I've just said, I just wanted to confirm that author Jay Stringer's "How To Kill Friends And Implicate People (A Sam Ireland Mystery Book 2)" was so much fun! The way he brings together such a wild mélange of just the weirdest mix of characters and blends them into a common story-line is just fantastic! And yes, I'm a bit of an eejit for only noticing rather far into this book that I had indeed started with the second tome in this series, but I don't think I missed much as the descriptives and situations worked extremely well as stand-alone material.
I’m not a bad guy, if we overlook the fact that I am a bad guy.
In the author's own words (more or less), this was indeed a hard-boiled crime story that equally could be called a thoroughly Stygian comedy as well as what he describes as "social pulp fiction". I think the Glaswegians in my life could speak to this better than I but if you've ever had the sheer pleasure to spend any time in Glasgow - and not just the bloody airport where I've sat for far too many hours in my life - you'll know what that means. Kindly note as well that there is Glasgow and there is Scotland and in my eyes, never shall the two be confused with each other! But as fate would have it, at no point does this stray very far from the conically-clad gaze of the Duke of Wellington. Which is also very consistent with many of the Scots I know, namely, they never seem all that interested in venturing out into the countryside and seeing the many sights that the most beautiful country in the world has to offer (my French wife is the same about France, so...). Anyway, this should be a book review, not a travel advisory, so back to it…
Relax. You’ll be fine. Dying’s going to be easy.
Although this was ever-so-slightly outside of my usual comfort zone in terms of reading choices - there was nary a troll nor a wererat/-cat of any kind to be found - I still found myself chewing my fingernails to the quick as this tale unwound. Just as we were thinking "ok, smile, breathe, enjoy" well we then were quickly faced with "shoot, dispose, burn". All a day's work in the big city I guess. But again, the characters that Stringer conjures and brings to life were just so much fun to get to know, even when they were doing their best to "shoot, dispose and/or burn" each other into oblivion! But there is one thing I simply could not grasp: how could ANYONE be a bicycle courier in Glasgow ("Basically, we’re Uber for parcels and mysteries.")? It's a city that despite sitting all nestled - and grubby - on the River Clyde would give San Francisco a run for its money in terms of hilly streets and overall traffic chaos … and that's not even mentioning the 360 days of rain a year! If those scenes themselves don't bring you the necessary level of utter frazzlement you seek, well, you might want to check your pulse to see if you're still alive!
I’m a part-time private detective. I’m paid to have trust issues.
And I have to say that I had so much fun reading HTKF&IP that I'm not even going to gripe TOO MUCH about the fact that the book is divided into 107!!! chapters over around 396 pages (and as I like to point out, the average works out to 3.7 pp/ch!). However, in this case, instead of finding myself twitching uncontrollably every time I saw a blank half-page or more notifying me that the next chapterlet was on its way, I found that the author used this formatting to cleverly bring in another viewpoint - literally in most cases - of a situation that was unfolding before us. For example, to so seamlessly switch from Sam's perspective ("Hiya!") over to what Fergus was thinking or doing was extremely positive, like a master cameraman plying his craft in a high budget thriller! And being a few times - even more than a few times - in the heads of both the killer(s) and the killees was very interesting to experience!
That was perhaps the nicest threat I’d ever received.
In the end, it was an almost perfect read and I think perfect for the noir-crime fans out there. I still had a few questions once we faded away - like why did an undercover cop pretending to be a hooker go so far as to ACTUALLY do what it is that hookers are paid to do (I mean: YUCK!) - but nothing that just made me stop and think "ok, that's it, I'm too confused/disgusted/insert-your-emotion-here to continue." So whether you're a Rangers or Celtic fan (I used to work with a fellow that was a HUGE Dundee United fan so… yay?) I think this would be the kind of book you'll really enjoy no matter what your usual genre of choice happens to be. Extremely well-written, very tense, funny when it needed to be and just the opposite when that was required, too! Wance mair : 'twas a lot o' fin, sae pat doon yer copy o' "girl meets laddie oan a crime spree", poap open a kin o' Irn-Bru 'n' git th' grill gaun!
September 26, 2016
I enjoyed how this book was written, a lot. I don't remember reading a book that each chapter was written from the perspective of a certain character. It was really neat to see how the plot played out from the view point of the characters involved. I thought the book was fast paced and kept me wanting to read more so I could figure out how it would end. I did not see half the deaths coming, especially when her friend cop got shot and killed. I was shocked at that plot twist. And how the wife and husband ended up killing each other. That was a really good plot ending for those characters considering they both deserved that ending.
I will be looking into reading the first book of this series and hoping there are others i will be able to read in the future.
I will be looking into reading the first book of this series and hoping there are others i will be able to read in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2016
I didn't like this quite as much as 'Ways to Die in Glasgow', but it's still massively entertaining. Sam Ireland returns as a really engaging, credible hero, and hit man Fergus is a great addition (he's reminiscent of my very favourite fictional assassin, Martin Blank). This is a crime novel that plays out like a farce, with multiple characters all following their own agendas as the coincidences and consequences build wonderfully around them. It's a pleasure to read from beginning to end, with a solid plot, some great one liners and loads of film references that never seem over done or annoying.
August 8, 2016
I don't read a lot of crime fiction but I always make an exception for Jay's books (and not just because I know him). How to kill friends and implicate people is another great book with a story that sucks you in and won't let go, the seemingly separate strands of the story weaving together to an incredibly tense conclusion. The only problem I have is that I've now got to wait for another Sam Ireland story!
July 4, 2020
So of it is engaging,but I found the last few chapters to be of the same high octane pace that Irvine Welsh cruises at with ease.love the main character and fantastic climax
Fantastic read loved all the Glasgow knowledge and was able to place characters as vividly in my imagination as had been the aim of the authour,would recommend
Fantastic read loved all the Glasgow knowledge and was able to place characters as vividly in my imagination as had been the aim of the authour,would recommend
August 2, 2016
The description sounded interesting so I tried it on Kindle. Couldn't get beyond the first couple of pages because of the frequent use of the F word in various forms.
September 15, 2016
"I've killed two people, disposed of three bodies, and torched an apartment.
I think it's time to go visit my parents."
I think it's time to go visit my parents."
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