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DON'T WORRY, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE AMAZING
DON'T WORRY, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE AMAZING...
Chris Pringle: simpleton, casualty or local hero?
Propped up by biscuits, benefits and a baffling faith in his plan, he lives in a world where every day is obsessively the same: wedged in his recliner, watching murder mysteries, taking notes. Until the day a serious and peculiar crime stumps the local police - and Chris announces he can solve it.
Accompanied by a loyal crew of chancers, committed to making amends, and pursued by a depressed Detective Inspector, trying to join the dots, Chris heads back to the raves of his past, where a heartbreaking personal tragedy lies abandoned. But what exactly is Chris Pringle looking for? Has he really worked out the way to find it? And what will happen if he does?
PRESS REVIEWS
'An absolute blast. Publishers are forever craving a fresh and original new voice. Moran's gone and composed a new language. And, just like the rave culture so embraced by its main protagonists Chris Pringle and Runcie, once you get a taste of their rollercoaster lives, it's hard to get off. I can't quite think of another character in all of literature like Pringle, a confectionary-obsessed, self-styled gumshoe clinging to the bottom rung of life. And I've yet to read anything that captures rave culture and its assortment of oddballs better. At the novel's core though is a riveting mystery that will satisfy any crime buff.'
JAMES NALLY (AUTHOR, THE PC DONAL LYNCH THRILLERS)
‘Edgy, buzzing and pulsing with life – if this doesn’t take you back, nothing will.’
PIERS TORDAY (AUTHOR, THE LAST WILD)
‘Fills in, most entertainingly, the missing link between Poirot's little grey cells and the battered brain chemistry of an ex-raver.’
LUDOVIC HUNTER TILNEY (PRESS CLUB ARTS REVIEWER OF THE YEAR)
‘Forrest Gump meets Columbo at a rave - shameless, moving, compelling, laugh out loud funny and truly original, I was completely hooked from start to finish.’
MARK DIACANO (AUTHOR, A TASTE OF THE UNEXPECTED)
Chris Pringle: simpleton, casualty or local hero?
Propped up by biscuits, benefits and a baffling faith in his plan, he lives in a world where every day is obsessively the same: wedged in his recliner, watching murder mysteries, taking notes. Until the day a serious and peculiar crime stumps the local police - and Chris announces he can solve it.
Accompanied by a loyal crew of chancers, committed to making amends, and pursued by a depressed Detective Inspector, trying to join the dots, Chris heads back to the raves of his past, where a heartbreaking personal tragedy lies abandoned. But what exactly is Chris Pringle looking for? Has he really worked out the way to find it? And what will happen if he does?
PRESS REVIEWS
'An absolute blast. Publishers are forever craving a fresh and original new voice. Moran's gone and composed a new language. And, just like the rave culture so embraced by its main protagonists Chris Pringle and Runcie, once you get a taste of their rollercoaster lives, it's hard to get off. I can't quite think of another character in all of literature like Pringle, a confectionary-obsessed, self-styled gumshoe clinging to the bottom rung of life. And I've yet to read anything that captures rave culture and its assortment of oddballs better. At the novel's core though is a riveting mystery that will satisfy any crime buff.'
JAMES NALLY (AUTHOR, THE PC DONAL LYNCH THRILLERS)
‘Edgy, buzzing and pulsing with life – if this doesn’t take you back, nothing will.’
PIERS TORDAY (AUTHOR, THE LAST WILD)
‘Fills in, most entertainingly, the missing link between Poirot's little grey cells and the battered brain chemistry of an ex-raver.’
LUDOVIC HUNTER TILNEY (PRESS CLUB ARTS REVIEWER OF THE YEAR)
‘Forrest Gump meets Columbo at a rave - shameless, moving, compelling, laugh out loud funny and truly original, I was completely hooked from start to finish.’
MARK DIACANO (AUTHOR, A TASTE OF THE UNEXPECTED)
- GenresMystery
349 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2020
27 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Billy Moran
1 book14 followersBilly Moran is an award-winning television writer for shows including Horrible Histories.
Billy grew up in the West Country, where his teenage years were rudely interrupted
by the Second Summer of Love. Since then he has been embracing chaos, craving order, and watching whodunnits to find out who's responsible.
Billy lives in London and has two children, two cats, one football team and several favourite detectives. Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is Billy's debut novel, and the first in a series of FRIENDS ON BENEFITS MYSTERIES.
Billy grew up in the West Country, where his teenage years were rudely interrupted
by the Second Summer of Love. Since then he has been embracing chaos, craving order, and watching whodunnits to find out who's responsible.
Billy lives in London and has two children, two cats, one football team and several favourite detectives. Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is Billy's debut novel, and the first in a series of FRIENDS ON BENEFITS MYSTERIES.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 20, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Chris Pringle loves detective programs on TV. He knows all of them and has watched and scrutinised each one methodically. He has watched them over and over for so long that Chris thinks he is a detective. He has even turned his new council bungalow in his personal incident house, with an interview room and more.
When a community initiative to help the locals trust the police is launched, Chris is there to help aging Detective Inspector Graham Kaye with his current investigation that is causing him issues with the lack of clues. Armed with the knowledge and know-how of dozens of TV detectives, this is right up Chris’s street, but can he solve the case?
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is certainly a unique book. The storyline moves back and forth in time between 1992 and the present day. In 1992 Chris and his friend Runcie were big on the clubbing/raving scene. They spent a lot of the years off their heads. Runcie was also a drug dealer.
The present-day Chris has just moved into his new council-owned bungalow. He’s living on benefits and sees the world differently to most other people. He lives, breathes, and works TV detectives. Runcie is still around and still Chris’s best friend.
I’m not going to pretend that this book was an easy read as is wasn’t, it is like talking to someone high on drugs or alcohol and they are talking incoherently, it’s feels a little bit chaotic, especially at beginning. The first few chapters I read three times before I understood them, even then some chapters later I had to concentrate hard on, mainly those set in 1992, which I was surprised about given I’d lived through the rave scenes of the 90s.
It is certainly a different kind of crime mystery. Chris comes across as someone a little slow (in the words of the book), and so he isn’t someone you would expect the police force to want to help them, never mind be capable of solving the case. He wants to solve the case and enjoys finding the answers, especially when others can’t work them out. The book has a lot of humour to it and the characters work well together both in the past and present.
If you are a fan of unusual books with strange but realistic characters and lived through the 90s rave scene then this book will be right up your street.
Chris Pringle loves detective programs on TV. He knows all of them and has watched and scrutinised each one methodically. He has watched them over and over for so long that Chris thinks he is a detective. He has even turned his new council bungalow in his personal incident house, with an interview room and more.
When a community initiative to help the locals trust the police is launched, Chris is there to help aging Detective Inspector Graham Kaye with his current investigation that is causing him issues with the lack of clues. Armed with the knowledge and know-how of dozens of TV detectives, this is right up Chris’s street, but can he solve the case?
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is certainly a unique book. The storyline moves back and forth in time between 1992 and the present day. In 1992 Chris and his friend Runcie were big on the clubbing/raving scene. They spent a lot of the years off their heads. Runcie was also a drug dealer.
The present-day Chris has just moved into his new council-owned bungalow. He’s living on benefits and sees the world differently to most other people. He lives, breathes, and works TV detectives. Runcie is still around and still Chris’s best friend.
I’m not going to pretend that this book was an easy read as is wasn’t, it is like talking to someone high on drugs or alcohol and they are talking incoherently, it’s feels a little bit chaotic, especially at beginning. The first few chapters I read three times before I understood them, even then some chapters later I had to concentrate hard on, mainly those set in 1992, which I was surprised about given I’d lived through the rave scenes of the 90s.
It is certainly a different kind of crime mystery. Chris comes across as someone a little slow (in the words of the book), and so he isn’t someone you would expect the police force to want to help them, never mind be capable of solving the case. He wants to solve the case and enjoys finding the answers, especially when others can’t work them out. The book has a lot of humour to it and the characters work well together both in the past and present.
If you are a fan of unusual books with strange but realistic characters and lived through the 90s rave scene then this book will be right up your street.
September 13, 2020
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Howard Davidson at Sauce Materials. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a fresh and original take on the mystery genre, with an extremely memorable cast of characters.
The storyline flicks between the early 90s and the ‘now’, in which the police are attempting to piece together various accounts of a recent murder investigation with the rather rambling and unfocused help of one of the main characters, Stephen ‘Runcie’ Runce.
Most of the story is told from the perspective of our narrator – sidekick, casual drug distributor and hidden heart of gold – Runcie, or from that of the main man himself, Chris ‘Chrissy’ Pringle – would-be detective, whose thought processes baffle even the most logical of grey cells.
The blurb asks us whether Chris is a “simpleton, casualty or local hero”, and the book casually answers, “yes”, offers us a biscuit, then proceeds to show us why it doesn’t matter at all. Therein lies one of the joys of this story: the characters show a total acceptance of each other, no matter what. Runcie, Chris, Julie Dukes and Student all have their quirks, but their commitment to each other is absolute and so compelling that their attitudes even start rubbing off on the local police officers!
Another delight is the 90s rave scene, lovingly brought to life through the bleary but enthusiastic eyes of Runcie and the scrambled sensations vaguely remembered by Chris. Similarly, Chris’ love for TV detectives is not boringly explained to us, but instead we are immersed in it alongside him. To be fair, we would probably struggle to follow his explanation anyway… thank goodness for Mr Runce’s ability to turn chaos into a kind of amused calm!
The main thing to shine through – throughout the murder investigation, the drugged dancing, the tea and biscuits, and the establishing of Chris as neighbourhood detective affiliated to a reluctant (and yet, intrigued) police force – is the bond of loyalty and understanding between the characters, and the kindness they show to each other constantly and unwaveringly. Reading the story of Chris’ first official ‘case’ is like stepping in among tightly-knit friends and being instantly welcomed as one of the gang. Like getting a taste of Runcie’s Republic and how simple it all could be.
This wasn’t the easiest book to get into, due to the chaotic narrative flow and cheery colloquial deluge of Runcie’s thoughts, but once immersed I found myself carried along with this fun, friendly mystery; happy to go with the flow and just see what happened next. I told you their attitudes were infectious!
I will never stop. I’m looking for the lessons you won’t find in the rule book. Because there is no rule book. Apart from my rule book: My Detective Rule Book. Which is a collection of lessons that are not in the rule book – because there is no rule book. I find this hard to explain. I have tried explaining it to Runcie.
‘A thousand times. You’ve tried explaining it, a thousand times,’ he has said.
But he’s not a detective. I’m not saying he couldn’t be – we don’t do that, and Hamish Macbeth was an OK detective and he smoked pot – but he might need to cut down.
I’m learning from the best – the rules of the people who break the rules.
‘It would help if I could see this rule book of yours,’ he has also said.
‘You can when it’s finished.’
‘When will that be?’
‘Never.’
– Billy Moran, Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a fresh and original take on the mystery genre, with an extremely memorable cast of characters.
The storyline flicks between the early 90s and the ‘now’, in which the police are attempting to piece together various accounts of a recent murder investigation with the rather rambling and unfocused help of one of the main characters, Stephen ‘Runcie’ Runce.
Most of the story is told from the perspective of our narrator – sidekick, casual drug distributor and hidden heart of gold – Runcie, or from that of the main man himself, Chris ‘Chrissy’ Pringle – would-be detective, whose thought processes baffle even the most logical of grey cells.
The blurb asks us whether Chris is a “simpleton, casualty or local hero”, and the book casually answers, “yes”, offers us a biscuit, then proceeds to show us why it doesn’t matter at all. Therein lies one of the joys of this story: the characters show a total acceptance of each other, no matter what. Runcie, Chris, Julie Dukes and Student all have their quirks, but their commitment to each other is absolute and so compelling that their attitudes even start rubbing off on the local police officers!
Another delight is the 90s rave scene, lovingly brought to life through the bleary but enthusiastic eyes of Runcie and the scrambled sensations vaguely remembered by Chris. Similarly, Chris’ love for TV detectives is not boringly explained to us, but instead we are immersed in it alongside him. To be fair, we would probably struggle to follow his explanation anyway… thank goodness for Mr Runce’s ability to turn chaos into a kind of amused calm!
The main thing to shine through – throughout the murder investigation, the drugged dancing, the tea and biscuits, and the establishing of Chris as neighbourhood detective affiliated to a reluctant (and yet, intrigued) police force – is the bond of loyalty and understanding between the characters, and the kindness they show to each other constantly and unwaveringly. Reading the story of Chris’ first official ‘case’ is like stepping in among tightly-knit friends and being instantly welcomed as one of the gang. Like getting a taste of Runcie’s Republic and how simple it all could be.
This wasn’t the easiest book to get into, due to the chaotic narrative flow and cheery colloquial deluge of Runcie’s thoughts, but once immersed I found myself carried along with this fun, friendly mystery; happy to go with the flow and just see what happened next. I told you their attitudes were infectious!
I will never stop. I’m looking for the lessons you won’t find in the rule book. Because there is no rule book. Apart from my rule book: My Detective Rule Book. Which is a collection of lessons that are not in the rule book – because there is no rule book. I find this hard to explain. I have tried explaining it to Runcie.
‘A thousand times. You’ve tried explaining it, a thousand times,’ he has said.
But he’s not a detective. I’m not saying he couldn’t be – we don’t do that, and Hamish Macbeth was an OK detective and he smoked pot – but he might need to cut down.
I’m learning from the best – the rules of the people who break the rules.
‘It would help if I could see this rule book of yours,’ he has also said.
‘You can when it’s finished.’
‘When will that be?’
‘Never.’
– Billy Moran, Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
September 12, 2020
Don’t Worry is a mystery story with a difference. Told in two timelines, the 90’s, a time of raves, drugs and mayhem, and the present day.
Now, Chris Pringle is a unique character, who everyone thinks is a bit of an idiot, but he manages to solve the whodunnit, somehow! This is a tale of friendship, mental health and lots of chaos and laughter.
It has fantastic and likeable characters and a wild, chaotic plot that will have you laughing out loud, as the mystery draws you in. A marvellously bizarre and totally gripping read.
Thank you to Howard at Sauce Materials Books for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Now, Chris Pringle is a unique character, who everyone thinks is a bit of an idiot, but he manages to solve the whodunnit, somehow! This is a tale of friendship, mental health and lots of chaos and laughter.
It has fantastic and likeable characters and a wild, chaotic plot that will have you laughing out loud, as the mystery draws you in. A marvellously bizarre and totally gripping read.
Thank you to Howard at Sauce Materials Books for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing. This is my honest and unbiased review.
October 8, 2020
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a dual time-line mystery set in Britain. The narrative goes back and forth between the 1990s rave scene and the current day.
Chris Pringle is fascinated by fictional TV detectives and has created his own detective world. He even has his own incident and interview rooms and had files on lots of his local people. A simple chap, he lives in a council house and survives on benefits with the help of a small group of friends and supporters.
Chris’s detecting comes to a head when he reads about the charred remains of an unknown body found in a local flat. The police believe it was arson but have few clues. In an ironic new public liaison scheme, the police end up allowing Chris to ‘help’ them after he offered to solve the murder. This seems almost farcical and adds to some of the other witty elements. In the end, both the reader and the police find themselves questioning the fine line between idiocy and a genius mind.
I liked the idea of this story, and there were quite a few impressive moments; I particularly liked some of Chris’s information reveals. However, it is slow paced and some areas could easily have been cut with another edit. It is also rather challenging to read as much of it is written in phonetic slang, which requires effort to concentrate on the meaning. I could see what the author was trying to achieve, but it doesn't quite come off, not least of all because it needs a better proofread; there are numerous punctuation errors throughout. The same effect could have been created with just a sprinkling of slang which would have made the story easier to read; once readers have established the accent of a character, we tend to read it in that 'voice'.
Overall, a mystery with an unusual writing style that needs a final polish.
Chris Pringle is fascinated by fictional TV detectives and has created his own detective world. He even has his own incident and interview rooms and had files on lots of his local people. A simple chap, he lives in a council house and survives on benefits with the help of a small group of friends and supporters.
Chris’s detecting comes to a head when he reads about the charred remains of an unknown body found in a local flat. The police believe it was arson but have few clues. In an ironic new public liaison scheme, the police end up allowing Chris to ‘help’ them after he offered to solve the murder. This seems almost farcical and adds to some of the other witty elements. In the end, both the reader and the police find themselves questioning the fine line between idiocy and a genius mind.
I liked the idea of this story, and there were quite a few impressive moments; I particularly liked some of Chris’s information reveals. However, it is slow paced and some areas could easily have been cut with another edit. It is also rather challenging to read as much of it is written in phonetic slang, which requires effort to concentrate on the meaning. I could see what the author was trying to achieve, but it doesn't quite come off, not least of all because it needs a better proofread; there are numerous punctuation errors throughout. The same effect could have been created with just a sprinkling of slang which would have made the story easier to read; once readers have established the accent of a character, we tend to read it in that 'voice'.
Overall, a mystery with an unusual writing style that needs a final polish.
Read
September 3, 2020This is my debut novel. I really hope you like it. It was born out of my own personal experiences in the extraordinary UK rave scene of 1992, and taps into my obsessive fascination with music, mysteries and TV detectives. It's a very British book in its language and reference points - hopefully in a good way - but with universal themes like family, loss, the fine line between genius and insanity, and the quest we all have to find happiness and meaning.
If you want to listen to my writing playlist, my publishers have shared it (it's called DON'T WORRY, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE AMAZING) on Spotify. It's ALL 1992 UK rave by artists like The Prodigy, The Awesome Three and Phuture Assassins, so it won't be to everyone's taste, but it will capture the madness of that time. Chris Pringle, the main character in the book, experiences the rave recap scenes in the book (just a few chapters) in total silence though - as if he's re-living them and examining them for clues, even as he experiences them for the first time.
The book mixes up time frames and narrators in a way that is supposed to be a little disorienting at first - but pretty soon (I hope) you realise it's going to have a really circular, tight plot, with no dodgy, red herring ending. I wanted to play around with the idea that chaos and order are both a part of life, part of the journey. There's a big 'self-help' and mental health theme here, driven by my own experiences, and the way I've tried to obey rules, break rules and make up my own rules, in my own personal mission to find contentment.
As much as on the one hand I LOVE the order of whodunnits and crime thrillers from Ian Rankin, Henning Mankell, Kate Atkinson, Belinda Bauer and Agatha Christie, I also love the chaos of being hurled into a world with its own language: A Clockwork Orange and Trainspotting are two of my absolute favourite books. Handing the readers over to a streetwise Mancunian and a man everyone assumes is an idiot was never a deliberate decision, but I was therefore totally comfortable with it. Again though, whilst on the surface this crew of characters seem quirky and off-beat, deep down they are very much the same where it matters.
If you want to listen to my writing playlist, my publishers have shared it (it's called DON'T WORRY, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE AMAZING) on Spotify. It's ALL 1992 UK rave by artists like The Prodigy, The Awesome Three and Phuture Assassins, so it won't be to everyone's taste, but it will capture the madness of that time. Chris Pringle, the main character in the book, experiences the rave recap scenes in the book (just a few chapters) in total silence though - as if he's re-living them and examining them for clues, even as he experiences them for the first time.
The book mixes up time frames and narrators in a way that is supposed to be a little disorienting at first - but pretty soon (I hope) you realise it's going to have a really circular, tight plot, with no dodgy, red herring ending. I wanted to play around with the idea that chaos and order are both a part of life, part of the journey. There's a big 'self-help' and mental health theme here, driven by my own experiences, and the way I've tried to obey rules, break rules and make up my own rules, in my own personal mission to find contentment.
As much as on the one hand I LOVE the order of whodunnits and crime thrillers from Ian Rankin, Henning Mankell, Kate Atkinson, Belinda Bauer and Agatha Christie, I also love the chaos of being hurled into a world with its own language: A Clockwork Orange and Trainspotting are two of my absolute favourite books. Handing the readers over to a streetwise Mancunian and a man everyone assumes is an idiot was never a deliberate decision, but I was therefore totally comfortable with it. Again though, whilst on the surface this crew of characters seem quirky and off-beat, deep down they are very much the same where it matters.
September 14, 2020
Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a mystery but it's unlike any mystery I've ever read before. Perhaps the most important reason for this is because Chris Pringle isn't like any other detective I've come across before.
Chris knows all about detectives; he's studied the best - from Columbo to Poirot, Frost to er...Rosemary and Thyme. His video collection is extensive and with his Interview Room (formerly his lounge) and caravan-turned-Incident-Room, he is ready to lend his knowledge to the police and solve a gruesome murder. His offer isn't received enthusiastically by the jaded DI Kaye but a new community liaison and transparency drive, C.L.E.A.R means he is now expected to listen - and perhaps worse, full amnesty will be offered for minor unconnected issues...
Chris Pringle isn't a criminal but his best friend, Stephen 'Runcie' Runce is a little bit dodgy. Nothing too serious, he just wants an easy life now and only sells dope to a few regular customers but back in the early 90s he was the self-styled Robin Hood of Raves, supplying pills to punters. The book switches between past and present - or as Runcie explains in the prologue, 'It's a journey mind, so clunk click: there's a bit of now, a bit of then, now-then, now-then - but yer'd like that, right?' The loved-up, drugged-up chaotic hedonism of the rave scene is brilliantly brought to life, chiefly through the enthusiastic, if somewhat disordered eyes of Runcie but also occasionally from Chris' even more muddled viewpoint.
Chris' unique approach to life means people aren't sure what to make of him; he is frequently dismissed as being just a bit simple and often leaves those he deals with completely lost. Meanwhile, Runcie's wandering, slang-filled narrative isn't that much easier to follow but gradually all the many loose ends in this very cleverly structured novel are drawn together and this odd but hugely likeable pair absolutely won my heart. They are assisted by their long-time friends Julie Duke and Student and though each are outsiders to varying degrees, their quirks and their steadfast, unquestioning support for one another mean they are even able to teach the local police a lesson and just maybe Chris Pringle is capable of much more than anybody would give him credit for.
I loved Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing; it's a warm-hearted, funny, bittersweet novel of love and loss, memories and secrets, tea and biscuits. The meandering, colloquial dialogue means it's a book that requires the reader to allow themselves to be pulled in by the unique narrative style but it's well worth the trip. I was delighted to discover at the end of the book that there's more to come from this lovable bunch of misfits - and that they'll be joined by Disco Sean and Tasty! I can't wait!
Chris knows all about detectives; he's studied the best - from Columbo to Poirot, Frost to er...Rosemary and Thyme. His video collection is extensive and with his Interview Room (formerly his lounge) and caravan-turned-Incident-Room, he is ready to lend his knowledge to the police and solve a gruesome murder. His offer isn't received enthusiastically by the jaded DI Kaye but a new community liaison and transparency drive, C.L.E.A.R means he is now expected to listen - and perhaps worse, full amnesty will be offered for minor unconnected issues...
Chris Pringle isn't a criminal but his best friend, Stephen 'Runcie' Runce is a little bit dodgy. Nothing too serious, he just wants an easy life now and only sells dope to a few regular customers but back in the early 90s he was the self-styled Robin Hood of Raves, supplying pills to punters. The book switches between past and present - or as Runcie explains in the prologue, 'It's a journey mind, so clunk click: there's a bit of now, a bit of then, now-then, now-then - but yer'd like that, right?' The loved-up, drugged-up chaotic hedonism of the rave scene is brilliantly brought to life, chiefly through the enthusiastic, if somewhat disordered eyes of Runcie but also occasionally from Chris' even more muddled viewpoint.
Chris' unique approach to life means people aren't sure what to make of him; he is frequently dismissed as being just a bit simple and often leaves those he deals with completely lost. Meanwhile, Runcie's wandering, slang-filled narrative isn't that much easier to follow but gradually all the many loose ends in this very cleverly structured novel are drawn together and this odd but hugely likeable pair absolutely won my heart. They are assisted by their long-time friends Julie Duke and Student and though each are outsiders to varying degrees, their quirks and their steadfast, unquestioning support for one another mean they are even able to teach the local police a lesson and just maybe Chris Pringle is capable of much more than anybody would give him credit for.
I loved Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing; it's a warm-hearted, funny, bittersweet novel of love and loss, memories and secrets, tea and biscuits. The meandering, colloquial dialogue means it's a book that requires the reader to allow themselves to be pulled in by the unique narrative style but it's well worth the trip. I was delighted to discover at the end of the book that there's more to come from this lovable bunch of misfits - and that they'll be joined by Disco Sean and Tasty! I can't wait!
October 11, 2020
Loved the earthy, colloquial dialogues. The social misfits, Chris (inclined to think of himself as a detective) and Runce, and their crazy life together, past, present and future is what this book limits itself to. But within the covers, it encompasses everything the central characters can think of. You have to be sharp to pick up the allusions to the various television and literary detectives.
September 17, 2020
I really enjoyed Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing. The plot is bizarre and intriguing and the characters are unique, funny, and likable, especially the protagonist, Chris Pringle. A suspicious death leads DI Graham Kaye to reopen a 1990s case and to question Chris Pringle, a man that many consider a simpleton and never take seriously, and to involve him in the case. Chris Pringle watches many crime TV shows and fancies himself a detective. Will his chaotic and simple mind solve the case?
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is told from different points of views and on different timelines, but it is easy to follow. Well-written and highly entertaining, Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a story of family and friendship, loss and mental health, with a murder mystery full of surprises and revelations. It was not at all what I expected, in a very good way. It made me laugh, it moved me, and I enjoyed every single page of it.
Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is told from different points of views and on different timelines, but it is easy to follow. Well-written and highly entertaining, Don’t Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a story of family and friendship, loss and mental health, with a murder mystery full of surprises and revelations. It was not at all what I expected, in a very good way. It made me laugh, it moved me, and I enjoyed every single page of it.
August 25, 2020
I got an advanced copy of this and loved it. A new writer to me but was interested as likened to Irvine Welsh. I get the comparison but there's a lot more going on here. Yes, it's funny and irreverent and a bit naughty in places, but I found the mystery really moving too and it ties up perfectly. There is real craft in this story. The main characters are unique, likeable and funny. Billy Moran is clearly obsessed with TV detectives which is OK in my book, and there's some awesome old school rave nostalgia for those who were there/weren't there/can't remember they were there. Top book of 2020 for me so far.
August 28, 2020
Sent a review copy of this book because of my 90s affiliations.
This was excellent, love Billy's writing, and I can confidently testify that he captures the unique sensations and sounds superbly.
That time was the last true youth culture we had, it’s criminal how rarely it’s written about, so that Billy manages to do so not just evocatively, but to weave in a story that is bold, with richly drawn characters (including a wonderful and bizarre protagonist), and a mystery that is compelling as hell, is quite the accomplishment.
Warning. May trigger flashbacks.
Rave on.
This was excellent, love Billy's writing, and I can confidently testify that he captures the unique sensations and sounds superbly.
That time was the last true youth culture we had, it’s criminal how rarely it’s written about, so that Billy manages to do so not just evocatively, but to weave in a story that is bold, with richly drawn characters (including a wonderful and bizarre protagonist), and a mystery that is compelling as hell, is quite the accomplishment.
Warning. May trigger flashbacks.
Rave on.
September 8, 2020
I loved this book! Picked it up in passing and lost an afternoon as I couldn't stop reading until the end. After I finished I felt genuinely bereft.
It's a gripping mystery story and at the same time, fantastically funny and warm with a cast of characters and a flavour that's authentically rave, specifically England's West Country in the early 90s.
It's addictive in the best way and I hope there will be more adventures from Pringle and co.
Highly(!) recommended (I received an advance copy under no obligation to review).
It's a gripping mystery story and at the same time, fantastically funny and warm with a cast of characters and a flavour that's authentically rave, specifically England's West Country in the early 90s.
It's addictive in the best way and I hope there will be more adventures from Pringle and co.
Highly(!) recommended (I received an advance copy under no obligation to review).
September 22, 2020
I loved this book. I’m a very slow reader so if a book doesn’t grab me within a few dozen pages, I simply don’t get through it. But this one did – right till the end. It’s a bit unusual, as it’s not a straight forward crime drama, it’s got more “layers” to it than that. It is also amusing - not something you always get with a detective story. I’m not going to say too much more about the story itself as I don’t want to give it all away! Thoroughly recommended.
August 31, 2020
I was intrigued by the blurb and it did not disappoint. Chris Pringle is a wonderful character - a tragic, damaged, heartbroken loner who everyone feels the need to protect in a most touching way - and his relationship with Runcie is brilliant and utterly believable. It's a story of family tragedy and personal identity, all wrapped up in a mystery that keeps you hooked all the way through.
September 12, 2020
Flashbacks, belly laughs and suspense.
Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a must-read for all ex-ravers and anyone who loves a good crime story but doesn't take life too seriously. I couldn't put it down. Best described as a whodunit, rave culture, mash-up – I was gripped from page one and found myself laughing out loud along the way. Loved it!
Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To Be Amazing is a must-read for all ex-ravers and anyone who loves a good crime story but doesn't take life too seriously. I couldn't put it down. Best described as a whodunit, rave culture, mash-up – I was gripped from page one and found myself laughing out loud along the way. Loved it!
August 27, 2020
I totally loved this book. It is a funny but also tender hearted story about a friendship with drugs, raves, chocolate biscuits and cop shows all thrown in. Can’t recommend it highly enough (it was so good I read it twice and have ordered copies for my friends for their Christmas presents).
September 7, 2020
Part comic caper, part whodunnit - anyone who lived through the Second Summer of Love will rattle through this. Recommended.
October 1, 2020
Every now again a book comes along that makes me want to step out of my comfort zone of fantasy. This is one such book. Everything is going to be amazing sounded like a lot of fun and I am a sucker for books set in the 90’s, which is when I was coming into my teenage years.
The Characters
We are following three main characters through the story; Chris, his friend Runcie and DI Kaye. Runcie and Chris have grown up together and navigated their way through the 90’s rave scene. Chris is obsessed with TV police detectives; his whole life has been taken over by the rules he has devised. When the police are struggling to solve a murder, Chris decides it’s time to step in and help.
During the story we are going from the present to the 90’s. Is what happened then linked to what is going on now? And can Chris actually help the police to solve the mystery.
The Writing
I must admit I found it really difficult at first to settle into the writing. It’s quite frenetic in places and hard to follow. It is also written in local slang, which meant I spent the first few chapters wondering what was going on. As you would expect, given my mention of the 90’s rave scene, there is a lot of drug talk and misuse. Hence why the writing was a little strange in places, they were tripping.
However, once I got my head around it, I settled into the story and began to really enjoy it. I did appreciate that events that take place in the book are based on fact. For example, the Castlemorton common rave. The rave that changed the law. I actually live very close to that area and could easily imagine 1000’s of people gathering.
Final Thoughts
I was actually surprised by how much I got into the story, once DI Kaye is introduced things really start to get going and I was trying to piece it altogether along side him. The latter half of the book I really flew through and struggled to put it down.
This is a book I would say stick with. It’s quirky and unusual, who doesn’t love a bit of the odd? And so worth your time. Once you get going, you’ll have so many questions about what is going on, you won’t put it down until you get the answers. I’s not a stand alone either, so bring on the odd I’m looking forward to more of Chris and Runcie.
My thanks to Sauce Materials for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Characters
We are following three main characters through the story; Chris, his friend Runcie and DI Kaye. Runcie and Chris have grown up together and navigated their way through the 90’s rave scene. Chris is obsessed with TV police detectives; his whole life has been taken over by the rules he has devised. When the police are struggling to solve a murder, Chris decides it’s time to step in and help.
During the story we are going from the present to the 90’s. Is what happened then linked to what is going on now? And can Chris actually help the police to solve the mystery.
The Writing
I must admit I found it really difficult at first to settle into the writing. It’s quite frenetic in places and hard to follow. It is also written in local slang, which meant I spent the first few chapters wondering what was going on. As you would expect, given my mention of the 90’s rave scene, there is a lot of drug talk and misuse. Hence why the writing was a little strange in places, they were tripping.
However, once I got my head around it, I settled into the story and began to really enjoy it. I did appreciate that events that take place in the book are based on fact. For example, the Castlemorton common rave. The rave that changed the law. I actually live very close to that area and could easily imagine 1000’s of people gathering.
Final Thoughts
I was actually surprised by how much I got into the story, once DI Kaye is introduced things really start to get going and I was trying to piece it altogether along side him. The latter half of the book I really flew through and struggled to put it down.
This is a book I would say stick with. It’s quirky and unusual, who doesn’t love a bit of the odd? And so worth your time. Once you get going, you’ll have so many questions about what is going on, you won’t put it down until you get the answers. I’s not a stand alone either, so bring on the odd I’m looking forward to more of Chris and Runcie.
My thanks to Sauce Materials for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2020
I received a copy from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start by admitting that I struggled with the writing. Much of the book is written sort of phonetically, in a vernacular English that I'm not familiar with. It forced me to really concentrate, and there were points where I just had to rub my temples and take a breath.
The book read like one enormous run-on sentence. It wasn't, but dang, it sure felt like it. Between that and the language (and the use of n for and, and dropping every final g...) I found it hard work.
It paid off, though. It turned out to be an interesting, strangely heartfelt story. The characters were well-written (if occasionally headache inducing), and there were even a few lines that made me laugh. Which is always nice.
Apparently, a sequel is in the works. I think I might actually check it out.
I want to start by admitting that I struggled with the writing. Much of the book is written sort of phonetically, in a vernacular English that I'm not familiar with. It forced me to really concentrate, and there were points where I just had to rub my temples and take a breath.
The book read like one enormous run-on sentence. It wasn't, but dang, it sure felt like it. Between that and the language (and the use of n for and, and dropping every final g...) I found it hard work.
It paid off, though. It turned out to be an interesting, strangely heartfelt story. The characters were well-written (if occasionally headache inducing), and there were even a few lines that made me laugh. Which is always nice.
Apparently, a sequel is in the works. I think I might actually check it out.
October 16, 2020
I read the reviews and thought it sounded interesting - boy does this live up to the hype though. Don't Worry, Everything Is Going To be Amazing is an absolute tour-de-force of modern day British mystery storytelling - razor-sharp dialogue between hilarious, hugely sympathetic characters, who find themselves in a story which spans from the late 80s to today. It's one of those books where the speed is slow but the pace is fast - I enjoyed every single line (there are so many great off the cuff lines and imaginings), but the emotional whodunnit journey you get taken on builds, and builds, hooks you in, and delivers. I can't recommend this highly enough.
September 10, 2020
A brilliant adventure in memory, mental illness and murder
Seen through the eyes of a man whose mind was lost in the 1990s, this is a wild and hilarious goose chase which will find you asking yourself again and again, if everything really is going to be amazing. Without giving too much away, the simpleton lead character has somehow managed to deconstruct the whodunit, and plans to use his findings to solve the tragedy of his life. Back and forth between now and the 90s he takes us, in a fantastic crime mystery which is funny, gripping and strangely life-affirming.
Seen through the eyes of a man whose mind was lost in the 1990s, this is a wild and hilarious goose chase which will find you asking yourself again and again, if everything really is going to be amazing. Without giving too much away, the simpleton lead character has somehow managed to deconstruct the whodunit, and plans to use his findings to solve the tragedy of his life. Back and forth between now and the 90s he takes us, in a fantastic crime mystery which is funny, gripping and strangely life-affirming.
October 9, 2020
Don't worry everything is going to be amazing--- is basically a detective novel , I just loved the way the author has brought out the most serious topics in slightly hilarious manner , Pringle is very different from typical detectives, we see him being hilarious as well dedicated to work , Albeit there might be many instances which sounds like comedy but this different way of writing does not make the writer bored up and keeps on hooked on to novel. Every character has a message in this novel. I truly enjoyed reading this book.
January 10, 2021
This was such a good read. The protagonist is not the normal crime- fighting character.
I am sure I am not the only one who thinks they could solve a murder mystery, after all I do it all the time when watching Midsomer or Vera. So would you step up to the challenge in real life?
Chris believes he can, even if it seems highly unlikely. This book is very funny but also draws on other emotions.
Highly recommended.
I am sure I am not the only one who thinks they could solve a murder mystery, after all I do it all the time when watching Midsomer or Vera. So would you step up to the challenge in real life?
Chris believes he can, even if it seems highly unlikely. This book is very funny but also draws on other emotions.
Highly recommended.
October 8, 2020
Enjoyable read
It’s really a enjoyable read about this supposed great detective and it’s a fantastic brilliant mystery adventure novel! We follow all steps page by page like a detective journey!
It’s really a enjoyable read about this supposed great detective and it’s a fantastic brilliant mystery adventure novel! We follow all steps page by page like a detective journey!
November 28, 2020
This was just not my style. Had no idea what to make of it and I gave up after about 20%. I HATE doing that, but there was nothing here that made me want to go farther. Life is too short and there are too many other books to read.
Stream of conscious inanity run amok!
Stream of conscious inanity run amok!
September 8, 2020
Evocative and entertaining detective story that captures the spirit of the early 90s. In the absence of a time travel machine, this'll be the closest I'll get to being back there.
October 6, 2020
Great book, witty and interesting! Watch out, Chris Pringle isn't just an average joe. I love the twists in this novel and how the author combines timelines.
January 28, 2021
I must admit that I found this book difficult to get into. Some of the slang is rather hard to understand and at first the story doesn't seem to have a coherent direction.
The chief character, Chris Pringle (really!) is content to be Fatty Pringle, but in a different slang, it could be said he's not the full quid. His friend Runcie says Chris's brain is roadkill, but also ". . . simple. But he's not - not totally. There's summink there. Somehow, n I've stopped tryin' to work it out, he actually knows stuff. Understands stuff."
So that's Chris. He also thinks he's a detective, on a case.
One of the things can make the book difficult to follow is that it swaps between the early 1990s London rave scene, which was previously unknown to me, and the present.
But indeed there is a case to solve, and with his experience of watching so many television detectives at work, Chris thinks he is ideal to solve it. And with lots of breaks for thought, he does.
This is written with good humour and the characters are strangely likeable. The whole thing is amazing, really!
I received this book free from Voracious Readers and thank them and the author for allowing me to read and review.
The chief character, Chris Pringle (really!) is content to be Fatty Pringle, but in a different slang, it could be said he's not the full quid. His friend Runcie says Chris's brain is roadkill, but also ". . . simple. But he's not - not totally. There's summink there. Somehow, n I've stopped tryin' to work it out, he actually knows stuff. Understands stuff."
So that's Chris. He also thinks he's a detective, on a case.
One of the things can make the book difficult to follow is that it swaps between the early 1990s London rave scene, which was previously unknown to me, and the present.
But indeed there is a case to solve, and with his experience of watching so many television detectives at work, Chris thinks he is ideal to solve it. And with lots of breaks for thought, he does.
This is written with good humour and the characters are strangely likeable. The whole thing is amazing, really!
I received this book free from Voracious Readers and thank them and the author for allowing me to read and review.
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