Driving Big Davie

Dan Starkey #6

by Colin Bateman

For many years Dan Starkey has been a journalist of some repute - mainly ill. Now he is back with his wife Patricia, and while they try for a baby he is aiming to keep himself out of trouble. Had he not been caught in a rather awkward position when he received a phonecall from Big Davie Kincaird, he might not have decided to return to the village of Groomsport. And had he not drunk too much in order to cover the awkwardness of seeing this friend he hasn't known for 25 years, he might not have found himself agreeing to go on honeymoon...in Florida...for three weeks...with Big Davie. What else could possibly go wrong?

Genres: Mystery, Humor

385 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

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

Reviews

[Jeff Hare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dan Starkey - former journalist and all round smart talker - through chance finds himself a free holiday to America with former schoolmate Big Davie. Before they arrive, Dan begins to think his one time best mate is off his rocker. A suspicion that he becomes certain of once they have arrived and he starts acting very mysteriously once again.

The Dan Starkey books are always fun, but you do need to arm yourself with a pinch of salt when you are preparing to embark on the sometimes outlandish plotting of Colin Bateman. I could have carried half my bodyweight in salt and it would still have been a pinch too short. This book is bonkers.

The writing is still funny with the occasional melancholy thrown in, but this book is just bonkers. Turbulent Priests - an earlier book in the series - took wildly, insanely, "I-need-to-be-sectioned" twists with its storytelling, but yet I still thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a sense here of a lot of random set pieces being thrown together and then, at the last moment, the author has thought I may need a coherent plot to draw these altogether...Not sure he found it.

NO SPOILERS HERE, I read the opening chapters with amusement, but hadn't really been grabbed. Then, finally, at the end of one chapter, the character Davie says something to Dan that the latter knowns cannot be true and it seems the final piece in the jigsaw proving Davie is completely mental. It was sitting up with interest eagerly turning the page...the author lets this bombshell fester for two chapters and then it is resolved stupidly and completely illogically. Very frustrating.

So this was a massive disappointment for me. Opening on a sperm bank set piece, the book goes on to a comical scene of murder before reaching a crescendo of "WTF" with a scene involving a beautiful girl with flippers for arms. Its a mess and a far cry from the heights of "Divorcing Jack" and "Turbulent Priests"

[Brian-Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to pull this one down a notch from my usually consistent MINIMUM 3/5 for the Dan series.

Repetition bollocks about walking anywhere in Belfast in 20 mins and whatever "got fuck all squared in a box" means - started to grate and feel like a cut and paste. Latter might be a more Bangor-esque phrase because after 42 years in West Belfast I've never heard it or else I'm deaf. ;).

Good, very good, series of books. But when you begin to get jaded rather than gripped then the gig is coming to a close.

I don't often add text to star ratings because I'd too easily and accidentally cause a spoiler, just like to give the stars, but felt the need to justify dropping to 2/5.

Not a hugely bad critique, just the niggling things above and some others and it felt laboured. Unsurprising at book 7 or so when some of us can't finish a second(!).

[John Newall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read. I've really been missing Colin Bateman, and reading Caimh McDonnell has both scratched the itch and made me want more Bateman. This was not a disappointment. It was a bit different because it was set in Florida, and that is a comedy thriller trope I didn't think Bateman would ever try, but it was a done well, and really felt like a good callback to Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey, with a little Assault on Precinct 13 for kicks and giggles. I liked the resolution, but there was a little something missing... but I'm still happy heading back in to this universe.

Plenty of action, plenty of laugh out loud moments. Great read.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book hilarious & ridiculous in equal measure. From the opening scene in a fertility clinic to the closing scene involving a credit card bill the situations Dan Starkey gets into are bizarre and very funny.
I loved the two main characters and their constant bickering and insults and whilst many elements of the story were hard to believe this seemed to add to the amusement and enjoyment of the book.
I will definitely be looking for more from this series.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very darkly funny and hugely enjoyable.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advertised as lad-lit, this is outrageous in every aspect, and laugh out loud funny.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start by saying that I Predict A Riot was my first, and remains my favourite, Colin Bateman book. I do however, quite like the Dan Starkey series. This one became a bit too ridiculous for my taste, even though I expect a decent level of absurdity from Dan Starkey. Something that I both like and am yet unreconciled with at the same time, is how the author juxtaposes this absurdity, silliness and shambolic series of events with themes of murder, grief and violence. That's the point I guess - violence for a political purpose, for greed, for whatever reason is happening while some guy gets guilted into a road trip, drinks himself stupid and gets into ridiculous situations. Overall, I liked it, and if you like rollicking through a series of events that make you laugh, feel disappointed, angry, cringe from the occasionally distasteful and socially incorrect behaviour of the protagonists and then laugh again, you too might like it.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of Bateman. Probably because it takes place too close to home for me (St. Petersburg and parts South in Florida) and I spent a bit of time "tsk tsking" over mistakes regarding highway names and such. Having spent a great deal of my youth on the beaches in that area, it was hard to ignore some of these. Still, for one who is addicted to reading anything by Mr. Bateman, it was worth the read.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

another good book

[Jen]

i really need to start reading Dan Starkeys in order @_@...
interesting tho, Dan is hilarious.

[K J Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funniest of the Dan Starkey novels - it helps to have read the entire series that proceeds this in order to pick up on the references and humour.

[Joop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced; with some definite good moments.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another belter from Bateman.

[Glenys Parslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laughed my head off.