Thriller News from Ireland
Review - Day of the Jack Russell by Colin Bateman
I figured that since Colin Bateman is the godfather of Northern Irish crime fiction, it's only right that my article for ITW this month should be a review of his latest novel. And so it runs:
'SPOOKS, CROOKS & A PUPPY DOG'S TALE.' A nice little summary of Day of the Jack Russell, and in retrospect, completely spot on. Regular CSNI readers know that I go to great lengths not to give away too much plot in my reviews. Thanks to those clever folk who market Bateman's books, I don't think I need to say any more about the nuts and bolts of the story. If the tagline intrigues you, the novel will not disappoint.
Bateman's Day of the Jack Russell, picks up where Mystery Man left off -- in my favourite real-life bookshop, No Alibis in Belfast. The first chapter answers all the questions raised by the denouement of the Richard-and-Judy-loved prequel. And from there on in you get more of the same stuff that made Mystery Man so much fun... only better. In my humble opinion, the writing in Day of the Jack Russell tighter, the plot is better constructed and I definitely laughed out loud more often. Truly no mean feat as anybody who has read the first instalment will tell you.
It's worth noting that reading the No Alibis books out of sequence will spoil some of the fun plot threads in Mystery Man. But if you're absolutely pressed for time, you'll be able to read Day of the Jack Russell quite easily as a standalone. I really recommend you grab part one if you can, though.
Our protagonist is still nameless and faceless but he certainly is not without character. His physical and mental ailments, whether imagined or real, read like the index of a medical journal. He is the proprietor of No Alibis, a bookshop specialising in crime fiction, and a part time private detective. Both professions seem to benefit from his dysfunctional personality (which includes a fair dose of OCD), but his personal relationships... well, not so much. And yet somehow, this hopeless, cowardly, unbalanced man manages to draw the reader in and snag a soft spot in their heart. How you can warm to a character that treats those closest to him so badly is still a mystery to me, but kudos to Bateman for pulling it off.
If you're after a read that'll get you smiling even as we approach winter, pick up Day of the Jack Russell. It's got the more chuckles and cringes than David Brent's best moments and yet it's still dark enough to appeal to most crime fiction fans. And when you've finished it, you can look forward to the next part. A little birdie told me that he's halfway through the first draft and that it's currently titled Doctor Chicago...
Gerard Brennan is an emerging Northern Irish writer. When he is not tinkering with a novel, screenplay, stage play or short story he runs Crime Scene NI, a blog devoted primarily to Irish crime fiction. He is represented by Allan Guthrie of Jenny Brown Associates.
ThrillerFest
ITW's annual celebration of the thriller world is the largest event of its kind, a meeting place for authors, readers, budding writers, and publishing industry professionals.
For 2011, we’ll be back in the heart of New York in July with the ThrillerFest conference including CraftFest and AgentFest.
ThrillerFest VI will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
The dates will be July 6-9, 2011.
More information to follow.
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