Jaggy Splinters

by Christopher Brookmyre

From Amazon UK website product description "Everyone's favourite unorthodox journalist, Jack Parlabane, goes undercover to investigate the mysterious and lucrative world of alternative medicine: in particular the practice of homeopathy. Are there unexplained forces that can be harnessed to heal us, or is it all a load of sugar? Meanwhile a sinister tale of restorative justice and the occult takes an even darker turn; two body-snatchers find more than they bargained for when raiding a morgue; and a contract killer finds that fatherhood has sent him on the straight and narrow . . . sort of.

Fast paced and wickedly entertaining, Jaggy Splinters is a dark, twisted and hilarious collection of short stories from bestselling author Chris Brookmyre."

Genres: Crime, Short Stories, Fiction, Humor, Audiobook, Mystery, Scotland

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2012

About the author

Christopher Brookmyre is a Scottish novelist whose novels mix politics, social comment and action with a strong narrative. He has been referred to as a Tartan Noir author. His debut novel was Quite Ugly One Morning, and subsequent works have included One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night, which he said "was just the sort of book he needed to write before he turned 30", and All Fun and Games until Somebody Loses an Eye (2005). Brookmyre also writes historical fiction with Marisa Haetzman, under the pseudonym "Ambrose Parry."

Reviews

[Shannon Moeser]

This is the lowest rating I’ve ever given a Chris Brookmyre book and that is because there were very few stories in it. I expected more stories in a book of short stories. (Unlike some readers, I enjoy short stories when they are well done and have several books “on the go” that I dip into periodically.)

The first story, “place b” was humorous in spots but I didn’t think held together all that well; it was probably written early in the author’s career. The second, “Out of the Flesh”, I had previously read in the Best British Crime Omnibus. The third, “The Resurrection” was slight and rather incomprehensible. I wonder though if it was a early working draft for the Ambrose Parry book, “Way of all Flesh”. The fourth, “Bampot Central” had a theme that was basically repeated in the story titled “Siege Mentality” that appeared in the anthology “Bloody Scotland”, except that in “Bampot Central” the protagonist was Brookmyre regular Jack Parlabane whereas in “Siege Mentality” the protagonist was Brookmyre regular Catherine McLeod. I did like the Jack Parlabane character in Bampot Central; he seemed to a more “real” person than the stories that I have read featuring him, all written more recently than Bampot Central. The fifth story, “Mellow Doubt” was the only new one that I really liked. And that was it — five stories. Definitely overpriced for what we were given.

There was also a essay on football that probably would have been very humorous to people who like football. Football to people in the UK is like hockey in Canada, and I hate hockey, have only watched two games on TV in my entire 80 years. Hockey seems to appeal to males in Canada, although my father was never interested in it, nor is my son, nor were any of my male cousins and all were men who worked with their hands — construction workers, lumberjacks, mechanics, etc. At any rate, it seems cheating to include an essay on football in a book of short stories.

[K.J. Charles]

Generally enjoyable story collection. 'Bampot Central' is the standout, a terrific Jack Parlabane tale set during the Edinburgh Fringe, which Parlabane enjoys exactly as much as you would expect. Unfortunately, the collection also showcases my least favourite aspect of this author, the rather hectoring social commentary that pretty much overwhelms the story (see Attack of the Unsinkable Rubber Ducks). This one, 'place b.', is on why homeopathy is bullshit, and irritated the hell out of me even as I agreed with every word, which is an achievement. Worth it for Bampot Central though.

[kate mcgrail]

Very entertaining and a good laugh. Nice asides as to what well known\loved characters have done. Really enjoy Jack Parlabane's antics. Would recommend it to all Brookmyer fans as light hearted fun

Very entertaining read,great fun and well paced stories. nice to have some vignettes about well known/loved characters. Would recommend it to all Brookmyer fans.

[Ashley Pamenter]

Funny and pithy little short story collection. This was a great representation of Brookmyre's diversity of voice in his writing.

[R.O.J. M.S.c.]

Witty, intelligent and gloriously gruesome.

You will be hard pushed to find another writer who captures the Scottish humour, darkness and some light, with imagination, violence and gripping story-telling. One minute you are laughing, next shocked at the violence, but all held together with a flowing prose that makes is a pleasure to read.

[Deirdre]

Very slight

[The Cats’ Mother]

This is a collection of five short stories and one humorous article, about the rules of Playground football, with no particular theme or commonality between them. Two feature his regular hero, ultra sarky Scottish journalist Jack Parlabane: the first has him taking on the homeopathy industry, while in the second he gets caught up in a post office robbery.

My favourite story was Mellow Doubt, about an assassin in exile at a beach resort, who decides to intervene when a young boy is kidnapped. He is not named, but I think this is meant to be Simon from A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away. If so, this would be an excellent twist.

Overall, I didn’t find these as funny or entertaining as his full length novels, but they were a quick read and worth it if you love this author, as I do.

[Louise]

I dont really like short stories, dont really know why I read them, as ultimately I feel frustrated by how short they are..
however, these were ok, my favourites were the Parlabane (appologies if spelt incorrectly) ones.....
to be honest, he is a favoured character of mine, and I like most of stories involving him, but it really brought a big smile to my face as he walked to the post office, and his sentiments/thoughts about the fringe festival echoed mine on the olympics.
clearly I am equally grumpy and sarcastic, so no wonder I like him.
be good to have full length story to get stuck into.

[Liam]

4.5*

[Lata]

This is a collection of short stories by one of my favorite authors, Chris Brookmyre. Bampot Central, The story featuring Jack Parlabane was excellent—smart, gripping, and full of the sharp wit I expect from Brookmyre. It really stood out from the rest. Place b. was a rant against homeopathy.
The other stories were just okay. Some felt average, and I struggled to enjoy a few because of the strong Scottish dialect, which made them hard to understand at times. That took away from the experience a bit. The last one about football, went overhead, as I dont follow sports. I just skipped it

[Kate O'Shea]

A small collection of short stories which made me remember how much I love Christopher Brookmyre. He is funny and witty and I am now going to start buying all the Jack Parlabane books I've been ignoring for some reason. I just wish he'd write another Pandaemonium because that was superb. Put it this way if you like pithy humour you will love this. But it will cost you because then you'll have to read more.

[Gordon]

Jaggy splinters is a thoroughly enjoyable short collection of short stories, all told with the author's patented line of dark humour and acute observation of the wierdness and idiocy of life and its seriously odd corners. The playground football story, in particular, is so true to life if memory serrves me well.

[Dave McKee]

A collection of short stories from the brilliant Chris Brookmyre.

Like any collection there are highs and lows with Jack Parlabane stumbling into a Post Office robbery in Bampot Central being the highlight. Place b. The other Parlabane tale gets a bit bogged down in detail but if that is the low point, then it's still pretty good.

[Stefanie Vujovic]

A cheeky collection

A fun little grouping of shorts that have Brookmyre's typical "written in accent" style that makes you sound the words out, and his more "brain-voice friendly" Parlabane stunts.

[John]

A fantastic set of short stories

Vintage Brookmyre...featuring short stories about criminals, charlatans and journalists told with a rare wit and laced with a large dose of sarcastic humour.

[Karl]

This was an anthology that was a yin/yang for me - A great mixture of writing styles but not all of it worked. Make matters worse, I had already read half the stories in other anthologies or issues. Still fun though.

[Natalie Aldous]

Not what I expected

This book is very funny but I assumed it would be another page turning thriller, I didn't realise it would be short stories. My fault but I love Chris Brookmyre anything by him is quite literally better than reading most authors out there.

[Derek]

Most of the stories here are available elsewhere, but it’s good to have them all in one place. The Parlabane story is probably the weakest, Ben Goldacre tells it better; with the Dark Spirit tale being my favourite. There are is also a nod to his Ambrose Parry pseudonym.

[Eamonn]

Great set of stories! Really enjoyed Mellow Doubt and the 'essay' on playground football ⚽ The BBC radio adaptation of Bampot Central is better than the original story tbf, but it's still a good read. Five good short stories and a bit of silliness about playground, what's not to like 👍

[Ruth Hooper]

A brilliance of short stories

I’m not usually a lover of short stories but these are the best I’ve ever read especially the last one which had me laughing and wishing my husband was still alive so that he could read it. ( and he didn’t like reading).

[Steven Pilling]

I dont like short stories but i like brookmyre

sadly after this the former still holds . disappointing

[Elaine]

Enjoyable collection of short stories - over far too quickly.

[Steve Black]

An entertaining collection of short stories, three featuring Parlabane. The whole collection is fairly short, but there is a variety of settings and characters.

[Rob]

Brookmyre never disappoints, even in short story format. I enjoyed every story here.

[Gareth Evans]

Mixed bag of largely entertaining short stories.

[Kagan Goodliff]

Partly my own fault for not reading the synopsis properly, didn’t realise it was short stories. But also, these short stories were super short and there weren’t many of them. Didn’t enjoy any of them really.

[Kevin McMahon]

The story of school football is by far the best.

[Nigel Dickinson]

I hadn't read any Chris(topher) Brookmyre books since he shortened his Christian name so I thought short stories would be a start. I was not disappointed at all. Every story at least good and all the Jack Parlabane ones brilliant. My favourite, however, was the one about playground football. Took me back many years and I can see rules in Scotland are the same as England!
Will do my best to catch up on all other of his unread work as soon as possible.

[Jim Thornton]

Oops

I just reviewed 'When the Devil Drives' saying how I always enjoy a Brookmyre...... and look what happens.

Was off on holiday so loaded up my Kindle for the break, noticing and buying a recently released book of short stories by Brookmyre. I bought it despite some poor reviews, as I have read everything of his, and now wish I hadn't as it was deeply disappointing, over priced and frankly, (to repeat the language in the book), total shit.

Rubbishy short stories, especially the stupid one about kids football, and clearly something he did one day between elevenses and lunchtime to earn a few quid off his loyal fans.

A huge miss Chris (or should I say Christopher)

[Lesley]

There are only two stories in this collection that are not already available as free reads on the author's website.

'Place b' is mainly a rant against homeopathy with a teeny tiny plot squeezed around it. I felt that it consisted of too much opinion and too little story.
'The Resurrection' is very short but a good tale. I finished the whole book in about an hour.

I usually love Mr B's writing, but I didn't feel that the 2 new stories were worth the £2.99 cost so it's only getting 3 stars I'm afraid.