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Joe Soap
Meet second rate crime writer Jed Higgins...no, not Jack...Jed. Yes it does cause confusion, but Jed's just beginning to earn a little success when the events of a night thirty years ago threaten to come back and destroy him. Things go from bad to worse, as he finds himself in the power of a shadowy government organisation. Innocent people are marked for death, and Jed has to make horrendous decisions as to who lives and who dies. Things turn nasty. Very nasty indeed.
'Joe Soap' is Jed's fictional detective, but it's also slang for a sucker, and that's what Jed is being played for. Exactly how far can an ordinary bloke be pushed, and how much guilt can one man cope with?
'Joe Soap' is Jed's fictional detective, but it's also slang for a sucker, and that's what Jed is being played for. Exactly how far can an ordinary bloke be pushed, and how much guilt can one man cope with?
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Peters
13 books48 followersBorn in the swamps of Glamorgan, I have wandered the world, generally with a guitar in hand.
Here I am in a beautiful village in central Spain, where the sun shines, the lake is warm, the drink is cheap and the people and animals are friendly.
I share my place with two gorgeous local cats, more guitars than I can count and a fridge full of wine.
Oh, and I write stories. Many of them about Otis King, Memphis' Number One Welsh Blues detective. Others about Angels, murderers, failed Super-Villains and ingrowing toenails.
I'd be happy if some of my stories amused you for a while.
Here I am in a beautiful village in central Spain, where the sun shines, the lake is warm, the drink is cheap and the people and animals are friendly.
I share my place with two gorgeous local cats, more guitars than I can count and a fridge full of wine.
Oh, and I write stories. Many of them about Otis King, Memphis' Number One Welsh Blues detective. Others about Angels, murderers, failed Super-Villains and ingrowing toenails.
I'd be happy if some of my stories amused you for a while.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 5, 2013
I believe I've read all Mr. Peters books and thought I knew what I was going to read...boy was I wrong. Mr. Peters orchestrated a novel that had twists, turns and backflips the entire length. I'm not sure how he managed, but he had me actually cheering for the main character - no matter how wrong, bad or misguided. Throughout the book, the author asks you to put yourself in his character's place and I'm not so sure how I would have acted myself. This novel is full of what you come to expect from any Andrew Peters book - shady quirky characters, a few murders, dry droll humor, a few shapely women and unmentioned meals. BUT this is not your average Peters book by any means. I won't spoil the novel by giving away any plot lines - but you will not be able to know the ending - until the ending! I LOVED IT. Mr. Peters took me down some dark paths, yet I was unable to stop reading and never stopped waiting to see what happened next. To me, that's the sign of real talent - shock and surprise the reader without having them shut the book, entertain even through murder and mayhem, and take them places not normally travelled. As always, I can't wait to see what's next from the mind of Andrew Peters! My kindle will always have space for one more Peters novel.
May 9, 2013
Caution: Have a glass of water by your side at all times when reading this novel. The wit is so dry you'll be dehydrated in no time. Andrew Peter's has his tongue so firmly lodged in his cheek it's a wonder it doesn't have to be surgically removed. Joe Soap is the story of a minor thriller writer who is forced to commit unspeakable criminal acts by persons unknown.
Peters has perfected the art of talking "off camera" as it were and he uses this to comic effect time and again. The narrator is literally communicating regularly with the reader directly. You might be forgiven for thinking that the regular comical asides interfere with the story but not a bit of it! The story flows very nicely and I read this novel in just two or three sittings.
A very enjoyable book. On balance I’d say some might find it a tad light hearted and irreverent but the rest us will just enjoy the humour and a story well told.
Peters has perfected the art of talking "off camera" as it were and he uses this to comic effect time and again. The narrator is literally communicating regularly with the reader directly. You might be forgiven for thinking that the regular comical asides interfere with the story but not a bit of it! The story flows very nicely and I read this novel in just two or three sittings.
A very enjoyable book. On balance I’d say some might find it a tad light hearted and irreverent but the rest us will just enjoy the humour and a story well told.
June 22, 2013
Joe Soap by Andrew Peters.
This is a story unlike any I've read by this author.
His trademark sarcasm and thinly veiled commentary on the state of the world as he know it is still present but this time it is part of a murder story where the book narrator is the killer. This slant upon the story works remarkably well in a society where Dexter is a must see show!
The irony of the mostly rhetorical questions the author keeps posing is not to be missed.
Even though the book is layered and complicated it is still a light fast read, one which I loved.
WaAr
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Soap-Andrew...
Free on Amazon at time of posting.
This is a story unlike any I've read by this author.
His trademark sarcasm and thinly veiled commentary on the state of the world as he know it is still present but this time it is part of a murder story where the book narrator is the killer. This slant upon the story works remarkably well in a society where Dexter is a must see show!
The irony of the mostly rhetorical questions the author keeps posing is not to be missed.
Even though the book is layered and complicated it is still a light fast read, one which I loved.
WaAr
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Soap-Andrew...
Free on Amazon at time of posting.
April 7, 2013
Another UK-based tale from the pen, or typewriter, or even computer of Mr Andrew Peters, who is fast becoming the most read author on Kindle. If he isn't! Then by gum he should be and this particular gem should win over the toughest critic. I must admit to being unsure whether to classify 'Joe Soap' the novel as 'crime fiction', 'humour', 'crime thriller', 'popular fiction' or even 'bibliography' as the latter classification includes not only bibliography, but any book about books. Now I'm seriously meandering around, remembering all those books written by authors wherin the main character is an author. As such this may even allow itself to be classed among those very enjoyable creations referred to as 'auto-biographical', and should this work go on to become a great classic of English literature a century or so into the future, this work certainly may be placed there and celebrated literary critics and biographers could rise to popular stardom on BBC4 with ninety-minute documentaries discussing the wit and wisdom of an early twenty-first century writer, a writer that set the standard that all others to follow to strive for. Cease your wittering I hear you say and cease I will, but only on the understanding that you buy this gem, relax in a comfy chair (Oh! No! Not the comfy chair!) with a liberal measure of your favourite tipple and ignoring all interruptions, let the penmanship wash over you and take you to another place, one you will be reluctant to return from.......
May 22, 2015
Joe Soap is a fiction hero in a made-up universe, and the writer (Jed Higgins -- but NOT Jack Higgins) of the Joe Soap series is fairly anonymously successful. He has a beautiful wife, much too good for him. His books are increasing a bit in popularity, and he is becoming known. Not super-famous, but some people on the street in his local neighborhood are starting to recognize him, at least that they've seen his face somewhere before.
And then he gets an offer he shouldn't refuse. But he does. What would his imagined hero Joe Soap do? The author's imagination is no match for the reality of the situations he finds himself in. And then, well, that would be spoiling things.
I love the style of the writing. Lots of dark humor (probably my favorite) filled with some interesting takes on human nature, or one human's nature anyway. And the story keeps moving along nicely, nothing really boring because Mr. Higgins our author doesn't believe in filling up space with useless things. If three months go by between incidents, he just says that three months go by with nothing unusual happening. I was always sad to have to stop reading and looked forward to when I could resume his adventure (but not enough to give up watching movies, mind you).
Now, Mr. Higgins goes down a dark path, and some will be utterly repulsed by it. But what's a little *crime* among friends. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it, especially if you like your stories dark.
And then he gets an offer he shouldn't refuse. But he does. What would his imagined hero Joe Soap do? The author's imagination is no match for the reality of the situations he finds himself in. And then, well, that would be spoiling things.
I love the style of the writing. Lots of dark humor (probably my favorite) filled with some interesting takes on human nature, or one human's nature anyway. And the story keeps moving along nicely, nothing really boring because Mr. Higgins our author doesn't believe in filling up space with useless things. If three months go by between incidents, he just says that three months go by with nothing unusual happening. I was always sad to have to stop reading and looked forward to when I could resume his adventure (but not enough to give up watching movies, mind you).
Now, Mr. Higgins goes down a dark path, and some will be utterly repulsed by it. But what's a little *crime* among friends. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it, especially if you like your stories dark.
May 17, 2013
"Joe Soap" by Andrew Peters is a more dark novel by an otherwise more quirky writer.
In this book the protagonist Jeremy Higgins is a writer of a series of crime fiction with a title character named Joe Soap (after his excessive love for washing and showers).
Higgins gets blackmailed into assassinating what seems random victims without any connection to himself. As the assignments for new killings keep coming in we - and Jeremy - are none the wiser why they are happening, until more complex connections are revealed.
Apart from some scenes in the middle that I would have liked to be tighter or faster I found this story very well written crime fiction but on a personal level I missed the quirky humour Peters is so famous for. This is a bit darker than usual but very good.
In this book the protagonist Jeremy Higgins is a writer of a series of crime fiction with a title character named Joe Soap (after his excessive love for washing and showers).
Higgins gets blackmailed into assassinating what seems random victims without any connection to himself. As the assignments for new killings keep coming in we - and Jeremy - are none the wiser why they are happening, until more complex connections are revealed.
Apart from some scenes in the middle that I would have liked to be tighter or faster I found this story very well written crime fiction but on a personal level I missed the quirky humour Peters is so famous for. This is a bit darker than usual but very good.
April 3, 2013
....ANOTHER GREAT CRIME NOVEL....ANOTHER TERRIFIC READ....
Author Andrew peters is a master at producing books spiced liberally with his own unique style of droll, dry humour and throw away lines...this time he steps into grittier mode without losing his trademark wit...the noir nudges neatly into the narrative...the main character, Jed Higgins, a producer of pulp fiction gets drawn into situations where instead of inventing the crime, he gets a front seat view of it... no spoilers here, the bait teased out from chapter to chapter is so well done, it's difficult not to be looking over Higgins' shoulder page by page to find out what happens next ...a must read...
Author Andrew peters is a master at producing books spiced liberally with his own unique style of droll, dry humour and throw away lines...this time he steps into grittier mode without losing his trademark wit...the noir nudges neatly into the narrative...the main character, Jed Higgins, a producer of pulp fiction gets drawn into situations where instead of inventing the crime, he gets a front seat view of it... no spoilers here, the bait teased out from chapter to chapter is so well done, it's difficult not to be looking over Higgins' shoulder page by page to find out what happens next ...a must read...
April 5, 2013
From best-seller author to mass murderer, there is only a little step. An amazing thriller with some twists. Funny at times. A very easy and good read. A real fast moving page turner. Another short story jewel from the great Andrew Peters..!
March 11, 2013
This is a clever, funny, fast paced story with twists and turns that are not predictable. The author turns into the protagonist and you will get used to the absence of chapters.
June 9, 2020
This is a ridiculously entertaining quick read with a plot off the beaten track. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2025
Totally far fetched but quite entertaining novel about a crime writer who is persuaded to commit crimes.
September 10, 2013
Absolutely brilliant.
Andrew Peters is an absolute master at comedy writing (check out his Blues Detective series), and after reading Joe Soap, I believe he is also an extremely talented all-round writer. This is a dark thriller, with lots of lovely dry humour to stop it being absolutely terrifying!
Joe Soap is actually a fictional character; a character in a series of books by author Jed Higgins. Jed is the main character in this expertly crafted story.
The novel has lots of twists that kept me interested, and there's a lot of thought-provoking stuff here. What would you do if faced with no option but to kill a stranger? After Jed is threatened by a criminal gang, that is exactly the position he finds himself in. One day he is an ordinary man, trying to make a living with his writing, the next he is involved in all sorts of criminal activity. In the past, the only crimes that happened in Jed's life were the fictional kind that he made up in his novels, now all of that was becoming a frightening reality. How will he cope? You'll have to read this book to find out.
I enjoyed the humour in this book, and also the way the story was constructed to keep you guessing until the end. Grab a copy now, you won't regret it.
Andrew Peters is an absolute master at comedy writing (check out his Blues Detective series), and after reading Joe Soap, I believe he is also an extremely talented all-round writer. This is a dark thriller, with lots of lovely dry humour to stop it being absolutely terrifying!
Joe Soap is actually a fictional character; a character in a series of books by author Jed Higgins. Jed is the main character in this expertly crafted story.
The novel has lots of twists that kept me interested, and there's a lot of thought-provoking stuff here. What would you do if faced with no option but to kill a stranger? After Jed is threatened by a criminal gang, that is exactly the position he finds himself in. One day he is an ordinary man, trying to make a living with his writing, the next he is involved in all sorts of criminal activity. In the past, the only crimes that happened in Jed's life were the fictional kind that he made up in his novels, now all of that was becoming a frightening reality. How will he cope? You'll have to read this book to find out.
I enjoyed the humour in this book, and also the way the story was constructed to keep you guessing until the end. Grab a copy now, you won't regret it.
January 23, 2014
I was so impressed with this right from the start. Once I got into it, it felt like I was on one of those amusement park rides you never want to get off of.
It's the 'telling' of the story that draws you in and hangs on to you throughout. The narrative voice is fresh, sarcastic, genuine, clever, humorous... Take my word for it. The more you read, the more you will want to read.
I don't want to spoil it by giving away too much, but suffice to say, a writer gets forced into a bizarre and deadly situation, and must perform services for persons unknown. His instinct for survival and gritty street sense are valuable tools as he tries to continue to complete his assigned 'tasks'. Little by little, life unravels and the twists and turns gain momentum like a snowball rolling down a hill. You think you know where the story's going, then WHAM! Then you believe you really know where the story's going, and DOUBLE WHAM! And so it goes right up to the last word.
Joe Soap is exciting, it's dark, it's wild, it's what you need. Get your hands on it. I'm so glad I did.
It's the 'telling' of the story that draws you in and hangs on to you throughout. The narrative voice is fresh, sarcastic, genuine, clever, humorous... Take my word for it. The more you read, the more you will want to read.
I don't want to spoil it by giving away too much, but suffice to say, a writer gets forced into a bizarre and deadly situation, and must perform services for persons unknown. His instinct for survival and gritty street sense are valuable tools as he tries to continue to complete his assigned 'tasks'. Little by little, life unravels and the twists and turns gain momentum like a snowball rolling down a hill. You think you know where the story's going, then WHAM! Then you believe you really know where the story's going, and DOUBLE WHAM! And so it goes right up to the last word.
Joe Soap is exciting, it's dark, it's wild, it's what you need. Get your hands on it. I'm so glad I did.
December 19, 2014
The start of this book had me really confused as was expecting something very different from the title of the book but got to say the further into the book I got I really got to enjoy it, totally different style of writing to what I'd normally read but it really works.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews