Tombstoning

by Doug Johnstone

Your best mate just fell off a cliff in mysterious circumstances and you were the last person to see him alive. What do you do? Well, if you're David Lindsay from Arbroath, you get the hell out of there and don't return. Not for at least fifteen years. Until Nicola Cruickshank - yes, that Nicola, the girl you always fancied but never had the guts to approach - gets in touch and asks - no, demands - that you go back for a school reunion. To the place where it happened. The place you've been running from for fifteen years. Of course you go. Not to belatedly lay your mate to rest, but because you still fancy Nicola. The thing is, if you are David Lindsay, then returning to Arbroath isn't going to lay any ghosts to rest. And when someone else takes a dive off the cliffs - an act the locals have taken to calling 'tombstoning' - while David's there, he has a run away again, or finally find out why people keep dying around him . . .

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Ebooks, Mystery, Suspense, Adventure, Mystery Thriller

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2006

About the author

Doug Johnstone is a writer, musician and journalist based in Edinburgh. His fourth novel, Hit & Run, was published by Faber and Faber in 2012. His previous novel, Smokeheads, was published in March 2011, also by Faber. Before that he published two novels with Penguin, Tombstoning (2006) and The Ossians (2008), which received praise from the likes of Irvine Welsh, Ian Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre. Doug is currently writer in residence at the University of Strathclyde. He has had short stories appear in various publications, and since 1999 he has worked as a freelance arts journalist, primarily covering music and literature. He grew up in Arbroath and lives in Portobello, Edinburgh with his wife and two children. He loves drinking malt whisky and playing football, not necessarily at the same time.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two strong emotions at finishing this book- delight at enjoying another of Doug Johnstone's books and grief because it's the last one I had left to read.
Dave left Arbroath after the death of one of the four members in a group at high school. Fifteen years later he gets an e-mail from Nicola [the girl he fancied at school] and decides to call her. And there starts the story which follows a school reunion, the death of another one of the four in the group and Dave and Nicola's discovery of what was going on.

[Pete Ord · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super predictable from start to finish but I’m on holiday and it fitted perfectly with that vibe. I liked the characters and the writing style but it’s definitely quite straight up and basic

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tombstoning is very much a novel of mystery and suspense.

You have to love a story that involves a school reunion, having watched many films that are along the same topic, you just know that things are probably not going to run to smoothly.

Nicola is my stand out character in this novel. I love her strength and independence. She's a woman who knows what she wants and she knows how to handle herself. I enjoyed reading of the relationship between her and David and seeing things grow between them the further into the novel I got.

Even though I liked David, he does come across as being a man who hasn't quite grown up yet. From the way he dresses to his over fondness of alcohol, he certainly came across as someone that has a bit of growing up to do but, I think Nicola and the reunion makes him start doing just that.

I really enjoyed the whole feel of this novel. It is steeped in mystery and intrigue and whilst not as dark and gritty as the authors other novels, it has a certain amount of charm and appeal about it.

Another good offering by the author and one that I think his fans will enjoy.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps I'm not the right demographic for this book, but it seemed contrived and clichéd.

A dot-to-dot of the genre.

One final thing; the dialogue was terrible.

[Paul Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My introduction to Doug Johnstone was seeing him perform as a member of the Fun Lovin' Crime Writers, a covers band made up of six authors of crime fiction. If you ever get a chance to see them, grab it. They are very good (good enough to make Glastonbury in 2019). And fun, for them and the audience.

This is crime fiction in the sense that it involves criminal events. But it is no police procedural, the police barely put in an appearance. There is an investigation of sorts, by a central character who is seeking to understand the unexplained death of a school friend. But there are no forensics and no real witnesses to interrogate. This is more a story about love and friendship, about the role of the past in our present and about how decisions we make affect the future for ourselves and those around us. There is tension, excitement and adventure. This is a could-happen-to-anybody story. And it's really rather good.

[Leigh Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one of my favorites by Doug Johnstone! This book is about people jumping to their death from the cliffs of an ocean town in Scottland and most do it as a dare. It is the quickest way to meet their tombstone and thus the name of the book. But when someone ends up dead from the jump and it looks like murder, it sends a set of friends(David and Nicola) on a mission.

[Ray Smillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My path of discovery in the novels of Doug Johnstone has taken me right back to his debut set mostly in Arbroath, which has one of my favourite football grounds, visited when following the Pars. This is interesting rather than great and you can see the beginnings of a future great writer. Still worth adding to your collection though.

[John Travers · Rating 4 out of 5]

in two minds.

realistically its a 2 out of 5 for its amateur main plot ending, didn't make sense, muddled.

however the backstory, Dave and Nicola, arbroath etc... was so well described and the reunion that it was a shame that there even was a murder to get in the way.

[Iona · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story starts fairly mediocre but was interesting enough to keep reading. It only really cranks up over 75% in but it is worth staying with it.

Not worth reading a second time though!

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

a book about turning over dark events from the past, but a zippy read. well-placed settings - Arbroath, especially.

[Paschalis]

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[Lee Simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book ok read

[Jill Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Well grounded in Arbroath and Edinburgh. The storyline didn't grab me and there were too few clever or twisty plot devices on the way.

[Tracey Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remind me never to go to school reunion or Arbroath. I really enjoyed this one but not as much as the last two I have read if author. I still love places mentioned that I have been too in Edinburgh

[Meryl Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnstone describes Scotland and her rural areas well, and this is a well written tale of love. Prefer Johnstone to the other Edinburgh writers frankly.

[Taz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one especially as it was about somewhere I know

[Liam Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

it took me a few chapters to get into this one but before long I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Such a great read and will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

[Lian Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect with this, but enjoyed it hugely. Johnstone captures the slightly disappointed life of his protagonist, then puts it through the wringer with a school reunion that turns into something both better and worse. I particularly like the way Johnstone writes about relationships and sex - an antidote to the overly-dramatic bodice-ripping of so many authors. (Not that I mind the occasional bodice-ripper, but it's good to see something a little more realistic.)

[Aura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok - two stars, and only because it was set in places that I know really well. Story so-so, writing the same, and had it not been for the fact that I was fishing for descriptions of my favourite places, I wouldn't have been interested at all. Shame.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been better! With only 2 relationships going on, one with his new girlfriend and the other with his old school friend, not enough of a story to keep me rivited! Plot was good but needed more!

[Martinxo · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable drama, set in Abroath and Edinburgh. Made me nostalgic for my lost youth etc (in London, not Scotland).

Worth getting out of the libray.

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

well in total it took me around 5 & a half hours to read this book & I loved it. this is the second Doug Johnstone book I have read so I will be searching out the others for sure

[Jaye Latts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun! Felt like true Scottish dialogue, funny, dirty and taking-the-piss attitude! Loved the story and the characters.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes a good read with a not to chalenging plot line

[Janet Hood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Silly

[Leigh Reagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and is probably one of my favorite books by from this author. Although this is his debut novel, I have read almost all of them, not in debut order. I loved the characters and how the author really paints the Scottish country side!