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Tommy the Bruce
Meet Tommy Bruce – he' s washed-up already, marooned in a ramshackle hotel inherited from dead parents in the armpit of Perthshire, that' s just too far off the main tourist trail to be viable. He' s too young to be middle-aged, but too old to be what you could call young (and too lazy to care about it, really). Saddled with debt, grotty premises that are falling down around him, and a crippling loneliness, Tommy is slowly but determinedly drinking himself and his business out of existence.
Until one day into the lounge-bar, and out of the blue, walks Fiona McLean. And before long she' s moved behind the bar, into the hotel, and (remarkably) into Tommy' s bed. Fiona blows into Tommy' s life and through the hotel, and with the light she brings, Tommy' s fortunes might just be turning around; but in her wake has also slipped in darkness – names and faces from the past who mean Tommy no goodwill at all, criminal forces that threaten to ruin him, the hotel, and what little happiness he' s managed, haplessly, to cobble together.
Tommy the Bruce is a precise, chilling and all too believable literary noir – scored throughout with a genuinely unsettling menace, which is belied by the ease of Yorkston' s storytelling and humour. It' s a shot of Southern Gothic poured out in the central Highlands.
Until one day into the lounge-bar, and out of the blue, walks Fiona McLean. And before long she' s moved behind the bar, into the hotel, and (remarkably) into Tommy' s bed. Fiona blows into Tommy' s life and through the hotel, and with the light she brings, Tommy' s fortunes might just be turning around; but in her wake has also slipped in darkness – names and faces from the past who mean Tommy no goodwill at all, criminal forces that threaten to ruin him, the hotel, and what little happiness he' s managed, haplessly, to cobble together.
Tommy the Bruce is a precise, chilling and all too believable literary noir – scored throughout with a genuinely unsettling menace, which is belied by the ease of Yorkston' s storytelling and humour. It' s a shot of Southern Gothic poured out in the central Highlands.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2024
11 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 9, 2024
Tommy (the) Bruce is a youngish man (though he’s ageing rapidly). He’s running an isolated hotel in Perthshire in the Scottish Highlands.
When I say ‘running’ a hotel, it could be said that he’s actually running it into the ground. It’s a downtrodden place, off the beaten track, and was left to him by his parents, and Tommy hasn’t carried out any repairs or improvements to it since his parents died, consequently its squalid, and in total disrepair. Tommy however, barely notices, he’s too busy drinking away what little profits there are. He’s up to his eyes in debt, his customers take advantage of him, and in addition to all that, he’s fair lonely here at the back end of nowhere.
Life would have carried on in much the same way if Fiona (Fi) McLean hadn’t walked into the lounge bar one night, and almost faster than a rat up a drainpipe, she had also moved into the hotel, was working behind the bar, and also worked her way straight into Tommy’s bed.
Fi brings a breath of fresh air, not just to Tommy’s life but to the hotel too, even managing to get him to do some general decorating and even cleaning every day - quite the miracle!
Things begin to look up until someone from Fi’s past enters their lives - someone who sees Tommy as just a great big soft lummox, and from there on, their lives take a terrifying turn for the worse.
Author, James Yorkston has written a cracking storyline, with a flawed but interesting character in Tommy, and it’s impossible not to like him. Our Tommy will have you rooting for him right the way through his dreadful ordeal, and trust me he faces the darkest of times! Excellent. Thanks to my GR friend Kevin for putting it on my radar.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Verve Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
When I say ‘running’ a hotel, it could be said that he’s actually running it into the ground. It’s a downtrodden place, off the beaten track, and was left to him by his parents, and Tommy hasn’t carried out any repairs or improvements to it since his parents died, consequently its squalid, and in total disrepair. Tommy however, barely notices, he’s too busy drinking away what little profits there are. He’s up to his eyes in debt, his customers take advantage of him, and in addition to all that, he’s fair lonely here at the back end of nowhere.
Life would have carried on in much the same way if Fiona (Fi) McLean hadn’t walked into the lounge bar one night, and almost faster than a rat up a drainpipe, she had also moved into the hotel, was working behind the bar, and also worked her way straight into Tommy’s bed.
Fi brings a breath of fresh air, not just to Tommy’s life but to the hotel too, even managing to get him to do some general decorating and even cleaning every day - quite the miracle!
Things begin to look up until someone from Fi’s past enters their lives - someone who sees Tommy as just a great big soft lummox, and from there on, their lives take a terrifying turn for the worse.
Author, James Yorkston has written a cracking storyline, with a flawed but interesting character in Tommy, and it’s impossible not to like him. Our Tommy will have you rooting for him right the way through his dreadful ordeal, and trust me he faces the darkest of times! Excellent. Thanks to my GR friend Kevin for putting it on my radar.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Verve Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
October 26, 2024
This is definitely going to be in my top 5 books of the year!.
Tommy (the) Bruce is running a downtrodden hotel in Perthshire, left to him after his dad's death. Tommy's existence, and future, seem pretty bleak with only a sparse gathering of customers as his friends.
That all changes when Fi(ona) enters his life, finally giving Tommy some hope and a chance of happiness. However, the happiness is short lived when some people from Fiona's past enter their lives bringing danger......
This book really takes you through the ringer. Hope, despair, joy, happiness, fear, grief and sadness all live on the same page. Tommy is definitely one of those ordinary heroes who you will desperate to see have a happy ending. Whether he does or not? Well, you'll need to read.....
Thanks to VERVE Books | Oldcastle Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Tommy (the) Bruce is running a downtrodden hotel in Perthshire, left to him after his dad's death. Tommy's existence, and future, seem pretty bleak with only a sparse gathering of customers as his friends.
That all changes when Fi(ona) enters his life, finally giving Tommy some hope and a chance of happiness. However, the happiness is short lived when some people from Fiona's past enter their lives bringing danger......
This book really takes you through the ringer. Hope, despair, joy, happiness, fear, grief and sadness all live on the same page. Tommy is definitely one of those ordinary heroes who you will desperate to see have a happy ending. Whether he does or not? Well, you'll need to read.....
Thanks to VERVE Books | Oldcastle Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
November 5, 2024
‘Tommy the Bruce’ by James Yorkston,takes the reader on an emotional perilous journey in a reluctant hero’s shambling search for purpose.
Tommy is a young man ageing rapidly,anesthetizing himself with his own stock of cheap hospitality’s booze ,lost in a ‘hand me down’ life,struggling to run his dead father's hotel in the isolated Scottish Highlands.Desperately unhappy in his existence yet feeling trapped in his apathy,as it seems there are no other feasible options,as the building gradually decays around him,like his meaningless existence.Everything changes on the day when a young woman,Fiona comes into his bar for several gin and tonics.Much to Tommy’s amazement Fi turns his feelings about what matters most in life about completely.
This is a vivid cinematic tale of a lonely wasted life languishing in a backland verge of Scotland's countryside.The darkly humorous tale deals compassionately with the issues of loss,identity,family and fatherhood in the dour Celtic tradition of facing boundless misery,self medicating alcohol misuse, and useless wanna be gangsters.
Many thanks to VERVE Books and NetGalley for a pre-release copy.
Tommy is a young man ageing rapidly,anesthetizing himself with his own stock of cheap hospitality’s booze ,lost in a ‘hand me down’ life,struggling to run his dead father's hotel in the isolated Scottish Highlands.Desperately unhappy in his existence yet feeling trapped in his apathy,as it seems there are no other feasible options,as the building gradually decays around him,like his meaningless existence.Everything changes on the day when a young woman,Fiona comes into his bar for several gin and tonics.Much to Tommy’s amazement Fi turns his feelings about what matters most in life about completely.
This is a vivid cinematic tale of a lonely wasted life languishing in a backland verge of Scotland's countryside.The darkly humorous tale deals compassionately with the issues of loss,identity,family and fatherhood in the dour Celtic tradition of facing boundless misery,self medicating alcohol misuse, and useless wanna be gangsters.
Many thanks to VERVE Books and NetGalley for a pre-release copy.
February 24, 2025
4.25 stars - full review to follow :)
September 25, 2024
What did I read? What did I think I was going to read ? I had no idea but thanks to Netgalley I have discovered a new author and this book packs a punch! Think Elmore Leonard crossed with Irvine Welsh and then maybe drag the pages across the floor a bit, chuck a teabag on them and hang on for the ride.
Tommy is like an anti-hero, a soft lummox who things just happen to. People arrive and just take advantage of him, to the point where you just want to throat punch them.
It is a story you just devour ... you take yourself up the fell with Tommy .. sit and have a wee nip of the hard stuff, when he is allowed, and just let it happen.
It is visceral, brutal, funny, gentle, sad .. everything you want in a book ...
Amen.
Tommy is like an anti-hero, a soft lummox who things just happen to. People arrive and just take advantage of him, to the point where you just want to throat punch them.
It is a story you just devour ... you take yourself up the fell with Tommy .. sit and have a wee nip of the hard stuff, when he is allowed, and just let it happen.
It is visceral, brutal, funny, gentle, sad .. everything you want in a book ...
Amen.
August 17, 2025
slow burner with a bang at the end. Atmospheric, well written.
November 11, 2024
As emotionally tumultuous as any of Douglas Stuart’s books, this one had me hooked from the get go. A real peek into a gritty Scottish narrative that is as full of heart as it is full of heartache. Really enjoyed the narrative voice and was gripped from the get go.
Thanks to James Yorkston and NetGalley for this ARC!!
Thanks to James Yorkston and NetGalley for this ARC!!
December 31, 2024
I’m a long-time fan of James’s music and I loved his previous two novels, but this is his best book yet. While initially I thought it slow, almost pleasant as a long-term drifter begins to turn his life around, but when his life actually does get turned around, the pace blisters and I could feel my heart racing.
That this (eventual) page-turner is also injected constantly with Yorkston’s trademark laidback humour makes it one of the best books I’ve read in ages.
That this (eventual) page-turner is also injected constantly with Yorkston’s trademark laidback humour makes it one of the best books I’ve read in ages.
January 5, 2025
I've a soft spot for the songwriting novelist and Fife's James Yorkston returns with his third novel set in a remote Perthshire hotel home to Tommy Bruce, who makes minimal effort to keep what was his Dad's enterprise going until Fiona walks into his life.
This is a taut, suspenseful novel that will surely pull you in. Yorkston inverts the noir trope with Tommy sitting at his lowest at the beginning of the novel before finding he has something to fight for as the story progresses. The first third of the novel really leans into this and builds to the inevitable turning point.
Whilst the story rattles along the narrative actually takes place over a couple of years which added to my stress levels while reading. The dialogue is great throughout and certainly displays the very Scottish quality of not always saying what you might be thinking and copious swearing.
This deserves to be in the running for at least the McIlvanney award come September as Yorkston brings something unique to the Scottish crime genre without a DCI in sight.
This is a taut, suspenseful novel that will surely pull you in. Yorkston inverts the noir trope with Tommy sitting at his lowest at the beginning of the novel before finding he has something to fight for as the story progresses. The first third of the novel really leans into this and builds to the inevitable turning point.
Whilst the story rattles along the narrative actually takes place over a couple of years which added to my stress levels while reading. The dialogue is great throughout and certainly displays the very Scottish quality of not always saying what you might be thinking and copious swearing.
This deserves to be in the running for at least the McIlvanney award come September as Yorkston brings something unique to the Scottish crime genre without a DCI in sight.
August 31, 2025
Some might consider Tommy a slacker, but that would require some conscious decision making on his part and even that is too much for him to contemplate. He has inherited the hotel that he lived in on the death of his father and has continued to open it up each day as it slowly deteriorates along what trade it had. This could almost be a metaphor for the neglect of post-industrial small-town Scotland itself. He is drinking his life away with customer Auld Jock, whilst doing the absolute minimum to keep, the dump it is becoming, running. The only time he is decisive is when he needs ‘headspace’, heading into the nearby hills for some solitude and it is this that is keeping him functioning. Tommy represents humanity stuck in a rut, like so many, whose days run into each other and all the future has to offer is more of the same. It takes the unexpected appearance of Fiona McLean to rouse him from this fugue state and give him the inclination and motivation to improve his lot. Tommy is going to experience a rollercoaster of emotions, learn a lot about himself and the human condition, looking danger straight in the eye in the process.
This is a slim novel written mainly in short chapters, that play out a series of staccato scenes with longer, more detailed ones interspersed throughout that deliver the main thrust of the storyline. This provides enough to get a feel of the people, the places and the atmosphere of the hotel in a town going nowhere. The plot is thin, but laser focussed. The story is the emotional journey Tommy takes, and the beauty is in its telling. Sometimes less is more and anything else would be unnecessary baggage.
Writing realistic dialogue is perhaps the most difficult part of the writing process. Even the best dialogue on the page rarely captures the way people speak, but here the author excels himself. The dialogue is italicised, rather than using speech marks, there are no speech indicators so the reader must concentrate to catch the to-and-fro of any conversations and raised voices are CAPITALISED! What the author has managed to do is capture the essence and cadence of the Scottish voice and some of the spirit of the characters. There are plenty of braw Scottish words, many familiar, others can be deduced from context, but there will be some that make you wish for an English-Scottish dictionary. The dialect is not overplayed though, it is vibrant and punchy, an absolute joy to read.
Family is central to the story, with dead brothers a particular theme. Here it is how the characters deal with their grief that is significant. Tommy’s grief manifests in guilt, which is his emotional ball and chain holding him back. Is the prospect of a future with Fiona and his own family enough to free him.
Another theme within the story is the pursuit of happiness. Striving for something is good, but at some point, to be truly happy, one has to recognise what is enough to make you happy and enjoy it while you can, life is short and the future not guaranteed. Unbeknown to Tommy his walks in the hills were giving him the answer, to live in the moment and enjoy what he has around him.
This is a very funny book, I find the Scottish dialect just naturally lends itself to it, so packed full of insults and gallows humour. There are several scenes that help lift it out of the dour noirish feel, with a stay in a bothy and a road-trip and stay in a Travelodge on ‘business’ funnier than they ought to be.
The friends of Fiona’s past prove to be quite disturbing, demonstrating the unsettling trend for modern thugs to escalate to violence with little or no provocation. The author is clearly a sharp observer and listener of life, particular at the fringes of society. It would be easy to portray these young men as mere caricatures, but Simon is certainly given some depth.
A journey of self-discovery that is funny and ultimately heart-warming.
This is a slim novel written mainly in short chapters, that play out a series of staccato scenes with longer, more detailed ones interspersed throughout that deliver the main thrust of the storyline. This provides enough to get a feel of the people, the places and the atmosphere of the hotel in a town going nowhere. The plot is thin, but laser focussed. The story is the emotional journey Tommy takes, and the beauty is in its telling. Sometimes less is more and anything else would be unnecessary baggage.
Writing realistic dialogue is perhaps the most difficult part of the writing process. Even the best dialogue on the page rarely captures the way people speak, but here the author excels himself. The dialogue is italicised, rather than using speech marks, there are no speech indicators so the reader must concentrate to catch the to-and-fro of any conversations and raised voices are CAPITALISED! What the author has managed to do is capture the essence and cadence of the Scottish voice and some of the spirit of the characters. There are plenty of braw Scottish words, many familiar, others can be deduced from context, but there will be some that make you wish for an English-Scottish dictionary. The dialect is not overplayed though, it is vibrant and punchy, an absolute joy to read.
Family is central to the story, with dead brothers a particular theme. Here it is how the characters deal with their grief that is significant. Tommy’s grief manifests in guilt, which is his emotional ball and chain holding him back. Is the prospect of a future with Fiona and his own family enough to free him.
Another theme within the story is the pursuit of happiness. Striving for something is good, but at some point, to be truly happy, one has to recognise what is enough to make you happy and enjoy it while you can, life is short and the future not guaranteed. Unbeknown to Tommy his walks in the hills were giving him the answer, to live in the moment and enjoy what he has around him.
This is a very funny book, I find the Scottish dialect just naturally lends itself to it, so packed full of insults and gallows humour. There are several scenes that help lift it out of the dour noirish feel, with a stay in a bothy and a road-trip and stay in a Travelodge on ‘business’ funnier than they ought to be.
The friends of Fiona’s past prove to be quite disturbing, demonstrating the unsettling trend for modern thugs to escalate to violence with little or no provocation. The author is clearly a sharp observer and listener of life, particular at the fringes of society. It would be easy to portray these young men as mere caricatures, but Simon is certainly given some depth.
A journey of self-discovery that is funny and ultimately heart-warming.
January 7, 2026
This is the sort of novel that grows on you as you wade into it.
Tommy is an alcoholic rural Scottish hotel owner whose hotel has fallen into a slovenly oasis of inertia and neglect as he spends more time in the public bar with its one regular drinker than he does cleaning or taking care of the rest of the place.
That is until the unlikely arrival and assistance of Fiona who appears out of the blue. The relationship is an unlikely one given that he is not much to look at by his own admission and he is also somewhat older than her. She, at once, takes over and gets him to work on upgrading the hotel. Later, she has a baby, borderline early to be his child given the length of their relationship by that time.
Then, her cantankerous mother arrives.
Next comes her psychotic former boyfriend, an ex-convict and small time hard man/mobster.
Finally, the former boyfriend’s own group of associates arrive en masse, treating the hotel as if it were theirs, scaring off potential customers and not paying for anything.
There is a nicely paced drip-drip element to this part of the novel. The atmosphere becomes more claustrophobic and unsettling to the reader as Tommy’s attempts to rationalise these developments and his loss of control to himself seem so naïve, trying desperately to find something he can feel comfortable with, and inevitably failing as his soundly-based paranoia rises.
What follows is a dark, scatological, swear-fest farce leading inevitably to blood spilling all over the place.
There is a certain Coen Brothers’ element to the events but it is always very Scottish both in its accented dialogue (not overly opaque to a non-Scottish reader) and its black localised humour.
There is a huge reliance on expletive-based dialogue which is rather repetitive and uninventive after a time. Simon and Billy, the main bad guys, are very close to being stereotypical neds but nonetheless, they are brutal and seriously menacing enough to be convincing, at least until the denouement of the novel.
The book is written entirely from the first person perspective of Tommy so the success or failure of the book ultimately rests with his internal and spoken dialogue. It works very well. Tommy is an empathetic, put-upon character, a perennial loser, and his world is unravelling even more quickly for most of this book. But, he has a good level of fight and purpose left in him even at his lowest ebb, and the author gets the balance just about right, making him flawed but likeable and realistic. The plot, pacing and eye for small amusing details work well. By the final page, it proves a largely entertaining read with a satisfying ending.
Tommy is an alcoholic rural Scottish hotel owner whose hotel has fallen into a slovenly oasis of inertia and neglect as he spends more time in the public bar with its one regular drinker than he does cleaning or taking care of the rest of the place.
That is until the unlikely arrival and assistance of Fiona who appears out of the blue. The relationship is an unlikely one given that he is not much to look at by his own admission and he is also somewhat older than her. She, at once, takes over and gets him to work on upgrading the hotel. Later, she has a baby, borderline early to be his child given the length of their relationship by that time.
Then, her cantankerous mother arrives.
Next comes her psychotic former boyfriend, an ex-convict and small time hard man/mobster.
Finally, the former boyfriend’s own group of associates arrive en masse, treating the hotel as if it were theirs, scaring off potential customers and not paying for anything.
There is a nicely paced drip-drip element to this part of the novel. The atmosphere becomes more claustrophobic and unsettling to the reader as Tommy’s attempts to rationalise these developments and his loss of control to himself seem so naïve, trying desperately to find something he can feel comfortable with, and inevitably failing as his soundly-based paranoia rises.
What follows is a dark, scatological, swear-fest farce leading inevitably to blood spilling all over the place.
There is a certain Coen Brothers’ element to the events but it is always very Scottish both in its accented dialogue (not overly opaque to a non-Scottish reader) and its black localised humour.
There is a huge reliance on expletive-based dialogue which is rather repetitive and uninventive after a time. Simon and Billy, the main bad guys, are very close to being stereotypical neds but nonetheless, they are brutal and seriously menacing enough to be convincing, at least until the denouement of the novel.
The book is written entirely from the first person perspective of Tommy so the success or failure of the book ultimately rests with his internal and spoken dialogue. It works very well. Tommy is an empathetic, put-upon character, a perennial loser, and his world is unravelling even more quickly for most of this book. But, he has a good level of fight and purpose left in him even at his lowest ebb, and the author gets the balance just about right, making him flawed but likeable and realistic. The plot, pacing and eye for small amusing details work well. By the final page, it proves a largely entertaining read with a satisfying ending.
March 15, 2025
#gifted
Tommy Bruce is a man on the edge-overweight, lonely, and drowning in booze as he struggles to keep his crumbling, mouse-infested hotel in rural Perthshire afloat. Isolated from the world and haunted by a past filled with loss and disappointment, he’s stuck in a downward spiral, drinking away the few quid that passing hikers bring in. His parents are gone, their deaths leaving scars deeper than anyone can see, and he’s following in their footsteps, one bottle at a time.
Then Fiona McLean walks into his bar, and, for the first time in years, Tommy dares to believe things could change. She’s warm and capable, and before long, she’s cleaning up the hotel, helping behind the bar, and sharing his bed. For the first time, he feels he has something to live for. But as any crime fiction reader knows, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Fiona tells Tommy she’s pregnant, but the dates don’t add up. He knows the baby isn’t his, but he wants to believe. He needs to believe. When little George is born, Tommy throws himself into playing the role of a father, hoping love will be enough to make it real. But his fragile new world is shattered when Simon Blair, Fiona’s ex and violent thug, comes back into the picture. Simon is fresh out of prison and needs a place to stay. Tommy’s hotel will do just fine. What starts as a few sly looks and offhand comments soon escalates into intimidation, mockery and violence.
Tommy tries to stand his ground, but he’s no match for Simon’s cruelty. Worse, he knows that Fiona could choose Simon over him at any moment, taking George with her. Desperate to break free, Tommy does the unthinkable, but it only pulls him deeper into Simon’s world. Now, forced to play the role of legendary hardman Jim Blair, Tommy is dragged into a deadly game of deception, caught between a ruthless Irish gang and Simon’s own ambitions. He’s spent his life backing down, but if he wants to survive, he’ll have to become something he’s never been before.
Overall, this slow-burn, character-driven Scottish noir is dark, raw, gritty and well worth a read.
Many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a review copy, all thoughts are my own.
Tommy Bruce is a man on the edge-overweight, lonely, and drowning in booze as he struggles to keep his crumbling, mouse-infested hotel in rural Perthshire afloat. Isolated from the world and haunted by a past filled with loss and disappointment, he’s stuck in a downward spiral, drinking away the few quid that passing hikers bring in. His parents are gone, their deaths leaving scars deeper than anyone can see, and he’s following in their footsteps, one bottle at a time.
Then Fiona McLean walks into his bar, and, for the first time in years, Tommy dares to believe things could change. She’s warm and capable, and before long, she’s cleaning up the hotel, helping behind the bar, and sharing his bed. For the first time, he feels he has something to live for. But as any crime fiction reader knows, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Fiona tells Tommy she’s pregnant, but the dates don’t add up. He knows the baby isn’t his, but he wants to believe. He needs to believe. When little George is born, Tommy throws himself into playing the role of a father, hoping love will be enough to make it real. But his fragile new world is shattered when Simon Blair, Fiona’s ex and violent thug, comes back into the picture. Simon is fresh out of prison and needs a place to stay. Tommy’s hotel will do just fine. What starts as a few sly looks and offhand comments soon escalates into intimidation, mockery and violence.
Tommy tries to stand his ground, but he’s no match for Simon’s cruelty. Worse, he knows that Fiona could choose Simon over him at any moment, taking George with her. Desperate to break free, Tommy does the unthinkable, but it only pulls him deeper into Simon’s world. Now, forced to play the role of legendary hardman Jim Blair, Tommy is dragged into a deadly game of deception, caught between a ruthless Irish gang and Simon’s own ambitions. He’s spent his life backing down, but if he wants to survive, he’ll have to become something he’s never been before.
Overall, this slow-burn, character-driven Scottish noir is dark, raw, gritty and well worth a read.
Many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a review copy, all thoughts are my own.
April 29, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tommy the Bruce by James Yorkston
When I @read_eats_explores review of this book I ordered it from the library straight away and got stuck in as soon as it arrived.
Tommy is the owner of a hotel in the middle of nowhere in Perthshire, Scotland. It was handed down to him by his parents and he is struggling to make it work. The hotel is falling in around him, making him so lonely with no motivation to pull himself out of the debt he's drowning in.
That is until Fiona arrives. She gives Tommy a sense of hope with her shining, happy persona and wonderful positivity offering him a new lease of life. Fiona takes up residence in Tommy’s life and they start to build a life together with the birth of their child George.
However, Fiona brings with her people from their past who make life very difficult for him and their new family putting them in serious danger. Can he save everyone he loves from those who threaten to destroy all he and his parents have built and this newfound happiness?
This was a fantastic, funny yet chilling piece of fiction. Tommy was a wonderful, warm-hearted character who just wanted a quiet, comfortable life. His loneliness crippled him at times and he craved someone to love. I was rooting for him throughout the whole book, hoping he would become the hero and get everything he desired.
Yorkston skillfully captured the bullies in such a real and true sense that they set my teeth on edge and injected Intense feelings of anger whenever they provoked Tommy. I also turned to biting my nails one minute and laughing out loud the next. It took a little while to get used to some of the Scottish dialects but I enjoyed this story immensely and hope to read more by this author in the future.
When I @read_eats_explores review of this book I ordered it from the library straight away and got stuck in as soon as it arrived.
Tommy is the owner of a hotel in the middle of nowhere in Perthshire, Scotland. It was handed down to him by his parents and he is struggling to make it work. The hotel is falling in around him, making him so lonely with no motivation to pull himself out of the debt he's drowning in.
That is until Fiona arrives. She gives Tommy a sense of hope with her shining, happy persona and wonderful positivity offering him a new lease of life. Fiona takes up residence in Tommy’s life and they start to build a life together with the birth of their child George.
However, Fiona brings with her people from their past who make life very difficult for him and their new family putting them in serious danger. Can he save everyone he loves from those who threaten to destroy all he and his parents have built and this newfound happiness?
This was a fantastic, funny yet chilling piece of fiction. Tommy was a wonderful, warm-hearted character who just wanted a quiet, comfortable life. His loneliness crippled him at times and he craved someone to love. I was rooting for him throughout the whole book, hoping he would become the hero and get everything he desired.
Yorkston skillfully captured the bullies in such a real and true sense that they set my teeth on edge and injected Intense feelings of anger whenever they provoked Tommy. I also turned to biting my nails one minute and laughing out loud the next. It took a little while to get used to some of the Scottish dialects but I enjoyed this story immensely and hope to read more by this author in the future.
April 15, 2025
Tommy Bruce runs a rundown hotel/public house in Perthshire, Scotland. Since the death of his father he hasn’t maintained it and rarely cleans anything, including himself, he is more interested in downing the wares from behind the bar and chatting with the few regulars who frequent the bar. This started off quite slow paced, for the first third of the book, then things quickly changed and the paced moved up as did the tension.
Briefly, life changes dramatically for Tommy the day Fiona McLean walks into his hotel. She is soon firmly ensconced behind the bar, and then into Tommy’s bed. Under her guidance he starts to smarten up himself and the hotel, then she drops a massive bombshell, she is pregnant. He’s not convinced it’s his but when George is born he takes on the father role with gusto. But it’s all too good to be true and matters take a massive turn for the worst when Fiona’s former partner, petty criminal Simon, takes up residence at the hotel, on release from prison on parole.
This is a very dark and violent read with a lot of bad language and some brutal scenes. I did struggle with some of the Scottish vernacular but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book. It’s a compelling read and one I didn’t want to put down until I finished it. I really felt for Tommy and wanted to give him a hug. As for Simon (and his despicable friend Billy) what a wanted to do to them isn’t fit for printing! A chilling Scottish Noir drama which was very tense and disquieting. An excellent read.
4.5⭐️
Briefly, life changes dramatically for Tommy the day Fiona McLean walks into his hotel. She is soon firmly ensconced behind the bar, and then into Tommy’s bed. Under her guidance he starts to smarten up himself and the hotel, then she drops a massive bombshell, she is pregnant. He’s not convinced it’s his but when George is born he takes on the father role with gusto. But it’s all too good to be true and matters take a massive turn for the worst when Fiona’s former partner, petty criminal Simon, takes up residence at the hotel, on release from prison on parole.
This is a very dark and violent read with a lot of bad language and some brutal scenes. I did struggle with some of the Scottish vernacular but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book. It’s a compelling read and one I didn’t want to put down until I finished it. I really felt for Tommy and wanted to give him a hug. As for Simon (and his despicable friend Billy) what a wanted to do to them isn’t fit for printing! A chilling Scottish Noir drama which was very tense and disquieting. An excellent read.
4.5⭐️
February 14, 2025
In Tommy the Bruce, we follow Tommy Bruce, who's inherited a rundown hotel in the Scottish Highlands ( after his parents passed away ), just a little too far from the beaten track, so the place is failing.
Lonely and in debt, Tommy is slowly drinking his life, and the business, away. That is until the arrival of a intriguing new guest, Fiona, who, before long, moves into the hotel, takes a job behind the bar, and the two begin a relationship. Things are ar last looking up for Tommy, he's happy and optimistic. But this is short lived, not is all as it seems, and their lives take a terrifying turn for the worse.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up.
So all in all, what a great addition to the tartan noir genre this is.
The beautiful Scottish Highlands play a huge part in this story, which was a major draw for me. I absolutely love the Highlands, so this read brought back lots of good memories from amazing summer holidays.
Next, the storyline. It's beautifully dark and brooding, blending the beauty of the Highlands with the decay of the hotel, and the joy of a blossoming relationship, with the violence, tragedy and trauma that follows.
And what a great character Tommy is, deeply flawed, but it's impossible not to like him, and I'm sure, like me, you'll be rooting for him all the way through.
I read this in three sittings, staying up turning the pages long after i should have gone to sleep, to get to the end.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Lonely and in debt, Tommy is slowly drinking his life, and the business, away. That is until the arrival of a intriguing new guest, Fiona, who, before long, moves into the hotel, takes a job behind the bar, and the two begin a relationship. Things are ar last looking up for Tommy, he's happy and optimistic. But this is short lived, not is all as it seems, and their lives take a terrifying turn for the worse.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up.
So all in all, what a great addition to the tartan noir genre this is.
The beautiful Scottish Highlands play a huge part in this story, which was a major draw for me. I absolutely love the Highlands, so this read brought back lots of good memories from amazing summer holidays.
Next, the storyline. It's beautifully dark and brooding, blending the beauty of the Highlands with the decay of the hotel, and the joy of a blossoming relationship, with the violence, tragedy and trauma that follows.
And what a great character Tommy is, deeply flawed, but it's impossible not to like him, and I'm sure, like me, you'll be rooting for him all the way through.
I read this in three sittings, staying up turning the pages long after i should have gone to sleep, to get to the end.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
November 13, 2024
Tommy is singlehandedly managing a rundown perthshire hotel in a small village which is off from the main tourist routes. The description of the hotel is very accurate because it reminded me of some of the depresssing hotels I have come across in this part of the world. Villages that used to have several hotels reduced to one or none.
He was brought up in the area but has little contact with anyone from his past and his life is going nowhere with no prospects.
Suddenly into his life arrives Fiona who manages to put much needed spark into his life and the hotel business. She also hails from the same village but also comes with plenty of baggage and soon Tommy is plunged into a nightmarish world of manipulative ex-cons and drug dealing. There does not seem to be any escape from his living hell and everything looks very bleak.
It is not a synopsis of a cheery read and it starts at 100mph and never really slows down. So it is in your face from the opening pages and I felt I had taken an emotional battering reading the whole book.
I was wondering how the tale would finish and surprisingly it was more upbeat than I could have imagined. But overall it is still a tough read and not really my cup of tea.
Thanks to NetGalley and Verve books for the ARC
He was brought up in the area but has little contact with anyone from his past and his life is going nowhere with no prospects.
Suddenly into his life arrives Fiona who manages to put much needed spark into his life and the hotel business. She also hails from the same village but also comes with plenty of baggage and soon Tommy is plunged into a nightmarish world of manipulative ex-cons and drug dealing. There does not seem to be any escape from his living hell and everything looks very bleak.
It is not a synopsis of a cheery read and it starts at 100mph and never really slows down. So it is in your face from the opening pages and I felt I had taken an emotional battering reading the whole book.
I was wondering how the tale would finish and surprisingly it was more upbeat than I could have imagined. But overall it is still a tough read and not really my cup of tea.
Thanks to NetGalley and Verve books for the ARC
December 5, 2024
Tommy is a wastrel, presiding over an ailing bar/hotel passed on by his father, and wasting his days away drinking the little profit he makes. Until Fiona walks into the pub and Tommy finds his life changed in unexpected ways, both for better and for worse.
The pace of the story doesn’t really pick up until halfway through, with the first half more domestic drama than gripping. From then on though, as the stakes are raised and the jeopardy increases exponentially, the story becomes engrossing and exciting. The finale is both credible and satisfying as Tommy shakes off his burdens and defends what he holds most dear.
I only know this author for his musical exploits but this is a masterful piece of writing. And it seems well worth seeking out his previous novels.
(I was given an advance copy in exchange for an honest review)
The pace of the story doesn’t really pick up until halfway through, with the first half more domestic drama than gripping. From then on though, as the stakes are raised and the jeopardy increases exponentially, the story becomes engrossing and exciting. The finale is both credible and satisfying as Tommy shakes off his burdens and defends what he holds most dear.
I only know this author for his musical exploits but this is a masterful piece of writing. And it seems well worth seeking out his previous novels.
(I was given an advance copy in exchange for an honest review)
February 6, 2025
Cracking Scottish thriller
—Tommy’s not living his dreams. Far from it: his pub’s a mess, his friends are scammers and eejits, and his love life’s non-existent.
And then in walks Fi, who rapidly takes over his pub, his friends, his love life, until things start looking rosy—
—and then real life smacks Tommy upside the head and he’s got to make his move, he’s got to take control for once and decide what hill he’ll end up defending, before the whole thing comes crashing down around his ears.
Things do not go to plan.
But this book does. The Scottish Highlands play a massive part in the story, but Tommy is who we’re here for. A flawed hero—or antihero—Tommy doesn’t seem to have it in him, but when push comes to shove, he does the deed and ends up with a, well, an ending that’s worth sticking round for.
Four stars: more, more, more!
—Tommy’s not living his dreams. Far from it: his pub’s a mess, his friends are scammers and eejits, and his love life’s non-existent.
And then in walks Fi, who rapidly takes over his pub, his friends, his love life, until things start looking rosy—
—and then real life smacks Tommy upside the head and he’s got to make his move, he’s got to take control for once and decide what hill he’ll end up defending, before the whole thing comes crashing down around his ears.
Things do not go to plan.
But this book does. The Scottish Highlands play a massive part in the story, but Tommy is who we’re here for. A flawed hero—or antihero—Tommy doesn’t seem to have it in him, but when push comes to shove, he does the deed and ends up with a, well, an ending that’s worth sticking round for.
Four stars: more, more, more!
January 2, 2025
A hapless hotel owner in Perthshire, Tommy, has his world turned upside down when a young woman sweeps in one night. They fall into a relationship - she moves in and starts helping revive the hotel, pregnancy quickly follows. When she convinces Tommy to take in an old friend-flame recently released from prison, things start to escalate out of control. We are carried along with Tommy as schemes unfold around him. Oh, Tommy. A classic crime story with an unlucky, drifting man caught in a bad situation. You feel for him and want to see him come out ok. Fans of the genre will appreciate the regular beats. I also appreciated the more quiet layers of brotherhood, loss and family in rural towns woven into the story and Tommy's baffled, self-deprecating voice.
January 21, 2025
Tommy Bruce is one of those fictional antiheroes like Tom Ripley who have an appeal one can't always understand.
James Yorkston's third novel is one of the best new Scottish noir titles to appear during the genre's current renaissance. It's dark, disturbing, drawing one in from the very beginning, in a plot that is fresh and gritty and full of unpleasant shocks and surprises.
The writing is totally addictive showing a rural Scotland rarely found in crime fiction. There's a chilling sense of claustrophobia despite the remoteness of the setting.
Tommy, himself, is a stunning character, full of paradoxes but none the less worthy of every readers' empathy and compassion.
James Yorkston's third novel is one of the best new Scottish noir titles to appear during the genre's current renaissance. It's dark, disturbing, drawing one in from the very beginning, in a plot that is fresh and gritty and full of unpleasant shocks and surprises.
The writing is totally addictive showing a rural Scotland rarely found in crime fiction. There's a chilling sense of claustrophobia despite the remoteness of the setting.
Tommy, himself, is a stunning character, full of paradoxes but none the less worthy of every readers' empathy and compassion.
November 18, 2025
I've read all of James's' books to date and he gets better each time. Tommy the Bruce is a thriller about a young hotel patron who befriends a young lady visitor, gets entangled with her and inherits her baby and ex-boyfriend coming out of prison. A black comedy and a thriller as the story gets more violent and urgent between the parties as they seek to get their own way. Tommy's character is both infuriating and likeable so you get on board with his fate and his side. The pace was ramped up towards the end and it would make a good film one day. Probably my book of the year and a very enjoyable one.
November 6, 2024
Hapless Tommy Bruce, drifting through his life running the hotel he inherited. He obviously feels he has no right to be happier or thriving. Into his unhappy existence comes Fiona. As the weeks and months unfold Tommy finds there are people and things he cares about and feels responsible for. This helps him dig deep and survive when events take a terrible turn.
Strange how I went from being very frustrated and angry at Tommy to really rooting for him to succeed.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review
Strange how I went from being very frustrated and angry at Tommy to really rooting for him to succeed.
I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review
February 20, 2025
That was quite the character journey! Tommy Bruce has inherited his father's Perthshire hotel and really could not care less about it, grudgingly serving the bar and letting people into the damp and mouldy rooms if they find themselves stuck along the route of their hike. He meets the sister of a former school acquaintance and falls somewhat in drunken love with her, and she encourages him to improve himself and the hotel - until her past comes back to haunt them both.
The book is wonderfully narrated from Tommy's point of view as we learn how depressed he is and just wants a quiet simple life, but also his paranoia over his new relationship and his worth in the world. At times his kindness/laid back attitude is taken advantage of until someone goes too far and he snaps.
The book is part slice of life, part rural, small scale Trainspotting and I loved the Scottishisms in the speech. At no point did I find the book boring despite a somewhat slower pace than I as used to and I really started to root for Tommy and his new life - he just needs someone to be on his side for once.
This was a great easy read with a decent amount of peril, excitement and heartbreak and a brilliant journey of reluctant self improvement.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is wonderfully narrated from Tommy's point of view as we learn how depressed he is and just wants a quiet simple life, but also his paranoia over his new relationship and his worth in the world. At times his kindness/laid back attitude is taken advantage of until someone goes too far and he snaps.
The book is part slice of life, part rural, small scale Trainspotting and I loved the Scottishisms in the speech. At no point did I find the book boring despite a somewhat slower pace than I as used to and I really started to root for Tommy and his new life - he just needs someone to be on his side for once.
This was a great easy read with a decent amount of peril, excitement and heartbreak and a brilliant journey of reluctant self improvement.
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2025
My goodness!
What a fantastic novel, overtaking the other 100+ books I have read this past 12 months to come out clearly as my book of the year. I love Yorkston’s music, and highly rated his first two novels, but this tale takes us to another level. Gritty, dark, comic and utterly gripping.
Overweight middle aged borderline alcoholic, owner of a down at heal Scottish hotel finds himself in a perfectly believable unbelievable situation. I‘ll not spoil the reading pleasure by telling you any more!
What a fantastic novel, overtaking the other 100+ books I have read this past 12 months to come out clearly as my book of the year. I love Yorkston’s music, and highly rated his first two novels, but this tale takes us to another level. Gritty, dark, comic and utterly gripping.
Overweight middle aged borderline alcoholic, owner of a down at heal Scottish hotel finds himself in a perfectly believable unbelievable situation. I‘ll not spoil the reading pleasure by telling you any more!
January 18, 2025
Tommy the Bruce is our narrator as this is his story, the writing style is great, but I found the story a bit slow to get into. Tommy is running a small hotel in Perthshire, it is where he grew up so full of memories, but both he and the hotel are in a rut. The hotel is barely surviving and, like Tommy, needs an overhaul, they both get it when Fi walks into the bar and into Tommy’s life. But Fi brings baggage with her in the shape of her ex Simon.
A good read if a bit slow in places.
A good read if a bit slow in places.
March 10, 2025
This was very boyish and not really the crime book I was expecting it to be. It’s a quick enough read once you get past the first 100 pages which is far too long for a set up of a story. The main character is fairly passive and with an underexplored past, but at least there’s enough story to keep the flow pushing onwards. I read this because it was set in Perthshire but even that was done a bit half-heartedly. Just a fine book but certainly not my cup of tea.
August 15, 2025
Whilst some people are not keen on books written in the local vernacular ( wherever in the UK ), I enjoy them, as it brings a realism to the story and to the characters. You cannot help but like Tommy even with all his faults and failings and the story flows well throughout possibly because you are waiting to see what happens to him next. As the author is also a singer/songwriter, there are plenty of references to folk songs in it as well which adds to the tale.
December 23, 2024
This is quite an emotional read of a novel, filled with hope, sadness and the vulnerability of a man who is plagued by loneliness. It is sad yet funny at times and set in beautiful Perthshire. Slow paced from the start, it is a provocative, tough read but well worth persevering until the end. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
January 17, 2025
I thought this was a smashing book; very believable characters and ringing true dialogue, with a story which could have gone either way. Unmistakeably in James' voice, many lines read like lyrics from songs like Guy Fawkes' Signature or Tortoise Regrets Hare. Excellent stuff!
February 14, 2025
A slow burn of a book, but does get more stressful as it gets into the final chapters. You could sort of guess what was coming at the end but still a good conclusion and well written.
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