Fallen Gods

Bob Skinner #13

by Quintin Jardine

The discovery of the body of his brother in aftermath of a flood leads Bob Skinner, Scotland's most revered cop, on a journey into his own life as he attempts to sort out the mess he has made of it.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Audiobook, Detective, Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Quintin Jardine (born 1945) is a Scottish author of three series of crime novels, featuring the fictional characters Bob Skinner, Oz Blackstone, and Primavera Blackstone. He was educated in Motherwell and in Glasgow where he studied at what was then the city’s only University. After career as a journalist, government information officer and media relations consultant, he took to the creation of crime fiction.

His first wife, Irene, with whom he shared over 30 years, from their teens, died in 1997. He is married, to his second wife, Eileen. They live in both Scotland and in Spain

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must have been desperate to fill up my library basket, to start up on this series (Bob Skinner) with the 13th volume; probably not the best approach to get into a book - especially as personally I can't stand it when I start a book that's in a series, and it's not the first book. Despite my misgivings and presumption that I wouldn't enjoy Fallen Goods, Jardine put together an interesting and quite compelling multi-layered crime drama. 7.5 out of 12, Three Stars.

2008 read

[Eddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't real realize this was a part of a series until I started it but it became very clear that it was and then I had a look and saw that it was the 13th novel of a series.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this novel. There were a lot of characters which was very confusing and there were several things happening all at once. There was the death of Bob Skinner's brother, a fire that took place that destroyed a painting and then a murder in the U.S. Again a lot going on in this novel.
There were some very interesting areas but then there were some not so interesting areas. I was still trying to figure out all the characters. I'm sure that if I had started this series from the beginning I would have been been able to hold it down better.
Towards the end of the book I was just ready to have it done but what really threw me was what happened between Bob Skinner and his wife Sarah. Here's where I thought this guy is a real moron. I mean he seems like a very strong character as a police officer but when it came to this woman he was just an idiot. I can't believe he made the decision he made regarding her after what he had learned about her. I had enjoyed his character until this point and now I was just shaking my head. I'm still not sure how I feel about this book.

[Laraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4 1/2 star read. Jardine does it again. Book #13 is as interesting and eventful as his previous books.
Bob is trying to get reinstated to the Police force after his collapse in America at his in laws funeral. His wife Sarah has stayed in America with the children to help settle the estate and grieve. She and Bob are estranged because she had asked him to stay and he went back to Scotland, once again putting himself and his career before her and the children. She drifts into a fling with an old flame. Meanwhile, Bob discovers that his brother, who he is long estranged from, has died, and he is determined to find out what happened to him. Something happens in America and Bob is soon flying back there to help Sarah. Will Bob and Sarah's marriage survive her fling? Will Bob be reinstated and will he be able to neutralize the forces that want him out of the force? Will he find out what happened to his brother? There are other events that take place in the book and all of them are enough to keep the reader turning pages and be fully engaged until the last page. Another really good read from a master author.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not so many confusing characters this time. As usual several crimes going on at once. Skinner’s estranged brother Michael dies and is found in a flooded basement. A fire breaks out at an art opening. Sarah stays in Buffalo and her old boyfriend/fling is murdered. Skinner solves all by his tested and unorthodox methods. Mario and Maggie call their marriage quits.

[Susan Butts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this romp through a set of "local" crimes! I was given this book by a friend, and it's not the sort of thing I usually read, so it was an unexpected pleasure. Lots of characters and situations to keep track of, though - but I don't think it mattered that I was jumping in to the middle of a series.

[ThatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice enough read, but the fact that there's like a hundred mysteries/crimes to be sorted does make it a bit scattered, unfocused. Still, it's a nice entertaining read.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great series

[Outlander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective series set in Edinburgh that's gritty and well written, an all round winner.

[Alida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fallen Gods, the thirteenth book of Quintin Jardine's Bob Skinner series, is more or less about the many problems that pop up all of a sudden in the life of the protagonist, a high-ranked police officer, and how his career gets involved in the same. The novel, as Observer acclaims, is "a well constructed fast-paced detective thriller with many an ingenious twist and turn".

As an ardent fan of crime thrillers, I enjoyed reading the book so so much. What attracted me the most was the abundance of crimes:) , when Michael is killed and the investigation is going on, there appears a great fire, then comes the murder of Ron, and the narrative jumps between all these incidents making the reading very interesting.  Apart from the aspect of crime and investigation, Jardine has also given importance to family relationship in the novel; we could see many families, both happy and broken,and the different views that people possess regarding family. 

    Personally I had many confusions about the characters, as there are so many of them. That is not because of any fault with the plot or narrative, but only because of the fact that the novel, which is the 13th book of the Bob Skinner series, is the first one that I have read from the series. Honestly I didn't knew that it is part of a series, but now that I know, I am definitely going to start from the first one!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number 13 in the Skinner series: carried-over (from #12) near-death of Skinner to start off; professional nemesis threatening; marital problems with his younger wife get serious; affairs, break-ups - among his colleagues too; death of a long-detested, hidden older brother; sweet&sour vengeance; 4 plot strands, of which two get knitted rather forcedly by our hero.
Chunks of Scottish settings (Gullane, of course, Pitlochry-area, Perth, Edinburgh), and a taste of Buffalo (NY). Glimpses of the unsavory underside of Scottish politics, establishment and sauna-trysts.
A good one-nighter that, as usual, recaps for the reader on the necessary preceding family and professional knots that Jardine loves to tie, untie, and retie.
I wish he would cut the adjectives and unnecessary descriptions in the early scenes, though ("Isn't it nice, dear, that we live up here in such a nice house, on this hillside above those awful floods down in Perth." (only partly paraphrasing!). The 4 stars are for good plotting, not good descriptive domestic early scene-writing. Characterisation & quick-witted dialogue are good too.

[Greg Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up not realising it was part of a series, which is entirely my fault. This meant that, at first, the ensemble cast were a little bit overwhelming; and working out quite who was who took a bit of thinking for the first few chapters. That said, once the plot got involved, all thoughts of confusion went away.

The story bounces along at a good rate, Jardine really manages to follow several plots at once without them becoming confusing or forgotten. The investigations are interesting to follow, and the characters are good fun.

Being from Edinburgh, where the book is set, I feel like I took some extra away from this read; but knowledge of the city is certainly a bonus and not a requirement.

This is a well written book, I look forward to reading more of Bob Skinner's escapades in the future.

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of Quintin Jardine's books, they are artfully plotted with several running stories. His character development is good and you get to know each of them for their individual traits. This one spanned by the U.S. and Scotland with 3 independent stories. They were tied up nicely at the end. Ready for the next in the series.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book with Bob Skinner although he wasn't always central to the story. Several investigations going on at the same time kept the story interesting. I enjoy the way his home life and the lives of his friends and colleagues evolve and interweave.
A good detective story!

[Robert Ashford · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time i have read this author. Well written but probably a bit optimistic to expect to be able to appreciate characters back stories. somewhat confused at times but will certainly try to find book 1 to read the series.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cracking read this was. Great series that just gets better and better.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good detective series, based in Scotland and America. You need to read Head Shot before this book to better understand the chain of events.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another compelling story about Wonder Bob and the cast of Scottish coppers. Wonderful stories, all of this series.

[Kay Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book plenty more of the author's to get through. Scottish crime three days to read.