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Quite Ugly One Evening
Not yet published
Expected 7 May 26'The plot is breathtaking, the setting beautiful and the characters are written with genuine depth. And smack bang in the middle of this Succession-meets-The Traitors novel is Brookmyre's most iconic the monumental Jack Parlabane. Irrepressible, acerbic and positively rubbing this hands with glee. Absolutely brilliant' M. W. Craven
'Brookmyre at his twisted best... Laugh out loud and perfectly conceived. What a bloody triumph' Helen Fields
An Atlantic voyage. A family at war. A secret worth killing over.
Reporter Jack Parlabane thrives on chasing stories in unlikely places, and where could be less likely than a fan convention on a cruise liner celebrating a contentious Sixties TV series? But unlike the media family exploiting their show's renewed relevance, he's not there to stoke he's there to solve a murder.
Already in deep water with his employer, Jack desperately needs a win, and solving this decades-old mystery could be it. Problem is, he's in the middle of the Atlantic, and someone onboard has already killed once to keep their secret.
And that's not even the tricky part. No, the tricky part is definitely the dead body locked in a stateroom with him, covered in his blood. Now Jack has to solve two murders, otherwise the only way he's getting off this ship is in handcuffs - or in a body bag.
Quite Ugly One Evening is a zeitgesty locked-room mystery that sees the return of rogue journalist Jack Parlabane thirty years after his first appearance in Quite Ugly One Morning.
Praise for Chris
'Chris Brookmyre is a genius' Richard Osman
'In the pantheon of great crime writers' Elly Griffiths
'There's nothing he can't do' Mick Herron
'Chris Brookmyre is a storytelling mastermind' Chris Whitaker
'Brookmyre at his twisted best... Laugh out loud and perfectly conceived. What a bloody triumph' Helen Fields
An Atlantic voyage. A family at war. A secret worth killing over.
Reporter Jack Parlabane thrives on chasing stories in unlikely places, and where could be less likely than a fan convention on a cruise liner celebrating a contentious Sixties TV series? But unlike the media family exploiting their show's renewed relevance, he's not there to stoke he's there to solve a murder.
Already in deep water with his employer, Jack desperately needs a win, and solving this decades-old mystery could be it. Problem is, he's in the middle of the Atlantic, and someone onboard has already killed once to keep their secret.
And that's not even the tricky part. No, the tricky part is definitely the dead body locked in a stateroom with him, covered in his blood. Now Jack has to solve two murders, otherwise the only way he's getting off this ship is in handcuffs - or in a body bag.
Quite Ugly One Evening is a zeitgesty locked-room mystery that sees the return of rogue journalist Jack Parlabane thirty years after his first appearance in Quite Ugly One Morning.
Praise for Chris
'Chris Brookmyre is a genius' Richard Osman
'In the pantheon of great crime writers' Elly Griffiths
'There's nothing he can't do' Mick Herron
'Chris Brookmyre is a storytelling mastermind' Chris Whitaker
- GenresCrimeMystery Thriller
359 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 7, 2026
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142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 16, 2025
4 - 5 stars, not sure which yet. RTC near publication as per requirements of the publisher.
Want to read
February 3, 2026I love locked room mysteries!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jack Parlabane, investigative journalist is approached by someone he knows at MI5 to investigate the decades-old death of an undercover agent. The agent in question was investigating rumours that a Russian spy had infiltrated a rich, influential family with connections to the higher echelons of the civil service, his death might have been natural or he could have been poisoned by the Russians. A recent release of information has made the latter seem more probable.
The family in question created a much beloved 1960s children's TV series (I was thinking like Thunderbirds but set in space). The series has fallen in and out of favour in the intervening period fuelled by nostalgia, the launch on video/DVD etc but has recently come in for a lot of criticism, not least from within parts of the family, for its antiquated and problematic themes (think Pidgeon English, goodies are white, baddies are people of colour etc). Anyway, the entire family will be attending a cruise from England to the USA which hosts a fan convention, which will give Jack some time to get close to the family and see what they can recall about the agent.
In terms of the family dynamics, there's the usual infighting between generations and siblings, added to which a Mitford-esque split in the younger generation between those who want the series to remain authentic (and argue that the Woke agenda would destroy the heart of the series) and those who want better representation and removal of the problematic themes. Added to which, a right-wing billionaire wants to buy the rights to the series from the family and the offer has divided the family in different ways again.
Inevitably, one of the family is murdered, and Jack appears to have been the designated fall guy - can he discover the identity of the murderer before he is charged?
Full disclosure, I think this is the ninth Jack Parlabane novel but the first one I have read, so I don't know whether they are always so political but there is a lot of discussion of the right wing agenda, Putin, Trump, etc. While I 100% agree with the politics I am not sure I wanted it to be so full on in a detective story - but again maybe if I had read the previous eight books I would be expecting it?
Anyway, I really enjoyed it, although Jack seems pretty athletic for a sixty-year old man (she says as an almost sixty-year old woman), I wonder if Chris Brookmyre is still writing him as the thirty-year old he was in the first book. My only gripe was that I thought the murderer's identity was a bit obvious.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
The family in question created a much beloved 1960s children's TV series (I was thinking like Thunderbirds but set in space). The series has fallen in and out of favour in the intervening period fuelled by nostalgia, the launch on video/DVD etc but has recently come in for a lot of criticism, not least from within parts of the family, for its antiquated and problematic themes (think Pidgeon English, goodies are white, baddies are people of colour etc). Anyway, the entire family will be attending a cruise from England to the USA which hosts a fan convention, which will give Jack some time to get close to the family and see what they can recall about the agent.
In terms of the family dynamics, there's the usual infighting between generations and siblings, added to which a Mitford-esque split in the younger generation between those who want the series to remain authentic (and argue that the Woke agenda would destroy the heart of the series) and those who want better representation and removal of the problematic themes. Added to which, a right-wing billionaire wants to buy the rights to the series from the family and the offer has divided the family in different ways again.
Inevitably, one of the family is murdered, and Jack appears to have been the designated fall guy - can he discover the identity of the murderer before he is charged?
Full disclosure, I think this is the ninth Jack Parlabane novel but the first one I have read, so I don't know whether they are always so political but there is a lot of discussion of the right wing agenda, Putin, Trump, etc. While I 100% agree with the politics I am not sure I wanted it to be so full on in a detective story - but again maybe if I had read the previous eight books I would be expecting it?
Anyway, I really enjoyed it, although Jack seems pretty athletic for a sixty-year old man (she says as an almost sixty-year old woman), I wonder if Chris Brookmyre is still writing him as the thirty-year old he was in the first book. My only gripe was that I thought the murderer's identity was a bit obvious.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
November 23, 2025
I’ve read a couple of Chris Brookmyre’s standalone novels, having, first came across him as one of his books was a book club choice.
His novels have a unique way of mixing thrills, laughs and satirical truth. The central character of Quite Ugly One Evening is Jack Parlabane, an investigative journalist with a somewhat flexible attitude towards the laws covering trespass and burglary. He thrives on chasing stories in unlikely places. In this story he’s in a most unlikely place - a fan convention on a cruise liner celebrating a contentious Sixties TV series. Unlike the media family who are trying to exploit their show's renewed relevance and controversy: he's there to solve cold case.
Jack has already got himself in hot water with his employer and hopes that solving a decades old mystery could offer him some redemption. It is essentially a locked room mystery - in the middle of the Atlantic. One of the passengers has already killed to keep their secret.
Oh, and the tricky part is that Jack is locked in a stateroom with a dead body that is covered in his blood! So, now he has two murders to solve - or the only way he is getting off the ship in New York is in handcuffs, or a body bag.
Looking at Goodreads there are 8 previous novels in the series with this protagonist. I haven’t read any of the preceding episodes but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book. So, if you are new to Chris Brookmyre / Jack Parlabane, you can still jump in and enjoy the story. The plot stands on its own feet. Obviously, it may be that reading earlier stories may add some interesting background nuggets, but this novel is complete without any further backstory being required. You may even want to read earlier stories as a result.
The plot is brisk and cleverly knotted, and the attitude matches my previous experience of Brookmyre. The title is a wink to an earlier story - Quite Ugly One Morning, the debut that introduced Jack Parlabane.
Family sits at the heart of this story. This is true of both Jack and the family at the centre of the story. The book understands the chemistry of family, a mix of tenderness and exasperation, and it uses that insight to drive choices that feel both surprising and inevitable. The story is a thriller with an aftertaste is emotional truth. The focus on family gives the book’s climax a satisfying feel. There are a lot of family, three generations in fact, which makes it initially a little confusing about who is who. As the story progresses it becomes easier as one is more familiar with the characters
The story is narrated by the central character, giving it a Philip Marlowe type feel. From the start it is obvious that Jack Parlabane has the ability to talk his way into trouble with the same flair that he uses to escape it. The narration and plot also offer an element of satirical humour, with thinly disguised cameos of current leaders and multimillionaire business people. There’s also a little humour aimed at political correctness in the media and the fact that things change over time. This may give the story a limited lifespan.
As one might expect from a continuation novel set well after the first, you can feel the accumulated experience of the central character. He is quick with his quips and sharp, but there is a feeling of maturity in how he he reads a person, room, or himself.
The family focus gives the climax a satisfying weight. Choices land harder when they carry the charge of shared history. Secrets feel more dangerous when they threaten not only freedom or safety but the stories a family tells about itself. The book understands that protection and control can look similar from the outside, and that trust is a fragile bridge built from a thousand small truths. That insight elevates the thrills into something that lingers after the final scene fades.
So here is my verdict: Quite Ugly One Evening is a fast, funny and heartfelt story that accords with my earlier Chris Brookmyre reads. It kept me tapping those Apple Books pages with an eager grin.
If you’ve read the previous works with this character then you’ll be eagerly awaiting its release (in 2026). If not, then maybe you could warm up by reading Jack’s previous adventures. That is what I will be doing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Little Brown Book Group UK / Abacus publishers for the opportunity to get an ARC for an honest review.
His novels have a unique way of mixing thrills, laughs and satirical truth. The central character of Quite Ugly One Evening is Jack Parlabane, an investigative journalist with a somewhat flexible attitude towards the laws covering trespass and burglary. He thrives on chasing stories in unlikely places. In this story he’s in a most unlikely place - a fan convention on a cruise liner celebrating a contentious Sixties TV series. Unlike the media family who are trying to exploit their show's renewed relevance and controversy: he's there to solve cold case.
Jack has already got himself in hot water with his employer and hopes that solving a decades old mystery could offer him some redemption. It is essentially a locked room mystery - in the middle of the Atlantic. One of the passengers has already killed to keep their secret.
Oh, and the tricky part is that Jack is locked in a stateroom with a dead body that is covered in his blood! So, now he has two murders to solve - or the only way he is getting off the ship in New York is in handcuffs, or a body bag.
Looking at Goodreads there are 8 previous novels in the series with this protagonist. I haven’t read any of the preceding episodes but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of this book. So, if you are new to Chris Brookmyre / Jack Parlabane, you can still jump in and enjoy the story. The plot stands on its own feet. Obviously, it may be that reading earlier stories may add some interesting background nuggets, but this novel is complete without any further backstory being required. You may even want to read earlier stories as a result.
The plot is brisk and cleverly knotted, and the attitude matches my previous experience of Brookmyre. The title is a wink to an earlier story - Quite Ugly One Morning, the debut that introduced Jack Parlabane.
Family sits at the heart of this story. This is true of both Jack and the family at the centre of the story. The book understands the chemistry of family, a mix of tenderness and exasperation, and it uses that insight to drive choices that feel both surprising and inevitable. The story is a thriller with an aftertaste is emotional truth. The focus on family gives the book’s climax a satisfying feel. There are a lot of family, three generations in fact, which makes it initially a little confusing about who is who. As the story progresses it becomes easier as one is more familiar with the characters
The story is narrated by the central character, giving it a Philip Marlowe type feel. From the start it is obvious that Jack Parlabane has the ability to talk his way into trouble with the same flair that he uses to escape it. The narration and plot also offer an element of satirical humour, with thinly disguised cameos of current leaders and multimillionaire business people. There’s also a little humour aimed at political correctness in the media and the fact that things change over time. This may give the story a limited lifespan.
As one might expect from a continuation novel set well after the first, you can feel the accumulated experience of the central character. He is quick with his quips and sharp, but there is a feeling of maturity in how he he reads a person, room, or himself.
The family focus gives the climax a satisfying weight. Choices land harder when they carry the charge of shared history. Secrets feel more dangerous when they threaten not only freedom or safety but the stories a family tells about itself. The book understands that protection and control can look similar from the outside, and that trust is a fragile bridge built from a thousand small truths. That insight elevates the thrills into something that lingers after the final scene fades.
So here is my verdict: Quite Ugly One Evening is a fast, funny and heartfelt story that accords with my earlier Chris Brookmyre reads. It kept me tapping those Apple Books pages with an eager grin.
If you’ve read the previous works with this character then you’ll be eagerly awaiting its release (in 2026). If not, then maybe you could warm up by reading Jack’s previous adventures. That is what I will be doing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Little Brown Book Group UK / Abacus publishers for the opportunity to get an ARC for an honest review.
March 29, 2026
Like most long standing series, I came to the Jack Parlabane novels very late. Black Widow was my first and it is fair to say that, having recently read book one, Quite Ugly One Morning, the tone of that book is very different to what we have here. Quite Ugly One Evening is, as the title might suggest, very reminiscent of the very first Jack Parlabane outing, and there are certain references and reminders of Jack's less than orthodox, or perhaps ethical, approach to journalism and where QUOM sees Jack faced with suspicion over the murder of a near neighbour in a locked flat, QUOE has echoes of that very firt story, not only in narrative style but in the eerily similar circumstances relating to the discovery of a body in a locked cabin, on a cruise ship, in the middle of the Atlantic. Linking factors - one Jack Parlabane and one rather daring, and foolhardy, escape over a balcony ...
I really enjoyed this book and actually found that, once I had found my way into the flow of the story, I flew through it at speed. Following a bereavement and a less than career enhancing error back at his journo gig, Jack finds himself 'engaged' by a mysterious figure from MI5 to join a transatlantic cruise on which a convention of fans for a celebrated 1960s childrens TV show are set to gather. Think Thunderbirds with a twist and you'll not be far wrong. The creator is recently deceased, leaving a bit of a tussle at the top as the remaining family members try to determine the future fortunes of the show and whether it should be reimagined for the modern, 'woke' audiences. Purists say no. Others call out the series 'problematic' elements - casual racism, misogyny - the usual roll call of views that have changed over time. But as to what could create such a division that it leads to murder? Well, that is what Jack needs to find out as his neck is well and truly on the block for this one.
I think in some ways I benefitted from reading book one so recently as the narrative voice was one I was used to, and much of Jack's behaviour seemed in keeping with what I might expect from such a maverick. I was also strangely invested in his fortunes in a way I'm not sure I would otherwise have been which is fortunate as there were few redeeming qualities to be called out amongst the wider cast of characters. The Maskyn family are not the easiest bunch to get along with, although Jack seems to manage to find an in as only he could. Chris Brookmyre's observations of the caustic and troubled family dynamic, as well as his explanations of the history between all of the main players, are delivered to us through Jack's preparations and research, told in his slightly cynical, darkly witty way that really does make me smile. Without that typically Scottish sarcasm humanising them and bringing them all down to a very basic, sometimes near tragic level, it really would be the cruise from hell, and I'm not sure I wouldn't have been waiting for more of them to fall victim to whoever plays fast and loose with the law.
That said, this would be a very one dimensional story if all of the characters were as objectionable as they first seem, and one thing that Mr Brookmyre is great at is giving all of his characters hidden depths. There was more than one occasion where Jack, and by extension me as the voyeur/reader, might have written off certain people as simply vacuous, over privileged, and yet are faced to back track on our perceptions when they show the true nature of their intelligence and capability. With a few surprises amongst the guests, a potential, proposed, near hostile takeover, and scandal dogging certain family members, it is the perfect cast of suspects for this unconventional locked-room mystery. From the very beginning of the book we know where this story is going to lead, but not the who or why. Jack begins a literal countdown to the 'point of no return', the line in the Atlantic from which there is no easy hope of rescue and by which point we know anything can, and likely will happen.
The pacing is spot on for a story that has to take place over a finite period of time and, yes, there are a few convenient situations that feed the story, enabling Jack when by rights most of the family should be giving him short shrift. But the dark humour, the sense of nostalgia that the story delivers - even though it is a fictional TV show, those of us of an age will appreciate the nod to our own experiences of childhood - and the impending countdown and knowledge that everything could easily go south, or overboard, for Jack held my attention and had me smiling constantly throughout. For those with a good understanding of Jack's past there is a big surprise in store too, one that the author builds towards over the course of the book but which still has the capacity to blindside the reader. It's a fitting, if unconventional end to the book, but in Jack Parlabane's world, would we expect anything else. Heartily recommended, if only for the chance to once more witness Jack at his maverick best, even if he is slowed somewhat by the passing of years. Aren't we all?
I really enjoyed this book and actually found that, once I had found my way into the flow of the story, I flew through it at speed. Following a bereavement and a less than career enhancing error back at his journo gig, Jack finds himself 'engaged' by a mysterious figure from MI5 to join a transatlantic cruise on which a convention of fans for a celebrated 1960s childrens TV show are set to gather. Think Thunderbirds with a twist and you'll not be far wrong. The creator is recently deceased, leaving a bit of a tussle at the top as the remaining family members try to determine the future fortunes of the show and whether it should be reimagined for the modern, 'woke' audiences. Purists say no. Others call out the series 'problematic' elements - casual racism, misogyny - the usual roll call of views that have changed over time. But as to what could create such a division that it leads to murder? Well, that is what Jack needs to find out as his neck is well and truly on the block for this one.
I think in some ways I benefitted from reading book one so recently as the narrative voice was one I was used to, and much of Jack's behaviour seemed in keeping with what I might expect from such a maverick. I was also strangely invested in his fortunes in a way I'm not sure I would otherwise have been which is fortunate as there were few redeeming qualities to be called out amongst the wider cast of characters. The Maskyn family are not the easiest bunch to get along with, although Jack seems to manage to find an in as only he could. Chris Brookmyre's observations of the caustic and troubled family dynamic, as well as his explanations of the history between all of the main players, are delivered to us through Jack's preparations and research, told in his slightly cynical, darkly witty way that really does make me smile. Without that typically Scottish sarcasm humanising them and bringing them all down to a very basic, sometimes near tragic level, it really would be the cruise from hell, and I'm not sure I wouldn't have been waiting for more of them to fall victim to whoever plays fast and loose with the law.
That said, this would be a very one dimensional story if all of the characters were as objectionable as they first seem, and one thing that Mr Brookmyre is great at is giving all of his characters hidden depths. There was more than one occasion where Jack, and by extension me as the voyeur/reader, might have written off certain people as simply vacuous, over privileged, and yet are faced to back track on our perceptions when they show the true nature of their intelligence and capability. With a few surprises amongst the guests, a potential, proposed, near hostile takeover, and scandal dogging certain family members, it is the perfect cast of suspects for this unconventional locked-room mystery. From the very beginning of the book we know where this story is going to lead, but not the who or why. Jack begins a literal countdown to the 'point of no return', the line in the Atlantic from which there is no easy hope of rescue and by which point we know anything can, and likely will happen.
The pacing is spot on for a story that has to take place over a finite period of time and, yes, there are a few convenient situations that feed the story, enabling Jack when by rights most of the family should be giving him short shrift. But the dark humour, the sense of nostalgia that the story delivers - even though it is a fictional TV show, those of us of an age will appreciate the nod to our own experiences of childhood - and the impending countdown and knowledge that everything could easily go south, or overboard, for Jack held my attention and had me smiling constantly throughout. For those with a good understanding of Jack's past there is a big surprise in store too, one that the author builds towards over the course of the book but which still has the capacity to blindside the reader. It's a fitting, if unconventional end to the book, but in Jack Parlabane's world, would we expect anything else. Heartily recommended, if only for the chance to once more witness Jack at his maverick best, even if he is slowed somewhat by the passing of years. Aren't we all?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A locked room mystery on board a cruise ship with Chris Brookmyre at the helm? Sign me up!
When reporter Jack Parlabane is asked to join an anniversary cruise celebrating a puppetry tv show from the 60s, he is sceptical. With a culture war brewing and a family at war, the seas may not be as calm as expected…
I have read a few Chris Brookmyre books, but I had no idea when I started reading that Quite Ugly One Evening is the tenth book in the Jack Parlabane mysteries – a series which started with Quite Ugly One Morning. If I had known the title of the first book, I doubt I would have made that mistake! As it is, this book does work as a standalone in some respects – although I’m sure readers of the series will get a lot more out of the ending reveal than I did!
The story is an odd one, it focuses around a tv series which sounds a lot like Thunderbirds - the original creator has died and all three generations of his family are trying to make the brand relevant again, with wildly differing results. Unfortunately, the family is large, with a lot of interconnected dynamics and political opinions - I ended up having to stop reading at 30% and go back to re-read and focus on who each person was. Aside from Jack, whose narrative voice is the only one we hear from, the rest of the family all seem to have something to hide in order to make them interesting suspects. This meant that I couldn’t find any of them relatable or likeable which was a bit of a shame, and they all seemed to blur together in places. I also found it a bit unrealistic how all of them seemed fine with this random journalist tagging along and included him in so many meetings and private conversations.
The plot is action packed though and I did love Brookmyre’s wry commentary at times with paragraphs that made me laugh out loud in places. As I said before, there’s a big reveal which I’m sure will delight readers of the series, but I did find myself getting a little lost in the complicated plot full of red herrings and false conclusions.
Overall, if you’re a fan of the Jack Parlabane series, then I’m sure Quite Ugly One Evening is a great next instalment. For those unfamiliar, it’s perhaps not the best one to start with – with too many characters and a complicated plot. Thank you to NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group – Abacus for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
When reporter Jack Parlabane is asked to join an anniversary cruise celebrating a puppetry tv show from the 60s, he is sceptical. With a culture war brewing and a family at war, the seas may not be as calm as expected…
I have read a few Chris Brookmyre books, but I had no idea when I started reading that Quite Ugly One Evening is the tenth book in the Jack Parlabane mysteries – a series which started with Quite Ugly One Morning. If I had known the title of the first book, I doubt I would have made that mistake! As it is, this book does work as a standalone in some respects – although I’m sure readers of the series will get a lot more out of the ending reveal than I did!
The story is an odd one, it focuses around a tv series which sounds a lot like Thunderbirds - the original creator has died and all three generations of his family are trying to make the brand relevant again, with wildly differing results. Unfortunately, the family is large, with a lot of interconnected dynamics and political opinions - I ended up having to stop reading at 30% and go back to re-read and focus on who each person was. Aside from Jack, whose narrative voice is the only one we hear from, the rest of the family all seem to have something to hide in order to make them interesting suspects. This meant that I couldn’t find any of them relatable or likeable which was a bit of a shame, and they all seemed to blur together in places. I also found it a bit unrealistic how all of them seemed fine with this random journalist tagging along and included him in so many meetings and private conversations.
The plot is action packed though and I did love Brookmyre’s wry commentary at times with paragraphs that made me laugh out loud in places. As I said before, there’s a big reveal which I’m sure will delight readers of the series, but I did find myself getting a little lost in the complicated plot full of red herrings and false conclusions.
Overall, if you’re a fan of the Jack Parlabane series, then I’m sure Quite Ugly One Evening is a great next instalment. For those unfamiliar, it’s perhaps not the best one to start with – with too many characters and a complicated plot. Thank you to NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group – Abacus for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 4.2/5
I was quite a late arrival at the Chris Brookmyre party. I hadn't read any of his work until five years ago when he brought out "The Cut". I loved it and have read everything he has published since then. However, that does mean that I have not encountered the character of Jack Parlabane previously, although he has already featured in a number of the author's books over the past thirty years. Much as I have come to love Chris Brookmyre's writing, I did have a niggling worry that being unfamiliar with an already established central character may marr my enjoyment of "Quite Ugly One Evening". If any prospective readers find themselves faced with a similar quandary, I can happily inform you that it didn't hamper my reading experience one jot and this can quite easily be read as a standalone story.
Maverick journalist, Jack Parlabane, finds himself somewhere in the North Atlantic on a giant ocean liner that is hosting a fan convention for a puppet series from the 1960s that bears an uncanny resemblance to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's "Thunderbirds". The series and the family behind it have had their troubles over the years, not least because many of its themes no longer seem to sit well with all sections of modern society. So, it wouldn't be surprising that an investigative journalist may find this worthy of attendance - but that isn't why Jack Parlabane is on board and it isn't long before he wishes he was anywhere but here.
As well as being a cleverly constructed mystery, "Quite Ugly One Evening" contains the acerbic wit and socio-political observations that Chris Brookmyre is known for. There is quite a list of dramatis personae and it does take a little while for the reader to become comfortable with precisely who is who. However, the characterisation is top notch and, although everyone contained within the pages of this book is purely a fictional creation, there will be some real life personalities who you may think have provided the inspiration for them. One of the things that differentiates and elevates this novel when compared with many others from the same genre, is that Chris Brookmyre not only recognises the importance of having an engaging and captivating central protagonist, but he also delivers precisely that in the form of Jack Parlabane.
This is yet another highly entertaining read from Chris Brookmyre and I have no doubt I will be returning for his next offering too.
I was quite a late arrival at the Chris Brookmyre party. I hadn't read any of his work until five years ago when he brought out "The Cut". I loved it and have read everything he has published since then. However, that does mean that I have not encountered the character of Jack Parlabane previously, although he has already featured in a number of the author's books over the past thirty years. Much as I have come to love Chris Brookmyre's writing, I did have a niggling worry that being unfamiliar with an already established central character may marr my enjoyment of "Quite Ugly One Evening". If any prospective readers find themselves faced with a similar quandary, I can happily inform you that it didn't hamper my reading experience one jot and this can quite easily be read as a standalone story.
Maverick journalist, Jack Parlabane, finds himself somewhere in the North Atlantic on a giant ocean liner that is hosting a fan convention for a puppet series from the 1960s that bears an uncanny resemblance to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's "Thunderbirds". The series and the family behind it have had their troubles over the years, not least because many of its themes no longer seem to sit well with all sections of modern society. So, it wouldn't be surprising that an investigative journalist may find this worthy of attendance - but that isn't why Jack Parlabane is on board and it isn't long before he wishes he was anywhere but here.
As well as being a cleverly constructed mystery, "Quite Ugly One Evening" contains the acerbic wit and socio-political observations that Chris Brookmyre is known for. There is quite a list of dramatis personae and it does take a little while for the reader to become comfortable with precisely who is who. However, the characterisation is top notch and, although everyone contained within the pages of this book is purely a fictional creation, there will be some real life personalities who you may think have provided the inspiration for them. One of the things that differentiates and elevates this novel when compared with many others from the same genre, is that Chris Brookmyre not only recognises the importance of having an engaging and captivating central protagonist, but he also delivers precisely that in the form of Jack Parlabane.
This is yet another highly entertaining read from Chris Brookmyre and I have no doubt I will be returning for his next offering too.
October 16, 2025
Investigative journalist Jack Parlabane has just agreed to act unofficially for MI5 by heading off on a luxury seven day cruise to New York. This is not the first encounter he’s had with Five, and he would have rejected the approach except that his career has just suffered a set-back and he needs something to rescue him from imminent unemployment. Among other things, the cruise includes a convention celebrating sixty years of “The Imaginators”, a TV puppet show which has since become a cult. The show was originated by the late Neville Maskyn and his wife Eliza in 1963, and its legacy and spin-offs are now managed by the family. It is as un-woke as possible (i.e. totally sixties) but there is a rumour that it will be brought up to ‘modern’ standards, so tensions within the fandom and with the Maskyn family are high. Ostensibly Jack, a well-known Anti-woke warrior, will be investigating this aspect, but his actual remit is to find out what led to the death of Simeon Wickham, forty years ago. By that time the family had risen high within the Establishment and Wickham’s task had been to identify a suspected Russian agent or fellow-traveller within the wider family. The long dead case has been revived because of recent new intelligence. So a week of luxury, a culture wars story, and a dubious spy story. Sounds like fun!
This is the tenth Jack Parlabane novel covering the last thirty years. Jack is now touching sixty, but he hasn’t lost his cynical, sceptical outlook, heightened in recent years by the outbreak of political correctness, conspiracy theorists and woke-peddling influencers. Jack is not shy about these views, lending a comedic edge to the writing style; which is flippant even when he fears he is in a life or death situation, or two, or three. The plot is quite complex; solving the central question appears straight forward, but perhaps it wasn’t really the central question after all. Some characters from previous books appear, but you don’t need to know any background. Nevertheless, if you haven’t read the others I would encourage you to do so; including the short story “Bampot Central”.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
This is the tenth Jack Parlabane novel covering the last thirty years. Jack is now touching sixty, but he hasn’t lost his cynical, sceptical outlook, heightened in recent years by the outbreak of political correctness, conspiracy theorists and woke-peddling influencers. Jack is not shy about these views, lending a comedic edge to the writing style; which is flippant even when he fears he is in a life or death situation, or two, or three. The plot is quite complex; solving the central question appears straight forward, but perhaps it wasn’t really the central question after all. Some characters from previous books appear, but you don’t need to know any background. Nevertheless, if you haven’t read the others I would encourage you to do so; including the short story “Bampot Central”.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had no idea the title referred to the author’s first Jack Parlabane book ‘Quite Ugly One Morning’. I haven’t read any of the books of this series about an investigative journalist, only the standalones. I was drawn to this novel because it promised me a locked room mystery so I simply jumped right in and frankly it didn’t pose any problems, I was able to follow just fine.
Jack finds himself in quite a predicament at the start of the novel so my level of excitement was quite high from the very beginning but then the story moved onto the corporation The Imaginators, and the reason why Jack finds himself on the Atlantic Queen going undercover on a fan cruise and I completely lost sight of how it had all started until it came roaring back. I quite enjoy novels that go full circle and then take it from there.
What I did struggle with a little at the beginning was the cast. There weren’t any introductions and the who’s who of the big Maskyn family (10+ persons) confused me at first so I had to draw a family tree. Eliza and Neville Maskyn were the founders of the 60’s puppet show, they have 4 children of which two present with their husbands and there are 4 grown grandchildren. It looks easy now but with just names being thrown around it wasn’t clear at first who the children or grandchildren were. The family business is under attack because nowadays it is not woke enough so they have to vote if they want to sell the company or not. It is only the beginning because there are twists and turns, there’s murder and of course there are Russians aboard so are they involved? Meanwhile Jack’s assignment is actually to investigate the disappearance of someone who was acquainted to the family over 40 years earlier and he’s not getting anywhere. It’s not that he doesn’t have enough to sink his teeth in but I did wonder and this storyline certainly delivered in the end, as much as finding out who the murderer was on board that ship. I was pleasantly surprised with the revelations in both storylines. No way you’ll guess both!
I enjoyed the novel as a whole but I enjoyed it more from the second half where there was less talk and more action. Who would have thought? Anyway, if you like a complex mystery in Brookmyre’s signatory style then this one won’t disappoint.
Jack finds himself in quite a predicament at the start of the novel so my level of excitement was quite high from the very beginning but then the story moved onto the corporation The Imaginators, and the reason why Jack finds himself on the Atlantic Queen going undercover on a fan cruise and I completely lost sight of how it had all started until it came roaring back. I quite enjoy novels that go full circle and then take it from there.
What I did struggle with a little at the beginning was the cast. There weren’t any introductions and the who’s who of the big Maskyn family (10+ persons) confused me at first so I had to draw a family tree. Eliza and Neville Maskyn were the founders of the 60’s puppet show, they have 4 children of which two present with their husbands and there are 4 grown grandchildren. It looks easy now but with just names being thrown around it wasn’t clear at first who the children or grandchildren were. The family business is under attack because nowadays it is not woke enough so they have to vote if they want to sell the company or not. It is only the beginning because there are twists and turns, there’s murder and of course there are Russians aboard so are they involved? Meanwhile Jack’s assignment is actually to investigate the disappearance of someone who was acquainted to the family over 40 years earlier and he’s not getting anywhere. It’s not that he doesn’t have enough to sink his teeth in but I did wonder and this storyline certainly delivered in the end, as much as finding out who the murderer was on board that ship. I was pleasantly surprised with the revelations in both storylines. No way you’ll guess both!
I enjoyed the novel as a whole but I enjoyed it more from the second half where there was less talk and more action. Who would have thought? Anyway, if you like a complex mystery in Brookmyre’s signatory style then this one won’t disappoint.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Before I start I should probably say that Chris Brookmyre is one of my very favourite authors, and Quite Ugly One Morning is probably my favourite of his previous books (although that is a very competitive field as I have literally loved everything he has ever written). So, it is safe to say that I was very excited to get an advance copy of Quite Ugly One Evening!
While I usually rush through my books (the reason I prefer crime is because it is so pacy) with Brookmyre I like to read more slowly and savour every word. His writing style is soooooo good it would be a travesty to miss any of it. This is a Jack Parlabane novel, so I knew I would like it, but boy how much did I love it! Without giving any spoilers, this is vintage Parlabane and delivers everything fans would want. Thirty years on from his first appearance, Jack is older but not necessarily wiser. He learns a lot about himself during this book and it is interesting to see how that affects him, but he is still very much the combative and hotheaded Jack we know and love. Even if this is your first Brookmyre novel, it is still an excellent story with lots to love, but being familiar with the character of Jack does add an extra layer of enjoyment.
The plot revolves around a luxury cruise, to celebrate the Maskyn family, who are the creators of a children's programme (a la Thunderbirds) which has a special place in the hearts of those who grew up with it, but is struggling to adapt to the 21st century. This causes divisions within the family and there is a battle for control of the company behind the scenes, while the public celebrations continue. There is the usual mix of politics and violence, which are always part of a Brookmyre novel, and the whole builds to a satisfying conclusion.
What more can I say? It was great, I loved it and, as ever, I can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to the publishers for letting me have a copy via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.
While I usually rush through my books (the reason I prefer crime is because it is so pacy) with Brookmyre I like to read more slowly and savour every word. His writing style is soooooo good it would be a travesty to miss any of it. This is a Jack Parlabane novel, so I knew I would like it, but boy how much did I love it! Without giving any spoilers, this is vintage Parlabane and delivers everything fans would want. Thirty years on from his first appearance, Jack is older but not necessarily wiser. He learns a lot about himself during this book and it is interesting to see how that affects him, but he is still very much the combative and hotheaded Jack we know and love. Even if this is your first Brookmyre novel, it is still an excellent story with lots to love, but being familiar with the character of Jack does add an extra layer of enjoyment.
The plot revolves around a luxury cruise, to celebrate the Maskyn family, who are the creators of a children's programme (a la Thunderbirds) which has a special place in the hearts of those who grew up with it, but is struggling to adapt to the 21st century. This causes divisions within the family and there is a battle for control of the company behind the scenes, while the public celebrations continue. There is the usual mix of politics and violence, which are always part of a Brookmyre novel, and the whole builds to a satisfying conclusion.
What more can I say? It was great, I loved it and, as ever, I can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to the publishers for letting me have a copy via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.
November 26, 2025
Quite Ugly One Evening is book nine in the long running Jack Parlabane series, it almost seems to have a cult status amongst fans. I must admit that this is my very first read featuring Jack. I clearly have missed a lot of our protagonist’s history, as the first book in this long running series was written and set 30 years ago.
Jack is an old school investigative journalist, who finds himself increasingly out of step with the online clickbait trend of modern journalism. After a particularly demoralising outcome from what was hoped to be a big scoop, a family bereavement is followed swiftly by a strange and intriguing proposition. His gut is telling him to run in the opposite direction, that he is being set up. Can he resist the draw of a big story?
The characters feel very real, you see the whole gamut of humanity. From the decent, to the thoroughly obnoxious narcissists, who will do and say anything, just to get their social media figures up, regardless of the impact of their words. I really felt that the writing depicted some of the vacuous extremists so well, who seem to be increasingly present in our current world. There are a lot of characters, so I advise making notes, particularly of the Maskyn family, so you can keep track of their complex relationships.
I thoroughly enjoyed this “locked room” style thriller, I found Jack’s humour and observations to be razor sharp. I loved the description of a character’s behaviour being, “Trashy. Trumpy”. It says so much, in so few words, and the description of this individual’s accent is fabulous. I genuinely laughed out loud at these moments.
This is a complex story, which travels at a good pace, and is packed with wry wit, which I loved. It feels so relevant to our current social environment, I’m sure many readers will be nodding along whilst reading, just as I was.
Jack is an old school investigative journalist, who finds himself increasingly out of step with the online clickbait trend of modern journalism. After a particularly demoralising outcome from what was hoped to be a big scoop, a family bereavement is followed swiftly by a strange and intriguing proposition. His gut is telling him to run in the opposite direction, that he is being set up. Can he resist the draw of a big story?
The characters feel very real, you see the whole gamut of humanity. From the decent, to the thoroughly obnoxious narcissists, who will do and say anything, just to get their social media figures up, regardless of the impact of their words. I really felt that the writing depicted some of the vacuous extremists so well, who seem to be increasingly present in our current world. There are a lot of characters, so I advise making notes, particularly of the Maskyn family, so you can keep track of their complex relationships.
I thoroughly enjoyed this “locked room” style thriller, I found Jack’s humour and observations to be razor sharp. I loved the description of a character’s behaviour being, “Trashy. Trumpy”. It says so much, in so few words, and the description of this individual’s accent is fabulous. I genuinely laughed out loud at these moments.
This is a complex story, which travels at a good pace, and is packed with wry wit, which I loved. It feels so relevant to our current social environment, I’m sure many readers will be nodding along whilst reading, just as I was.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jack Parlabane is back and he's in a lot of trouble. So nothing new there then. His career is teetering on the edge of oblivion, his personal life isn't any better and now he's been asked to get on a ship to find out what happened to an MI5 agent decades ago. So nothing too difficult then?
As if that's not bad enough he's going to have to infiltrate a famous family, dodge Russians and Maga chuds, keep his true identity quiet and stay out of the way of a man who can tank his career. Oh and there's trying to dodge murderers and police thrown in just to stop things getting dull.
To add to the mayhem the family at the heart of the novel are the Maskyns, who brought the wildly popular Imaginators to the small screen way back when Jack was a boy. Unfortunately as a relaunch looms there are two opposing camps as part of the family wants a CGI update and the other half wants to keep the original puppet animation. Fans are equally divided and a new player wanting to throw his weight behind the anti-woke re-boot is just about to emerge, which will threaten the best laid plans of all involved.
This is Brookmyre's first Parlabane novel in 9 years and its good to have the irascible journo back again. The novel is, at the heart, a locked room mystery, being set almost entirely on board a cruise ship. Jack's terrible sense of direction certainly doesn't help him as he tries to solve a murder while ducking the Police in the guise of retired Superintendent Gardner.
Confession: I read all the early books but lost touch with Jack back in 2015 after Dead Girl Walking and note that I've several I missed before that. However he was my first introduction to the excellent Mr Brookmyre's books which have provided me 40 years of joy.
Highly recommended.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Lilly Cox @ LittleBrown for the digital review copy. Most appreciated.
As if that's not bad enough he's going to have to infiltrate a famous family, dodge Russians and Maga chuds, keep his true identity quiet and stay out of the way of a man who can tank his career. Oh and there's trying to dodge murderers and police thrown in just to stop things getting dull.
To add to the mayhem the family at the heart of the novel are the Maskyns, who brought the wildly popular Imaginators to the small screen way back when Jack was a boy. Unfortunately as a relaunch looms there are two opposing camps as part of the family wants a CGI update and the other half wants to keep the original puppet animation. Fans are equally divided and a new player wanting to throw his weight behind the anti-woke re-boot is just about to emerge, which will threaten the best laid plans of all involved.
This is Brookmyre's first Parlabane novel in 9 years and its good to have the irascible journo back again. The novel is, at the heart, a locked room mystery, being set almost entirely on board a cruise ship. Jack's terrible sense of direction certainly doesn't help him as he tries to solve a murder while ducking the Police in the guise of retired Superintendent Gardner.
Confession: I read all the early books but lost touch with Jack back in 2015 after Dead Girl Walking and note that I've several I missed before that. However he was my first introduction to the excellent Mr Brookmyre's books which have provided me 40 years of joy.
Highly recommended.
Thankyou very much to Netgalley and Lilly Cox @ LittleBrown for the digital review copy. Most appreciated.
November 15, 2025
Quite Ugly One Evening by Chris Brookmyre is a darkly comic, fast-paced crime novel that blends murder mystery with biting social commentary. Jack Parlabane is a sharp witted and often irreverent investigative reporter that has a knack for getting himself into messy situations.
Quite Ugly One Evening takes you on a thrilling and darkly humorous ride across the Atlantic, blending the intrigue of a locked-room mystery with biting satire and a refreshing return of rogue journalist Jack Parlabane. The novel, which reintroduces Parlabane three decades after his debut in Quite Ugly One Morning, feels both like a nostalgic trip down memory lane for fans of the character and a sharp commentary on celebrity culture, media exploitation and family dysfunction.
Brookmyre's writing is sharp, and his skillful use of humor adds a unique layer to the crime genre. Parlabane's cynical, sarcastic persona is both hilarious and relatable as he navigates a world of culture war, media manipulation and, of course, murder. The combination of Brookmyre’s biting wit and an intricate plot full of unexpected twists and turns keeps you hooked from the first page to the last.
Quite Ugly One Evening is a clever, fast-paced mystery with a sharp edge of satire. Chris Brookmyre proves once again that he is a master of combining suspense, dark humor and social commentary. The return of Jack Parlabane is more than just a nostalgic trip, it’s an opportunity for readers to witness the evolution of a character and enjoy a story that’s both thrilling and thought provoking. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to Brookmyre’s work, this novel is a compelling read that won’t disappoint.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
Quite Ugly One Evening takes you on a thrilling and darkly humorous ride across the Atlantic, blending the intrigue of a locked-room mystery with biting satire and a refreshing return of rogue journalist Jack Parlabane. The novel, which reintroduces Parlabane three decades after his debut in Quite Ugly One Morning, feels both like a nostalgic trip down memory lane for fans of the character and a sharp commentary on celebrity culture, media exploitation and family dysfunction.
Brookmyre's writing is sharp, and his skillful use of humor adds a unique layer to the crime genre. Parlabane's cynical, sarcastic persona is both hilarious and relatable as he navigates a world of culture war, media manipulation and, of course, murder. The combination of Brookmyre’s biting wit and an intricate plot full of unexpected twists and turns keeps you hooked from the first page to the last.
Quite Ugly One Evening is a clever, fast-paced mystery with a sharp edge of satire. Chris Brookmyre proves once again that he is a master of combining suspense, dark humor and social commentary. The return of Jack Parlabane is more than just a nostalgic trip, it’s an opportunity for readers to witness the evolution of a character and enjoy a story that’s both thrilling and thought provoking. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to Brookmyre’s work, this novel is a compelling read that won’t disappoint.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advanced copy in exchange for my review.
November 7, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for a copy in exchange for a review.
I’ve read a few Chris Brookmyre books before, and particularly loved his last book, The Cracked Mirror, but this was my first from the Jack Parlabane series which started 30 years ago! And I definitely felt like I was missing a huge back story. However, I did still really enjoyed this!
Investigative journalist Jack Parlabane is on thin ice with his employer. He’s then not so much offered as forced into a job by MI5. Jack has to join a boat cruise celebrating 60 years of an animated series, The Imaginators and find out what he can about the Maskyn family behind the show. And most importantly, what their connection is to a murdered spy from the 80s.
Now at this point, I spent half of the book confused by all the members of the Maskyn family, their entourage, and their relationships to one another. I struggled to remember who everyone was and should have drawn a family tree at the beginning!
Anyway, by the time I got about 3/4 through the confusion subsided and I really got into the story as Jack finds himself embroiled in the family drama and becoming prime suspect in a murder!
Amongst the family politics and wider politics (The Imaginators being appropriated by far right groups and using it to support their agenda), is a locked room (well, locked boat) mystery/whodunnit with espionage, deceit and so many surprises!
Although I struggled a bit with the pace in the middle, which had a lot of plodding around the family’s decision to sell or not to sell the Imaginators brand, the twists, turns and surprises of the last quarter more than made up for it!
I’ve read a few Chris Brookmyre books before, and particularly loved his last book, The Cracked Mirror, but this was my first from the Jack Parlabane series which started 30 years ago! And I definitely felt like I was missing a huge back story. However, I did still really enjoyed this!
Investigative journalist Jack Parlabane is on thin ice with his employer. He’s then not so much offered as forced into a job by MI5. Jack has to join a boat cruise celebrating 60 years of an animated series, The Imaginators and find out what he can about the Maskyn family behind the show. And most importantly, what their connection is to a murdered spy from the 80s.
Now at this point, I spent half of the book confused by all the members of the Maskyn family, their entourage, and their relationships to one another. I struggled to remember who everyone was and should have drawn a family tree at the beginning!
Anyway, by the time I got about 3/4 through the confusion subsided and I really got into the story as Jack finds himself embroiled in the family drama and becoming prime suspect in a murder!
Amongst the family politics and wider politics (The Imaginators being appropriated by far right groups and using it to support their agenda), is a locked room (well, locked boat) mystery/whodunnit with espionage, deceit and so many surprises!
Although I struggled a bit with the pace in the middle, which had a lot of plodding around the family’s decision to sell or not to sell the Imaginators brand, the twists, turns and surprises of the last quarter more than made up for it!
October 12, 2025
What a pleasure to dive once more into the twisted, sarcastic, intricately-plotted exploits of the flawed Jack Parlabane, this time set on a cruise ship, with family machinations crossed with MI5, and Russian oligarchs thrown in for good measure.
All Brookmyre's signature dissection and vilification of society's more ridiculous trends is still on point, while he still manages to create credible and rounded characters, an addictive plot, breathless pacing and the ultimate satisfying conclusion.
It took me ages to get around to writing this review because I felt impelled to re-read, after so many years, both the original, and several others in different series, just for the joy of his Scottish cynicism and ability to encapsulate so much derision into perfect, acidic, multi-clause sentences. And it is interesting to compare how Brookmyre has tightened his style and delivery, to give maximum effect. It might be argued that this latest book is so tight as to be verging on formulaic, but if you want Jack Parlabane, this is how he is, and you can't have it both ways.
It might also be argued that the ending is a smidge contrived and - heavens forfend - just a tad saccharine, but then, this is the 30th anniversary of the poor fictional hero, and he has spent quite some time in horrendous circumstances over the years, courtesy of his brutal author, so I think he deserved, in what looks like his last outing, to get something like a happy ending.
An engrossing and entertaining read, as always.
I received this DRC from Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
All Brookmyre's signature dissection and vilification of society's more ridiculous trends is still on point, while he still manages to create credible and rounded characters, an addictive plot, breathless pacing and the ultimate satisfying conclusion.
It took me ages to get around to writing this review because I felt impelled to re-read, after so many years, both the original, and several others in different series, just for the joy of his Scottish cynicism and ability to encapsulate so much derision into perfect, acidic, multi-clause sentences. And it is interesting to compare how Brookmyre has tightened his style and delivery, to give maximum effect. It might be argued that this latest book is so tight as to be verging on formulaic, but if you want Jack Parlabane, this is how he is, and you can't have it both ways.
It might also be argued that the ending is a smidge contrived and - heavens forfend - just a tad saccharine, but then, this is the 30th anniversary of the poor fictional hero, and he has spent quite some time in horrendous circumstances over the years, courtesy of his brutal author, so I think he deserved, in what looks like his last outing, to get something like a happy ending.
An engrossing and entertaining read, as always.
I received this DRC from Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
November 14, 2025
Jack's back! So, thirty years may have passed since that amazing morning, and that infamous mantlepiece artwork, and Jack Parlabane may have grown up somewhat, but the undercurrent of sweary words is there, just beneath his surface, just waiting to explode - and because of (or despite of?) all the misadventures along the way, he's reining some of them in, having probably upset one person too many.
He may be nudging 60, but he can't and won't knuckle down and toe the company line, and he's banished from the newspaper he's still trying to hunt down a good story for. In steps a blast from the past, with an ultimatum (he's had a few of those over the years!) - get himself on to a transatlantic cruise ship, join a fan convention from a 1960s tv series and infiltrate the family (the dynasty?) who own the show. The task - find a Russian infiltrator from decades ago, except life gets complicated by, oh, a murder of two? Sure. Jack revels in complications, and really should be used to the danger by now...
This is a spy slash murder escapade with some perfectly-timed moments of the trademark Brookmyre humour; I guess I do miss some of the rants that populated some of the earlier instalments but hey, that's what happens when we all grow up! No, not Jack. I don't think he ever will, though he does have a moment when he checks himself out, all dressed up, and reckons there's something in all this grown-up stuff. But I reckon he'll be back to less than a smart casual next time. Joyous.
Come back to your Review on the pub date, 7 May 2026, to post to
He may be nudging 60, but he can't and won't knuckle down and toe the company line, and he's banished from the newspaper he's still trying to hunt down a good story for. In steps a blast from the past, with an ultimatum (he's had a few of those over the years!) - get himself on to a transatlantic cruise ship, join a fan convention from a 1960s tv series and infiltrate the family (the dynasty?) who own the show. The task - find a Russian infiltrator from decades ago, except life gets complicated by, oh, a murder of two? Sure. Jack revels in complications, and really should be used to the danger by now...
This is a spy slash murder escapade with some perfectly-timed moments of the trademark Brookmyre humour; I guess I do miss some of the rants that populated some of the earlier instalments but hey, that's what happens when we all grow up! No, not Jack. I don't think he ever will, though he does have a moment when he checks himself out, all dressed up, and reckons there's something in all this grown-up stuff. But I reckon he'll be back to less than a smart casual next time. Joyous.
Come back to your Review on the pub date, 7 May 2026, to post to
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to Chris and NetGalley for allowing me to read Quite Ugly One Evening prior to the publication date.
This is a locked room(ship) mystery with the story playing out over 7 days.
Journalist Jack Parlabane’s career is hanging by a thread after his planned sting of a reality TV contestant went
horribly wrong.
Approached by a member of the security services, Jack is blackmailed into co-operating with them.
He has to use his investigative skills to determine what happened 40 years earlier to an agent, Simeon Wickham.
Wickham had been investigating links between the Maskyn family and the Russians when he disappeared.
The Maskyn family shot to fame when they made a puppet show, The Imaginators.
Over the years, the business has seen highs and lows as offshoots were created to meet market demand.
Now the family are at war. The younger generations of the family want to rewrite the show to comply with the cultural standards of today, but the fan base that supports the business don’t want the changes.
There is a 60th Anniversary Convention for the show on a cruise liner heading for the USA.
Jack is booked on the cruise where he sets out to learn more about the family.
He should have packed a lie detector as each member has at least 2 personas.
The author uses the 60th anniversary of the Imaginators puppet show to discuss the cultural differences since the show was first made and the current day.
It would have been helpful to have a family tree for the extended Maskyn family, particularly as they have unusual and androgenous names.
This is a locked room(ship) mystery with the story playing out over 7 days.
Journalist Jack Parlabane’s career is hanging by a thread after his planned sting of a reality TV contestant went
horribly wrong.
Approached by a member of the security services, Jack is blackmailed into co-operating with them.
He has to use his investigative skills to determine what happened 40 years earlier to an agent, Simeon Wickham.
Wickham had been investigating links between the Maskyn family and the Russians when he disappeared.
The Maskyn family shot to fame when they made a puppet show, The Imaginators.
Over the years, the business has seen highs and lows as offshoots were created to meet market demand.
Now the family are at war. The younger generations of the family want to rewrite the show to comply with the cultural standards of today, but the fan base that supports the business don’t want the changes.
There is a 60th Anniversary Convention for the show on a cruise liner heading for the USA.
Jack is booked on the cruise where he sets out to learn more about the family.
He should have packed a lie detector as each member has at least 2 personas.
The author uses the 60th anniversary of the Imaginators puppet show to discuss the cultural differences since the show was first made and the current day.
It would have been helpful to have a family tree for the extended Maskyn family, particularly as they have unusual and androgenous names.
September 14, 2025
‘Quite Ugly One Evening’, by Chris Brookmyre, is the long awaited second book in the Jack Parlabane series.
This time around the rogue journalist is pressurised through the threat of losing his job into boarding a celebrity type cruise to New York,with the task of digging into a disappearance many years ago.The media family at the centre of his journalistic snooping are hosting a floating celebration of their puppet led sixties TV series that is currently adrift in muddy politically incorrect waters and sinking in dire financial straits.
This all makes for a complicated investigation as Jack deals with his own issues from the past and present combining to make his sense of isolation overwhelming among a variety of duplicitous characters focused on their own agendas.
The author skilfully draws the reader into caring deeply about the cast of characters as Jack tries to make sense of the flawed individuals at the centre of this intriguing mystery that crosses political and international borders.Here’s to hoping that we don’t need to wait as long for the the next instalment in this thoroughly enjoyable series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK ,for an Advance Readers Copy.
This time around the rogue journalist is pressurised through the threat of losing his job into boarding a celebrity type cruise to New York,with the task of digging into a disappearance many years ago.The media family at the centre of his journalistic snooping are hosting a floating celebration of their puppet led sixties TV series that is currently adrift in muddy politically incorrect waters and sinking in dire financial straits.
This all makes for a complicated investigation as Jack deals with his own issues from the past and present combining to make his sense of isolation overwhelming among a variety of duplicitous characters focused on their own agendas.
The author skilfully draws the reader into caring deeply about the cast of characters as Jack tries to make sense of the flawed individuals at the centre of this intriguing mystery that crosses political and international borders.Here’s to hoping that we don’t need to wait as long for the the next instalment in this thoroughly enjoyable series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK ,for an Advance Readers Copy.
September 28, 2025
Somewhere in a locked room is the outrageous talent of the erstwhile Christopher Brookmyre, while out here is an imposter waiting to be unmasked.
I don’t expect Brookmyre to be condemned, like an ageing rock star, to endlessly reprise the hits of his youth, but since the title of Quite Ugly One Evening explicitly references the first Parlabane novel, I think it is fair to make the comparison.
What happened to those pages-long rants with their somersaulting multi-clause sentences? Those grotesque characters with their baroque conspiracies? Where are the jokes? The politics is there but, even though I broadly agree with Brookmyre, I find myself wanting to argue because they are so predictably laid out. And the characters all feel like stereotypes. The plot is fiendish but formulaic.
I really enjoyed Black Widow and Fallen Angel, which combined the complexity and depth of his early novels with a more understated voice. Since then though, I’ve been increasingly disillusioned. It’s as if the early Brookmyre prose has been cranked through Grammarly and the plots are the consequence of real-time collaboration with a beach-reading focus group.
Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.
*
Copy from NetGalley
I don’t expect Brookmyre to be condemned, like an ageing rock star, to endlessly reprise the hits of his youth, but since the title of Quite Ugly One Evening explicitly references the first Parlabane novel, I think it is fair to make the comparison.
What happened to those pages-long rants with their somersaulting multi-clause sentences? Those grotesque characters with their baroque conspiracies? Where are the jokes? The politics is there but, even though I broadly agree with Brookmyre, I find myself wanting to argue because they are so predictably laid out. And the characters all feel like stereotypes. The plot is fiendish but formulaic.
I really enjoyed Black Widow and Fallen Angel, which combined the complexity and depth of his early novels with a more understated voice. Since then though, I’ve been increasingly disillusioned. It’s as if the early Brookmyre prose has been cranked through Grammarly and the plots are the consequence of real-time collaboration with a beach-reading focus group.
Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.
*
Copy from NetGalley
October 1, 2025
Very happy to have Jack Parlabane back, and more so that this is a return to the exuberant and over the top style of books like Be My Enemy and …Rubber Ducks after the more understated recent entries in the series. There are strong Succession vibes as the Maskyn family (and boy is there a lot of masking going on in this book) struggle with the future direction of their family business, on a sea cruise that becomes a microcosm of the ongoing culture war. Set in our world of divisive politics and online opinions. It’s no surprise where Brookmyre’s and Parlabane’s allegiances lie, but he is a smart enough writer to avoid the easy right wing = bad, left wing = good trap, and you will find your take on characters on each side of the divide changing as the story progresses.
Basically, I loved this. It’s twisty, turny, funny, dramatic, compassionate and exciting, as good as any previous Parlabane adventure. I did worry that the title, referencing as it did the very first Jack Parlabane novel, was an indication that this could be the end of the series, a capstone to the whole lot. It may yet be, of course, but there’s no air of finality, and the ending leaves a whole new direction Jack could go in, should the author choose. I’ll keep reading them as long as he keeps writing them!
Basically, I loved this. It’s twisty, turny, funny, dramatic, compassionate and exciting, as good as any previous Parlabane adventure. I did worry that the title, referencing as it did the very first Jack Parlabane novel, was an indication that this could be the end of the series, a capstone to the whole lot. It may yet be, of course, but there’s no air of finality, and the ending leaves a whole new direction Jack could go in, should the author choose. I’ll keep reading them as long as he keeps writing them!
November 10, 2025
There are so many series of novels where the protagonist is perpetually the same age or ages incredibly slowly. This works well for some as it keeps up the fantasy however it gets incredibly interesting when authors allow their characters to age with them
This novel shows us a much older and more self reflective Jack Parlablane. He is still the same fire brand opinionated reporter with a chip on his shoulder but as the novel progresses he shows a degree of open mindedness and acceptance of differing opinions albeit only marginally.
The man plot takes on the style of a closed room murder mystery and this plays out really well with all the characters taking the chance to point fingers at each other and muddy the waters. When the reveal came it completely blind sided me.
Speaking of reveals there is another surprise that comes completely out of no where that I’m honestly in two minds about. It was a great reveal that really shook up the entire story but I’m not sure if it was too much of a stretch to justify.
The political and social commentary that’s been a stalwart of the series is there in abundance and won’t disappoint fans of the author.
Overall the whole story was an excellent continuation of Jacks story and I look forward to seeing what’s next.
This novel shows us a much older and more self reflective Jack Parlablane. He is still the same fire brand opinionated reporter with a chip on his shoulder but as the novel progresses he shows a degree of open mindedness and acceptance of differing opinions albeit only marginally.
The man plot takes on the style of a closed room murder mystery and this plays out really well with all the characters taking the chance to point fingers at each other and muddy the waters. When the reveal came it completely blind sided me.
Speaking of reveals there is another surprise that comes completely out of no where that I’m honestly in two minds about. It was a great reveal that really shook up the entire story but I’m not sure if it was too much of a stretch to justify.
The political and social commentary that’s been a stalwart of the series is there in abundance and won’t disappoint fans of the author.
Overall the whole story was an excellent continuation of Jacks story and I look forward to seeing what’s next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Culture wars. I have arguments all the time with my son about this. He’s comes from a position a little on the left. Me? Not so much. Maybe it’s an age thing. Jack Parlabane is a left-leaning investigative journalist desperate for a story. It’s not going well for him, and he might be about to lose his job. As a result, he’s persuaded to travel across the Atlantic on a cruise liner. He will monitor a family (in fact, three generations of the Maskyns) who are revered by some for creating, back in the 1980s, a satirical puppet show – something akin to the Spitting Image television show. The Maskyns will give presentations, answer passenger questions and generally enable members of their fan base to enjoy being in the presence of showbiz ‘royalty’.
Parlabane’s primary mission, though, is to carry out a covert investigation into a man described as a Russian spy, who is thought to have had some association with the family some years ago. In truth, the mission is somewhat sketchy from the start. But it does allow our intrepid investigator (travelling incognito) to monitor the antics of both the family and their somewhat weird fans, and to comment liberally on all issues pertaining to the deep ideological issue that seems be splitting our population into opposing camps. It’s clever, often funny and very well observed – though in my view, the political element does tend to somewhat override the underlying mystery he’s ostensibly onboard to investigate.
A particular challenge I had with this tale is that of retaining a mental map of who was who amongst the Maskyn family. There are lots of them, particularly when you factor in their partners. This won’t be such an issue, I’m sure, for the more mentally dexterous, but I (once again) reverted to taking notes.
Brookmyre is an accomplished writer, and he’s written some of my favourite mystery novels, including a couple in this series. This one didn’t excite me to the same degree; I even found it a bit of a battle at times. Even so, there were some great moments here: hilarious episodes and lines that just made me stop and think, and maybe even re-appraise my own thoughts on some important issues we’re all having to wrestle with at the moment.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Parlabane’s primary mission, though, is to carry out a covert investigation into a man described as a Russian spy, who is thought to have had some association with the family some years ago. In truth, the mission is somewhat sketchy from the start. But it does allow our intrepid investigator (travelling incognito) to monitor the antics of both the family and their somewhat weird fans, and to comment liberally on all issues pertaining to the deep ideological issue that seems be splitting our population into opposing camps. It’s clever, often funny and very well observed – though in my view, the political element does tend to somewhat override the underlying mystery he’s ostensibly onboard to investigate.
A particular challenge I had with this tale is that of retaining a mental map of who was who amongst the Maskyn family. There are lots of them, particularly when you factor in their partners. This won’t be such an issue, I’m sure, for the more mentally dexterous, but I (once again) reverted to taking notes.
Brookmyre is an accomplished writer, and he’s written some of my favourite mystery novels, including a couple in this series. This one didn’t excite me to the same degree; I even found it a bit of a battle at times. Even so, there were some great moments here: hilarious episodes and lines that just made me stop and think, and maybe even re-appraise my own thoughts on some important issues we’re all having to wrestle with at the moment.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2025
f you regularly read pre release books, you’ll know that feeling when a favourite author pops up. That soaring hopeful gush that this book will be just as good as all the others you have read, tempered slightly by the faint dread that it might not be. This feeling is even more extreme when not only is it your favourite author - but he has chosen to revisit your favourite protagonist… Jack Parlabane is back.
Violent, gritty, political - oh and, of course, ridiculous and impossible, Brookmyre is back at his scathing best. You might think that the luxury resort setting has been ‘done’ by Brookmyre but I don’t care. This was just as good as any of the others.
Something is rotten in the state of Maskyn, and against the indomitable Tim Vale’s advice, Parlabane is seeking to revive his ruined career (again?) to investigate. The Thunderbirds-esque show has made the family rich but can they revive it in this oh-so-woke new society? The political references are sharp and contemporary - details I may have missed in earlier Parlabane novels set in the years of my childhood are frighteningly pertinent and prescient in my now slightly more politically aware adult brain.
Violent, gritty, political - oh and, of course, ridiculous and impossible, Brookmyre is back at his scathing best. You might think that the luxury resort setting has been ‘done’ by Brookmyre but I don’t care. This was just as good as any of the others.
Something is rotten in the state of Maskyn, and against the indomitable Tim Vale’s advice, Parlabane is seeking to revive his ruined career (again?) to investigate. The Thunderbirds-esque show has made the family rich but can they revive it in this oh-so-woke new society? The political references are sharp and contemporary - details I may have missed in earlier Parlabane novels set in the years of my childhood are frighteningly pertinent and prescient in my now slightly more politically aware adult brain.
October 4, 2025
Quite Ugly One Evening is a locked-room mystery with a wicked sense of humour and a setting that’s anything but ordinary—a fan convention aboard a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic. Jack Parlabane, rogue journalist and reluctant hero, finds himself in deep water (literally and figuratively) when a murder turns personal, and the only way out might be in handcuffs… or worse.
Brookmyre’s writing is sharp, irreverent, and full of clever twists. The plot dances between nostalgia, celebrity culture, and the kind of secrets that people kill to protect. It’s a return to form for Parlabane, thirty years after his first appearance, and he’s as delightfully cynical and quick-witted as ever.
If you love mysteries that mix classic whodunnit structure with modern edge and a touch of chaos, this one’s a treat. Think Agatha Christie meets Richard Osman—with a splash of dark comedy and a body count.
Perfect for fans of smart thrillers, flawed heroes, and stories that know how to have fun while keeping you guessing.
Thank you to Chris Brookmyre, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Brookmyre’s writing is sharp, irreverent, and full of clever twists. The plot dances between nostalgia, celebrity culture, and the kind of secrets that people kill to protect. It’s a return to form for Parlabane, thirty years after his first appearance, and he’s as delightfully cynical and quick-witted as ever.
If you love mysteries that mix classic whodunnit structure with modern edge and a touch of chaos, this one’s a treat. Think Agatha Christie meets Richard Osman—with a splash of dark comedy and a body count.
Perfect for fans of smart thrillers, flawed heroes, and stories that know how to have fun while keeping you guessing.
Thank you to Chris Brookmyre, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
October 16, 2025
Jack Parlabane, an investigative journalist, has been recruited by MI5 to investigate the death of a man called Simeon Wickham, who died 40 years previously. To do this he needs to join a luxury cruise to New York - his cover is that he is writing a feature story on the Maskyn family and their celebrations of 60 years of their puppet series ,'The Imaginators'.
As he inveigles his way into the family group, he discovers that all is not as it seems - the family is due to vote on whether to sell 'Imaskynations', the company that brought 'The Imaginators' to life and the decision has torn them apart. Some of the family are ready to betray others and secrets are unmasked.
When one of the family is found dead in his cabin. Jack becomes chief suspect and finds himself racing against time to solve two murders. As the mystery unfolds, the web becomes more tangled and has some unexpected turns.
Foe me. this novel was 'Spitting Image' in novel form due to the caricatures of political figures and political commentary very cleverlyhidden in the narrative. Another clever read from Chris Brookmyre who is swiftly turning out to be one of my favourite authors.
As he inveigles his way into the family group, he discovers that all is not as it seems - the family is due to vote on whether to sell 'Imaskynations', the company that brought 'The Imaginators' to life and the decision has torn them apart. Some of the family are ready to betray others and secrets are unmasked.
When one of the family is found dead in his cabin. Jack becomes chief suspect and finds himself racing against time to solve two murders. As the mystery unfolds, the web becomes more tangled and has some unexpected turns.
Foe me. this novel was 'Spitting Image' in novel form due to the caricatures of political figures and political commentary very cleverlyhidden in the narrative. Another clever read from Chris Brookmyre who is swiftly turning out to be one of my favourite authors.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Quite Ugly One Evening (Kindle Edition) is a locked-room thriller by Chris Brookmyre.
Jack Parlabane, a journalist who is on the cusp of losing his job, has been sent on a covet mission unofficially for MI5 aboard a luxury ocean liner crossing the Atlantic to New York, in order to solve a ten year old murder.
On board are the wealthy Maskyne dynasty who are fighting over the future of their family business of puppeteering, as a tycoon also comes on board trying to outwit them all by pitting them against each other in order to gain possession of the business for himself.
Jack Parlabane ends up being trapped within a state room covered in his own blood and a dead body. He now has to solve both murders before he is accused of the recent murder himself.
This was not a quick read for me, largely because Chris Brookmyre's expansive vocabulary had me consulting the dictionary more than once. Words such as "ascribed," "ambivalent," "aesthetics," "impugned," and "tautology" added richness and nuance, even if they slowed my progress. It was still a challenging but rewarding political mystery.
Jack Parlabane, a journalist who is on the cusp of losing his job, has been sent on a covet mission unofficially for MI5 aboard a luxury ocean liner crossing the Atlantic to New York, in order to solve a ten year old murder.
On board are the wealthy Maskyne dynasty who are fighting over the future of their family business of puppeteering, as a tycoon also comes on board trying to outwit them all by pitting them against each other in order to gain possession of the business for himself.
Jack Parlabane ends up being trapped within a state room covered in his own blood and a dead body. He now has to solve both murders before he is accused of the recent murder himself.
This was not a quick read for me, largely because Chris Brookmyre's expansive vocabulary had me consulting the dictionary more than once. Words such as "ascribed," "ambivalent," "aesthetics," "impugned," and "tautology" added richness and nuance, even if they slowed my progress. It was still a challenging but rewarding political mystery.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I know Chris Brookmyre is a well-loved author, so jumped at the chance to read one of his books. Unfortunately I wasn’t sold. I found the first half of the book dragged, and I was tempted to put it aside. There were far too many uninteresting characters and an unlikely scenario (a special cruise to celebrate a mediocre, contentious, last-century TV show). I didn’t warm to the main character, journalist Jack Parlabane, nor to any of the members of the TV show family. It was also a little repetitive (over and over we find Jack walking the wrong way through the ship or freaking out because he was mid-ocean).
The pace did pick up at the halfway mark, when suddenly things started getting vaguely interesting. However, I never really became invested in knowing who the suspect was, or why, and even at the end I still hadn’t managed to envision the family organogram (grandparent, children, grandchildren and partners).
What I liked: the humour, intelligent writing and topicality.
What I didn’t like so much: the vast array of dull characters, the premise, the slow pace of the first half and all the colloquialisms.
The pace did pick up at the halfway mark, when suddenly things started getting vaguely interesting. However, I never really became invested in knowing who the suspect was, or why, and even at the end I still hadn’t managed to envision the family organogram (grandparent, children, grandchildren and partners).
What I liked: the humour, intelligent writing and topicality.
What I didn’t like so much: the vast array of dull characters, the premise, the slow pace of the first half and all the colloquialisms.
September 7, 2025
Wow. I was still up reading at an obscene time of the morning. This had well-developed, three-dimensional characters, an abundance of twists and turns, and suspense wrapped around an intriguing mystery. But all good crime novels have that. What really stood out for me about this book was its compassion.
I'm not usually much of a crime reader, but Brookmyre's The Cracked Mirror is my favourite crime novel of all time, so that prompted me to give this a shot. The reason crime doesn't usually appeal is that it tends towards a rather dispiriting view of human nature, but this novel breaks the mould by showing flawed characters who are inspired to change for the better, and how family bonds can restore our humanity and shift entrenched and polarising views. I particularly loved how the protagonist's journey of grieving his mother's death, a minor subplot, was integrated as one of the novel's major themes.
Masterfully navigating big discussions about politics and culture with a humane and balanced hand, this is a compelling and fun mystery with an uplifting conclusion.
I'm not usually much of a crime reader, but Brookmyre's The Cracked Mirror is my favourite crime novel of all time, so that prompted me to give this a shot. The reason crime doesn't usually appeal is that it tends towards a rather dispiriting view of human nature, but this novel breaks the mould by showing flawed characters who are inspired to change for the better, and how family bonds can restore our humanity and shift entrenched and polarising views. I particularly loved how the protagonist's journey of grieving his mother's death, a minor subplot, was integrated as one of the novel's major themes.
Masterfully navigating big discussions about politics and culture with a humane and balanced hand, this is a compelling and fun mystery with an uplifting conclusion.
October 2, 2025
I can still remember reading “Quite ugly one MORNING” almost 30 years ago and being hooked and then eagerly awaiting the next paperback in the series. Alas I read no paperbacks these days but digital reading makes reading a lot easier with eyesight diminishing with the years.
Chris Brookmyre and his investigative journalist Jack Parlabane have both aged too and it is no surprise the current novel in the series is a lot less frenetic and OTT then the first. The JP books became a little stale over time and I think this more laid back approach suits the times and reinvigorates the series.
There is still plenty of enjoyable silliness and good one liners in the writing and towards the end plenty of major surprises.
Throw in some Russians, online influencers , a media mogul , MI6 and the once great Maskyn family trying to revive their fortunes and their old TV series, and set them all together on a transatlantic voyage and there is plenty of scope for murder and intrigue.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little,Brown Book Group for the ARC
October 1, 2025
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Chris Brookmyre can do no wrong, but he comes pretty close.
Jack Parlabane is back in a twisty locked-room murder mystery set on a trans-Atlantic liner.
A bad decision leaves Jack unsure if he still has a job, and he is….’persuaded’ to join a cruise, ostensibly reporting on the Maskyn family, and their attempt to reenergise their family business. But there’s a hidden agenda, and Jack has only 7 days to pull it off. Then things start to go horribly wrong…
There are a lot of characters in this story and it was a bit confusing at first. It’s not a beach read; it definitely requires a bit of concentration.
But Brookmyre writes very believable characters; like real life, his characters are many-layered. And a story with more twists than an Alpine pass, laced with drama, tension and his signature wit. There were several’Well,I never saw that coming!’ moments.
A most enjoyable read!
Jack Parlabane is back in a twisty locked-room murder mystery set on a trans-Atlantic liner.
A bad decision leaves Jack unsure if he still has a job, and he is….’persuaded’ to join a cruise, ostensibly reporting on the Maskyn family, and their attempt to reenergise their family business. But there’s a hidden agenda, and Jack has only 7 days to pull it off. Then things start to go horribly wrong…
There are a lot of characters in this story and it was a bit confusing at first. It’s not a beach read; it definitely requires a bit of concentration.
But Brookmyre writes very believable characters; like real life, his characters are many-layered. And a story with more twists than an Alpine pass, laced with drama, tension and his signature wit. There were several’Well,I never saw that coming!’ moments.
A most enjoyable read!
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