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Jack Parlabane #8
Want You Gone
What if all your secrets were put online? Sam Morpeth is growing up way too fast, left to fend for a younger sister with learning difficulties when their mother goes to prison and watching her dreams of university evaporate. But Sam learns what it is to be truly powerless when a stranger begins to blackmail her online, drawing her into a trap she may not escape alive. Who would you turn to? Meanwhile, reporter Jack Parlabane has finally got his career back on track, but his success has left him indebted to a volatile source on the wrong side of the law. Now that debt is being called in, and it could cost him everything. What would you be capable of? Thrown together by a common enemy, Sam and Jack are about to discover they have more in common than they realise - and might be each other's only hope.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2017
144 people are currently reading
1767 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Brookmyre
41 books1,551 followersChristopher Brookmyre is a Scottish novelist whose novels mix politics, social comment and action with a strong narrative. He has been referred to as a Tartan Noir author. His debut novel was Quite Ugly One Morning, and subsequent works have included One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night, which he said "was just the sort of book he needed to write before he turned 30", and All Fun and Games until Somebody Loses an Eye (2005). Brookmyre also writes historical fiction with Marisa Haetzman, under the pseudonym "Ambrose Parry."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
December 16, 2016
Chris Brookmyre has once again written a brilliant and compelling addition to the Jack Parlabane series. Jack is attending a job interview for an up and coming news site Broadwave. His long standing connection to a talented hacker gives him the inside line to a spectacular Banking hack, and it is this that lands him the job. Samantha Morpeth is 19, has a mother who is in prison and a disabled sister, Lilly, that she loves. Thanks to the horrendous repercussions of deep government benefit cuts enforced on the vulnerable, Sam is forced to leave education, take sole care of Lilly, and take a minimum wage job. Sam's world begins to further fall apart when she is blackmailed into breaking the law. Sam and Jack work together and attempt to identify who is behind it all.
The story is told through the perspectives of Jack and Sam. It is the first time for a long time that Jack is in a good place and it is all put in jeopardy. However, you are left with the feeling that part of Jack welcomes the return of the renegade side of his character that revels in the adrenaline rush and the prospect of an exclusive story. Sam and Jack have to break into and steal a cutting edge prototype kept in a well secured facility run by the notorious asset stripper, Leo Cruz. At the same time they race to discover who Zodiac, the blackmailer, is. This is a story that is packed with twists and where nothing is as it seems. Jack and Sam find themselves being bested, framed for murder and going on the run. The answers take them deep into their own connected pasts and an ongoing threat that has stalked them throughout the years. They are up against a ruthless determined killer who will do anything to evade justice.
This is a fast paced story set in the world of cyber hacking. It will make you feel uneasy and unsettled if you labour under the misapprehension that your personal details and life are safe online, they are not. The tension and suspense grip the reader until the book comes to an end. You feel for the flawed Jack and Sam, rooting for them both. As usual, it is a skilfully and impeccably plotted tale and leaves you wanting more. Cannot wait for the next in the series. Highly recommended. Thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
The story is told through the perspectives of Jack and Sam. It is the first time for a long time that Jack is in a good place and it is all put in jeopardy. However, you are left with the feeling that part of Jack welcomes the return of the renegade side of his character that revels in the adrenaline rush and the prospect of an exclusive story. Sam and Jack have to break into and steal a cutting edge prototype kept in a well secured facility run by the notorious asset stripper, Leo Cruz. At the same time they race to discover who Zodiac, the blackmailer, is. This is a story that is packed with twists and where nothing is as it seems. Jack and Sam find themselves being bested, framed for murder and going on the run. The answers take them deep into their own connected pasts and an ongoing threat that has stalked them throughout the years. They are up against a ruthless determined killer who will do anything to evade justice.
This is a fast paced story set in the world of cyber hacking. It will make you feel uneasy and unsettled if you labour under the misapprehension that your personal details and life are safe online, they are not. The tension and suspense grip the reader until the book comes to an end. You feel for the flawed Jack and Sam, rooting for them both. As usual, it is a skilfully and impeccably plotted tale and leaves you wanting more. Cannot wait for the next in the series. Highly recommended. Thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
June 19, 2017
SO DAMN GOOD!
The Last Hack is an intricately plotted, clever, multilayered suspense thriller jam packed with twists and turns. There’s tons of action and many surprises. This is by far one of best thrillers I have read this year.
“There are no girls on the internet”
In person, 19 year old Samantha Morpeth is timid and shy. Bullied and put down for most of her life, she isn’t one to stand up for herself. She has the burden of taking care of her young sister, as her father is unknown and her mother is in jail. BUT when Sam goes online, she becomes a different person. She is in control and a power to reckoned with. Sam is a master in the hacking world.
Meanwhile, fallen Investigative reporter Jack Paralabane is trying to rebuild his career after being part of a huge scandal.
When someone figures out Sam’s vulnerabilities, they lure her into a hacking mission--one that she must complete in order to protect herself and her sister. Needing help, Sam blackmails Jack. What Jack doesn’t know, is that there are reasons why he has been chosen by Sam to assist. Sam will give Jack what he needs to write an article, so it seems like a win-win. Little do Sam and Jack know, they are being played.
This is a heart stopping, action packed read. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there’s another twist. This is what a thriller should be. Highly recommend!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Hack is an intricately plotted, clever, multilayered suspense thriller jam packed with twists and turns. There’s tons of action and many surprises. This is by far one of best thrillers I have read this year.
“There are no girls on the internet”
In person, 19 year old Samantha Morpeth is timid and shy. Bullied and put down for most of her life, she isn’t one to stand up for herself. She has the burden of taking care of her young sister, as her father is unknown and her mother is in jail. BUT when Sam goes online, she becomes a different person. She is in control and a power to reckoned with. Sam is a master in the hacking world.
Meanwhile, fallen Investigative reporter Jack Paralabane is trying to rebuild his career after being part of a huge scandal.
When someone figures out Sam’s vulnerabilities, they lure her into a hacking mission--one that she must complete in order to protect herself and her sister. Needing help, Sam blackmails Jack. What Jack doesn’t know, is that there are reasons why he has been chosen by Sam to assist. Sam will give Jack what he needs to write an article, so it seems like a win-win. Little do Sam and Jack know, they are being played.
This is a heart stopping, action packed read. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there’s another twist. This is what a thriller should be. Highly recommend!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2017
When nineteen year old Samantha Morpeth logs onto her computer she becomes alarmed at the messages coming in from someone called Zodiac who has all her personal data along with her latest illegal hack against a bank. Sam is threatened to do Zodiac’s bidding, or end up in jail which would leave her younger sister Lilly in the woeful care system. Frightened by the consequences, she is pulled unwillingly into hacking a high profile company shrouded in secrecy with the highest levels of security, Synergis. Recognizing she could never pull it off on her own, Sam calls in a debt and tells reporter Jack Parlabane he must help her break into Synergis to steal their newest research. The beginning chapters had several characters to grasp hold of, but eventually the story progresses to become a very suspenseful tale with nail biting moments. The Last Hack is an intense novel and hard to put down, leaving readers wondering how safe it is on the internet; for some it will become a terrifying nightmare with no escape. Although number 8 in the series, it is a standalone book and recommended.
** Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
** Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
June 6, 2020
As I continue my random ramble through this series I’ve picked up the latest book, #8. I’ve missed a whole chunk of this series but I’ve picked up enough to know that this Scottish investigative journalist has a chequered past, a dark sense of humour and penchant for breaking and entering. As this chapter in his life begins, we see that Jack is looking for work (again) and we witness a deliciously uncomfortable interview he attends with an up and coming news company. The problem is that his street credibility is, well, a little tainted. Whereas his name once opened doors it’s now more likely to get them slammed in his face. What he really needs is a new scoop.
Segue to a teenage girl, Sam, who is responsible for looking after her younger sister who has Down’s syndrome – her mother being in prison for drug related offences. She’s struggling to cope, getting bullied at school and is desperately short of money. All of this is not helped by the fact that dark figures from her mother’s past keep stealing the little money and few valuable possessions she does have.
Segway again to a group of hackers discussing how they are going to embarrass a large bank by sabotaging its latest publicity overhaul. There’s a new launch imminent and the hackers are determined to have some fun with it.
We are about to discover how these events are linked. The plot is clever and twisty – though maybe overly convoluted, at times – and we’ll meet a whole raft of interesting characters along the way. This is cyber crime and industrial espionage on a large scale and Jack is about to be dragged in neck deep.
I listened an audiobook version of this tale and it seemed to me to have a couple of significant flaws:
1. As the story progresses we see developments alternately through the eyes of Jack and Sam, these parts being read by separate narrators. The male reader was excellent and the female reader coped well with the part of Sam. Problems started to arise when additional characters started to encroach into the tale. The female reader provided a bizarre delivery of all lines spoken by Sam’s mother: the voice lacking any personality or tonal quality and being iterated at, what seemed to me to be, half speed. Then things got worse, the male characters she was required to depict sounded just like Sam’s mother, or at least very similar.
2. As we got deeper into the story Jack and Sam were often ‘sharing the page’ (so to speak) and at this point we had the male reader and the female reader both giving versions of Jack and Sam speaking. This was just weird, and very off-putting.
I believe there must have been a way of doing this better. Some continuity of voice for Sam and Jack seems an absolute prerequisite in this story and – to be brutally honest – a more adept female reader should have been sourced.
It's a decent story and it's well told. There are some twists that depend heavily on the reader's ability to accept the fact that hackers can achieve just about anything they want with just a few flicks of the fingers. This aside, it's an enjoyable caper in a series that continues to impress me. I really do wish I'd read the books in order though, as I'm now in possession of facts that will spoil a number of the other books for me. My mistake, but it won't stop me getting to them all eventually.
Overall, my rating is impacted by my gripes about the version I listened to: I give the audio version 3 stars, though I think had I read this book I’d probably have added an extra star.
Segue to a teenage girl, Sam, who is responsible for looking after her younger sister who has Down’s syndrome – her mother being in prison for drug related offences. She’s struggling to cope, getting bullied at school and is desperately short of money. All of this is not helped by the fact that dark figures from her mother’s past keep stealing the little money and few valuable possessions she does have.
Segway again to a group of hackers discussing how they are going to embarrass a large bank by sabotaging its latest publicity overhaul. There’s a new launch imminent and the hackers are determined to have some fun with it.
We are about to discover how these events are linked. The plot is clever and twisty – though maybe overly convoluted, at times – and we’ll meet a whole raft of interesting characters along the way. This is cyber crime and industrial espionage on a large scale and Jack is about to be dragged in neck deep.
I listened an audiobook version of this tale and it seemed to me to have a couple of significant flaws:
1. As the story progresses we see developments alternately through the eyes of Jack and Sam, these parts being read by separate narrators. The male reader was excellent and the female reader coped well with the part of Sam. Problems started to arise when additional characters started to encroach into the tale. The female reader provided a bizarre delivery of all lines spoken by Sam’s mother: the voice lacking any personality or tonal quality and being iterated at, what seemed to me to be, half speed. Then things got worse, the male characters she was required to depict sounded just like Sam’s mother, or at least very similar.
2. As we got deeper into the story Jack and Sam were often ‘sharing the page’ (so to speak) and at this point we had the male reader and the female reader both giving versions of Jack and Sam speaking. This was just weird, and very off-putting.
I believe there must have been a way of doing this better. Some continuity of voice for Sam and Jack seems an absolute prerequisite in this story and – to be brutally honest – a more adept female reader should have been sourced.
It's a decent story and it's well told. There are some twists that depend heavily on the reader's ability to accept the fact that hackers can achieve just about anything they want with just a few flicks of the fingers. This aside, it's an enjoyable caper in a series that continues to impress me. I really do wish I'd read the books in order though, as I'm now in possession of facts that will spoil a number of the other books for me. My mistake, but it won't stop me getting to them all eventually.
Overall, my rating is impacted by my gripes about the version I listened to: I give the audio version 3 stars, though I think had I read this book I’d probably have added an extra star.
March 24, 2017
Completely different from the last offering in this series, yet no less compelling. Once again, Brookmyre is at his best when creating clever and determined female characters who take over the narrative. Jack Parlabane plays a more significant role in this book than he did in Black Widow, but he comes off second best for me in both. Poor Jack, he does his best, but he's just not as interesting as these women....
The story here is bang up to date: computer security and hacking. From my rather limited knowledge of the area, he sounded like he knew what he was talking about but I always wonder two things when reading these kind of books: 1) did the author succeeded in getting the lingo and tech right? 2) who was the source?? I'm genuinely intrigued. I think most of us who use computers and technology in the most basic sense have both a fascination and fear of what others can do online. In any case, Brookmyre uses it to put together a gripping and tense plot that comes together in a very satisfying conclusion.
I'm going to finish with things i've learnt (or already knew but didn't realise other people actually did):
-if you 'find' a thumb drive don't actually plug it in to your computer at home or work
-don't give out passwords, login details, or other information over the phone, especially if you don't know the person on the other end
-don't talk about all your personal business online or at the very least try to make your settings as private as possible
-don't open email attachments or emails that you're unsure of
-don't arrange to meet other hackers in real life
-don't mess with Jack Parlabane
ARC via Netgalley.
The story here is bang up to date: computer security and hacking. From my rather limited knowledge of the area, he sounded like he knew what he was talking about but I always wonder two things when reading these kind of books: 1) did the author succeeded in getting the lingo and tech right? 2) who was the source?? I'm genuinely intrigued. I think most of us who use computers and technology in the most basic sense have both a fascination and fear of what others can do online. In any case, Brookmyre uses it to put together a gripping and tense plot that comes together in a very satisfying conclusion.
I'm going to finish with things i've learnt (or already knew but didn't realise other people actually did):
-if you 'find' a thumb drive don't actually plug it in to your computer at home or work
-don't give out passwords, login details, or other information over the phone, especially if you don't know the person on the other end
-don't talk about all your personal business online or at the very least try to make your settings as private as possible
-don't open email attachments or emails that you're unsure of
-don't arrange to meet other hackers in real life
-don't mess with Jack Parlabane
ARC via Netgalley.
April 24, 2017
First class techno thriller I read and review a lot of traditional UK and USA based crime and it is always a pleasure to read something that is just that little bit different. Chris Brookmyre brings a real freshness and punch to this highly entertaining cybercrime novel "Want You Gone"Samantha Morpeth is the heroine of the moment. She has inherited the responsibility of caring for her younger sister Lilly (who suffers from down's syndrome), as her mother is unfortunately serving a prison sentence. Life is tough, she works in a lowly paid job, worries that the local social services will soon visit, and socializes on the web as alter ego "Buzzkill". Jack Parlabane is an out of work reporter hoping to scoop the big job opportunity with an innovative company called Broadwave. What appears to be a simple data breach at an electronics giant Synergis results in Sam and Jack forming an uneasy alliance and investigating the controversy surrounding a new product soon to be launched to global acclaim.This is an edge of the seat thriller that I consumed in two sittings. I enjoyed the dialogue between Sam and Jack and the downright audacity that so called hackers use to introduce themselves, gain trust and ultimately infiltrate and destroy a business. It is a story that is frightening in both its possibilities and scope and demands the reader to keep pace with the breathtaking action. I particularly loved the character of Sam, the struggle and obstacles that she encountered on a daily basis, and hoped that the author would seem fit to grant her some reprieve and reward in the closing chapters.Many thanks to the good people of netgalley for sending me a gratis copy of this first rate thriller in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2020
Want You Gone is the eighth book in the brilliant Jack Parlabane series, which I’ve read mostly in order from the beginning, so I’m a bit gutted to only be giving it three stars, but after the outstanding Black Widow, this was rather a let-down. While I respect that he’s trying to do something different, I just wasn’t interested in all the hacking details so this dragged for the first three quarters, although I’m glad I persevered to the end.
Sam Morpeth is nineteen and has been left to care for her younger sister, who has Down’s Syndrome, as their mother is in prison. Shy, anxious and lonely In Real Life, Sam has a secret identity online, but when the hacker gets hacked, she finds herself being blackmailed into undertaking a near-impossible heist.
Jack’s journalism career is back on track after his Black Widow scoop, but he’s feeling his age and struggling to fit in with the modern news industry. When he too is hacked and blackmailed, he’s forced to use his old skills in new ways to stop a sinister enemy from destroying both their lives.
I really wanted to like Sam as a character - a vulnerable black girl fighting the world for the right to stay with the sister she adores, but I just couldn’t believe in the two completely different personalities, and that she wouldn’t use her considerable skills to improve her situation. Her POV is written in first person present, so we get her rationale and motivations, and I did admire her cleverness and tenacity. Unfortunately it meant a huge part of the book was in depth details about hacking, which was pretty boring if you’re not technologically minded - when it wasn’t scaring the pants off me wondering if it’s all possible as described.
The mystery part and plotting was as exceptional as ever, I just wish all the twists weren’t saved up for the end. I liked how we discover things about Jack’s past that take us right back to the first book, twenty years earlier in his career. I personally do like neat and happy endings, where everything’s wrapped up so enjoyed how he accomplished this. I’m also disappointed that the recent books have none of the humour that defined the start of the series.
I think anyone who is into computer stuff should enjoy this more than I did, and it certainly hasn’t put me off Brookmyre as a writer - this is a couple of years old already so I hope the next in the series will be out before too long. 3.5 rounded down for the present tense.
Sam Morpeth is nineteen and has been left to care for her younger sister, who has Down’s Syndrome, as their mother is in prison. Shy, anxious and lonely In Real Life, Sam has a secret identity online, but when the hacker gets hacked, she finds herself being blackmailed into undertaking a near-impossible heist.
Jack’s journalism career is back on track after his Black Widow scoop, but he’s feeling his age and struggling to fit in with the modern news industry. When he too is hacked and blackmailed, he’s forced to use his old skills in new ways to stop a sinister enemy from destroying both their lives.
I really wanted to like Sam as a character - a vulnerable black girl fighting the world for the right to stay with the sister she adores, but I just couldn’t believe in the two completely different personalities, and that she wouldn’t use her considerable skills to improve her situation. Her POV is written in first person present, so we get her rationale and motivations, and I did admire her cleverness and tenacity. Unfortunately it meant a huge part of the book was in depth details about hacking, which was pretty boring if you’re not technologically minded - when it wasn’t scaring the pants off me wondering if it’s all possible as described.
The mystery part and plotting was as exceptional as ever, I just wish all the twists weren’t saved up for the end. I liked how we discover things about Jack’s past that take us right back to the first book, twenty years earlier in his career. I personally do like neat and happy endings, where everything’s wrapped up so enjoyed how he accomplished this. I’m also disappointed that the recent books have none of the humour that defined the start of the series.
I think anyone who is into computer stuff should enjoy this more than I did, and it certainly hasn’t put me off Brookmyre as a writer - this is a couple of years old already so I hope the next in the series will be out before too long. 3.5 rounded down for the present tense.
April 16, 2017
In brief - Another excellent Parlabane story - tense and twisty. 4.5/5 happily rounded up.
In full
I found the opening of this book intriguing. We quickly have three apparently disparate threads. A teenage carer appears to be having problems with social services. Jack Parlabane is looking for work as a journalist in London. A hacker group is attempting to hack into a bank website. The writing is crisp and easy to read and I'm happy reading it.
As always with Chris Brookmyre things are not always as they seem and I was increasingly drawn into some shady dealing. The question is just who are the goodies and who are the baddies. In fairness Jack has always had a law breaking side to his character but generally makes it to the last page with some degree of glory ot at least alive! As to the other characters - in the main Buzzkill, a hacker and Sam, a carer - things are less clear. Buzzkill did appear in a previous story as a hacker who effectively exploited Jack.
I've always liked Jack as a character and he is very well written. Sam rapidly became another female character written well and, for me, convincingly by this author. Their paths and fates become increasingly interwoven in this tale. There is hacking, corporate misdoings and crime. The story is twisty and tense and makes for a satisfying read.
While this is a tense thriller at times the narrative about some of the personal interactions goes to a deeper and more thoughtful level. For me this is a well written book and stands comparison with many of the thriller genre around today. The first half is good, the second half is very hard to put down. I think I preferred the previous book - "Black Widow". However this is an enjoyable and essential read for fans of Chris Brookmyre. I'd say 4.5/5 but happily rounded up to 5.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/thriller/want-g...
In full
I found the opening of this book intriguing. We quickly have three apparently disparate threads. A teenage carer appears to be having problems with social services. Jack Parlabane is looking for work as a journalist in London. A hacker group is attempting to hack into a bank website. The writing is crisp and easy to read and I'm happy reading it.
As always with Chris Brookmyre things are not always as they seem and I was increasingly drawn into some shady dealing. The question is just who are the goodies and who are the baddies. In fairness Jack has always had a law breaking side to his character but generally makes it to the last page with some degree of glory ot at least alive! As to the other characters - in the main Buzzkill, a hacker and Sam, a carer - things are less clear. Buzzkill did appear in a previous story as a hacker who effectively exploited Jack.
I've always liked Jack as a character and he is very well written. Sam rapidly became another female character written well and, for me, convincingly by this author. Their paths and fates become increasingly interwoven in this tale. There is hacking, corporate misdoings and crime. The story is twisty and tense and makes for a satisfying read.
While this is a tense thriller at times the narrative about some of the personal interactions goes to a deeper and more thoughtful level. For me this is a well written book and stands comparison with many of the thriller genre around today. The first half is good, the second half is very hard to put down. I think I preferred the previous book - "Black Widow". However this is an enjoyable and essential read for fans of Chris Brookmyre. I'd say 4.5/5 but happily rounded up to 5.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
http://viewson.org.uk/thriller/want-g...
March 30, 2017
Chris Brookmyre is a brilliant writer and this time we are led into the world of hackers, cyber-crime, fraud and corporate espionage.
The book starts with what looks like two separate stories, one told by Sam Morpeth, a teenage girl who is becoming overwhelmed with the responsibility of looking after her younger sister with learning difficulties. Things get worse when she's told she can't claim benefits because she is in full time education. No one seems to be listening. In the evenings when her sister is asleep she spends her time in online chat rooms to escape her harsh reality.
In the 'second' story, investigative reporter Jack Parlabane is in London having been invited there for an interview with Broadwave, an online news site. Could this be an opportunity to get his career back on track? While he's there, there is a major cyber attack on RSGN Bank. Parlabane recognises the trademark of a group of hackers called Uninvited and contacts a hacker who goes by the name Buzzkill with whom he has had dealings in the past, in the hope of getting some inside information on the hack for a story. Jack has no idea who Buzzkill is, he's never discovered his real identity nor actually spoken to him.and he doesn't particularly want to owe him any favour but he gets some quotes and writes a piece for Broadwave.
Sam's situation suddenly deteriorates further when she herself is hacked by a blackmailer who seems to know everything about her and is threatening to reveal things from her past that could lead to her going to jail. The blackmailer is demanding that she steal a prototype device from company. Having read Jack Parlabane's story on the attack on the Bank she attempts to contact him to seek his help.
The two are soon involved in the dark world of cyber-crime: hacking, breaching security systems, corporate espionage, all the while trying to identify the blackmailer who calls himself Zodiac. They also find themselves having to 'disappear' after a body is found on premises where Jack had gained entry having previously hacked the software that controlled access.
Despite some of the things Sam has done, she comes across as a good character and I had a lot of sympathy for her. I also like Jack Parlabane despite his, at times, rather dubious past when his actions in pursuit of the truth of a story sometimes led to him stepping over the line. The two characters worked well together. I also got the feeling there was another connection between Jack and Sam waiting to be revealed.
The first part of the book moves along at steady pace but is never boring. It's not long before the action really starts and then the pace really ramps up until the conclusion. Sam tells her story in first person voice. Jack's story is narrated in the third person present tense. The dialogue is good and there is an exciting immediacy. I could see the story playing out in my head and I got very engrossed. For me, it quickly became a real page turner.
[My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for an ARC]
The book starts with what looks like two separate stories, one told by Sam Morpeth, a teenage girl who is becoming overwhelmed with the responsibility of looking after her younger sister with learning difficulties. Things get worse when she's told she can't claim benefits because she is in full time education. No one seems to be listening. In the evenings when her sister is asleep she spends her time in online chat rooms to escape her harsh reality.
In the 'second' story, investigative reporter Jack Parlabane is in London having been invited there for an interview with Broadwave, an online news site. Could this be an opportunity to get his career back on track? While he's there, there is a major cyber attack on RSGN Bank. Parlabane recognises the trademark of a group of hackers called Uninvited and contacts a hacker who goes by the name Buzzkill with whom he has had dealings in the past, in the hope of getting some inside information on the hack for a story. Jack has no idea who Buzzkill is, he's never discovered his real identity nor actually spoken to him.and he doesn't particularly want to owe him any favour but he gets some quotes and writes a piece for Broadwave.
Sam's situation suddenly deteriorates further when she herself is hacked by a blackmailer who seems to know everything about her and is threatening to reveal things from her past that could lead to her going to jail. The blackmailer is demanding that she steal a prototype device from company. Having read Jack Parlabane's story on the attack on the Bank she attempts to contact him to seek his help.
The two are soon involved in the dark world of cyber-crime: hacking, breaching security systems, corporate espionage, all the while trying to identify the blackmailer who calls himself Zodiac. They also find themselves having to 'disappear' after a body is found on premises where Jack had gained entry having previously hacked the software that controlled access.
Despite some of the things Sam has done, she comes across as a good character and I had a lot of sympathy for her. I also like Jack Parlabane despite his, at times, rather dubious past when his actions in pursuit of the truth of a story sometimes led to him stepping over the line. The two characters worked well together. I also got the feeling there was another connection between Jack and Sam waiting to be revealed.
The first part of the book moves along at steady pace but is never boring. It's not long before the action really starts and then the pace really ramps up until the conclusion. Sam tells her story in first person voice. Jack's story is narrated in the third person present tense. The dialogue is good and there is an exciting immediacy. I could see the story playing out in my head and I got very engrossed. For me, it quickly became a real page turner.
[My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for an ARC]
October 10, 2018
Well that was a rollercoaster of a read.
Its Jack Parlabane again, my favourite journo come burglar (in the service of "the truth" of course, not for grubby financial gain). Unexpectedly Jack lands his dream job at a cutting edge web based news platform in London. Never mind that most of the staff are half his age. He is on the way back up at last.
Then an old contact from the past turns up with a request for help that Jack just cannot turn down. As ever with Brookmyre all is not what it seems. Jack is pitched headlong into a world of hackers and deceit, a world he only half understands. Out of his depth, and running out of options, can he stay alive and out of jail.
Fast and furious. A real thriller, worth a read.
Its Jack Parlabane again, my favourite journo come burglar (in the service of "the truth" of course, not for grubby financial gain). Unexpectedly Jack lands his dream job at a cutting edge web based news platform in London. Never mind that most of the staff are half his age. He is on the way back up at last.
Then an old contact from the past turns up with a request for help that Jack just cannot turn down. As ever with Brookmyre all is not what it seems. Jack is pitched headlong into a world of hackers and deceit, a world he only half understands. Out of his depth, and running out of options, can he stay alive and out of jail.
Fast and furious. A real thriller, worth a read.
April 5, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for an advance copy of Want You Gone, the 8th novel to feature renegade reporter Jack Parlabane.
After all his trials and tribulations Jack feels his career is on the mend when he is invited to an interview by Broadwave, an Internet news company. It would have been a "thanks, but no thanks" until he manages an exclusive interview with one of the hackers, Buzzkill, behind the cyber attack on a high profile bank re-launch. Buzzkill is, in reality, 19 year old Samantha Morpeth struggling to support her special needs sister, Lilly, while their mother is in jail. It is the last straw when she is blackmailed into stealing a hi-tech company's sample of a new product so she, in turn blackmails, Parlabane into helping her. After that there is the typical Parlabane mayhem and tricky solutions.
Looking for something different to read in the 90s I picked up a copy of Quite Ugly One Morning and have been hooked ever since. I can honestly say that Mr Brookmyre is my favourite author and his novels are "must reads" for me which I frequently recommend to anyone looking for a good book so I was delighted to be offered an advance copy of Want You Gone. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as its predecessors.
As Mr Brookmyre matures in both age and writing and his novels become read more widely he has gradually abandoned the Scottish humour and unlikely plotlines which made his first novels such fun in favour of more plausibility and a bit of a message. In this case it is to do with the perils of the Internet and how the bad guys can gather more information about you that you would ever think possible - no site is impregnable. Scary but very plausible.
Want You Gone is an ingeniously plotted novel with plenty of twists and turns, almost none of which I saw coming. It is fast paced and quite tense in parts but the overall effect was spoiled for me by all the technical detail on hacking and computerised systems. I have no interest in the subject so it all went over my head although I'm sure the more computer savvy readers will find it interesting and informative.
I like the dynamic between Jack and Sam as they gradually come to an understanding that works for them. Jack is a more mature figure as he forgoes his former recklessness for a more measured approach, OK, initially anyway. Sam is beset on all sides. With her mother in jail she is trying to keep up her studies and care for Lilly but money is tight and something will have to give. I can't say much more without spoilers but the characters work and Sam's first person narrative (Jack's is third) really draws you in.
Want You Gone is a mature, subtle read and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
After all his trials and tribulations Jack feels his career is on the mend when he is invited to an interview by Broadwave, an Internet news company. It would have been a "thanks, but no thanks" until he manages an exclusive interview with one of the hackers, Buzzkill, behind the cyber attack on a high profile bank re-launch. Buzzkill is, in reality, 19 year old Samantha Morpeth struggling to support her special needs sister, Lilly, while their mother is in jail. It is the last straw when she is blackmailed into stealing a hi-tech company's sample of a new product so she, in turn blackmails, Parlabane into helping her. After that there is the typical Parlabane mayhem and tricky solutions.
Looking for something different to read in the 90s I picked up a copy of Quite Ugly One Morning and have been hooked ever since. I can honestly say that Mr Brookmyre is my favourite author and his novels are "must reads" for me which I frequently recommend to anyone looking for a good book so I was delighted to be offered an advance copy of Want You Gone. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as its predecessors.
As Mr Brookmyre matures in both age and writing and his novels become read more widely he has gradually abandoned the Scottish humour and unlikely plotlines which made his first novels such fun in favour of more plausibility and a bit of a message. In this case it is to do with the perils of the Internet and how the bad guys can gather more information about you that you would ever think possible - no site is impregnable. Scary but very plausible.
Want You Gone is an ingeniously plotted novel with plenty of twists and turns, almost none of which I saw coming. It is fast paced and quite tense in parts but the overall effect was spoiled for me by all the technical detail on hacking and computerised systems. I have no interest in the subject so it all went over my head although I'm sure the more computer savvy readers will find it interesting and informative.
I like the dynamic between Jack and Sam as they gradually come to an understanding that works for them. Jack is a more mature figure as he forgoes his former recklessness for a more measured approach, OK, initially anyway. Sam is beset on all sides. With her mother in jail she is trying to keep up her studies and care for Lilly but money is tight and something will have to give. I can't say much more without spoilers but the characters work and Sam's first person narrative (Jack's is third) really draws you in.
Want You Gone is a mature, subtle read and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
April 29, 2017
After absolutely loving the last book in the Jack Parlabane series, Black Widow, I could not wait to get my hands on this book. I have to admit to being new to Chris Brookmyre and the series, however, I intend to rectify this (when I find the time!) and read the rest of the books. Want You Gone did not disappoint and I loved this book. If you haven’t read the rest of the books in the series, don’t worry you can easily pick this book up and read it as a standalone.
I was gripped immediately. The prologue is dark, brooding and leaves you with so many questions you want answering you cannot help but read on. The compelling voice that kick starts the main body of the book after the prologue drags you in further, and what follows is a fast-paced, suspenseful, relevant thriller with another great main character alongside Parlabane.
I don’t want to talk about the plot too much as you need to discover this book for yourself, but I will say that Brookmyre has crafted a current novel which deals with cybercrime, hackers and corporate greed. As someone who is wary of social media, Want You Gone had me checking my PC security! Brookmyre has clearly researched the issues of internet security and hacker groups meticulously as it comes across as authentic. The plot is complex but expertly put together and full of jaw-dropping twists and turns.
Brookmyre has a knack of creating complex characters who leave you with a combination of feelings towards them, and Sam Morpeth in Want You Gone is no exception. She is a well-rounded character with a depth that makes her believable, and this is one of the joys of the two books in this series that I have read. He manages to incorporate these layers without slowing down the pace. You can’t help but like Jack Parlabane, he has had his fair share of troubles and just as he seems to be getting back on his feet, he is thrust back into a complex situation that threatens his well-being.
Want You Gone is an absolute cracker and this has put Brookmyre firmly on my list of favourite authors. A nail-biting, tense and twisty book that needs to be on your TBR pile!
A huge thank you to Chris Brookmyre and Little, Brown UK for the advance copy in exchange for my review.
I was gripped immediately. The prologue is dark, brooding and leaves you with so many questions you want answering you cannot help but read on. The compelling voice that kick starts the main body of the book after the prologue drags you in further, and what follows is a fast-paced, suspenseful, relevant thriller with another great main character alongside Parlabane.
I don’t want to talk about the plot too much as you need to discover this book for yourself, but I will say that Brookmyre has crafted a current novel which deals with cybercrime, hackers and corporate greed. As someone who is wary of social media, Want You Gone had me checking my PC security! Brookmyre has clearly researched the issues of internet security and hacker groups meticulously as it comes across as authentic. The plot is complex but expertly put together and full of jaw-dropping twists and turns.
Brookmyre has a knack of creating complex characters who leave you with a combination of feelings towards them, and Sam Morpeth in Want You Gone is no exception. She is a well-rounded character with a depth that makes her believable, and this is one of the joys of the two books in this series that I have read. He manages to incorporate these layers without slowing down the pace. You can’t help but like Jack Parlabane, he has had his fair share of troubles and just as he seems to be getting back on his feet, he is thrust back into a complex situation that threatens his well-being.
Want You Gone is an absolute cracker and this has put Brookmyre firmly on my list of favourite authors. A nail-biting, tense and twisty book that needs to be on your TBR pile!
A huge thank you to Chris Brookmyre and Little, Brown UK for the advance copy in exchange for my review.
June 28, 2017
The Last Hack: A Jack Parlabane Thriller by Christopher Brookmyre
I would love to say that this book was great from beginning to end, but I can't because it wasn't just great it was awesome. I found myself staying up far later than I normally do just so I could read another few pages. Those few pages turned into chapters until I was so tired I couldn't read the blurry words on the pages any longer.
I couldn't help but route for the male lead (Jack Parlabane) and the female lead (Sam Morpeth). The characters are so well developed that they become real to the reader. I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching all the action (something I wish I could do in real life).
I loved this book.
I would love to say that this book was great from beginning to end, but I can't because it wasn't just great it was awesome. I found myself staying up far later than I normally do just so I could read another few pages. Those few pages turned into chapters until I was so tired I couldn't read the blurry words on the pages any longer.
I couldn't help but route for the male lead (Jack Parlabane) and the female lead (Sam Morpeth). The characters are so well developed that they become real to the reader. I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching all the action (something I wish I could do in real life).
I loved this book.
October 31, 2017
I absolutely loved this book and really enjoyed the story that enfolded.
Very easy to read and very hard to put down.
Had me guessing till the end. Highly recommended.
Very easy to read and very hard to put down.
Had me guessing till the end. Highly recommended.
June 15, 2017
A simple synopsis for this book could read something like this: "Crusading investigative journalist unwillingly teams up with young female hacker and, together, they take on a bunch of bad guys and bring them down." Of course, any fan of crime fiction who hasn't been asleep for the past 20 years will realise this is hardly an original idea. Even though, in this case, the young hacker doesn't have a large dragon tattooed on her back. There is only one author I know of who would have the audacity to run with this concept and the narrative skills to bring it off. Fortunately for us his name is Christopher Brookmyre.
I've been a huge Brookmyre fan since reading Country Of The Blind about 12 years ago and have kept up with his work ever since. The crusading investigative journalist in this latest book is, of course, Brookmyre's most enduring protagonist Jack Parlabane. The hacker is 19 year-old Samantha Morpeth, whose mother has recently been jailed, leaving her to care for her younger sister Lilly who has Down Syndrome. When blackmailed into committing a heist on a hi-tech electronics firm things go horribly wrong and they find themselves fugitives. After a whole series of hair-raising adventures and many plot twists, they eventually discover who is really pulling the strings and there is a thrilling finale in the Tate Modern museum.
Once again, Christopher Brookmyre has managed to produce a high octane, seat-of-the-pants thriller liberally laced with his trademark humanity and humour. Unreservedly recommended.
I've been a huge Brookmyre fan since reading Country Of The Blind about 12 years ago and have kept up with his work ever since. The crusading investigative journalist in this latest book is, of course, Brookmyre's most enduring protagonist Jack Parlabane. The hacker is 19 year-old Samantha Morpeth, whose mother has recently been jailed, leaving her to care for her younger sister Lilly who has Down Syndrome. When blackmailed into committing a heist on a hi-tech electronics firm things go horribly wrong and they find themselves fugitives. After a whole series of hair-raising adventures and many plot twists, they eventually discover who is really pulling the strings and there is a thrilling finale in the Tate Modern museum.
Once again, Christopher Brookmyre has managed to produce a high octane, seat-of-the-pants thriller liberally laced with his trademark humanity and humour. Unreservedly recommended.
April 15, 2021
4.5. WANT YOU GONE keep me up reading until 6 this morning. I’d put it down, try to go asleep, then say to myself “I’ll just read a couple more chapters until I get sleepy.” Read three or four chapters, try to go asleep, then read some more until I finally finished it at 6 a.m. It’s a great thriller.
As a thriller, it’s definitely a 5 star read. It falls down a bit as a character study. The story follows, in alternating chapters, Sam, a hacker, and Jack Parlabane, a break-in specialist (and former disgraced journalist who is trying to redeem himself in the journalism world). Parlabane is better described here than he was in the only previous Chris Brookmyre book I have read, BLACK WIDOW. But Sam comes off as disjointed. She has two parts — shy, needy, young girl with low self-esteem and gung-ho, hacker who fast-talks her marks into giving up information — and the two parts didn’t mesh well. I liked the shy, needy girl best, but when she morphed into a fast-talking con artist in the latter part of the book, it wasn’t believable.
Also, the story didn’t wow me with a 180 degree turn like “Black Widow” did. There were surprises, and a few twists, but the villain was one possibility I considered from the beginning (although the rational behind their behaviour did come as a complete surprise).
I debated between giving WANT YOU GONE a 5-star rating and a 4-star rating, and decided on 4 stars because it wasn’t as good as “Black Widow”. But it is a strong 4-star rating. Definitely worth 5 stars if rated strictly as a thriller.
Added note: Although a book about computer hacking, it doesn’t require any technical knowledge. If I, an 80-year-old grandmother, can easily understand it, anyone can. Whenever Sam gets a bit too technical, Parlabane makes her explain it in language suitable for someone whose knowledge of the internet is limited to google. It is not a story written for techno-geeks; it is written for those of us who want to protect themselves from techno-geek hackers like Sam.
Late addendum: In light of the poorly written books to which people are now giving 4 and 5 stars, I have raised my overall rating of this book to 5 stars. It is very well written and the minor flaws do not warrant taking away a star.
As a thriller, it’s definitely a 5 star read. It falls down a bit as a character study. The story follows, in alternating chapters, Sam, a hacker, and Jack Parlabane, a break-in specialist (and former disgraced journalist who is trying to redeem himself in the journalism world). Parlabane is better described here than he was in the only previous Chris Brookmyre book I have read, BLACK WIDOW. But Sam comes off as disjointed. She has two parts — shy, needy, young girl with low self-esteem and gung-ho, hacker who fast-talks her marks into giving up information — and the two parts didn’t mesh well. I liked the shy, needy girl best, but when she morphed into a fast-talking con artist in the latter part of the book, it wasn’t believable.
Also, the story didn’t wow me with a 180 degree turn like “Black Widow” did. There were surprises, and a few twists, but the villain was one possibility I considered from the beginning (although the rational behind their behaviour did come as a complete surprise).
I debated between giving WANT YOU GONE a 5-star rating and a 4-star rating, and decided on 4 stars because it wasn’t as good as “Black Widow”. But it is a strong 4-star rating. Definitely worth 5 stars if rated strictly as a thriller.
Added note: Although a book about computer hacking, it doesn’t require any technical knowledge. If I, an 80-year-old grandmother, can easily understand it, anyone can. Whenever Sam gets a bit too technical, Parlabane makes her explain it in language suitable for someone whose knowledge of the internet is limited to google. It is not a story written for techno-geeks; it is written for those of us who want to protect themselves from techno-geek hackers like Sam.
Late addendum: In light of the poorly written books to which people are now giving 4 and 5 stars, I have raised my overall rating of this book to 5 stars. It is very well written and the minor flaws do not warrant taking away a star.
February 19, 2017
So jack is back in his 8th book in the series. Mild spoilers will follow. This book, while still retaining some of the dark humour Brookmyre is renowned for, is a little lighter than some of the earlier books. Part of this, may be due to the split narrator technique, used to quite powerful effect, during the book.
Long time readers will remember Buzzkill, the online warrior who has been known to help jack out from time to time. Well now we find out not only who Buzzkill is, but also that previous encounters weren’t all as one sided as they originally appeared. What has been a supporting character, who themselves was a bit of a mystery, now takes centre stage, and shoves Jack into an arrangement he really does not want to get into.
Jack, just for a change is in a good place, taken on by an online news agency, even actually managing to land a scoop. To all appearances there’s a new medical breakthrough on the way, unfortunately, where there is money, there’s going to be murder, and Jack and Buzzkill get dragged into the mix.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a proper cybertech thriller novel, and I can not fault any of the techniques used. It feels and sounds genuine, managing to avoid the usual trapdoors of these form of thrillers, in inventing new tech.
At the same time Brookmyre manages to subtly look at the state of the modern welfare state. At least one scene is reminiscent of “I, Daniel Blake” but with a significantly lighter touch. I challenge you not to feel anything will reading through some of the welfare office scenes.
For those who have been following Jacks adventures over the years, this is an excellent addition to the collection. If Parblane, or Brookmyre are new to you, this is the perfect jumping on point.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Long time readers will remember Buzzkill, the online warrior who has been known to help jack out from time to time. Well now we find out not only who Buzzkill is, but also that previous encounters weren’t all as one sided as they originally appeared. What has been a supporting character, who themselves was a bit of a mystery, now takes centre stage, and shoves Jack into an arrangement he really does not want to get into.
Jack, just for a change is in a good place, taken on by an online news agency, even actually managing to land a scoop. To all appearances there’s a new medical breakthrough on the way, unfortunately, where there is money, there’s going to be murder, and Jack and Buzzkill get dragged into the mix.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a proper cybertech thriller novel, and I can not fault any of the techniques used. It feels and sounds genuine, managing to avoid the usual trapdoors of these form of thrillers, in inventing new tech.
At the same time Brookmyre manages to subtly look at the state of the modern welfare state. At least one scene is reminiscent of “I, Daniel Blake” but with a significantly lighter touch. I challenge you not to feel anything will reading through some of the welfare office scenes.
For those who have been following Jacks adventures over the years, this is an excellent addition to the collection. If Parblane, or Brookmyre are new to you, this is the perfect jumping on point.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2018
Has a slightly different feel from the more Carl Hiaasan influenced early Parlabane books. This is more in the late Michael Crichton's territory. An entertaining airport-novely techno-thriller. I'm not sure that, if I actually stopped to think about it, it entirely makes sense, and the plot does rely on an awful lot of coincidences, but it moved at a pace where I can't say I really cared. Good fun and moving Parlabane to London worked well.
May 14, 2017
Well. My word. Who knew that cyber-geekery could be so nerve wrackingly tense? I certainly didn’t expect it but then again I’m used to the normal i-tech obsessed IT geeks who work in my company and they aren’t exactly mixing in the world of hacking and cyber-espionage. At least not as far as they have been admitting on Facebook…
Now I won’t lie – there is a lot of techno-babble in this book. Not enough to push you out of the story but get ready for acronyms and geekisms galore, some of which, like me you’ll probably be able to decipher, some of which, like me, you may not. But for me that didn’t matter because beyond all the tech-talk lies a very clever, very intriguing story and some wonderful characters to boot. Of course you have central protagonist Jack Parlabane, this time trying desperately to resurrect his career by tapping into a new hi-tech digitally driven magazine, Broadwave. They are hoping that Jack can bring them scoops, and he is largely gambling on his past successes in this area to bag him the opportunity. When a major bank is hacked on the day they are set to launch their new corporate identity, his connection to Buzzkill, a computer hacker with the inside intel on the hack, allows him an in with Broadwave, and also sets him on a very dangerous path that could cost him dearly.
Now this isn’t all about Jack’s struggles to find meaningful employment. The rest of the story belongs to young Samantha (Sam) Morpeth. Left to look after her young sister when their mother is sent to prison, Sam will do anything it takes to prevent her sister being taken into care, even giving up college in order to make sandwiches in a local cafe. Bullied at school, there is only one thing Sam excels in, a side of her character which she keeps well hidden from everyone and for very good reason. Because when this secret is exposed she is well and truly dragged into a situation far larger than anything she could have imagined possible. If she is going to get out of trouble she is going to need help. And for that she needs Jack.
Now when I first read ‘Black Widow’ I struggled a little to find any empathy towards the central character, the eponymous widow whose life was under threat. When it came to Sam I was exactly the opposite. From the very start, when we are witness to her struggles to get the simplest level of support from the local council as her sister’s carer, I was invested in her fate. She was a truly empathetic character to me – a victim of bullying, completely devoted to her sister and determined to do right by her – and what we started to learn about her really took me by surprise. But it also made me smile. Because this is a book where any assumptions you may have ever made will be truly challenged, tipped on their heads, right royally jiggled about and then dumped in a heap at your feet for you to try and make sense of how in the heck you ever made that conclusion in the first place. We always like to think we won’t pre-judge a situation, that we won’t make assertions based on race, gender, age etc about what we believe to be true, but fluffing heck, the realisation hit me in the face like a mallet and from then on I was doubly hooked.
I love the way, in these books, the point of view switches from first person in the case of the secondary protagonist, in this case Sam, and the omniscient narrator who follows Jack’s actions, gives voice to his thoughts. Although you might think it could be confusing, in this case it really works. I think to switch between the interior monologue of two different characters would be not only confusing but also extremely limiting in a story such as this. The move between what Sam sees and feels and what we see of Jack’s situation really does add to the tension which builds throughout. Perhaps it is because a third person narrator can call Parlabane out on his quirks in a way only a very self aware man could of themselves, and with his many foibles even Jack would struggle to be that honest with himself.
And this is a tense read. I know cyber-crime may sound perhaps a little hi-tech and glamorous, perhaps not quite so edgy or dangerous, but believe me when I say that Chris Brookmyre has made this a tale in which the fates of the central characters, both Sam and Jack, are balanced somewhat precariously on a very fine and very sharp knife edge. They have to succeed in their quest. Their freedom may well depend on it, if not their lives. Certainly for Sam the potential consequences of failure are unthinkable, but Mr Brookmyre has the odds stack so high against them that it seems almost impossible that they can find any chance of success. So can Jack really tap into his inner Ethan Hunt and pull off a ‘Mission Impossible’? Well… lets face it. He’s not your archetypal action hero now is he, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to read this for yourself to find out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, savoured every last page. The transition of the traditional print journalism to a knew digital era and they way in which Brookmyre explores the impact of technology upon our lives and the ease with which those who truly understand code can control us certainly rang true. And after spending the past couple of days hearing about the impact of digital disruption upon the company that I work for, it seems even more so now. Data is the new oil as they say and anyone who can channel, control and own all data, be it by fair means or foul, will surely be king. And hackers? Well they have the skeleton keys to the castle now don’t they?
A brilliantly tense, cyber-geekish 5 stars from me.
Now I won’t lie – there is a lot of techno-babble in this book. Not enough to push you out of the story but get ready for acronyms and geekisms galore, some of which, like me you’ll probably be able to decipher, some of which, like me, you may not. But for me that didn’t matter because beyond all the tech-talk lies a very clever, very intriguing story and some wonderful characters to boot. Of course you have central protagonist Jack Parlabane, this time trying desperately to resurrect his career by tapping into a new hi-tech digitally driven magazine, Broadwave. They are hoping that Jack can bring them scoops, and he is largely gambling on his past successes in this area to bag him the opportunity. When a major bank is hacked on the day they are set to launch their new corporate identity, his connection to Buzzkill, a computer hacker with the inside intel on the hack, allows him an in with Broadwave, and also sets him on a very dangerous path that could cost him dearly.
Now this isn’t all about Jack’s struggles to find meaningful employment. The rest of the story belongs to young Samantha (Sam) Morpeth. Left to look after her young sister when their mother is sent to prison, Sam will do anything it takes to prevent her sister being taken into care, even giving up college in order to make sandwiches in a local cafe. Bullied at school, there is only one thing Sam excels in, a side of her character which she keeps well hidden from everyone and for very good reason. Because when this secret is exposed she is well and truly dragged into a situation far larger than anything she could have imagined possible. If she is going to get out of trouble she is going to need help. And for that she needs Jack.
Now when I first read ‘Black Widow’ I struggled a little to find any empathy towards the central character, the eponymous widow whose life was under threat. When it came to Sam I was exactly the opposite. From the very start, when we are witness to her struggles to get the simplest level of support from the local council as her sister’s carer, I was invested in her fate. She was a truly empathetic character to me – a victim of bullying, completely devoted to her sister and determined to do right by her – and what we started to learn about her really took me by surprise. But it also made me smile. Because this is a book where any assumptions you may have ever made will be truly challenged, tipped on their heads, right royally jiggled about and then dumped in a heap at your feet for you to try and make sense of how in the heck you ever made that conclusion in the first place. We always like to think we won’t pre-judge a situation, that we won’t make assertions based on race, gender, age etc about what we believe to be true, but fluffing heck, the realisation hit me in the face like a mallet and from then on I was doubly hooked.
I love the way, in these books, the point of view switches from first person in the case of the secondary protagonist, in this case Sam, and the omniscient narrator who follows Jack’s actions, gives voice to his thoughts. Although you might think it could be confusing, in this case it really works. I think to switch between the interior monologue of two different characters would be not only confusing but also extremely limiting in a story such as this. The move between what Sam sees and feels and what we see of Jack’s situation really does add to the tension which builds throughout. Perhaps it is because a third person narrator can call Parlabane out on his quirks in a way only a very self aware man could of themselves, and with his many foibles even Jack would struggle to be that honest with himself.
And this is a tense read. I know cyber-crime may sound perhaps a little hi-tech and glamorous, perhaps not quite so edgy or dangerous, but believe me when I say that Chris Brookmyre has made this a tale in which the fates of the central characters, both Sam and Jack, are balanced somewhat precariously on a very fine and very sharp knife edge. They have to succeed in their quest. Their freedom may well depend on it, if not their lives. Certainly for Sam the potential consequences of failure are unthinkable, but Mr Brookmyre has the odds stack so high against them that it seems almost impossible that they can find any chance of success. So can Jack really tap into his inner Ethan Hunt and pull off a ‘Mission Impossible’? Well… lets face it. He’s not your archetypal action hero now is he, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to read this for yourself to find out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, savoured every last page. The transition of the traditional print journalism to a knew digital era and they way in which Brookmyre explores the impact of technology upon our lives and the ease with which those who truly understand code can control us certainly rang true. And after spending the past couple of days hearing about the impact of digital disruption upon the company that I work for, it seems even more so now. Data is the new oil as they say and anyone who can channel, control and own all data, be it by fair means or foul, will surely be king. And hackers? Well they have the skeleton keys to the castle now don’t they?
A brilliantly tense, cyber-geekish 5 stars from me.
February 4, 2017
JACKS BACK PACKING PARLABANE PUNCH
In a sensational twist of events Jack Parlabane roving reporter extraordinaire returns in a hacking, cracking crime caper.
In a sensational twist of events Jack Parlabane roving reporter extraordinaire returns in a hacking, cracking crime caper.
April 27, 2017
Phew, this is another "back to form" Jack Parlabane book, they went a bit off for a while there. It's the tiniest bit soppy and I miss Sarah and Scotland but thoroughly enjoyed this.
February 8, 2018
Last week I surprised my elder son, who works in IT. He mentioned that his company was undergoing 'pen' testing, and I immediately replied, 'Oh, yes - penetration testing, to see how secure your systems are'. Now, I am not a digital native; in fact if IT capability was a planet, I would definitely be in a different galaxy. But I had just finished 'Want You Gone' and some of the IT jargon had remained in my head. Probably because I was so flummoxed by the vocabulary that I had to read some pages more than once, just so that I could get a grip of the hacker plot line. But if you are a lover of all things digital - Chris Brookmyre is an enthusiastic gamer - you'll probably love this well-constructed Jack Parlabane thriller, with its industrial espionage theme, and female super-hacker. The ending is neatly done, with no loose threads, so it's a very satisfying read. If you don't keep forgetting the hacker vocabulary, that is....
August 5, 2020
Very clever, confidently put together, impressive and enjoyable - here Brookmyre brings together his hero investigative reporter Jack Parlabane with a young female hacker, and the two of them get involved in the shady (and complex, jargon-filled) world of industrial espionage and blackmail.
It's good, it raced by nicely, it had plenty of wit and it certainly felt like a very well-written thriller. The two main characters especially well-described and Sam (the female protagonist) painted sympathetically to engage the reader. However, at times my attention wavered from the geekery and cybercomplexity, and I also found aspects a bit too contrived and co-incidental. The clever denouement felt a bit cliched in its exposition, perhaps I prefer Brookmyre's more bungling crime capers than this slightly Hollywood thriller.
It's good, it raced by nicely, it had plenty of wit and it certainly felt like a very well-written thriller. The two main characters especially well-described and Sam (the female protagonist) painted sympathetically to engage the reader. However, at times my attention wavered from the geekery and cybercomplexity, and I also found aspects a bit too contrived and co-incidental. The clever denouement felt a bit cliched in its exposition, perhaps I prefer Brookmyre's more bungling crime capers than this slightly Hollywood thriller.
June 5, 2018
There have been good reviews of these Jack Parlabane novels but did I enjoy it, well not really. Some good action parts with a good deal of speculation and assumption that rather spoiled the plot line. As an investigative journalist Jack finds there are no sanctions ensuing from his breaking and entering, car theft driving without insurance etc on top of a young woman who hacks into corporate computer systems with impunity and despite having previously been remanded into custody, seems to have escaped all sanctions.
The whole book made me madder as it went on. Too modern and full of jargon for my taste. Probably good for a younger generation.
2 stars only from me.
The whole book made me madder as it went on. Too modern and full of jargon for my taste. Probably good for a younger generation.
2 stars only from me.
Read
May 23, 2024This one is the story of nineteen year old Sam Morpeth. Left to care for her younger sister, who has Down's Syndrome, after their mother was sent to prison, she's an anxious, lonely and worried young woman.
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Want to read
September 29, 2017Was going to read this 8th book in a series, but decided to put it aside for now. Not sure I will enjoy it as much when I don't the events from previous books featuring Jack Parlabane.
April 25, 2017
I'm grateful to the publisher for an advance e-copy copy of this book via NetGalley. (This was one book though I couldn't miss out on the hardback of and I've bought one to go with the other Brookmyres on my shelves).
Sam Morpeth doesn't have it easy. Sam's mother is in prison, she's bullied by the popular girls in her class and she's the only carer for a sister, Lilly, who has learning disabilities.
And it all seems to be getting worse as Sam's benefits are cut and the lowlife move in to take what they claim Sam's mum owes them for drugs...
Jack Parlabane, in contrast, is on the up at last. Still glowing - a little - from his reporting of the Black Widow case, he's now been able to use his contact, "Buzzkill" to get the inside story on a major bank hack. Buzzkill has featured several times in recent books, but now we're going to learn a great deal more about him ("there are no women on the Internet") as he and Jack circle and double cross each other, looking for a way out of a pretty extreme situation.
It's a situation that also draws Sam in, and one where she'll have to dig deep into her history to discover what's really going on.
And to survive.
All while juggling schoolwork, Lilly-care and the labyrinthine benefits system.
Brookmyre gives an achingly real portrayal of real people in real dilemmas: what do you do when your flat is burgled, the TV stolen, and your little sister will just melt down if she can't watch her favourite DVDs at the regular time? As a parent of a LD child I can assure you this isn't a trivial issue but Brookmyre clearly gets it. The need to provide care throws many spanners in the works here, heightening the tension as the story winds to a gripping climax.
What happens to the hacker when they're hacked? (Scary TV of armoured - and armed - cops busting open flats, that's what).
How does an ageing hack in a transforming industry stay at the cutting edge when he's beginning to feel too old even for the partying and definitely for climbing up to 3rd floor windows?
This is a book that ranges widely in its themes - from the camaraderie of hacker gangs to financial fraud (that bank deserved what happened to it), the changing face of journalism: Jack's got himself hooked up with a Buzzfeed style outfit, all beanbags and pool tables and based at an achingly trendy North London address (Hmmm, let's see how long that lasts). We also see the grim reality of the benefits system, for those caught up in its workings. All in support of a thrilling plot with the usual Parlabane shenanigans - whatever he tells himself, when he breaks into an office it's not only in search of the story, it's just as much because he can.
But there's a serious edge. Buzzkill nearly ruined Jack once before (by accident? on purpose?) and has been an ambiguous figure throughout. All the same, he's done Jack some favours. Now, Buzzkill is calling in the debts, faced with an enemy the hacker can't hack. But this could bring all Jack's new-found credibility crashing round his ears.
Will he repay his debt?
Will it be the end of him if he does?
From the ominous preface to the final, suspense-filled pages of the story, this is a book that'll keep you gripped and reading - whether you're a longtime fan of Brookmure or a newcomer.
Sam Morpeth doesn't have it easy. Sam's mother is in prison, she's bullied by the popular girls in her class and she's the only carer for a sister, Lilly, who has learning disabilities.
And it all seems to be getting worse as Sam's benefits are cut and the lowlife move in to take what they claim Sam's mum owes them for drugs...
Jack Parlabane, in contrast, is on the up at last. Still glowing - a little - from his reporting of the Black Widow case, he's now been able to use his contact, "Buzzkill" to get the inside story on a major bank hack. Buzzkill has featured several times in recent books, but now we're going to learn a great deal more about him ("there are no women on the Internet") as he and Jack circle and double cross each other, looking for a way out of a pretty extreme situation.
It's a situation that also draws Sam in, and one where she'll have to dig deep into her history to discover what's really going on.
And to survive.
All while juggling schoolwork, Lilly-care and the labyrinthine benefits system.
Brookmyre gives an achingly real portrayal of real people in real dilemmas: what do you do when your flat is burgled, the TV stolen, and your little sister will just melt down if she can't watch her favourite DVDs at the regular time? As a parent of a LD child I can assure you this isn't a trivial issue but Brookmyre clearly gets it. The need to provide care throws many spanners in the works here, heightening the tension as the story winds to a gripping climax.
What happens to the hacker when they're hacked? (Scary TV of armoured - and armed - cops busting open flats, that's what).
How does an ageing hack in a transforming industry stay at the cutting edge when he's beginning to feel too old even for the partying and definitely for climbing up to 3rd floor windows?
This is a book that ranges widely in its themes - from the camaraderie of hacker gangs to financial fraud (that bank deserved what happened to it), the changing face of journalism: Jack's got himself hooked up with a Buzzfeed style outfit, all beanbags and pool tables and based at an achingly trendy North London address (Hmmm, let's see how long that lasts). We also see the grim reality of the benefits system, for those caught up in its workings. All in support of a thrilling plot with the usual Parlabane shenanigans - whatever he tells himself, when he breaks into an office it's not only in search of the story, it's just as much because he can.
But there's a serious edge. Buzzkill nearly ruined Jack once before (by accident? on purpose?) and has been an ambiguous figure throughout. All the same, he's done Jack some favours. Now, Buzzkill is calling in the debts, faced with an enemy the hacker can't hack. But this could bring all Jack's new-found credibility crashing round his ears.
Will he repay his debt?
Will it be the end of him if he does?
From the ominous preface to the final, suspense-filled pages of the story, this is a book that'll keep you gripped and reading - whether you're a longtime fan of Brookmure or a newcomer.
March 12, 2017
I’ve loved Chris Brookmyre’s writing for years and I think his Jack Parlabane character is a really strong mix of ironic and hard bitten journalist/detective. Parlabane works hard to keep up with the times, but knows that when it comes to stories, the old motives still prevail, even if the methods of achieving them are different.
Want You Gone is the 8th book in this series and Brookmyre has lost none of his edge or humour.
With the decline in the newspaper industry, Jack is struggling to find work, but when he goes to see the online news operation Broadwave, his contacts – and one old friend in particular – a digital hacker called Buzzkill - gives him the lead that he needs to impress them with his ability to ferret out a story.
His lead relates to a pretty stunning data breach at a major hi-tech company and he is determined that he will follow it through to deliver a splash.
Sam Morpeth has a pretty hard life. The 19 year old cares for her sister Lily, who has developmental difficulties. Her mother is in prison and she is trying but failing to sustain her college education because her benefits are being cut, so all that is open to her is the no-hope fast food retail outlet job. On top of all that she is being seriously bullied.
Sam’s real life may be dire, but her online life allows her to be who she needs to be. That is, until an anonymous hacker called Zodiac invades her world and threatens her with losing all she holds dear if she will not carry out the tasks he is stipulating.
Sam reaches out to Jack and he knows that he owes her, so together they embark on a two pronged journey – to keep Zodiac at bay by carrying out the assigned tasks; and to simultaneously discover who this blackmailer is and expose them.
In the process, Parlabane will put both his and Sam’s life in jeopardy (not to mention pissing off his new boss) and he and Sam will have to go into hiding.
But who is Sam really and what is her connection to Parlabane? Can Sam be trusted or will she sacrifice Jack to ensure Lily’s safety?
In this fast paced thriller where no online transaction is truly safe and cyber hacking can lead to the destruction of entire corporations, Christopher Brookmyre has created a brilliantly plotted nightmare scenario.
Tense, twisty and very edgy, Want You Gone combines Brookmyre’s best loved character with a new partner to create a racy and compelling must-read thriller.
Want You Gone is the 8th book in this series and Brookmyre has lost none of his edge or humour.
With the decline in the newspaper industry, Jack is struggling to find work, but when he goes to see the online news operation Broadwave, his contacts – and one old friend in particular – a digital hacker called Buzzkill - gives him the lead that he needs to impress them with his ability to ferret out a story.
His lead relates to a pretty stunning data breach at a major hi-tech company and he is determined that he will follow it through to deliver a splash.
Sam Morpeth has a pretty hard life. The 19 year old cares for her sister Lily, who has developmental difficulties. Her mother is in prison and she is trying but failing to sustain her college education because her benefits are being cut, so all that is open to her is the no-hope fast food retail outlet job. On top of all that she is being seriously bullied.
Sam’s real life may be dire, but her online life allows her to be who she needs to be. That is, until an anonymous hacker called Zodiac invades her world and threatens her with losing all she holds dear if she will not carry out the tasks he is stipulating.
Sam reaches out to Jack and he knows that he owes her, so together they embark on a two pronged journey – to keep Zodiac at bay by carrying out the assigned tasks; and to simultaneously discover who this blackmailer is and expose them.
In the process, Parlabane will put both his and Sam’s life in jeopardy (not to mention pissing off his new boss) and he and Sam will have to go into hiding.
But who is Sam really and what is her connection to Parlabane? Can Sam be trusted or will she sacrifice Jack to ensure Lily’s safety?
In this fast paced thriller where no online transaction is truly safe and cyber hacking can lead to the destruction of entire corporations, Christopher Brookmyre has created a brilliantly plotted nightmare scenario.
Tense, twisty and very edgy, Want You Gone combines Brookmyre’s best loved character with a new partner to create a racy and compelling must-read thriller.
February 3, 2017
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
A hacker contact of Jack's, Buzzkill, embarrasses a major bank by taking over and rewriting part of its website. However, Buzzkill is then threatened with exposure by a fellow hacker if she does not steal the prototype of a new medical device. Buzzkill knows she cannot do this alone and in turn blackmails Jack into helping her.
Overall I though this story was excellent. The plot made sense (once I was past the slightly bewildering first few chapters) and was helpfully clarified by one of the characters every time I thought I might be getting lost. There was a good blend of dialogue, action and computer wizardry. I enjoyed all the descriptions of hacking methods and overriding security cameras etc (although I didn't really understand the finer details). I also enjoyed the less high tech disguises and ploys Jack and Samantha used to avoid being discovered.
Jack and Samantha were engaging characters, although I struggled with the complete disconnect between Samantha's online personality (and the courage and decisiveness she showed in her dealings with Jack) on the one hand and the bullied, defeated person she became around her mother, social services and the other girls from school on the other. It also seemed to me unlikely that Samantha would seek to meet up with Stonefish in view of what had been revealed about her modus operandi up until that point.
I have only read the Jack Parlabane novel immediately preceding this one and there were references here to Jack's more distant past, but these did not really prevent this working as a stand alone story.
Highly recommended.
A hacker contact of Jack's, Buzzkill, embarrasses a major bank by taking over and rewriting part of its website. However, Buzzkill is then threatened with exposure by a fellow hacker if she does not steal the prototype of a new medical device. Buzzkill knows she cannot do this alone and in turn blackmails Jack into helping her.
Overall I though this story was excellent. The plot made sense (once I was past the slightly bewildering first few chapters) and was helpfully clarified by one of the characters every time I thought I might be getting lost. There was a good blend of dialogue, action and computer wizardry. I enjoyed all the descriptions of hacking methods and overriding security cameras etc (although I didn't really understand the finer details). I also enjoyed the less high tech disguises and ploys Jack and Samantha used to avoid being discovered.
Jack and Samantha were engaging characters, although I struggled with the complete disconnect between Samantha's online personality (and the courage and decisiveness she showed in her dealings with Jack) on the one hand and the bullied, defeated person she became around her mother, social services and the other girls from school on the other. It also seemed to me unlikely that Samantha would seek to meet up with Stonefish in view of what had been revealed about her modus operandi up until that point.
I have only read the Jack Parlabane novel immediately preceding this one and there were references here to Jack's more distant past, but these did not really prevent this working as a stand alone story.
Highly recommended.
April 20, 2017
Samantha Morpeth is a teenage girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her Mum is in prison, leaving her to care for her younger sister with learning difficulties, and dealing with bullies at school. As if this isn't enough, she's being blackmailed by a stranger, threatening to publish all her secrets online for the world to see.
Jack Parlabane is a reporter looking for a way to regain his credibility; to show he's still relevant in the word of journalism. Looks like he's found it as well, but at a cost, as a former source who operates on the wrong side of the law, calls in an old debt. If Jack doesn't help, he risks everything coming crashing down around him. The two are pitted against the same nameless tormentor, and both have to decide how far they'll go to keep their secrets hidden, and where their true loyalties lie.
A fast-paced thriller, equally as compelling whether were seeing it through Sam's eyes, or Jack's, and takes us deep into the murky world of cyber-criminals, world class hackers, and industrial espionage. If you don't already have a healthy fear of who or what lurks online, then you soon will after reading this. The to-and-fro between Sam and Jack makes for a great pair of leading characters, and Chris Brookmyre does a cracking job of keeping the tension cranking up, as we're dragged from real world cliffhanger, to online hack-gone-wrong and back again.
It's the first in the Parlabane series I've read, but I'm already looking through the back catalogue to get another fix, which tells you all you need to know.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jack Parlabane is a reporter looking for a way to regain his credibility; to show he's still relevant in the word of journalism. Looks like he's found it as well, but at a cost, as a former source who operates on the wrong side of the law, calls in an old debt. If Jack doesn't help, he risks everything coming crashing down around him. The two are pitted against the same nameless tormentor, and both have to decide how far they'll go to keep their secrets hidden, and where their true loyalties lie.
A fast-paced thriller, equally as compelling whether were seeing it through Sam's eyes, or Jack's, and takes us deep into the murky world of cyber-criminals, world class hackers, and industrial espionage. If you don't already have a healthy fear of who or what lurks online, then you soon will after reading this. The to-and-fro between Sam and Jack makes for a great pair of leading characters, and Chris Brookmyre does a cracking job of keeping the tension cranking up, as we're dragged from real world cliffhanger, to online hack-gone-wrong and back again.
It's the first in the Parlabane series I've read, but I'm already looking through the back catalogue to get another fix, which tells you all you need to know.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
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