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The Accidental Recluse
Johnny Jackson used to be a famous film director, but his brother Duke was a hero. Just turned 75, JJ is heading home from exile in Japan for one last blockbuster and a civic honouring. But home is where the ghosts of his past reside, some darker than his dead brother’s shadow. His sins may be about to come to light.
340 pages, Paperback
Published March 15, 2018
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44 people want to read
About the author
Tom McCulloch
4 books3 followersI come from the Highlands of Scotland and now live in Oxford with my family. I'm the author of four novels: The Stillman, A Private Haunting, The Accidental Recluse, and Riprap.
With The Stillman I was named an Amazon Rising Star. The Accidental Recluse was a Scotsman newspaper book of the year.
My short stories and poems have appeared in many magazines and compilations, including Jacked: a crime fiction anthology (Run Amok Crime) and Romy Lives.
With The Stillman I was named an Amazon Rising Star. The Accidental Recluse was a Scotsman newspaper book of the year.
My short stories and poems have appeared in many magazines and compilations, including Jacked: a crime fiction anthology (Run Amok Crime) and Romy Lives.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 18, 2018
Originally posted to I Should Read That
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
The Accidental Recluse is one of those rare books that is both a slow burn and a compulsive read. JJ's story is tragic, compelling, and undeniably humorous. He takes us through his journey from music hall performer to film star to director, and finally to recluse. From JJ's quiet home in Japan to the sprawling Scottish countryside, the settings in this book give it a unique flavour that makes it hard to put down. I sometimes struggle with dual timelines -- one always seems more interesting than the other or the transition between the two periods can feel choppy -- but the shifts in time were blended seamlessly and both time periods were equally compelling.
The plot and setting are important, but this book is really all about Johnny Jackson, or JJ. He’s our narrator and therefore his thoughts, reflections, and reactions guide our understanding of his story. JJ is a sharp and witty, but he’s also jaded and just so tired. He is one of those people who uses humour as a coping mechanism, but you really get the sense of the sorrow he’s hiding from us as the story progresses. In this way, JJ is both an extremely sympathetic character and an unreliable narrator. He doesn’t reveal anything to us that he doesn’t have to.
What’s so much fun about having JJ as our narrator is the way he reacts to the situations he finds himself in. As the narrative unfolds, we learn of stalker who seems to know more about JJ’s past and secrets than they should. The dance between this figure and JJ, who is refered to as the Shinigami by this person, is one of my favourite parts of the book. The way JJ reacts to the vaguely threatening and unnerving messages from this character is unexpected and strangely delightful. This is one of the things that I found so fascinating about him -- it's like he knows we're peeking into his life and he’s trying to keep us on our toes to spite us.
The past is just as important as the present as JJ goes on his journey back to his childhood home. His brother Duke has long since passed away, but he remains a constant figure in JJ’s life. It’s hard to tell whether Duke’s presence in JJ’s mind is welcome or not, but the love that JJ feels for his brother is tangible, despite the dysfunctional relationship they had. I really loved this sibling dynamic and the way their relationship is revealed as the book unfolds. In fact, the relationships between all the characters are strong -- from Duke to Anna, JJ to his father, even if they’re tragic each person has a fully realised character arc.
Equal parts funny and heartbreaking, The Accidental Recluse is a book that will stay with you, even after you’ve finished the last pages. There is a lot that I could talk about here, but you should pick this one up on your own. This is one of the few books I’ve read in which the characters feel like real people -- I sometimes forgot that I was reading a novel rather than a memoir. I’d recommend this book for long time readers of contemporary fiction, but also for readers of historical fiction who would like to step into a new, more literary part of their genre.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
The Accidental Recluse is one of those rare books that is both a slow burn and a compulsive read. JJ's story is tragic, compelling, and undeniably humorous. He takes us through his journey from music hall performer to film star to director, and finally to recluse. From JJ's quiet home in Japan to the sprawling Scottish countryside, the settings in this book give it a unique flavour that makes it hard to put down. I sometimes struggle with dual timelines -- one always seems more interesting than the other or the transition between the two periods can feel choppy -- but the shifts in time were blended seamlessly and both time periods were equally compelling.
The plot and setting are important, but this book is really all about Johnny Jackson, or JJ. He’s our narrator and therefore his thoughts, reflections, and reactions guide our understanding of his story. JJ is a sharp and witty, but he’s also jaded and just so tired. He is one of those people who uses humour as a coping mechanism, but you really get the sense of the sorrow he’s hiding from us as the story progresses. In this way, JJ is both an extremely sympathetic character and an unreliable narrator. He doesn’t reveal anything to us that he doesn’t have to.
What’s so much fun about having JJ as our narrator is the way he reacts to the situations he finds himself in. As the narrative unfolds, we learn of stalker who seems to know more about JJ’s past and secrets than they should. The dance between this figure and JJ, who is refered to as the Shinigami by this person, is one of my favourite parts of the book. The way JJ reacts to the vaguely threatening and unnerving messages from this character is unexpected and strangely delightful. This is one of the things that I found so fascinating about him -- it's like he knows we're peeking into his life and he’s trying to keep us on our toes to spite us.
The past is just as important as the present as JJ goes on his journey back to his childhood home. His brother Duke has long since passed away, but he remains a constant figure in JJ’s life. It’s hard to tell whether Duke’s presence in JJ’s mind is welcome or not, but the love that JJ feels for his brother is tangible, despite the dysfunctional relationship they had. I really loved this sibling dynamic and the way their relationship is revealed as the book unfolds. In fact, the relationships between all the characters are strong -- from Duke to Anna, JJ to his father, even if they’re tragic each person has a fully realised character arc.
Equal parts funny and heartbreaking, The Accidental Recluse is a book that will stay with you, even after you’ve finished the last pages. There is a lot that I could talk about here, but you should pick this one up on your own. This is one of the few books I’ve read in which the characters feel like real people -- I sometimes forgot that I was reading a novel rather than a memoir. I’d recommend this book for long time readers of contemporary fiction, but also for readers of historical fiction who would like to step into a new, more literary part of their genre.
May 6, 2018
I realised that without our father there would have been none of it.
Later, as I read a statement to the press pack outside, I thought about all the stories we tell about ourselves and others, liquid and shfting as a murmuration of starlings. What if I veered away from this man of great energy who will be truly missed and talked instead about how families are dictatorships and we are all the b*stard offspring of someone else’s failed ambition?
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book but was immediately interested in the premise. An old man is going back to his home-town in Scotland, after living overseas in Japan for a number of years. The journey home and what waits for him there opens up old wounds and brings to life old memories which have never truly let him rest. For most of the story we are uncertain of how much of the narrative is true and how much is being manipulated by the protagonist. As a director, is he deliberately choosing certain scenes and shots to shape the reader’s perception of him?
This unreliable protagonist adds an extra layer to the mystery of what really happened between JJ, Duke and Anna and kept me intrigued to the end. His quirky sense of humour and unexpected response to a stalker trying to reveal his secrets as well as his relationship with his driver, Akira, who has been with him for most of his life; all of these made each character feel real and fully-realized.
I am so excited to be part of the blog tour for this book as I might not have come across it and would therefore have missed out on reading it. I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in the mismatch between our public persona and the person inside, and the way stories can be twisted and shaped to match our goals. A fascinating read!
A drift of lonely old piano, lost notes in the steaming darkness. Bicycle, limousine or shinkansen, we make those journeys and all our stories are eventually told.
We start as soon as we speak and there’s always some sucker willing to listen to the same old tales over and over. It’s the auto in biography.
What I liked: Setting in Japan and Scotland, JJ’s sense of humour, the mystery over what really happened to Duke.
Even better if: At times I really felt as if the story I’m reading is being manipulated by the main character -what is the truth?
How you could use it in your classroom: This isn’t one for the classroom, but could be recommended to adult readers.
Thank you to Sandstone Press for my review copy!
Later, as I read a statement to the press pack outside, I thought about all the stories we tell about ourselves and others, liquid and shfting as a murmuration of starlings. What if I veered away from this man of great energy who will be truly missed and talked instead about how families are dictatorships and we are all the b*stard offspring of someone else’s failed ambition?
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book but was immediately interested in the premise. An old man is going back to his home-town in Scotland, after living overseas in Japan for a number of years. The journey home and what waits for him there opens up old wounds and brings to life old memories which have never truly let him rest. For most of the story we are uncertain of how much of the narrative is true and how much is being manipulated by the protagonist. As a director, is he deliberately choosing certain scenes and shots to shape the reader’s perception of him?
This unreliable protagonist adds an extra layer to the mystery of what really happened between JJ, Duke and Anna and kept me intrigued to the end. His quirky sense of humour and unexpected response to a stalker trying to reveal his secrets as well as his relationship with his driver, Akira, who has been with him for most of his life; all of these made each character feel real and fully-realized.
I am so excited to be part of the blog tour for this book as I might not have come across it and would therefore have missed out on reading it. I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in the mismatch between our public persona and the person inside, and the way stories can be twisted and shaped to match our goals. A fascinating read!
A drift of lonely old piano, lost notes in the steaming darkness. Bicycle, limousine or shinkansen, we make those journeys and all our stories are eventually told.
We start as soon as we speak and there’s always some sucker willing to listen to the same old tales over and over. It’s the auto in biography.
What I liked: Setting in Japan and Scotland, JJ’s sense of humour, the mystery over what really happened to Duke.
Even better if: At times I really felt as if the story I’m reading is being manipulated by the main character -what is the truth?
How you could use it in your classroom: This isn’t one for the classroom, but could be recommended to adult readers.
Thank you to Sandstone Press for my review copy!
April 30, 2018
A retired director is given the chance to be involved in the making of a 'pet project' film and reflects on his life / career.
I found this book very unusual and moving. Some of the plot points (especially towards the end) were a bit too far-fetched but overall a solid read and effective story.
Anyone who has been involved in anything creative will enjoy the random nature of success, plus the need for the right image, parts of the story.
I found this book very unusual and moving. Some of the plot points (especially towards the end) were a bit too far-fetched but overall a solid read and effective story.
Anyone who has been involved in anything creative will enjoy the random nature of success, plus the need for the right image, parts of the story.
February 7, 2026
I'll give it 3. The whole thing is a bit hackneyed, we've read this narrative before, but the mix of northern Scotland and Japan give it a certain originality. The prose can be a bit stilted, but there are numerous decent turns of phrase, and the whole journey was pleasant enough.
May 30, 2019
Well, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either...will probably give this author another chance.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews