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Dennis Bisskit and The Man From Paris With the Very Large Head
1969 – Man is about to set foot upon the moon. Meanwhile, momentous events are also taking place in the West Midlands. Weddings, funerals, hereditary hair loss, M. J. K. Smith’s cricket bat, a missing masterpiece; dastardly deeds are taking place, above and below the streets of Birmingham. The police are baffled. This looks like a job for Dudley’s finest, Bisskit and Blackshaw – private investigators. Yes, the boys are back. Older, but none the wiser in Dennis Bisskit and the Man from Paris with the Very Large Head.
ebook
First published November 26, 2018
4 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Ainley
12 books20 followersBorn in Birmingham, UK in 1952. Served in the British airborne in the 1970s before emigrating to Western Australia.
Now...
It’s the Winter of 1963, and Detective Inspector Jack White, with the unruly haircut and matching attitude, is battling ice, snow, and a cold-blooded killer. The Winter of ’63 is the latest standalone crime thriller from Stephen Ainley and, once again, takes the reader back to the post-war unforgettable and unforgiving East End of London.
Spike first introduced DI Jack White. It’s 1961, and London’s Aldgate is rocked by two brutal murders. Spike is a brutal crime novel set in the heart of the 1960s East End, which is still recovering from the ravages of World War Two bombings.
The author’s next crime novel was The Broken Detective, in which the DI struggles with guilt that no amount of alcohol can assuage. A young girl goes missing, and a man’s wife disappears, but Jack’s own demons won’t stop him from investigating.
The Winter of ’63 is the third Jack White novel by Stephen Ainley.
The author was born in Birmingham, UK, and served in the British Airborne in the 1970s before moving to Australia. He is currently re-editing and re-publishing the hilarious Dennis Bisskit Series, filled with family, fun, colourful characters, and disasters. Available now are The Dennis Bisskit Story and, Dennis Bissit and the Missing Masterpiece,
His first serious novel and Amazon Bestseller, Jessup, takes place in 1950 and spans the battlefields of France and Northern Africa, to the East End. Jessup is a heart-rending story of a former soldier with undiagnosed PTSD, with one last chance to turn his life around.
And now comes, The Winter of ’63. It’s the coldest winter in 200 years, so cold in London that people can skate on the river Thames. On one of the worst nights, only two men are unfortunate enough to be out on the streets in the East End, Jack White and the man he finds encased in snow and with an axe wedged in his spine. It’s the unforgettable Winter of 1963.
Join Jack White with his unruly hair and dark humour as he tries to solve these crime thrillers. There are many more to come.
Now...
It’s the Winter of 1963, and Detective Inspector Jack White, with the unruly haircut and matching attitude, is battling ice, snow, and a cold-blooded killer. The Winter of ’63 is the latest standalone crime thriller from Stephen Ainley and, once again, takes the reader back to the post-war unforgettable and unforgiving East End of London.
Spike first introduced DI Jack White. It’s 1961, and London’s Aldgate is rocked by two brutal murders. Spike is a brutal crime novel set in the heart of the 1960s East End, which is still recovering from the ravages of World War Two bombings.
The author’s next crime novel was The Broken Detective, in which the DI struggles with guilt that no amount of alcohol can assuage. A young girl goes missing, and a man’s wife disappears, but Jack’s own demons won’t stop him from investigating.
The Winter of ’63 is the third Jack White novel by Stephen Ainley.
The author was born in Birmingham, UK, and served in the British Airborne in the 1970s before moving to Australia. He is currently re-editing and re-publishing the hilarious Dennis Bisskit Series, filled with family, fun, colourful characters, and disasters. Available now are The Dennis Bisskit Story and, Dennis Bissit and the Missing Masterpiece,
His first serious novel and Amazon Bestseller, Jessup, takes place in 1950 and spans the battlefields of France and Northern Africa, to the East End. Jessup is a heart-rending story of a former soldier with undiagnosed PTSD, with one last chance to turn his life around.
And now comes, The Winter of ’63. It’s the coldest winter in 200 years, so cold in London that people can skate on the river Thames. On one of the worst nights, only two men are unfortunate enough to be out on the streets in the East End, Jack White and the man he finds encased in snow and with an axe wedged in his spine. It’s the unforgettable Winter of 1963.
Join Jack White with his unruly hair and dark humour as he tries to solve these crime thrillers. There are many more to come.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 24, 2019
Great Characters, Great World in The Book, Entertaining.
This book was given to me by the author for my review.
“Dennis Bisskit and The Man from Paris with the Very Large Head” is a coming of age comedy, with compelling characters and excellent world-building.
At the beginning of “Dennis Bisskit and The Man from Paris With The Very Large Head," the backstory is split between the years 1968 and 1969, showing how Dennis has made slow progress in his career and in his personal life. This is interesting because the 60s was a time of great changes. The 60s was the time when man first set foot on the moon, something that due to forces beyond Dennis' control, he manages to miss!
We also sense that Dennis has missed a great deal of his own life because of his self-absorption and introspection. He has boasted to Stinky, saying that “in another five years” he could be promoted to General Sir Dennis Bisskit. At the same time, he has failed to listen to Stinky's “Big News.” What a twist of fate, an irony, that Stinky is the one who flourishes in the army! Stinky is the first to have a steady girlfriend. Some time has lapsed before it dawns on Dennis that Brenda might be “the future Mrs. Blackshaw.”
Dennis cuts a sorry figure when we see that he is stuck, living with his parents and his grandfather enjoying the so-called “best years of his life.”
Significantly, on Stinky's wedding day, although Bisskit is Best Man, and expected to deliver a speech, once again he is literally and metaphorically “left out in the cold.”
Time passes, and we see Dennis make one life-changing decision. Following his attempted courtship of Gloria, the daughter of the army chief, Blunkett, his working life has been made a misery. Blunkett seeks revenge by assigning him "dirty jobs” that no-one else wants to do. A “useless soldier,” Dennis leaves the army. An admirer of Bogart, he opens a detective agency inspired by his hero, Sam Spade. He has a business, run on a shoe-string, that seems to give him a kind of alibi for how he spends or wastes his time.
Although Stinky had found his vocation in the army, his marriage to Brenda means he has local ties; he leaves the army to join Dennis in his business. This creates conflict between Brenda, now Mrs. Blackshaw, and himself.
Author Stephen Ainley paints a very funny picture of Bisskit's “mission under cover” chasing “red herrings” (or is it pilchards?) to try to earn a few pounds, and there is much pathos as we root for these anti heroes and wonder what they will do next and what may become of them … I will allow you to discover this for yourselves!
Author Stephen Ainley builds a world that is compelling and entertaining, tragic and comic, realistic and fantastical.
A good aspect of “Dennis Bisskit and The Man from Paris With The Very Large Head” is the subtle way in which the author creates agency for the women in the story, ensuring that his story has universal appeal. Gloria, who escapes the control of her father by taking work at The Midland Hotel, plays a crucial role trying to catch a thief ...
What a masterful touch that the lead character, Dennis Bisskit, and his side-kick are embroiled in the mystery “underground” disappearance of a masterpiece: “The Man from Paris With The Very Large Head.” We sense that something will surface, given the right set of circumstances.
This Dennis Bisskit sequel is about one young man whose identity is emergent - a young man's quest to get ahead/head. A coming of age tale, it depicts a dreamer and a fantasist who struggles to overcome early adversity in his life.
This young man goes “under cover” to try to hide his social awkwardness and inferiority complex. He becomes a self-made alternative “authority figure” who has a planet of his very own. Bisskit has courage and resilience, and with the support of Gloria and his side-kick, Stinky, he grows in stature to fight officials, corruption and the establishment, against the odds. His efforts are admirable even though the Scottish Man escapes ...
Dennis gets to write his own rules, not least of which is a declaration about the importance of having and wearing the right kind of underpants. It is especially heart-warming to experience the genuine loyalty and camaraderie between this unlikely pair of detectives which we sense goes way beyond the action of the book.
Dennis Bisskit, James Bond of Dudley, Working-Class Hero, (among many other things,) you can't help but love him!
My Final Thoughts:
The best things about this book are the crafting of characters, world-building, and the effective thematic tension between reality/fantasy, home/away, good/evil, loyalty/betrayal, tragedy/comedy that brings the book together as an integral whole.
I enjoyed the social satire and the depiction of "class" values in the book.
It was brave to write a hilarious scene about death and funerals in the book. Death is a great leveller, and this idea was brought out very well indeed.
The comedy throughout this book was excellent. Being a big admirer of “Only Fools and Horses,” “Dad's Army,” and the stunts of Michael Crawford in “Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em,” I can see how this material could be reworked as a television script or screenplay.
However, I felt that the editing could have been a lot tighter. There was one page which had an incomplete sentence. There were several instances of the word, “has,” instead of “as,” and there were some punctuation errors. I also noticed, on certain pages of the book, that the narrator over-used the word “Suddenly.”
There is a proliferation of adverbs in places, and occasional leakage blurs the boundary between the narrator and the lead character, Bisskit, who also has a fondness for them.
Although the pacing of the book was fairly good, I think more short, snappy sentences for the action sequences would have created a more dynamic effect and improved the pace and atmosphere.
I loved the originality and entertainment value of this story.
Overall, this book is very promising. I rate it at 4 stars, only because of the lack of editing in places.
This book was given to me by the author for my review.
“Dennis Bisskit and The Man from Paris with the Very Large Head” is a coming of age comedy, with compelling characters and excellent world-building.
At the beginning of “Dennis Bisskit and The Man from Paris With The Very Large Head," the backstory is split between the years 1968 and 1969, showing how Dennis has made slow progress in his career and in his personal life. This is interesting because the 60s was a time of great changes. The 60s was the time when man first set foot on the moon, something that due to forces beyond Dennis' control, he manages to miss!
We also sense that Dennis has missed a great deal of his own life because of his self-absorption and introspection. He has boasted to Stinky, saying that “in another five years” he could be promoted to General Sir Dennis Bisskit. At the same time, he has failed to listen to Stinky's “Big News.” What a twist of fate, an irony, that Stinky is the one who flourishes in the army! Stinky is the first to have a steady girlfriend. Some time has lapsed before it dawns on Dennis that Brenda might be “the future Mrs. Blackshaw.”
Dennis cuts a sorry figure when we see that he is stuck, living with his parents and his grandfather enjoying the so-called “best years of his life.”
Significantly, on Stinky's wedding day, although Bisskit is Best Man, and expected to deliver a speech, once again he is literally and metaphorically “left out in the cold.”
Time passes, and we see Dennis make one life-changing decision. Following his attempted courtship of Gloria, the daughter of the army chief, Blunkett, his working life has been made a misery. Blunkett seeks revenge by assigning him "dirty jobs” that no-one else wants to do. A “useless soldier,” Dennis leaves the army. An admirer of Bogart, he opens a detective agency inspired by his hero, Sam Spade. He has a business, run on a shoe-string, that seems to give him a kind of alibi for how he spends or wastes his time.
Although Stinky had found his vocation in the army, his marriage to Brenda means he has local ties; he leaves the army to join Dennis in his business. This creates conflict between Brenda, now Mrs. Blackshaw, and himself.
Author Stephen Ainley paints a very funny picture of Bisskit's “mission under cover” chasing “red herrings” (or is it pilchards?) to try to earn a few pounds, and there is much pathos as we root for these anti heroes and wonder what they will do next and what may become of them … I will allow you to discover this for yourselves!
Author Stephen Ainley builds a world that is compelling and entertaining, tragic and comic, realistic and fantastical.
A good aspect of “Dennis Bisskit and The Man from Paris With The Very Large Head” is the subtle way in which the author creates agency for the women in the story, ensuring that his story has universal appeal. Gloria, who escapes the control of her father by taking work at The Midland Hotel, plays a crucial role trying to catch a thief ...
What a masterful touch that the lead character, Dennis Bisskit, and his side-kick are embroiled in the mystery “underground” disappearance of a masterpiece: “The Man from Paris With The Very Large Head.” We sense that something will surface, given the right set of circumstances.
This Dennis Bisskit sequel is about one young man whose identity is emergent - a young man's quest to get ahead/head. A coming of age tale, it depicts a dreamer and a fantasist who struggles to overcome early adversity in his life.
This young man goes “under cover” to try to hide his social awkwardness and inferiority complex. He becomes a self-made alternative “authority figure” who has a planet of his very own. Bisskit has courage and resilience, and with the support of Gloria and his side-kick, Stinky, he grows in stature to fight officials, corruption and the establishment, against the odds. His efforts are admirable even though the Scottish Man escapes ...
Dennis gets to write his own rules, not least of which is a declaration about the importance of having and wearing the right kind of underpants. It is especially heart-warming to experience the genuine loyalty and camaraderie between this unlikely pair of detectives which we sense goes way beyond the action of the book.
Dennis Bisskit, James Bond of Dudley, Working-Class Hero, (among many other things,) you can't help but love him!
My Final Thoughts:
The best things about this book are the crafting of characters, world-building, and the effective thematic tension between reality/fantasy, home/away, good/evil, loyalty/betrayal, tragedy/comedy that brings the book together as an integral whole.
I enjoyed the social satire and the depiction of "class" values in the book.
It was brave to write a hilarious scene about death and funerals in the book. Death is a great leveller, and this idea was brought out very well indeed.
The comedy throughout this book was excellent. Being a big admirer of “Only Fools and Horses,” “Dad's Army,” and the stunts of Michael Crawford in “Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em,” I can see how this material could be reworked as a television script or screenplay.
However, I felt that the editing could have been a lot tighter. There was one page which had an incomplete sentence. There were several instances of the word, “has,” instead of “as,” and there were some punctuation errors. I also noticed, on certain pages of the book, that the narrator over-used the word “Suddenly.”
There is a proliferation of adverbs in places, and occasional leakage blurs the boundary between the narrator and the lead character, Bisskit, who also has a fondness for them.
Although the pacing of the book was fairly good, I think more short, snappy sentences for the action sequences would have created a more dynamic effect and improved the pace and atmosphere.
I loved the originality and entertainment value of this story.
Overall, this book is very promising. I rate it at 4 stars, only because of the lack of editing in places.
January 22, 2020
This is the second novel in the series, very funny and does not disappoint. This time, Ginge and Stinky are in their 20s, having left the army, they are now Private Investigators but in the style of the Keystone cops. This time they are looking for a famous French painting recently stolen from the museum in the Midlands. Throw in a couple of girlfriends and Dennis helping his dad in the funeral parlour plus Planet Plunkett, this is definitely a madcap read. Full of wacky humour and hilarious situations, I highly recommend this. British comedy at it's best, well done Stephen, I'm already looking forward to Book 3.
January 28, 2019
Having giggled all the way through the first Dennis Bisskit book, I was so looking forward to this one and I wasn't disappointed. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a novel before - and I've read for many decades!
Having left the army and embraced civilian life, Dennis and his pal Stinky have now set themselves up as Private Investigators. Has army life changed Dennis from the accident-prone young man we know and love? Not a chance!!
I still can't wipe the grin off my face from reading this novel - it reminds me strongly of winter Sunday afternoons watching the old black and white films of Jerry Lewis who was America's answer to Norman Wisdom. Throw in Just William, mix these three together well and you probably have as near a character to Dennis Bisskit as you can get. His exploits are so unbelievable as to be totally believable; author Stephen Ainley almost paints a picture of the many incidents which had me laughing so hard in bed last evening that I had to put my device down to allow my husband to get some much needed sleep before work this morning. I cannot remember the last time I laughed this hard, and I'm sure I'll be grinning like an idiot for many days to come.
Every single person could do with reading a book like this; it will lift your spirits and leave you feeling much lighter and happier than before. Indeed, there are several things I hope I don't have to do in the very near future as, with memories of Dennis doing the same things - funerals spring to mind, for one - I'm not sure I'd be able to hold it together. Thank you Stephen, for bringing such fun into a couple of grey January days in Scotland.
I'm very grateful to the author for providing my copy of his novel. The decision to read and review, as well as the opinions here, are entirely my own.
Having left the army and embraced civilian life, Dennis and his pal Stinky have now set themselves up as Private Investigators. Has army life changed Dennis from the accident-prone young man we know and love? Not a chance!!
I still can't wipe the grin off my face from reading this novel - it reminds me strongly of winter Sunday afternoons watching the old black and white films of Jerry Lewis who was America's answer to Norman Wisdom. Throw in Just William, mix these three together well and you probably have as near a character to Dennis Bisskit as you can get. His exploits are so unbelievable as to be totally believable; author Stephen Ainley almost paints a picture of the many incidents which had me laughing so hard in bed last evening that I had to put my device down to allow my husband to get some much needed sleep before work this morning. I cannot remember the last time I laughed this hard, and I'm sure I'll be grinning like an idiot for many days to come.
Every single person could do with reading a book like this; it will lift your spirits and leave you feeling much lighter and happier than before. Indeed, there are several things I hope I don't have to do in the very near future as, with memories of Dennis doing the same things - funerals spring to mind, for one - I'm not sure I'd be able to hold it together. Thank you Stephen, for bringing such fun into a couple of grey January days in Scotland.
I'm very grateful to the author for providing my copy of his novel. The decision to read and review, as well as the opinions here, are entirely my own.
March 11, 2019
I really enjoyed the first book in the Dennis Bisket saga. I loved reading more into these characters after the events of the first novel. The hilarious dialogue and scenarios that Dennis keeps getting himself into will have you in hysterics
February 25, 2020
Very amusing story.Some laugh out loud parts.
December 15, 2018
Having read Stephen Ainsley’s debut novel ‘Dennis Bisskit’ I was very much looking forward to his second novel, Dennis Bisskit and the Man from Paris with the Very Large Head.’
The amusing title, although long, gives insight into the amusing rhetoric within this book. The characters of Dennis and Stinky are so loveable; I was rooting for their success throughout the story. Without giving away any spoilers, I can say ‘The boys are back in Dudley.’
This hilarious story is a real page turner, full of amusing incidents that made me chuckle until the very end.
I look forward to reading more tales of Dennis Bisskit in the future.
The amusing title, although long, gives insight into the amusing rhetoric within this book. The characters of Dennis and Stinky are so loveable; I was rooting for their success throughout the story. Without giving away any spoilers, I can say ‘The boys are back in Dudley.’
This hilarious story is a real page turner, full of amusing incidents that made me chuckle until the very end.
I look forward to reading more tales of Dennis Bisskit in the future.
February 27, 2019
Such a fabulous continuation of the deeds of Dennis and Stinky. The humour continues throughout again, and even the things that shouldn’t be funny are. Stephen’s writing style just adds to the enjoyment, and I really can’t see why anyone would not enjoy this, or indeed, any Dennis Bisskit book. If you need something to brighten your day, immerse yourself in the world of Dennis - it’s slapstick in a book!
October 14, 2019
I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading Stephen Ainley’s debut novel, but after reading this, his follow-up, I shall definitely be adding it to my list. It was the quirky title that drew me to this book, initially, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Anyone who reads this author’s work and fails to find it funny is devoid of any sense of humour.
Dennis Bisskit and Stinky Blackshaw are ex-army buddies, both from Dudley in the Midlands, and set themselves up as Private I’s, neither of them having a clue about what is involved. Dennis is a walking disaster, reminiscent of Michael Crawford's ridiculous antics in ‘Some Mother Do Ave ‘Em’.
To say the pair are naive would be an understatement, the situations Dennis finds himself in nothing short of hilarious as they attempt to get their business off the ground. This all takes place in the late 1960’s at the time of the moon landing, with flashbacks to their days in the regiment.
Their big chance to make a name for themselves comes with the theft of a Picasso painting from the Birmingham Art Gallery, entitled ‘The Man from Paris with the Very Large Head'. Dennis decides they should find the perpetrator, thereby solving the case in order to claim the £5000 reward being offered by the gallery. Mayhem inevitably ensues, but to reveal any more of the plot would be a give away and spoil the reader’s enjoyment.
They are both loveable characters and I particularly enjoyed Stinky’s sarcastic humour and the way he and Dennis complement each other. In fact, all of the characters in this story are well-drawn and amusing, even down to their names. I liked the author’s style, which flows easily in a narrative that is full of wit and sure to brighten anyone’s day.
Stephen Ainley is onto a winner with this series and no doubt readers will be eagerly awaiting his next book. A thoroughly enjoyable read which I can highly recommend.
Dennis Bisskit and Stinky Blackshaw are ex-army buddies, both from Dudley in the Midlands, and set themselves up as Private I’s, neither of them having a clue about what is involved. Dennis is a walking disaster, reminiscent of Michael Crawford's ridiculous antics in ‘Some Mother Do Ave ‘Em’.
To say the pair are naive would be an understatement, the situations Dennis finds himself in nothing short of hilarious as they attempt to get their business off the ground. This all takes place in the late 1960’s at the time of the moon landing, with flashbacks to their days in the regiment.
Their big chance to make a name for themselves comes with the theft of a Picasso painting from the Birmingham Art Gallery, entitled ‘The Man from Paris with the Very Large Head'. Dennis decides they should find the perpetrator, thereby solving the case in order to claim the £5000 reward being offered by the gallery. Mayhem inevitably ensues, but to reveal any more of the plot would be a give away and spoil the reader’s enjoyment.
They are both loveable characters and I particularly enjoyed Stinky’s sarcastic humour and the way he and Dennis complement each other. In fact, all of the characters in this story are well-drawn and amusing, even down to their names. I liked the author’s style, which flows easily in a narrative that is full of wit and sure to brighten anyone’s day.
Stephen Ainley is onto a winner with this series and no doubt readers will be eagerly awaiting his next book. A thoroughly enjoyable read which I can highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews