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Rub-a-Dub-Dub #1
The Butcher
She thought it was pork. She was wrong.
The first time Norwich’s most hapless food inspector, Emily Underwood meets butcher Frank Pinch, he’s not got much at all in his display counters. But what he does have is a rather unusual plan to restock his shelves. The next time they bump into each other, he’s won an award for his sausages but is running out of meat.
Can Frank keep up production of his unusually tasty sausages? Will Emily discover the source of Frank’s award wining meat? And what will happen the next time she tries to inspect his butchers shop?
Book 1 in the Rub-a-Dub trilogy, this deliciously British dark comedy will change the way you look at sausages forever.
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About the author
Nathan Burrows
49 books164 followersNathan Burrows is a writer based in Norfolk in the United Kingdom. His debut novel, Blind Justice, was published in March 2018.
Nathan's a keen reader as well as a writer. He occasionally runs marathons, has a Norwich City football club season ticket, and is the proud part-owner of a Daschund puppy called Bertie.
Nathan's a keen reader as well as a writer. He occasionally runs marathons, has a Norwich City football club season ticket, and is the proud part-owner of a Daschund puppy called Bertie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 18, 2019
4☆ A Quirky Read!
THE BUTCHER is a dark and at times a little sinister read with a good dose of satire humour to lighten the mood. It's also the first part in a new series.
Frank owns the butchers and his brother Tom supplies the meat using their family run pig farm, but they are both struggling, and with the economy being in trouble it isn't helping matters.
So when an unfortunate incident takes place the brothers use this to their advantage! 🙈 that's all I'm saying on that subject!
Emily is a fresh faced food inspector and she's about to go out on her own, but not without some crazy mishaps and mayhem along the way.
But how will she cope when she meets Frank and his ever so tasty sausages?!
The Butcher is a slower paced read that weaves several stories together with ease.
There is plenty of Dark Satire Humour that is almost a lil slapstick at times but I like that.
The Characters are quirky, complex, flawed and well thought out.
There are some subjects that some readers may find sensitive such as immigration, illegal workers and the never ending Brexit (although this book deals with the after mass of Brexit).
So if you are looking for an intriguing, quirky, dark, yet funny read then you will enjoy The Butcher.
Thank you to Emma at Damppebbles tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
THE BUTCHER is a dark and at times a little sinister read with a good dose of satire humour to lighten the mood. It's also the first part in a new series.
Frank owns the butchers and his brother Tom supplies the meat using their family run pig farm, but they are both struggling, and with the economy being in trouble it isn't helping matters.
So when an unfortunate incident takes place the brothers use this to their advantage! 🙈 that's all I'm saying on that subject!
Emily is a fresh faced food inspector and she's about to go out on her own, but not without some crazy mishaps and mayhem along the way.
But how will she cope when she meets Frank and his ever so tasty sausages?!
The Butcher is a slower paced read that weaves several stories together with ease.
There is plenty of Dark Satire Humour that is almost a lil slapstick at times but I like that.
The Characters are quirky, complex, flawed and well thought out.
There are some subjects that some readers may find sensitive such as immigration, illegal workers and the never ending Brexit (although this book deals with the after mass of Brexit).
So if you are looking for an intriguing, quirky, dark, yet funny read then you will enjoy The Butcher.
Thank you to Emma at Damppebbles tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
January 17, 2021
It's just meat...
No spoilers:
This is the story of the Pinch brothers: Tom the pig farmer and Frank the butcher who also is an excellent sausage maker.
Clever, author...a sausage maker named Frank...
The brothers' pig farm is about to go down due to lack of pork...then suddenly, opportunity falls into their hands...
Their resident stud, Boris the boar, kills one of their illegal workers and eats his face off.
The brothers put their heads together to decide what to do about the body...
The answer is quite obvious...make sausages out of him. After he is sold and eaten, no one will be any the wiser since Frank uses everything except the squeal to make his sausages...
The brothers soon realize that killing and butchering their illegal workers will supply enough "pork" to tide them over until their sows have more pigs...
After all...It's just meat...
Unknown to the boys, someone has entered their sausages into a farming competition sponsored by a local grocery store...and they've won...
I rated this entertaining novel 4 stars. I removed 1 star for proofing errors. This story was predictable but very funny. I appreciated that it was told without going into extreme detail. There was a little unexpected twist at the end.
No spoilers:
This is the story of the Pinch brothers: Tom the pig farmer and Frank the butcher who also is an excellent sausage maker.
Clever, author...a sausage maker named Frank...
The brothers' pig farm is about to go down due to lack of pork...then suddenly, opportunity falls into their hands...
Their resident stud, Boris the boar, kills one of their illegal workers and eats his face off.
The brothers put their heads together to decide what to do about the body...
The answer is quite obvious...make sausages out of him. After he is sold and eaten, no one will be any the wiser since Frank uses everything except the squeal to make his sausages...
The brothers soon realize that killing and butchering their illegal workers will supply enough "pork" to tide them over until their sows have more pigs...
After all...It's just meat...
Unknown to the boys, someone has entered their sausages into a farming competition sponsored by a local grocery store...and they've won...
I rated this entertaining novel 4 stars. I removed 1 star for proofing errors. This story was predictable but very funny. I appreciated that it was told without going into extreme detail. There was a little unexpected twist at the end.
August 3, 2021
Mmmm sausages! That wasn’t Pork!
A great dark humour book set in and around Norwich. A great blend of characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it gave me plenty of laughs. Highly recommend this comedy book.
A great dark humour book set in and around Norwich. A great blend of characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it gave me plenty of laughs. Highly recommend this comedy book.
September 3, 2019
As a non-meat eater and much to the chagrin of my family and friends, I have always referred to sausages as being made of hooves and @rseholes and containing no meat at all, so I was really intrigued when I read the synopsis of The Butcher by Nathan Burrows. It had me at 'She thought it was pork. She was wrong.' That has to be the best strapline ever!
In a not too distant future, The Butcher is set in Norwich post-Brexit where we Brits can barely afford to eat as everything is so expensive. The local butcher, Frank Pinch, and his farmer brother, Tom, are struggling to make a living until the pair stumble upon a recipe for some prize winning sausages. Suddenly Frank goes from having half-empty shelves to having a queue out of the door; news of his amazing sausages spreads far and wide and he even gets a visit from a red-headed celebrity. Frank and Tom also get a less welcome visit from recently qualified Food Standards Agency inspector, Emily. Will they pass the inspection or will Emily find out what is really in Frank's sausages?
The humour is very dark and dry which had me laughing along as I read; I was over three quarters of the way through and just thinking that it wasn't laugh out loud funny when I had a huge laugh out loud moment and had to share what I was laughing at. As much as it is funny, it's actually a very thought-provoking book as you can never really know exactly what you're eating and it always surprises me when people eat pies simply labelled as 'meat'. What kind of meat is it? Cow? Horse? Cat? Man?
With the most unlikely serial killers you will ever come across, The Butcher contains more humour than there is meat in a sausage to make a unique comedy crime novel. If you have a sense of humour, you will LOVE this book; I can't wait to read book 2, The Baker, especially after the little teaser in the back of The Butcher. I think this is going to be a brilliant trilogy.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
In a not too distant future, The Butcher is set in Norwich post-Brexit where we Brits can barely afford to eat as everything is so expensive. The local butcher, Frank Pinch, and his farmer brother, Tom, are struggling to make a living until the pair stumble upon a recipe for some prize winning sausages. Suddenly Frank goes from having half-empty shelves to having a queue out of the door; news of his amazing sausages spreads far and wide and he even gets a visit from a red-headed celebrity. Frank and Tom also get a less welcome visit from recently qualified Food Standards Agency inspector, Emily. Will they pass the inspection or will Emily find out what is really in Frank's sausages?
The humour is very dark and dry which had me laughing along as I read; I was over three quarters of the way through and just thinking that it wasn't laugh out loud funny when I had a huge laugh out loud moment and had to share what I was laughing at. As much as it is funny, it's actually a very thought-provoking book as you can never really know exactly what you're eating and it always surprises me when people eat pies simply labelled as 'meat'. What kind of meat is it? Cow? Horse? Cat? Man?
With the most unlikely serial killers you will ever come across, The Butcher contains more humour than there is meat in a sausage to make a unique comedy crime novel. If you have a sense of humour, you will LOVE this book; I can't wait to read book 2, The Baker, especially after the little teaser in the back of The Butcher. I think this is going to be a brilliant trilogy.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
December 4, 2021
This was such a fun and entertaining crime thriller. You wouldn’t think fun and entertaining would go in the same sentence as a crime thriller but there is a dark humour that runs throughout this novel and it really did make it most enjoyable.
Emily is a food inspector who lives with a flat mate who couldn’t be anymore opposite than she is. I really liked Emily and I couldn’t help but laugh every time she got called in to her manager’s office as it never seemed to turn out good for her. She is determined to prove herself though but gets more than she bargained for when she meets Frank and his brother Tom!
I don’t want to say too much about the storyline although you can probably guess from the blurb but all I can say is that it will probably be a while before I can eat sausages again! It is a great storyline although probably won’t suit non meat eaters.
The Butcher is a highly addictive read that I couldn’t wait to pick back up again at the end of my working day. The mix of crime and humour was great and was nice to pick up a crime read with a difference as doubt there will be many crime novels that will be as much fun as this one was. Will certainly be reading more in the Rub-a-Dub-Dub series.
Emily is a food inspector who lives with a flat mate who couldn’t be anymore opposite than she is. I really liked Emily and I couldn’t help but laugh every time she got called in to her manager’s office as it never seemed to turn out good for her. She is determined to prove herself though but gets more than she bargained for when she meets Frank and his brother Tom!
I don’t want to say too much about the storyline although you can probably guess from the blurb but all I can say is that it will probably be a while before I can eat sausages again! It is a great storyline although probably won’t suit non meat eaters.
The Butcher is a highly addictive read that I couldn’t wait to pick back up again at the end of my working day. The mix of crime and humour was great and was nice to pick up a crime read with a difference as doubt there will be many crime novels that will be as much fun as this one was. Will certainly be reading more in the Rub-a-Dub-Dub series.
July 15, 2019
This is dark humour at its darkest…
Frank is a butcher, his brother Tim is a pig farmer. Due to a shortage of pigs – Brexit related – there’s a shortage of pork.
Emily is a newbie Health Inspector and her bumbling mishaps with ‘eccentric’ food producers are cringeworthy and funny…
There is then an accident on Tim’s farm, and all of a sudden the supply of ‘pork’ improves and Frank’s customers are loving the new sausages!!!!
This will make you laugh and then feel quite ill at times……not sure I’ll be able to eat sausages ever again !
Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Frank is a butcher, his brother Tim is a pig farmer. Due to a shortage of pigs – Brexit related – there’s a shortage of pork.
Emily is a newbie Health Inspector and her bumbling mishaps with ‘eccentric’ food producers are cringeworthy and funny…
There is then an accident on Tim’s farm, and all of a sudden the supply of ‘pork’ improves and Frank’s customers are loving the new sausages!!!!
This will make you laugh and then feel quite ill at times……not sure I’ll be able to eat sausages ever again !
Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
December 24, 2018
3.5*
Frank Pinch is a butcher, his brother Tom a pig farmer. The siblings have a problem. Their dilapidated family farm is struggling financially and under threat of closure due to a shortage of pigs. That is until an unlikely event leads to a windfall for the brothers.
Emily Underwood is a new inspector for the Food Standards Agency. Work has not been going well for the opinionated rookie. In her short time in the job, she has offended an influential local and been chased with a machete. When Emily comes into contact with the Pinch brothers, she considers them odd but innocuous enough. She is in for a big surprise.
This aptly named book is set in the English county of Norfolk. Topics encompass swine, illegal migrants, potential Brexit ramifications and cannibalism. While this satirically-inclined story is overly convoluted and somewhat turgid, its subject matter and dark humour appealed to this reader.
Frank Pinch is a butcher, his brother Tom a pig farmer. The siblings have a problem. Their dilapidated family farm is struggling financially and under threat of closure due to a shortage of pigs. That is until an unlikely event leads to a windfall for the brothers.
Emily Underwood is a new inspector for the Food Standards Agency. Work has not been going well for the opinionated rookie. In her short time in the job, she has offended an influential local and been chased with a machete. When Emily comes into contact with the Pinch brothers, she considers them odd but innocuous enough. She is in for a big surprise.
This aptly named book is set in the English county of Norfolk. Topics encompass swine, illegal migrants, potential Brexit ramifications and cannibalism. While this satirically-inclined story is overly convoluted and somewhat turgid, its subject matter and dark humour appealed to this reader.
July 11, 2019
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
This is a pretty challenging post to write -- it feels like saying almost anything about this book will be spoiling something -- but that's simply not going to be the case.
We've got four major characters to focus on -- Andy Robertson is an intern in the marketing department of a local grocery store chain. He's as desperate to keep his job as the CEO of the company is to win the hearts and minds of shoppers, too). Emily Underwood is a rookie food inspector, having recently got far enough in her training that she can be let loose to do inspections on her own -- I don't know if this is more a commentary on the area she's assigned to or her luck (probably the latter), but she should have armed backup. The places and staff she's inspecting are so strange, you almost don't need anything else to make a fun read. Frank and Tom Prince are our last two -- they're brothers, struggling to maintain the family pig farm and butcher shop -- neither of which are having the best year, but maybe some good word of mouth an turn things around. When disaster strikes fro them at the farm, something happens that gives Frank the tastiest sausage they've had in ages -- and their customers think so, too.
Mix these people, concerns and places in life together and you end up with one of the zanier (but grounded) dark comedies around. This doesn't start out as Crime Fiction, but in a Fargo-esque turn of events, it ends up as one. (Either the film or the series will fill things for our purposes). Some everyday people get desperate, make some bad choices and things spiral out of control before they realize what they're doing/becoming.
The humor is hard to pull off -- there's some really dark material under consideration, and Burrows is also looking at political and societal trends to talk about here. It's an ambitious undertaking and he acquits himself well. I could've used another 2-4 more inspections by Emily. The book doesn't need them -- and honestly, they would've felt like padding. But I really liked watching that poor girl floundering through her career is fantastic.
This doesn't feel like a 316 page book -- anything north of 200 pages doesn't seem right (but what do I know?). Everything that happens, all the character moments, are tightly packed and blend together in a cohesive whole that seems ready to burst -- not unlike a Pinch's Sausage, I guess. Yet, Burrows keeps this from being convoluted and keeps it just on the complicated side -- given all the moving parts he's juggling that's a pretty decent accomplishment. From the great first chapter until the perfect closing line (I can't think of a better final line that I've read this year) -- this is a wonderfully constructed book.
A dark comedy with a strong agenda and a sweet center, this is a flavorful literary snack that'll be sure to bring a smile to your face and a chuckle along, as well. I had a great time reading it, and you will to.
My thanks to damppebbles blog tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
This is a pretty challenging post to write -- it feels like saying almost anything about this book will be spoiling something -- but that's simply not going to be the case.
We've got four major characters to focus on -- Andy Robertson is an intern in the marketing department of a local grocery store chain. He's as desperate to keep his job as the CEO of the company is to win the hearts and minds of shoppers, too). Emily Underwood is a rookie food inspector, having recently got far enough in her training that she can be let loose to do inspections on her own -- I don't know if this is more a commentary on the area she's assigned to or her luck (probably the latter), but she should have armed backup. The places and staff she's inspecting are so strange, you almost don't need anything else to make a fun read. Frank and Tom Prince are our last two -- they're brothers, struggling to maintain the family pig farm and butcher shop -- neither of which are having the best year, but maybe some good word of mouth an turn things around. When disaster strikes fro them at the farm, something happens that gives Frank the tastiest sausage they've had in ages -- and their customers think so, too.
Mix these people, concerns and places in life together and you end up with one of the zanier (but grounded) dark comedies around. This doesn't start out as Crime Fiction, but in a Fargo-esque turn of events, it ends up as one. (Either the film or the series will fill things for our purposes). Some everyday people get desperate, make some bad choices and things spiral out of control before they realize what they're doing/becoming.
The humor is hard to pull off -- there's some really dark material under consideration, and Burrows is also looking at political and societal trends to talk about here. It's an ambitious undertaking and he acquits himself well. I could've used another 2-4 more inspections by Emily. The book doesn't need them -- and honestly, they would've felt like padding. But I really liked watching that poor girl floundering through her career is fantastic.
This doesn't feel like a 316 page book -- anything north of 200 pages doesn't seem right (but what do I know?). Everything that happens, all the character moments, are tightly packed and blend together in a cohesive whole that seems ready to burst -- not unlike a Pinch's Sausage, I guess. Yet, Burrows keeps this from being convoluted and keeps it just on the complicated side -- given all the moving parts he's juggling that's a pretty decent accomplishment. From the great first chapter until the perfect closing line (I can't think of a better final line that I've read this year) -- this is a wonderfully constructed book.
A dark comedy with a strong agenda and a sweet center, this is a flavorful literary snack that'll be sure to bring a smile to your face and a chuckle along, as well. I had a great time reading it, and you will to.
My thanks to damppebbles blog tours for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.
July 30, 2019
A must read...
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, the taught prose, the just-enough information, and the edge of comedy told simply with the adorable characters and the motivations behind them. And the Norwich English phrases, to die for. I would so highly recommend this book. Can't wait for the next one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, the taught prose, the just-enough information, and the edge of comedy told simply with the adorable characters and the motivations behind them. And the Norwich English phrases, to die for. I would so highly recommend this book. Can't wait for the next one.
August 18, 2018
The book blurb tells the story, so I won't repeat.
What I will say is, if you enjoy British humour, whether dark or not, and a good old fashioned belly laugh, then get this book. You won't be disappointed.
Highly recommended.
What I will say is, if you enjoy British humour, whether dark or not, and a good old fashioned belly laugh, then get this book. You won't be disappointed.
Highly recommended.
May 9, 2020
A fast paced horror with brilliant dark comedy. The book follows a pair of brothers (a pig farmer and a butcher), an food safety standards agent (as well as her roommate) , and a young intern at a large company and how their lives all become intertwined
July 11, 2020
Witty, clever, and fun! Being an American, I always enjoy having a peek at other nations and cultures. The serious and satirical moments are balanced beautifully by the tongue-in-cheek humor. Loved the characters as well--even ones I probably shouldn't have. 😬
April 23, 2019
This is one of those stories that you may think you have read before, perhaps an urban legend, spread by people you may know. One of the main characters is a fresh faced, new at her job, Emily from the local Food Standards Agency, just starting out on her own after her initial training and supervised jobs with a colleague. She is now out on her own and her first job is at a Chinese takeaway, not her best job. Another is a visit to a local butchers shop run by Frank Pinch, with his brother Tom running the family pig farm. Both brothers are struggling and haven’t much of any stock either at the farm nor the shop and are struggling to keep going.
The adding to the story of an ‘after Brexit’ scenario, with the UK having left Europe and it now being all doom and gloom for the UK and all businesses due to extra costs, etc, didn’t really seem to be necessary. The farm uses illegal immigrants to help with the work load, but that is nothing new. The story also has an intern, Andy, who is mistreated by his immediate boss, Rob, who can never even get his name right, but also takes credit for all the work his team do. Andy has to set up a local marketing event for their company and ends up looking for donations of produce, especially meat, for the event.
The story goes from Emily and her inspections, to the pig farmer and butcher shop brothers and Andy the intern, through to the actual event and the prize award ceremony. The sudden glut of produce at the butchers shop and his popular home-made sausages flying off his shelves, should have had warning signs being raised by Emily after her first visit to the shop showed a nearly empty shop. A visit to the farm by some is more dangerous than should be expected. An accident brings about a way to keep the farm running a little longer, but is then taken further, on purpose.
We’ve had the horse meat scandal, now a butcher is selling what many believe to be pork, but tests have shown that someone that sent in a donation to the town event was telling ‘porkies’! What has been described as pork is certainly not – it is something much more shocking – but you need to read the full story to find out. Some of it is really funny, some parts are totally shocking. It may have started as an accident, but misunderstandings and miscommunication are comically used to further the story in weird directions. Rather than the doom and gloom scenario posed by the author, I like to believe that the UK can be great again, we can rely upon our own country to build itself up again, like after WWII, without relying on an uneven relationship with Europe, under their thumb.
An interesting enough tale, but it has been done before. Parts will make you laugh, especially Emily’s first solo inspection. Parts will make you squeal in horror. It is a dark comedy with typical British humour, which some will like, others may not. An enjoyable tale with the sorts of bosses most of us have had in the past and some comical situations, you may be glad that you haven’t experienced. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
The adding to the story of an ‘after Brexit’ scenario, with the UK having left Europe and it now being all doom and gloom for the UK and all businesses due to extra costs, etc, didn’t really seem to be necessary. The farm uses illegal immigrants to help with the work load, but that is nothing new. The story also has an intern, Andy, who is mistreated by his immediate boss, Rob, who can never even get his name right, but also takes credit for all the work his team do. Andy has to set up a local marketing event for their company and ends up looking for donations of produce, especially meat, for the event.
The story goes from Emily and her inspections, to the pig farmer and butcher shop brothers and Andy the intern, through to the actual event and the prize award ceremony. The sudden glut of produce at the butchers shop and his popular home-made sausages flying off his shelves, should have had warning signs being raised by Emily after her first visit to the shop showed a nearly empty shop. A visit to the farm by some is more dangerous than should be expected. An accident brings about a way to keep the farm running a little longer, but is then taken further, on purpose.
We’ve had the horse meat scandal, now a butcher is selling what many believe to be pork, but tests have shown that someone that sent in a donation to the town event was telling ‘porkies’! What has been described as pork is certainly not – it is something much more shocking – but you need to read the full story to find out. Some of it is really funny, some parts are totally shocking. It may have started as an accident, but misunderstandings and miscommunication are comically used to further the story in weird directions. Rather than the doom and gloom scenario posed by the author, I like to believe that the UK can be great again, we can rely upon our own country to build itself up again, like after WWII, without relying on an uneven relationship with Europe, under their thumb.
An interesting enough tale, but it has been done before. Parts will make you laugh, especially Emily’s first solo inspection. Parts will make you squeal in horror. It is a dark comedy with typical British humour, which some will like, others may not. An enjoyable tale with the sorts of bosses most of us have had in the past and some comical situations, you may be glad that you haven’t experienced. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
April 24, 2019
What a quirky story! I am familiar with this author, having read his first book, *Blind Justice*, and quite enjoying it. It's hard to imagine two more different stories, and it is to the author's credit that he can write a legal thriller and a dark comedy. Even though this is a comedy, the author still did seem to get under the characters’ skins, giving enough detail so that the characters felt individual and real. They felt like people I could meet, though I'm not sure I'd want to.
Like other reviewers, I felt that the first part of the book was a little slow going. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. I’ve read other British writers whom I like who do a similar slow build, layering events and showing nuances of character before we get to the real action. It's just rare today--a let's-get-to-it attitude being more common--so it seems usual. Once I understood what the author was doing, though, I was willing just to sit back, read, and trust that he was going to get me there. And the book did not disappoint.
I found myself wondering how accurate this book is about the way that food and restaurant inspection is done in England. My father was a health inspector in the United States over 20 years ago--so I’ve seen the process here up close--and I found Emily's time as a bumbling newbie health inspector interesting to watch. I have a feeling my dad would have related to some of it! I think he would have liked doing so few inspections, too! Also, oh, my goodness, the Pinch brothers! What an unusual way they found out of their situation. It was definitely a *Fried Green Tomatoes* moment. Parts of this book are laugh-out-loud funny, although, given the subject, you almost feel a little guilty doing so. Almost.
Whether he's writing a dark comedy or legal thriller, Nathan Burrows has such a command of the written word that his books are hard to put down.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
Like other reviewers, I felt that the first part of the book was a little slow going. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. I’ve read other British writers whom I like who do a similar slow build, layering events and showing nuances of character before we get to the real action. It's just rare today--a let's-get-to-it attitude being more common--so it seems usual. Once I understood what the author was doing, though, I was willing just to sit back, read, and trust that he was going to get me there. And the book did not disappoint.
I found myself wondering how accurate this book is about the way that food and restaurant inspection is done in England. My father was a health inspector in the United States over 20 years ago--so I’ve seen the process here up close--and I found Emily's time as a bumbling newbie health inspector interesting to watch. I have a feeling my dad would have related to some of it! I think he would have liked doing so few inspections, too! Also, oh, my goodness, the Pinch brothers! What an unusual way they found out of their situation. It was definitely a *Fried Green Tomatoes* moment. Parts of this book are laugh-out-loud funny, although, given the subject, you almost feel a little guilty doing so. Almost.
Whether he's writing a dark comedy or legal thriller, Nathan Burrows has such a command of the written word that his books are hard to put down.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
July 10, 2019
Set in a post Brexit United kingdom, Frank Pinch is a butcher, with very little to actually butcher... his brother Tom, is the local pig farmer, with very few pigs, to ..well, farm...Emily Underwood is the local Food Standards Agency inspector, and then there is Andy Robertson, an intern at the struggling local supermarket chain, Ketts...and then there's Boris the sex crazed Boar..
These characters make up the main cast of this wickedly funny, Satirical, Black Comedy, Crime caper from Nathan Burrows.
With meat running low and money pretty much non-existent, the Pinch brothers happen up on an accidental source of income resulting in award winning sausages.
Frank often seems to be guilty while also with a devious side, and he takes advantage of his , almost socially awkward brother Tom. Emily really does make the story , shes funny, and shes also completely useless at times yet totally oblivious to her misgivings, her encounter at the beginning of the book with the local chinese takeaway is quite honestly one of the funniest phases of written word ive ever read, its nothing short of brilliant.
This is an almost naughty, mischievous piece of fiction, it's very very funny, and its also very dark, it takes a little while to get going, but once the adventures of our foursome begin, it's a really enjoyable read, take it with a pinch of salt, sit back and enjoy a real cracker (crackling?... )
Whilst not for the squeamish or the faint hearted, this is a belter of a book, Black comedy and Crime Thriller meet to make this great read, I cant wait to meet the Baker and the Candlestick Maker in the rest of the trilogy.
a highly recommended 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
These characters make up the main cast of this wickedly funny, Satirical, Black Comedy, Crime caper from Nathan Burrows.
With meat running low and money pretty much non-existent, the Pinch brothers happen up on an accidental source of income resulting in award winning sausages.
Frank often seems to be guilty while also with a devious side, and he takes advantage of his , almost socially awkward brother Tom. Emily really does make the story , shes funny, and shes also completely useless at times yet totally oblivious to her misgivings, her encounter at the beginning of the book with the local chinese takeaway is quite honestly one of the funniest phases of written word ive ever read, its nothing short of brilliant.
This is an almost naughty, mischievous piece of fiction, it's very very funny, and its also very dark, it takes a little while to get going, but once the adventures of our foursome begin, it's a really enjoyable read, take it with a pinch of salt, sit back and enjoy a real cracker (crackling?... )
Whilst not for the squeamish or the faint hearted, this is a belter of a book, Black comedy and Crime Thriller meet to make this great read, I cant wait to meet the Baker and the Candlestick Maker in the rest of the trilogy.
a highly recommended 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
November 21, 2018
Not for the faint hearted.
I found this book by accident and loved the front cover. As I read the blurb I knew I had to read it. So I did, in one sitting.
I loved the concept of the book. The use of normal every day events, on the surface, with this really ugly undertow. By this I don’t just mean Frank and Tom but also the treatment of Andy who, as the Intern, was worth little to his obsequious boss Rob and even less to Charles, the CEO.
I loved Emily and her penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and laughed my head off at the oriental man with the machete. Way to go Emily!
I really loved how the different storylines all come together in the end. This book was really well written and contained lots of detail that were necessary to the story line, but not to much that you got bogged down or bored.
I’m about to purchase the sequel ‘the Baker’ so that should tell you how much I loved this book and would recommend it to all.
I found this book by accident and loved the front cover. As I read the blurb I knew I had to read it. So I did, in one sitting.
I loved the concept of the book. The use of normal every day events, on the surface, with this really ugly undertow. By this I don’t just mean Frank and Tom but also the treatment of Andy who, as the Intern, was worth little to his obsequious boss Rob and even less to Charles, the CEO.
I loved Emily and her penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and laughed my head off at the oriental man with the machete. Way to go Emily!
I really loved how the different storylines all come together in the end. This book was really well written and contained lots of detail that were necessary to the story line, but not to much that you got bogged down or bored.
I’m about to purchase the sequel ‘the Baker’ so that should tell you how much I loved this book and would recommend it to all.
July 24, 2018
This is a laugh out loud funny dark humor story! Struggling brothers, Frank Pinch is a butcher his brother, Tom is a pig farmer with very little pigs. The farm isn't doing well and they have to use illegal workers to try and cut costs. When there is an accident, the brothers try a unique way of disposing of the body. But the best laid plans don't usually go the way you want, and this is no exception. Emily Underwood is a new inspector for the Environment Agency. She is trying to get her feet under her, but a couple of disasters sets her back. Then she meets up with Frank and Tom and things go from bad to worse. You will need to read this book to really understand all the things that go on. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
July 14, 2019
If you are a fan of dark humour, this will certainly be your cup of tea. I guess it’s one of those books where you either really like it or really don’t. I really liked it.
If I have to pick my favourite character I don’t have to hesitate for one second. Tom is very naive but cunning as well. He is easily manipulated by his brother but does not hesitate to take the initiative.
This book is about finding a rather special kind of solutions to money problems. Do not try this at home! 😉
The story make me feel disgusted but made me smile a lot too. One this is for sure : I will never look at sausages in the same way as before. 🙂 4 stars.
Thank you, Nathan Burrows and damppebbles blog tours.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
If I have to pick my favourite character I don’t have to hesitate for one second. Tom is very naive but cunning as well. He is easily manipulated by his brother but does not hesitate to take the initiative.
This book is about finding a rather special kind of solutions to money problems. Do not try this at home! 😉
The story make me feel disgusted but made me smile a lot too. One this is for sure : I will never look at sausages in the same way as before. 🙂 4 stars.
Thank you, Nathan Burrows and damppebbles blog tours.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
August 12, 2018
This book is funny, sometimes laugh out loud funny, and populated by some great characters, the plot is also quite clever. However there were 3 aspects of the book which irritated me enough to dock it a star (indeed nearly 2 stars).
Firstly I found the gratuitous sniping at Brexit to be irritating and irrelevant to the story, I also found the concept of a village butcher who only sells pork to be rather ridiculous and finally the action doesn't so much race along as plod along like Tom's tractor. So whilst there are a lot of things to like, there is definite room for improvement in the writing.
I received an advance copy of the book but this honest review is voluntarily written.
Firstly I found the gratuitous sniping at Brexit to be irritating and irrelevant to the story, I also found the concept of a village butcher who only sells pork to be rather ridiculous and finally the action doesn't so much race along as plod along like Tom's tractor. So whilst there are a lot of things to like, there is definite room for improvement in the writing.
I received an advance copy of the book but this honest review is voluntarily written.
August 22, 2018
First I received an arc for an honest review.
I think I may be in the minority a bit by giving this 3 stars, however it just seemed that there was too much going on at times and some of the writing just didn’t gel for me.
Frank is a struggling butcher and he has a brother Tim who is a struggling pig farmer.
We also meet Emily who is a newly trained health inspector who has faced many challenges of her own , dealing with one disaster after the other.
One day an accident occurs on Tim’s farm and they come up with an imaginative way to get rid of the body. Thus begins a new twist to serial killing.
Sausage anyone??
I think I may be in the minority a bit by giving this 3 stars, however it just seemed that there was too much going on at times and some of the writing just didn’t gel for me.
Frank is a struggling butcher and he has a brother Tim who is a struggling pig farmer.
We also meet Emily who is a newly trained health inspector who has faced many challenges of her own , dealing with one disaster after the other.
One day an accident occurs on Tim’s farm and they come up with an imaginative way to get rid of the body. Thus begins a new twist to serial killing.
Sausage anyone??
May 18, 2019
An intriguing fascinating story sort of based on the old rhyme: Rub-a-Dub-Dub,
Three maids in a tub, And who do you think they be? The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker, And all of them out to sea.
In ways it was sort of cute and even downright laughable but all the pages from the beginning to the end were horrifying – and yet made so much sense that a pig farmer running out of meat to sell in his butcher shop does what he does, how all the components of the story run into each other – how the scene is played out and yet in the end….Grandma has a roast for her granddaughter and brand new friend… – couldn’t put the book down and enjoyed it immensely!
Three maids in a tub, And who do you think they be? The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker, And all of them out to sea.
In ways it was sort of cute and even downright laughable but all the pages from the beginning to the end were horrifying – and yet made so much sense that a pig farmer running out of meat to sell in his butcher shop does what he does, how all the components of the story run into each other – how the scene is played out and yet in the end….Grandma has a roast for her granddaughter and brand new friend… – couldn’t put the book down and enjoyed it immensely!
June 28, 2021
This book was not really my cup of tea. The mystery and suspense were there , there also was quite a bit of funny parts. There was a little bit of romance but not much. I'm not even quite sure what I found wrong with it other than the bad language. I think it could possibly have been the narrator, I just found his voice to drone on. If he could have put some expression into his voice it would have helped greatly. I received a free download of this book from the publisher to listen to on Bookfunnel. This review is my opinion of this book but you may decide something totally different, so give it a try.
January 17, 2019
It’s not that I didn’t like this book but it really didn’t excite me or get me invested in it. I didn’t look forward to picking it up again and was keen to get it finished so I could move on to another book. I didn’t really like any of the characters very much so I wasn’t rooting for anyone. There’s a few amusing sentences but nothing that got me laughing out loud. Maybe it’s just not to my taste. I respect that the author is independent and his writing style is nice and easy to read.
May 10, 2019
Enjoyed reading this book. Definitely a nice change to read a book with a sense of humour. It's kind of obvious what the book is about and definitely not a who done it and you can figure that out quite early in the book but still enjoyed it. The storyline and characters are easy to connect with. Great book.
October 25, 2019
Dark comedy !
My first read by Nathan Burrows , I really enjoyed something different.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, brothers Tom & Frank have the resources and use it to there full advantage.
Emily and Andy get involved along with a few other fruitful characters - murder/ deception/ all rolled in comedy makes a cracking read , The baker next cant wait ...
My first read by Nathan Burrows , I really enjoyed something different.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, brothers Tom & Frank have the resources and use it to there full advantage.
Emily and Andy get involved along with a few other fruitful characters - murder/ deception/ all rolled in comedy makes a cracking read , The baker next cant wait ...
September 29, 2018
This is a terrific book if you want a light read that doesn’t require a whole lot of thinking. It actually was quite funny, with some very odd (and some very sweet) characters. Honestly, the only thing I would have changed was the title; I think it sort of gave away the story from the start.
November 18, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book, it made me laugh. Good characters, three sets of two who all become involved via a butcher's shop. Not only are the pig farmer and his butcher brother non-PC regarding the post Brexit status of financial migrants (just go with the humour-it's well written), but they have a unique way of dealing with the 'problem'. Sequel is added to my ever growing to-be-read list.
February 22, 2019
The Butcher is dark humor at its best...lots to sink your teeth into. But be careful, you never know what's in those sausages. In fact, after reading the Butcher, you might never eat one again. Fun characters, a fun story, and a good read. Grab the Butcher and enjoy a literary snack.
May 5, 2019
This was awesome I totally enjoyed it, the Pinch brothers Frank and Tom own a farm together but money is tight and so is the flow of meat, as they come up with a plan to get more money and more "meat."A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own
August 18, 2019
Not the best writing, but this off-kilter tale had me laughing. Couldn't wait to see how it ended. I wasn't disappointed. The author rounded up all the characters and brought the book to a very satisfying conclusion.
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