What do you think?
Rate this book
Sweet Jimmy
Bryan Brown has been telling stories with his distinctive Australian voice on TV and in film for a long time, but this time he's writing crime in his first book.
'Uniquely Australian and uncommonly good, I could hear the author's voice in every spare, haunting line. More please.' - Michael Robotham
'My friend Bryan Brown, quite apart from his other manifold talents, turns out to be an excellent writer. An authentic voice; highly imaginative yet completely believable, with a flair for fully realised characters and a gripping narrative … a great story teller. This is utterly baffling. I'm furious.' - Sam Neill
It was a gentle knock. Agnes had been waiting for it. Hoping he would be on time. Such a lovely fella, she thought...
'Come on through. Got a surprise for you,' she said.
He had one for her too.
Phil and Sweet Jimmy are cousins. Phil grows orchids . . . spider orchids . . . learnt about them in the nick. Jimmy likes orchids, too, but there are other things he likes even more . . .
Trish Bennett didn't like her life. Hadn't liked it for a long time. Been on the streets. Bit of this for a bit of that. The 'that' wasn't always nice. Then Ahmed found her.
Sam is a tea-leaf, a thief. Likes nickin. . . anything . . . always has . . . until the day he knocked off more than the Volvo.
Fell for the sexy and beautiful Sue May from Hong Kong, Frank Testy did. Silly old prick. What price for ego? A huge bloody price it turns out.
Taut and crackling with character, these gritty, raw and sometimes very funny stories from Australian great Bryan Brown are Aussie Noir at its best. Crime doesn't discriminate . . . it can happen to anyone . . . it could happen to you . . . in any ordinary suburb . . . at any time.
'Uniquely Australian and uncommonly good, I could hear the author's voice in every spare, haunting line. More please.' - Michael Robotham
'My friend Bryan Brown, quite apart from his other manifold talents, turns out to be an excellent writer. An authentic voice; highly imaginative yet completely believable, with a flair for fully realised characters and a gripping narrative … a great story teller. This is utterly baffling. I'm furious.' - Sam Neill
It was a gentle knock. Agnes had been waiting for it. Hoping he would be on time. Such a lovely fella, she thought...
'Come on through. Got a surprise for you,' she said.
He had one for her too.
Phil and Sweet Jimmy are cousins. Phil grows orchids . . . spider orchids . . . learnt about them in the nick. Jimmy likes orchids, too, but there are other things he likes even more . . .
Trish Bennett didn't like her life. Hadn't liked it for a long time. Been on the streets. Bit of this for a bit of that. The 'that' wasn't always nice. Then Ahmed found her.
Sam is a tea-leaf, a thief. Likes nickin. . . anything . . . always has . . . until the day he knocked off more than the Volvo.
Fell for the sexy and beautiful Sue May from Hong Kong, Frank Testy did. Silly old prick. What price for ego? A huge bloody price it turns out.
Taut and crackling with character, these gritty, raw and sometimes very funny stories from Australian great Bryan Brown are Aussie Noir at its best. Crime doesn't discriminate . . . it can happen to anyone . . . it could happen to you . . . in any ordinary suburb . . . at any time.
296 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2021
84 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Brown
4 books65 followersBryan Brown is an actor, having appeared in over a hundred film and television productions. He has worked in some twenty countries, including his home country of Australia and the United States. Sweet Jimmy, seven short stories on crime, was released in 2021. The Drowning was his first novel, released in 2023. The Hidden is his latest thriller.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
August 27, 2024
From the cool sea breeze of the eastern suburb's beaches to the burning heat of the western ones, Bryan Brown casts a sardonic eye over the crims that live amongst us. Some are professionals who make their living on the wrong side of the law, while others find themselves in situations they weren't expecting to.
Revenge is a dish served throughout these stories with a dollop of Aussie humour. The stories are no nonsense and spare. Very Aussie in their diction and outlook. Set in and around Sydney added to my enjoyment as this doesn't happen nearly often enough. It's right up there with Peter Norris' Cliff Harvey driving his car down Anzac Parade. But in this case it's a mish-mash of different characters from various cultural backgrounds with their own axes to grind.
This is a fantastic collection of short stories that took me completely by surprise. Not only can Bryan Brown act, but he's a dab hand with the gift of the gab too. If I'd timed it better, I could happily have read it one sitting.
Now the question is, is Jimmy sweet? You bet. Sweet as.
I could easily visualise this being made into a mini series, as the characters and places practically beg for this to happen. But until it does, enjoy this taste of Aussie Noir.
Revenge is a dish served throughout these stories with a dollop of Aussie humour. The stories are no nonsense and spare. Very Aussie in their diction and outlook. Set in and around Sydney added to my enjoyment as this doesn't happen nearly often enough. It's right up there with Peter Norris' Cliff Harvey driving his car down Anzac Parade. But in this case it's a mish-mash of different characters from various cultural backgrounds with their own axes to grind.
This is a fantastic collection of short stories that took me completely by surprise. Not only can Bryan Brown act, but he's a dab hand with the gift of the gab too. If I'd timed it better, I could happily have read it one sitting.
Now the question is, is Jimmy sweet? You bet. Sweet as.
I could easily visualise this being made into a mini series, as the characters and places practically beg for this to happen. But until it does, enjoy this taste of Aussie Noir.
September 5, 2021
Bryan Brown - yes that Bryan Brown - has written a book of 7 different crime stories set in Sydney. I had to read this book. Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me this advanced copy to read. I really enjoyed reading a story or 2 between other books. These stories are very Australian - they are rough, dark and have alot of swearing. They are relatable and show you that it could happen to anyone, anywhere.
Out of all the stories, the second one, Tea Leaf was my favourite. It is about a man who steals a car and gets a whole lot more than he bargains for. This story was set in Campbelltown which is where I grew up and live with my family. I have never read a book set in Campbelltown before and it was very exciting to read it. Thank you Bryan! Having the local suburbs and places mentioned was so fun. And does this sort of thing happen in Campbelltown... yeah probably!!
Other stories are about being scammed, a father's search for his daughters killer and the Orchid Man. They are all fun and gritty stories and I was there for all of them. A great read.
Out of all the stories, the second one, Tea Leaf was my favourite. It is about a man who steals a car and gets a whole lot more than he bargains for. This story was set in Campbelltown which is where I grew up and live with my family. I have never read a book set in Campbelltown before and it was very exciting to read it. Thank you Bryan! Having the local suburbs and places mentioned was so fun. And does this sort of thing happen in Campbelltown... yeah probably!!
Other stories are about being scammed, a father's search for his daughters killer and the Orchid Man. They are all fun and gritty stories and I was there for all of them. A great read.
August 25, 2022
Bryan Brown has been on our screens, either big or small, for decades in major motion pictures and mini-series. So the guy knows all about story-telling. We know he can act out a part. And now, with the release of Sweet Jimmy, we also know he can write a darn good crime story or, should I say, a bunch of them.
The book consists of seven short stories, each with an underlying theme of revenge. The first and last of the stories feature brothers Johnny and Jimmy, a couple of thieves who also work day jobs as a plumber and an electrician. In between are a diverse collection of stinging stories.
Brown’s style is clipped and succinct creating a taut narrative that snaps out with a rapidfire delivery. It is immediately engaging and is completely appropriate for the tough and intense nature of the stories.
The seven short stories cover the gamut of the crime world from burglars, drug runners, serial killers, bashings, betrayal and various other lowlife activities. We also meet a diverse range of lowlifes, some of whom get what they deserve. They are all told from an unusually insightful perspective and manage to spring the unexpected on an unwary reader.
But, as mentioned at the top, the stories are heavy on the vengeance theme, either as motivation to commit a crime or in retaliation for one.
As a reader who enjoys the classic hardboiled crime novels of Jim Thompson and the like, Sweet Jimmy really resonates. The dialogue is tough and coarsely punctuated with foul language as would be reasonably expected of the characters involved.
In short, Bryan Brown has hit the nail directly on the head and demonstrated a further impressive string to his bow.
The book has been short-listed for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel.
See my full review at: https://crimefictionhq.com/sweet-jimm...
The book consists of seven short stories, each with an underlying theme of revenge. The first and last of the stories feature brothers Johnny and Jimmy, a couple of thieves who also work day jobs as a plumber and an electrician. In between are a diverse collection of stinging stories.
Brown’s style is clipped and succinct creating a taut narrative that snaps out with a rapidfire delivery. It is immediately engaging and is completely appropriate for the tough and intense nature of the stories.
The seven short stories cover the gamut of the crime world from burglars, drug runners, serial killers, bashings, betrayal and various other lowlife activities. We also meet a diverse range of lowlifes, some of whom get what they deserve. They are all told from an unusually insightful perspective and manage to spring the unexpected on an unwary reader.
But, as mentioned at the top, the stories are heavy on the vengeance theme, either as motivation to commit a crime or in retaliation for one.
As a reader who enjoys the classic hardboiled crime novels of Jim Thompson and the like, Sweet Jimmy really resonates. The dialogue is tough and coarsely punctuated with foul language as would be reasonably expected of the characters involved.
In short, Bryan Brown has hit the nail directly on the head and demonstrated a further impressive string to his bow.
The book has been short-listed for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel.
See my full review at: https://crimefictionhq.com/sweet-jimm...
September 16, 2021
You’ve probably seen Australian actor Bryan Brown on the big screen, perhaps in Hollywood blockbusters like F/X, Cocktail, Gorillas in the Mist, Breaker Morant, or in any of the other dozen movies he has made an appearance in, particularly if you are of a certain age. Sweet Jimmy, an entertaining collection of crime fiction short stories, is his first foray into publishing.
Primarily set within the streets of suburban Sydney, Brown’s stories combine humour, violence, and pathos. There are seven in all, and include an angry father seeking the man responsible for his daughter’s death, a thief who steals more than he bargains for, a cop investigating a serial killer, and a man hunting for the woman that betrayed him. Vengeance, betrayal, redemption, and survival are common themes, exposing men pushed to their limits. There was actually not a single tale I didn’t find engaging.
I’m not sure Sweet Jimmy would translate well to an international audience, but for me there was a definite sense of cultural familiarity. I feel Brown captures an aspect of the elusive essence of the Australian character particularly well, and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn some of the characters and events are inspired by real people Brown has known.
The writing strongly reminds me of the late Robert G Barrett’s work, it’s spare but still expressive, and perhaps more importantly, honest. The audio version of of the book is narrated by Brown himself, which I think would be a real treat with his distinctive voice.
Sweet Jimmy is colourful, bold, and cheeky collection of suburban Aussie noir stories.
Primarily set within the streets of suburban Sydney, Brown’s stories combine humour, violence, and pathos. There are seven in all, and include an angry father seeking the man responsible for his daughter’s death, a thief who steals more than he bargains for, a cop investigating a serial killer, and a man hunting for the woman that betrayed him. Vengeance, betrayal, redemption, and survival are common themes, exposing men pushed to their limits. There was actually not a single tale I didn’t find engaging.
I’m not sure Sweet Jimmy would translate well to an international audience, but for me there was a definite sense of cultural familiarity. I feel Brown captures an aspect of the elusive essence of the Australian character particularly well, and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn some of the characters and events are inspired by real people Brown has known.
The writing strongly reminds me of the late Robert G Barrett’s work, it’s spare but still expressive, and perhaps more importantly, honest. The audio version of of the book is narrated by Brown himself, which I think would be a real treat with his distinctive voice.
Sweet Jimmy is colourful, bold, and cheeky collection of suburban Aussie noir stories.
December 2, 2021
I was absorbed and entertained all the way through this book. Pared down storytelling, laced with moral ambiguity, shouting Australian crime noir. Does author Bryan Brown know these blokes, hear good stories down the pub, or possess a very robust imagination? Love his unabashed style ‘Clinton buys himself a pepper pie and a chocolate milk’.
These short stories encapsulate the essence of crime fiction. I think from a male’s point of view the characters could be genuine mates in a bad place. Not their fault, they scheme, they seek revenge. They plot their way through sad, unjust or criminal situations which end with one tenebrous finale. There is also what I consider to be a Stephen King homage.
It’s refreshing to read a book of short stories which speaks to my generation of Australians: relationships, morals, turn-of-phrase, scenery, all genuine and if you can’t keep up that’s your problem - work on it. Professor Leong asks why Frank missed his last counselling appointment. ‘It gets in the way of my revenge,’ says straight-forward Frank.
These men love their families yet show questionable behaviour to avenge them. The bookcover image, a Phalaenopsis orchid, ties-in with a story where both sides of the law are involved. An approach reminiscent of Peter Corris’ Cliff Hardy series, Bryan Brown plays it low-key but maybe one of his laconic blokes will soon score their own book.
These short stories encapsulate the essence of crime fiction. I think from a male’s point of view the characters could be genuine mates in a bad place. Not their fault, they scheme, they seek revenge. They plot their way through sad, unjust or criminal situations which end with one tenebrous finale. There is also what I consider to be a Stephen King homage.
It’s refreshing to read a book of short stories which speaks to my generation of Australians: relationships, morals, turn-of-phrase, scenery, all genuine and if you can’t keep up that’s your problem - work on it. Professor Leong asks why Frank missed his last counselling appointment. ‘It gets in the way of my revenge,’ says straight-forward Frank.
These men love their families yet show questionable behaviour to avenge them. The bookcover image, a Phalaenopsis orchid, ties-in with a story where both sides of the law are involved. An approach reminiscent of Peter Corris’ Cliff Hardy series, Bryan Brown plays it low-key but maybe one of his laconic blokes will soon score their own book.
April 22, 2022
I had to read this quickly as the library recalled it for another user but … it’s actually seven separate crime stories set around Sydney.
A very good debut book by the actor Bryan Brown and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was turned into a TV movie or a short mini series. Typical Aussie guys getting into trouble following on from their own family’s lives. It’s a sad tale really of the atypical bogan life with nothing better to do and those into so much crime sitting in their fancy houses.
Also of families thinking they’re doing the right thing by their young daughter only leading to tragedy. I enjoyed this book even if I felt myself reading it in Bryan’s voice. I liked the two short reviews at the start by Michael Robotham and Sam Neil especially when Sam talks about Bryan saying about his writing “… This is utterly baffling. I’m furious” typical of fellow actor Sam’s humour commending Bryan but having ‘a dig’ too!
A very good debut book by the actor Bryan Brown and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was turned into a TV movie or a short mini series. Typical Aussie guys getting into trouble following on from their own family’s lives. It’s a sad tale really of the atypical bogan life with nothing better to do and those into so much crime sitting in their fancy houses.
Also of families thinking they’re doing the right thing by their young daughter only leading to tragedy. I enjoyed this book even if I felt myself reading it in Bryan’s voice. I liked the two short reviews at the start by Michael Robotham and Sam Neil especially when Sam talks about Bryan saying about his writing “… This is utterly baffling. I’m furious” typical of fellow actor Sam’s humour commending Bryan but having ‘a dig’ too!
February 1, 2024
After reading his crime fiction novel, The Drowning I thought I would dip into his original publication of short stories. I listened to the audio book spoken by the author. I find Bryan Brown’s voice comforting. His vernacular is that of a western suburbs boy (Panania) that hasn’t been corrupted by his association with many of the world’s glitterati. It was a voice that was ridiculed by Australian ruling elite of the 60s and 70s. It was the voice used by Barry Humphries to mock the Australian working class. I am not a flag waving patriot but I am proud of my working class roots, the nasally Australian tone in my voice, my belief in egalitarism, mateship, and the contribution that my generation has made to this fine country. Naturally, like Brown I have criticisms.
The book is a collection of short stories, some with criminal escapades some with drama and excitement. All have the theme of revenge permeating each story. The stories are told from the perspective of a male protagonist who has to right perceived wrongs. I found each story had a strong narrative that engaged me. I know the men of these stories. My best friend, who died many years ago was a swim coach who swam at Maroubra rather than Bondi.
A satisfying read.
The book is a collection of short stories, some with criminal escapades some with drama and excitement. All have the theme of revenge permeating each story. The stories are told from the perspective of a male protagonist who has to right perceived wrongs. I found each story had a strong narrative that engaged me. I know the men of these stories. My best friend, who died many years ago was a swim coach who swam at Maroubra rather than Bondi.
A satisfying read.
November 1, 2022
Bryan Brown is an actor synonymous in these parts with that sort of dry, pared back, quintessentially Aussie bloke character, much like the ones he's played in THE CHANT OF JIMMIE BLACKSMITH and for those of die-hard local crime fiction fans, the much missed Cliff Hardy in THE EMPTY BEACH. It comes as no surprise then that he's had a bit of a dabble in crime fiction, and the book is a series of short stories steeped in humour, violence, pathos and inner-city Australian sensibility.
Primarily set in suburban Sydney, there are seven short stories in this book, and they vary enough to give the reader licence to pick and choose from favourite to least so. The blurb will give you a real feel for the tone, and style of this collection, in particular I laughed out loud at this description:
"Fell for the sexy and beautiful Sue May from Hong Kong, Frank Testy did. Silly old prick. What price for ego? A huge bloody price it turns out."
All of these stories appealed on some level to this reader, but to be honest, I think it's probably a collection that may struggle in translation overseas. Unless you're looking for something that will tell you a lot about the way that some Australian's see the world. The tongue in cheek here is planted so firmly on occasions you can see the bulge becoming permanent. The depictions of so many of these characters so spot on, you can't help but wonder who Brown's been mixing with.
It was also possible to see a few homages here - there's shades of Peter Corris in the depictions of place, motive and means. There's more than a hattip to Robert G Barrett's sense of the bizarre and absurd. There was something of the Jon Cleary's in the plotting. And to top that off, I saw recently that the audio version is narrated by Brown, which instantly made it into the listening list even as I read the book. The idea of these stories, in his voice, is delicious.
This entire collection was enormous fun - laughed out loud a lot, and finished up hoping that Brown is contemplating a longer form foray into a genre which he must love. He's definitely good at acting in it, and now it turns out, pretty good at the authoring side as well.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Primarily set in suburban Sydney, there are seven short stories in this book, and they vary enough to give the reader licence to pick and choose from favourite to least so. The blurb will give you a real feel for the tone, and style of this collection, in particular I laughed out loud at this description:
"Fell for the sexy and beautiful Sue May from Hong Kong, Frank Testy did. Silly old prick. What price for ego? A huge bloody price it turns out."
All of these stories appealed on some level to this reader, but to be honest, I think it's probably a collection that may struggle in translation overseas. Unless you're looking for something that will tell you a lot about the way that some Australian's see the world. The tongue in cheek here is planted so firmly on occasions you can see the bulge becoming permanent. The depictions of so many of these characters so spot on, you can't help but wonder who Brown's been mixing with.
It was also possible to see a few homages here - there's shades of Peter Corris in the depictions of place, motive and means. There's more than a hattip to Robert G Barrett's sense of the bizarre and absurd. There was something of the Jon Cleary's in the plotting. And to top that off, I saw recently that the audio version is narrated by Brown, which instantly made it into the listening list even as I read the book. The idea of these stories, in his voice, is delicious.
This entire collection was enormous fun - laughed out loud a lot, and finished up hoping that Brown is contemplating a longer form foray into a genre which he must love. He's definitely good at acting in it, and now it turns out, pretty good at the authoring side as well.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
May 16, 2023
If this wasnt written by a famous actor, I don't think it would get the accolades it has.
I didn't finish this. Not quite what I thought I was getting. Nothing on the outside indicated it was 7 short stories. I read the first 3 then gave up.
Written mostly like a synopsis for a movie to be given to a script writer to finish. I liked the ideas but found it frustrating that they were so short and sharp. No scene setting. Mostly 4 word sentences. I could only picture them as I am a Sydneysider and know what the places look like.
I know this man is a brilliant actor, but feel he should either work on fleshing out his characters and scenes or stick to acting.
Good potential, I would love some editing to extend the ideas, and then I would happily read them. Life is too short to finish reading a book that I feel is "meh"
I didn't finish this. Not quite what I thought I was getting. Nothing on the outside indicated it was 7 short stories. I read the first 3 then gave up.
Written mostly like a synopsis for a movie to be given to a script writer to finish. I liked the ideas but found it frustrating that they were so short and sharp. No scene setting. Mostly 4 word sentences. I could only picture them as I am a Sydneysider and know what the places look like.
I know this man is a brilliant actor, but feel he should either work on fleshing out his characters and scenes or stick to acting.
Good potential, I would love some editing to extend the ideas, and then I would happily read them. Life is too short to finish reading a book that I feel is "meh"
March 5, 2022
What a great surprise. I picked this book up from a charity shop. Didn't realise it was a collection of short stories because I probably wouldn't have bought it had I known that but so glad I did. The stories had me staying up past my bed time to finish a story. I particularly enjoyed A Time to Do and Vigilante and thought it was so clever to start and end with Jimmy. Its rough, Australian and makes no apologies for either. At first I was unsure of the short sentence writing style but its perfect for the stories being told.
November 8, 2021
I found this book to be pleasant enough. It is a collection of short stories and to be honest I am not the biggest fan of short stories. The characters were interesting and had an authenticity to them. Much of the dialogue was in short sentences which would have been fine but they extended to the narrative as well. I found it a little annoying at times. Bryan Brown is a good story teller, it is the more the style of the stories that didn't work for me.
September 11, 2021
3.5 stars
Enjoyed this one. I found it a fairly quick read, a series of short stories, written in what is clearly an Australian voice. In my head, I could hear Bryan Brown reading it to me 😊
Whilst all crime tales, an interesting range of stories, and a good lockdown read.
Enjoyed this one. I found it a fairly quick read, a series of short stories, written in what is clearly an Australian voice. In my head, I could hear Bryan Brown reading it to me 😊
Whilst all crime tales, an interesting range of stories, and a good lockdown read.
August 27, 2021
Iconic Australian actor Bryan Brown makes an impressive entry into Australia’s crime writing ranks with his first collection of short stories, Sweet Jimmy.
Written in a stripped down, unadorned style these crisp stories skirt the fringes of Australian noir as Brown takes the reader down the mean streets of Sydney, with a scary side trip to America. Featuring cops, thieves, drug dealers, distraught fathers and a bored dentist, these stories are full of wit, humour and heartbreak, and have a strong Australian flavour to them. They all nicely capture the feel of suburban Australia and Brown shows a real gift for storytelling as his characters stumble from one misadventure to another. He is also quite adept at creating credible, interesting characters in a few swift lines.
All of the stories are entertaining, but the stand-outs for me were the poignant Be Not Afraid, about a father trying to understand the cause of his daughter’s death, and the more upbeat The Tea Leaf , in which a thief gets more than he bargained for when he steals the wrong car.
A terrific collection of gritty, well-paced tales.
See my full review at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/a...
Written in a stripped down, unadorned style these crisp stories skirt the fringes of Australian noir as Brown takes the reader down the mean streets of Sydney, with a scary side trip to America. Featuring cops, thieves, drug dealers, distraught fathers and a bored dentist, these stories are full of wit, humour and heartbreak, and have a strong Australian flavour to them. They all nicely capture the feel of suburban Australia and Brown shows a real gift for storytelling as his characters stumble from one misadventure to another. He is also quite adept at creating credible, interesting characters in a few swift lines.
All of the stories are entertaining, but the stand-outs for me were the poignant Be Not Afraid, about a father trying to understand the cause of his daughter’s death, and the more upbeat The Tea Leaf , in which a thief gets more than he bargained for when he steals the wrong car.
A terrific collection of gritty, well-paced tales.
See my full review at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/a...
March 9, 2022
I found the first 2 stories very good reading. Found ending of Vigilante story as bit of a let down, I had to browse back through the story to get the writers intention. I live in Sydney so I enjoyed the references to parts of Sydney, especially the inner suburbs. With the plain & coarse language in the book it's like he wrote the book whilst sitting in an Pub in Sydney.
January 21, 2025
A set of good yarns. And it is good to read the Aussie vernacular in print. It is quite similar to some of ours here in New Zealand.
April 9, 2024
Bryan Brown has a distinctive writing style. He has an eye for characters and a gift for storytelling. It’s not easy to predict what’s going to happen which is refreshing.
May 14, 2025
I read his other book before this one and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one was not as good. Still good but not great!
July 28, 2021
A quirky mix of characters in this short story collection , was an afternoon well spent really. Enjoy don’t judge too harshly it’s a bit of fun
November 6, 2021
Reading this is like listening to Bryan Brown talking - easy going, sense of humour, perceptive, honest, Aussie through and through. I really enjoyed these stories, particularly the links between them, of 3 brothers whose lives are devastatingly impacted by other people and who want revenge. Each story/chapter stands alone but are pieces of a big puzzle. Excellent and unusual literature. Hope to read more by BB.
March 18, 2022
You can almost hear Bryan’s voice as you read these stories. The prose is stripped back and direct, the stories quirky. I hope you write more, Bryan. I enjoyed them.
October 19, 2023
I think I have the same issue with Sweet Jimmy that I had with Tom Hanks’s Uncommon Type. Am I judging Sweet Jimmy too harshly because Bryan Brown is a well-known actor? Or am I not judging it harshly enough because it was written by him… Mmm…
I didn’t realise until I started reading this that it is actually a collection of short stories. If I was Brown’s editor, I would have quickly advised him to ditch this idea and just go with a full length novel. He could have, I’d say, easily spliced some of the stories together to fit in with the longer format. In fact, I think this might be my biggest beef with Sweet Jimmy - all the stories seemed the same.
Each story featured a gritty crime and fit into the same [thriller] genre. Actually, I feel like I need to almost give some sort of warning if you’re thinking of reading - a lot of the stories are quite graphic.
All the lead characters were very similar too. Mostly they were the quintessential 70s or 80s (see below re the time setting) Australian male, I suppose we’d call them larrikins back in the day. And, kind of creepily, if the stories were to be translated to the screen, it was easy to imagine the leads could almost all be played by Bryan Brown.
I had to wonder when Brown wrote these stories. I don’t think any of the plots, characters' behaviour or dialogue seemed to fit into a present day 2023 time setting. Through the editing process it would have been nice for someone to have helped Brown out by modernising a few things maybe.
His second offering is a full length novel. Maybe that will work better for me. This one, 2 ½ out of 5
I didn’t realise until I started reading this that it is actually a collection of short stories. If I was Brown’s editor, I would have quickly advised him to ditch this idea and just go with a full length novel. He could have, I’d say, easily spliced some of the stories together to fit in with the longer format. In fact, I think this might be my biggest beef with Sweet Jimmy - all the stories seemed the same.
Each story featured a gritty crime and fit into the same [thriller] genre. Actually, I feel like I need to almost give some sort of warning if you’re thinking of reading - a lot of the stories are quite graphic.
All the lead characters were very similar too. Mostly they were the quintessential 70s or 80s (see below re the time setting) Australian male, I suppose we’d call them larrikins back in the day. And, kind of creepily, if the stories were to be translated to the screen, it was easy to imagine the leads could almost all be played by Bryan Brown.
I had to wonder when Brown wrote these stories. I don’t think any of the plots, characters' behaviour or dialogue seemed to fit into a present day 2023 time setting. Through the editing process it would have been nice for someone to have helped Brown out by modernising a few things maybe.
His second offering is a full length novel. Maybe that will work better for me. This one, 2 ½ out of 5
August 20, 2025
Post It Note on the front of this second hand book store find said he can act but can he write?
Let me just answer that by saying that if this was written by a non famous person then I doubt it would have been published.
A couple of the stories I found myself feeling really nostalgic for an Australia that doesn't exist anymore. Brown knows that Australia and from that aspect it was really good to read. So many Western countries are in the process of an identity change and the timing of when these stories were written was when Australia was also going through another identity change - the Vietnam War altered our lives in so many ways.
The sentence structure made me feel like I was reading his brainstorming notes for either a script or a novel. So many three word sentences - I get what he was trying to do but it becomes boring after a while. And then there was switching between characters and time frames and you really don't know how or why. Four three word sentences and then we're back in another time another place. Like I said - brainstorming notes.
The second story read like a scene from a Guy Ritchie movie. That is all I have to say about that.
I think the story of Jimmy and Jonny and the other guy (sorry can't remember his name) itself would make for a good novel. Three different blokes whose lives were changed due to tragedy and loss and societal discrimination - they don't want to be where they are but destiny has declared otherwise. That I definitely would read.
Let me just answer that by saying that if this was written by a non famous person then I doubt it would have been published.
A couple of the stories I found myself feeling really nostalgic for an Australia that doesn't exist anymore. Brown knows that Australia and from that aspect it was really good to read. So many Western countries are in the process of an identity change and the timing of when these stories were written was when Australia was also going through another identity change - the Vietnam War altered our lives in so many ways.
The sentence structure made me feel like I was reading his brainstorming notes for either a script or a novel. So many three word sentences - I get what he was trying to do but it becomes boring after a while. And then there was switching between characters and time frames and you really don't know how or why. Four three word sentences and then we're back in another time another place. Like I said - brainstorming notes.
The second story read like a scene from a Guy Ritchie movie. That is all I have to say about that.
I think the story of Jimmy and Jonny and the other guy (sorry can't remember his name) itself would make for a good novel. Three different blokes whose lives were changed due to tragedy and loss and societal discrimination - they don't want to be where they are but destiny has declared otherwise. That I definitely would read.
February 21, 2023
A collection of seven crime short stories with a variety of plots and characters. As I read them, I could almost hear Bryan's voice narrating the tales in his distinct Aussie drawl. Although the stories were brief, Bryan managed to describe the characters enough that I was able to decide if I liked some, but disliked/despised others.
Bryan Brown has been telling stories with his distinctive Australian voice on TV and in film for a long time, but this time he's writing crime in his first book.
Phil and Sweet Jimmy are cousins. Phil grows orchids . . . spider orchids . . . learnt about them in the nick. Jimmy likes orchids, too, but there are other things he likes even more . . .
Trish Bennett didn't like her life. Hadn't liked it for a long time. Been on the streets. Bit of this for a bit of that. The 'that' wasn't always nice. Then Ahmed found her.
Sam is a tea-leaf, a thief. Likes nickin. . . anything . . . always has . . . until the day he knocked off more than the Volvo.
Fell for the sexy and beautiful Sue May from Hong Kong, Frank Testy did. Silly old prick. What price for ego? A huge bloody price it turns out.
Taut and crackling with character, these gritty, raw and sometimes very funny stories from Australian great Bryan Brown are Aussie Noir at its best. Crime doesn't discriminate . . . it can happen to anyone . . . it could happen to you . . . in any ordinary suburb . . . at any time.
Bryan Brown has been telling stories with his distinctive Australian voice on TV and in film for a long time, but this time he's writing crime in his first book.
Phil and Sweet Jimmy are cousins. Phil grows orchids . . . spider orchids . . . learnt about them in the nick. Jimmy likes orchids, too, but there are other things he likes even more . . .
Trish Bennett didn't like her life. Hadn't liked it for a long time. Been on the streets. Bit of this for a bit of that. The 'that' wasn't always nice. Then Ahmed found her.
Sam is a tea-leaf, a thief. Likes nickin. . . anything . . . always has . . . until the day he knocked off more than the Volvo.
Fell for the sexy and beautiful Sue May from Hong Kong, Frank Testy did. Silly old prick. What price for ego? A huge bloody price it turns out.
Taut and crackling with character, these gritty, raw and sometimes very funny stories from Australian great Bryan Brown are Aussie Noir at its best. Crime doesn't discriminate . . . it can happen to anyone . . . it could happen to you . . . in any ordinary suburb . . . at any time.
December 29, 2024
Wasn't quite sure what to make of it, at times it felt confusing thinking I had forgetton characters mentioned, or was waiting for when the storyline all intertwined and would come together to make sense, instead of random stories in one. I think that as it doesn't mention specifically that it was different short stories, it felt like you were reading a disjointed storyline. Reading the back of the book after the fact and that it does say 'these gritty, raw and very funny stoires' is not just a generalises statement about Bryan's story telling, but is specifically in relation to this book. This did not seem obvious pre-reading, I think it would have made more sense knowing from the get go, that it was in fact a book of short stories. In saying that some of the stories I did enjoy more than others and thought some of the twists were fairly clever, I felt the writing style at times was unusual, very short and sharp in the sentences. Haven't read a book quite like it. It reminded me a little of the TV show Bryan's Browns Twisted Tales, but in book form, and crime specific.
October 19, 2021
Disappointing.
I only picked it up to look for short stories to read for blind or low vision listeners on Vision Australia radio. I thought some Australian crime would make a good change.
But ....
I just kept thinking - where was the editor?
Apparently Michael Robotham said '... could hear the author's voice in every spare, haunting line.'
Well, yeah I could hear the actor Bryan Brown's voice. But the writing wasn't spare.
And that drove me crazy.
He could have told these stories (which had good bones) in much sparser language. Somebody let him away with too many words, and too much back and forward.
In the end, I enjoyed a couple of the stories - despite all of above. A Time to Do was still too long, but a good story. And I liked the spirit of Vigilante.
I also liked the trick he has done with tying up the first story, Boys will be Killers in the last story Sweet Jimmy.
Some will love this. I didn't.
I only picked it up to look for short stories to read for blind or low vision listeners on Vision Australia radio. I thought some Australian crime would make a good change.
But ....
I just kept thinking - where was the editor?
Apparently Michael Robotham said '... could hear the author's voice in every spare, haunting line.'
Well, yeah I could hear the actor Bryan Brown's voice. But the writing wasn't spare.
And that drove me crazy.
He could have told these stories (which had good bones) in much sparser language. Somebody let him away with too many words, and too much back and forward.
In the end, I enjoyed a couple of the stories - despite all of above. A Time to Do was still too long, but a good story. And I liked the spirit of Vigilante.
I also liked the trick he has done with tying up the first story, Boys will be Killers in the last story Sweet Jimmy.
Some will love this. I didn't.
December 3, 2021
If I were rating the stories alone, I would give top marks. However, while I can cope with the multiple "F bombs" throughout, I abhor the use of any "C bombs". And there is too much use of them in these stories.
I was taught at school and still firmly believe that using the "C bomb" is disrespectful to women - mothers, sisters, wives, daughters ... This leads to problems from some idiots down the track.
If you need to present a derogatory description of a bloke, use of the male appendage is more than adequate, attached to maybe an "F bomb", or an "F bomb" bastard. We'd get the meaning.
I understand it's all about "reality" or "the real world". But we don't need that repeated in print. It just gets worse as time goes on. The worst we could say when I was young was "shit". We've come a long way - downhill.
So Brian, in your first and subsequent reprints, get into WORD and delete "C***" and insert "prick".
I was taught at school and still firmly believe that using the "C bomb" is disrespectful to women - mothers, sisters, wives, daughters ... This leads to problems from some idiots down the track.
If you need to present a derogatory description of a bloke, use of the male appendage is more than adequate, attached to maybe an "F bomb", or an "F bomb" bastard. We'd get the meaning.
I understand it's all about "reality" or "the real world". But we don't need that repeated in print. It just gets worse as time goes on. The worst we could say when I was young was "shit". We've come a long way - downhill.
So Brian, in your first and subsequent reprints, get into WORD and delete "C***" and insert "prick".
January 8, 2022
I'd heard the book was pretty good, and those rumours were correct. A series of short stories, as opposed to a long form narrative but that made it an easy pick-up and read. I could hear Bryan Brown's laconic voice narrating the story in my head, each story is paired down to the bare bones of the story, no long complex descriptions. Just a simple narrative with nothing unnecessary to tell the tale.
Each story features violence in some way, but its not gratuitous. Each incident is a crucial part of the story but while there is no moral judgements on each incident I was left with with the overwhelming feeling that in some cases there was some justification for some of these actions. I liked that the last story expanded on the first and found my self flipping back and forward looking for clues for the reason behind those killings.
An excellent holiday read.
Each story features violence in some way, but its not gratuitous. Each incident is a crucial part of the story but while there is no moral judgements on each incident I was left with with the overwhelming feeling that in some cases there was some justification for some of these actions. I liked that the last story expanded on the first and found my self flipping back and forward looking for clues for the reason behind those killings.
An excellent holiday read.
January 13, 2024
A bit between and betwixt with this one.
Bryan Brown has written a collection of short stories based around Sydney, mostly, that all feature illegal behaviour, drugs, murder, kidnapping, etc
The writing style feels authentic with the way Bryan would talk and has a unique while typical
Australian voice to it, all the while completely ignoring the usual conventions of storytelling telling, e.g. show don’t tell. This book is all tell.
I can’t say I enjoyed it. It did keep me captivated as I kept wondering what the lynchpin between all the stories was. However, the final drawing together of the stories in the end was very underdone in my view. I was hoping that all the vignettes would all come together in a crescendo of a magnificent ‘AHA’ moment. Sadly I was left feeling disappointed.
Bryan Brown has written a collection of short stories based around Sydney, mostly, that all feature illegal behaviour, drugs, murder, kidnapping, etc
The writing style feels authentic with the way Bryan would talk and has a unique while typical
Australian voice to it, all the while completely ignoring the usual conventions of storytelling telling, e.g. show don’t tell. This book is all tell.
I can’t say I enjoyed it. It did keep me captivated as I kept wondering what the lynchpin between all the stories was. However, the final drawing together of the stories in the end was very underdone in my view. I was hoping that all the vignettes would all come together in a crescendo of a magnificent ‘AHA’ moment. Sadly I was left feeling disappointed.
March 4, 2022
When I first heard Bryan Brown had released a book, I knew I had to pick up a copy. It's almost as though you can hear his typical 'gravelly' demeanour on film translate into his writing.
I don't generally go for a whodunit style of novel, or any fiction for that matter. This was an exception and I'm quite glad I made it. I love the familiarity of Sydney suburbs that are very close to me (even mentions the one I live in!)
The short stories are gritty, gripping and quintessentially Aussie in their delivery. I found it fascinating how seamlessly Bryan as an author was able to interchange between different tones in his writing. Transitioning from brash and irreverent to considered and calm would not be easy, yet he's managed to pull it off. Hope he releases more in the future!
I don't generally go for a whodunit style of novel, or any fiction for that matter. This was an exception and I'm quite glad I made it. I love the familiarity of Sydney suburbs that are very close to me (even mentions the one I live in!)
The short stories are gritty, gripping and quintessentially Aussie in their delivery. I found it fascinating how seamlessly Bryan as an author was able to interchange between different tones in his writing. Transitioning from brash and irreverent to considered and calm would not be easy, yet he's managed to pull it off. Hope he releases more in the future!
December 27, 2022
An iconic Aussie actor turned author, Bryan Brown’s Sweet Jimmy was published in 2021. A series of seven short stories, with a crime theme basis, of theft, drugs, kidnapping and murder involved. The first and last tales feature Sweet Jimmy, a dual-installment crime saga that bookends the anthology. The narrative captures the down-to-earth Aussie bloke in a brevity of words and in action. A thoroughly enjoyable read, with an interesting array of characters and criminal behaviour in a typical laconic style. So, an ideal holiday book read, whether in a single sitting or savouring over time, with a four stars rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews