Open Season

Bob Skinner #34

by Quintin Jardine

'The legendary Quintin Jardine . . . such a fine writer' DENZIL MEYRICK

Amidst a family celebration, a cataclysmic storm uncovers long-buried horrors - and a team of detectives struggle to solve a thirty-year-old double murder.

The police are also searching two countries for traces of a mysterious crime novelist who appears to have vanished. Has the faking of his own death been his masterpiece?

Alongside each inquiry as it evolves is former Chief Constable Sir Robert Skinner, relishing his new role as a media magnate, but drawn into reluctant action and towards a chilling discovery of his own.

With evil on one hand and intrigue on the other, will Skinner escape with either his integrity or career intact . . . or is it open season on him?

Praise for Quintin Jardine's Bob Skinner

'Scottish crime-writing at its finest, with a healthy dose of plot twists and turns, bodies and plenty of brutality' SUN

'Well constructed, fast-paced, Jardine's narrative has many an ingenious twist and turn' OBSERVER

Genres: Crime, Mystery

370 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2022

About the author

Quintin Jardine (born 1945) is a Scottish author of three series of crime novels, featuring the fictional characters Bob Skinner, Oz Blackstone, and Primavera Blackstone. He was educated in Motherwell and in Glasgow where he studied at what was then the city’s only University. After career as a journalist, government information officer and media relations consultant, he took to the creation of crime fiction.

His first wife, Irene, with whom he shared over 30 years, from their teens, died in 1997. He is married, to his second wife, Eileen. They live in both Scotland and in Spain

Reviews

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 34 books in the series....I felt I did need a scorecard to keep all the characters and relationships straight...
Central to the book are some horrific crimes and a lot of refering back to previous happenings..
A lot of Alpha males doing their stuff and some women as well..

[Anne Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Quintin Jardine and Open Season does not disappoint. My only challenge was trying to remember what happened in the prior book #33 as the story follows it.

[Marilyn Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW just finished it in less than 24 hours.

I’ve read the entire series more than once. I thoroughly enjoy Bob Skinner story. I did struggle keeping everyone in there right investigation. A lot of new names and titles which had to keep on the correct investigation. I will have to go back and read the previous book as it has been awhile since I read it and I had trouble with the story line between the two stories. It was a great read and as usual kept me guessing until the end.

[Derek Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As ever I awaited the return of the most egotistical policeman, now media mogul, in fictional history and was I disappointed ?
I’m afraid I have to say yes.
This is in effect the second half of the story that started in the previous book but kicks off with bodies being found that are going to lead the reader down a path of relationships more complex than anything Eastenders could ever throw up.
The dialogue continues to be be stilted as the author tries to use conversations to provide context from previous novels, or to convey the genius of Skinner and his considerable number of talented offspring who will never grow up to be anything other than lives in the shadow of the “great” man.
So once you have been taken down the most complex of family trees and “Super Bob” has once again been the power behind the two murders being solved you are still left with the unsolved Glasgow case.
Will that be Robert’s next outing or will he have fathered another unbelievable budding genius whilst his daughter, who was thankfully missing for most of this story, becomes the greatest lawyer Scotland has ever witnessed.
Whatever happens next one lives in hope that some almighty secret from Skinner’s past comes out and blows the ego out of the water.
And that is why I cannot wait for the next book.

[giveusaclue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed all the Bob Skinner series for their stories but with the caveat that the professional incest if that is the right description was becoming a stretch of credibility. All the police personnel he deals with seem to move up the promotion ladder almost as of right. The number of women included in that march up the ladder seems totally out of line with the real world. This book reinforced that feeling. At the personal level everything seems to come back the Skinner's extended family, unknown illegitimate children appearing after a couple of decades is one example and this book certainly stretches the credibility past breaking point when two corpses are revealed after trees are blown down. Of course, they just happen to be found by his son and former colleagues. Finally the denouement came across as totally ridiculous.

If I had read this as a one off I might have enjoyed it more because the faults would not have been so obvious, but that ending did put a damper in things.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quintin Jardine & the now retired former Chief Constable Sir Robert(Bob) Skinner, have yet again, not
disappointed. Another ripper yarn full of twists and turns and intrigue.

Amidst a family celebration, a cataclysmic storm uncovers long-buried horrors - and a team of detectives struggle to solve a thirty-year-old double murder.

The police are also searching two countries for traces of a mysterious crime novelist and who appears to have vanished. Has the faking of his own death been his masterpiece?

Alongside each inquiry as it evolves is former Chief Constable Sir Robert Skinner, relishing his new role as a media magnate, but drawn into reluctant action and towards a chilling discovery of his own.

With evil on one hand and intrigue on the other, will Skinner escape with either his integrity or career intact...or is it open season on him?

**********************

[John Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not totally sure how I got hooked on this series but I can own up to perhaps too many outings with Bob Skinner over the years. This tale has quite a few trace elements from previous books in the series and might not be the best place to start for a newcomer. Many familiar characters occur throughout this book but somehow it does not quite gel as a whole. It becomes an exercise in how many permutations can you weave out of a wide stock of cast members without stretching credulity too far!
A promising start, a middle section where things become a bit 'bogged down' and then a denouement with a very unlikely culprit. Suspend your disbelief....

[Victoria Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complicated

A good novel spoilt by too many interrelated characters. The story became bogged down in the middle and it became difficult to remember who was related to whom. This could easily have made two separate books and been easier to follow.

[Jill Hanby · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s done it again

I adore all the Skinner books. Quintin Jardine writes the most amazing series that feels like checking in with good old friends
And he’s done it again. The Reveal in this one was one of the best……..can’t wait for No. 35

[Christine Rennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open Season by Quintin Jardine is book 34 in the Skinner series and is a very complex story concerning two separate investigations. All of the usual police team were there in the front of both incidents. As always the story was excellent and of a high standard.
Highly recommended

[Mrs Janet S Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open season

Always a good read from Quintin Hardin. Never fails. How ever this narrative almost drowns in overload. At times this was reading like a list of almost all Scotland's police who were incestiously related or connected

[Rosemary Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been critical of Quintin’s recent books as I felt that there was too much padding out. However I am pleased to say that Open Season was Quintin back to his best. A good paced plot with several intertwining threads that had the grey cells stimulated and working hard.

[Caroline McGregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Love Quintin’s books and this was another great read which continued story from previous book. It also had all the usual characters which gives scope for so many different stories.

Thoroughly recommend it and look forward to the next.

[Athena Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. I am now completely confused about who is related to whom. It seems that all roads lead to Bob Skinner. I never would have guessed who the culprit was and there are still some answers to be uncovered. I will look forward to the next instalment of Skinner's World.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always from Quintin Jardine a brilliant crime thriller. I’ve read all his books and am never disappointed, the characters have developed over the series to be friends, in fact so many of them that it was confusing at times to follow. I never even got close to working out the killer!

[Grace Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing Skinner book. I’ve read all the books in this series and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s full of twists and turns as expected. It moves along at a fair pace and the twist at the end is the best yet! Roll on the next book. I thoroughly recommend this book.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost forgot to include this. Despite reading such a short time ago I have no recollection of the actual story. Haddock is in charge but there’s a conflict as it involves his wife’s family. Of course Skinner is there as usual despite no longer police. Yawn. Easy read.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best in a whilr

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy the adventures of Bob Skinner and his ever expanding group of family and colleague. Lots of twists and turns and clever deductions.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant.

[george barrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up the Quinn's high standards

What a book, full of twists and turns, I won't spoil the ending. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, but needs to be merged with previous book and edited down.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to keep up with such a cast of characters but great twist. Never saw it coming.

[David Rennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like getting the news from a gossip column.

[Anne Whitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant story from Quintin Jardine and I was blown away with this book - could not put the book down. Did not see that ending at all.

[Christopher Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was much more like the rest of the Bob Skinner series, and a definite improvement on the Book 33. It was well written and displayed all the characteristic of a good Jardine novel.

This book, on it's own would be a five star, but in order to get the full benefit you need to have read Book 33 which wasn't great which I why I only gave it four stars.

I do feel like Bob has perhaps run his course now though... perhaps time to stop the series?

[Guy Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all the 34 Bob Skinner books, they are to me simply the best crime fiction, initially another Scottish Police procedural way back in the first 20 novels, Jardine peoples his books with wonderful characters some have been on the entire journey of Bob Skinner.
There is Rebus and there is Skinner, they are must reads.immersive plots, fantastic dialogue and satisfying conclusions, all you can ever want from a writer.
Simply the best of the best,

[Cheryl Shearer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quintin Jardine never disappoints

A brilliantly written story, old characters and new ones all linking together to bring various parts of the story to life for the brilliant ending. Always enjoy reading about Bob Skinner and his family, friends and colleagues. Looking forward to the next instalment.