Quite Ugly One Morning
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Product Description
Review
Thrillingly unpleasant (ESQUIRE )
A sharp, funny novel, with strong characters and some smart dialogue (TLS )
A wicked satire...excellent plotting and a goodly amount of acidic one-liners (THE SCOTSMAN )
a great title and a thrillingly unpleasant murder mytery. (ESQUIRE )
A sharp, funny novel, with strong characters and some smart dialogue (TLS )
A wicked satire...excellent plotting and a goodly amount of acidic one-liners (THE SCOTSMAN )
a great title and a thrillingly unpleasant murder mytery. (ESQUIRE )
Review
'Very violent, very funny. A comedy with political edge, which you take gleefully in one gulp' LITERARY REVIEW 'The dialogue is a joy throughout and the plot crackles along with confident gusto and intelligence...an assured debut by a talented writer' THE TIMES 'Thrillingly unpleasant' ESQUIRE 'A sharp, funny novel, with strong characters and some smart dialogue' TLS 'A wicked satire...excellent plotting and a goodly amount of acidic one-liners' THE SCOTSMAN
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
'Jesus fuck.' Inspector McGregor wished there was some kind of official crime scenario checklist, just so that he could have a quick glance and confirm that he had seen it all now. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
'Jesus fuck.' Inspector McGregor wished there was some kind of official crime scenario checklist, just so that he could have a quick glance and confirm that he had seen it all now. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this recently after a friend had recommended it sometime ago. I can only say I wish I'd read it sooner. This is a great first book, with all the fresh, dynamic offerings of great first novels such as Last Exit To Brooklyn (Selby), The Wasp Factory (Banks), and Less Than Zero (Ellis).
The basic plot is about the truly horrendous murder of a doctor in Edinburgh, the unwitting involvement of an investigative journalist, and the revelation of a somewhat blood-curdling business scam at a local hospital. The humour is thick and fast, the violence is thick and fast, and the main characters are so well shaped you could make an omlette with them. The first ten pages of this book are uncomfortable reading as the police investigate a murder scene brimming with blood, vomit (both from the scene and added to by certain police officers), and human poo. And it doesn't let up from here. However, the humour does salvage the discomfort caused by the murder because the jokes are aplenty and the writing is quality. But I wouldn't recommend this to fans of Inspector Morse or Bergerac.
The only problem I'd have with this book is the simplistic, almost childish attitude towatd 1980s Tory Britan. Don't get me wrong - I don't mind anyone that likes a good Thatcher-bashing - but the air to this is less one of political astuteness and more of basic aggression, good versus evil. As a result, the only politically motivated character in the book, the Tory-loving Stephen Lime, seems to be a thinly veiled charicature of Tory greed rather than a solid, imposing figure. None of the other characters are especially driven by politics, so it makes him stand out a bit too much as more of a political 'Anorak' rather than someone with ministerial prowess. But that's just niggling really. It's still a great book.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've just finished re-reading this book again and it's as funny now as it was five years ago. While I know it must appeal to just about anyone who as a sense of humour and enjoys a whodunnit, if you are live in Central Scotland, you cannot help but identify with the things this guy says. I've recommended Brookmyre to everyone I know and no-one has done anything other than praise him and then went out and bought all his novels. Read this book and you will know what I mean.
PS The best opening line in a book I've ever come across!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Quite Ugly One Morning" was Christopher Brookmyre's first book and consequently this is the first time we get to meet maverick journalist Jack Parlabane. Not only has Jack just returned to his native Scotland after a very narrow escape from work in America he has moved into a flat where the owner of the flat below, Dr Jeremy Ponsonby has just been discovered murdered in a very bloody and brutal fashion.
After another narrow escape when the police first suspect that Jack may actually be the murderer he meets up with the victim's former wife, a young aesthetician named Sarah Slaughter. Whilst Sarah isn't exactly pining for her murdered ex-husband she does suspect that something is not quite right with the burglary-gone-wrong scenario that the police seem to suspect has caused Jeremy's death. Likewise Jack, ever one to sniff out a story, starts to investigate the background to Jeremy's life and also makes an ally of one of the police detectives, Jenny Dalziel
Meanwhile the management of the NHS trust where Jeremy used to work is definitely up to no good. Trust leader Stephen Lime apart from the shady property deals that he's most keen to keep secret from the outside world he is also associating with a very disturbing looking violent criminal.
As with the other Brookmyre books I've read the style is short and punchy with the flavour ranging from caustic wit to gruesome violence. But the violence it does contain isn't without reason and it's not a blood fest with no direction, indeed almost like a Tarrantino film you forgive it for the bloody bits as they are intelligent and done with more than a little tongue in cheek.
One word of advice though would be to read the books in their published order and not do like me and read them out of order. Although the stories themselves are not consecutive it's better to read about how Parlabane comes onto the scene and how he meets Sarah. Both of these characters reappear in other books like "Country of the Blind" as does Jenny Dalziel. Interestingly one of the very minor characters in this book Larry Freeman has a much bigger role in another Brookmyre book "Not the end of the World"
After another narrow escape when the police first suspect that Jack may actually be the murderer he meets up with the victim's former wife, a young aesthetician named Sarah Slaughter. Whilst Sarah isn't exactly pining for her murdered ex-husband she does suspect that something is not quite right with the burglary-gone-wrong scenario that the police seem to suspect has caused Jeremy's death. Likewise Jack, ever one to sniff out a story, starts to investigate the background to Jeremy's life and also makes an ally of one of the police detectives, Jenny Dalziel
Meanwhile the management of the NHS trust where Jeremy used to work is definitely up to no good. Trust leader Stephen Lime apart from the shady property deals that he's most keen to keep secret from the outside world he is also associating with a very disturbing looking violent criminal.
As with the other Brookmyre books I've read the style is short and punchy with the flavour ranging from caustic wit to gruesome violence. But the violence it does contain isn't without reason and it's not a blood fest with no direction, indeed almost like a Tarrantino film you forgive it for the bloody bits as they are intelligent and done with more than a little tongue in cheek.
One word of advice though would be to read the books in their published order and not do like me and read them out of order. Although the stories themselves are not consecutive it's better to read about how Parlabane comes onto the scene and how he meets Sarah. Both of these characters reappear in other books like "Country of the Blind" as does Jenny Dalziel. Interestingly one of the very minor characters in this book Larry Freeman has a much bigger role in another Brookmyre book "Not the end of the World"
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Why have I waited so long to read this guy?
I will be meeting Mr Brookmyre at an author event soon, so thought I'd best read one of his books. I don't know why I hadn't read him before as I am a big fan of crime fiction and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by K Dapre
Clearly for the Clerisy
This is a stunning first book from a magnificent author. It was recommended to me by a guy in Waterstones last August and I have since read his entire canon and await his newest by... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Hamish
Quite Ugly One Morning
I am a big fan of Christopher Brookmyre's recent books, so was keen to read some of his earlier work. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Geoff Harding
Entertaining, funny and smart
Reading this book in 2011, it did transport me right back to the 90s but that shouldn't detract from the fact that this is a highly entertaining murder mystery (with a little... Read more
Published 10 months ago by M Arif
quite ugly one morning
My husband suggested I read this book and after 5 pages I had to txt him to say I couldn't believe the things I found so funny and that they were also so disgusting. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mrs. C. Grant
good story
Whilst what I heard of this audio tape story was very good it is regretted to say that the item, purchased through the Amazon market place was not as advertised. Read more
Published 18 months ago by P. A. Pendrey
Solid stuff and highly recomended
This was my first Brookmyre and it won't be my last. I found this entertaining from start to finish. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Alec
Fab
Book in condition descibed but a bonus as signed by author.
postal fantastic - received within 2 days.
postal fantastic - received within 2 days.
Published 21 months ago by JoK
First read of this author
This book appeared on my list of Amazon recommendations, and looking for something to read over a holiday I decided to pick it up and see what it was like. Read more
Published on 16 April 2010 by Mr. J. Clements
"Heh, there's a big keech on the mantelpiece, sir"
A very early edition (1996) of the series of Glasgow noir with comic pathos and world-weary wit thrown in, Quite Ugly One Morning is the first of the series to feature journalist... Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2010 by Eileen Shaw
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