The Devil in Me [Paperback]

Although this collection of vivid short-stories will be relished by any fan of literary fiction, it is of particular appeal to those who live and work in London. Our local pubs are described in style in 'At Home In the Pubs of Old London' - with a twist of course - we are taken on a crazy tube journey with an alert teacher and a pack of schoolkids, one of whom is abducted en route, and there are amusing observations throughout which any local will recognise - the 'listless Australian barstaff', the 'half-cut proofreaders' in the corner of the Museum Tavern (opposite the British Museum), and so on.

There's a wonderful upbeat style throughout the book and plenty of tasty treats for the connoisseur of wordcraft. It's hip, clever and often hilarious. I sniggered my way along the Piccadilly line during rush hour, which says everything for the author's ability to focus his readers.

While many of the stories entertain and dazzle, one did much more - 'The Beacon'. Mr Canvey, a lonely man living in Cornwall, decides to go online - for which he requires help. A young man visits his remote abode and helps him set up his computer. Mr Canvey then attempts to trace his dead son's history as a care worker over the Net - the theme is reconciliation. He eventually 'finds closure', which I won't ruin by saying how, but the tale is incredibly touching and contrasts well with the hipper, faster scenarios in the collection.

Now I just can't wait to hit London's Underground with more of Christopher Fowler's subterranean brilliance in my hands.

One of my favorite stories was the deadpan "Rainy Day Boys", in which two London flatmates bicker and kill someone in King's Cross. It's funny stuff, and first appeared in The Second Time Out Book of London Stories. I also quite enjoyed "The Beacon", where an old man enters the age of the Internet, although I must confess I don't really understand the twist at the end. "Come On Then If You Think You're Hard Enough," is a very brief and good piece about male violence. "Living Proof" is the most Dahlesque story in its noir depiction of a journalist trying to regain his pride-very good, although the final twist is rather foreseeable. I also quite liked "Sex Monkeys" which details in roller-coaster fashion a darkly hilarious chain of events set off by a wayward sexual aid.

The second story, "Crocodile Lady," is a decent story revolving around a middle-aged teacher emerging from her marriage and facing her demons in the subway. A similar female character is the central figure in "Seven Dials," which attempts to grapple with time. The near-future stories are "The Look", which is a scathing anti-fashion industry piece that might appeal to lovers of Bret Easton Ellis. In "The Torch Goes Out", walls are being erected to literally separate the violent chaotic "inner" city with the middle-class "outer" city/suburbs. It's a decent premise (somewhat akin to the Deadenders graphic novel series) that doesn't really pay off. "Something For Your Monkey" is a P.G. Wodehouse inspired "light" comic story which isn't nearly as amusing as anything by Plum (then again, what is?)... until the final page, where a waiter makes a devastating laugh-out-loud speech which makes the whole thing worth reading. "Eighteen and Over" is the one false step in the collection, comprised of an exchange of letters between a filmmaker and the British version of the MPAA ratings board.

Altogether, this is a very good varied collection of short fiction. I doubt I'll go back and check out Fowler's horror stuff, but I'll definitely keep a lookout for his next book of fiction.