THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

A book

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#DonYourWhite

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Been re-reading plenty of my favourite PG Wodehouse stand alone novels (just for a change ).

Sam the Sudden, Piccadilly Jim, and Laughing Gas probably my favourites of those - I think the first half of Laughing Gas is probably his funniest book (at least his non-Jeeves & Wooster ones). Currently on The Luck of the Bodkins, and thoroughly enjoying it as usual.

The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith

Yet another epic tome by JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith in the Strike series. These really are page turners. She has a real knack of wanting you to continue reading right up until the early hours of the morning just to find out what’s going to happen next. I quite literally stayed up after midnight last night just to finish this. It was that good, and at 945 pages it’s extremely good value.

I’m assuming that everyone knows the premise of these. Private detective, and will they won’t they, duo Cormoran Strike and partner Robin Ellacott once again find themselves taking on a densely plotted investigation. This time they are tasked with extracting someone in thrall to a religious cult. As I said above, you can’t put this down, but if I’m being picky, the sub plot regarding the stalking of a female actor proved to be a distraction that really wasn’t required. But as I say, I’m being picky. It’s an extremely good read indeed and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

There was real tension here. Ellacott goes undercover in the Universal Humanitarian Church posing as a wealthy young woman at a loose end. It soon becomes apparent that for all their talk of freedom and spiritual awareness, the UHC are anything but. Other wealthy members are being systematically fleeced whilst being forced to labor on the church's farm. Lead by charismatic leader Papa J, who it turns out both rapes, and encourages other male members, to sexually assault one another, while living in the lap of luxury as members toil in the mud. The investigation quickly expands as it becomes apparent that there’s more to the church than fraud and sexual misdemeanors.

This is only the third or fourth detective novel I’ve ever read in all of my 61 years on this planet, and I can’t help but feel I’ve somewhat missed out by continually reading autobiographies from someone who used to be in The Fall. My loss.

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When you make your music, do you think about the man in the street? No, I've met the man in the street. He's a Ladybit.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Detective novels?

Get yourself on the Rebus novels....fantastic series of books

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Turn Stadium MK WHITE In The Playoffs

Indeed. Def my favourite detective novels. Ever.
Superbly plotted.
Aspects of Rebus' character I can relate to as well.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

It's due a good TV reboot too

Each book would suit a miniseries of say 4 programmes I'd say

That bloke Ken something might be too old now though (or too dead?)

I'm not entirely convinced by the Malcolm Fix spin offs though are you?

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Turn Stadium MK WHITE In The Playoffs

I really liked Ken Stott. Perfect characterisation. In the latest books Rebus is, of course, retired and older but still his 'usual self' (well slightly less drinking and given up smoking so he could do those - agree not earlier stuff. The TV series lasting 1.15mins or whatever didn't do justice to the books.

I didn't like the Malcolm Fox books at first but grew into them. Have they been made into a TV series then?

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Goose Green by Nigel Ely

Released a couple of years ago to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of the famous Falklands battle, an account collated by the author - himself is a veteran - cataloguing the memories of many of those involved. Goose Green spans stories from P company basic training through the long sail South, to the weeks spent in the freezing cold of the Falklands wilderness

What makes this so compelling is the lack of author’s narrative, with the events and observations told solely through excerpts of interviews he held with former members of the Parachute Regiment, Merchant and Royal Navy, RAF and Special Forces - although this is absolutely a book about 2 Para

I found it a compulsive read, in places horrifying yet always awe inspiring - stories of tremendous endurance, suffering and heroism all told with great humility. It’s funny in places too, the story of hand grenades being inadvertently put into the washing machines on HMS Intrepid had me laughing out loud

I don’t read much military history but I’m very glad I found Goose Green, I had a passing knowledge of the Falklands War but learned a lot through this. Very well worth a read

When I was at school back in Scotland, my best friend's brother was one of the last servicemen to die in that conflict. He was killed quite literally half an hour before the war ended. He's buried close to my parents along with his comrade. They'd volunteered to be stretcher bearers taking wounded to be treated when they were both killed. His name was David Malcolmson. He was only 20 years old.

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When you make your music, do you think about the man in the street? No, I've met the man in the street. He's a Ladybit.