My Favourite Scotitish Murder.

That's me back home from Glasgow. I went Edinburgh last Friday to Saturday, then Glasgow was meant to be Monday to Friday, instead because I'm me, I didn't go till Tuesday. I also didn't go to the cinema like I was meant to. Ended up doing a very ill-advised barbecue with only two people, lot of wasted food which I'm trying my best to stop doing. Sometimes I just don't eat. I'm very unhealthy in my eating patterns. *types while eating Animal biscuits*

My main reason for going to Glasgow for was I need to return books to the library that on the way up, make sure that one sister doesn't burn down the house of the other, and going to see My Favourite Murder. Yay. Murder.

It was great. Morbid laughter. Though, Georgia did pick a real boring murder and didn't go into the more interesting parts like how Hare was the mastermind and was freed. I also felt they had did that one before. Maybe it just with how much Hare & Burke have been re-told. Also they were both Irish so we don't own that one. Just Scottish Medical advancements through dodgy means.

Karen talked about how the Barrowlands Dance Hall now being a market (most famous for selling illegal stuff) and not the fact it's a famous music venue that it's actually noted for. Maybe we should shouted that, instead of just no. Playing at the Barrowlands is kinda big deal. It also has a pretty roof with pink stars on Blue. I did send in the Bible John part as Home Town Murder, a year or so ago. That had has tons of stuff in it. Those series of Murders on their own are one of the most messed up parts and despite the Barrowlands connection, the sister being the last to see her and her probable murder has really stuck with me. The taxi driver was never found. Anyway, Bible John has a comic book by Grant Morrison. Some one should make a list of them. I mean Jack Ripper alone must have a few outside of Penny Dreadfuls.

In terms of actual Scottish Murders that are interesting (Bible John is one, it is also horrifying): Renee and Andrew MacRae Disappearance (no bodies but probably dead with lots of suspects), Angus Sinclair and the World End Murders (serial killer and connected to a bar), There's Peter Manuel (1950s serial killer in the style of the Golden State Killer) as fictionalised in The Long Drop by Denise Mina (I did review this book, not sure if I recommend it, but it does shows 1950s Scotland pretty well to my knowledge), he definitely killed people but one of his cases the Husband/father has some suspicious against so good in terms of story telling and there's Dunblane Massacre, that one Scottish school shooting but with everything going in America right now I can understand not wanting to do that, except shout really angry at the end change bloody gun laws. Also class of dead five year old is bit much. In my head the whole class was killed, but it was 16 pupils which would have been more that my P1 class so maybe that's why.

Scotland is obsessed with crime and has mass of crime writers. Scottish Crime is a genre on it's own you can find in Scotland in general book shops. I wonder what other cases they did in the other UK venues. There some real fucking messed up UK crimes. The Yorkshire Ripper is giant thing to get through, so probably didn't do that.

The Glasgow O2 Academy as a sit down Venue, was not really good. They had these old plastic chairs where you couldn't avoid touching your neighbour. I also wasn't the only person to go there by myself. The Ladies being right next to the stage is still one of the worst choices. The men's is right next to the door out and in. The line to Ladies Toilet was massive before the show started.

I also got there an hour and half before the show was meant to start due to them not giving a starting time. Just when the doors opened. It's live podcast comedy show, it didn't have support acts so not like I could have guessed from other shows.

It was good, we got to see this tour's dresses before they were ceremoniously burned and people booed Paisley who is a butt of so many jokes since they ran for City of Culture. Funfact: Glasgow Airport is actually in Paisley but an Airport has to be connected to a city, which is also how Prestwick Airport is also called Glasgow Prestwick Airport despite being a good half a hour away from Glasgow.

I also a signed giant My Favourite Murder post card that I have no idea where I'm putting, a neat totebag and a VIP lanyard that I wear around the house. Though, I didn't get as merch as I wanted as the card machine wasn't working or something. I luckily had cash so got two t-shirts. They also didn't appear to have Toxic Masculinely shirt which I was hoping to get. I guess I will just have to put out for international shipping. It be worth it. I wish the Stay Sexy shirt, had don't get murdered on the back of it.

I did get Fuck Everyone t-shirt so I am mostly happy I guess. I also spent too much money on stuff this month so I'm not buying another god damn thing but things to live like heating and food. But cheap food. I walked around Glasgow before, shops and stuff. Taco Bell is longer to get to now, with part of Sauchiehall Street being closed due to the fires. So I have fucked myself for the up coming week and I need to do stuff.
On the Brightside, the Glasgow Subway is still creepy as hell.

Book Review: Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan

Fleshmarket does not contain cannablism. Only Jokes about Cannabism,

"Footsteps echoed through the towering corridors as the woman walked...followed by her silent family. No One could touch her. She touched none of them. She was different. Robbie, young as he was, felt it...had felt her pain as if it was his. It had burned him and left its mark. The mark was the empty space where his real mother had been. The place where she had left him.'

It is Edinburgh, 1828 and Robbie is haunted by the horror of his mother's death at the hands of the famous surgeon, Dr Robert Knox. The Operation was intended to save her life. Instead it brought her intolerable pain before it killed her. Now her family is torned apart, and living in appalling poverty. A desperate Robbie is intend on Revenge on Knox. But how far is he prepared to go - and what will he lose in the process?


This is a book I wanted to read since 5th Nov 2007 when I heard about, brought it 7 years later and read it almost 10 years later. It sounded cooler, I tried to buy when I heard about it, but I don't think I had enough money on me. The lady selling the books also seem confused that I would want that one also.

So this book is about Robbie who blames his family's poverty on real historian person Dr Robert Knox. The book goes during the birth of Modern Medicine, as in they didn't know about bacteria and inflections yet. Nor much about the Human body as no one was willing to have their body cut for science as religion says that you need your body to rot for God for some reason.

This book does have lot questioning of God, because of the time period and the list of bad things that have happened to our main character. It's a few pages of the book, and think is reflective of the time the book is set. The bodies rotting for god does come into play of the plot. If you recognize Doctor Know, then you probably guess how it relates. I didn't and strangely I never guess what a book called Fleshmarket set in 19th century would involved such a famous Edinburgh thing so I will leave you to discover it or already know.

I think a big problem is that Robbie is a bit desperate to blame Knox for his problems that it comes across as dumb. Yes, he 14 and hormonal, but there's several "error of my ways" moments that happen in this book. He also abandons his 8 yr old sister several times, making him unlikable.

Overall, I give this book 3.5/5 stars for bread barrow. I prefer Nicola Morgan's The Highwayman's Footsteps series better than this book. It was okay, I don't know if Young me would have liked it better. If more a fan of historian fiction involving real people then this might be the book for you.

Book Review: Monsters by Emerald Fennell

In my tourist trap of a town, the body showed up at the lake.

A blackly comic tale about two children you would never want to meet. Set in the Cornish town of Fowey, all is not as idyllic as the beautiful seaside town might seem. The body of a young woman is discovered in the nets of a fishing boat. It is established that the woman was murdered. Most are shocked and horrified. But there is somebody who is not - a twelve-year-old girl. She is delighted; she loves murders. Soon she is questioning the inhabitants of the town in her own personal investigation. But it is a bit boring on her own. Then Miles Giffard, a similarly odd twelve-year-old boy, arrives in Fowey with his mother, and they start investigating together. Oh, and also playing games that re-enact the murders. Just for fun, you understand... A book about two twelve-year-olds that is definitely not for kids.

This is a murder mystery from the pov of someone who likely behind a murder mystery when they grow up.

I found the writing style in the opening to be off-putting as it read "special needs" (fake) that a certain book I hate wrote in completely. The style gets better as it goes on, I don't know if changes or I got used to it. The book is completely from the point of view of the girl, with her dead parents and neglectful at best aunt and uncle.

This deals with a lot of things common to Serial Killers, I didn't enjoy of how much of a follower the girl was, as I don't buy that narractive that female serial killers need a male counter-part to wake the killer. It seems more sexist than fact, a way to get less time when you're caught and is why female serial killers are likely to get a way with it as we speak.

The resolution was okay, it was set up fine, There was a part I just didn't buy. The journay was better than the end.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for obvious deads. This was an interesting book that plays with clichés and does a decent job of it. If you have a fascination with death and serial killers, then this is worth your time.

I got this book for review off Netgalley and published by Hot Key Books on 3rd September 2015. (I got it from the library recently so I'm finally getting to it.)

My Favourite Horror

Hello, I'm writing this while listening to 'My favourite Murder' its a comedy podcast talking about real life murders/crimes. If you've been subjected to my jokes about murder and death then you're not surprised that I like this podcast and recommend it. They are entertaining if not totally accurate in their storytelling. I don't really have a favourite murder, H. H. Holmes' murder hotel probably is it because it is insane that he almost got away with that. Its the mix creepy building and serial killing that makes it interesting. They making a film, the set design should at least be good.

I finally made it to British Cinema for Horror Week where we went over vampires. I feel like I should now not show up for any of the class. Yep, just here for horror and my own kind. I really wish I had made it last week, but oh well. Also found out my lecture knows my name and for some reason I am alarmed by this. I rather be anonymous when my crimes come to light. I know I should make joke confessions on the internet but I would lose so much of my comedy. Lets leave this thoughts here.

Glasgow is back in the house on medication. It was a worrying time, but he appears to peeing again...by peeing on me because he dislike Leia's attempt at play. She has yet to understand that the cats are not friends, nor are they likely to be friendly towards her. He is grumpy boy hiding behind the couch.

I have decided to be a Producer for uni course due to not having a story I wanted to do (I had ideas but they not ready to be born into a pitch yet). I should have probably pitch in the pursuit of making myself do uncomfortable things, but oh well. Some of the ideas are intriguing, some were problematic. The one I'm producing could be problematic but I'm going to do my best to make sure its not.

Shockingly a secret ep of 'Sherlock' did not play last week and its existence has finally been denied, along with the Queerbaiting..right...Glasgow kissing with longing looks never happened. Apple Tree Yard was boring Heterosexuality stuff then horrible trigger warning events so I won't be watching it again. The set up doesn't make me think it will be dealt with well so I won't be watching any more of it. Doesn't make me want to read the book now either.

I really hate driving, especially in Scottish Weather. I drove through ice, fog at night where I could not see anything but the slight lines of the road, hail/snow that due to the wind looked like optical illusion. Also I probably need new tires but I would have to talk to someone other my parents to fix that. So lets just die instead.

With that note, I just shall leave you this week in favour of staring at the cellar...I mean celling. I don't have a cellar. I don't. FAREWELL.

*Flees into the night.*

Book Review: Lost Bodies by David Manderson

This is frankly just a weird reversal that I won't explain.

In an ordinary suburb, a seemingly ordinary man tends his garden and tries to impress his neighbours as a heat wave clamps over the city. But all is not as it seems, and as death begins to stalk the city's streets and parks he finds himself caught up in a game beyond his control that brings terror to his very doorstep, and nothing about him or the place he lives will ever be the same again

To start this review, let me criticize the fail of cover that this book has. The biggest issues being that the summary on the back is hard to read because its white font on the pale sky. I can't even make out the first two words of the generic blurb. Then there's the awkward red chunks on it. I don't want to address the other issues of me reviewing this book because it weird, but I have to review it because British Book Challenge.

The big thing is that this book in the POV of a serial Killer, that might be a spoiler but without that information why pick this book up. I have read several books completely from Serial Killers/murderers and ones where the POV pops up. This just didn't do anything new or interesting for me. The only thing that separates is that there's no gory detains, so if you want serial killer but no graphic violence, here you go.

There were confusing jumps throughout the novel. I think this was intentional to reflect the character's inner mind (and I scrim read major parts of this book).

I think my biggest issues that the serial killer is kinda dumb. He not obvious about his killings but he also has no real chance of getting away with it in the long run. Therefore, I lost interest. It could be argue he's meant to be dumb, in contrast to his low estimate of everyone around him.

I give this 3/5 stars for buses to noway. It was okay, its a serial killer in Glasgow. I just didn't care that much about this book and I took way to long to read it.

Book Review: The Unforgotten by Laura Powell

It ain't a serial killer without a type.

It's 1956 and fifteen-year-old Betty Broadbent has never left the Cornish fishing village of St Steele or ventured far beyond the walls of the boarding house run by her erratic mother. But when the London press pack descends to report on a series of gruesome murders of young women, Betty's world changes. In particular she is transfixed by mysterious and aloof reporter, Mr Gallagher. As the death toll rises, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Betty and Gallagher. But as their bond deepens, they find themselves entangled with the murders and each is forced to make a devastating choice, one that will shape their own lives - and the life of an innocent man - forever.

The only reason I finished this novel was that I wanted to know if I was right about the plot. I didn't fully read the summary before I started listening to it because I was in a hurry to find an audio book  for the long drive home. If I had read the whole description, then I wouldn't have pick it up. It doesn't help that Laura Powell has the same name as another writer, who I thought this was when I picked it up. This is made more confusing by the fact they both British with Welsh links. This is (one of the reasons) why pen names are a thing.

The opening is really strong, introducing us to Betty and what's the situation going on within the village. It really hooked me in.  However, then the next chapter is a flash forward to 2006 Mary, a pathetic 65 year old that has no motivation and is waiting for the sweet kiss of death. Except for revealing what happened in 1956, I didn't care what went down in these chapters involving Mary. Especially, as1956 Mary is completely unlikable without a redeemable thing about her and 2006 Mary is the same.

The biggest problem is the characters. They are all terrible, uninteresting people who only grow more unlikable the more time you're forced to spend with them. I liked and was invested in Betty in the beginning but this was ruined half way into this book. She starts as a capable 15 year old who often left to run a hotel by herself due to her mentally ill mother. The complicated nature of her relationship with mother, who is most likely Bipolar, was done really well. The more the book goes on the more Betty becomes like the other characters who are whinny and bland. You can have unlikable characters, but they should be distinct from each other. 

An another big issue is the romance. Even if you look past that Gallagher is double the age of an underaged Betty, he is still terrible to her. He's all we can't do this but keeps doing it while being a jerk to her. The plot largely rides on this relationship and the Betty we get at the beginning disappears into him. While some people do start relationships and change into them, Betty is gone immediately for plot reasons. It some what mixed signals about whether we are meant to like this relationship or not. I get the feeling we are, in the beginning Gallagher is described as younger, so you don't realise that he middle age for this time period straight away.  I'm almost anti-romance in books in general, so this might be less of an issue for some other people, but Gallagher is still a grown arse man who blames everything on a 15 year old and still gets to play hero.

The plot in theory is really good, but the execution is weak. I honesty don't think anything is gained by having parts set in 2000s. A lot of the better parts of plot go undeveloped and the ending is rushed. I figured out the ending and thought it would actually be really good until we got there. Then it was unsatisfying and Betty has no agency at all. Yes, she directs the plot but its to kick someone else into gear. The mystery is what actual mystery are like, you don't know who it is until they tell you. I did figure it out but this more random guessing. This hard to explain without spoiling but I will try my best. I have a really big issue with the solution. I totally believe it, it works. However, we get no overshadowing so it ends up being lazy and stereotypical.

I listen to this on audio book and I wouldn't recommend it. Not sure if it was the voice actress
or the writing but parts often sounded like audio description. I lean towards writing, as we got sentences for actions e.g. Betty put her shoes on. The main reason I would suggest reading over listening is I often had to rewind back to clarify what was said. The end was especially bad for this but I think is mainly to do with the ending being rushed.

Overall, I give this book 2/5 stars for Missing Knifes. There's an interesting idea here, but the execution is done terribly. Some things are done well which I wished more time spent on these aspects. As this is Powell's debut novel I'm incline to be more forgiving, e.g. maybe she doesn't realise than none of the female character has any real agency. There's definitely a good novel in her. This isn't it- for me at least. I would read her again if the plot was right.

Book Review: Urban Legend by Helen Grant

Surprisingly reading a whole series based off the title of last book paid off.

A GROUP OF STORY-TELLERS DISAPPEARING ONE BY ONE.

A YOUNG WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST.

A SERIAL KILLER WITH ONE TARGET HE IS DESPERATE TO HUNT DOWN.

 Veerle is trying to lie low, to live as 'normal' a life as she possibly can.

But when you've thwarted a serial killer, it's hard to do this.

ESPECIALLY WHEN HE WANTS REVENGE...

This is the final book in the Forbidden Space trilogy by Helen Grant. I have reviews of the other two books, Silent Saturday and Demons of Ghent if you're not familiar with the series.

This book is called Urban Legends and surprisingly has Urban Legends. The main reason I read this series is because I love Legends and ghost stories I picked up this book solely on this when I saw in the library and then I read the whole series. I really like the way these stories were incorporated into the novel and think think it worked really well. Urban legends are sprinkled through the main story, (my favourite is Angel Smile as its own thing while being based on a popular Legend. Also such a cute renaming).

The plot is involves abandoned buildings and more urban exploring. We have more interesting murders (be honest and admit that you rate fictional murders). I like the climax and the build up to it.

This book continues the romances from the two previous, but its quickly resolves if you're not about pointless love triangles (while on the real side of those situations, I'm just not about romances in general).

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars for lost flashlights. This was a good strong ending to the series and I'm glad that I read the whole series, just based on this book's title. I wish had written this review sooner after I finished reading the book, but Oh well. Time is fleeting thing that gets away from us all. Would had of have a better review though.

P.S. Nice final sentence. "They stood together and watched the coin rise and fall in the air, golden and glittering as it turned over and over in the light from the street lamps, and waited to see which way it would fall."

Book Review: Dark Room by Tom Becker

The Sleepaway Camp Twist? Really?
 
The camera never lies…

Darla and her dad are looking for a fresh start. But when they wind up in affluent Saffron Hills, Darla stands no chance of fitting in with the beautiful, selfie-obsessed teens at her new school.

Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, she starts having visions. The gruesome snapshots flashing into Darla’s mind seem to suggest she’s going crazy… until she realizes they’re actually a horrifying glimpse into the future. 

With a killer on the loose, can she make sense of what she’s seeing before it’s too late?

This is a horror where I did not guess the ending, mainly because it's not at all foreshadowed and is one of the worst twists to ever feature in horror. Part of the twist would have been okay, but the other part is just dumb and undermines the rest. Frankly, it was a twist that I didn't think anyone would be dumb enough to execute it in this decade. I won't say what the twist is and I can't at all talk about my main issue with it without spoilers but I feel I won't be the only who one to see fault with it. While being problematic, it's also lazy and unnecessary.

The summary of this book is misleading and left me disappointed a few chapters in. It is in third person and I felt detached from what was going on, so not at all scared. Though, there was only one scene I thought worked in terms of suppose terror.

The main character Daria is likeable and I felt for her. It still lack in the fear and tension, I think that does have something to do with the supporting characters. They all mostly distasteful, though I don't hate any of them.

The book is second of the Red Eye Books set in America. When someone writes a setting in another country from their own, I always questioned it, especially when that setting is the USA. The plot does involve a beauty pageant and underage drinking, which are both big deals in America. I guess it works but America is such a boring setting. But the setting is more about the town than the country so it doesn't matter where it was set globally.

Overall, I gave this book three out of three stars for Echoes. I enjoyed this book right till the climax. The twist was just kinda cheap and bad 80s horror film. The execution was decent with a likeable protagonist but that ending took too much away from it. I've read one other book by Tom Becker (While the others sleep which has a review). The ending and twists were what let down that book as well so maybe this is a pattern for him.

I got this for review off NetGalley and it is being publish by Stripes Publishing on 10 September 2015.

Book Review: Wolf by Mo Hayder

The only difference between a wolf and dog is that a dog is trained not to try to kill you.

 

I believe, from what I can hear, that either my daughter or my wife has just been attacked. I don't know the outcome. The house is silent.

Fourteen years ago two teenage lovers were brutally murdered in a patch of remote woodland. The prime suspect confessed to the crimes and was imprisoned.

Now, one family is still trying to put the memory of the killings behind them. But at their isolated hilltop house . . . the nightmare is about to return.

The characters were bit cliché. The DI Jack Caffery was bit stereotypical with his lonely life and trying to quit smoking. I also did give a ratsarse about the family and anything could have happen, wouldn’t have given a damn. They weren’t very sympathetic characters and I suppose flat.

It took me a while to get into this book. The first hundred pages or so are really slow. The pace did pick up. The solution was a bit so what. I guess it was logical. I want to say I saw it coming but I can’t as I got bored and looked at the end.

Overall, I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars for acid burns. It was alright, I guess I was feeling rather lacklustre in general. It might be better if I was in a better mood. It was what it was. 

I got this off Netgalley for a review. It’s being published by Bantam Press on 22^rd April 2014.