Overview

David’s best mate died falling off a cliff – and he was the last to see him alive. Fifteen years later, he returns to Arbroath, where another death forces him to face the past. A darkly funny, gripping debut from one of Scotland’s finest writers – newly reissued. 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION INTRODUCTION BY CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE ‘Very funny, with a touching and believable romance thrown in’ Kate Saunders,The Times ‘[A] pacy debut thriller. . . Johnstone skilfully coaxes the reader into identifying with these difficult-to-love characters and maintains the tension and drama’Metro ‘[Leads] to comparisons with the Scots writer Christopher Brookmyre … with a touch of romance [and] a gripping action sequence in the final chapters’ Scotsman ________________ Your best mate just fell off a cliff in mysterious circumstances. You were the last person to see him alive. What do you do? If you're David Lindsay from Arbroath, you leg it – and don’t go back. Not for fifteen years. Then Nicola Cruickshank – yes, that Nicola, the girl you always fancied but never had the guts to speak to – gets in touch. She wants you back for a school reunion. At the very place it happened. Of course you say yes. Not to lay ghosts to rest, but because you still fancy Nicola. The thing is, if you are David Lindsay, then returning to Arbroath isn’t going to bring closure. Because when someone else tumbles off the cliffs – an act the locals now call tombstoning – David has a choice: run away again, or finally find out why people around him keep dying… ____ ‘Detailed and atmospheric descriptions … funny and sparky dialogue’ Sunday Herald ‘Excellently written, intriguing storyline, and different from anything else around. A very impressive debut’ Allan Guthrie ‘A brilliant new author … a rollicking tale of mystery set in Auld Reekie and the east coast town of Arbroath...’ The List ‘A vibrant and engaging debut, by turns humorous, irreverent and poignant’ Bill Duncan  ‘A seductive and thrilling evocation of what lurks beneath the surface of small-town Scotland – or, indeed, small-town anywhere’ Christopher Brookmyre Praise for Doug Johnstone ‘Tense, funny and deeply moving’ Mark Billingham ‘Nobody portrays modern Edinburgh better than Doug Johnstone … speaks volumes about the power of story’ Val McDermid   ‘An engrossing and beautifully written tale that bears all the Doug Johnstone hallmarks in its warmth and darkly comic undertones’ Herald Scotland ‘Wonderful characters: flawed, funny and brave’ Sunday Times ‘Gripping and blackly humorous’ Observer   ‘A must for those seeking strong, authentic, intelligent female protagonists’ Publishers Weekly ‘This enjoyable mystery is also a touching and often funny portrayal of grief ... more, please’ Guardian ‘Some of the most unique characters in crime fiction’ Daily Express ‘Underlines just how accomplished Johnstone has become’ Daily Mail ‘Keeps you hungry from page to page. A crime reader can’t ask anything more’ Sun   ‘A thrilling, atmospheric book … Move over Ian Rankin, Doug Johnstone is coming through!’ Kate Rhodes    ‘Johnstone never fails to entertain whilst packing a serious emotional punch’ Gytha Lodge    ‘One of the greats of Scottish crime fiction´ Luca Veste ‘An unstoppable, thrilling, bullet train of a book … I totally loved it’ Helen Fields ‘Expertly written, with poise, insight and compassion’ Mary Paulson-Ellis ‘A terrific read with all of Johnston’s trademark warmth and wicked wit’ A K Turner    ‘Some of the best female characters in crime fiction. Pitch-perfect balance of dark and light … disturbing, compassionate and brilliantly funny’ Sarah Hilary 'An absolute joy to read … full of such wonderful characters, brilliantly realised, with more peril and intrigue' James Oswald ‘A unique brand of crime fiction boasting rare heart and depth’ Ambrose Parry  

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9781917764186

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Author Information

Doug Johnstone is the author of twelve novels, most recently The Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for TV. In 2021,The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), will be published in 2022. Several of his books have been best sellers and award winners, and his work has been praised by the likes of Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin. He's taught creative writing and been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin' Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. He's also player-manager of the Scotland Writers Football Club. He lives in Edinburgh.

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