Lead Review (Tombstoning)

20^th anniversary re-release

Author Chris Brookmyre pens the introduction to this resurrected novel and he ruminates on the success of Johnstone’s recent (subsequent) titles, featuring the Skelfs ,and the quirky Enceladon trilogy. The writing is taut both then and now and Brookmyre underlines this will be a real pleasure to read for those who have become fans of the author in more recent times.

Step back in time and meet David, now living in Edinburgh. He likes his alcohol (I had to look up his beverage of choice, Lagavulin – which sounds more like medication than whisky to my untutored ears) but perhaps that is not surprising as he lost his friend, Colin, who fell from a cliff; the circumstances surrounding his death were curious and remain pretty much a mystery. That was 15 years ago, when they were all at school in Arbroath

And now Nicola – a girl for whom he then had feelings – is on the phone, rounding up former pupils to attend a reunion. David is all-a-dither but he lets himself be persuaded.

Then the unthinkable happens and another person falls off the cliff (something the locals refer to as “tombstoning), forcing David to reassess his behaviour and gain some clarity.

The author is an accomplished storyteller, with a crisp writing style. There is a nice sense of place.