Strange book. There’s a lot of parallels between the main protagonist and Rebus, Rankin’s better know character.

But it’s just not as good as the Rebus novels. Some of the plot twists seem a bit too convoluted and the constant change of location means it never really feels grounded anywhere. The other characters seem a bit one dimensional and even Reeve seems two dimensional at best.

It’s almost like a book that is just crying out for someone to make a dull 80s style action movie of it.

Still, it’s mildly entertaining. It’s just that it’s brain fluff. Nothing particularly meaty.

This really is a boring book.

It takes what should (I would have thought) been a lively and interesting subject and turns it into dry, studious tedium.

Apparently the author is an academic and it shows. It comes through in his writing very clearly. Anything interesting is lost in a fog of overcomplicated, flowery language (the complete opposite of the down to earth feeling of the abstract on the rear of the book).

I’ve as good as given up on this thing. I’m finding it hard to get the will to read it at all, let alone finish it.

Surely this is the only beer anyone ever needs?

It’s got everything. More flavour than you can shake a stick at, loads of alcohol, a silly name with the word “old” in it and to top it all it’s brewed in a wondeful brewery in Masham (It’s well worth taking a tour round the brewery by the way).

Beer perfection.

I had a whale steak in a restaurant in Bergen, Norway and it was excellent. Very tender and succulent with a wonderfully rich flavour.

Well worth seeking out.