Reading for pleasure

Denzil Meyrick (Polygon: £9.99; e-book £4.74)

Argyll is littered with standing stones, nowhere more so than the astounding 350 historic sites within six miles of Kilmartin village. Meyrick has based his fictional Kinloch on Campbeltown. He has drawn on the wider region to bring us a delightful tale which provides the dual purpose of a back story for that old sea dog Hamish, as well as the old fishermen's tales of the sea. Hamish is a character in the well known series with DCI Daley, who while a fount of local knowledge is often to be found sipping a dram at the County Hotel. 

Here we see Hamish, in his youth, being one of the privileged few to join the old fishermen as they embark on a journey to celebrate the Auld New Year when they pay homage to the standing stones, followed by a whisky fuelled night in a nearby bothy. Votive offerings of whisky are made to ensure continued good health and fortune with the benign oversight of the spirits. Hamish is first mate on the Girl Maggie, skippered by Sandy Hoynes. The good folk of Firdale are finding the price of a dram in the local pub unconscionable. Hoynes undertakes to deliver some hooch to the thirsty menfolk. There follows a chase evading the customs officer. However, the narrative is interwoven with the mysterious Viking longship and other ghostly encounters as the men celebrate.

On reading this slim novel, in particular the language of the fishermen, there is the faintest reminder of Sunny Jim, Dan the stoker and Para Handy. This heartwarming and seasonal tale is a joy. An open fire, a deep armchair and a peaty dram are all that is required for the perfect afternoon to overcome a dreich day.

Hilde Vandermeeren, translated by Laura Watkinson (Pushkin Press: £9.99; e-book £5.39)

Imagine, if you will, a really nasty international organisation devoted to assassination. The evil mastermind lives in an impregnable bunker somewhere in Europe, the only ornamentation a rose specially bred. Needless to say it has the largest and sharpest of thorns. What do you mean, this is sounding fanciful? Don’t be silly – the Broccoli family have been making documentaries about it for the past 50 years.

What makes this lot especially horrible is that they have no scruples about bumping off women and children. They are particularly adept at disguising their work as accident or suicide. Boo hiss. But redemption may be at hand. Our Michael, otherwise known as The Chameleon, seems to have had some second thoughts when it comes to getting rid of heroine Gaelle and her son Lukas. Perhaps he’s seen how horrid her husband Bernd is. (Possible spoiler alert – the husband is always the prime suspect. Or is he?)

Anyway, if you’ve watched the documentaries, you’ll know what happens to traitors to the cause. Pretty soon Michael and Gaelle find themselves on the same side in a romp through Europe.

If you’re thinking this is a load of bunkum, I couldn’t disagree; however, it is the most exciting, fast-moving and enjoyable bunkum I have read in a good while. Second spoiler alert – when you start this book you won’t want to put it down. Great stuff.

Miles Jupp (Headline: £16.99; e-book £8.99)

This is comedian and actor Miles Jupp's first novel. Clive Hapgood is a history teacher who has left the state sector and now works in a private school. His ambitions are high – new school, anticipation of more engaged pupils (the parents are paying) – and his wife, who has supported his every ambition, remains solidly behind him. But all is not well. He is frustrated. His expectations are unfulfilled. Tension builds at home, as he is always the one to step up to the plate – take the children to the RSC at Stratford, on duty for breakfast. 

After an outburst at a pupil, who he had in fact stood up for when they were being bullied, he finds himself facing investigation. To seek some respite he spontaneously books a holiday in France for the family. There follows a holiday which may resonate with most readers. The ending is somewhat unexpected. 

This is a book of many parts. The sex scenes are unnecessary, adding little to the narrative (do they ever?), and are slightly out of sync with the underlying tension in the marriage. There are genuine moments of real, laugh out loud humour. With an editorial nip and tuck, there would have been a more satisfying novel.