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Black Widow (Jack Parlabane): Award-Winning Crime Novel of the Year Paperback – 9 Mar. 2017

by Chris Brookmyre (Author)

4.3 4,556 ratings

Book 7 of 8: Jack Parlabane

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'A celtic Gone Girl... guaranteed to keep you guessing'
Ian Rankin

*Winner of the Crime Novel of the Year at Bloody Scotland*

Twists abound in the brilliant new psychological thriller from master author Chris Brookmyre - perfect for readers of The Girl on the Train, I See You and Disclaimer.

Did she do it? Did he deserve it?

Diana Jager is clever, strong and successful, a skilled surgeon and fierce campaigner via her blog about sexism. Yet it takes only hours for her life to crumble when her personal details are released on the internet as revenge for her writing.

Then she meets Peter. He's kind, generous, and knows nothing about her past: the second chance she's been waiting for.

Within six months, they are married. Within six more, Peter is dead in a road accident, a nightmare end to their fairytale romance.

But Peter's sister Lucy doesn't believe in fairytales, and tasks maverick reporter Jack Parlabane with discovering the dark truth behind the woman the media is calling Black Widow...

'Black Widow is a stand-out thriller'
Renee Knight, author of Disclaimer

Product description

Review

A celtic Gone Girl... guaranteed to keep you guessing ― Ian Rankin

Black Widow is a stand-out thriller, reminiscent of the best of Nordic Noir but with its own vivid landscape ― Renee Knight, author of Disclaimer

Brookmyre opens with a dramatic court scene, followed by a series of clever twists that challenge the reader to work out who is the victim of an extremely sophisticated crime ― Sunday Times

Exceptionally good - a knotty mystery that's not just richly, provocatively political but one of the most perceptive excavations of a dysfunctional marriage I can remember reading.... Brookmyre plays a cunning, careful game ― Guardian

I didn't know what was going to happen next in this epic thriller. I urge you to read it, too ― Sun

It's a tour de force. It's such an important book, with fantastic characters - a really strong novel ... It keeps us guessing not just who did it, but why they did it, and cements Chris's place in the pantheon of great crime writers. ― Elly Griffiths

The story's characters are compelling and the mystery is evoked with scalpel-like precision ― Daily Mail

This is mystery plotting at its highest level, all the disparate strands forming into a web and then into a knot that tightens around victim, detective and reader ― Spectator

It's only as you're racing through the final tense pages, full of betrayal, revenge and shocking revelations, that you realise the brilliance behind the construction of this utterly compulsive, whipsmart thriller ― Sunday Mirror

A gripping, complex and classy crime novel. ― Mail on Sunday YOU Magazine

Chilling, gripping and exquisitely unpredictable ― Daily Record

Black Widowdoes its best to evade you at every turn, demanding your full attention ― Scotland on Sunday

Chris Brookmyre has some claim to be the leading satirical novelist currently at work in Britain ― Daily Telegraph

Enthralling and entertaining ― Daily Express

A biting satire, nuanced enough to avoid polemic ― Sunday Telegraph

A briskly paced thriller with a sense of confident contemporary relevance ― The List

Chris Brookmyre does an exceptionally good job . . . making sense of a narrative in which truth and lies are inextricably entwined. The more I read, the more I was hooked ― Crime Review

Black Widow is a stand-out thriller, reminiscent of the best of Nordic Noir but with its own vivid landscape ― Renee Knight (author of Disclaimer)

Tense, intense and quite, quite brilliant ― Jenny Colgan

Has all the verbal and narrative energy of his best work. A pleasing mix of old and new, its country-hopping plot looks back to Grahame Greene and John Buchan, but the pop and media references are bang up-to-date -- John Dugdale ― Sunday Times

One of Brookmyre's most accomplished books... razor sharp ― The Big Issue

'Brookmyre writes beautifully and describes an unfamiliar world vividly and credibly... I was hooked' -- Jessica Mann ― Literary Review

Book Description

Twists abound in the brilliant multi-award-nominated psychological thriller from master author Chris Brookmyre - perfect for readers of The Girl on the Train and Disclaimer.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abacus (9 Mar. 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0349141320
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0349141329
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.8 x 3.2 x 19.6 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 27,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 467 in Horror Thrillers
- 804 in Hard-Boiled Mystery
- 1,706 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery

Customer reviews:
4.3 4,556 ratings

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4,556 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging with its plot twists and surprises. They praise the writing quality as great and beautifully told. The characters are well-defined and interesting, with dark and unpleasant ones that hold their interest until the end. Readers appreciate the witty and expressive humor and pacing of the story.

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Readability Plot twists Writing quality Character development Humour Pacing Grip Intelligence

147 customers mention ‘Readability’137 positive10 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find the characters complex and the story engaging with plenty of twists and turns. The dialogue is described as realistic and credible.

"...Another great book by Brookmyre." Read more

"It’s an enthralling read but maybe just a bit too convoluted. Generally like Brookmyres books and this is up with the best." Read more

"...Brilliant stuff...." Read more

"...His writing displays a wonderful use of words and there is always a great humour to it, mostly dark, which I really appreciate. Well done again." Read more

129 customers mention ‘Plot twists’125 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's plot twists and surprises. They find it engaging and gripping, keeping them guessing until the end. The story is described as a continuation of the Parlabane series.

"...The story is dynamically told, and if anything, I thought it accelerates towards the end (as is usually the case when we see the resolution coming)...." Read more

"...As this brilliant tale waxes and wanes, I found myself held in awe as Parlabane's tricks reveal yet another caveat in this sorry saga...." Read more

"...Christopher Brookmyre certainly makes both thrilling; this novel has endless plot twists, excellent characters, family secrets and a good use of..." Read more

"...I finished the book because I liked the story and was interested enough to see how it all panned out...." Read more

63 customers mention ‘Writing quality’60 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They find it well-written, with interesting stories and local details. Readers appreciate the narrative presentation and how the stories flow together smoothly. The book is described as an easy read with a good plot and dark characters that keep readers interested.

"...An involved and intriguing story, beautifully told, full of local detail and complex characters, that reflects on serious themes and will keep you..." Read more

"...If you like intelligent, well written crime novels, then you will enjoy this...." Read more

"...His writing displays a wonderful use of words and there is always a great humour to it, mostly dark, which I really appreciate. Well done again." Read more

"...interesting, having recently read Jon Ronson's enjoyable and easy to read book about psychopathy..." Read more

47 customers mention ‘Character development’42 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the well-defined characters and the connections to other series. They appreciate the eloquent narration and three-dimensional female characters. The book holds their interest until the end with its superb characterisations and exploration of relationships.

"...and intriguing story, beautifully told, full of local detail and complex characters, that reflects on serious themes and will keep you guessing..." Read more

"...of a whirlwind romance is all the more remarkable for its eloquent narration through a myriad of perspectives...." Read more

"...makes both thrilling; this novel has endless plot twists, excellent characters, family secrets and a good use of the online world of the..." Read more

"...I love that he ties in characters from the other series of books as much as I love the antics of Jack Parlabane, I am equally enamoured with the..." Read more

24 customers mention ‘Humour’21 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the witty and clever humor in the book. They find the irony and humour well-timed and expressive.

"...I loved this book. There were the funny and witty moments the author had me accustomed to (although it is, by no means, his funniest book), the..." Read more

"...Intelligent, pacy and uproariously comical this darkly humorous polemic proves crime fiction can be as ingeniously original as ever when left to the..." Read more

"...displays a wonderful use of words and there is always a great humour to it, mostly dark, which I really appreciate. Well done again." Read more

"...'s novels several years ago and really enjoyed it finding it laugh out loud funny. But I didn't get round to reading any others until now...." Read more

16 customers mention ‘Pacing’14 positive2 negative

Customers find the book's pacing good with enough plot twists. They find it fast-paced and engaging, with some pop culture references and sly digs at the establishment. The story is cleverly written and reflects on serious themes while keeping you guessing. It's a classic Parlabane novel with witty characters and pop-culture references.

"...told, full of local detail and complex characters, that reflects on serious themes and will keep you guessing until the end, recommended to lovers..." Read more

"...Intelligent, pacy and uproariously comical this darkly humorous polemic proves crime fiction can be as ingeniously original as ever when left to the..." Read more

"...Well written, fast pace, modern style of thriller. Enjoyable romp. Did not see the final twist coming until very late indeed...." Read more

"...technical details, three-dimensional female characters, some pop culture references and a few sly digs at the establishment...." Read more

11 customers mention ‘Grip’11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging.

"...It gripped me right from the start, although I knew everything was not as it appeared from the start and the reviews had warned of a twist in the..." Read more

"...plots are still terrific, and they're still told in an engaging and gripping way. Black Widow is no exception. Brilliant!..." Read more

"...Not normally a thriller fan, this gripped me from the start. Well written and it just flowed...." Read more

"...Gripping from start to finish." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Intelligence’10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's intelligence. They find the story engaging, with local details and complex characters. The plot is well-told, with plausible technical details and an informative world of IT. Readers appreciate that the book doesn't rely on gory details or multiple murders to keep the plot going.

"...An involved and intriguing story, beautifully told, full of local detail and complex characters, that reflects on serious themes and will keep you..." Read more

"...Intelligent, pacy and uproariously comical this darkly humorous polemic proves crime fiction can be as ingeniously original as ever when left to the..." Read more

"...I don't regret this in the slightest. It's very well written, immensely intelligent, absorbing and entertaining...." Read more

"...All the usual ingredients are here: some humour, plausible technical details, three-dimensional female characters, some pop culture references and a..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

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OlgaNM
Women, surgery, love, and mystery, Scottish style.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2016
Verified Purchase

Thanks to NetGalley and to Grove Atlantic for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
I have read several books written by Christopher Brookmyre years back and I loved them. I discovered him by picking up The Secret Art of Stealing at Liverpool Airport on the strength of reading the description and a few lines. The book had me laughing out loud within a few pages, and since then I’ve read a few of his novels, although I haven’t followed any of his series in full. I couldn’t resist the chance to catch up with his newest book, although I hadn’t read any of the other novels in the Parlabane series. And he delivered once more.
I loved this book. There were the funny and witty moments the author had me accustomed to (although it is, by no means, his funniest book), the complex and tri-dimensional characters, the Scottish background, the complex plot with twist and turns that keep you guessing. I particularly liked the different points-of-view used to tell the story. Two of the points of views (although one only very briefly) are narrated in the first person, and the rest, including Parbalane’s and the female detective’s, are in the third person. I am fascinated by narrators and their roles in novels, and the way Brookmyre uses the different voices and points-of-view in this novel is a beautiful illustration of how the different options can be put to the best of uses. We get to see the same facts and events from different points of views, some directly involved in them, some who are investigating or being told the same, some at the time and some recounting what happened some time ago. Brookmyre puts the brains of his readers to the test, making them try to create a single consistent story from the different versions of events and different timelines, a bit like trying to complete the picture in a jigsaw puzzle from the disparate pieces. The story is cleverly composed sharing clues that wrong-foot us often, and we keep changing our minds as to our sympathies, suspects, and who the goodies and the baddies are. I can honestly say I kept trying to work out if I was being taken for a ride by the narrators or if I was just being given very partial accounts of the events.
It’s difficult to talk in detail about this novel without giving any spoilers away. Being a doctor, and a woman, I felt particularly drawn to one the characters, the female surgeon who tells her version of the story in the first person, Diana Jager. She is by no means perfect and due to her determined actions has come to be feared and disliked, but I empathised with her experiences and her feelings about the career and the inherent difficulties women have to face (I remember as a medical student training in a hospital where one of the surgery firms would not take on female trainees, the only female surgeon with a regular post was known to be the lover of one of the surgeons and never did a day’s surgery in several months I was there, and among women the accepted wisdom was that women had to work twice as hard as men to get less than half the way up the ladder than they did. I hope things have changed since but I’m not confident). But the rest of the characters are equally interesting and non-standard. Although as I mentioned I haven’t read any of the previous Parlabane’s mysteries, I didn’t find that was an impediment to my enjoyment of the book, although I’m sure those who follow the series might enjoy it even more (if that’s possible).
The story is dynamically told, and if anything, I thought it accelerates towards the end (as is usually the case when we see the resolution coming). I can’t say I saw what was going to happen from the beginning, although I sometimes beat Parlabane to the post, but just by little. I enjoyed the cleverness of the story and the way was written too. A case of form perfectly matching content.
An involved and intriguing story, beautifully told, full of local detail and complex characters, that reflects on serious themes and will keep you guessing until the end, recommended to lovers of mysteries and thrillers. Another great book by Brookmyre.

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Manus
Good Read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2024
Verified Purchase
It’s an enthralling read but maybe just a bit too convoluted. Generally like Brookmyres books and this is up with the best.

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Read and Reviewed
A marriage under the microscope courtesy of a gifted raconteur and his invective mouthpiece, Jack Parlabane. Genius.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 May 2017
Verified Purchase
As a Chris Brookmyre and indeed a Jack Parlabane virgin, it is difficult to sum up the remarkable impression made by Black Widow. For this sprawling tale of the short lived marriage between the impregnable consultant surgeon, Dr Diana Jager and her chosen partner, Peter Elphinstone, is a magnificent achievement. This courtroom evisceration of a whirlwind romance is all the more remarkable for its eloquent narration through a myriad of perspectives. This very loudest of those voices with input into the story is the combustible woman of the hour, Dr Diana Jager, who remains tantalisingly out of reach for readers keen to size her up and not easily labelled as either predator or prey.

As the novel opens Dr Diana Jager is on trial for the murder of her husband and an abomination in the eyes of the jury who hold her fate in their hands. It is made perfectly clear than former firebrand investigative journalist, Jack Parlabane bears more responsibility than most for her position in the dock. In the wake of the Leveson Inquiry which exposed some of the more illegal methods of his trade, Parlabane is a marked man reduced to 'generating copy' for internet rags. Compounding his apathy is his newly inked divorce finalisation from anaesthetist Sarah, the women who introduced him to notorious 'Bladebitch', the scathing viral anti-sexism blog on the medical profession, whose subsequent hacking revealed as authored by the imperious Dr Diana Jager. With slights about incompetent hospital IT staff being one of her more controversial blog topics, Jager is the devil incarnate for those employed in IT support. That is until she meets a younger, new recruit to their ranks in the form of unassuming geek Peter Elphinstone and a whirlwind courtship sees the pair fall heads over heels and soon wed. When a fatal road accident sees Peter left for dead just six-months later his sister Lucy refuses to believe the fairytale romance story spun by the tabloids and contacts Jack with an eye to expressing her doubts and concerns about the truth behind Peter's marriage.

Charting the course of the relationship, speaking to concerned parties and colleagues, Parlabane gets behind the fiction to discover the reality of the situation and the combined narrative will consequently leave readers on guard, second-guesssing the outcome of Diana Jager's fate and fascinated by the aces that Brookmyre keeps well hidden as the story unfurls. As this brilliant tale waxes and wanes, I found myself held in awe as Parlabane's tricks reveal yet another caveat in this sorry saga. Along the way Brookmyre will leave readers twisted and turned inside out as yet another angle in the case is revealed. Brilliant stuff.

As a reader with a particular enthusiasm for crime fiction, if you read one novel in the genre this year then I urge you to make it this one. As an introduction to Brookmyre and his acerbic investigative journalist Black Widow was a veritable rite of passage. Chris Brookmyre's rambunctious narrative fizzes and crackles with energy, delivering a slice of crime fiction which is the very antithesis to the run of the mill police procedurals. Intelligent, pacy and uproariously comical this darkly humorous polemic proves crime fiction can be as ingeniously original as ever when left to the best craftsmen.

More Jack Parlabane and more Chris Brookmyre for me!

Review written by Rachel Hall (@hallrachel)

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6 people found this helpful

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OlgaNM
Women, surgery, love, and mystery, Scottish style.
Reviewed in the United States on 12 November 2016
Verified Purchase

Thanks to NetGalley and to Grove Atlantic for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
I have read several books written by Christopher Brookmyre years back and I loved them. I discovered him by picking up The Secret Art of Stealing at Liverpool Airport on the strength of reading the description and a few lines. The book had me laughing out loud within a few pages, and since then I’ve read a few of his novels, although I haven’t followed any of his series in full. I couldn’t resist the chance to catch up with his newest book, although I hadn’t read any of the other novels in the Parlabane series. And he delivered once more.
I loved this book. There were the funny and witty moments the author had me accustomed to (although it is, by no means, his funniest book), the complex and tri-dimensional characters, the Scottish background, the complex plot with twist and turns that keep you guessing. I particularly liked the different points-of-view used to tell the story. Two of the points of views (although one only very briefly) are narrated in the first person, and the rest, including Parbalane’s and the female detective’s, are in the third person. I am fascinated by narrators and their roles in novels, and the way Brookmyre uses the different voices and points-of-view in this novel is a beautiful illustration of how the different options can be put to the best of uses. We get to see the same facts and events from different points of views, some directly involved in them, some who are investigating or being told the same, some at the time and some recounting what happened some time ago. Brookmyre puts the brains of his readers to the test, making them try to create a single consistent story from the different versions of events and different timelines, a bit like trying to complete the picture in a jigsaw puzzle from the disparate pieces. The story is cleverly composed sharing clues that wrong-foot us often, and we keep changing our minds as to our sympathies, suspects, and who the goodies and the baddies are. I can honestly say I kept trying to work out if I was being taken for a ride by the narrators or if I was just being given very partial accounts of the events.
It’s difficult to talk in detail about this novel without giving any spoilers away. Being a doctor, and a woman, I felt particularly drawn to one the characters, the female surgeon who tells her version of the story in the first person, Diana Jager. She is by no means perfect and due to her determined actions has come to be feared and disliked, but I empathised with her experiences and her feelings about the career and the inherent difficulties women have to face (I remember as a medical student training in a hospital where one of the surgery firms would not take on female trainees, the only female surgeon with a regular post was known to be the lover of one of the surgeons and never did a day’s surgery in several months I was there, and among women the accepted wisdom was that women had to work twice as hard as men to get less than half the way up the ladder than they did. I hope things have changed since but I’m not confident). But the rest of the characters are equally interesting and non-standard. Although as I mentioned I haven’t read any of the previous Parlabane’s mysteries, I didn’t find that was an impediment to my enjoyment of the book, although I’m sure those who follow the series might enjoy it even more (if that’s possible).
The story is dynamically told, and if anything, I thought it accelerates towards the end (as is usually the case when we see the resolution coming). I can’t say I saw what was going to happen from the beginning, although I sometimes beat Parlabane to the post, but just by little. I enjoyed the cleverness of the story and the way was written too. A case of form perfectly matching content.
An involved and intriguing story, beautifully told, full of local detail and complex characters, that reflects on serious themes and will keep you guessing until the end, recommended to lovers of mysteries and thrillers. Another great book by Brookmyre.

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Elizabeth Gauthier
Twists and turns
Reviewed in Spain on 4 November 2023
Verified Purchase
Very well-written, smart and gets the reader hooked after a slow opening that keeps building the plot with evry turn of the page.
What stands out about this novel is the author's acute perceptions that he inserts into his characters personalities. On that level he is one of the best in the psychological thriller genre.

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Clover
Brookmyre’s storytelling is compelling and insightful
Reviewed in Australia on 30 July 2024
Verified Purchase
Chris Brookmyre’s “Black Widow” epitomises the real meaning of twists and turns – a too often overused expression to describe crime fiction. From the very first page, you are introduced to the killer, or are you? This is a fascinating book and I was impressed on many levels.

The novel’s critical commentary on gender bias will resonate with readers attuned to issues of gender inequality and the often hypocritical treatment of women in society. Brookmyre delves into the harsh judgment women face for transgressing societal norms, offering a deep and relatable exploration of female agency and self-forgiveness, especially for those who have felt judged unfairly.

Brookmyre subverts traditional gender roles, reflecting the experiences of those who challenge societal expectations and value independence over conventional aspirations. The impact of family dynamics on personal development is keenly observed, speaking to readers who grapple with their family’s influence on their identity and aspirations. The portrayal of female professionalism and the struggle for recognition in a male-dominated field is both powerful and absurdly true to life, depicting the challenges women face in gaining respect and acknowledgement.

I was curious as to why Chris Brookmyre often writes from a woman's perspective. My research revealed that he finds it a rich and challenging avenue for exploring complex themes and narratives. In various interviews, Brookmyre has expressed his fascination with how women navigate and confront societal expectations and challenges, which he finds fertile ground for storytelling. In "Black Widow," he explores the biases and double standards faced by women in professional and personal arenas, shedding light on the different ways society judges men and women for similar actions. This results in multi-dimensional characters and thought-provoking plots, showcasing Brookmyre’s powerful ability to capture the inner lives and struggles of his characters, regardless of gender.

"Black Widow" collectively explores themes of gender bias, societal judgment, personal identity, and professional challenges. These resonate deeply with readers concerned with issues of fairness, equality, and the complex dynamics of modern life. Brookmyre’s storytelling is compelling and insightful, making this book a standout in the crime fiction genre.

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Milind Borde
You'll get your money's worth and more
Reviewed in India on 11 March 2017
Verified Purchase
Excellent plot, with plenty of twists and turns and a shocker of an ending

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AmazonKundin
Cleveres Verwirrspiel - kein typischer Parlabane
Reviewed in Germany on 28 March 2016
Verified Purchase
Eigentlich hatte ich Brookmyre schon abgeschrieben. Früher war ich ein großer Fan von ihm - seine Romane waren voller schräger Typen, bizarrer Wendungen, kruder Verschwörungstheorien und rabenschwarzem Humor, und bis auf einen haben sie mir durchgehend gut gefallen. Dann kam das höchst eigenartige "Pandaemonium", gefolgt von dem extrem enttäuschenden "Where the Bodies are Buried". Dass er ausgerechnet dessen nervtötende Protagonistin zu seiner neuen Serienfigur auserkoren hat, habe ich ihm wirklich übel genommen und ihn von meiner Liste mit Lieblingsautoren gestrichen. "Dead Girl Walking" habe ich mir vor einigen Monaten trotzdem bestellt - einem neuen Parlabane-Roman konnte ich nicht widerstehen. Und auch wenn es (für mich) kein typischer Parlabane war und nicht an seine besten Werke herankommt, hat es mir doch so gut gefallen, dass ich auch "Black Widow" lesen wollte. Eine gute Entscheidung, denn das ist schon ziemlich gut. Noch ein ganzes Stück besser als der Vorgänger und wirklich exzellente Krimiunterhaltung.

Der Titel bezieht sich auf Diane Jager, eine unterkühlte Chirurgin, die verdächtigt wird, ihren Mann Peter ermordet zu haben. Dessen Auto wird leer in einem See gefunden; von ihm - oder seiner Leiche - fehlt jede Spur. Zunächst sieht es nach einem Unfall aus, aber bald kommen Zweifel auf, und die sehr gefasst wirkende Witwe wird genauer unter die Lupe genommen.

Die Geschichte wird aus drei verschiedenen Perspektiven erzählt. Den Hauptteil übernimmt Diane selbst, die in ihrem oft sehr nüchtern wirkenden Bericht weit zurückgeht und ihre Karriere, ihre Romanze mit Peter und ihre Ehe mit ihm Revue passieren lässt. Unterbrochen wird ihre Erzählung zum einen von den Ermittlungen einer jungen Polizistin, die sehr früh an Peters Unfalltod zweifelt. Zum anderen von Jack Parlabane, der im Auftrag von Peters Schwester recherchiert und allerhand über die Vergangenheit der Witwe und die Ehe der beiden zutage fördert.

Durch die dreigeteilte Erzählweise setzt sich die Geschichte allmählich und puzzleartig zusammen. Diese Erzähltechnik ist nicht neu. Wenn sie gut gemacht ist, macht sie eine gute Geschichte aber noch ein bisschen besser und spannender. Und "Black Widow" ist gut gemacht, sehr gut sogar. Es ist ein cleveres Verwirrspiel, bei dem man als Leser mehr als einmal auf die falsche Fährte geführt wird. Was in einem Kapitel glaubhaft scheint, ist im nächsten wieder verdächtig. Obwohl ich schon viele Krimis und andere Spannungsromane gelesen habe und nicht (mehr) so leicht zu täuschen bin, habe ich hier doch fast bis zum Schluss gerätselt und mehr als einmal meine Meinung dazu, was passiert ist und warum, geändert.

Dass auch "Black Widow" kein typischer Parlabane ist und Brookmyres typischer Humor nicht oder nur sehr selten zum Vorschein kommt, kann ich verschmerzen, da es als Einzelroman ausgezeichnet funktioniert. Richtig gute Unterhaltung für Krimifans - von der Sorte darf gern noch mehr kommen!

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Black Widow (Jack Parlabane): Award-Winning Crime Novel of the Year Paperback – 9 Mar. 2017

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Christopher Brookmyre

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5.0 out of 5 stars Women, surgery, love, and mystery, Scottish style.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read

5.0 out of 5 stars A marriage under the microscope courtesy of a gifted raconteur and his invective mouthpiece, Jack Parlabane. Genius.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Women, surgery, love, and mystery, Scottish style.

5.0 out of 5 stars Twists and turns

5.0 out of 5 stars Brookmyre’s storytelling is compelling and insightful

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll get your money's worth and more

5.0 out of 5 stars Cleveres Verwirrspiel - kein typischer Parlabane

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Women, surgery, love, and mystery, Scottish style.

Good Read

A marriage under the microscope courtesy of a gifted raconteur and his invective mouthpiece, Jack Parlabane. Genius.

Women, surgery, love, and mystery, Scottish style.

Twists and turns

Brookmyre’s storytelling is compelling and insightful

You'll get your money's worth and more

Cleveres Verwirrspiel - kein typischer Parlabane