Not known for being exactly shy and retiring in his comedy, I was intrigued to see how his style translated to crime fiction. Ultimately though, the book lives and dies on the strength of the comedy, which is very good indeed, I had moments where I struggled to continue, but by the end, in service to the weird plot, the comic side of it is somewhat suppressed and it ends up slightly on the unsatisfying side, there's not enough else to it to make it a thoroughly satisfying book despite it being a very good book.

Frankie Boyle's gripping crime debut novel, Meantime, is a hallucinogenic ride through Glasgow as one man seeks justice for his friend's murder. Kelly gave a mixed review, questioning why Boyle wrote a fiction book when he could have been "far more piercing and precise" in non-fiction and whether the characters are just "ventriloquist's puppets" for Boyle's thoughts. The casual nature of drug use throughout the book normalises conversation about male mental health and the need for better healthcare and support around mental health and grief. The mystery that underpins this crime novel is solid enough, but I can't help thinking that its role is secondary and it is essentially only a vehicle for the author to air his thoughts - both comedic and socio-political. He also enlists several of his friends and associates to assist him in his endeavours to discover the real murderer as he believes that the Police don't really care.

Your personal data will not be shared with any other organisations and you have the right to unsubscribe at any time. Inherent vices and scalpel-sharp jokes vie with a very human concern for those least garlanded in the rat race of life' Ian Rankin'An enjoyably dark and entertaining tranche of Glasgow noir . However, some reviewers criticised the plot as unfocused and that some digressions are excessive or read like Boyle is directly expressing his thoughts. Felix's best friend Marina is found murdered in a local park and initially Felix is deemed a prime suspect and is taken into custody but is soon released and suspecting Police incompetence and indifference, decides he'll investigate her death himself.

Marina was involved in Alternative Independence, a left-wing movement for Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum. The main twist was learning about Felix's history, and I wish we'd heard a bit more about this story, perhaps in conversation with Jane?Although the author is a famous comedian, this is their debut, and I feel it will divide the room between those who like the book and those who found it “out there. An unlikely detective, maybe, but if Sherlock Holmes could solve crimes on coke and morphine, maybe so, too, can he. His reasons for doing so are not initially apparent but are explained in a couple of harrowing chapters near the climax of the novel. It contains all the deft wordplay you’d expect and a few well-aimed, drive-by satirical shots at political targets along the way.