CRIME TALE

Terrorism, reality TV, manufactured pop, hacking, magic and a wee touch of romance: Christopher Brookmyre likes to pack a lot into his literary sandwiches. And, as usual, his fans will happily gorge themselves on it, because tucking into a Brookmyre is just so darned easy. Putting it down is the hard part, with each chapter closing on a bombshell that launches you into the next one.

A Snowball in Hell sees a few key characters return from earlier novels; namely maverick terrorist Simon Darcourt, Glasgow copper Angelique de Xavia and the man she shouldn’t love, Zal Innez. This time, Darcourt is on a mission to rid the UK of a few superfluous celebrities – the Pete Watermans, Gary Bushells and Victoria Beckhams of the world. The loved-up ending may feel a little trite, but after the gruesome torture gone before, it’s good to know Brookmyre still has a heart.