Today it's my turn on the BlogTour The Good The Bad and The Rugby by Mark Farrer. It's dark humour meets dysfunctional family dynamics and a hidden crime.
Don't forget to enter the Giveaway below to win 2 bookmarks featuring the covers of all four of Mark Farrer’s books. (UK Only)
Mark was born in Liverpool, studied Computer Science at Hull University, then had a successful career in IT management in London and the South-East for twenty years before moving to Edinburgh in 2001. He continued working in IT until 2015 when he decided to retire from the rat race and focus on becoming a writer. He now spends half his time writing and the other half worrying why he is not yet making money from writing.
The Good, The Bad & The Rugby is Mark’s third comic novel featuring a morally righteous loner called Cullen. He also has a perma-free novella on Amazon, called Dirty Barry, which tells how Cullen and Big Paul first met. He is currently at work on a second novella, called Bronchial Billy.
Mark has three children, one at University, one on a gap year in Ghana, and one still at High School. He lives with his partner Claire, a photographer, near West Linton, in the Scottish Borders.
He likes: his Mini Cooper, songwriting, playing piano, vanilla panna cotta, The Beatles, woodburning stoves, wittertainment, Bill Bailey, #sadmanonatrain, fruit gums, Carl Hiaasen, The Wire, spicy food, Van Gogh, Lindsey Buckingham, oaked chardonnay, House MD, long walks, cinema, reading in bed, florentines, Only Connect, board games, Otis Lee Crenshaw, Budweiser, GBBO, India, cheese, David Armand’s mimes, bookshops, Scandi Noir, Diet Coke, The Economist, Blackadder, good sausages, Dickens, Helena Bonham-Carter (secret crush), the Times crossword, the song mmmbop, and pies.
And lists.
He dislikes: ITV, pinot grigio, tattoos, ballet, ready meals, rap, religion, clutter, artificial raspberry flavouring, marmite, jazz, under-powered showers, people who don’t look after their stuff, opera, sprouts, and waste.
And mashed potato.
He really doesn’t like mashed potato.
Amazon Author page
Visit markfarrer.com
Buy The Good, The Bad and the Rugby
About the book
Getting to the truth. By trial… and eror error.
Cullen is on jury duty, and the sleepy Scottish town of Melrose is experiencing a rare crime wave: the famous Rugby Sevens trophy is stolen, a dead body is unearthed, there is a spate of petty arson, and someone drives a van into Gloria’s front room.
Why? And what is her husband doing every night up on Eildon hill?
In this hilarious crime romp, misguided loyalties, thwarted love, and unbelievable gullibility reach crisis point on the one day in the year when the world pays a visit to Melrose.
At the final whistle, Cullen will ensure that justice is done. Because sometimes twelve good men just isn’t enough.
It's dark humour, pub talk and locker room dialogue meets dysfunctional family dynamics, arson and a hidden crime. When I say dark, it leans more towards the crude side than sarcastic or ironic. The crudeness is often voiced in sexual explicitness. In particular when it comes to scenes involving Gloria, especially the whole Banana Girl thing.
The banana show is way more in your face, literally in your face at times, than the infamous ping pong ball extravaganza. People in the know will understand the reference.
The whole Derek, Gloria and Duffy triangle was tragic and a creepy level of misogynistic. Oh hey my swimming soldiers aren't working so I need you to have sex with my wife indefinitely until one of your swimmers passes the finish line. No asking Gloria if she agrees with this arrangement mind you. She is expected to spread her legs and take it like a good little woman, which is why she feels as if her present has become her past again. The two men pretend to care, but in the end it is all about male ego.
Farrer spins together multiple storylines, which he brings together towards the end of the book. He also lets his readers know what happens to each of the characters afterwards. A little bit like a recap at the end of a reality show that shows what happened next.
For me it felt disjointed at times, but ultimately I think that may be the Farrer style, in out and shake it all about kind of thing. Whilst it wasn't my cup of tea I am sure it will appeal to plenty of other readers.
Buy The Good, The Bad and the Rugby at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Published in eBook on 18th October 2018.
Buy The Good, the Bad and the Rugby at Amazon com
UK Only Giveaway:
For your chance to win 2 bookmarks featuring the covers of all four of Mark Farrer’s books, please click the following Rafflecopter link. Please note this a UK only giveaway. The 14 winners will be selected at random and your postal address will be passed onto Mark Farrer. There is no cash alternative. The giveaway ends of midnight (GMT) on 16th November 2018. Any personal information stored by the Rafflecopter giveway will be deleted after the winners have been drawn. Good luck!
Download Dirty Barry by Mark Farrer for FREE on Amazon Uk
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