"Not knowing was the hardest part of fear."

I first encountered Christopher Brookmyre in the form of a paperback with the delicious title of Boiling a Frog, and have been a fan ever since. Be My Enemy is the forth in his series featuring outspoken Scottish reporter, Jack Parlabane and, whilst it is probably advantageous to have read the earlier books, it is certainly not essential.
Starting slowly, building background, the story explodes into life around a third of the way through when Jack and other invitees arrive at an isolated refurbished Scottish house with a past reputation for violence and hauntings. The guests were there for team building exercises after which, the owner hopes, the hotel will gather publicity and paying guests following a very empty season. The results were not quite what he had expected.

Brookmyer's visual writing style and well rounded characters carries the reader along with those in the heart of the action, keeping the mystery of who? and why? as everything deelopes. And narrator Angus King gives a fine performance which further enhances the experience, conjuring up a series of character appropriate accents and voices as well as further developing the tension inherent in the story.

Good book with three dimensional characters and characteristic Brookmyer humour twisting through the developing action. Don't be put off by the slow start. Recommended.

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