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.Aftershock

by: Quintin Jardine

May 01, 2008
I have read all of the Bob Skinner series of books, but have become less enthralled with the past two. Most of the book was taken up with daft dialogue from the characters and why did he write Weeke's conversation in a Scottish dialect. We knew he was Scottish, they are all Scottish apart from the new character Stallings. I also find the way the chracters move around in each others lives quite creepy. I will not be rushing out to buy any more of these books
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.Death's Door (Bob Skinner Mysteries)

by: Quintin Jardine

February 07, 2008
Quintin Jardine writes a number of serial style books about recurring characters. One of his recurring characters is Bob Skinner, the Deputy Chief Constable for the Edinburgh area of Scotland. By all accounts he's typical of most detectives these days. He bends rules when he needs to, and breaks them when he has no other alternative, but unlike most rule breaking cops, is liked by those he works with (and so has few of the flaws that are typically associated with the flawed detective).

The problem with this book is that Skinner doesn't appear in much of the book. Imagine having a Rankin book with a marginalised Rebus or a Christie crime novel with a marginalised Poirot or Marple and you've got an idea of what to expect here.

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.Skinner's Trail (A Bob Skinner Mystery)

by: Quintin Jardine

July 06, 1995
I found Quintin Jardine by accident - his book was in a set of 10 in a well-known book shop. As I hadn't read any of the authors in the box-set I bought it hoping to expand my bookcase, and am damm glad I did. Jardine is a brilliant writer (I'm not going to compare him to Rankin as I haven't read any Rankin, and to compare him to someone else would be to miss the point of how good Jardine is), and is the kind of book you can pick up and read cover to cover without having to decipher any police jargon, or wonder 'who that was' and 'what was their point in all this?' As this was the first 'Skinner' series I read, it was good that you can pick up who the characters are without having to buy the previous books to ... Read More:
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.Skinner's Rules (Bob Skinner Mysteries)

by: Quintin Jardine

January 03, 1994
I discovered the "Skinner" books when I visited Edinburgh on a regular business. As the books are set in Edinburgh it really brought them to life being in the area. I always looked over my shoulder when going through some if those closes and the stair at the side of the Scotsman building.

This book introduces the characters whose lives and careers you follow in subsequent books. It is best to read them in sequence if you can.

If you like a good murder mystery with a modern twist, read this book.
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.Skinner's Festival (A Bob Skinner mystery)

by: Quintin Jardine

August 11, 1994
I bought this because the author was favourably compared to Iain Rankin in a newspaper review. In fact, the books are worlds apart. While I love Inspector Rebus and his murky Edinburgh underworld, I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever with Skinner and his appalling family. In fact, I only read through to the end in the desperate hope that one or all of them would be hideously slaughtered by the shadowy terrorists. And don't read these books on public transport - you fellow passengers will not appreciate your snorts of disbelief and cries of "oh come ON!" at the ridiculous plot twists; at the descriptions of Skinner's implausibly perfect wife and daughter; and yes, at the truly horrible sex scenes which could easily win a "bad sex" award.

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.Skinner's Ordeal (A Bob Skinner Mystery)

by: Quintin Jardine

February 13, 1997
Bob Skinner is in his 5th adventure. The book gripped me and kept me guessing almost until the very last page. Quite a twist at the end.
Basically Skinner is on his way to give a dressing down to another station in his charge that has underperformed when he hears a radio broadcast in his car over the radio - a plane with 205 soles has come down
over the lammuirhead mountains. A barren farming area in Scotland. He calls his base and tells them he is turning round and going straight to the site. However, the sight when he gets there affects him in more ways than one as he finds his wife there, sealing up the bodies in bags as she is the ME and one of the best in the area. Bob tries to tell her to go home, but she tells him where to go. Then he notices that a vital ... Read More:
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.Skinner's Round (A Bob Skinner Mystery)

by: Quintin Jardine

June 13, 1996
...the ending! Unfair to give it away but a bit of a let down on the final few pages only. The rest of the story is an excellent crime story. Great characters and, for a Scottish exile, it's great to see all the 'old places' get a mention. Make sure you read the Skinner books in sequence.
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.Murmuring the Judges (A Bob Skinner Mystery)

by: Quintin Jardine

March 11, 1999
The latest in Quintin Jardine's series about Edinburgh Police Chief, Bob Skinner. I have found that as the series develops, so the characters in the series become more believeable. In Murmuring the judges we see Bob move further upstairs and leave the limelight to his underlings whom I feel are much more colourful and interesting people. As usual you are left guessing right until the end, although there seem to be a couple of loose ends - maybe they will be cleared up in the next one.
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.Dead and Buried (Bob Skinner Mystery)

by: Quintin Jardine

February 08, 2007
For most of the book I thought that Jardine was back to his best. Alas his tendancy to solve crimes by such contrived means kicked in and spoilt the ending. Regretably also in evidence was the usual Skinner invulnerability and somewhat unbelievable relationship with the First Minister in-waiting (why does Jardine make his characters like this?)
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.Skinner's Mission (Bob Skinner Mysteries)

by: Quintin Jardine

November 13, 1997
Skinner's Mission was the first novel by Quintin Jardine that I read and although not flawless it did inspire me to read some of the other novels in the series. Quintin Jardine isn't quite in the league of other more popular authors in the crime/thriller genre and it's difficult to pinpoint why not. Skinner's Mission is quite a light read and unfortunately just seems to lack a bit on pace and tension, although it does have a gripping ending. Definitely an enjoyable read and certainly a good buy especially for fans of the genre.
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