A rather clever shot of noir in the form of Hit & Run served as my introduction to the writing of Doug Johnstone and the premise made for an irresistible opportunity; the chance to witness the worst case scenario as a life spirals out of control, all from the safety of the readers seat! Meet trainee crime reporter Billy Blackmore, perhaps a tad naive and easily led but on the whole a decent young man and pretty nondescript. The event which wreaks havoc on his life is driving home tanked up to the eyeballs on a cocktail of booze and pills and doing just what the title implies. Big brother and junior doctor Charlie contributes the stolen hospital medical supplies, girlfriend Zoe and the perks of her job brings the free schnapps and things are going swimmingly until Billy swerves and hits a pedestrian. With the trio all sitting on new jobs calling the police will mean arrest, prison, career suicide and Charlie being struck off... When Billy reaches for his mobile to report the incident, Charlie swears blind that the man is dead and convinces Billy that keeping quiet and disposing of the body over the Crags is the best option.
Fast-foward to the following morning when Rose, Billy's mentor at the Evening Standard newspaper calls him with the scoop of the century and Billy finds himself being taken back to the scene of the crime and getting a lot more than he bargained for. When the dead man is revealed as local hard nut Frank Whitehouse and Billy find the body has been moved, hence was not quite as dead as Charlie thought, this sets in motion a chain of events fuelling a gangland warfare. Keeping quiet becomes the hardest thing for Billy to do as a combination of guilt and an array of substances see his life unravel. The repercussions make for the stuff of nightmares and will have readers hiding behind their seats!
The strength of the book is provided by the character of Rose, her concern and mothering of Billy undoubtedly adds to the feeling that he is a little boy way out of his depth and with her endearments and nicknames ranging from 'Kiddo' to 'Scoop' and comedy timing she is magic. The dialogue works well too and Rose will leave readers wincing as she comments to Billy:
"You're way too close to this whole thing, to the point where you're part of the story."
There isn't much to like about Zoe and Charlie and I suspect that it is Johnstone's intention to make his readers a little indifferent to the pair and hence empathise with Billy all the more. It is particularly hard to have sympathy for Charlie with his blasé attitude as his younger brother self-destructs. I thought the attachment which Billy formed with dog Jeanie made sense and served as a clever prop, highlighting the devotion and loyalty of a pets love in contrast to Charlie and Zoe merely watching their own backs. The scene of the action in the form of Salisbury Crags brings a sense of foreboding, that a life is on the edge of a precipice and could go either way.
At 250 pages Hit & Run is full of short, punchy chapters and Johnstone pitches his readers into the pressure cooker experience that Billy faces. This isn't subtle by any means but it is powerful and will leave your head buzzing and wondering if a clever game of manipulation has just played out. Full of drugs, sex and violence Hit & Run is fantastically funny and is a pleasure to read from the safety of your own home! All in all more than enough to see me back for more of what Doug Johnstone has to offer!
Review written by Rachel Hall (@hallrachel)
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About the author
Scottish Noir at its best!
I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and compelling book. I could vividly picture the setting of the accident—a road I know well—which made me feel as though I was right there, standing in the darkness on the empty road as the characters wrestled with their immediate decisions after the crash. I felt a deep empathy for Billy, the driver, who was intoxicated and seemed uncertain about the choices being made, as though he was being led by those he trusted. My sympathy for him grew throughout the story. The author's narrative takes readers on a journey that profoundly alters everyone's lives, exposing the darker side of Edinburgh. The plot explores the fallout from a single, panic-driven decision, unraveling its consequences over the hours, days, and weeks that follow. The author skillfully captures the reader's attention and doesn't let go, making this book, with its gruesome and brutal descriptions, a standout example of Scottish Noir.
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 March 2016
Top reviews from other countries
- michael at the lakeReviewed in the United States on 11 April 2016
Entertaining, but.
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- Keith SmithReviewed in Australia on 18 March 2015
A nice way to kill a lazy afternoon
