“Skinner’s Festival”

by Quintin Jardine

This is one of a series of novels featuring Assistant Chief Constable Bob Skinner as hero. (Head of CID in Edinburgh and Lothians Police Force).
The background for the events this time is the annual orgy of festivals which take place in Edinburgh every August: the Edinburgh International Festival, featuring world class theatre, music and drama, the Film Festival, the Book Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Jazz Festival and the Festival Fringe. This particular Festival season, however, is threatened by terrorist violence, which claims a disturbing number of victims. Bob Skinner and his team of police persons, with backing from the SAS, have a huge battle ahead of them to find out who and what lies behind the violence.
The plot was gripping; I had real difficulty putting the book down once I had begun. It was particularly appealing to me as I am so familiar with the politics, places and events it is built around. I think, however, that it would still have appeal to those who have never visited Edinburgh. A good story, after all, is a good story!
Skinner is an impressive character - even if one has not read the earlier novels. Jardine fills in enough of the detail of Skinner’s past, his family life and his professional world to make him both likeable and fully-rounded. Many of the supporting characters are also highly credible - the one weak link is Alan Ballantyne, Secretary of State for Scotland.
If I had read this when it was first published in 1994, I would probably have been critical of the plot on the grounds that there was so much in it that was too far-fetched. It is a sad indication of the way our world has changed in the intervening 14 years that I can now say that the plot is most decidedly and chillingly plausible with its vision of our exposure to the actions of ruthless terrorists.
Well worth reading!

Review by Jean Nale