Autographs in the rain - Quintin Jardine

As Bob Skinner takes an evening stroll with a gorgeous filmstar on his arm, surely the worst of his worries is that back at Headquarters, an ambitious new colleague is scheming to enlarge his territory at Skinner's expense. But when a frightening shot-gun attack sends Skinner and his old flame Louise Banks diving for cover, it seems danger has zeroed in on him once again...

Quintin Jardine was born once upon a time in the West - of Scotland rather than America, but still he grew to manhood as a massive Sergio Leone fan. On the way there he was educated, against his will, in Glasgow, where he ditched a token attempt to study law for more interesting careers in journalism, government propaganda, and political spin-doctoring. After a close call with the Brighton Bomb in 1984, he moved into the even riskier world of media relations consultancy, before realising that all along he had been training to become a crime writer. Now, forty novels later, he never looks back.

Along the way he has created/acquired an extended family in Scotland and Spain. Everything he does is for them.

He can be tracked down through his blog: http://quintinjardine.me

Jardine excels at coordinating the multiple crimes crucial to a police procedural and setting his coppers against the clock
Kirkus Reviews

'Jardine's delightful hero finds himself investigating a case very close to home, and this latest from the man the Glasgow Herald calls the Sean Connery of Scottish crime fiction delivers another cracker'
Murder One website

General reviews for author:

'If Ian Rankin is the Robert Carlyle of Scottish crime writers, then Jardine is surely its Sean Connery' Herald (Glasgow)

'If you're looking for a detective whose personal life is as active, contradictory and complicated as his job then follow the Edinburgh exploits of Deputy Chief Constable Bob Skinner in Quintin Jardine's Skinner series. The rough-and-ready Christopher Eccleston who impressed us with his accent in Shallow Grave could easily star, and Julianna Margulies could convince anyone that she's a sexy American who cuts up dead bodies' Radio Times

THURSDAY LEGENDS:
'Heart-stopping thriller' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
'Gritty cop drama that makes Taggart look tame' Northern Echo Darlington

Praise for previous novels:
'More twists and turns than TV's Taggart at its best' Stirling Observer
Skinner's Rules:
'Remarkably assured novel...a tour de force' New York Times
'Excellent thriller' Manchester Evening News
'Deplorably readable' Guardian
'A first-class read' Jeffrey Archer
'Compelling stuff...one to watch' Oxford Times
'As hardboiled as any Taggart story' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
'Rich in local characterisation...an enjoyable adventure' Edinburgh Evening News
Skinner's Festival:
'Comes through strongly and believably...has the right city atmosphere' Edinburgh Evening News
'Robustly entertaining' Irish Times
Skinner's Trail:
'Skinner is a TV series waiting to happen' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
'Engrossing, believable characters...captures Edinburgh beautifully...It all adds up to a very good read' Edinburgh Evening News
Skinner's Round:
'The Skinner series grows in authority and should be a natural for television' Time Out
'A complex and suspenseful saga that never flags from start to finish' Bolton Evening News
Skinner's Ordeal:
'Quintin Jardine has created the toughest Scottish cop since Taggart' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
'Fast-paced, fast-cut stuff...some sharply written dialogue' Worcester & Hereford Evening News
Skinner's Mission:
'Once again Jardine serves up a thriller full of action, gritty realism and sharp patter' Darlington Northern Echo