Quite Ugly One Morning (Jack Parlabane)

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The second book in the Jack Parlabane book series is Quiet Ugly One Morning, which previously was titled Country of the Blind.

There are some genuinely funny moments here and there and it gets an extra half point for good use of Edinburgh locations. This song is timeless, and nearly 20 years after its creation, still possesses the mystique it did the first time i heard it ~1994. From his position on high, Parlabane relates the events leading up to his demise, largely concerning the efforts of charismatic psychic Gabriel Lafayette to reconcile the scientific with the spiritual by submitting to controlled laboratory tests. Those trapped inside the castle are used to dealing with the volatile mix of light-fingered teens and obnoxious tourists; less so a truckload of explosives and a hidden agenda. To new nanny Amanda, the Temple family seem to have it all: the former actress; the famous professor; their three successful grown-up children.Meanwhile a sinister tale of restorative justice and the occult takes an even darker turn; two body-snatchers find more than they bargained for when raiding a morgue; and a contract killer finds that fatherhood has sent him on the straight and narrow.

Jack Parlabane, the investigative journalist who is not averse to breaking the law for the sake of a good story, has finally been caught on the petard of his own self-confidence and is experiencing accommodation courtesy of Her Majesty. Phoning Anna, one of his contacts, Jack has her trace the deal back to Lime and the Midlothian Trust through several proxy companies and businessmen, proving Lime's involvement beyond doubt. Before he can even put his trousers on, Paralabane’s the prime suspect, being interrogated by the police and trailed by the real, but hopeless, hitman Darren Mortlake.

As jet-lagged, hungover, and nauseated as he may be, Parlabane knows this was no break-in gone wrong. Edinburgh, with its reputation for civility and elegance, has often been the scene of savagery; the dark streets of industrial Glasgow and Dundee have protected thieves and muggers, while the villages of coast and countryside hide murderous men and wild women.