Overview

Quite Ugly One Morning opens with a journalist waking up in a stranger’s house beside a dead man and a set of human body parts arranged in the kitchen. Jack Parlabane, reckless and curious, quickly inserts himself into a Glasgow murder investigation that exposes corruption, media ethics and institutional rot.

Writing & Voice

We found Brookmyre’s voice sharp, fast and consistently funny. The prose is driven by dialogue and observation, with jokes landing alongside violence and outrage. The humour never softens the darkness, instead sharpening it, giving the novel its distinctive bite and momentum.

Content & Perspective

The story follows Jack as both investigator and irritant, moving between police procedure, journalism and political scandal. His lack of restraint keeps the narrative lively, while the shifting viewpoints reveal how power protects itself and how truth is manipulated when reputations are at stake.

Themes

The novel explores corruption, hypocrisy and the uneasy relationship between media and authority. It questions who controls truth and who pays the price when wrongdoing is exposed. Beneath the satire sits real anger about abuse of power and public indifference.

What Worked

• Relentless dark humour that sustains the pace.
• Memorable central character with chaotic energy.
• Sharp social critique woven into the crime plot.

Minor Quibbles

• The humour can overwhelm quieter moments.
• Jack’s recklessness may test reader patience.

Final Thoughts

Quite Ugly One Morning is a blisteringly funny debut we loved for its anarchic energy, savage satire, and refusal to separate laughs from righteous anger.

Rating: ★★★★½ / 5