Belfast Confidential

Belfast Confidential is the seventh novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 7 November 2005 through Headline Publishing Group.[1]

Belfast Confidential
First edition
AuthorColin Bateman
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
SeriesDan Starkey novels
GenreCrime, Dark comedy
PublisherHeadline
Publication date
7 November 2005 (2005-11-07)
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages410
ISBN978-0-7553-0925-2
OCLC254860015
823.914
LC ClassPR6052.A773
Preceded byDriving Big Davie
(2004)' 
Followed byNine Inches
(2011)' 

Plot

The plot of the novel surrounds Dan Starkey and his recent appointment as the editor of Belfast's trendiest magazine, Belfast Confidential; described by Bateman as "a cross between Private Eye and Hello".[2] After the murder of his close friend Mark McBride, AKA "Mouse", Starkey is convinced by Mouse's Thai bride to take over the editorship and discover who was behind the murder. Starkey discovers that Mouse was working on a list of the 50 most powerful people in the area before his death and decides that those at the top are the most likely suspects. He sets out to discover if this is indeed the case.

Reception
Stuffed with bored ex-terrorists looking for kicks, and a suddenly booming economy, Belfast makes a great setting for a crime caper.

Daily Mirror[3]

The novel was well received by the media.

In a review for the Daily Telegraph, Jake Kerridge stated that "the dialogue is extremely funny and Bateman obviously works hard on his easy-going prose". He further went on to state that he felt that "the wearyingly frenetic Brookmyre could learn something from Bateman's style".[4] The Daily Mirror also reviewed the novel and called the series as a whole "compelling and darkly humorous", stating (given this being the second Bateman release of 2005) "the bard of Belfast is on a roll". The reviewer did state that they felt that "the plot takes ages to get going", attributing this to "too much introspective loafing and lager drinking by sad Starkey". The reviewer did temper this somewhat, however, stating that "Colin Bateman is clearly the right man, in the right place at the right time".[3] Geoff, on-line reviewer for Opinionated Geek found that, as "it's written by a genuine Norn Ironer" it "gives it a bit more credibility". He goes on to state "And it's fun. It's a nice enough story that features the usual mix of intrigue, pain and hangovers". He further felt that "there's maybe a bit more depth here than in the earlier books, like Divorcing Jack, but it's still a fairly light read".[5]

gollark: Traitor.
gollark: Make it a nocturne. Nobody likes nocturnes.
gollark: About 20 hours to go, then.
gollark: I think that that's around the time I wake up on the 31st.
gollark: When is the drawing, anyway? The *start* of the 31st? The *end*?

References
  1. "Belfast Confidential (Book, 2005)". WorldCat.org. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  2. Bateman, Colin. "Belfast Confidential". Colin Bateman. Archived from the original on 23 June 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  3. "Cat And Mouse". mirror.co.uk. 25 November 2005. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  4. Kerridge, Jake (5 December 2005). "Crime, Chosen by Jake Kerridge". Telegraph. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  5. Geoff (31 December 2007). "'"Belfast Confidential" by Colin Bateman' :: Geoff's Blog [Opinionated Geek]". Opinionatedgeek.com. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
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