Drones, gangland vendettas, a missing choir singer, disturbances in the cemetery, PTSD, panpsychism, and secrets from the past … This can ONLY mean one thing! The Skelfs are back, and things are as nail-biting, tense and warmly funny as ever!

Book blurb

The Skelf women are back on an even keel after everything they’ve been through. But when a funeral they’re conducting is attacked by a drone, Jenny fears they’re in the middle of an Edinburgh gangland vendetta.

At the same time, Yana, a Ukrainian member of the refugee choir that plays with Dorothy’s band, has gone missing. Searching for her leads Dorothy into strange and ominous territory.

And Brodie, the newest member of the extended Skelf family, comes to Hannah with a case: something or someone has been disturbing the grave of his stillborn son.

Everything is changing for the Skelfs: Dorothy’s boyfriend Thomas is suffering PTSD after previous violent trauma, Jenny and Archie are becoming close, and Hannah’s case leads her to consider the curious concept of panpsychism, which brings new danger … while ghosts from the family’s past return to threaten their very lives.

Funny, shocking and profound, Living Is a Problem is the highly anticipated sixth instalment of the unforgettable Skelfs series – shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Novel and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Book of the Year – where life and death become intertwined more than ever before…

My thoughts

Drone attacks Funeral attendees!

Jennifer and Archie are officiating at a graveside when a drone attacks the funeral goers with pepper spray! The dead man, Fraser Fulton, is a convicted killer is this an act of revenge? Much to her son’s annoyance the widow, Ellen, asks Jenny to investigate. Can she get to the bottom of the matter or will there be a gangland bloodbath?

Jenny and Archie’s relationship is going along well.

Yana is missing!

Dorothy is at choir practice when she is approached by two of the choir. Their friend Yana seems to have disappeared, will Dorothy investigate?

Meanwhile, Dorothy’s beau Thomas, is not recovering well from the injuries and trauma he sustained during the last episode of the Skelfs. He retired from the Police but is suffering from PTSD.

Child’s grave vandalised!

The latest recruit into The Skelfs business, Brodie, is meeting with the groundskeeper at the cemetery when he visits the grave of Jack, his stillborn child. There is an odd disturbance of the ground beneath the grave. Once he is sure it’s not been made by any kind of animal he’s certain it’s his ex girlfriend has done it and asks Hannah to help.

Hannah has completed her PHD but through one of her lecturers is accessing further learning and attends a lecture on IIT and finds it fascinating. The lecturer gives Hannah her card and indicates she is looking for recruits. Indie, Hannah’s partner, is growing more and more into her role in the undertaker work.

Oh my, The Skelfs are back!

It’s been a while since the big case in the last book and Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah seem to be coping but Thomas definitely isn’t! Jenny checks out the Fulton’s rival but when the next funeral is attacked by a drone the three of them know it’s nothing to do with gang land rivalry. If only it was! No, this is definitely the work of Webster. The cop who raped and murdered and then, when suspicion fell firmly on his shoulders, tried to kill Dorothy and Thomas! What a nightmare it was. It’s been bad enough seeing Webster and his sidekick, Low, out on bail and a trial seems a long way off. Now this!

When Low dies having committed suicide it makes getting a guilty verdict or even a trial for Webster seem much more difficult.

As each of the Skelf women pursues their case they find themselves in uncomfortable and dangerous situations which they believe are the result of Webster trying to intimidate them. Jenny takes some direct action which leads to her being confronted by Webster. Each time they report anything to Griffiths the detective in charge of the investigation into Webster and Low nothing seems to be done about it and then they are told that evidence has gone missing!

Tomas is on a downward spiral and Dorothy isn’t getting through to him. With all that is going on Dorothy is questioning whether she has the strength to carry on in the Skelf business.

Hannah gets more concerned about Brodie and asks a new acquaintance to intervene. When she finally discovers who is behind the incident at Jack’s grave it turns into an opportunity to help not only Brodie but all the family who have been grieving.

Jenny’s relationship with Archie is testing boundaries she never thought she could get through. She seems to be more content than she ever has been. The business with Webster has her angry and determined to get evidence to get him convicted. It seems someone else has similar determination but has a different intent!

Throughout the book there are fascinating new ideas being put into practice in the undertaking side of the Skelf business and this along with the work being done on a piece of land is making it a very exciting project. It’s really interesting and sounds like a really good way to move forward. They are continuing to have community funerals for those who appear to have no family and I love this side of the Skelf business being threaded through the investigation side.

Hannah’s continued interest in furthering her education also brings some interesting insights into how the world, life could and is in many cultures viewed. It helps her with Brodie and gives her ‘food for thought’. Indie’s background already accepts many of these ideas. I really enjoy reading about the two of them and how they support each other, communicate and resolve issues.

As each of the investigations are resolved Dorothy, Jenny and Hannah along with their extended family are left with just one problem – Webster. Nothing seems to be happening with the police investigation. Jenny decides on a confrontational approach without telling the others but is unable to do it as an incident at a funeral makes it impossible. What next?

Hope the thing that always seems to be ingrained into the world of the Skelfs is taking a big hit in this story.

The whole case demonstrates how difficult getting convictions is especially when those being investigated are part of the process, are in this instance police officers and this is something that actually seems to be happening more often in today’s world. It’s deeply troubling and disturbing that there seems to be so many incidents were those who are supposed to be stopping crime, helping people, victims are in fact the perpetrators but because they are part of the process their colleagues are not willing or are coming across barriers that make it almost impossible to get any kind of justice, to make a case against these perpetrators. It’s not too much of a stretch to think that this could make someone take things into their own hands!

In a tense and dangerous situation there is a resolution that none of the Skelfs – or readers – could have imagined and leaves everyone reeling!

Oh the Skelfs! What another wonderful story Doug Johnstone has written. It’s a fantastic read and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thanks

Huge thanks to Anne at RandomThingsTours for the invite to read and share my thoughts on Living Is A Problem by Doug Johnstone and to Orenda Books for an eARC for the Blog Tour.

Blog Tour

Why not check out these terrific blogs for more on The Skelfs in Living is a Problem by Doug Johnstone from Orenda Books then head on down to the links below to get your very own copy of Living Is A Problem?

Information

Published: Orenda Books Ltd | 9781916788268 (12/09/2024) | £9.99 | 276pp

Buy: Orenda Books | Hive UK | AmazonSmileUK | Bookshop.org (affiliate link) | Your local bookshop | Your local library

Author: Doug Johnstone is the author of eighteen novels, many of which have been bestsellers. The Space Between Us was chosen for BBC Two’s Between the Covers, while Black Hearts was shortlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year and The Big Chill was longlisted for the same prize. Three of his books – A Dark Matter, Breakers and The Jump – have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year.

Doug has taught creative writing or been writer in residence at universities, schools, writing retreats, festivals, prisons and a funeral directors. He’s also been an arts journalist for twenty-five years. He is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers – a band of crime writers. He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club.

Follow Doug on X/Twitter @doug_johnstone and Instagram @writerdougj, and visit his website: dougjohnstone.com.

“Holy crap, I made it onto the shortlist for the SETI Institute’s Cosmic Consciousness Residency! Absolutely thrilled and honoured. This is a total DREAM gig for me. They announce the winner later this month – cross yer fingers and toes, people!”

Doug Johnstone

Titles by Doug Johnstone, available from Orenda Books

THE SKELFS SERIES

A Dark Matter | The Big Chill | The Great Silence | Black Hearts | The Opposite of Lonely | Living Is A Problem

THE ENCELADONS

The Space Between Us | The Collapsing Wave

STANDALONE BOOKS

Fault Lines | Breakers

OTHER TITLES

Gone Again | Hit and Run | Dead Beat | The Jump | Smokeheads | Crash Land | The Ossians | Tombstones