Living Is A Problem (Skelfs Book Six) by Doug Johnstone

 

Living is a Problem (Skelfs Book Six) by Doug Johnstone.

Published 12th September 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

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…

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The Skelf women are coping well given the recent shocking acts of corrupt members of Edinburgh's police force, and are back in the thick of their unconventional business interests, combining funeral services and private investigations. When a drone attack brings chaos to a funeral they are conducting, their personal and professional interests clash once again.

Jenny fears this is the start of gangland violence on Edinburgh's streets, as two rival gangs vie for territory. Looking into the matter has her brushing shoulders with some very shady characters from the city's criminal fraternity. Dorothy has a new case of her own too, trying to find Yana, the Ukranian refugee from her community choir, who has mysteriously gone missing. This investigation proves to be a lot more complex, and dangerous, than she realises. It does not help that she is distracted by her concerns about her boyfriend Thomas (now retired from the police force), who is struggling with PTSD following the attempt on his life. Meanwhile, Hannah has finished her studies and is fascinated by the concept of panpsychism. She begins to wonder if this might be relevant to the problems of the newest member of the extended Skelf family, Brodie, who has come to her for help after the disturbance of the grave of his stillborn son.

Times are changing for them all, and the ghosts of the past are not yet ready to let go of the Skelf family...

Living is a Problem, the sixth outing for the fabulous Skelf women, finds them on the cusp of more changes in their lives. Matriarch Dorothy, her daughter Jenny, and Jenny's daughter Hannah, are all involved in the multi-generational balancing act that comprises running an undertakers in parallel with a private investigation service, alongside Hannah's partner Indy, and the waifs and strays Dorothy has collected - Archie, and new staff member, Brodie. And, in that brilliant way Johnstone has, it is not long before both sides of the business clash to drive thrilling plot twists on the atmospherically described streets of Edinburgh.

The hanging threads of the previous book, The Opposite of Lonely, drive this novel, with the corrupt cops who so nearly brought tragedy to the Skelfs' door now on a mission to pervert the course of justice. Johnstone is in top form with burgeoning storylines that emerge from mysterious drone attacks, evoking that pit-of-the-stomach fear that took me right back to the dark days of Craig's murderous games (Jenny's evil ex-husband). I was afraid for every member of my beloved Skelf family once again... with good cause.

As the eco-funeral business takes off, in fascinating detail, the suspense-filled investigations of Dorothy, Jenny, and Hannah play out in chapters following their separate points of view - Jenny's being integral to the revenge-fuelled, ghosts of the past, focus of the story; Dorothy's connecting to the Ukranian war in a surprisingly intimate way in terms of family strife and domestic violence; and Hannah's embarking on a mind-bending voyage into panpsychism, mental health, and changing attitudes towards the loss of a child. 

In typical Johnstone style, the personal struggles of the characters are embedded in the warp and weft of the overall tapestry he weaves, with a hefty thwack of emotion in every strand. His favourite subjects of human connection and loneliness are explored with a deft hand, and he examines ideology around consciousness to thought provoking effect - especially when it comes to Eastern vs Western philosophies, and how this translates into what we consider 'normal' behaviour. He also touches nicely on different experiences of coping with grief, and attitudes towards periods of mourning, and continues to open up the discussion about what happens to us when we die in the most engaging way possible.

Let us not forget the wonderful characters. Johnstone has some lovely surprises on the character development front in this book. Uncharacteristically for matriarch Dorothy, whose faith in humanity is normally so strong, this story has her questioning her own judgement - particularly when it comes to Thomas, as the gulf between them grows wider, and she wonders if she has ever really known him at all. In contrast, her daughter Jenny, formerly the troubled member of the family, is in a more stable place than she has ever been, and her growing closeness with steady Archie is one of my favourite parts of the story. Can there be a happy ending for them both? Time will tell... Granddaughter, Hannah's storyline is arguably the quietest this time, albeit one of the most heart-wrenching, but the insight this gives on the hitherto little known Brodie is absolute gold. And as for Thomas... well no spoilers from me, but 'gripping' does not even cover where Johnstone takes him in this sixth adventure...

Six books in and this series continues to tick every box on my list of literary wants. Impact, aching emotion, tension, dark humour, absorbing subject matter (mushroom suits... who knew?), and vivid characters to love and loathe... the Skelf books have it all. More please!

Living is a Problem is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof on this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, including The Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for TV. In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. 

Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years.

Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.