Book Review: Original Skin second novel by David Mark .

 Original Skin  by David Mark

This is Mark's second novel set in Hull and featuring Scottish born Aector McAvoy.

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I loved both Mark's books, partly because of the Northern element but mostly because  Aector isn't the typical burnt out alcoholic cop with a divorce and estranged children behind him.  On the contrary Hectar has few vices, loves his wife and young family, is mostly honest and dedicated to his job but is interesting because of his humility, self consciousness and insecurity.  Mark writes Aector's character cleverly.  We witness his blushes and insecurities without seeing him as weak because we also see his his quiet dogmatism.  I think some writer's must take years to perfect portraying the non abrasive layers of a character so convincingly, but in my opinion Marks not only manages this but manages it with apparent effortlessness.(Makes us would be writer's sick huh?)

 

Original skin is about the cannabis dealers in Hull being violently ousted by a group of possibly Vietnamese dealers.  Soon the group are linked to a local group of travellers who have settled in the area.  Then Aector gets wind of a suicide that seems dodgy and before long he is secretly investigating the links between that death and recent attacks on young men and women with tattoo's.  This leads him into the murky world of the sex business and with links to local politicians puts Aector in a tricky position.

 

This is a fast paced novel with brilliant gritty humour and a sensitivity that keeps you hooked to the end.  I enjoyed it so much that purely on the basis of this book I made a personal decision.  Approaching forty I got my nose pierced, now approaching fifty I'm going for a wee tattoo- I was thinking something subtle like a rose or something on my shoulder - What do you think?



Original Skin is on sale on Kindle for £5.66 and HB for £9.09






Dark Winter is a bargain on kindle for 56p and  in PB for £5.96