Christopher Brookmyre brings crime plotting and comic writing together. Long-time readers may come for a reunion with Jack Parlabane; newcomers can arrive through one of the standalones. His busy festival year gave crime fans several chances to hear him, from shared conversations to an event about his newest mystery.
Brookmyre worked as a journalist before becoming a full-time novelist. His publisher and festival programmes often shorten Christopher to Chris, so both forms of the name belong to the same writing career. Recurring characters sit alongside standalone novels in his bibliography, with the journalist at the centre of his best-known series.
The latest Parlabane novel was published by Abacus on 7 May 2026. Its locked-room mystery arrived thirty years after the debut, giving readers who met the character at the beginning a new case to consider. The combination of a returning journalist, a closed circle and a long writing career supplied plenty of reasons to hear the author discuss his work.
His awards span comic and crime fiction. The Everyman Bollinger Wodehouse Prize recognised the book about Jane Bell’s unexpected encounter with a world of security experts, while his novel about surgeon Diana Jager won both the McIlvanney Prize and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. The reading suggestions below offer those two sides of his writing.
Where to start with their books
Quite Ugly One Morning
The first Jack Parlabane novel begins with a disturbing death in an Edinburgh medical family. It introduces the journalist through a mystery involving corruption and murder, making it the natural choice if you want to meet him at the start of the series.
Black Widow
Surgeon Diana Jager’s reputation collapses after her personal details appear online; later, her husband dies and his sister asks Parlabane to investigate. Choose this for a story in which a public image, a marriage and a suspicious death all demand a second look.
All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye
Jane Bell’s vanished son draws her out of domestic life and into the dangerous world of security specialists. This is a starting point for readers attracted by Brookmyre’s comic fiction, with an ordinary woman learning to survive the action she once only imagined.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
Christopher Brookmyre’s 2026 programme included In Conversation: Chris Brookmyre and Abir Mukherjee at Bloody Scotland.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
For an outing with another crime reader, choose a shared conversation if you follow different writers: each of you can bring a favourite book to the discussion afterwards. At a hotel-based session, check the named room before planning a meal or onward journey. The festival guide will help you choose a base once the ticket is settled.
Yes. Christopher and Chris are both used for Brookmyre’s books and appearances. You may see the shorter name on a programme or book jacket, so include it when searching an organiser’s box office.
Do I need to start with the first Parlabane book?
Beginning at the start lets you meet the journalist before his later cases. You can also choose one of the standalone novels below if you want to get to know Brookmyre without committing to a continuing series.
How do I get tickets to hear him?
Use the festival links on Christopher Brookmyre’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
Can I go without finishing the newest mystery?
You can. A short publisher introduction gives you the premise without revealing the solution. If you are still reading, be cautious about detailed audience discussions of the ending and save your own final verdict for later.
