Quintin Jardine
Encyclopedia
Quintin Jardine is a Scottish
author of two series of crime novels, featuring the characters Bob Skinner and Oz Blackstone.
at the University of Glasgow
, briefly and without enthusiasm, before stepping cautiously in 1964 into a career which began in journalism, as a trainee on his local newspaper The Motherwell Times. He moved from Lanarkshire to East Lothian in 1971, and worked in Edinburgh as a government information officer, a political spin doctor
and finally an independent media relations consultant. As a member of the Conservative Party's professional staff he was involved during the 1980s in several key by-election campaigns, including Hillhead, 1982, Darlington, 1983 and West Derbyshire, 1986. As a consultant, his clients included the Faculty of Advocates, the Scottish Salmon Growers' Association, Cumbernauld Development Corporation, Dundas & Wilson CS, and Heart of Midlothian Football Club.
Gradually he evolved into a full-time writer. His first novel, Skinner's Rules, was published in 1993, and nominated for the John Creasey award of the UK Crime Writers' Association. He has appeared at Writers' Festivals and other events around the world, in cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
In 1966 he married Irene King, of Baillieston, Lanarkshire, and together they had a son and daughter. She died in 1997 after a short illness. In 2002 he was married for a second time, to Eileen Mansfield Abernethy, of South Shields. Today they live, alternately, in Gullane
, East Lothian
, (Scotland) and in L'Escala
, on the Spanish Costa Brava.
His hobbies include football, (the Skinner novel 'Thursday Legends' is based loosely upon a five-a-side football club of which he has been a member for over thirty years), golf, music and movies.
policeman Bob Skinner - "Britain's toughest cop" according the novels' publisher. Like his creator Skinner lives in Gullane
, East Lothian
and has a second home L'Escala
, Catalunya in Spain
.
At the beginning of Jardine's first novel, Skinner is a Detective Chief Superintendent
; he rises through the ranks as the series progresses. He supports Motherwell Football Club
and plays golf
.
As the series stands today Skinner has been married twice, to Myra (deceased), by whom he has one daughter, Alexis, currently an associate in an Edinburgh law firm, and to an American pathologist, Dr Sarah Grace, by whom he has two children, James Andrew (aka Jazz) and Seonaid, and with whom he adopted the orphaned Mark McGrath. That marriage ended in divorce, with custody of the children being shared. His current partner is Aileen de Marco, a politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament, who was Scotland's First Minister.
Because Skinner stands where he does in his fictional police force, the series has a wider supporting cast than is usual in the mystery genre. Other characters include Andy Martin, currently head SCDEA (Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency ), Skinner's closest friend, and former fiance of Alexis, Chief Superintendents Margaret Rose Steele and Mario McGuire, and Detective Superintendent Neil McIlhenney.
Novels featuring Bob Skinner:
Bob Skinner audio book
s have been recorded by James Bryce and Robbie McNab.
actor, Blackstone, like Skinner, is Scottish and enjoys golf. He has featured in nine novels since 1996.
One of Blackstone's occasional acting roles is in fictional adaptations of Jardine's Bob Skinner series. To confuse matters, the Blackstone novels also exist in the universe of the Bob Skinner books. The author has said that this is a deliberate contrivance to ensure that Skinner and Blackstone can never meet on the page.
Novels featuring Oz Blackstone.
Novels featuring Primavera Blackstone:
Audio adaptations of most of these titles have been read by Joe Dunlop.
Quintin Jardine has often aired the possibility of writing a political story.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
author of two series of crime novels, featuring the characters Bob Skinner and Oz Blackstone.
Biography
Matthew Quintin Jardine was born in Motherwell on 29 June 1945, the son of two teachers. He was educated at Knowetop Primary School, Motherwell, and at the High School of Glasgow. He went on to study lawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, briefly and without enthusiasm, before stepping cautiously in 1964 into a career which began in journalism, as a trainee on his local newspaper The Motherwell Times. He moved from Lanarkshire to East Lothian in 1971, and worked in Edinburgh as a government information officer, a political spin doctor
Spin (public relations)
In public relations, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure...
and finally an independent media relations consultant. As a member of the Conservative Party's professional staff he was involved during the 1980s in several key by-election campaigns, including Hillhead, 1982, Darlington, 1983 and West Derbyshire, 1986. As a consultant, his clients included the Faculty of Advocates, the Scottish Salmon Growers' Association, Cumbernauld Development Corporation, Dundas & Wilson CS, and Heart of Midlothian Football Club.
Gradually he evolved into a full-time writer. His first novel, Skinner's Rules, was published in 1993, and nominated for the John Creasey award of the UK Crime Writers' Association. He has appeared at Writers' Festivals and other events around the world, in cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Vancouver, Toronto, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
In 1966 he married Irene King, of Baillieston, Lanarkshire, and together they had a son and daughter. She died in 1997 after a short illness. In 2002 he was married for a second time, to Eileen Mansfield Abernethy, of South Shields. Today they live, alternately, in Gullane
Gullane
Gullane is a town on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian on the east coast of Scotland. There has been a church in the village since the 9th century. The ruins of the Old Church of St...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, (Scotland) and in L'Escala
L'Escala
L'Escala is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Empordà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the Costa Brava, located between the southern end of the Gulf of Roses and Cala Montgó. It is an important fishing port and tourist centre, and has a festival dedicated to its famous anchovies...
, on the Spanish Costa Brava.
His hobbies include football, (the Skinner novel 'Thursday Legends' is based loosely upon a five-a-side football club of which he has been a member for over thirty years), golf, music and movies.
Bob Skinner
Quintin Jardine has written twenty-one novels featuring senior EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
policeman Bob Skinner - "Britain's toughest cop" according the novels' publisher. Like his creator Skinner lives in Gullane
Gullane
Gullane is a town on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian on the east coast of Scotland. There has been a church in the village since the 9th century. The ruins of the Old Church of St...
, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
and has a second home L'Escala
L'Escala
L'Escala is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Empordà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the Costa Brava, located between the southern end of the Gulf of Roses and Cala Montgó. It is an important fishing port and tourist centre, and has a festival dedicated to its famous anchovies...
, Catalunya in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
At the beginning of Jardine's first novel, Skinner is a Detective Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
; he rises through the ranks as the series progresses. He supports Motherwell Football Club
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
and plays golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
.
As the series stands today Skinner has been married twice, to Myra (deceased), by whom he has one daughter, Alexis, currently an associate in an Edinburgh law firm, and to an American pathologist, Dr Sarah Grace, by whom he has two children, James Andrew (aka Jazz) and Seonaid, and with whom he adopted the orphaned Mark McGrath. That marriage ended in divorce, with custody of the children being shared. His current partner is Aileen de Marco, a politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament, who was Scotland's First Minister.
Because Skinner stands where he does in his fictional police force, the series has a wider supporting cast than is usual in the mystery genre. Other characters include Andy Martin, currently head SCDEA (Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency ), Skinner's closest friend, and former fiance of Alexis, Chief Superintendents Margaret Rose Steele and Mario McGuire, and Detective Superintendent Neil McIlhenney.
Novels featuring Bob Skinner:
- Skinner's RulesSkinner's RulesSkinner's Rules is a 1993 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the first of the Bob Skinner novels.- Plot :The novel, like all in the Skinner series, is set in Edinburgh...
(1993) - Skinner's Festival (1994)
- Skinner's TrailSkinner's Trail (novel)Skinner's Trail is a 1994 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the third of the Bob Skinner novels....
(1994) - Skinner's RoundSkinner's Round (novel)Skinner's Round is a 1995 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the fourth of the Bob Skinner novels.Skinner is taking part in a pro-am golf tournament to formally open a new course in East Lothian but a series of murders of some of those involved seems to be tied into an ancient witch's curse....
(1995) - Skinner's OrdealSkinner's Ordeal (novel)Skinner's Ordeal is a 1995 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the fifth of the Bob Skinner novels....
(1996) - Skinner's MissionSkinner's Mission (novel)Skinner's Mission is a 1997 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the sixth of the Bob Skinner novels....
(1997) - Skinner's GhostsSkinner's Ghosts (novel)Skinner's Ghosts is a 1998 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the seventh of the Bob Skinner novels....
(1998) - Murmuring the JudgesMurmuring the Judges (novel)Murmuring the Judges is a 1998 novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the eighth of the Bob Skinner novels....
(1998) - Gallery WhispersGallery Whispers (novel)Gallery Whispers is a 1999 detective novel by Quintin Jardine. It is the ninth of the Bob Skinner novels....
(1999) - Thursday Legends (2000)
- Autographs in the Rain (2001)
- Head Shot (2002)
- Fallen Gods (2003)
- Stay of Execution (2004)
- Lethal Intent (2005)
- Dead and Buried (2006)
- Death's Door (2007)
- Aftershock (2008)
- Fatal Last Words (2009)
- A Rush of Blood (2010)
- Grievous Angel (2011)
Bob Skinner audio book
Audio book
An audiobook or audio book is a recording of a text being read. It is not necessarily an exact audio version of a book or magazine.Spoken audio has been available in schools and public libraries and to a lesser extent in music shops since the 1930s. Many spoken word albums were made prior to the...
s have been recorded by James Bryce and Robbie McNab.
Oz Blackstone
Oz Blackstone is the hero of Jardine's second series of books, the first of which appeared in hardback under the pseudonym Matthew Reid, although the mass-market edition also bears his real name. http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/Quintin-Jardine.html A private detective turned HollywoodCinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
actor, Blackstone, like Skinner, is Scottish and enjoys golf. He has featured in nine novels since 1996.
One of Blackstone's occasional acting roles is in fictional adaptations of Jardine's Bob Skinner series. To confuse matters, the Blackstone novels also exist in the universe of the Bob Skinner books. The author has said that this is a deliberate contrivance to ensure that Skinner and Blackstone can never meet on the page.
Novels featuring Oz Blackstone.
- Blackstone's Pursuits (1996)
- A Coffin for Two (1997)
- Wearing Purple (1999)
- Screen Savers (2000)
- On Honeymoon with Death (2001)
- Poisoned Cherries (2002)
- Unnatural Justice (2003)
- Alarm Call (2004)
- For the Death of Me (2005)
Primavera Blackstone
When Inhuman Remains was published in January 2009, it was revealed that Oz Blackstone had died, off-stage from an inherited heart condition. In the tenth Blackstone novel Oz's sometime business partner,and former wife, Primavera, became the main protagonist in what is effectively a new series. She and Tom, the son she had with Oz, have settled in the village of St. Marti d' Empuries, in Catalunya, Spain.Novels featuring Primavera Blackstone:
- Inhuman Remains (2009)
- Blood Red (2010)
Audio adaptations of most of these titles have been read by Joe Dunlop.
Other projects
- The Loner (2011)
Quintin Jardine has often aired the possibility of writing a political story.