If It Bleeds, By Duncan Campbell

An old-school journalist delves into a murder case

Laurie's wife, a country singer, has just left him (which gives the author plenty of opportunity to list maudlin country and western song titles), and he's living with his 17-year-old daughter, who treats her father rather as one would treat an incontinent old family pet: half with love and half with hardly disguised contempt. His job is in danger, as his boss is a thrusting young man and, at 50-plus, Laurie is "an analogue man in a digital world". He is also being investigated for fiddling his expenses. However, one way or another Laurie keeps pulling his irons out of the fire, and when he gets an exclusive, he's off to Thailand to track down Hook's killer.

If It Bleeds romps along in its merry way, as much bloke-lit as crime fiction, and though it may not change the world it certainly passes the time quite pleasantly. All the loose ends get tied up, the crime is solved and Laurie lives to fight another day. Duncan Campbell is a long-time newspaper veteran himself, and certainly the book comes across as authentic. As for the title, there is an old Fleet Street saying, "If it bleeds, it leads", that harks back to the times of capital punishment. So now you know.