Thursday 23 April 2009

coo-ee

My library books came in.

And one of them was The Gun Seller.

No, it doesn't sound like most of the other books I read, since I'm really not a mystery/who killed who with what gratuitous violence fan. And the cover looks like a blow-up of a comic book - really not my usual.

But The Gun Seller was written by Hugh Laurie. Yes, that Hugh Laurie. And I was curious.

And 29 pages in, I like it. He writes like a character in a twenties detective flick, all foggy street and dark, devious expressions. But sprinkled in are these really incredible descriptions, like:

But of course you would have got the message. Rayner could have swathed himself in shimmering silk and put an orchid behind each ear, and nervous passers-by would still have paid him money first and wondered afterwards whether they had owed him any.

and

By and by she was sitting on the hideous sofa with half a pint of what I thought was brandy but turned out to be Calvados, and I was standing by the door wearing my smartest and best 'I am psychiatrically A1' expression.

So I'll keep on.

Oh, and when you're reading a Hugh Laurie book? You can hear his voice saying the words as you read them.

And he speaks with an English accent. Coo-ee.

7 comments:

Woman in a Window said...

huh, well I'll be. Good on him.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm... I'll have to check this out. Thanks!

Stomper Girl said...

I have that book. I love picturing him on the motorbike, and I read all the motorbike stuff to Fixit. He wrote it before the House days, now I think he's too busy to write any more.

Unknown said...

That is on my "to be read" list. I'm interested to hear your final review.

Chantal said...

hmmmm Hugh Laurie!

mamatulip said...

I had to google the title to see if it was the same Hugh Laurie from House.

And it is.

Hmm. I am not a Hugh Laurie/House fan. But I am intrigued, enough to check this book out.

Thanks. :)

Anonymous said...

I believe this book must immediately be followed by one from his partner, Stephen Fry.

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