Iain Banks was born in Scotland in 1954 and published his first book - "The Wasp Factory" - in 1984. In the years since, he's won critical acclaim, topped best-seller lists and has even branched out into Science-Fiction. Banks died in June 2013, two months after announcing he had inoperable cancer.

Stewart Gilmour is back in his hometown of Stonemouth for the first time in five years. As the book opens, he's standing on the edge of a bridge, high above the First of Stoun - where many of Stonemouth's suicidal have jumped to their death. Stewart isn't planning to jump himself, at least not just yet - though with what he faces over the next few days, it might just be the easiest option.

Stewart had been run out of town by the Murston clan, one of Stonemouth's two criminal families. He's now back in town for a funeral and wants to be sure it's safe for him to be there. Therefore, he's arranged a meeting with Powell Imrie - the Murston family's most significant hired muscle. (Even without his links to the Murstons, Powell would terrify you. However, he seems an honourable sort : he'll not deceive you and, so long as you play by the rules, he won't hurt you either). The meeting takes place on the bridge and Powell assures him that he should survive the funeral. However, he doesn't recommend a lengthy stay - but does suggest beginning with a courtesy visit to Don, the aptly-named head of the dreaded family.

"Stonemouth" is told in the usual Banks fashion: as the 'current' story moves forward, we gradually learn about Stewart's past - building up to crucial night that saw him being run out of town. The story is told by Stewart himself, and Banks has tried to write the book in the way a twenty-something (presumably) speaks. Some of the phrases had me grinding my teeth a bit; "my own crib" and "chillaxed" especially irritated. (I'd have thought David Cameron would have killed off the use of chillaxed, but there you go...maybe I'm just getting old). However, in spite of these aberrations, there are a couple of funny stories, the odd tragedy and some lovely writing too - there's a very convincing walk along the beach with a dog called Tumsh towards the end of the book, for example. It occurred to me, once or twice, that maybe Banks was trying to write a new Crow Road for a younger generation...while Stonemouth isn't *quite* that good, it's still an easily-read and enjoyable book overall.

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