Quintin Jardine - Bob Skinner

Bob Skinner

Quintin Jardine has written twenty-one novels featuring senior Edinburgh 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:

1. Skinner's Rules (1993)
2. Skinner's Festival (1994)
3. Skinner's Trail (1994)
4. Skinner's Round (1995)
5. Skinner's Ordeal (1996)
6. Skinner's Mission (1997)
7. Skinner's Ghosts (1998)
8. Murmuring the Judges (1998)
9. Gallery Whispers (1999)
10. Thursday Legends (2000)
11. Autographs in the Rain (2001)
12. Head Shot (2002)
13. Fallen Gods (2003)
14. Stay of Execution (2004)
15. Lethal Intent (2005)
16. Dead and Buried (2006)
17. Death's Door (2007)
18. Aftershock (2008)
19. Fatal Last Words (2009)
20. A Rush of Blood (2010)
21. Grievous Angel (2011)
22. Funeral Notes (2012)

Bob Skinner audio books have been recorded by James Bryce and Robbie McNab.