Nothing Ever Happens by Nouele P. St John book review

Nothing Ever Happens by Nouele P. St John, reviewed by local councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes

Nothing Ever Happens by Nouele P. St John is the most recent novel published in Renfrewshire’s growing noir scene, and it’s a cracker.

Jenny Winters spends her days working in the Glasgow Airport Security Vetting Team, a job she likes, but that does not set her world on fire. When she reluctantly volunteers for a specialist role in a sub-team undertaking the security vetting for a visit from the US President, Jenny’s quiet existence explodes, and she’s plunged into a political underworld of international crime, murder, crooked cops and blackmail.

The plot of Nothing Ever Happens rolls out through an ensemble of characters, across continents, and deals with the troubles of private lives as well as being a compelling crime romp. Cruel parents, crumbling marriages and single-parenthood all feature, and the complex nature of people and life shines through. 

If you like your crime with a side a political intrigue, a local setting and complex characters, this is a perfect read for the dark nights ahead.

We have loads more book reviews online by Lisa-Marie Hughes and Brian Hannan from Abbey Books in Paisley including:

• Architecture of Thomas Coats Memorial Church Paisley
• Confidence by Denise Mina
• Glasgow, The Clyde and Slavery by D. Pettigrew
• The Thief Takers by Patrick Pringle
• The Renfrewshire Victoria Crosses by Graham Fulton
• The Earth Is Weeping by Peter Cozzens
• The Waste Land, A Biography of a Poem by Matthew Hollis
• Black is the Colour by Seamus Connolly