The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of Britain's most-loved comedians

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On the plus side, it paints a realistic picture of life in Glasgow, and the troubles of its 2 main characters. I have laughed out loud at many video clips of Kevin Bridges and was expecting that this book would be more like his stand up material. Publishers must know that the name alone will sell books and it is much lower risk for them than taking a punt on someone unknown.

The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of The Black Dog: The life-affirming debut novel from one of

But time and again scenes are prolonged after they have made their point and served their purpose, so that what might have been a spare and compelling 200 page novel is stretched out to twice that length. The Black Dog is written by an author that is known more for his comedy than his novel writing but that’s all likely to change – he’s added another string to his bow in a stunning debut by Glasgow’s household name, Kevin Bridges.The premise is faintly ludicrous, the characters thinly sketched and the plot so wobbly that a spoiler alert might not be necessary. Unfortunately it dwells for far too (for me) long in melodrama and the actual story is simple and predictable. This is not a comedy novel by a comedian - Kevin has been candid in the past around his own struggles with mental health and his debut novel reflects this. At face value, their lives couldn't be more different, but perhaps fate has a way of bringing kindred spirits together - and perhaps each holds the other's redemption in their hands. In Kevin Bridges’ debut novel, The Black Dog is the name of a restaurant, though more famously – and more pertinently – it was the nickname Winston Churchill gave to his depression.

The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges - REVIEW - The Coycaterpillar The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges - REVIEW - The Coycaterpillar

Long ago, when I started reviewing novels for The Scotsman, and then writing some myself, publishers often didn’t have much in the way of a marketing department but they had editors who did much more than correct copy. He has his pet Labrador for companionship and his best friend-turned-mentor, a pseudo-intellectual who works as a greenskeeper at the local municipal golf course, both of which help keep the worst of his anxieties at bay.People who have worked and grafted tirelessly for years must be so frustrated to see someone famous come along and get their novel published on name recognition alone.