Bateman was a journalist in Ireland before becoming a full-time writer. His first novel, Divorcing Jack, won the Betty Trask Prize, and all his novels have been critically acclaimed. He wrote the screenplays for the feature films Divorcing Jack and Wild About Harry and the popular BBC TV series Murphy’s Law starring James Nesbitt. Bateman lives in Ireland with his family.

Praise for Bateman’s novels:

‘The funniest crime series around’ Daily Telegraph

‘As sharp as a pint of snakebite’ The Sunday Times

‘Sometimes brutal, often blackly humorous and always terrific’ Observer

‘A delightfully subversive take on crime fiction done with love and affection. Read it and weep tears of laughter’ Sunday Express

‘An extraordinary mix of plots and characters begging to be described as colourful, zany, absurd and surreal’ The Times

‘A joy from start to finish… witty, fast-paced and throbbing with menace’ Time Out

‘Twisty plots, outrageous deeds and outlandish characters, driven by a fantastic energy, imagination and sense of fun’ Irish Independent

‘Bateman has barged fearlessly into the previously unsuspected middle ground between Carl Hiaasen and Irvine Welsh and claimed it for his own’ GQ

‘Extremely funny, brilliantly dark, addictively readable’ Loaded