All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses an Eye

Christopher Brookmyre thriller. Scottish super-scientist Ross Fleming may hold the secret that could end all wars. As a result, everyone wants him, not least, as it turns out, his mother, who wants him safe cause he's her boy. But that's just the start of the trouble, as he makes a run for it all over Europe.

Tropes

 * Action Mom
 * Embarrassing First Name:
 * Enemy Mine: This doesn't quite work out.
 * Fairy Tale Motifs : Lots of Shout Outs to Beauty and The Beast.
 * Genre Savvy: Bett, most of the time.
 * Insufferable Genius: Most of Bett's team, and Ross Fleming, have their moments of this. Bett goes out of his way to live up to this one.
 * Mama Bear: Jane/Blue Bell
 * Magnificent Bastard: Bett and
 * Manipulative Bastard: As above.
 * Never Mess with Granny: Jane.
 * Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: What Bett's team might have been if he didn't streamline them so brutally
 * Something He Would Never Say
 * Teen Genius: Alexis and most of the rest of Bett's team.
 * The Wrong Right Thing: Jane's husband and his options.