Bang Bang, You're Dead (Best of British) [Kindle Edition]

Nick Quantrill is best known for his Joe Geraghty novels. Private investigator novels which are set in his hometown of Hull. However, he is also a prolific short story writer who has appeared in Byker Books Radgepacket series, kindle anthology True Brit Grit and the acclaimed Mammoth Book of Best British Crime among many others.

Edgy publisher Byker Books new best of British collection is bringing some home grown talent from the cream of the Bri Grit pack and Quantrill brings us his novella Bang Bang, You're Dead. Rather than novels these novellas are shorter reads aiming to pack a punch in fewer pages.

Quantrill's novels are intelligent, well researched and carefully considered. Bang Bang, You're Dead is more in your face and raw than his usual work. It's closer to Irvine Welsh or Ray Banks in its dark and violent style. The author displays his usual affection for the city but pulls no punches when it comes to showing us the seedier side. His knowledge of Hull's geography is an asset to the story helping to create a realistic and believable setting. I think that some of the Hull spirit creeps into his main character, Sam, and the city seems to be a character sitting over his shoulder as the plot unfolds.

Fresh out of prison Sam is determined to make a fresh start in life but the chance to make a quick buck proves too alluring and he soon finds himself in trouble up to his neck.

With wisecracking characters and a fast paced narrative I found this to be a very enjoyable read that I raced through. Easy to read in a day a good novella will leave you satisfied and yet hungry for more. Quantrill achieves this with a well rounded action packed plot. A great short read.

Bang, Bang, You're Dead is the story of Sam - a twenty something fresh out of prison. Life has moved on whilst he's been inside. As it does. But some things stay the same. The pain of his brother's death. It runs deep. And someone knows the answers. Sam's mates, Weasel and Jonno, they don't know. Nor does his brother's wife, now moved on and living with someone else. It seems no-one has the answers Sam is searching for. But that doesn't stop him.

We follow Sam as he attempts to stay on the straight and narrow, whilst trying to discover who left his brother to die of an overdose. But to find the answers to these questions involves Sam mixing with some pretty unsavoury characters. The Nolan brothers, for a start, with their car crushing business. When I say 'car' crushing - to be honest, they're a little more flexible in their use of their machinery than just using it to crush cars. And then there is Vinnie, Weasal's dad - a gentleman and a gangster. And finally, Roberto Tardelli - a right nasty piece of work. Got the drug trade on the estate sewn up, he has. When Sam and Weasel and Jonno find themselves in the middle of this lot, decisions need to be made. Loyalties tested. But Sam has a score to settle, and not even the nastiest bastards in Hull are going to stop him from getting answers.

Bang, Bang, You're Dead is an absolutely cracking read. Quantrill tells the story through the eyes of Sam, with humility and compassion, yet pulls no punches. We feel Sam's loss, but Sam does not ask us to feel sorry for him. That is not an easy thing to pull off as a writer, and Quantrill does it expertly.

In his debut novella, it feels as if Quantrill has used the form to stretch out, to let loose. The dialogue still carries Quantrill's trademark terseness, but it is laden with anger and aggression. The violence in the book is necessary and brilliantly achieved. The plot is at one straightforward, yet emotionally intricate. And the pace of the whole thing is such that we tread the broken streets of Hull with Sam, by his side, looking for the answers that will bring peace to his troubled mind, the superb pacing of the whole leading to a climax and a twist I never saw coming from a million miles.

Bang, Bang, You're Dead is a brilliant example of top notch Brit Grit. Right up there with anything by Ray Banks or Allan Guthrie.

I heard the author Nick Quantrill on local radio and thought I'd try this book. I've not read his work before. I'm from East Hull too and wondered what the local link might be. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The local references were particularly good. It really helped to picture the scene. The only downside was that it's a very short book. A couple of hours and I'd read it! The story has some realism and anyone who grew up on any
tough council estate will have examples of every character in their area.