The Late Greats (Joe Geraghty) [Kindle Edition]

In Nick Quantrill's cracking new crime novel, The Late Greats, Hull based Private Eye Joe Geraghty is hired by an overbearing musical 'entrepreneur', Kent Major, to babysit his possible cash cow - the band New Holland. Once upon a time, New Holland were the bee's knees, the cat's whiskers. Imagine, if you will, Hull's version of Oasis, surfing the crest of the Britpop wave and then, in the blink of an eye,stagnating and self- destructing.

But now they're back together having, apparently, forgotten their creative and personal differences and are about to embark on a lucrative comeback tour. So, with his eye on the prize, Kent Major hires Geraghty to keep an eye on the boys, so that all runs smoothly.

But, of course, it doesn't and all quickly goes pear shaped when the singer , Greg Tasker, disappears. And, inevitably,Geraghty is despatched to find him.

The Late Greats is a fast paced, page-turner, the weight of which rests heavily on Geraghty's broad shoulders. Geraghty, unlike many of crime fiction's messed up PIs, is an Everyman - a decent and likeable bloke just trying to get on with his life after the death of his wife. Trying to adapt to change. Something many of the characters in The Late Greats are trying to avoid.

In Quantrill's smashing début novel, Broken Dreams, Joe Geraghty's investigations allowed him to to dig into the city's past and address its changes- both good and bad.

In this follow up novel, however, Geraghty is forced to look at how people change. How some people grow up,and not always for the better, and others never do.

The Late Greats, is a splendid, character driven piece of social realist storytelling which cements Nick Quantrill's position as a crime writer with something to say.

Following his highly acclaimed debut novel Broken Dreams he's now released its sequel, The Late Greats, which marks the return of Joe Geraghty, the ex-rugby player turned private investigator from Hull.

New Holland was Hull's most successful band of the 1990s and lured by the prospect of a big payday, and thanks to the machinations of their old manager Kane Major, the band are convinced to reform. One journalist is allowed to chart the progress of the return of the once famous band, and Joe Geraghty is asked to mediate with the writer. What should be a straightforward task soon turns sinister when Greg Tasker, the lead singer of New Holland, goes missing. Now Geraghty feels compelled to find out what happened to him, uncovering a long line of people Tasker had run-ins with. As events surrounding his disappearance turn more and more ominous, Geraghty must put himself in the firing line to uncover the truth.

Joe Geraghty, the seemingly ordinary guy with an extraordinary job, is back. Losing none of the realistic edge to his writing, Quantrill delivers on his outstanding promise shown in Broken Dreams. With the sequel however the focus shifts away from the city of Hull a little bit, and rests more on a storyline that weaves plot strands together.

The sense of character is paramount in this novel, with more details of Geraghty's surrounding cast revealed, giving the reader some tantalising glimpses into possible future stories. The relationship between Geraghty and Julia, the journalist writing the story of the band's comeback, is a very satisfying aspect, with Quantrill's realistic edge running throughout. Similarly, Don and Sarah, the father and daughter team Geraghty works with, are given more of a role in this novel, with more facets to their characters being revealed. Whether that relationship continues after this novel will be interesting to see.

However the most enjoyable aspect of The Late Greats is the way in which the fictional band New Holland and its members are brought to life. The musical references and inevitable comparisons to the recent trends for bands to make comebacks (Blur, I'm looking at you) mean there's a richness to the book, giving it a credible edge. Though Quantrill may easily have become lost in this side of it, concentrating too much on the music angle, he manages to maintain focus on the plot. The underlying role of two gangster brothers is also a good addition, tying in well to the main story.

A gritty slice of northern life, The Late Greats is a superb sequel to his assured debut. An excellent read, it works well even if you haven't read Broken Dreams. However, there are some nuances to characters which work better for having read his first book. Quantrill is a name to watch out for, an incredible storyteller, with a talent for evoking character and setting. He's on his way to becoming one of the most talked about writers around.

The Hull band, New Holland, are reforming to a media fanfare carefully staged by their old manager. PI Joe Geraghty has been brought in to "liaise". It's not his usual line of work but the dual pull of a bit of glamour and a lean bank balance sway his judgment. However, soon the glamour wears thin, and not just for Joe, as buried rivalries resurface and old anxieties are restored. Who exactly wrote the songs, scored the drugs, bedded the groupies? Is this why Joe finds one of the band dead before they've even cut a single track? With heavies coming up from London, the local Plod warned off from on high, and even his mentor Don telling him to leave well alone, Joe knows he has to return the shine to his own reputation and do right by people he owes.

Nick Quantrill's sparse delivery resonates as much with the city of Hull as his series character, each trying new ways to rebuild their former glories and find contentment in their purpose. It's a theme that ripples through even the minor characters - what was, what is, what might have been, what could be if only - which creates an interesting depth both to the characters and to the multi-level storyline. Nick Quantrill certainly keeps the reader bouncing between the different factions in this thought-provoking follow-up to "Broken Dreams". A highly recommended Noir. I look forward to his next.