Scully isn't an author that I know too much about to be honest. His books are set in Birmingham, UK where he works and lives. A few bits and pieces can be found on the internet about him - he's apparently worked as an acupuncturist for about 10 years and he has conducted non-religious funeral ceremonies amongst other things.
When I started my journeys into crime fiction, I never wanted to read books set in the UK. I always wanted to be transplanted elsewhere - usually the US, which has remained my favourite setting over the years. That said, my tastes have evolved as the realisation dawned on me that I was cutting myself off from some great books and authors. Hopefully when I get around to reading these I can add Scully to that list of UK favourites.
If the blurb by John Harvey is to be believed, there's a bit of low, down dirt and darkness in these.
From his photo, he looks like he has a tale or two to tell!
Little Moscow
The Little Moscow, a shady basement bar at the side of the Grand Union canal in Birmingham, stamping ground for thieves, gangsters and conmen - plus some of the city's more glamorous creatures. Perhaps the nastiest Birmingham, England, export since Ozzie Osbourne and Black Sabath, this collection of linked stories centers on a world of petty crimes and hard-nosed punishments that invariable seem to be plotted in a dive called Little Moscow. Scully does a credible job of spiriting readers inside the minds of incredible characters, including Marlene Dietrich, two artists slavishly devoted to Andy Warhol, and a tattooist who claims a sexual attraction to penguines and giraffes. 'We all live in different worlds - side by side, but different worlds,' one character muses. 'And we know nothing of each other.' Giving readers a glimpse behind those veils is one of the short story's core missions, and Scully fulfills it so well that psychological revelations obviate the need for tricky plot twists. If it appears someone's set to die or go to jail or otherwise get what's coming to him, that's generally how it turns out. But the endings prove all the more satisfying for their cold logic and lack of misdirection. And when Scully does pull a hidden card from his sleeve, it falls with added impact.""--Booklist.The Norway Room
Meet Ash, thirteen years old, saying goodbye to his father before he goes to serve a stretch in prison. His dad's friend Kieran helps get rid of social services and then school's out for ever. But when his father's house begins to fill with stolen goods and armed gangsters, it's easy for Ash to get into trouble. When Kieran enlists him on a job, an attempted takeover of the Norway Room club, it goes disastrously wrong. Alone in a dangerous city, Ash is forced to hide out on the Mendy Estate, in the towers and takeaways, in the back rooms where the real work of the city is planned. Meanwhile, an ex-copper working as a bouncer for the city's busiest club gets caught in the middle of a hostile takeover and is tempted towards joining the criminal underworld. And a trained Chinese killer falls in love with his target. As these narratives converge in a spectacular finale, who would bet against born survivor Ash, alone in the city, to do the impossible and stay alive?
Most of the novels I read are set in the US although I'm now more conscious about settings in other regions like Canada and Europe, and increasingly, in India. As for these two books I think I'll play safe and await your reviews, Col.
ReplyDeletePrashant, I think setting is one of the main elements for me. I wouldn't necessarily say that there are places I want to avoid in my reading, more time periods that don't cry out to me. That said, Birmingham, Alabama would excite me more than Birmingham, West Midlands.
DeleteCol - Interesting acquisitions. Not sure they'll be for me, to be honest, so I'll be waiting to see what you think of them.
ReplyDeleteMargot, no problem. Nothing everything I want to read coincides with other friend's tastes. It makes it more memorable when we do have some commonality.
Delete'Birmingham Alabama over Birmingham West Midlands' is what resonates with me here - I have an unreasonable prejudice against Birmingham, and just can't get too enthralled by the thought of a book set there. The Deep South though - now you're talking....
ReplyDeleteMoira, a prejudice against Birmingham? Interesting. I'll have to locate some Alabama books then.
DeleteI remember you saying that you preferred novels set outside the UK. I felt the same about the US when I first started reading in this genre. I wanted to read about crime fiction in other places outside of where I lived. Now I can appreciate both and prefer early, hardboiled, American crime these days. But then I think you know that.
ReplyDeleteAs for this writer, I've never heard of him so it will be interesting to see how you like him.
Keishon cheers. Funny how our tastes evolve over time. Don't think Scully will feature this year in my reading but you never know.
DeleteNow if you find some good crime fiction written about Birmingham, Alabama (my home town) I would love to read it. The only ones I have found are too cozy. There is a series set in Mobile, AL by Jack Kerley but it seemed way too violent and gross. His website says he sells better in the UK than here.
ReplyDeleteTracy - that's a challenge then. I'll have to hunt around and come back to you if I track something down! I think I have 1 or 2 Kerley books, unread of course.
DeleteInteresting new author. Cheers Col!
ReplyDeleteThanks, hopefully they match up to my expectations.
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