A Review of G.F Newman's Crime and Punishment
Gripping Underworld Mobster Saga – British Crime Thriller
May 26, 2009
Seamlessly weaving fictional family mobsters with real life bad boys Kray and Richardson brothers, bent cops, bankers and posh perverts, Newman's visceral book Crime and Punishment is a steaming saga of East–End underworld volence and one of the best reads of the year. Charting three decades of British crime history from the Festival of Britain to Mrs Thatcher' s rise to power, this radical writer reveals the establishment in the same tarnished light as the criminals.
Characters in GF Newman's Gangster Thriller
The damaged protaganist of the story is the pyschotic Brian Oldman who could have put his brain to good use but his earliest memory of seeing his mum topping his grandad, who had abused her, haunts him forever posioning his ambition. Also spearheading the narrative is his uncle Jack Braden whose dream of hitting the big time as a world class boxer is thwarted by the ghastly Kray twins. Thus these two angry souls slip into the murky sewers of violence and depravity joining the list of British histories biggest and best criminals.
Love Interest in the Novel
Does every gangster have a silver lining? Perhaps in the case of Jack there are moments of true courage and love. When tailor Sammy Cohen tells him his beautiful daughter Leah has been taken by the Krays to work in their whorehouse as a prostitute, Jack, moved by the sobbing father's heartfelt pain gallantly challenges the evil twins and rescues her. The vulnerable and noble Leah who rises from her sexual slavery to become a nurse ignites in Jack the light of true passion. However despite Jack's honourable intentions she despises him and it is the hitherto homosexual Brian whom she nurses after a particularly vicious brawl in hospital who claims her love.
Criminals and Establishment Business Deals
Newman never allows sentiment to get the better of what demons truly lie in the core of his characters as Brian and Leah's relationship takes an unexpected turn.Then again romantic love is not the focus of Newman' s literary attentions in this book where " the spirit " is a gin and tonic and the soul is found beneath the boot. It is about the animal scramble to the top of the kingdom: a world full of dirty filthy moolah in which the establishment are only too happy to wash clean.
Best British Crime Thriller of the Year
Robbing payroll vans, protection rackets, gangland vendettas, cops on the take, seedy sex and unholy communions will keep the reader eagerly turning page after page in this thrilling family saga peppered with moments that are outrageously funny.
Surely GF Newman's visually penetrating opus is perfect material for the big screen – until then for a great Summer read buy the book.
GF Newman's Crime and Punishment published by Quercus £18.99, 699 pages. For further information on Newmans books check his website.
ISBN: 9781847247964 – Available at all good bookstores and amazon online bookstore.
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