Thursday, 10 September 2015

ANY MAN JOE by Robert Leigh

5 GOLD stars

Vigilante/crime drama/thriller

Currently unpublished


Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's Review Team




Excellent, excellent - I thoroughly enjoyed this!

Joe is a quiet living young man who lives on a rough council estate in London, just minding his own business - until he becomes unwillingly mixed up in the world of the estate's drug dealers.  Pretty soon, he finds himself in handcuffs... that's all I will say about the plot, or I'll spoil it.

Robert Leigh has done it again, the same as he did in Kill Line - he's made me like and root for a mass murderer.  No, I'm not weird - read it, and you'll understand!  I still feel sad thinking about him.

Parts of this book reminded me of that televisual piece of excellence, The Wire - if you liked that, you'll love this.  Of course, this is South London, not Baltimore, but I imagine the drug dealing hierarchy runs much the same.  The story is told in alternating points of view, between Joe and DI Edwards, the officer originally in charge of the case.  It highlights police corruption and social problems, too - all very real.


The book is SO well structured, which is one of the elements that makes it work so well, with the story unravelling gradually, as we move from hospital to police custody to flashbacks back on the estate.  The dialogue and the characterisations of the dealers, the junkie who befriends Joe, the blinkered cops, are spot on.  The action is cleverly executed, too, making me able to visualise clearly what was happening - this is a hard thing to do, I've read so many that don't work.  The suspense is superbly suspenseful (!), as is the build up of Joe's frustrated outbursts.  A classy writer, this!

This is the second novel in Leigh's Retribution Trilogy - I can't wait to read the third.   It's a complete stand alone, the stories are not connected in any way, so you don't have to read Kill Line first (though it's so good, I would if I were you!!!).

KILL LINE by Robert Leigh reviewed HERE



FROM LIME STREET TO YIRGACHEFFE by Robert Leigh reviewed HERE



12 comments:

  1. Sounds like a good trilogy for me :-) Off to Amazon...

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    1. I think they're both still on the review list, Cathy!

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  2. I think the first one has gone now.

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    1. Ah - they're both stand alones, though, not connected - this one is the better of the two, I think, it's better edited, the structure is superb. If you do choose, have a word with Rosie or me about the proofreading!

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  3. Oh, I see. With it saying Trilogy I assumed they followed on. I’ll request this one then if it’s still available

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    1. Oh yes, do, it's a new one so will still be there - you'll love it!

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  4. Good strong characters, I think this is a winner for me. I am reading Weepers right now by Nick Chairkas, a great thriller! Great characters as well, good strong books out there, great time to be a thriller lover!

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  5. More in hope than expectation, don't suppose you know where I could get hold of a copy of these two book do you? I'm a bit late to the party and they seem to be scarcer than rocking horse pooh!

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    1. Hi Colman, I will get in touch with his proofreader, who happens to be mine too - I know she has been in touch with him lately. If you would like to leave your email address in another comment, I can get in touch with you that way - don't worry, your email won't be made public as I have to approve of comments first. I tried clicking on your profile to see it, but couldn't find!!

      If it is currently unavailable, I probably still have the mobi copy from doing this review - I will have a look. I am sure Mr Leigh woulnd't mind me sending it to you!

      Thanks for reading, I'm glad my review made you want the book! It really is excellent, so I hope you get to read it :)

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