I dropped into the library on Friday to return some overdue books and ended up paying off all Darren's library fines by mistake. I wasn't going to borrow any books because the fine was making buying books look cheap but I spotted this book with a Nick Drake quote for a title and couldn't resist. On Sunday I had most of the day to myself and picked the book up to read and finished it a few hours later. I can't remember the last time I did that. The book doesn't have a great deal to do with the Nick Drake song except for the obvious chiming of clocks as you go through the book. It's set in 1930s London with the financial crisis playing out in the background. Loads of details evoke the period nicely. The plot is a bit thin, which wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't subtitled as "a thriller" - it really doesn't deliver on that. There are criminals chased here but it's not big on action or suspense. If I'd read the book at a slower pace I think I'd have liked it less - and reading books slowly seems to be what I do these days - but a few hours on a Sunday going round the London of the thirties with a door-to-door carpet cleaner salesman and the characters he encounters worked out to be very enjoyable.

This novel is a cleverly portrayed slice of 30s noir. It’s set in the seedy backstreets of London in 1931.

James Ross is an aspiring writer, but there’s no chance of making a living at it. His landlady is always after the rent money – but he’s permanently borassic. (Boracic Lint = Skint). So he gets a job as a door-to-door salesman flogging carpet cleaner – his commission gets him 2/6 – a whole half a crown per sale – could be a nice little earner. Then he meets Susie, a real looker, and falls head over heels for her – it seems she likes him too. She works as a secretary for the odd Mr Rasmussen who, James is sure, is up to no good. Meanwhile a chipper lad called Leo is also trying to make ends meet, but is not above helping out in shady deals.

James is desperately trying to save up enough money to take Susie away for a dirty weekend, when an opportunity arrives to take the place of a friend at a houseparty to which Rasmussen is going – and he’s taking his secretary…

This novel was really successful at recreating 1930s London, when guys wore hats and everyone met at Lyons tea shops where they drank cups of ‘ackermaracker’. The language was full of slang including swear-words – ‘Berkshire’ (Hunt) took me a while to cotton on to! In fact I got out the ever-reliable Eric Partridge Dictionary of Slang to check a few – it appears that ackermaracker comes from an elaborated prison blackslang word for tea!

It was less successful in terms of plot. The front cover proclaims it as a thriller – I’d call it ‘thriller-ish’. There are scams going on, but they’re almost incidental to James trying to make a few bob all the time. At first we alternate between James and Leo which is slightly confusing, but gradually James moreorless takes over the plot.

I enjoyed the read for the evocation of London life, but wished there had been more plot. (Book supplied by the Amazon Vine programme) ( )

A tale of seedy happenings in the London of the 1930s, populated by jewel thieves, society girls, aspiring writers, and downright chancers. The author has clearly been influenced by the works of Julian Maclaren-Ross, James Curtis, and even Patrick Hamilton. This book is in a similar style, employing many of the same themes - but it's none the worse for that.

I enjoyed the book a lot. It is well written and entertaining. If you enjoy it too then I'd recommend that you check out the other authors I've mentioned for more of the same. And vice-versa! ( )