It’s 1989, the second Summer of Love, and Tommy Collins is doing what he does best: organising all-night raves on a shoestring, and playing a game of cat and mouse with the police. But Detective Chief Inspector Peach is closing in on him, and his dreams of a better life are beginning to slip through his fingers.
DCI Peach finds it all a nuisance, a waste of his force’s time, until he finds his teenage daughter unconscious at one of Tommy’s raves. Then the chase becomes personal, and his need to make Tommy pay becomes an obsession.
The Rave is a fast-paced, gritty portrayal of life on the edges of society at the end of a decade that changed Britain forever.
Set in the Valley Park Estate, Newcastle in the late 1980’s the reader is taken back and faced with revenge, loss, blame, socio-economic status/poverty, friendships, control, crime and a fight for survival, hope, lies, mistrust, substance abuse, desperation and a desire to better oneself.
The novel starts with a cracker of a prologue which lets the reader know that it’s all or nothing and that was it, I was HOOKED! The storyline is gritty, nostalgic and bloody compelling – very relatable and at times had me stuck on the spot as I just had to know what happened next! A superb narrative really brought the characters alive as well as creating a strong sense of place. Nicky Black is a talented writer who just teleports you to whatever story/place she is writing about – absolutely nails it! BOOM! ??
In terms of characters – well this novel was just rich with some likeable and not-so-likeable peeps! Some I grew to like, others repulsed me but I was drawn to them all! Tommy Collins and his small group of friends showed that you didn’t have to be blood related to be family. Tommy just wants a better life for himself, his wife and his baby. He may not always be on the right side of the law, but his heart was in the right place so you want to see him succeed. He’s determined, talented and just wants that one big moment. Friggin LOVED him!
DCI Peach – his focus is on bringing Collins down, as he blames him for the situation his daughter ends up in. He can be stubborn and blinkered, but eventually reality sets in and he does what is right. I have to admit, I didn’t like him very much at the start, but he grows on you.
Paul Smart …what an unlikeable, despicable piece of sh*t! Gah- this guy makes my skin crawl. He has no redeeming qualities at all. Conniving, manipulative and just plain evil – I personally wanted to see some really bad things happen to him … such a great character, as he evoked some harsh emotions! That is how talented Nicky Black is!
Would I recommend this book? You bet your sweet arse I would! Intense, gritty and a riveting read – Nicky Black has a way of drawing the reader in to a story and evoking every emotion imaginable. A-Maze-Ing! I absolutely LOVED The Prodigal, but you don’t have to read that first to enjoy this book … though it too, is well worth a read! #AllTheEeks from me!
