London. The 1960s. The capital is swinging, but underneath the boomtown there's a dark underbelly. Meet Harry Starks: club owner, racketeer, porn king, sociology graduate and keen Judy Garland fan. Harry's business is fronting violence with rough charm and cheap glamour; putting the frighteners on, performing menace while desperately trying to jump the counter into legitimacy. Five characters tell five tales that combine in an extraordinary narrative that is both an explosively paced thriller and a brilliantly imagined sociological and topographical portrait of sixties London.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Truly fascinating ... Arnott's ability to powerfully resurrect an era is astonishing' -- Jimmy Boyle, Guardian 'One of the smartest, funniest and original novels you will read all year ... Arnott is quite brilliant at excavating the cultural minutiae of the time to bring the period vividly to life' -- Independent on Sunday 'Compulsive reading, powerful writing with an evocative feel for the bleaker side of the Swinging Sixties' -- The Times 'Gripping ... slumming it doesn't get much better than this' -- Time Out 'Jake Arnott has created a gangster story every bit as cool, stylish and venomous as the London in which it is set, an English original as sharp and lethal as a Saville Row lapel' -- Independent on Sunday 'Pulp Fiction so polished as to be immaculate' -- New Statesman 'The powerful, stylish writing hooks the reader from the first page. One of the most impressive first novels I've read in years.' -- Mail on Sunday
About the Author
Jake Arnott was born in 1961, and lives in London. He worked as a labourer, a mortuary technician, a theatrical agent's assistant, an artist's life model and a sign language interpreter before his debut novel, THE LONG FIRM, was published by Sceptre in 1999 to huge public and critical acclaim. HE KILLS COPPERS and TRUECRIME followed to equal acclaim in 2001 and 2003, and in 2004 THE LONG FIRM was made into a Bafta-winning television series by the BBC. JOHNNY COME HOME was published by Sceptre in April 2006.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"Long, long and lonely nights, I cried my heart out over you." Song lyrics,
By
This review is from: Long Firm (Paperback)
Things were swinging in London in the 60s. This is the story of Harry Starks, a gangster who is also gay.
The story is told as five characters narrate their experiences with Harry. Terry is the first person to narrate his experiences. He meets Harry and is won over by Harry's assertiveness and generosity. Soon after meeting, Harry asks Terry to move in with him as his lover. When Terry tires of this, Harry sets him up to run an electronics firm. One day, Harry removes a number of TVs without recording any payment. Terry learns that this is part of "the long firm." This is where the gangsters obtain the identity of a deceased person, get the necessary identification of that person then create various documents, register the business, build up credit, then build up an inventory but delay payment. After that, they withdraw the money, have a fire sale and disappear. The business is registered to a deceased person so the gang gets away with it. Another of Harry's traits is his strong sense of loyalty but when crossed, he can be cruel. Terry gets a first hand experience with this when he tries to hold back some money from one of Harry's schemes. The story continues as Harry wins favor of a member of parliament and uses him to further his cons. The story is a light hearted romp throught the British mob scene. Harry is a chameleon; he's generous but dangerous when crossed; most of the time he's in good spirits but when someone tries to take advantage of him, he can be as deadly as a poisonous snake.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Gangland Affairs,
By
This review is from: Long Firm (Paperback)
The Long Firm, follows the criminal career and glamorous life of Harry Starks, a sixties London gay gangster. It is narrated, not in chronological order, by a series of his acquaintances including a rent boy, a Lord and a famous singer. We follow his exploits and illegal activities, and dealings with other criminals, along with the corruption and cover ups amongst the supposedly more respectable members of the community. It is very much of its time, and includes the presence of the Kray Twins and other notables of the period.
Not all the narrators are appealing. Terry, the boy that Harry takes as his live in companion does engender sympathy, Lord Thursby is a less desirable individual, yet criminal Jack the Hat is a quite likeable character despite his inclinations. One cannot help but feel for Harry himself, even if he is quite ready and capable of dealing out the violence and torture. He enjoys the company of young boys, he repays loyalty generously, and disloyalty, or even the suspicion of it, accordingly. He suffers bouts of serious depression, and the wise among his associates then tread carefully, for these periods can be accompanied by expressions of violence. But despite it all Harry comes across as having a heart. It is an interesting story, and at times quite captivating as the drama builds, but I found at other times it lost momentum.
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