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Maybe too generous and too feared, for when Bimbo takes on an Irishman claiming protection money from a friend, he doesn't realise the Irishman is in the employ of his own gangland boss Reardon. With the inevitability of fate, Bimbo has started a sequence of events which will end in murder, betrayal, blackmail, and the uncovering of secrets long hidden.
Simon Parker : Son of Sherry Parker. Bimbo has a soft spot for him
Sarah Parker : daughter of Sherry Parker. Bimbo has a soft spot for her
Sherry Parker : a one time crush for Bimbo. Married Wilkes who left her for another woman
Tony : A man who Bimbo is sent to "collect" on for Reardon
"Mac" MacLeeland : Old friend and minor boss for Reardon. Gives Bimbo "jobs"
Sergeant Don Dodds : An old fashioned policeman who arrested Bimbo a couple of times, is also respected by Bimbo
Ester : A black nurse who does menial tasks for Bimbo, Bimbo got her off drugs, she marries Doctor Simeon Abazul
Willy Norris : An old acquaintance of Bimbos
Adrian Owen : A gay man who runs a massage parlour who also gets on the wrong side of Reardon
Miranda : A strip girl
Echo Jerome : A stabbed woman who Bimbo helps
PC Ian Fletcher : A policeman
Chris Field : A Policeman
Sue Carter : A journalist whos after a decent news story
Don Bateman : Editor for the Herald and Sue's boss
Silver : Leader of a black gang, lives on Bimbo's estate
Reilly : An Irish thug, employed by Reardon when he expands
Dr Simeon Abazul : Esters fiance who helps patch Bimbo up
Stepney : An antiques dealer with a hidden past, was Heinrich Stoltz, a member of the Totenkopf (Death's head) SS Panzer Regiment who leaves everything to Bimbo
Reverend Richard Kilbey : Bimbo's parish priest who officiates at Stepney's funeral
Frank Reardon : Gangland boss and wife beater
Jackie Green : Boxer employed by Reardon
Taggart : one of Reardon's enforcers
Roache : one of Reardon's enforcers
Liz Owlett : Council worker and lover of Pam Edgerly
Pam Edgerly : Runs the refuge centre and lover of Liz Owlett
Alan Wilkes : Father of Simon and Sarah was married to Sherry Parker
Stan Jarvis : Self made man with a video shop empire. Friend of Bimbo and arsonist
Hedges : A printer who does a job for Stepney making Propeganda leaflets against Reardon
Jeromiah "Jem" Andrews : Rescued by Bimbo and returns the favour
Jack Shell : Publican who signs an affidavit against Reardon
Jim Wright : Publican who signs an affidavit against Reardon
Charlie Harris : Publican who signs an affidavit against Reardon
Jean Reardon : Battered wife of Reardon
Eric Lynch : CID officer who's in Reardon's pocket
Bimbo especially seems to be a blend of Gemmell and his stepfather Bill Woodford (I've gathered this information from a number of talks that I've been lucky enough to attended.) Although the murders were fiction in the book the reader has been granted the opportunity to look into an old underground London where people like the Krays were known and feared.
This book is a rare find so if you see it I would highly recommend that you pick it up. There are also rumours of some more "Gemmell Crime fiction" and if its half as good as this its worth buying.
On a final note Mr Gemmell mentioned in a couple of his talks that he is considering buying
the rights to this book back from Central so that he can rerelease it to those fans who don't own a copy.
Although written under a pseudonym, this novel has Gemmell stamped all over it. The writing style and the way in which the characters are described all show typical Gemmell skill, but for a difference here we see that this is something to which Gemmell is known, the background, the assortment of characters all show that they are people with whom hes had some sort of dealings with in his mispent youth.
