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If It Bleeds by Duncan Campbell
The brilliant new novel about contemporary London gangland crime by the hugely well reviewed author of THE PARADISE TRAIL.Britain's best known gangster, Charlie Hook, wants to tell his life story and chooses crime reporter Laurie Lane as his reluctant ghost. But the next day Hook is dead, his blood and hair on the walls of his north London mansion. Who has killed the last of the London Godfathers, the man who used to be a driver for the Kray twins? Laurie is having his own problems - he's suspected of fiddling his expenses and his country singer wife has left him for an older man - but he needs to find the killer to keep his job. Could it be a Russian businessman with a love of Scottish poetry and something dodgy in his Hampstead garden?
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First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Duncan C. Campbell
68 books9 followersDuncan Campbell was a British journalist and author who worked particularly on crime issues. He was a senior reporter/correspondent for The Guardian from 1987 until 2010, and authored several books.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 27, 2025
If It Bleeds (it leads) is a kind of detective thriller about a middle-aged journalist, his country-singer wife, his colleagues, his police and criminal contacts and his trip to Thailand. Except it isn't very thrilling, really; there are a couple of plot twists that keep you going, but it's kind of episodic. Just above plodding.
Written in the third person, but Laurie Lane (the journo in question) ponders the etymology of (too many) words, makes little jokes to himself, and rips his colleagues to shreds all the time, so it ought to be in the first person, didn't it? Also, Duncan Campbell's 'specialist subject' the London underworld of the late 20th century, gets shoehorned in at every opportunity.
The sort of thing that would have been printed in a monthly magazine in the 60's, earned Duncan a few bob, and sat in a doctor's waiting room for ten years. Written with an ear to TV rights, perhaps, but the plot is simply unanswered questions being answered; there's little development.
Written in the third person, but Laurie Lane (the journo in question) ponders the etymology of (too many) words, makes little jokes to himself, and rips his colleagues to shreds all the time, so it ought to be in the first person, didn't it? Also, Duncan Campbell's 'specialist subject' the London underworld of the late 20th century, gets shoehorned in at every opportunity.
The sort of thing that would have been printed in a monthly magazine in the 60's, earned Duncan a few bob, and sat in a doctor's waiting room for ten years. Written with an ear to TV rights, perhaps, but the plot is simply unanswered questions being answered; there's little development.
November 10, 2010
Every now and then it does a dedicated crime reader's heart good to read something that proves that there's nothing better than not taking yourself too seriously. And if there's ever a fictional character that can't afford to take himself too seriously it is crime reporter Laurie Lane. His wife has walked out on him (he did eventually twig she wasn't there), his daughter's remained at home, somewhat indulgent but equally pointed in her opinions of her father. At the newspaper he's being investigated for fiddling his expenses, but there's a distinct smell about that. Especially as his editor seems to be pushing him out of the job because he's not multi-media savvy enough (aka getting too old). When, for some reason, Charlie Hook decides that Lane is just the person to write his autobiography, Lane's not too sure whether he should be disappointed or relieved when somebody shoots Hook.
In an effort to save his job, and to prove the rumours he's being fed are part of his sharp, up-to-date reporting contacts, Lane must find a missing Russian mafiosi, prove who killed Hook, write the scoop, win the pub trivia quiz, and sort out what the attractive young picture editor's real intentions are. Preferably quickly.
Needless to say IF IT BLEEDS is a lot more fun than you'd think the shooting murder of an aging London gangster by Russian mafiosi figures would be. But then it's also not a good idea to believe everything you read in the paper (or on a book's blurb). Okay, so the plot takes somewhat of a secondary role to the pub trivia, deliberate bad jokes, and newsroom shenanigans, but the investigation is there. The tone of the book seems to match perfectly with what you'd expect from an aging newspaper reporter, somewhat bewildered by the way his life has gone, but determined to keep looking until something recognisable pops up.
Often low key, dry and wonderfully observant, IF IT BLEEDS was good fun, with a sneaking suspicion that snippets from the life of an old crime desk warrior were all too real.
In an effort to save his job, and to prove the rumours he's being fed are part of his sharp, up-to-date reporting contacts, Lane must find a missing Russian mafiosi, prove who killed Hook, write the scoop, win the pub trivia quiz, and sort out what the attractive young picture editor's real intentions are. Preferably quickly.
Needless to say IF IT BLEEDS is a lot more fun than you'd think the shooting murder of an aging London gangster by Russian mafiosi figures would be. But then it's also not a good idea to believe everything you read in the paper (or on a book's blurb). Okay, so the plot takes somewhat of a secondary role to the pub trivia, deliberate bad jokes, and newsroom shenanigans, but the investigation is there. The tone of the book seems to match perfectly with what you'd expect from an aging newspaper reporter, somewhat bewildered by the way his life has gone, but determined to keep looking until something recognisable pops up.
Often low key, dry and wonderfully observant, IF IT BLEEDS was good fun, with a sneaking suspicion that snippets from the life of an old crime desk warrior were all too real.
May 12, 2014
This is a good laugh and ver engaging. I gave it 3 stars cos the last bit was a bit sloppy but to say why would be a spoiler. I recommend it for a nice light holiday read
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews