Smoke

by Nigel Bird

Carlo Salvino returns home missing an arm and a leg. He's keen to win back the affections of his teenage girlfriend and mother of his child. If he can take his revenge on the Ramsays, so much the better.

The Ramsay brothers are keen to move up in the world and get the hell out of town. They gather all their hopes in one basket, 'The Scottish Open' dog-fighting tournament. In Leo they have the animal to win it; all they need to complete the plan is a fair wind.

The Hooks, well they're just a maladjusted family caught up in the middle of it all.

A tale of justice, injustice and misunderstanding, 'Smoke' draws its inspiration from characters introduced in a short story first published by Crimespree Magazine and later in 'The Mammoth Book Of Best British Crime Stories 8'.

Genres: Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published October 10, 2011

About the author

Nigel Bird is the author of the Rat Pack series, The Shallows, the Southsiders series, In Loco Parentis, Smoke, Mr Suit and Dirty Old Town as well as a number of other novels, novellas and collections.

His work has appeared in a number of prestigious magazines and collections, including 2 editions of The Best Of British Crime,The Reader, Crimespree and Needle.

He is currently an editorial consultant for the publisher All Due Respect books.

He lives on the East Coast of Scotland in Dunbar (Sunny Dunny) with his wife and three children.

As well as writing fiction, he has been a teacher for thirty years and has worked in a number of mainstream and special schools.

Reviews

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wee story that had plenty of punch and hook.
The story starts straight into the thick of a scene that hooks you in and does not let go, the story just grabs you by the jugular up north into the grittiness of the Scottish lands. Sharp dialogue with visceral prose that serves up a delightful guilty pulp pleasure. The author does well in keeping it old school in style straight to crux of the story carving scenes in your thoughts.
An author to add a group of writers i am learning of, whom i would say come from a stable schooled in noir/pulp/grit writing.

His story goes from one funny scene
"He ran for the fire doors at the end of the corridor with all the grace of a drunken woman in a pencil skirt and stilettos rushing for the last bus home"

To a more serious one

"Jimmy understood what was about to happen.
His dads draggings were legendary on the street. Had a nostalgia to them that gave Jimmy a warm glow when they were spoken of. A sense of pride."

Also here http://more2read.com/review/smoke-by-nigel-bird/

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set amongst poverty and upper class loathing, the residents of Tranent ooze realism and conform to the welfare support typecast to perfection. The gritty and densely enraged streets of Tranent are defined to a point that they could easily assume any local neighbourhood or neighbouring 'hood. The inhabitants made real by Birds' exceptionally well structured POV split scenes which draw different aspects together to form a single picture of a landscape in deep decay. So hard are the lives of Jimmy (a good hearted teen with a target on his back), Kylie (teen mother), Carlos (wheelchair bound amputee), and the Ramsay brothers (local thugs) that the notion of a greener pasture is lulled by a grey reality where illegally obtained funds are the only method to rid themselves of poverty stricken madness.

Central to 'Smoke' is the underlying theme of retribution and payback - Jimmy is the perfect unassuming victimised youth prone to being bullied yet determined enough to lie in wait and strike when the opportune moment presents. Unfortunately, vindication is not without consequence as Jimmy soon learns with each cause generating a ripple effect sure to draw blood and terrorise the folk of Tranent.

'Smoke' is a slick, well defined deft tale which embodies the darker side of every day life where those living in western impoverished suburban settings battle daily to break bread and necks alike to maintain.

One cant help but draw comparisons to Ray Banks (Gun) and Alan Guthrie (Savage Night) - 'Smoke' is in league with some talented company - 4 stars

[Giovanni Gelati · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have come to really enjoy the British fiction I have been finding lately. It goes deeper than just my love for Monty Python; it is the way the authors write about life, the manner in which they embrace the struggles, the toughness they exude, and the rawness of their emotions. I find that missing in much of what I read that is produced here in the good old US of A. I know it is there also but the style seems to be, to just gloss over it. The writing I have found of some of Bird’s contemporaries: Paul D.Brazill, Darren Sant, Luca Veste, Jochem Vandersteen, and Mark Cooper to a name a few (I could go on if you want), go so much further in pulling that out and making it a main element in the story, to focus on it more and to make it so much more tangible. The violence then becomes much more of a tool and device in their hands for me at that point .It is not senseless, but sensible. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy more explosions, more car chases, more of any of that type of stuff in general, but why is it there. Nigel Bird makes it part of the rhythm of the story, it flows, and it’s smooth. I hope to get more to read of Nigel Bird; I enjoy the honesty in his writing. That for me was well worth the time and money.
Here is the synopsis:
“People from Tranent aren’t called ‘the Belters’ for nothing. It didn’t take Carlo Salvino long to find that out the first time around and, now he’s out of the hospital, he’s all set for revenge.
The Ramsay brothers, on the other hand, are keen to rise up in the world and get the hell out of town. They gather all their hopes in the one basket, ‘The Scottish Open’ dog-fighting tournament. In Leo they have the dog to win it, now all they need is a fair wind.
The Hooks, well they’re just a maladjusted family caught up in the middle of it all.
A tale of justice, injustice and misunderstanding, ‘Smoke’ takes us along for a ride with the characters introduced in ‘An Arm And A Leg’ (first published by ‘Crimespree Magazine’ and later in ‘The Mammoth Best British Crime Stories 8’). Belts on and hold on to those hats.”
About The Author
Nigel Bird has released two collections of short crime fiction, the critically acclaimed ‘Dirty Old Town (and other stories)’ and ‘Beat On The Brat (and other stories)’.
His work has appeared in the anthologies ‘Speedloader’ and ‘The Mammoth Book Of Best British Crime Stories 8’ and will soon appear in the collection ‘Grim Tales’ to be published by Untreed Reads.
His story ‘Beat On The Brat’ was the winner of the Watery Grave Invitational Contest in 2010 and was also nominated for the Spinetingler Awards in the Best Online Story earlier this year.
He is also the co-editor, along with Chris Rhatigan, of the outstanding collection ‘Pulp Ink’.
His blog can be found at http://nigelpbird.blogspot.com where he runs the series ‘Dancing With Myself’.

[Fiona Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this is how it went for me last night. I went to bed thinking I'd make a start on Nigel Bird's brand new novella SMOKE and then hopefully manage to get some sleep in. Two hours later I was still reading. Feeling guilty that it was 3am I turned off the light, only to switch it back on at 4.30am to finish reading this superb tale about the high jinx that two young lads get up to in Tranent.

Today will probably call for a sneaky nap at some point but do you know, this story is well worth losing sleep over . What an excellent storyteller Bird is in this tale of love and revenge.

The story alternates between its two main characters, Jimmy and Carlos. Jimmy is still at school, theoretically, but is one of those lads who has fallen through the cracks in the system and is more likely to be seen pounding the streets of his local community begging smokes or getting blitzed out of his head with his mates.

Carlos has a swanky new motorised wheelchair, top notch, and was Jimmy's sister's boyfriend before somebody tied him to a railway line and he lost an arm and a leg. After a long period of therapy he's back on the local scene and hopes that Kylie will take him back and will allow him access to their young son. Problems start when Kylie declares that the child isn't his.........

If you want to know what else happens, go read it for yourself and plenty does happen involving fighting dogs, a Ford Capri and a steam iron.

If you want to understand what is happening in contemporary society in Scotland then Bird is handing it to you here on a plate; kids who have been failed by the education system, poor housing, poor employment and training opportunities, teenage pregnancies, alcohol and drug misuse and a criminal sub culture. Sounds bleak but for many youngsters growing up today, this is their reality and Bird moves into this world with such ease and makes these characters real instead of government statistics.

There's lots of humour too. I loved the idea of Jimmy's trousers being flown over the school instead of one of those awful eco flags.

Mostly Bird writes about how people care for each other; Jimmy's tenderness with his little nephew, his pride in his father, his love for his sister and even in the middle of a cesspool of aggression and violence Bird shows the love Mickey has for Leo, his dog.

If you haven't used that little clicky finger today yet then go use it now, this is a truly great piece of writing with characters that will live long in your mind. I really hope to find out what adventure Jimmy has next. How about it Nigel?

[Darren Sant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I first read Dirty Old Town by Nigel I have been a fan of his short stories. The collection which followed it Beat On The Brat only reinforced this feeling. When I heard that Nigel had a novella out I was excited at the prospect of reading it. I wanted to see how Nigel would handle longer fiction and he didn’t disappoint me.
Bird brings us a unique flavour in the setting of the town of Tranent. Like most writers of his considerable talent you can’t quite put your finger on the singular thing that makes his writing unique. Smoke is Brit Grit at its very finest. Think in terms of Layer Cake or Snatch.

The story starts with Jimmy being humiliated at school and vowing revenge against his nemesis Sean Mulligan. Things go downhill for Jimmy very quickly from there. This is also the story of Carlo who we first saw in Nigel’s story An Arm And A Leg which appeared in The Mammoth Book Of Best British Crime 8.

The story is set in the middle of a huge dog fighting tournament and one or two scenes excellently convey the brutality of this horrendous pastime. I won’t grace it with the word sport. Nigel’s writing often deals dark settings and damaged characters and this is particularly true for Smoke. The two main characters in Smoke are physically damaged in different ways. However, don’t let this put you off, always with Nigel’s fantastic writing there is humour and a nugget of hope. There is always a shot at redemption for these characters. The story is left open and we could possibly see the return of one of the characters in the future. I do hope so it would be great to see the setting of Tranent again.

I started off as a fan of Nigel Bird’s and my admiration for his work has only increased with the addition of Smoke to his portfolio.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

grim

this story was fast paced and full of action exposing the unseemly lives of council estate thugs, their dogs, and others who are unfortunate enough to get caught up in it all.

[Alceste · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book today. There is no doubt that it is a hard read if you’re a sensitive person. I mean to say it features Scottish gangland brutality, often to the young or to women, and there are scenes of dog-fighting. It’s not a fun read. However, it depends on what you want from your reading. It was quite a new way of fiction for me. This book was no delight for me, but it might turn out for you. I have not experienced with the author’s other works and I feel reluctant to judge him by this novella. I won’t be spoiler as it’s a short read. I would still recommend this in case you’re interested in enjoying some new author or in reading this specific genre, please go ahead and give it a try.

[Sabrina Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many people, the way they are raised influences their entire life for the good or the bad. Due to their upbringing, some never see the good that is hidden among the rotten filth that lies before them. And for others, even when they do see the good, they don't know how to leave their existing lifestyles behind to obtain it.

Which brings us to Smoke by Nigel Bird.

At the beginning of Smoke by Nigel Bird, we read about a young man named Jimmy being humiliated at school by a boy named Sean Mulligan. Jimmy's been stripped down to his privates in front of a group of other kids, left to run home in the buff, and then forced to go back the next day only to find his trousers flying from the flag pole. Jimmy seeks revenge, but things don't go as planned... and I think Jimmy even develops a little sympathy for the bully and his living conditions in the process. Eventually, Jimmy drops out of school, is attacked by a dog, and spends the rest of his life with half of his face hidden behind a mask.

And then there's Carlo. He's obviously a guy with a troubled past... an odd past that left him tied to a railroad track and wheeling around the city in his wheelchair. Carlo happens to be in love with Jimmy's sister, Kylie. Apparently they were a thing before the railroad "incident," and now, Carlo has returned to his old stomping grounds with hopes of reclaiming his relationship with Kylie and making a happy family unit with their son. But, things don't go exactly as planned for Carlo when he finds out that Kylie is still in a relationship with another man, and... he's not the father of her son.

Smoke is an incredible journey through a small block of time being told through the eyes of two unfortunate victims. The lives of Jimmy and Carlo are, unfortunately, woven together through a series of separate events all connected to the same worthless group of people, the Ramsey's. The Ramsey's are two brothers making their wealth by swindling people and setting up big wins in a dog fighting ring. While Kris Ramsey is the meanest of the two, it would be wrong to not let his brother take any blame for past deeds just because he's capable of showing a little emotion at the right time. They're a ruthless twosome connected to an even more sinister group of thugs.

But there's a light at the end of this journey through time. A very small light. When Jimmy gets wind of some information on the Ramsey's money, he sets up a plan that seems rather foolproof in its simplicity. But, again, things don't go as planned for Jimmy and his decisions end up harming those closest to him. Oddly, those same decisions that cause harm, help restore broken spirits and relationships, and they also help Jimmy see what he needs to do to escape the life he's been living.

I think what I loved the most about Smoke, was the author's ability to make me care for all the characters in the story. From Sean Mulligan and his bullying ways to the Ramsey boys endangering the lives of animal for sport, I found myself caring about all of them.

Smoke is a story about drug abuse, alcoholism, gambling addictions, children being failed by the school system, careless love, revenge, and a desire for new beginnings. And it's also a story laced with sorrow, disgust, humor, love, and hope.

Yeah, Smoke by Nigel Bird, is everything a good story should be.

[Les Edgerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delight Nigel Bird’s novel, Smoke was to read! Not simply because it was a crackling good story, wondrously told (which it is), but it was simply refreshing since it began with the depantsing of a young boy and then centered around a dog fight. In these days in this country (U.S.) of rampant Political Correctness gone absolutely amuck and insane—when great books such as Huckleberry Finn are sanitized to suck the very marrow out of their brilliance to satisfy some politicized bullshit group or other who aren’t satisfied to run just their lives or thoughts but want to control the rest of us, refreshing is precisely the word to describe work like Bird’s. With groups of grim-faced citizens who appear to have sphincteritis extremis along with a secret handshake and generous funding for television ads seeking to control the rest of us—it seems to be up to the Brits to show us what this freedom of speech thing that we read about in history books is all about.

Personally, I like dogs. I find most breeds to be fine eating, and, if harvested at younger ages, approaching gourmet status, particularly when sage is used judiciously and not overmuch.

This is a great piece of fiction that shows us a world many aren’t exposed to—that’s a value in itself—but more, it shows how young boys are shaped by the cruelty visited upon them. Now that is valuable. If Jimmy hadn’t been depantsed, if he hadn’t grown up in a world of gamblers and dog fights and people rendered cruel and hard by their circumstances, if he had instead received that moronic version of family life ala the Beave and his kin, then he might have turned out to be a nice man, living in the suburbs, fussing over his lawn, and looking forward to each day selling life insurance and playing golf on the weekends and wondering if his medical insurance will buy his Viagra. But, he didn’t, and neither do millions of other young boys. And, it’s a good thing when a novelist shows us these worlds we perhaps aren’t exposed to. It’s a good thing to see how life smacks down people and shapes them in ways that aren’t good. How else would we know? And if we don’t know, how can we ever hope to change lives and conditions of living?

From billboards and bumper stickers?

Get this novel. It’s the real deal.

[Ian Ayris · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Smoke' is the first novella from the pen of the accomplished, Nigel Bird - critically acclaimed short-story writer extraordinaire, and proper nice bloke to boot.

Being familiar with Nigel's bitter-sweet short-stories, I was fascinated to see how trying his hand at a longer piece would turn out. This novella is a little different from many of Nigel's aforementioned short-stories in that the writing voice is unashamedly Scottish. And brilliantly so. I think of all the UK short-story writers plying their trade at the moment, along with the inimitable Mr Paul D. Brazill, Nigel is the one writer that has most successfully found a voice for the US market. That being so, I loved the fact he's returned to his Scottish roots for 'Smoke'.

'Smoke' centres around a lad called Jimmy. Not a bad lad, but a lad who gets into the odd scrape every now and then. In 'Smoke', one of these particular scrapes involves the psychotic Ramsay Brothers and their incredibly vicious, and incredibly well-written, dog-fighting competition, and also a one-armed, one-legged bloke in a motorised wheelchair, called Carlos. The bloke is called Carlos, I hasten to add, not the wheelchair.

Carlos is the other central character - along with Jimmy - and provides the comic edge to what is a primarily gritty story.

The pace of 'Smoke' is first class, whizzing along like Carlos involuntarily descending a hill into traffic - a terrific scene in the book - and a definition of noir itself. The characters in 'Smoke' are well-rounded, the dialogue top drawer, the ending a satisfying conclusion to a cracking tale.

[Warren Stalley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first came across the author Nigel Bird in the eBook anthology True Brit Grit. Being curious I decided to investigate more of his work. Smoke is a novella sized sequel to the classic short story An Arm and A Leg (as featured in the Mammoth Book of Best British Crime volume 8). Narrated from twin points of view it tells the story of Carlos Salvino and Jimmy Hook. Both of them looking to get revenge on the brutal Ramsay brothers, whose hobbies include dog fighting, torture and mutilation. After events in the previous story Carlos is now confined to a motorised wheelchair while Jimmy is the younger brother of Kylie (the love interest in An Arm and A Leg). Set once again in the bleak Scottish town of Tranent, Smoke is a fast paced, gripping piece of crime fiction full of strong imagery and cold violence. This is tough crime fiction that's not to be missed. Enjoy.

[Gareth Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nigel Bird has released two very, very good short story collections recently so I was interested to see what he could do in a slightly longer form. Superbly it turns out.

Smoke is another story that centres around revenge - everyone is out for themselves with no prisoners taken as grudges & bad decisions collide. He weaves the characters storylines together brilliantly & will have you rooting for people that you may possibly cross the road to avoid. Jimmy & Carlos are central here but are bouyed by a cast of well drawn supporting characters. Has that special something that just works & is a great showcase to this writers talent. Look forward to seeing what Mr Bird can do with a full length novel. Enjoy

[Aman Mittal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book today. There is no doubt that it is a hard read if you’re a sensitive person. I mean to say it features Scottish gangland brutality, often to the young or to women, and there are scenes of dog-fighting. It’s not a fun read. However, it depends on what you want from your reading. It was quite a new way of fiction for me. This book was no delight for me, but it might turn out for you. I have not experienced with the author’s other works and I feel reluctant to judge him by this novella. I won’t be spoiler as it’s a short read. I would still recommend this in case you’re interested in enjoying some new author or in reading this specific genre, please go ahead and give it a try.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no doubt that this is a hard read if you're a sensitive person. It features Scottish gangland brutality, often to the young or to women, and there are two scenes of dog-fighting. It's not a fun read. However, it depends on what you want from your reading. This novella pulls no punches on the realism and sadly, people do live like this. I wouldn't read this for an escapist romp but I have to say it's really well written and horribly compulsive reading. It has a 'watching a train-crash' magnetism about it.

If you want to read about this subject you'd be hard pressed to find it better written.

[Seana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book today. I had already read the short story "An Arm and a Leg" in The Mammoth Book of British Crime, but didn't identify Carlo of this novel as the protagonist of that story until after.

I don't know quite how I've migrated from the realm of the British cozy to the dark doings of Tranent, but I think Nigel Bird is really mining his material here-- a dark world of small time gangsters, casual cruelty in school, and brutal dog fighting--for all it's worth. I'd like to see all the Tranent tales collected in one place at some point.

[Matt Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

It takes courage to write a book true-to-working-class life. It takes balls, in fact. This novella takes us into the grit and truth of contemporary Scottish life. I don't want to give away the plot... Just know this is crime/thriller fiction at its finest and most truthful.

Gritty, working-class fiction from a hell of a writer.

[Glen Batchelor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Nigel Bird for another great read. Looking forward to more. What else can I say?