Hammered: When it goes down, you'd better be ready!

by Andy Rivers

A British Crime Thriller.

After Billy Reeves had survived a poverty ridden and violent childhood on a council estate in Newcastle he thought he had it all; a loving family, money and respect but a face from the past with a point to prove and muscles to flex is out to bring his world crashing down on him.

He turns down an offer of a job with Tyneside’s most paranoid and psychotic gang lord and is faced with bent police, a corrupt judge, an army of bouncers and the knowledge that if he makes one wrong move in this game of cat and mouse his family will end up imprisoned, abused or worse.

Billy is going to have to work very hard just to keep everyone he cares about alive and that means the gloves are coming off...

From The Publisher:

Andy Rivers has crafted a Machiavellian tale of council estate politicking amongst the sex, drugs, good guys and thugs of the Tyneside underworld. This crime thriller is written in an, almost unique, multiple first person point of view and will entertain and appal you in equal measure. We think it's a corker and hope you do too.

Genres: Thriller

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2010

About the author

I've been a Butlins barman, pretend carpenter on a Spanish construction site, coach holiday rep, mobile sandwich salesman and outdoor traffic cone washer to name but a few of my eclectic 'career' choices. Whilst I always had a desire to be a writer the neccessity of earning beer tokens on a regular basis, as well as the nagging little voice in my head that proclaimed that 'people like us don't do things like that', distracted me from this aim. However, the death of a close friend at a young age, combined with the soul-destroying office politics of the middle-management tier in the logistics industry I had somehow blagged my way into, sent me frantically scrabbling for my pen again.

To date, I've had four books published (see the 'Books' tab) and written countless articles for fanzines and online mags. I've had short stories published in the mighty 'Radgepacket' collections (Byker Books) and various other places and have provided a number of excerpts from my stuff for other author/publisher collections.

Originally from the East End of Newcastle I currently live in Oxfordshire where, as well as following Newcastle United around the country and being disapppointed, I pass the time by indulging in my passion for dossing about. Luckily this fits the writers profile extremely well...

I'm currently unrepresented but will be seeking to rectify that soon as I have a number of ideas and projects in the pipeline that'll take the world by storm...honest!

Feel free to email me at rivs@andyrivers.co.uk, leave comments on my website, check out my facebook page and say hello or even follow me on twitter - I'll follow you back man!

Cheers

Andy

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is set in Byker which is in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It is a gritty tale about the gangland scene in the area and what happens when you get someone who wants to be top dog but you know that that just isn't going to happen. There is a bit of a power struggle and matters come to a head in spectacular style.
I think that this book was really well written and captured the north eastern humour and character perfectly. It was nice to read a book that wasn't based in London or Manchester but featured places I have actually been to. (I am from the north east too). It's true that the book does contain violence and some rather "fruity" (bad) language but I found that this did not put me off reading the book. This book drew me in and I managed to read it in a day as I found that it was a book that I couldn't put down. I would certainly read other books by the same author and in fact I am currently reading the sequel to this book (called "Special").

[Darren Sant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly enjoyable read. Andy Rivers writes in a style reminiscent of Irvine Welsh. He pulls no punches with Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. He does for the North East what Welsh did for the Scots and writes convincingly in the language of the region. This adds to the credibility of the characters and you don’t have to be a local to understand it.

If you fancy reading a cracking crime caper then you could do a heck of a lot worse than this novel. The geordie equivalent to Lock, Stock and Two smoking barrels.

[Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression of this book when I saw the title and cover was...in all honesty.."meh". I am definitely the type of person who gets drawn in by a title/cover. However, I am glad that it did not put me off as this book was great!!

It has a "Trainspotting" feel throughout the book and by that I mean it is written from all the characters different perspectives and it is cleverly done. You do not get confused or lost in the story at all. And had it been written straightforward, without each characters version, I am not sure it would have the same feel to it.

And I must say...you can tell this is based in Newcastle for sure...by the end of the book I think I even had a bit of a Geordie accent...ok, not really, but I liked it. Made the characters more real and alive.

I truly enjoyed the characters in this book. Vince Merry, Carlos, Billy, Clarty (sort of lol) Spanish...to name a few...and of course Judge Maxwell...well there is a twist in itself!! The storyline had me hooked and there were twists throughout the book which kept me interested.

I will say though, as a Senior Probation Officer I got slightly miffed at the comments about Terry's Probation Officer...I eventually settled down somewhat and realised the author obviously did a good job as my emotions were certainly fuelled...and by the way...you should hear what what say amongst ourselves vs what we have to write in out notes Mr Rivers ...ha ha ha

This is a fabulous book...gritty, on-the-edge, full of suspense and a definite must read. I am certainly keeping my eye out for this author in the future.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. It was gritty and witty. The characters were larger than life yet realistic and believable. I thought it would be a bit discombobulated (been dying for the opportunity to use that word) as it's told from the perspective of many narrators yet it was seemless. I loved the
OAP-feeding bakery as a mask for dodgy dealings. I wanted to marry Billy and I despised that twat, Merry. The novel did however incite me to violence. I wanted to bite off Merry's nose and spit it back at him and I'm usually such a peace loving, pussy stroking individual. (Actually that's a lie: I don't stroke cats; I'm allergic.)Well done, Andy Rivers. You're a genie's Arse. Obviously that's Bishop speak for genius.:)

[Andrew Mitchell]

Annoyingly good!!!!

[Joyce Lockamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had me right up to the end

Great storyline, I’m just too OCD to deal with the writing style. The lack of punctuation is difficult for me to deal with regardless of the reason for it.

[Sherry E. Wainwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense, fast, and gritty life,as lived by a group of ageing boys.

I became envolved with their lives. Watching them grow and mature alongside of their reputations. And I was so very relieved and happy that most of the guys made it to the end so I could relax and try to get on with my life. Very entertaining and thought provoking.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by Andy Rivers presents characters that you get to know and understand. The plot is pretty realistic and believable. It is set in New England which is a little different. It was a good rad.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley,Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" and "To Whom It May Concern"

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't completely my sort of book but it was a well written, character driven story set in the northeast.