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The King of Sunday Morning
The King of Sunday Morning is a geezer. Not in the traditional sense of the word as in old man. This geezer is a face, a wannabe, a top notch bloke. He is the greatest DJ that never was. He should have been. Could have been. Would have been. Now becoming a has-been….
Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.
But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.
Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.
“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”
Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.
But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.
Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.
“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2013
4 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
J.B. McCauley
1 book58 followersJ B McCauley is an English born Australian author.
Born in the heart of Essex County U.K., he is a retired Music Journalist/Reporter and House DJ. He has performed as a DJ accross 5 continents and has also been a very popular radio presenter.
The King of Sunday Morning is his fictional account of one man's journey through the criminal underworld set against the backdrop of the early dance music scene. Although taking place in an extremely toxic environment, The King of Sunday Morning is a tale of enduring mateship and love, a bond that runs deep through the Australian psyche.
His writing style is modern, containing liberal use of the colourful side of the English language but within which, is contained a sensitivity which belies the situation in which it sits.
"I do not write to become rich. I write to enrich. If I can achieve that then I will be a happy man."
J B McCauley lives not so quietly on the New South Wales South Coast. He broadcasts an extremely popular Podcast on the web under the title of The King of Sunday Morning and counts amongst some of his friends and peers some of the world's most famous DJs.
Born in the heart of Essex County U.K., he is a retired Music Journalist/Reporter and House DJ. He has performed as a DJ accross 5 continents and has also been a very popular radio presenter.
The King of Sunday Morning is his fictional account of one man's journey through the criminal underworld set against the backdrop of the early dance music scene. Although taking place in an extremely toxic environment, The King of Sunday Morning is a tale of enduring mateship and love, a bond that runs deep through the Australian psyche.
His writing style is modern, containing liberal use of the colourful side of the English language but within which, is contained a sensitivity which belies the situation in which it sits.
"I do not write to become rich. I write to enrich. If I can achieve that then I will be a happy man."
J B McCauley lives not so quietly on the New South Wales South Coast. He broadcasts an extremely popular Podcast on the web under the title of The King of Sunday Morning and counts amongst some of his friends and peers some of the world's most famous DJs.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 2, 2013
This is a story of brothers, family, drugs, music and love!
Tray is man who parties hard. His life is made of sex (not suitable for young readers) drugs and alcohol.
But he does this on the run since he would be dead if he is found.
A stoke of luck brings him love. His easy going genuine caring personality brings him loyal friends. Who knew these good things could lead to murder and an international drug war....?
It is when Tray's family teams up with his friends in an attempt to save his live or avenge his death that "the Heat is on". The book is filled with musical references and also set within large historical events to keep the reader grounded!
The sex is explicit but not sexy. The swearing is scene appropriate but may be construed as being excessive. The story is gripping. Action packed and the moral is plain! Live your passion! It might save your life!
WaAr!
Tray is man who parties hard. His life is made of sex (not suitable for young readers) drugs and alcohol.
But he does this on the run since he would be dead if he is found.
A stoke of luck brings him love. His easy going genuine caring personality brings him loyal friends. Who knew these good things could lead to murder and an international drug war....?
It is when Tray's family teams up with his friends in an attempt to save his live or avenge his death that "the Heat is on". The book is filled with musical references and also set within large historical events to keep the reader grounded!
The sex is explicit but not sexy. The swearing is scene appropriate but may be construed as being excessive. The story is gripping. Action packed and the moral is plain! Live your passion! It might save your life!
WaAr!
June 8, 2013
"The King of Sunday Morning" by J.B. McCauley is the story of Tray MacCarthy, a man born into a world of drug related crime in London. McCauley draws us right into the story by short snippets of narrative jumping back and forth in time to relate to us the man and boy behind the man, the predicaments he finds himself in and the world of illicit dealings and privileged upbringing that he is born into.
He chooses his alliances and friends, turns down some safe jobs and makes deals of his own but not all of his decisions pay off. He goes behind his father's back, turns down jobs, becomes a foreign exchange dealer by day and a DJ by night, snitches on a guy and makes some more mistakes.
His father can help him out with some of his problems, but not with others.
The story spans several decades and uses some major events, like the release of Nelson Mandela, 9/11 and references to the Kray brothers, which helps to place the book into the right context.
I found the beginning a little confusing but persisting paid off as the picture of how the life of Tray could be imagined gradually comes together very well like a jigsaw.
Tray has to leave Europe and flees to Australia where he hooks up with Lizzie, but his past catches up with him and the story moves into some kind of gang war to save Tray.
Thrown into the story are some more love interests of Tray, in particular Jo, the one who got away.
The book is full of musical references and quotes from song lyrics - after all, Tray is a well respected DJ and a hedonistic party animal. The inclusion of lyrics is one of many ways in which the author creates a slight distance to the story and something that I read as a slight ironic and humorous edge to the story telling, that isn't purely mindless action-packed suspense but also not intended as a moralistic tale. The book seems however to hold family values and some code of honour dear to its heart, which helped me in particular to enjoy the characters as they swayed between good and bad. To me it showed that killers can be humans and humans can be killers, opportunities can lead to disaster, a picture of the world as it is - more or less.
The book is a great gripping read with lots of action and huge entertainment value with a hint of introspection and reflection and often raw in its honesty. Reading it has been quite emotional but also rewarding.
He chooses his alliances and friends, turns down some safe jobs and makes deals of his own but not all of his decisions pay off. He goes behind his father's back, turns down jobs, becomes a foreign exchange dealer by day and a DJ by night, snitches on a guy and makes some more mistakes.
His father can help him out with some of his problems, but not with others.
The story spans several decades and uses some major events, like the release of Nelson Mandela, 9/11 and references to the Kray brothers, which helps to place the book into the right context.
I found the beginning a little confusing but persisting paid off as the picture of how the life of Tray could be imagined gradually comes together very well like a jigsaw.
Tray has to leave Europe and flees to Australia where he hooks up with Lizzie, but his past catches up with him and the story moves into some kind of gang war to save Tray.
Thrown into the story are some more love interests of Tray, in particular Jo, the one who got away.
The book is full of musical references and quotes from song lyrics - after all, Tray is a well respected DJ and a hedonistic party animal. The inclusion of lyrics is one of many ways in which the author creates a slight distance to the story and something that I read as a slight ironic and humorous edge to the story telling, that isn't purely mindless action-packed suspense but also not intended as a moralistic tale. The book seems however to hold family values and some code of honour dear to its heart, which helped me in particular to enjoy the characters as they swayed between good and bad. To me it showed that killers can be humans and humans can be killers, opportunities can lead to disaster, a picture of the world as it is - more or less.
The book is a great gripping read with lots of action and huge entertainment value with a hint of introspection and reflection and often raw in its honesty. Reading it has been quite emotional but also rewarding.
October 5, 2013
I went into this read thinking it would have the flavor of both Sexy Beast and Essex Boys, two British films that I adored that are heavy on drugs trade, gangs and the underbelly of society. While it took a while for the story to gain traction for me, I did discover a sense of those films, but with characters that had well-developed stories and actual reasons, although difficult to empathize with the path chosen, for their involvement in the trade.
The narrative jumps in time and place, making it a bit more difficult to follow, but taking the time to let each scene fix into your head does make some peculiar sense, the story fills out in bits, much like putting together a puzzle piece. Tray is the main character: a charmer and a bit of an impulsive guy, without a truly mean bone, his lack of foresight often leads him into trouble: the most recent being his involvement in the drugs trade, and his need to hide from those who want him. Throughout the story we are introduced to several players in the game, from high level to low, with several surprising moments of levity and humor that ease the tension and darkness of the plot.
The one overwhelming positive is that Tray has friends and family who are both loyal and determined to save him from those who wish him ill and it is these friends and family who are the genesis for the action. This is a book that is not for the faint of heart: with sex that is more perfunctory than sexy, language, drugs and violence it is not a happy fun read. What emerges is a book that is difficult to put down, with a character to enjoy in Tray. Multiple secondary characters and settings take the reader out of London on a fast paced world tour with drug mavens, incorporating actual events and a sense of reality to the story while the action keeps you turning pages.
I received an eBook from the author for purpose of honest review for Masquerade Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
The narrative jumps in time and place, making it a bit more difficult to follow, but taking the time to let each scene fix into your head does make some peculiar sense, the story fills out in bits, much like putting together a puzzle piece. Tray is the main character: a charmer and a bit of an impulsive guy, without a truly mean bone, his lack of foresight often leads him into trouble: the most recent being his involvement in the drugs trade, and his need to hide from those who want him. Throughout the story we are introduced to several players in the game, from high level to low, with several surprising moments of levity and humor that ease the tension and darkness of the plot.
The one overwhelming positive is that Tray has friends and family who are both loyal and determined to save him from those who wish him ill and it is these friends and family who are the genesis for the action. This is a book that is not for the faint of heart: with sex that is more perfunctory than sexy, language, drugs and violence it is not a happy fun read. What emerges is a book that is difficult to put down, with a character to enjoy in Tray. Multiple secondary characters and settings take the reader out of London on a fast paced world tour with drug mavens, incorporating actual events and a sense of reality to the story while the action keeps you turning pages.
I received an eBook from the author for purpose of honest review for Masquerade Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
August 9, 2013
I have to admit to a slight bias. I mean when a fellow Tottenham Hotspur supporter writes a book a certain loyalty is expected. In this case however solidarity is irrelevant, the book is great full stop.
As I was reading, I was reminded not so much of the recent 'wide boy' films such as Snatch or Layer Cake. For me this book because of the depth of the characterisation evoked rather the great TV series such as Fox or Widows with a little bit of the "leave it out Arthur" humour of Minder.
In that regard it would be good to see the author develop some of the back story of Jim in another book. I also think it would be great to see further books on the women in Tray's life, old and young.
As I was reading, I was reminded not so much of the recent 'wide boy' films such as Snatch or Layer Cake. For me this book because of the depth of the characterisation evoked rather the great TV series such as Fox or Widows with a little bit of the "leave it out Arthur" humour of Minder.
In that regard it would be good to see the author develop some of the back story of Jim in another book. I also think it would be great to see further books on the women in Tray's life, old and young.
October 7, 2013
The King of Sunday Morning by JB McCauley
Print Length: 417 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0987528009
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Warning~~~
THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, FREQUENT DRUG USE AND SEX SCENES - NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE
My Review~
I received this book in exchange for a honest unbiased review from Promotional Book Tour Group. This is a gripping spell ride of action, suspense, and intrigue! This book is a fast paced read that keeps you gasping for breathe trying to catch up. I had a little problem with the beginning of the book from being bouncy? But after you get past the beginning few chapters you better hold on tight to something because you are going on a violent thriller of a journey through drugs, cartels, alcohol, and criminals. This book would be a great movie if made one but it would be rated R. This author has done a marvelous job at writing this great read. It was very intriguing and an intense read for me, however, I highly enjoyed it. Great characters and great writing style. This was the first book I read and hope to see more great things from this author.
Amazon Book Description~~
The King of Sunday Morning is a geezer. Not in the traditional sense of the word as in old man. This geezer is a face, a wannabe, a top notch bloke. He is the greatest DJ that never was. He should have been. Could have been. Would have been. Now becoming a has-been.
Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.
But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.
Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.
“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”
Print Length: 417 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0987528009
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Warning~~~
THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE, FREQUENT DRUG USE AND SEX SCENES - NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE
My Review~
I received this book in exchange for a honest unbiased review from Promotional Book Tour Group. This is a gripping spell ride of action, suspense, and intrigue! This book is a fast paced read that keeps you gasping for breathe trying to catch up. I had a little problem with the beginning of the book from being bouncy? But after you get past the beginning few chapters you better hold on tight to something because you are going on a violent thriller of a journey through drugs, cartels, alcohol, and criminals. This book would be a great movie if made one but it would be rated R. This author has done a marvelous job at writing this great read. It was very intriguing and an intense read for me, however, I highly enjoyed it. Great characters and great writing style. This was the first book I read and hope to see more great things from this author.
Amazon Book Description~~
The King of Sunday Morning is a geezer. Not in the traditional sense of the word as in old man. This geezer is a face, a wannabe, a top notch bloke. He is the greatest DJ that never was. He should have been. Could have been. Would have been. Now becoming a has-been.
Tray McCarthy was born into privilege but with the genetic coding of London’s violent East End. Having broken the underworld’s sacred honour code, it is only his family’s gangland connections that save him. But in return for his life, he must deny that which he has ever known or ever will be and runs to Australia where he is forced to live an inconsequential life.
But trouble never strays far from Tray McCarthy and eventually his past and present collide to put everyone he has ever loved in danger. He must now make a stand and fight against those that are set to destroy him and play their game according to his rules.
Set against the subterfuge and violence of the international drugs trade, The King of Sunday Morning is the tale of what can go wrong when you make bad decisions. Tray McCarthy has made some of the worst. He must now save those he holds dear but in the process gets trapped deeper and deeper into a world where he doesn’t belong.
“I want three pump-action shotguns, about twelve sticks of dynamite and a blowtorch”
October 14, 2013
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange of my honest opinion. I do not profit or benefit from this in any way.
Tray McCarthy dreams of opening his dream club "Private rooms, a laser light show to die for. House music made by angels. So many beautiful women that it would hurt the eyes. On the beach with access to the sea. A swimming pool, a pool bar. Open-air terrace, music under the stars." He longs to have a piece of the action, but as fate would have it, he can't. Then Trey witnesses a rival drug dealer, Rodger, murder in another person and Trey makes a life changing (and a greedy) decision. He decides to snitch on Roger (who just so happens to be the brother of a very big drug lord) in hopes of taking over Roger's territory. Big mistake. When Roger gets murdered in prison, his brother the drug lord will stop at nothing to kill Trey and his brother Sam. An eye for an eye. Trays dad, Jimmy-aka LONDON MAC, also happens to be have great connections in the deep underground is unable to get the drug lord to back down. So the only thing "The Family" can do is to send Sam and Trey into hiding for years. Trey has to leave behind everything he knows and loves including the love of his life (who also happens to be from a Rival mob family).
Tray's story takes place over many years. It bounces back-and-forth from decade to decade without being too confusing. It gives you perspective on every character without losing the main plot and every chapter gave you a little bit more of a bigger piece of the story. I loved the whole backstory of mobster family and reading about their past and how they became involved in this whole mess. The plot was very well thought out and was very unique and immersed me deep into Tray's world. The story really kept me interested because it was not like the typical story I'm used to reading. THE king of Sunday morning was a great read all 400 pages & I highly recommend this book
Tray McCarthy dreams of opening his dream club "Private rooms, a laser light show to die for. House music made by angels. So many beautiful women that it would hurt the eyes. On the beach with access to the sea. A swimming pool, a pool bar. Open-air terrace, music under the stars." He longs to have a piece of the action, but as fate would have it, he can't. Then Trey witnesses a rival drug dealer, Rodger, murder in another person and Trey makes a life changing (and a greedy) decision. He decides to snitch on Roger (who just so happens to be the brother of a very big drug lord) in hopes of taking over Roger's territory. Big mistake. When Roger gets murdered in prison, his brother the drug lord will stop at nothing to kill Trey and his brother Sam. An eye for an eye. Trays dad, Jimmy-aka LONDON MAC, also happens to be have great connections in the deep underground is unable to get the drug lord to back down. So the only thing "The Family" can do is to send Sam and Trey into hiding for years. Trey has to leave behind everything he knows and loves including the love of his life (who also happens to be from a Rival mob family).
Tray's story takes place over many years. It bounces back-and-forth from decade to decade without being too confusing. It gives you perspective on every character without losing the main plot and every chapter gave you a little bit more of a bigger piece of the story. I loved the whole backstory of mobster family and reading about their past and how they became involved in this whole mess. The plot was very well thought out and was very unique and immersed me deep into Tray's world. The story really kept me interested because it was not like the typical story I'm used to reading. THE king of Sunday morning was a great read all 400 pages & I highly recommend this book
October 4, 2013
What a ride! This book took me on quite an adventure. The beginning chapters were a little choppy to me but once I got to the story part, it was just one thing after another. And by the end, I seriously could not read FAST enough to see what was going to happen.
The main character is Tray who had been a rising DJ star when he had to go into hiding. He is a lovable character even with all his partying ways; charming to the nth degree. I loved him, he was just a fun loving guy with a big heart. The cast of characters in this story is a diverse bunch. You have the English contingency, a bit like mafia types. Then you have the Portuguese group, the Aussies, some Arabs and the Dutch. Even Fidel Castro makes an appearance. It takes you from England to Portugal to Australia to Columbia and finally to Brazil. Real life actual events are interspersed in there too.
Have to say Pedro was one of my favorite characters. His inability to swear correctly in English was very amusing. There are a couple of other funny parts as well, and I liked how the author lightened the mood a bit. Because it needed it, the subject matter is a bit dark. Drugs and violence are an integral part of this story.
In order to not give spoilers, all I will say is that I liked how it ended. This would make a great movie. Love a book that has a story, with suspense and adventure and I learned about a world I knew nothing about. I always say you learn something new every day and with this book, I can say I learned a lot of new things! This book had me on the edge of my seat and I recommend you strap in and enjoy this fabulous ride. The author has a gift for storytelling and putting you smack dab in the middle of the action.
I had a lovely Italian red wine while I read it and was briefly interrupted to eat a nice steak dinner. Which I quickly ate so I could get back to this book.
The main character is Tray who had been a rising DJ star when he had to go into hiding. He is a lovable character even with all his partying ways; charming to the nth degree. I loved him, he was just a fun loving guy with a big heart. The cast of characters in this story is a diverse bunch. You have the English contingency, a bit like mafia types. Then you have the Portuguese group, the Aussies, some Arabs and the Dutch. Even Fidel Castro makes an appearance. It takes you from England to Portugal to Australia to Columbia and finally to Brazil. Real life actual events are interspersed in there too.
Have to say Pedro was one of my favorite characters. His inability to swear correctly in English was very amusing. There are a couple of other funny parts as well, and I liked how the author lightened the mood a bit. Because it needed it, the subject matter is a bit dark. Drugs and violence are an integral part of this story.
In order to not give spoilers, all I will say is that I liked how it ended. This would make a great movie. Love a book that has a story, with suspense and adventure and I learned about a world I knew nothing about. I always say you learn something new every day and with this book, I can say I learned a lot of new things! This book had me on the edge of my seat and I recommend you strap in and enjoy this fabulous ride. The author has a gift for storytelling and putting you smack dab in the middle of the action.
I had a lovely Italian red wine while I read it and was briefly interrupted to eat a nice steak dinner. Which I quickly ate so I could get back to this book.
October 15, 2013
Tray MacCarthy is the main character that lives in London that at this time is drug filled. I will say that I would not recommend this book for anyone that is under 18. It has some illicit scenes that I just don't find suitable for a younger age group. The beginning was a little bit hard for me to get through simply because it jumped around so much from scene to scene. Once it got passed this point, I was able to get more into the narrative.
The main character makes some rash decisions that go right behind his father's back. He does not seem to want the safe road to travel down. He eventually becomes a dealer by day and then a disc jockey at night. He does make a lot of bad decisions that as a reader are hard to empathize with because of his trade of sorts. There are lots of references to life events in this story such as Mandela and the Kray Brothers. The author even brings up instances such as September 11th. The span of the story is over decades not just a few years so it may shock the reader a little bit that so much time frame is covered.
Tray eventually has to leave his home and head to Australia. This is where he meets Lizzie, but his passed life does not leave him alone and a war starts to brew. I liked that the author did not specifically focus on the drugs but also incorporated a love interest. The book shows that not every decision that we make in life is going to be a good one and that they come with harsh consequences. It really shed some light on eras that I was not familiar with at all but got to know. This was a good read for me and I was not let down. This book from me gets FOUR STARS simply because the beginning was hard for me to get into at first. Thanks so much for the author for giving me a glimpse into the life of Tray.
Disclosure: I was given an e-copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. All opinions are my own.
The main character makes some rash decisions that go right behind his father's back. He does not seem to want the safe road to travel down. He eventually becomes a dealer by day and then a disc jockey at night. He does make a lot of bad decisions that as a reader are hard to empathize with because of his trade of sorts. There are lots of references to life events in this story such as Mandela and the Kray Brothers. The author even brings up instances such as September 11th. The span of the story is over decades not just a few years so it may shock the reader a little bit that so much time frame is covered.
Tray eventually has to leave his home and head to Australia. This is where he meets Lizzie, but his passed life does not leave him alone and a war starts to brew. I liked that the author did not specifically focus on the drugs but also incorporated a love interest. The book shows that not every decision that we make in life is going to be a good one and that they come with harsh consequences. It really shed some light on eras that I was not familiar with at all but got to know. This was a good read for me and I was not let down. This book from me gets FOUR STARS simply because the beginning was hard for me to get into at first. Thanks so much for the author for giving me a glimpse into the life of Tray.
Disclosure: I was given an e-copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. All opinions are my own.
February 14, 2014
Some books are good and then others WOW you like never before, this book falls in the latter category. McCauley's writing style was able to capture every emotion from each character and left you feeling the same things they were feeling.
With every page turn, you inched closer to the conclusion, never giving up hope that Tray's life would take a turn for the better. Despite his weaknesses, Tray is a gripping personality likened to Nicholas Cage / John Travolta in Face Off.
McCauley offers detailed settings, descriptions of what is happening to the point of being harrowing and yet moving. I could hardly put this book down as the plot and strong characters came to life. I especially liked the dialogue and the snarky tone that some of the characters had like, "when you are Colombian you lose a lot of your family."
Despite getting a sometimes violent look at the darker side of humanity, this book took me in from the very first page. I highly recommend this book with as many stars as I can give it and I'll be looking out for more books by McCauley.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
With every page turn, you inched closer to the conclusion, never giving up hope that Tray's life would take a turn for the better. Despite his weaknesses, Tray is a gripping personality likened to Nicholas Cage / John Travolta in Face Off.
McCauley offers detailed settings, descriptions of what is happening to the point of being harrowing and yet moving. I could hardly put this book down as the plot and strong characters came to life. I especially liked the dialogue and the snarky tone that some of the characters had like, "when you are Colombian you lose a lot of your family."
Despite getting a sometimes violent look at the darker side of humanity, this book took me in from the very first page. I highly recommend this book with as many stars as I can give it and I'll be looking out for more books by McCauley.
Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.
October 27, 2014
King of Sunday Morning won me over when it was advertised with an Underbelly theme. I love the Underbelly series on Australian TV. And yes I enjoyed reading the book.
I found the beginning a bit confusing but once the story started to flow I couldn't put the book down.
The story is about Tray MacCarthy who parties hard, love of his brother and family, drugs, music and love. Tray was born in London. He came from a family high in the underworld of London. Tray was an up and coming House DJ in London and witnessed a crime take place in which he became a snitch. This totally changed his life. Tray had a bounty on his head and went into hiding. The book is about Tray and how he survives over time and ends up getting into a major gangwar.
J.B. uses major events in the world from Mandela to 9/11, so its great having a timeline. Also, loved the mention of music throughout the story.
Loved reading this debut book from J.B. McCaulley and look forward to future books b him.
I found the beginning a bit confusing but once the story started to flow I couldn't put the book down.
The story is about Tray MacCarthy who parties hard, love of his brother and family, drugs, music and love. Tray was born in London. He came from a family high in the underworld of London. Tray was an up and coming House DJ in London and witnessed a crime take place in which he became a snitch. This totally changed his life. Tray had a bounty on his head and went into hiding. The book is about Tray and how he survives over time and ends up getting into a major gangwar.
J.B. uses major events in the world from Mandela to 9/11, so its great having a timeline. Also, loved the mention of music throughout the story.
Loved reading this debut book from J.B. McCaulley and look forward to future books b him.
October 5, 2013
3 1/2 stars...
I'd like to thank Promotional Book Tours and the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, it was full of action and kept up a good pace. The characters were a little hard to empathize with, probably because they were violent druggie gangsters. However, the author wrote the characters so well, and it was such a gap between my normal life, that while I couldn't empathize with the characters, at least I could understand their twisted motives.
The book itself was a little hard to get into, it took until the first third was done before the action really started up. The first third was background, and bounced between different years in the past so quickly and non-linearly, I felt dizzy from trying to keep up with it.
Once the bouncing stopped though, and the author settled in on present day, it was much easier to read. Once that first third was past, the story itself went very quickly and easily became a page turner.
I'd like to thank Promotional Book Tours and the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, it was full of action and kept up a good pace. The characters were a little hard to empathize with, probably because they were violent druggie gangsters. However, the author wrote the characters so well, and it was such a gap between my normal life, that while I couldn't empathize with the characters, at least I could understand their twisted motives.
The book itself was a little hard to get into, it took until the first third was done before the action really started up. The first third was background, and bounced between different years in the past so quickly and non-linearly, I felt dizzy from trying to keep up with it.
Once the bouncing stopped though, and the author settled in on present day, it was much easier to read. Once that first third was past, the story itself went very quickly and easily became a page turner.
May 20, 2013
This book was one I couldn't put down. I was fortunate to read a pre released copy and have the pleasure of knowing the author. Don't think for a minute this is a biased review, if anything knowing him, more so means I'd be even more critical.
I loved the writing style in that it was no nonsense, straight to the point and raw. This is a story filled full of action, love, craziness and drugs. Yes there is swearing and a bit of it, but to have it edited or any other way, wouldn't do the story justice. This here is non pretentious, good honest writing at it's best and even had me laughing in the oddest parts along the way.. A must read!
I'd give it five stars, but it would go to his head.. 4.5 ;)
I loved the writing style in that it was no nonsense, straight to the point and raw. This is a story filled full of action, love, craziness and drugs. Yes there is swearing and a bit of it, but to have it edited or any other way, wouldn't do the story justice. This here is non pretentious, good honest writing at it's best and even had me laughing in the oddest parts along the way.. A must read!
I'd give it five stars, but it would go to his head.. 4.5 ;)
May 4, 2014
First and foremost this is not my favorite genre but the summary intrigued me. All the fun stuff that comes with the underworld: drug cartels, power, violence, alcohol, clubs, music - laid out in an in depth timeline of interesting events and life changing decisions. The Aussie slang threw me a little but I caught on pretty quickly. In the end, this element speaks the same language even though they use different words. The main character Tray, has such emotional depth: self deprivation, sacrifice & loneliness to protect those he loves. Very well written, lovable & hateable characters, and a great story line make this an entertaining read! Love it!!
February 16, 2014
This was a great gangster book. It had everything I thought a book in it's genre should. However the beginning was a little to slow paced for me. The clubs and music made up for that though. I could definitely see this being a movie. My favorite part was when Tray was on the run. It was also interesting to read about Australia from the eyes of someone born rich. I recommend this book for adults and people that like the Godfather movies. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review from Orangeberry Book Tours, however all opinions are my own.
May 31, 2013
Well worth a read, well done J.......
Was quite interested in how it would be and happy to say it was an engaging read in a style that I found refreshing. Now I can stop getting told to "put the bloody thing down as you've got to be up soon"...lol
They do say the 2nd is the hard one.....so what's it gonna be about then?
Was quite interested in how it would be and happy to say it was an engaging read in a style that I found refreshing. Now I can stop getting told to "put the bloody thing down as you've got to be up soon"...lol
They do say the 2nd is the hard one.....so what's it gonna be about then?
May 14, 2013
J.B.McCauley has brought to life a motley assortment of clashing characters, and through his magic with words has devised a plot that gallops along and would undoubtedly strike a cord with any modern reader.
If you only read one novel this year, read The King of Sunday Morning, it could just be one of those watershed books.
If you only read one novel this year, read The King of Sunday Morning, it could just be one of those watershed books.
October 19, 2013
An explicit and exciting look into the life of a well connected drug dealer. Banished from the UK for grassing but never losing his instinct for thrills and a good deal. This is a gripping book which takes you on a high octane adventure.
If you like gritty crime thrillers this one is a must for you.
If you like gritty crime thrillers this one is a must for you.
May 30, 2013
This is like Human Traffic meets Guy Ritchie on steroids. High octane driving wit and dialogue. A window into life in the fast lane. Fine debut novel 4 stars.
June 30, 2013
Great fun, takes you around the world and back again. The locations in this book are another character.
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