Bastard

by Damiano Polcaro

The only thing worse than a living bastard is a dead one. And it turns out, in death, Frank O’Toole was the biggest bastard one could imagine…

Meet our narrator. Rich. Bored. Addicted to people watching. And an unapologetic bastard. But when this sharp-eyed loner starts spotting even bigger bastards – the abusive, the violent, the racist – he does more than just watch. He decides to ‘educate’ the bastards on how to behave.

But things take a turn for the worst when he kills the wrong man – a prick in a suit with connections. Deadly ones. Now tangled in London’s criminal web, forced to work for a psychotic gang boss and dragged into a life or death game with players from the Cartel to Westminster, our antihero must decide what kind of bastard he really is.

Gritty, twisted and funny as hell, Bastard is a visceral crime thriller about justice, violence and the trouble with watching life too closely. Because if you go around beating good manners into people, you’d better be prepared to take one hell of a beating yourself.

277 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2025

About the author

Damiano Polcaro is a creative director, scriptwriter and indie crime author. After two decades shaping stories for brands, he turned his attention to fiction, releasing his debut novel Bastard in August 2025 – a darkly funny, violent and stylish crime thriller set in modern-day London. The book quickly found an enthusiastic readership and encouraged him to continue the story.

Damiano is now developing the Bastard Series, alongside ongoing screenwriting projects, bringing the same sharp character focus and unpredictable energy to his work.

Damiano lives in Surrey with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

[Nikki Houghton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the f***?
This book finished. It ended. No warning, no hint, no excuses, no explanation - no nothing.
To say it was gripping, entertaining, wonderful, sometimes hilarious, often heartbreaking, surprising and too bloody short is an understatement-author, where is the rest of this fabulous stuff?
That ending - WOW I didn’t see that coming and I pride myself on my prescient intellect (or I read the end first but hey ho everyone has a wee psychopath tucked inside).
I recommend this “novel” novel to anyone without morals who enjoys wit, mayhem and a hero who, against all odds, survives at least until the final paragraph…. More please, and immediately.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent But Very Dark

Something of the ambience of Peaky Blinders combined with the dark humour of Minder and the murderous mayhem of a Bond movie. Very enjoyable, and a little disturbing.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Bastard but it completely pulled me in. The story is tense and full of surprises. The characters are complex and messy in a way that feels real, and the mix of dark humour with unexpected turns made it impossible to put down. It’s clever, gripping and one of those books that stays with you after you finish.

[Timi David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bastard is a gritty, darkly funny thrill ride that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Polcaro’s narrator is outrageous yet strangely relatable, a sharp-eyed bastard who turns people-watching into vigilante justice. The humor bites, the violence shocks, and the pacing is relentless. It’s Guy Ritchie meets Lee Child, but with its own twisted, unforgettable voice. An absolute page-turner.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good fun read! (And yes gripping!) heck of a pace, and loved most of the characters.

Found the beginning a wee bit too short in character / plot development and the ending too abrupt and a bit unsatisfactory but I guess that’s what sequels are for.

Well done though , great debut 👍

[Thomas G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one crazy book about a nobody who becomes a somebody over night. In the process he takes beating after beating gets double crossed or so he’s thinks. The lines become blurred between who are the good guys.
It races along along a decent pace I could t put it down!!

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable crime/mobster fiction with a good twist at the end. Primarily a men’s adventure thriller but with interesting characters and a fast paced plot. Highly recommended and I plan on following this author’s writing.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was enjoyable but the author's style of writing was a bit jarring to me. Nobody used I, he, she, they. Weird.

[Stuart Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
This was different and strange, but in a good way. Loved the writing style and the characters. It was a 5 star nearly all the way but to me was just let down by the general ending

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read – gripping from start to finish. I stormed through it but I’m honestly gutted it’s over! I got so invested in the characters, and the story took me on a real emotional rollercoaster – laughing one minute, crying the next and wincing for most of it. It’s pretty relentless – think Ozark-type chaos, where the narrator keeps getting pulled deeper and deeper in, and you just can’t see how on earth he’s going to get out. Such a brilliant book – highly recommend!