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Hated Men: A Charlie Silver Novel
Albie Silver is the aging patriarch of his organized crime business, transfers control of his Soho, London Empire to his reluctant son as the new millennia approaches.
380 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas A. Price
22 books31 followersNicholas Price is an author in a variety of genres that include: Crime Fiction, comedy, children's and poetry. His writing style entertains a large and diverse audience.
"I enjoy writing about the things I am acquainted with and have experienced first-hand. That knowledge spans nearly 40 years and those friends and colorful characters I have discovered in both in my personal, creative and professional life have loosely crossed into the fictional path of my writings. They grow and evolve into the characters I hope my readers will also come to love or despise in much the same way as I do."
Fans, subscribers and customers who purchase books by Nicholas A. Price from any promotion of the soft release/promotional editions of his titles can also leave reviews on his official author website for his writing projects and other creative endeavors.www.NicholasPriceAuthor.com
"I enjoy writing about the things I am acquainted with and have experienced first-hand. That knowledge spans nearly 40 years and those friends and colorful characters I have discovered in both in my personal, creative and professional life have loosely crossed into the fictional path of my writings. They grow and evolve into the characters I hope my readers will also come to love or despise in much the same way as I do."
Fans, subscribers and customers who purchase books by Nicholas A. Price from any promotion of the soft release/promotional editions of his titles can also leave reviews on his official author website for his writing projects and other creative endeavors.www.NicholasPriceAuthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 7, 2019
I got my copy of Hated Men yesterday and was unable to put it down.
This story is gritty and gives you a fascinating perspective into the colorful characters that make up the underworld in 1960's, 70's and 80's Soho in London.
Anyone who knows the history there during the time period will refer to films like "Scandal" and the Soho scene's in the drama series " Our Friend's in the North" and the "Bank Job".
Nicholas Price's writing captures the sights and smells of the dirtiest deeds that ran amok in this era with the various thugs and crime families, all built around the scenes of the strip bars, crime and drugs that saturated the streets.
These characters are real - the girls whose stories show the harsh realities and the power that they wield on the men who buy their wares are both fascinating and horrific.
As with all crime stories, we can't help but be fascinated by those who love to read about and revel in the life as a gangster.
Charlie Silver is the main character whose perspective is presented in Hated Men. He is the son of a major player and current "King of Soho" and as the millennia approaches so does the aging Albie "The Old Man" Silver, his father's reign. Charlie must inherit the business but a man with compassion is not welcome in this neck of the woods, so Charlie has to decide if he can wear the crown or abdicate the throne of his father's kingdom.
A very insightful book and the most real of the crime fiction stories of the London Crime Scene I have read in a very long time. I highly recommend this book.
This story is gritty and gives you a fascinating perspective into the colorful characters that make up the underworld in 1960's, 70's and 80's Soho in London.
Anyone who knows the history there during the time period will refer to films like "Scandal" and the Soho scene's in the drama series " Our Friend's in the North" and the "Bank Job".
Nicholas Price's writing captures the sights and smells of the dirtiest deeds that ran amok in this era with the various thugs and crime families, all built around the scenes of the strip bars, crime and drugs that saturated the streets.
These characters are real - the girls whose stories show the harsh realities and the power that they wield on the men who buy their wares are both fascinating and horrific.
As with all crime stories, we can't help but be fascinated by those who love to read about and revel in the life as a gangster.
Charlie Silver is the main character whose perspective is presented in Hated Men. He is the son of a major player and current "King of Soho" and as the millennia approaches so does the aging Albie "The Old Man" Silver, his father's reign. Charlie must inherit the business but a man with compassion is not welcome in this neck of the woods, so Charlie has to decide if he can wear the crown or abdicate the throne of his father's kingdom.
A very insightful book and the most real of the crime fiction stories of the London Crime Scene I have read in a very long time. I highly recommend this book.
June 5, 2018
A gritty, crime thriller that caught me by surprise. The book was smart and witty and much different than the children's book that I read for this author. The book has a dirty nostalgia feel of noir and I am looking forward to book 2.
April 14, 2019
Personal rating: 500/500🌟
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Adventures of Trichology was the first novel of Mr. Price’s that I read, and I fell in love with his main character Norman, his multi-dimensional older and female characters and humor and wit. Having read Hated Men I discovered that this is Mr. Price’s style and I LOVE IT.
Like AiT, this novel is told through the eyes of a male lead character and the colorful array of characters he comes into contact with throughout his daily life (and also his detailed descriptions of some lovely classic cars), but that’s where the similarities end.
Hated Men brings us the story of Charles (Charlie) Silver and his three decade long journey taking over the family business in London’s Soho from his old man Albert (Albie) Silver.
And what is the family business? Prostitution, seedy underground bars, gambling, crime, you name it, Albie’s probably done it. Starting off in the 1960s you get a clear picture of who Albie is and how he sees the world, and how, to him, humans are just money making machines and as long as the cash keeps rolling in that’s all that matters. The slums of Soho seem like an apt place for someone as sleazy as Albie. In 1962 Charlie is born, and the old man slowly starts to show his son the world he stands to inherit one day. Charlie is intelligent, tough and compassionate and a complete opposite to his old man. He aspires to update the business and make it more efficient; he lacks his old man’s greed and cruelty but is definitely not a push over. He doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities, whether that means having to deal with his druggie of a half-brother Vincent or letting some morons know who’s boss with the assistance of some muscle (one character I loved was his childhood friend Frankie Willoughby, a former soldier and boxer, who proved to me that chivalry is not dead). Sure, sometimes things get bloody, but what do you expect?
The female characters in this novel are just as colorful in various aspects as the male ones but my favorite by far was one of Charlie’s girlfriends (he has a couple throughout the novel) Vanessa Hayes, an intelligent, beautiful woman whose outward display is one of a prostitute but who’s actual job is to walk the streets of Soho and draw gullible customers into the seedy bars below. Every woman wears a costume of some kind and Vanessa is no different. She values her freedom and finds no shame in her work, but it’s only when she steps outside the comfort of Soho and the life she lives that she realizes that other people don’t understand that. People are quick to judge, and that judgement can be a terrible weight (as we discover later in the novel).
As dark as this novel gets it’s definitely not depressing but highly entertaining (especially to someone like me, who loves books like this) I laughed, I cried, I read all through the night at some points and by the time I’ve describe to you all the other characters and elements I loved about this novel you could have actually read it instead, and I suggest you do. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves British crime novels, film noir (the novel is very cinematic in its atmosphere and I loved that) or in-depth characters, along with some intense feels along the way.
.
Side note: This novel is part of a series but it doesn't end on a cliff-hanger (I hate when authors do that to me) so I can calmly work through my TBR pile while awaiting the next installment instead of being pissed off that I can't just read it immediately.
.
.
Adventures of Trichology was the first novel of Mr. Price’s that I read, and I fell in love with his main character Norman, his multi-dimensional older and female characters and humor and wit. Having read Hated Men I discovered that this is Mr. Price’s style and I LOVE IT.
Like AiT, this novel is told through the eyes of a male lead character and the colorful array of characters he comes into contact with throughout his daily life (and also his detailed descriptions of some lovely classic cars), but that’s where the similarities end.
Hated Men brings us the story of Charles (Charlie) Silver and his three decade long journey taking over the family business in London’s Soho from his old man Albert (Albie) Silver.
And what is the family business? Prostitution, seedy underground bars, gambling, crime, you name it, Albie’s probably done it. Starting off in the 1960s you get a clear picture of who Albie is and how he sees the world, and how, to him, humans are just money making machines and as long as the cash keeps rolling in that’s all that matters. The slums of Soho seem like an apt place for someone as sleazy as Albie. In 1962 Charlie is born, and the old man slowly starts to show his son the world he stands to inherit one day. Charlie is intelligent, tough and compassionate and a complete opposite to his old man. He aspires to update the business and make it more efficient; he lacks his old man’s greed and cruelty but is definitely not a push over. He doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities, whether that means having to deal with his druggie of a half-brother Vincent or letting some morons know who’s boss with the assistance of some muscle (one character I loved was his childhood friend Frankie Willoughby, a former soldier and boxer, who proved to me that chivalry is not dead). Sure, sometimes things get bloody, but what do you expect?
The female characters in this novel are just as colorful in various aspects as the male ones but my favorite by far was one of Charlie’s girlfriends (he has a couple throughout the novel) Vanessa Hayes, an intelligent, beautiful woman whose outward display is one of a prostitute but who’s actual job is to walk the streets of Soho and draw gullible customers into the seedy bars below. Every woman wears a costume of some kind and Vanessa is no different. She values her freedom and finds no shame in her work, but it’s only when she steps outside the comfort of Soho and the life she lives that she realizes that other people don’t understand that. People are quick to judge, and that judgement can be a terrible weight (as we discover later in the novel).
As dark as this novel gets it’s definitely not depressing but highly entertaining (especially to someone like me, who loves books like this) I laughed, I cried, I read all through the night at some points and by the time I’ve describe to you all the other characters and elements I loved about this novel you could have actually read it instead, and I suggest you do. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves British crime novels, film noir (the novel is very cinematic in its atmosphere and I loved that) or in-depth characters, along with some intense feels along the way.
.
Side note: This novel is part of a series but it doesn't end on a cliff-hanger (I hate when authors do that to me) so I can calmly work through my TBR pile while awaiting the next installment instead of being pissed off that I can't just read it immediately.
June 14, 2020
I couldn't put this one down, fascinating engaging read, real gangster fiction, it's like being there at Charlie Silver's side, Price delivers the true grit of old Soho.
December 7, 2020
Tough graphic London gangster novel, Price really knows his subject, it's like being there, this was not my usual read, found it by accident so glad I did. original plot and a real life journey highly recommended for graphic crime fiction fans, i got the paperback btw
March 6, 2019
EXCELLENT READ!
June 1, 2020
It's really good. Thank you for writing such a realistic story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews