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Layer Cake
The inspiration for the major motion picture starring Daniel a high-octane crime novel set in the dangerous London underworld of the 1990s. Kingpins, dealers, rival gangs, false allegiances, bad faith, and good money. There are many levels to the world of drugs lurking beneath the polished surface of London—a “layer cake” of crime that can chew up and spit out even the most experienced of players. Though he’s only twenty-nine, our narrator (“If I told you my name, you’d be as clever as me”) has made a small fortune in cocaine, enough to retire by thirty if he plays his cards right. But then word comes down that Jimmy Price, one of the biggest Dons in the city, has a job for him, one last big score that could set him up for good. All he has to do is find Charlotte Ryder—and then figure out how to escape the tangled web of the underworld alive. A high-intensity novel filled with bluffs and double crosses, dangerous enemies and even more treacherous allies, Layer Cake is a “walloping debut” (Kirkus Reviews), guaranteed to take you on a breathless, breakneck ride from the first page to the final con. “A storming piece of funny and serious by turns, with an abiding sense of conviction.” —The Guardian
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2000
205 people are currently reading
1923 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Connolly
5 books66 followersJ. J. Connolly was born in London, United Kingdom, in 1964. He is the author of two crime novels, Layer Cake, and its sequel, Viva La Madness. He also wrote the screenplay of the film based on his novel.
His first novel, Layer Cake, was first published in 2000 by Duckworth Press. The book takes place in nineties London and is narrated by an unnamed, 29-year-old drug dealer ("If you knew my name, you'd be as clever as me") who plans on leaving the crime game behind at the age of thirty to live life as "a gentleman of leisure." His retirement plan, however, is made complicated by a large shipment of stolen Ecstasy, the German neo-Nazis who want it back and revenge on anyone they hold responsible for the theft, the unpredictable and often outrageous personalities of his friends, and his boss, kingpin Jimmy Price, who has charged him with the task of recovering the missing daughter of a wealthy socialite.
His second novel, Viva La Madness was published in 2011, and resumes after the first, in which only two characters remain: the unnamed narrator and his partner in crime, Mister Mortimer, AKA Morty. It begins in the Caribbean with Morty attempting to recruit the reluctant narrator back to London and the crime business as a super-salesman and closer for a UK syndicate.
Adaptations
In 2004, Layer Cake was adapted into a feature film directed by Matthew Vaughn. Connolly wrote the screenplay for the film, and wanted to portray the character Lucky in the film.
His first novel, Layer Cake, was first published in 2000 by Duckworth Press. The book takes place in nineties London and is narrated by an unnamed, 29-year-old drug dealer ("If you knew my name, you'd be as clever as me") who plans on leaving the crime game behind at the age of thirty to live life as "a gentleman of leisure." His retirement plan, however, is made complicated by a large shipment of stolen Ecstasy, the German neo-Nazis who want it back and revenge on anyone they hold responsible for the theft, the unpredictable and often outrageous personalities of his friends, and his boss, kingpin Jimmy Price, who has charged him with the task of recovering the missing daughter of a wealthy socialite.
His second novel, Viva La Madness was published in 2011, and resumes after the first, in which only two characters remain: the unnamed narrator and his partner in crime, Mister Mortimer, AKA Morty. It begins in the Caribbean with Morty attempting to recruit the reluctant narrator back to London and the crime business as a super-salesman and closer for a UK syndicate.
Adaptations
In 2004, Layer Cake was adapted into a feature film directed by Matthew Vaughn. Connolly wrote the screenplay for the film, and wanted to portray the character Lucky in the film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
August 22, 2020
In much the same way as Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting defined a generation in Scottish fiction, I believe that Layer Cake did much the same for London based crime fiction. The influence of this book on some of the best known London noir crime writers is inescapable, and J. J. Connolly really set the bar high for those following in his wake. It’s been a real pleasure dusting off my old copy of this and entering this violent and visceral world once again…
The characterisation of this disparate band of gangsters and wannabe gangsters is superlative from beginning to end, and they are, without exception so vividly drawn that the reader can picture each of them in all their sullied glory. Connolly plays close attention to how these men hold themselves, their physicality and manner of dress, and in this world where the appearance of confidence and strength is the key to success, it becomes easy to identify the weak and powerless who will definitely not make it to the end of the book. Despite having the moral code of a band of backstreet alley cats, I love that these men have a taste for the finer things in life be it smart threads, flashy motors and the finest food and drink. Much of their business is conducted in the rarefied air of high end restaurants and exclusive clubs, but equally in dodgy cafes and unsavoury boozers.
Our unnamed narrator, has all the street-smarts and at a relatively tender age is assured in his mission to retire at 30, unscathed and unpunished for his more nefarious drug dealings behind his appearance of respectability. Throughout the book, he not only cleverly negotiates the world of the gangster kingpins, but is more often than not, manipulated at the whim of others and things begin to get very dodgy indeed for him. I like the way that Connolly uses him as a mirror to the unsavoury cohorts encircle him, and through his perception of them, and their outbursts of violence, we get an even more vivid picture of these sometimes desperate and always dangerous men. In this world where money is all and double dealing the way to get on, there is little in the way of honesty, but there are flashes of loyalty and friendship that transcend this tough, dog-eat-dog and immoral world. The sudden and visceral outbursts of violence are as natural to these men as breathing, and as they alternately turn on each other, or band together to defeat outside forces, The psychological aspects of their personalities really fleshes them out for the reader, and poses puzzles all of its own as their behaviours change and by extension our perception of them.
The raw earthiness of Connolly’s prose is relentless, so for those of a sensitive disposition and an aversion to profanity, you would probably best avoid this. Even for a hardened reader the sheer weight of colloquialisms, street slang and swearing, added to the pace and rat-a-tat dialogue and narrative can be a little overwhelming at times, but the breath-taking scope of Connolly’s vocabulary and prose is a marvel. The prose is harshly rhythmical with a beat and musicality all of its own and although I have read the book a few times over the years, and I never tire of the snappy prose and the raw rhythm of the language that the book marches along to.
Admittedly, some of the book seems a little dated now in terms of how time has moved on and how technology plays a much bigger part in the world of cross border drug dealing, but of its time, Connolly’s Layer Cake remains a classic of London crime and a lucid and compelling tale of the drug underworld. There is a raw sophistication instead of a sleek one, as the book does untangle a little in terms of tight narrative, and goes off in tangents at some points, but it’s all part of its charm. This is probably why I’ve always loved it, and will always return to it when the opportunity arises, Highly recommended.
The characterisation of this disparate band of gangsters and wannabe gangsters is superlative from beginning to end, and they are, without exception so vividly drawn that the reader can picture each of them in all their sullied glory. Connolly plays close attention to how these men hold themselves, their physicality and manner of dress, and in this world where the appearance of confidence and strength is the key to success, it becomes easy to identify the weak and powerless who will definitely not make it to the end of the book. Despite having the moral code of a band of backstreet alley cats, I love that these men have a taste for the finer things in life be it smart threads, flashy motors and the finest food and drink. Much of their business is conducted in the rarefied air of high end restaurants and exclusive clubs, but equally in dodgy cafes and unsavoury boozers.
Our unnamed narrator, has all the street-smarts and at a relatively tender age is assured in his mission to retire at 30, unscathed and unpunished for his more nefarious drug dealings behind his appearance of respectability. Throughout the book, he not only cleverly negotiates the world of the gangster kingpins, but is more often than not, manipulated at the whim of others and things begin to get very dodgy indeed for him. I like the way that Connolly uses him as a mirror to the unsavoury cohorts encircle him, and through his perception of them, and their outbursts of violence, we get an even more vivid picture of these sometimes desperate and always dangerous men. In this world where money is all and double dealing the way to get on, there is little in the way of honesty, but there are flashes of loyalty and friendship that transcend this tough, dog-eat-dog and immoral world. The sudden and visceral outbursts of violence are as natural to these men as breathing, and as they alternately turn on each other, or band together to defeat outside forces, The psychological aspects of their personalities really fleshes them out for the reader, and poses puzzles all of its own as their behaviours change and by extension our perception of them.
The raw earthiness of Connolly’s prose is relentless, so for those of a sensitive disposition and an aversion to profanity, you would probably best avoid this. Even for a hardened reader the sheer weight of colloquialisms, street slang and swearing, added to the pace and rat-a-tat dialogue and narrative can be a little overwhelming at times, but the breath-taking scope of Connolly’s vocabulary and prose is a marvel. The prose is harshly rhythmical with a beat and musicality all of its own and although I have read the book a few times over the years, and I never tire of the snappy prose and the raw rhythm of the language that the book marches along to.
Admittedly, some of the book seems a little dated now in terms of how time has moved on and how technology plays a much bigger part in the world of cross border drug dealing, but of its time, Connolly’s Layer Cake remains a classic of London crime and a lucid and compelling tale of the drug underworld. There is a raw sophistication instead of a sleek one, as the book does untangle a little in terms of tight narrative, and goes off in tangents at some points, but it’s all part of its charm. This is probably why I’ve always loved it, and will always return to it when the opportunity arises, Highly recommended.
June 7, 2013
This is a really great book. The author gets right into the mind of the drug dealing central character. His knowledge of the drugs world is quite astonishing and I say this as a former drugs squad detective. I found it quite odd (especially taking into account my background) that the main character (he who remains nameless)is actually the hero of the story and becomes a character who you find yourself wanting to succeed. It is a fantastic roller coaster ride with stunningly good and completely convincing players all the way throughout. I watched the film and was very disappointed. A really cracking book and a must read.
June 6, 2024
Voto= ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
Protagonista di questo “crime” è un giovane pusher che, dopo essersi fatto strada nel mondo del traffico di droga, decide di tirarsi fuori dagli “affari” e godersi la vita grazie a un’oculata amministrazione dei lauti guadagni ottenuti negli anni, ma Jimmy Price, un padrino vecchio stampo, prima di lasciarlo andar via senza interferire, si aspetta da lui un ultimo favore a cui il pusher non può dire di no, ma quello che non sa è che accettando questo incarico egli si troverà trascinato suo malgrado in una spirale di avventure pericolose da togliere il respiro, di incontri e scontri fra bande criminali che non hanno nulla da perdere, inseguimenti mozzafiato, sparatorie e agguati, intrighi internazionali, truffe colossali e imbrogli impossibili da dipanare, in una girandola di avventure che sembrano senza fine e che rendono entusiasmante la lettura di questo romanzo.
Protagonista di questo “crime” è un giovane pusher che, dopo essersi fatto strada nel mondo del traffico di droga, decide di tirarsi fuori dagli “affari” e godersi la vita grazie a un’oculata amministrazione dei lauti guadagni ottenuti negli anni, ma Jimmy Price, un padrino vecchio stampo, prima di lasciarlo andar via senza interferire, si aspetta da lui un ultimo favore a cui il pusher non può dire di no, ma quello che non sa è che accettando questo incarico egli si troverà trascinato suo malgrado in una spirale di avventure pericolose da togliere il respiro, di incontri e scontri fra bande criminali che non hanno nulla da perdere, inseguimenti mozzafiato, sparatorie e agguati, intrighi internazionali, truffe colossali e imbrogli impossibili da dipanare, in una girandola di avventure che sembrano senza fine e che rendono entusiasmante la lettura di questo romanzo.
January 13, 2024
Много готина кримка!
Филмът по нея с Даниъл Крейг също е добър.
Филмът по нея с Даниъл Крейг също е добър.
March 15, 2020
I was really impressed by the movie which is a roller coaster ride with layers of betrayal, subterfuge, & a fantastic ending, so when my boss handed me the audiobook, I was thrilled to read it. It had been a long time since I'd watched the movie, so I wasn't worried about the inevitable divergence. There wasn't much, but I'll point some out under spoiler tags. If you haven't read this or watched the movie, don't read them. This story is all the better for not knowing what is going to happen next.
The book was really good. The main character is nameless, a 29 year old middle man drug dealer who does it for the money. He's very well drawn, not a very nice guy, but ambitious & as decent as he can be. I was definitely rooting for him. Others are also quite believable, both good & bad, often both.
The MC wants to make his nut & get out by the time he's 30. He's pretty well set, but this is the critical time. He'll either make it or break it & the various layers were all there, but were even more convoluted than I remembered. There's a fair amount of brutality & cussing. The characters seemed quite authentic, especially since it was narrated in an English accent & contains a lot of slang. Very exciting & with a great ending.
The title of the book is summed up by a great speech toward the end of the book.
You’re born, you take shit, get out in the world, take shit, you climb higher, take less shit. The higher you climb, the less shit you take, till one day you get up in the rarefied atmosphere and you’ve forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
The 2004 movie
The lead character is played by Daniel Craig which put him on my radar, although I'd seen him in smaller parts in other movies. Generally, the movie followed the book pretty well, just simplifying some of the scenes. There were a couple of changes, but they didn't matter too much. For instance, In both of these examples, the result for the MC are the same. That's pretty much how it's all handled. Very well done.
The big difference is the end. In the book By contrast, in the movie I prefer the book's ending.
Highly recommended in any format. Watching the movie & reading the book is also recommended. They complement each other well.
The book was really good. The main character is nameless, a 29 year old middle man drug dealer who does it for the money. He's very well drawn, not a very nice guy, but ambitious & as decent as he can be. I was definitely rooting for him. Others are also quite believable, both good & bad, often both.
The MC wants to make his nut & get out by the time he's 30. He's pretty well set, but this is the critical time. He'll either make it or break it & the various layers were all there, but were even more convoluted than I remembered. There's a fair amount of brutality & cussing. The characters seemed quite authentic, especially since it was narrated in an English accent & contains a lot of slang. Very exciting & with a great ending.
The title of the book is summed up by a great speech toward the end of the book.
You’re born, you take shit, get out in the world, take shit, you climb higher, take less shit. The higher you climb, the less shit you take, till one day you get up in the rarefied atmosphere and you’ve forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.
The 2004 movie
The lead character is played by Daniel Craig which put him on my radar, although I'd seen him in smaller parts in other movies. Generally, the movie followed the book pretty well, just simplifying some of the scenes. There were a couple of changes, but they didn't matter too much. For instance, In both of these examples, the result for the MC are the same. That's pretty much how it's all handled. Very well done.
The big difference is the end. In the book By contrast, in the movie I prefer the book's ending.
Highly recommended in any format. Watching the movie & reading the book is also recommended. They complement each other well.
January 28, 2011
The author did a much better job adapting it into a movie.
November 24, 2015
Several weeks have gone by, and I'm still not sure if I liked this book. I think I did. It certainly kept me guessing, and I definitely did not expect the end. It just took a while to get into. But once I did, I (think) I liked it.
Our unnamed protagonist deals coke. He's about to turn 30, he's got quite the little nest egg and he's ready to retire. He doesn't want to be some old gangster. But he gets roped in one more job for his boss (and his boss's boss), and of course, it all goes south on him.
The biggest point for and against Layer Cake is the language. And I don't mean cussing. That I can handle. Connolly has written this entire thing from the first-person perspective of our protagonist, and between his own internal musings and the dialogue between the rest of the characters, this book is so chock full of slang that it made me dizzy. There's several layers to the slang, too: British terms that I'm unfamiliar with, a random smattering of foreign language and worst of all, piles of gangster slang for drugs and violence and woman that made my head spin.
BUT this constant barrage also serves a purpose: the reader becomes immersed in this world of sleazy deals and rather graphic violence. This is not a book to be read in short pieces (which I did for the first few chapters and may explain my ambivalence). It needs to be devoured in a few sittings so the rhythm of Connolly's language and actions properly translates.
Our unnamed protagonist deals coke. He's about to turn 30, he's got quite the little nest egg and he's ready to retire. He doesn't want to be some old gangster. But he gets roped in one more job for his boss (and his boss's boss), and of course, it all goes south on him.
The biggest point for and against Layer Cake is the language. And I don't mean cussing. That I can handle. Connolly has written this entire thing from the first-person perspective of our protagonist, and between his own internal musings and the dialogue between the rest of the characters, this book is so chock full of slang that it made me dizzy. There's several layers to the slang, too: British terms that I'm unfamiliar with, a random smattering of foreign language and worst of all, piles of gangster slang for drugs and violence and woman that made my head spin.
BUT this constant barrage also serves a purpose: the reader becomes immersed in this world of sleazy deals and rather graphic violence. This is not a book to be read in short pieces (which I did for the first few chapters and may explain my ambivalence). It needs to be devoured in a few sittings so the rhythm of Connolly's language and actions properly translates.
February 9, 2015
An unnamed protagonist and his associate Mr Mortimer run a successful drug dealing business but things start to go wrong when they get called on to do a favour, for someone higher up the food chain Mr Jimmy Price, to find the missing daughter of another powerful gangster, while there’s also the small matter of two million stolen high grade ecstasy pills to contend with. Rich in baffling lingo and jargon this is a tricky book to get into, taking a certain amount of dedicated patience on the part of the reader but gradually the style and language does begin to flow and make some sort of sense, revealing a complex and violent tale with a fascinating knowledge of the criminal underworld. But is there truly honour among thieves? Do they really have a moral code? To conclude Layer Cake is not a book for the casual reader but with a determined persuasion a shocking crime tale unfolds in JJ Connolly’s debut novel. Enjoy.
March 23, 2021
"You're born, you take shit. Get out in the world, you take more shit. Climb a little higher, you take less shit. Until one day you're up in the rarified atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son."
April 28, 2021
I liked the plot and some parts of it are clever. it got tiresome after a while but I was probably trying to rush through it.
August 11, 2020
Thanks to Duckworth Books for my e-copy of Layer Cake and my place on the blog tour to Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the books release.
Originally released in 2000 then adapted to
Film in 2004, Layer Cake is, for me one of the most important, innovative books on the British Gangland scene.
I’m just shy of 40, so when the film came out in the early 00s, I was a young 20 something and this kind of thing was massive and ultimately the film is one of my favourite movies, so when offered the chance to take part I jumped.
Layer Cake focuses on a unnamed protagonist. A man deeply involved in the drug game who is looking to get out. But before than can happen he has to do a couple of jobs for the local Mr Big.
The story itself is engaging and written in a style and with a language that’s almost entrancing though it certainly takes some perseverance to read the style to begin with.
It’s has a cracking plot and is genuinely darkly funny.
J J Connolly has a superb knowledge of the drug trade and gangland and this deeply enthralling jaunt into the London Underground feels very real and authentic albeit 20 years on.
A complex and masterfully written crime caper. There is very little not to love about this book and I highly recommend anyone to enjoy this now if you haven’t already.
20 years on, it still feels fresh and vibrant and extremely relevant
Highly Recommended
5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Originally released in 2000 then adapted to
Film in 2004, Layer Cake is, for me one of the most important, innovative books on the British Gangland scene.
I’m just shy of 40, so when the film came out in the early 00s, I was a young 20 something and this kind of thing was massive and ultimately the film is one of my favourite movies, so when offered the chance to take part I jumped.
Layer Cake focuses on a unnamed protagonist. A man deeply involved in the drug game who is looking to get out. But before than can happen he has to do a couple of jobs for the local Mr Big.
The story itself is engaging and written in a style and with a language that’s almost entrancing though it certainly takes some perseverance to read the style to begin with.
It’s has a cracking plot and is genuinely darkly funny.
J J Connolly has a superb knowledge of the drug trade and gangland and this deeply enthralling jaunt into the London Underground feels very real and authentic albeit 20 years on.
A complex and masterfully written crime caper. There is very little not to love about this book and I highly recommend anyone to enjoy this now if you haven’t already.
20 years on, it still feels fresh and vibrant and extremely relevant
Highly Recommended
5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
June 7, 2021
The Layer Cake is a hard bitten crime novel of 90’s underworld London that the movie was based on. However the book is worth reading because the plot is similar but different to the film.
I won’t go into too much depth because that would spoil it for you, but suffice to say its a great read. The book doesn’t have the slick quality of the film, primarily because it has more depth.
From the thought that has gone into it, one may wonder as to how J.J. Connolly got his knowledge. Having worked and lived in clubland during the late 1980s and early 1990s the type of characters Connolly describes brought me right back to my early and mid twenties.
The Layer Cake mixing the world of private military contractors and criminal endeavour reminded me of a former boss who had an address book. The address book was alleged to be full of ‘good lads’ who could solve problems ‘at home or abroad’. He was anything but the action man himself, being obsessed with his Hugo Boss suits at the time. He’d apparently been employed because of his work for a major name in the road construction industry, before I’d worked for him.
Great fiction like other forms of art has an intrinsic truth hidden inside that otherwise wouldn’t be able to be told.
Get out and buy the book; watching the film before the book doesn’t affect your enjoyment of it.
I won’t go into too much depth because that would spoil it for you, but suffice to say its a great read. The book doesn’t have the slick quality of the film, primarily because it has more depth.
From the thought that has gone into it, one may wonder as to how J.J. Connolly got his knowledge. Having worked and lived in clubland during the late 1980s and early 1990s the type of characters Connolly describes brought me right back to my early and mid twenties.
The Layer Cake mixing the world of private military contractors and criminal endeavour reminded me of a former boss who had an address book. The address book was alleged to be full of ‘good lads’ who could solve problems ‘at home or abroad’. He was anything but the action man himself, being obsessed with his Hugo Boss suits at the time. He’d apparently been employed because of his work for a major name in the road construction industry, before I’d worked for him.
Great fiction like other forms of art has an intrinsic truth hidden inside that otherwise wouldn’t be able to be told.
Get out and buy the book; watching the film before the book doesn’t affect your enjoyment of it.
November 24, 2023
Really enjoyed this read. British written accent took a minute to get used to. Could see this not being for everyone but I like drugs and crime so it was interesting to me.
June 16, 2025
Movie was better.
October 24, 2020
A London gangster classic written in authentic London-speak from the mid-1990s. I have never seen the film so I cannot compare.
December 24, 2022
Remind me never to read books about British people again
February 21, 2023
" 'You're born, you take shit, get out in the world, take shit, you climb higher, take less shit. The higher you climb, the less shit you take, till one day you get up in the rarified atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.' "
The Layer Cake is a book about drug dealers that takes place in 1990s London. The protagonist, who is also the narrator, never gives his name, coyly saying "if you knew my name you'd be as clever as myself." I was not amused by This announcement nor by the character of the protagonist, actually, I was not amused by any of the characters. in my opinion, this Book is for the audience of wannabe drug dealers, and young people who like to party, but it wasn't for me.
It was often hard to tell who was talking to who in conversations, because there were very few indicators. For example, no "said Monty," or "snorted Gene."
The protagonist is a cocaine dealer who has stashed away a large amount of money and has decided that he wants to get out of the drug dealing business when he turns 30, and retire . But he should know, as common sense dictates, that when you are involved in a crime syndicate, then you know too much, and of course they're not going to let you go.
I couldn't stand the protagonist's attitude towards women, as mainly human beings who are meant to shag with. Luckily there were no sex scenes.
Near the beginning of the book, we get a little 411 on how to launder money when you're a drug dealer:
"I was then faced with another kind of problem. I had bundles of cash wrapped round me and there's only so much you can do with cash without people getting suspicious or jealous. I was sent to see an accountant an hour's drive out of London. My card had been marked, I could be completely straight with him. He, Mr. Lonsdale, told me that I had better Start paying taxes on my drug profits, obviously not declaring that I was a dealer but start opening and investing in as many cash businesses as possible. Start flushing as much cash through these seemingly legit Fronts as would look feasible. Go to people you know and trust and tell them you'll put them in the swindle if you can fire some money through the books and get paid a partner's dividend at the end of the year. Start looking to open clothes shops, snack bars, flower stalls, car washes, ice cream vans, gyms, hot dog stands, driving schools, recording studios. If any of your pals come to you with a business plan that's halfway sensible, stick your money in, so long as it's a cash heavy business, don't matter if it don't make money in reality cos on paper it's fucking thriving. Don't worry if you got lock ups full of rotting flowers and burgers or you're knee deep in a river of melting ice cream or the hot dog stands are spending all day padlocked Up in a garage, cos on paper you're selling every bit of stock you buy at top fucking dollar."
The parts that I enjoyed, if any, were scenes of violence between drug dealing partners. There was one description of a man who had a boat, who supposedly was ferrying goods from Amsterdam to England, and for whatever reason, these Chechnya gangs tortured him to get information about his suppliers:
" ...' The victim, the Dutch bloke, was held for about two days before he died. They know that because the decay on the wounds showed some were 48 hours old and others were fresh. Also, two smartly dressed men were seen entering the boat yard early Sunday afternoon. They worked out, you really have to trust pathologists because they're seldom wrong, that he was tortured for the whole two days. He was given a rare beating. He had a fractured skull, ribs and forearm. They'd then wired him up to the electricity mains by His goolies, his swinging bits, Burns of the electrical variety on the old testes.'
'poor Van Tuck,' sighs Trevor.
'oh, there's lots more, they didn't stop there. They were only getting started. They put his eye out, pop, something sharp or something Blunt in the eye.'
'Sounds like they wanted information,' Says Trevor.
'I may continue,' says Duncan. 'they started cutting his fingers off, one by one, a couple off each hand. The wounds on the little fingers were older than the others.'
'charming,' says Trevor. 'if it was a hit, someone would've walked on that boat, Bang Bang with a silencer and away.'
'it's brutal but not very professional, I agree.'
'exactly. they risk getting caught in flattete.' 'What? Talk English, Duncan!'
'on the job. But if I can finish before you two offer a critique. He had water in his lungs, so they reckon they half drowned him in the bath and then they cut off his two big toes in the bath and dragged him around a bit so there's blood everywhere on the boat and the police are spooked by it because they reckon that these two were cooking meals and having naps. And the final coup de grâce, the grand finale, they left him wired up to the mains so he was slowly cooked alive and they carried on lobbing bits off him.' "
When you're a vegan and you've watched all those slaughterhouse videos, you're not bothered by this happening to humans as much.
There's a part where Monty and the protagonist are looking for the daughter of Jimmy-the-boss's friend, who supposedly got kidnapped, and they're going in a cafe when an old fart, supposedly known to Morty, Seizes on him and mooches a meal from him. The guy is totally disgusting, and the author gives a narration of it:
"I tried Geno yet again but no joy . I don't want to go back in just yet so I mooch about in a couple of shops for about five minutes and then stroll back. Monty hasn't moved a hair or touched his coffee but Freddie's in full flow and tucking in at the same. it's fucking revolting to watch Freddie eat at close quarters. He's shoveling fried eggs and beans, putting rashers of bacon into his mouth and then pulling off the rind with his chubby fingers. He's eating so fast, it's urgent business, he's getting breathless.He'ss chatting his rubbish the whole time. under different circumstances this could almost be funny but the mood ain't right today. He's pronged a sausage in the middle and he's taking bites out of each end. I can't believe this geezer. He's wiping up egg yolk and grease with bread and marge. I don't like being around mongrels like him any longer than I have to. I'll need a tetanus injection if I do. The cunt revolts me and he's talking nonstop, everyone's a grass, a slag, a muggy cunt or a wrong'un, or thinks they're Charlie Potatoes cos they've got a few Bob."
The "friend" of Jimmy Price, Eddy, lets the protagonist know that Jimmy is an informant to one of the top cops, Albie, and he lets the protagonist listen to a tape That he made of Jimmy talking to the cop. This is how the protagonist finds out he's going to be fingered and all his money stolen by Jimmy.
" 'so who is this geezer, Jimmy? Would I know him?'
'doubt it. Flash little prick but very low profile. Thinks he's retiring, the silly cunt. He's gonna do a couple of errands for me then he's yours. I want him away for twelve.'
'if he's got over a kilo of Class A on board, Brown rather than white, he's guaranteed double figures.'
'I'll guarantee he has on the day, even if I gotta put it there myself.'
I can feel my skin burning with heat but I can't breathe. I want to cry, to be honest. I want my mum to come and take me home. I don't wanna play no more.
'it sounds personal, Jim. Aint never been personal before.'
'shut your fuckin mouth.'
I can hear Jimmy spitting bits of cigar out.
'OK, Jim, fuck's sake,' says Albie.
'there's something about this geezer that gets me at it. He's fuckin smug.'
'and you reckon you can get your hands on his goodies?'
'I fuckin know I can. It Was me told him to go and see This dodgy accountant years ago and spread his readies about in Moody names. The book-keep ain't gonna cause no fuss. He'll poop his pants when I go and talk to him. A snide name can be just about anyone.' says Jimmy Price.
'I'll put that down in the "forthcoming events" column column shall i?' says Albie and they both start to laugh.
Eddie stops the tape."
The protagonist now thinks he knows how to get himself out of this fix, and on his way to retirement, with the help of Eddie. But I, and possibly other readers know there's no honor among thieves.
The Layer Cake is a book about drug dealers that takes place in 1990s London. The protagonist, who is also the narrator, never gives his name, coyly saying "if you knew my name you'd be as clever as myself." I was not amused by This announcement nor by the character of the protagonist, actually, I was not amused by any of the characters. in my opinion, this Book is for the audience of wannabe drug dealers, and young people who like to party, but it wasn't for me.
It was often hard to tell who was talking to who in conversations, because there were very few indicators. For example, no "said Monty," or "snorted Gene."
The protagonist is a cocaine dealer who has stashed away a large amount of money and has decided that he wants to get out of the drug dealing business when he turns 30, and retire . But he should know, as common sense dictates, that when you are involved in a crime syndicate, then you know too much, and of course they're not going to let you go.
I couldn't stand the protagonist's attitude towards women, as mainly human beings who are meant to shag with. Luckily there were no sex scenes.
Near the beginning of the book, we get a little 411 on how to launder money when you're a drug dealer:
"I was then faced with another kind of problem. I had bundles of cash wrapped round me and there's only so much you can do with cash without people getting suspicious or jealous. I was sent to see an accountant an hour's drive out of London. My card had been marked, I could be completely straight with him. He, Mr. Lonsdale, told me that I had better Start paying taxes on my drug profits, obviously not declaring that I was a dealer but start opening and investing in as many cash businesses as possible. Start flushing as much cash through these seemingly legit Fronts as would look feasible. Go to people you know and trust and tell them you'll put them in the swindle if you can fire some money through the books and get paid a partner's dividend at the end of the year. Start looking to open clothes shops, snack bars, flower stalls, car washes, ice cream vans, gyms, hot dog stands, driving schools, recording studios. If any of your pals come to you with a business plan that's halfway sensible, stick your money in, so long as it's a cash heavy business, don't matter if it don't make money in reality cos on paper it's fucking thriving. Don't worry if you got lock ups full of rotting flowers and burgers or you're knee deep in a river of melting ice cream or the hot dog stands are spending all day padlocked Up in a garage, cos on paper you're selling every bit of stock you buy at top fucking dollar."
The parts that I enjoyed, if any, were scenes of violence between drug dealing partners. There was one description of a man who had a boat, who supposedly was ferrying goods from Amsterdam to England, and for whatever reason, these Chechnya gangs tortured him to get information about his suppliers:
" ...' The victim, the Dutch bloke, was held for about two days before he died. They know that because the decay on the wounds showed some were 48 hours old and others were fresh. Also, two smartly dressed men were seen entering the boat yard early Sunday afternoon. They worked out, you really have to trust pathologists because they're seldom wrong, that he was tortured for the whole two days. He was given a rare beating. He had a fractured skull, ribs and forearm. They'd then wired him up to the electricity mains by His goolies, his swinging bits, Burns of the electrical variety on the old testes.'
'poor Van Tuck,' sighs Trevor.
'oh, there's lots more, they didn't stop there. They were only getting started. They put his eye out, pop, something sharp or something Blunt in the eye.'
'Sounds like they wanted information,' Says Trevor.
'I may continue,' says Duncan. 'they started cutting his fingers off, one by one, a couple off each hand. The wounds on the little fingers were older than the others.'
'charming,' says Trevor. 'if it was a hit, someone would've walked on that boat, Bang Bang with a silencer and away.'
'it's brutal but not very professional, I agree.'
'exactly. they risk getting caught in flattete.' 'What? Talk English, Duncan!'
'on the job. But if I can finish before you two offer a critique. He had water in his lungs, so they reckon they half drowned him in the bath and then they cut off his two big toes in the bath and dragged him around a bit so there's blood everywhere on the boat and the police are spooked by it because they reckon that these two were cooking meals and having naps. And the final coup de grâce, the grand finale, they left him wired up to the mains so he was slowly cooked alive and they carried on lobbing bits off him.' "
When you're a vegan and you've watched all those slaughterhouse videos, you're not bothered by this happening to humans as much.
There's a part where Monty and the protagonist are looking for the daughter of Jimmy-the-boss's friend, who supposedly got kidnapped, and they're going in a cafe when an old fart, supposedly known to Morty, Seizes on him and mooches a meal from him. The guy is totally disgusting, and the author gives a narration of it:
"I tried Geno yet again but no joy . I don't want to go back in just yet so I mooch about in a couple of shops for about five minutes and then stroll back. Monty hasn't moved a hair or touched his coffee but Freddie's in full flow and tucking in at the same. it's fucking revolting to watch Freddie eat at close quarters. He's shoveling fried eggs and beans, putting rashers of bacon into his mouth and then pulling off the rind with his chubby fingers. He's eating so fast, it's urgent business, he's getting breathless.He'ss chatting his rubbish the whole time. under different circumstances this could almost be funny but the mood ain't right today. He's pronged a sausage in the middle and he's taking bites out of each end. I can't believe this geezer. He's wiping up egg yolk and grease with bread and marge. I don't like being around mongrels like him any longer than I have to. I'll need a tetanus injection if I do. The cunt revolts me and he's talking nonstop, everyone's a grass, a slag, a muggy cunt or a wrong'un, or thinks they're Charlie Potatoes cos they've got a few Bob."
The "friend" of Jimmy Price, Eddy, lets the protagonist know that Jimmy is an informant to one of the top cops, Albie, and he lets the protagonist listen to a tape That he made of Jimmy talking to the cop. This is how the protagonist finds out he's going to be fingered and all his money stolen by Jimmy.
" 'so who is this geezer, Jimmy? Would I know him?'
'doubt it. Flash little prick but very low profile. Thinks he's retiring, the silly cunt. He's gonna do a couple of errands for me then he's yours. I want him away for twelve.'
'if he's got over a kilo of Class A on board, Brown rather than white, he's guaranteed double figures.'
'I'll guarantee he has on the day, even if I gotta put it there myself.'
I can feel my skin burning with heat but I can't breathe. I want to cry, to be honest. I want my mum to come and take me home. I don't wanna play no more.
'it sounds personal, Jim. Aint never been personal before.'
'shut your fuckin mouth.'
I can hear Jimmy spitting bits of cigar out.
'OK, Jim, fuck's sake,' says Albie.
'there's something about this geezer that gets me at it. He's fuckin smug.'
'and you reckon you can get your hands on his goodies?'
'I fuckin know I can. It Was me told him to go and see This dodgy accountant years ago and spread his readies about in Moody names. The book-keep ain't gonna cause no fuss. He'll poop his pants when I go and talk to him. A snide name can be just about anyone.' says Jimmy Price.
'I'll put that down in the "forthcoming events" column column shall i?' says Albie and they both start to laugh.
Eddie stops the tape."
The protagonist now thinks he knows how to get himself out of this fix, and on his way to retirement, with the help of Eddie. But I, and possibly other readers know there's no honor among thieves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2021
I first came across Connolly through a short story of his I quite liked in the Britpulp! anthology. With his fist full novel he delivers on that early promise with the best British crime novel I've ever read. While I often enjoy traditional procedurals like John Harvey's Charlie Resnik series, have been known to enjoy Agatha Christie in my younger days, Jake Arnott's The Long Firm and He Kills Coppers, and quite like a lot of the pulpy/noirish stuff put out by The Do Not Press these days-this leaves them all in the dust. The book follows an unnamed narrator over two weeks in 1997 as he plots to end his criminal days and retire on his thirtieth birthday-of course there's just that one last job to take care of...
The thing you notice right away is the language. Nonstop patter, stories, and more slang than you can shake a stick at. The rhythms of the language, both descriptive and dialogue, is perfect and unique. The best comparison I can make is with some of Irvine Welsh's stuff-it's English, but unlike any English you or I speak. And like Welsh's stuff, it can be hard to follow for those not up on the argot (especially cockney rhyming slang), so be warned. But if you like the language, you fall in love with the characters. Finally, some honest to god smart criminals who understand that being low-key is the smoothest path to riches. There must be at least fifty characters in the novel and Connolly gives each one a distinctive voice, even if they're only around for a page.
Once you've absorbed the amazing language and characterization, you'll be swept away by the authenticity. The entire book takes place in the criminal underworlds of London and Liverpool, with details on international drug trafficking, porn shops, killings, and on and on. The book immerses the reader in that world more so than any crime novel I've come across, and you have to wonder what Connolly's been up to in his life to be able to conjure such a setting from his head. It's not a world for the faint of heart, but one that's compelling to read about-more like The Long Good Friday than Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Finally, there's the expert plotting. Built on that classic premise of a gangster looking to get out of the game, Connolly's plot twists and turns with complications that keep boxing in the narrator until the inevitable climax. From start to finish, it's the best novel about British organized crime around.
The thing you notice right away is the language. Nonstop patter, stories, and more slang than you can shake a stick at. The rhythms of the language, both descriptive and dialogue, is perfect and unique. The best comparison I can make is with some of Irvine Welsh's stuff-it's English, but unlike any English you or I speak. And like Welsh's stuff, it can be hard to follow for those not up on the argot (especially cockney rhyming slang), so be warned. But if you like the language, you fall in love with the characters. Finally, some honest to god smart criminals who understand that being low-key is the smoothest path to riches. There must be at least fifty characters in the novel and Connolly gives each one a distinctive voice, even if they're only around for a page.
Once you've absorbed the amazing language and characterization, you'll be swept away by the authenticity. The entire book takes place in the criminal underworlds of London and Liverpool, with details on international drug trafficking, porn shops, killings, and on and on. The book immerses the reader in that world more so than any crime novel I've come across, and you have to wonder what Connolly's been up to in his life to be able to conjure such a setting from his head. It's not a world for the faint of heart, but one that's compelling to read about-more like The Long Good Friday than Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Finally, there's the expert plotting. Built on that classic premise of a gangster looking to get out of the game, Connolly's plot twists and turns with complications that keep boxing in the narrator until the inevitable climax. From start to finish, it's the best novel about British organized crime around.
November 28, 2024
Layer cake is amazing , really gets you involved and its high paced . It's a book that makes you want to turn over the page but at the same time you don't want it to end.
The character's stand out and make you visualise who you would expect to play them on the big screen. They are all also so believable, you can see these guys on the streets of any city. Unfortunately I watched the film after i read the book and it ruined the whole thing. The characters you visualise in the book are not what you see in the movie, the power base had shifted , in the book no one mess's with Mr. Mortimer but in the film he is not a s feared as he should be , he is also not played by an east ender , and he is an east end, you know that from the book , he is big and black and the room shakes when he enters, you get that from the book . in the film he is a not so scary American actor. The narrator , drug dealer is in my mind's eye more Danny Dyer than he is Daniel craig.( that is who played him in the film) . they also never real touch on why the layer cake is the layer cake in the film.....
Over all the book is amazing, a real treasure and one i would re-read. Just don't watch the film after !
The character's stand out and make you visualise who you would expect to play them on the big screen. They are all also so believable, you can see these guys on the streets of any city. Unfortunately I watched the film after i read the book and it ruined the whole thing. The characters you visualise in the book are not what you see in the movie, the power base had shifted , in the book no one mess's with Mr. Mortimer but in the film he is not a s feared as he should be , he is also not played by an east ender , and he is an east end, you know that from the book , he is big and black and the room shakes when he enters, you get that from the book . in the film he is a not so scary American actor. The narrator , drug dealer is in my mind's eye more Danny Dyer than he is Daniel craig.( that is who played him in the film) . they also never real touch on why the layer cake is the layer cake in the film.....
Over all the book is amazing, a real treasure and one i would re-read. Just don't watch the film after !
January 9, 2011
This book blew me away. It's not deeply philosophical or wonderfully artistic; it's just a heck of a lot of fun to read. Connolly writes true to his London origins, but keeps it readable. There is no Clockwork Orange Syndrome here, where the story and meaning get lost in the jargon.
Overall the story is an engaging one, following the unnamed narrator as he tries to finish up a last few things and get out of London's drug underworld. The novel is filled with plotting, counterplotting, twists, surprises, and a triple-cross that turns out to be one of the funniest mental images I've had in a while. I'm not sure how he kept track of it all while writing, but things never slow down or get lost throughout.
If you like crime fiction, English accents, or hardboiled novels this book is definitely for you.
Overall the story is an engaging one, following the unnamed narrator as he tries to finish up a last few things and get out of London's drug underworld. The novel is filled with plotting, counterplotting, twists, surprises, and a triple-cross that turns out to be one of the funniest mental images I've had in a while. I'm not sure how he kept track of it all while writing, but things never slow down or get lost throughout.
If you like crime fiction, English accents, or hardboiled novels this book is definitely for you.
April 12, 2018
A sprawling exploration of London's underworld in the mid-Nineties written in a stream-of-consciousness chockablock with impenetrable Cockney rhyming slang. Not the most accessible novel for American readers, but definitely one of the most realistic crime novels set from the point of view of a drug dealer ever written.
April 30, 2021
“You’re born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you’re up in the rarefied atmosphere and you’ve forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son.” – Eddie Temple, Layer Cake.
The 1980s was the loadsamoney decade. The era of greed is good and going for it. By the time the 90s dawdled along, London’s young guns had already grasped the bull by its horns and crashed into any number of china shops, flashing their cash, getting their way by hook and, with regard to Layer Cake’s protagonist, very much by crook.
“Everyone wants to walk through a door marked ‘private.’ Therefore, have a good reason to be affluent.“
JJ Connolly’s Layer Cake was first published in 2000 by Duckworth Press but it is set in London in the 1990s. And it is very much a 90s London novel. As of its time as Moloko, Portishead, Brit Pop, Cool Britannia, celebrity chefs, This Life or YBAs.
Layer Cake’s unnamed narrator is a successful young drug dealer who has plans to ditch his life of crime once he reaches the ripe old age of 30 and live the life of a gentleman of leisure. Of course, things don’t go to plan. Once a shipment of ecstasy is hijacked, everything turns pear-shaped for our anti-hero as quickly as spit disappears on hot pavement. Violence, double-cross and triple-cross invariably ensue.
The plot is tight and twisty, but one of its main strengths is its rich and varied cast of lowlife characters, such as the short-fused Mr Mortimer; The Duke – the cokehead leader of a criminal gang known as the Yahoos; The Duke’s psychotic and equally as coke addled girlfriend Slasher; a smooth and smart conman known as either Billy Bogus or Cody Garrett; Klaus, the leader of a group of German neo-Nazis; ‘Crazy’ Larry Flynn – a gangster with a penchant for strangling rent boys; and a Doberman called Mike Tyson.
JJ Connolly’s debut novel could well have been received a cult classic for crime fiction connoisseurs, for fans of Derek Raymond’s Factory novels or Ted Lewis perhaps. Or it could have been seen as a well-regarded but obscure London noir like Gerald Kersh’s Night and the City, or James Curtis’ The Gilt Kid. But it burst into the mainstream with rave reviews from all sorts of respectable square joints such as The Times, The Guardian and The Literary Review.
The novel has a lot in common with the all-mouth and well-cut trousers stylings of the mockney gangster capers popularised by film director Guy Ritchie in the 90s. So it’s no great surprise that the 2004 film version of Layer Cake was the directorial debut of Guy Ritchie’s erstwhile producer Matthew Vaughn. Starring future Mr Bond, Daniel Craig, the film did pretty damned well on its own terms, too, focusing on some of the supporting cast of characters and giving us a fistful of great performances – particularly from Colm Meaney, George Harris and Michael Gambon.
Enjoyable as the film version of Layer Cake was, it didn’t quite capture the voice of the novel – a John Lydon/Peter Cook sneer mixed with a fatalistic sigh of resignation. Layer Cake is brash, vivid and blackly-comic but it is at least as much about the argot as it as about the aggro, peppered as much with laddish badinage – ladinage – as it is with bullets and birds. The language is also quite arch, telling the tale in an off-kiler, askew way. Now, 20 years on from its publication, the book still seems breathlessly fresh.
We waited a full ten years until Connolly followed up Layer Cake with the splendid Viva La Madness, which saw Layer Cake’s protagonist attempting to lay low in Jamaica until Mr Mortimer arrived to drag him back into a life of crime.
In October 2011, I interviewed JJ Connolly for my blog, and I asked about the long wait for the sequel to his debut novel.
PDB: We’ve been waiting for Viva La Madness for ten years, why so long?
JJC: I was working on films, traveling, messing around, getting in and out of trouble, having fun. Two years ago I decided I better stop messing around and sat down and finished Viva. I’d been working on it – on and off, more off than on, for almost ten years, since I finished Layer Cake, in fact. I got distracted, but distracted in a nicest possible way, in some nice places, with some nice people.
Then Connolly seemed to go underground again for another decade…
Well, it’s now the 20th anniversary of Layer Cake’s publication and this special edition has a very tasty new cover along with a revealing and intriguing afterword from Mister Connolly himself. A republished version of Viva la Madness is on its way too, as is a Viva la Madness television series from Sky TV, starring no less than Jason Statham.
So what next for JJ Connolly? Maybe the hat-trick? When I interviewed him in 2011 he said:
“I want to write another book with the narrator from Layer Cake and Viva la Madness, to complete a trilogy. I like the voice.“
So, in the words of Moloko, the time is now …
The 1980s was the loadsamoney decade. The era of greed is good and going for it. By the time the 90s dawdled along, London’s young guns had already grasped the bull by its horns and crashed into any number of china shops, flashing their cash, getting their way by hook and, with regard to Layer Cake’s protagonist, very much by crook.
“Everyone wants to walk through a door marked ‘private.’ Therefore, have a good reason to be affluent.“
JJ Connolly’s Layer Cake was first published in 2000 by Duckworth Press but it is set in London in the 1990s. And it is very much a 90s London novel. As of its time as Moloko, Portishead, Brit Pop, Cool Britannia, celebrity chefs, This Life or YBAs.
Layer Cake’s unnamed narrator is a successful young drug dealer who has plans to ditch his life of crime once he reaches the ripe old age of 30 and live the life of a gentleman of leisure. Of course, things don’t go to plan. Once a shipment of ecstasy is hijacked, everything turns pear-shaped for our anti-hero as quickly as spit disappears on hot pavement. Violence, double-cross and triple-cross invariably ensue.
The plot is tight and twisty, but one of its main strengths is its rich and varied cast of lowlife characters, such as the short-fused Mr Mortimer; The Duke – the cokehead leader of a criminal gang known as the Yahoos; The Duke’s psychotic and equally as coke addled girlfriend Slasher; a smooth and smart conman known as either Billy Bogus or Cody Garrett; Klaus, the leader of a group of German neo-Nazis; ‘Crazy’ Larry Flynn – a gangster with a penchant for strangling rent boys; and a Doberman called Mike Tyson.
JJ Connolly’s debut novel could well have been received a cult classic for crime fiction connoisseurs, for fans of Derek Raymond’s Factory novels or Ted Lewis perhaps. Or it could have been seen as a well-regarded but obscure London noir like Gerald Kersh’s Night and the City, or James Curtis’ The Gilt Kid. But it burst into the mainstream with rave reviews from all sorts of respectable square joints such as The Times, The Guardian and The Literary Review.
The novel has a lot in common with the all-mouth and well-cut trousers stylings of the mockney gangster capers popularised by film director Guy Ritchie in the 90s. So it’s no great surprise that the 2004 film version of Layer Cake was the directorial debut of Guy Ritchie’s erstwhile producer Matthew Vaughn. Starring future Mr Bond, Daniel Craig, the film did pretty damned well on its own terms, too, focusing on some of the supporting cast of characters and giving us a fistful of great performances – particularly from Colm Meaney, George Harris and Michael Gambon.
Enjoyable as the film version of Layer Cake was, it didn’t quite capture the voice of the novel – a John Lydon/Peter Cook sneer mixed with a fatalistic sigh of resignation. Layer Cake is brash, vivid and blackly-comic but it is at least as much about the argot as it as about the aggro, peppered as much with laddish badinage – ladinage – as it is with bullets and birds. The language is also quite arch, telling the tale in an off-kiler, askew way. Now, 20 years on from its publication, the book still seems breathlessly fresh.
We waited a full ten years until Connolly followed up Layer Cake with the splendid Viva La Madness, which saw Layer Cake’s protagonist attempting to lay low in Jamaica until Mr Mortimer arrived to drag him back into a life of crime.
In October 2011, I interviewed JJ Connolly for my blog, and I asked about the long wait for the sequel to his debut novel.
PDB: We’ve been waiting for Viva La Madness for ten years, why so long?
JJC: I was working on films, traveling, messing around, getting in and out of trouble, having fun. Two years ago I decided I better stop messing around and sat down and finished Viva. I’d been working on it – on and off, more off than on, for almost ten years, since I finished Layer Cake, in fact. I got distracted, but distracted in a nicest possible way, in some nice places, with some nice people.
Then Connolly seemed to go underground again for another decade…
Well, it’s now the 20th anniversary of Layer Cake’s publication and this special edition has a very tasty new cover along with a revealing and intriguing afterword from Mister Connolly himself. A republished version of Viva la Madness is on its way too, as is a Viva la Madness television series from Sky TV, starring no less than Jason Statham.
So what next for JJ Connolly? Maybe the hat-trick? When I interviewed him in 2011 he said:
“I want to write another book with the narrator from Layer Cake and Viva la Madness, to complete a trilogy. I like the voice.“
So, in the words of Moloko, the time is now …
April 7, 2025
If you have watched the Matthew Vaughn's film adaptation, you pretty much read Layer Cake by J. J. Connolly, albeit with small changes. The film is almost a word-by-word imagery of the book, though the book finishes off in better style, I'd say.
The story follows an Unknown Narrator that happens to be a drug dealer, a very skillful one at it. The Unknown Narrator wants to retire, but he is tasked with one final job, two instead: find a missing girl and complete the trade on a huge pack of “pills”. As expected, everything goes wrong, and quickly the Unknown Narrator spirals into a net of misinformation and always-increasing complications.
Connolly tells us this story in first person, from the Unknown Narrator's perspective, so we get a trait into how the Unknown Narrator sees the world. Through natural flow, we see the protagonist just happens to live out of crime, not be a criminal for real. He just happens to be a great salesman that happens to sell illegals. He wants to pack is readies and be off, live the good life, be gone with this whole thing. Alas, easier said than done.
If you are not a British English speaker, you are in for a treat here: the language is full of 90's London slang all over but suits the scenery good. It is over the top, but the Unknown Narrator is over the top. Have you got English as second language, and you might need a dictionary by your side or good old dictio-tap-hold-and-search in your e-ink device.
Plotwise, it is supreme in dark humor. Layer Cake is serious and humorous at the same time, hats off to Mr. Connolly. The plot escalates nicely, and never was I feeling like things are just out of tune with the overall arc.
The dialogues are also a plus here too. Connolly has this distinct way of keeping us engaged through the Unknown Narrator's thoughts mixed with actual dialogue exchange, hilarious in some parts.
So what is holding Layer Cake on a B grade then?
First, it is a dense book, a hard one to keep on a reading flow. This could be a language barrier on me, though I know English, two things at play here: either having watched the movie first spoiled this story for me or the fact that the slang-ridden narration is hard to grasp at times got me a bit startled in the beginning. The film adaptation was so easy to follow, I wonder what happened here.
Second, the subplot with the hired German assassin had a sour conclusion, one that does not fit the Unknown Narrator. I feel the conclusion the film adaptation had was far better, and I understand the change too, changing from something off to fit for our protagonist, probably a fix by Connolly, who apparently worked as a writer advisor (or screenwriter, who knows) on the film adaptation.
Overall, Layer Cake delivers on the genre expectations. It is funny and enjoyable, albeit some detractors, and, without a worry in this review, I say worth a reading by whoever likes crime fiction.
The story follows an Unknown Narrator that happens to be a drug dealer, a very skillful one at it. The Unknown Narrator wants to retire, but he is tasked with one final job, two instead: find a missing girl and complete the trade on a huge pack of “pills”. As expected, everything goes wrong, and quickly the Unknown Narrator spirals into a net of misinformation and always-increasing complications.
Connolly tells us this story in first person, from the Unknown Narrator's perspective, so we get a trait into how the Unknown Narrator sees the world. Through natural flow, we see the protagonist just happens to live out of crime, not be a criminal for real. He just happens to be a great salesman that happens to sell illegals. He wants to pack is readies and be off, live the good life, be gone with this whole thing. Alas, easier said than done.
If you are not a British English speaker, you are in for a treat here: the language is full of 90's London slang all over but suits the scenery good. It is over the top, but the Unknown Narrator is over the top. Have you got English as second language, and you might need a dictionary by your side or good old dictio-tap-hold-and-search in your e-ink device.
Plotwise, it is supreme in dark humor. Layer Cake is serious and humorous at the same time, hats off to Mr. Connolly. The plot escalates nicely, and never was I feeling like things are just out of tune with the overall arc.
The dialogues are also a plus here too. Connolly has this distinct way of keeping us engaged through the Unknown Narrator's thoughts mixed with actual dialogue exchange, hilarious in some parts.
So what is holding Layer Cake on a B grade then?
First, it is a dense book, a hard one to keep on a reading flow. This could be a language barrier on me, though I know English, two things at play here: either having watched the movie first spoiled this story for me or the fact that the slang-ridden narration is hard to grasp at times got me a bit startled in the beginning. The film adaptation was so easy to follow, I wonder what happened here.
Second, the subplot with the hired German assassin had a sour conclusion, one that does not fit the Unknown Narrator. I feel the conclusion the film adaptation had was far better, and I understand the change too, changing from something off to fit for our protagonist, probably a fix by Connolly, who apparently worked as a writer advisor (or screenwriter, who knows) on the film adaptation.
Overall, Layer Cake delivers on the genre expectations. It is funny and enjoyable, albeit some detractors, and, without a worry in this review, I say worth a reading by whoever likes crime fiction.
September 10, 2023
I am a huge fan of the movie adaptation of this book, so much so that I put off reading this for years because I was happy with the version of this story that I know well. Now that I finally decided to pick this up, it is next to impossible for me to write a review of this book without comparing it to that movie. That is something that both worked for and against this book at times.
I am pleased to say that the movie version of this novel is one of the most good-faith book-to-movie adaptations I have come across. An enormous portion of this book made it onto the screen, almost line for line at times. That's a testament to how good this story was that so little had to be changed. However, there were inevitably some changes that had to be made and unfortunately (for this book) I have to admit that each change was for the better.
The first and most noticeable change was to the tone of the novel. This novel is written in first person with the voice of a character who felt like he had been taken from a Guy Richie movie. It's written with thick London-style slang that would feel right at home in one of those movies if the writing were just a little more clever. There's something about a Guy Richie movie where the writing just clicks and the dialogue works. Without that special something, this style can be more of a hindrance than a boon to a story. I'm not sure whether it's a lack of authenticity (or maybe its too authentic as far as I know), or maybe it feels like it's trying too hard... whatever the case, it didn't work for me in this story, and with an element like this, if it's not going to work I'd rather it be omitted entirely, as it was in the movie.
The second big change is one that has to happen to go into the movie, and that was editing this down to a more manageable size. Again, I felt this was a change for the better. This book is a little too chaotic and the pacing is a little off. It's not boring by any means and I don't think it's too hard to follow (though it's hard to tell as I know the movie so well), but it does feel a little looser than the film and less punchy as a result.
All that said, this is still an enjoyable novel and it's clear to see why they made a movie out of it. It has an excellent story at its heart and it is well worth a read. However, I think this is one of the exceptionally rare cases where the movie adaptation is the better choice.
I am pleased to say that the movie version of this novel is one of the most good-faith book-to-movie adaptations I have come across. An enormous portion of this book made it onto the screen, almost line for line at times. That's a testament to how good this story was that so little had to be changed. However, there were inevitably some changes that had to be made and unfortunately (for this book) I have to admit that each change was for the better.
The first and most noticeable change was to the tone of the novel. This novel is written in first person with the voice of a character who felt like he had been taken from a Guy Richie movie. It's written with thick London-style slang that would feel right at home in one of those movies if the writing were just a little more clever. There's something about a Guy Richie movie where the writing just clicks and the dialogue works. Without that special something, this style can be more of a hindrance than a boon to a story. I'm not sure whether it's a lack of authenticity (or maybe its too authentic as far as I know), or maybe it feels like it's trying too hard... whatever the case, it didn't work for me in this story, and with an element like this, if it's not going to work I'd rather it be omitted entirely, as it was in the movie.
The second big change is one that has to happen to go into the movie, and that was editing this down to a more manageable size. Again, I felt this was a change for the better. This book is a little too chaotic and the pacing is a little off. It's not boring by any means and I don't think it's too hard to follow (though it's hard to tell as I know the movie so well), but it does feel a little looser than the film and less punchy as a result.
All that said, this is still an enjoyable novel and it's clear to see why they made a movie out of it. It has an excellent story at its heart and it is well worth a read. However, I think this is one of the exceptionally rare cases where the movie adaptation is the better choice.
November 7, 2024
Is it a British thing to tell long side stories in lieu of characterisation?
The style does have certain cultural associations via Guy Ritchie’s filmmaking. I assume the idea is that we get a special peek of someone’s inner thoughts through some “interesting” vignette that varies the pace.
Yet what I see when I read Layer Cake is block after block of text, because these stories (or often inner monologues) don’t require conversational skills or breaks for action. Instead it is the author’s nominated speaker vomiting out poorly disguised exposition or telling rather than showing in respect of a character. I could see how it would work, but it breaks down in a book written in the first-person perspective of the narrator only (which means lots of inner monologues – i.e. further blocks of texts).
This style makes Layer Cake a heavy read because the plot moves at a glacial pace. While there are elements of cleverness and attempts to ratchet up the tension, I personally found it incoherent – almost like it was a bunch of stories the author had been told and tried to mash together – which turns out, is exactly the case!
One thing I do like about Layer Cake is the dichotomy between how much the un-named protagonist talks himself up at the start and how things play out in the book. He is outsmarted by everyone, right down to the guy who’s woman he thinks he can steal. He’s manipulated into every situation right up to murder. He pretends he is above the drugs he trades yet is often consumes them to work up the courage to follow through with “his” plans. He’s a buffoon who survives via dumb luck and the reader’s need for the sole narrator to guide us through the entire story. I like that he’s hopeless.
I would even extend this further and say several characters act discordantly from how they are described, and generally for the worse. However, I am hesitant to say there is a definite theme with this beyond the main character, as their behaviours seem to be subsumed into the idea that everyone is out to get their own (the “layer cake”). The story drives the characters to be bad rather than inherent character flaws driving their actions.
That is not a writing flaw in itself but when the plot, frankly, sucks, I am not that interested.
The style does have certain cultural associations via Guy Ritchie’s filmmaking. I assume the idea is that we get a special peek of someone’s inner thoughts through some “interesting” vignette that varies the pace.
Yet what I see when I read Layer Cake is block after block of text, because these stories (or often inner monologues) don’t require conversational skills or breaks for action. Instead it is the author’s nominated speaker vomiting out poorly disguised exposition or telling rather than showing in respect of a character. I could see how it would work, but it breaks down in a book written in the first-person perspective of the narrator only (which means lots of inner monologues – i.e. further blocks of texts).
This style makes Layer Cake a heavy read because the plot moves at a glacial pace. While there are elements of cleverness and attempts to ratchet up the tension, I personally found it incoherent – almost like it was a bunch of stories the author had been told and tried to mash together – which turns out, is exactly the case!
One thing I do like about Layer Cake is the dichotomy between how much the un-named protagonist talks himself up at the start and how things play out in the book. He is outsmarted by everyone, right down to the guy who’s woman he thinks he can steal. He’s manipulated into every situation right up to murder. He pretends he is above the drugs he trades yet is often consumes them to work up the courage to follow through with “his” plans. He’s a buffoon who survives via dumb luck and the reader’s need for the sole narrator to guide us through the entire story. I like that he’s hopeless.
I would even extend this further and say several characters act discordantly from how they are described, and generally for the worse. However, I am hesitant to say there is a definite theme with this beyond the main character, as their behaviours seem to be subsumed into the idea that everyone is out to get their own (the “layer cake”). The story drives the characters to be bad rather than inherent character flaws driving their actions.
That is not a writing flaw in itself but when the plot, frankly, sucks, I am not that interested.
November 6, 2020
If you’ve seen the film then it’ll give you a good grounding for the book, however it won’t spoil it because there is so much more in the book so it’s not a carbon copy, which keeps things fresh. The film is not a complete departure from the book but the book itself has so much in it, it’s quite intense in a way that the film isn’t and that’s what makes them different from each other.
The story is based in London and I think if you’re from there or very familiar with it you might find it a little easier to follow than I did. The way of speaking in the book is, I believe, very much London style and as someone who has always lived in Scotland, it took me a little bit of time to get used to the way of the characters talking. In fact I think prior film knowledge came in handy here because I could follow the story, knowing what happens, while I got used to the writing and the differences in the way the characters spoke.
Unsurprisingly this is a fast paced book, it doesn’t let up for a second, even when the characters are having a meal or the main (un-named) character is in a club. There’s so much intensity to this story. There’s clearly also a lot of background knowledge because the way the main character talks about drug deals, pricing, all the extra things they need to consider for selling on stock, etc comes across really well and it’s almost like getting an education while reading.
Through the story we follow the main character and get to see him go from his nice cosy little bubble to realising that actually, his world and the people in it are not necessarily as they appear to him. It’s like his rose-tinted glasses fade back to clear glass slowly through the story as you see him wake up to the realities and the fact that his plans may not be the same as other people’s plans for him. It’s interesting to watch the dynamics at work and see the growing realisation of what he’s really got himself into.
As I said this is an intense read and one that will definitely immerse you into the world of drugs and dealing. It’s definitely an education and, in a way, a bit of escapism too.
The story is based in London and I think if you’re from there or very familiar with it you might find it a little easier to follow than I did. The way of speaking in the book is, I believe, very much London style and as someone who has always lived in Scotland, it took me a little bit of time to get used to the way of the characters talking. In fact I think prior film knowledge came in handy here because I could follow the story, knowing what happens, while I got used to the writing and the differences in the way the characters spoke.
Unsurprisingly this is a fast paced book, it doesn’t let up for a second, even when the characters are having a meal or the main (un-named) character is in a club. There’s so much intensity to this story. There’s clearly also a lot of background knowledge because the way the main character talks about drug deals, pricing, all the extra things they need to consider for selling on stock, etc comes across really well and it’s almost like getting an education while reading.
Through the story we follow the main character and get to see him go from his nice cosy little bubble to realising that actually, his world and the people in it are not necessarily as they appear to him. It’s like his rose-tinted glasses fade back to clear glass slowly through the story as you see him wake up to the realities and the fact that his plans may not be the same as other people’s plans for him. It’s interesting to watch the dynamics at work and see the growing realisation of what he’s really got himself into.
As I said this is an intense read and one that will definitely immerse you into the world of drugs and dealing. It’s definitely an education and, in a way, a bit of escapism too.
June 27, 2024
Well, I had never heard of Connolly or the movie or the book until a quote from it was mentioned by a crypto podcaster from England. So I dredged up a copy which had been scanned and uploaded to the Internet before it was removed from a library in Scotland and had the computer read it to me. As a life long reader of crime memoirs by the likes of Iceberg Slim and Casanova, I was impressed and thrilled. It is very funny too. The nods to men's fashion were appreciated as well.
Connolly's stream of consciousness writing flows like an exhilarating late night drive on the freeway where all of the cars are moving fast and in synch. There are twists and turns and no character is spared. Every time someone starts thinking too much of themselves, something goes shockingly wrong. Yet, this work of transgressive fiction dares to inspect all of the characters' ranges of emotions and hang ups from pride, tenderness, and wanton cruelty to shame, inadequacy, and humiliation.
At about halfway though the book, I decided to stop being lazy and open a window with Green's online dictionary of British slang. Then it also became a vocabulary builder!
My brain really latched on to the way the main character recounts the story, so much so that I was disappointed every time I had to stop reading. In the end, everyone did not get what they wanted, but they did get what they needed.
Connolly's stream of consciousness writing flows like an exhilarating late night drive on the freeway where all of the cars are moving fast and in synch. There are twists and turns and no character is spared. Every time someone starts thinking too much of themselves, something goes shockingly wrong. Yet, this work of transgressive fiction dares to inspect all of the characters' ranges of emotions and hang ups from pride, tenderness, and wanton cruelty to shame, inadequacy, and humiliation.
At about halfway though the book, I decided to stop being lazy and open a window with Green's online dictionary of British slang. Then it also became a vocabulary builder!
My brain really latched on to the way the main character recounts the story, so much so that I was disappointed every time I had to stop reading. In the end, everyone did not get what they wanted, but they did get what they needed.
July 13, 2025
The first I heard of this story was the pre-Bond Daniel Craig film. The book is a bit different (from what I remember of the film), but the general story is pretty similar.
Our unnamed narrator is in his late-20s, an unashamed drug dealer, with an eye for the ladies and trendy clothes. This is not your street corner dealer, our man is discrete, careful and takes any and all precautions to keep his nose clean, at least as far as the police are concerned. Like every crook, he dreams of the big score and retirement. However, in this case, perhaps its true – he has an accountant, an investment strategy and lots more. Can he escape?
However, our man gets himself into trouble. A boss, Jimmy Price, asks him to find someone, and he accepts without thinking. It’s a nice bit of cash to go into his retirement fund. There’s a catch – Price has two million ecstasy pills he needs to get rid of as well. All is not as it seems, and the low profile, take-no-chances dealer is suddenly up to his neck in trouble. Are his retirement plans in tatters?
Overall, this is a good read. It can be a bit hard going to start with – the colloquial language can be a bit grating – but stick with it and you get into the rhythm of the words and the story moves along at pace with plenty of twists and turns.
Our unnamed narrator is in his late-20s, an unashamed drug dealer, with an eye for the ladies and trendy clothes. This is not your street corner dealer, our man is discrete, careful and takes any and all precautions to keep his nose clean, at least as far as the police are concerned. Like every crook, he dreams of the big score and retirement. However, in this case, perhaps its true – he has an accountant, an investment strategy and lots more. Can he escape?
However, our man gets himself into trouble. A boss, Jimmy Price, asks him to find someone, and he accepts without thinking. It’s a nice bit of cash to go into his retirement fund. There’s a catch – Price has two million ecstasy pills he needs to get rid of as well. All is not as it seems, and the low profile, take-no-chances dealer is suddenly up to his neck in trouble. Are his retirement plans in tatters?
Overall, this is a good read. It can be a bit hard going to start with – the colloquial language can be a bit grating – but stick with it and you get into the rhythm of the words and the story moves along at pace with plenty of twists and turns.
July 3, 2021
*** Don't read the Goodreads description of this book! It gives up the entire story in a dozen paragraphs! (My God!) ***
Pretty solidly fun. It's about an outfit of drug dealers in 90s London, and written in first person with a Cockney as the narrator. As an American, at the beginning the dialectical writing and the slang made it challenging to read. I had to frequently stop and Google the keywords "British slang xxxx" before I understood whole passages. For instance "bird" had at least three different definitions, only one of which I knew: it means a woman (chick), a large amount of cocaine, or time in prison. Other words I had to look up were gaff, old bill, khazi, key, geezer, punter, snout, cozzer (those are just the ones I can remember off the top of me old canister).
Anyway the narrator is a drug wholesaler, more upscale than the average small-amounts dealer, higher up in the layer cake you could say. We never learn the narrator's name, but he's suave, well-liked, keeps a low profile. He's a perfect business partner, doesn't draw much attention to himself, he's safe. So Jimmy Price, the local big wig in the drug scene, asks our narrator to do some business for him. Even though Jimmy Price is our narrator's boss, our narrator has barely met him since he's a couple of layers up the cake. But it turns out Jimmy has really noticed our man, really favors him. This is when the plot gets quite a bit more complicated and I won't try to summarize it.
The narrator is likeable and, by extension, so are his associates. Our man wants to get out of the game when he hits 30 and he's 29 now. So we are rooting for him to get everything all tied up neatly and then get out. Then things start to unravel.
Can our man save himself? Can he pull off a win? Well‽
Pretty solidly fun. It's about an outfit of drug dealers in 90s London, and written in first person with a Cockney as the narrator. As an American, at the beginning the dialectical writing and the slang made it challenging to read. I had to frequently stop and Google the keywords "British slang xxxx" before I understood whole passages. For instance "bird" had at least three different definitions, only one of which I knew: it means a woman (chick), a large amount of cocaine, or time in prison. Other words I had to look up were gaff, old bill, khazi, key, geezer, punter, snout, cozzer (those are just the ones I can remember off the top of me old canister).
Anyway the narrator is a drug wholesaler, more upscale than the average small-amounts dealer, higher up in the layer cake you could say. We never learn the narrator's name, but he's suave, well-liked, keeps a low profile. He's a perfect business partner, doesn't draw much attention to himself, he's safe. So Jimmy Price, the local big wig in the drug scene, asks our narrator to do some business for him. Even though Jimmy Price is our narrator's boss, our narrator has barely met him since he's a couple of layers up the cake. But it turns out Jimmy has really noticed our man, really favors him. This is when the plot gets quite a bit more complicated and I won't try to summarize it.
The narrator is likeable and, by extension, so are his associates. Our man wants to get out of the game when he hits 30 and he's 29 now. So we are rooting for him to get everything all tied up neatly and then get out. Then things start to unravel.
Can our man save himself? Can he pull off a win? Well‽
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