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GRITTY, NEWCASTLE-SET CRIME FOR FANS OF IAN RANKIN AND ROBERT GALBRAITH. WINNER OF THE CWA JOHN CREASEY DAGGER AND A THEAKSTON’S NEW BLOOD AUTHOR FOR 2020.
‘Fresh, original, authentic and gritty – should be an instant classic’ LEE CHILD
‘Intricate, expertly paced with a shocking conclusion … Jimmy is a character you root for from page one … Simply supberb’ M. W. CRAVEN, author of THE PUPPET SHOW
It started with a splash. Jimmy, a homeless veteran grappling with PTSD, did his best to pretend he hadn’t heard it – the sound of something heavy falling into the Tyne at the height of an argument between two men on the riverbank. Not his fight.
Then he sees the headline: GIRL IN MISSING DAD PLEA. The girl, Carrie, reminds him of someone he lost, and this makes his mind up: it’s time to stop hiding from his past. But telling Carrie, what he heard – or thought he heard – turns out to be just the beginning of the story.
The police don’t believe him, but Carrie is adamant that something awful has happened to her dad and Jimmy agrees to help her, putting himself at risk from enemies old and new.
But Jimmy has one big advantage: when you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose.
‘Fresh, original, authentic and gritty – should be an instant classic’ LEE CHILD
‘Intricate, expertly paced with a shocking conclusion … Jimmy is a character you root for from page one … Simply supberb’ M. W. CRAVEN, author of THE PUPPET SHOW
It started with a splash. Jimmy, a homeless veteran grappling with PTSD, did his best to pretend he hadn’t heard it – the sound of something heavy falling into the Tyne at the height of an argument between two men on the riverbank. Not his fight.
Then he sees the headline: GIRL IN MISSING DAD PLEA. The girl, Carrie, reminds him of someone he lost, and this makes his mind up: it’s time to stop hiding from his past. But telling Carrie, what he heard – or thought he heard – turns out to be just the beginning of the story.
The police don’t believe him, but Carrie is adamant that something awful has happened to her dad and Jimmy agrees to help her, putting himself at risk from enemies old and new.
But Jimmy has one big advantage: when you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose.
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Reviews
What more do you want from a debut than a unique protagonist and a cracking plotline? A smart, thought-provoking crime read with bags of heart and humanity
The story races along at a cracking pace, lots of tension in the twists and turns, and Jimmy is hugely engaging and complex. It's a rare skill to develop a sympathetic character with such a chequered history for whom one so wants a happy ending. A deeply satisfying read
Intricate, expertly paced with a shocking conclusion. The dialogue is on-point, the narrative is flawless and Jimmy is a character you root for from page one. Believe me when I say this, Trevor Wood has a bright future in the world of crime fiction. Simply superb
I can safely say it will be huge . . . Flying through it. It's a brilliant read and I love Jimmy
A superbly written trip through the shadows of my hometown with a unique protagonist as a tour guide
Superb and going to make serious waves. Love it
Brings a fresh voice and a totally original perspective to the 'detective as outsider'. A homeless man, traumatised and violent, makes an unusual hero, but a hero with wit and courage who will win readers' hearts
I've just finished The Man on the Street, and I hugely enjoyed it. Wood is the real thing. I recently read the last Rebus, and it absolutely stands up to that level. It's smart, witty, compassionate and real, and the dialogue is brilliant. It's a fine thriller with something to say - and it feels like a blast of fresh air in the genre
Fresh, original, authentic and gritty - should be an instant classic
The characters are great and the descriptions of life on the streets are heartbreakingly convincing
An impressive debut, offering unsentimental insights into the everyday lives of people who end up on the streets
Wood has done his research to create a credible and compassionate tale of society's most marginalised. Crime fans will welcome the arrival of Sherlock Homeless
Solid plotting, strong characterisation and a likable and sympathetic protagonist add up to an assured debut
Wood's vivid evocation of Newcastle takes us into the depths of the city, and through Jimmy - our unlikely investigator - delivers an unsparing examination of life on the streets
Wood's vivid evocation of Newcastle takes us into the depths of the city, and through Jimmy - our unlikely investigator - delivers an unsparing examination of life on the streets