Guns of Brixton, by Paul D. Brazill

Did you happen to see Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels? If you liked that film than I'm pretty sure you will like this fast paced story as well. Brit Grit with a double shot of humor is the way I'd describe it. The madcap plot (which begins with someone's brains being blown out, so don't say I didn't warn you) carries on at too fast a pace for me to summarize here. The humor tends to be of the ribald variety, but it operates on other levels as well--puns on popular culture, nods to more high tone cultural references. The overarching style is irreverence. Brazill doffs his hat to no icons.

"I need a break. I'm getting tired of London."
"I thought they said that if you are tired of London that you're tired of life?"
"Yeah, well they had obviously never been to Chiswick on a Saturday morning when all the yuppie mums are dragging their spoilt brats around after them. The bland leading the bland in The Land of the Twee."

Like that.

I should also point out that Paul writes some of the best short reviews on Good Reads and elsewhere that I've come across. They are succinct and accurate but also generous. They do what the best reviews tend to do, which is to make you want to read what he's just read, even if it isn't what you would have picked up on your own. So check them out.

(This blog post was originally posted on Good Reads.)