The Mersey might still be one of the world's muddiest rivers, but the Liverpool depicted in Kevin Sampson's Clubland is keen to leave its murky past behind. Brussels-bound bureaucrats toast the success of the post-Toxteth regeneration; young people are flocking to its universities and money men are clambering over each other for a slice of the lucrative club trade.

Veteran gangster - and hero of Sampson's earlier thriller Outlaws--Ged Brennan wouldn't normally turn down an opportunity to earn more money. He's got a wife and kids with decidedly upmarket tastes, after all. But he's also got strong principles. The idea of a decriminalised zone in the heart of clubland--where prostitution and drug use would be tolerated--appals him. Unfortunately, he's not in the best position to fight a crusade. The council are head-hunting him as the figurehead for their latest scheme. He's just handed over a string of strip clubs to his wayward--and distinctly warped--cousin Moby. And there's Marguerite, hot-shot lawyer and Haitian ice-queen. Who, in addition to being the widow of Ged's dead brother, has very much her own ideas about the future of clubland.

This is a highly original tale of tangled loyalties, set against a backdrop of shifting values. Ged Brennan is a protagonist to rival TV's Tony Soprano: gentlemanly and coarse, principled yet disarmingly ruthless. His journey through the mean streets of Merseyside is sometimes shocking, sometimes disturbing, always tinged with wit. Read it--and be grateful you're not living it.--Matthew Baylis

2003-07-16 Great sequel to 'Outlaws'. Strong, funny and rude...

Ged Brennan and his clan are back. After the little difference of opinion that closed 'Outlaws' Ged's trying to go a little straighter. The intelligent and dangerous Marguerite, ex-partner of Ratter, has plans to redevelop an area of derelict dockland into an "anything goes" entertainment district where prostitution and drug use are decriminalised, with backing from a feminist councillor who's hopelessly in love with a lap dancer... And Moby - well, he's Moby. He may not understand what's going on, but he wants a piece of the action and he's getting his kicks wherever he can.

As ever, Sampson's a master of internal monologue. All the characters have distinctive voices, and you feel that he really does understand Ged in particular. He's a strange man - a villain and a thug who genuinely believes he's moral; an unsophisticated man who believes he can run rings around everyone else; a man out of time and losing touch with the way his city is developing.

There's a lot of black humour in this book, some of it pretty coarse (usually when Moby's involved). The plot is very twisted, the characters well-drawn and it's a superb read. A great one for fans of the tough comic thriller.