It’s Mediterranean style – sharing platters and little dishes of olives and almonds, that sort of thing.

You may miss the characters being introduced, but the stories are not intertwined and you’d miss very little by reading this as a stand-alone book.I love the detail and atmosphere the author creates, the 80′s has a certain feel and I am sure Manchester in the 80′s had an atmosphere all of it’s own! Beth left the path and fought her way through the undergrowth, feeling the sting of nettles through her jeans. As much as I liked Slur, you can tell that Gangster’s Grip is Burnside’s second novel as it feels a little more polished and well-paced. Then he lowered his voice, ‘Rumour has it that he’s a bit dodgy and he’s running other businesses on the side.

When Julie is accused of a crime she doesn’t commit, even her nearest and dearest do not believe her! Frantic now, Beth carried on battling her way towards Rex till she had almost reached the end of the clump of bushes. Good news, Gangster’s Grip is no exception; the tense and heavy plot doesn’t stop you wanting to plough on to the shocking yet inevitable ending.It was cold, and the rain that had fallen throughout the previous week had turned the ground to a sludgy mess. Suddenly it dawned on Beth that he must be the manager, and she became embarrassed by her abrasiveness.