Shortlisted for the 2018 CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger
Ray Boy Calabrese is released from prison 16 years after his actions led to the death of a young man. The victim's brother, Conway D'Innocenzio, is a 29-year-old Brooklynite wasting away at a local Rite Aid, stuck in the past and still howling for Ray Boy's blood. When the chips are down and the gun is drawn, Conway finds that he doesn't have murder in him. Thus begins a spiral of self-loathing and soul-searching into which he is joined by Alessandra, a failed actress caring for her widowed father, and Eugene, Ray Boy's hellbound nephew. Ray Boy Calabrese is back in Gravesend: some people worship him, some want him dead . . . but none more so than the ex-con himself.
'Bristling with energy, Gravesend marks Boyle out as a new name to watch' - Guardian
'A brave and gripping novel from start to finish' - Big Issue
'A dark, hard hitting novel' - The Herald
Genre: Mystery
Ray Boy Calabrese is released from prison 16 years after his actions led to the death of a young man. The victim's brother, Conway D'Innocenzio, is a 29-year-old Brooklynite wasting away at a local Rite Aid, stuck in the past and still howling for Ray Boy's blood. When the chips are down and the gun is drawn, Conway finds that he doesn't have murder in him. Thus begins a spiral of self-loathing and soul-searching into which he is joined by Alessandra, a failed actress caring for her widowed father, and Eugene, Ray Boy's hellbound nephew. Ray Boy Calabrese is back in Gravesend: some people worship him, some want him dead . . . but none more so than the ex-con himself.
'Bristling with energy, Gravesend marks Boyle out as a new name to watch' - Guardian
'A brave and gripping novel from start to finish' - Big Issue
'A dark, hard hitting novel' - The Herald
Genre: Mystery
Praise for this book
"A bruiser and a heartbreaker of a debut. With echoes of Lehane and Pelecanos but with a rhythm and poignancy all its own, it's a gripping tale of family, revenge, the strains of the past and the losses that never leave us." - Megan Abbott
"Gravesend kicks ass! An irresistible combo of an insider's tour of Brooklyn and true and authentic 21st Century Noir. Boyle is one to watch." - Ace Atkins
"Gravesend is a taut exploration of the ways we hurt and save (or try to save) one another. With unforgettable characters, a fist for a plot and a deeply evocative setting, Boyle navigates alleys and streets with the best of them, Lehane, Price, and Pelecanos." - Tom Franklin
"A dark ride but a seriously great ride." - Willy Vlautin
"Gravesend kicks ass! An irresistible combo of an insider's tour of Brooklyn and true and authentic 21st Century Noir. Boyle is one to watch." - Ace Atkins
"Gravesend is a taut exploration of the ways we hurt and save (or try to save) one another. With unforgettable characters, a fist for a plot and a deeply evocative setting, Boyle navigates alleys and streets with the best of them, Lehane, Price, and Pelecanos." - Tom Franklin
"A dark ride but a seriously great ride." - Willy Vlautin
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Used availability for William Boyle's Gravesend