“Please don’t let me die” are the last words fifteen-year-old Spencer says to his best friend Ryan as he bleeds to death on a London street, the latest victim of an unprovoked knife attack. These are words which haunt Ryan and which propel him into an increasingly dark and violent world as he attempts to seek not only answers but also revenge. They became words which haunted me too as I felt increasingly drawn into the London of street gangs, organised crime and violent turf wars. This is a world where stabbings and murder are commonplace and where it is all too easy for events to spiral out of control for young people who, initially excited by a sense of adventure as they cycle around stealing phones, selling them on and acting as go-betweens in the drug-dealing scene, soon find themselves out of their depth.
This gripping story – in part a police-procedural, in part a reflection of how communities can be affected by the power wielded by criminals – shines a disturbing light on how cycles of violence can all too easily develop in communities where organised crime is a fact of life, and the criminals behind it intimidate anyone who attempts to stand up to them. It shows how young people can be so easily persuaded that if they don’t become part of this culture they will become the victims of it.
It also convincingly explores the difficulties facing the police as they try to deal with the day by day incidences of violence whilst also attempting to tackle the organised crime which is so often behind them. As the story develops the often conflicting aims within the police force are brought vividly into focus – the different priorities of the officers dealing with the immediacy of a violent attack and of those who are trying to protect a long-term undercover operation which is aimed at destroying an organised crime ring.
As the story is told from the perspectives of three of the police officers involved, Lizzie, Sarah and Kieran, as well as from Ryan’s, the impact the murder of Spencer has on each of the characters, their families and their relationships is gradually revealed. I found each one of these characters (as well as all the more minor characters) entirely credible – uncomfortably so at times – and believe that much of this authenticity must stem from Kate London’s previous career as a police officer in London. She offered insights into the personality and professional clashes which can occur within a group of strong-minded individuals and how these can sometimes deflect attention from the task in hand. She also demonstrated the strong bonds of loyalty which can help to make the job of dealing with so much misery and violence more bearable.
However, the character who will, I know, haunt me for a long time is Ryan, a fifteen-year-old who has lived his young life surrounded by drugs, criminal activity and gang culture and is now grieving for his dead friend. It’s far too easy to say that he had choices about the actions he took, both before and following his friend’s death, but his story reflects how difficult it must be to develop any moral compass when your “mentors” use intimidation to encourage violence, revenge and a philosophy of the “survival of the fittest”. There were so many times whilst I was reading this story when I wanted to make him stop, to help him make different, better choices and – as well as to give him a big hug! It brought home to me just how much of a luxury choice is for some young people.
Although a gripping and unforgettable read, it is also a harrowing one because it’s impossible to read it without being reminded that it reflects real-life events which are happening, on an almost daily basis, in our cities. It would be an excellent choice for reading groups.