This is certainly a novel for the current day, one that holds a mirror up to certain elements of modern Britain and casts an ugly reflection. There is no sanitised view, this is a grim and therefore more likely accurate portrayal of life for the downtrodden when dirty money comes flooding into an area.

The action is set in the run up to the 2012 London Olympics, when a neglected area was regenerated to the ‘benefit of all’ on a short timescale. Urban regeneration is supposed to benefit everyone, but like the pigs in George Orwell’s allegorical novel Animal Farm, some benefit more than others. The setting is perfect, it is fiction but much of what is described one could easily image to be true. I have little doubt such things are happening somewhere in Britain at this moment. We seem to have a dichotomy where the ordinary person must ‘jump through hoops’ to deposit a few hundred pounds cash in their bank account because of money laundering laws, yet billions of pounds of dirty money floods the system every year.

The plot centres on the investigation into the murder of the activist Fraser Neal and it quickly becomes apparent that what Fraser was involved in must be investigated if the murderer is to be found. There is a complication in that DS Max Lomax has already had dealings with Fraser, who through a confidential source had managed to uncover corruption. This brings a lovely twist, a conflict between the investigating team and the outsider Max, who is a somewhat enigmatic investigator.

The bulk of the relatable characters fall into the latter category as they battle to preserve their community. Fraser, Alison, Father Downey and his volunteers working against adversity although there is something of a sting in the tail. Then there is the titled Johnny Nunn, a former boxer very much a flawed man, one ill-used by the moneymen behind him, who has lost his way. He is the redemptive figure, in some ways the fighter who never knows when to stop for his own good, but then fighting is all he knows. It’s not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up. He provides the grit to the tale and in some ways the inspiration or encouragement to others to fight on in the face of resignation.

London itself and the Jamaica Dock area it is centred effectively becomes a character, one with a distinctly grubby persona if not entirely lovingly portrayed. It’s the simple observations that bring the flavour of truth, of authenticity, the Turkish barber really is the growth business on our run-down shopping streets. Here we get the sense of the affection for, and security given by the familiar streets, that people call home. It may not be pretty but it’s theirs and some have little more than that, to uproot them will destroy their very identity.

This is a dark, grubby noir, one shorn of the smart quips of the hard-boiled, this battle against establishment and corruption without any frippery. It makes for something of a testing read at times, but to introduce too many light moments would dilute the impact. The plot progresses at a steady pace, seen from multiple character perspectives and is punctuation by short bursts of violence. Whilst not overly graphic their impact is all the greater because of the element of surprise by which they are introduced.

The Last Days of Johnny Nunn is a powerful modern noir that pulls no punches demonstrating the effects of dirty money on tight knit community.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and author for access in exchange for a fair review.

Nick Triplow’s new novel is an old school breath of fresh air… and I appreciate that may sound contradictory.
DS Max Lomax of Special Operations is looking into the death of campaigner Fraser Neal amid a controversial development bid in the Docklands. What we know is that Neal was murdered. Beyond that, there are a lot of questions: was he really a police informant as he claimed? Why is Lomax facing such push back from all sides in trying to find out more about what really happened – both from the residents on the estates Neal represented and from his own superiors? And how does the titular Johnny Nunn, a former boxer now living on the street who has reappeared on the scene after years away, fit into it all?
This is not a book for those hoping for big action set pieces or clear good guys versus bad guys. Instead, it’s a book more akin to British crime of a bygone age (the type the author has written about in nonfiction in the past) into a much more period of history. It’s got a big cast and a lot of intersections between them… I’ve seen a couple of readers say they found it confusing to follow and they got mixed up between who was who. I understand how that could be the case, but I would say it’s worth taking the time and effort to read: it’s a slow burn, character driven thing but I found it a rewarding read.

I have to admit to this one being a DNF for me :(
I did try but I got a bit confused and where I loved the hard boiled aspect of the crimes etc, I found the characters to be a bit confusing and, even with making my own notes, I had to admit defeat. This was especially compounded with all the side stories that were going on.
I have always struggled with huge casts and maybe the included cast list at the beginning of the book intimidated me somewhat, so I might have been starting on the back foot. I'll never know...
Either way, it wasn't for me but I think those with a better command of character memory will enjoy it.

Fraser Neal was an activist protester, trying to stop the development of his council estate by a company which is backed by dodgy money from dodgy people.. Now he's been found dead in an alleyway, stabbed to death. Max is a Special Operations police officer., Fraser had offered to sell him information on the developers which would evidence large scale wrongdoing. Johnny Nunn is a retired boxer who has left his home and become a vagrant, looking for his daughter who ran away from home.. Max interviews Johnny's estranged wife, who was on Fraser's committee and comes to think that Johnny must be linked to the case - but how?Its complex, brutal and captivating - a terrific read.

Now to the book ..
Straight in to gritty crime, the dirt and depression that haunts housing estates that tower into the sky. Where the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. Demanding a grungy urban soundtrack the story of Johnny Nunn is not a cheerful one. None of the characters involved have a particularly happy ending. The characters are well carved but my own complaint was there were so many of them and the names started to bleed into each other.
The main story itself was nothing exciting, it was reality. There were a lot of offshoots, maybe they could have been neater, maybe they could have been tidied up at the end however life isn't like that.
There are essences of politics, street vibes, gangs, violence but maybe not quite enough of each.
A good start if there is to be more of the main Detectives involved.

I'm not going to lie, I found this book a bit of a challenge. A hotchpotch of various characters somehow linked to a murder, or are they, and at the end of it I still actually didn't know who the killer was.

Maybe it's just me which would be surprising as I read a lot of crime fiction and don't normally struggle. In recent months this was not one of my favourite reads. Shame really as the title really gripped me and I was look8ng forward to reading the work. I'd give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! What a fantastic thriller and rollercoaster of a read it is. Featuring DS Max Lomax, Special Operations, and a whole host of interesting characters, it's an exciting read for lovers of thrillers and one I can highly recommend. I loved the intricate plotting and the London setting, as well as the social issues portrayed. I hope there is more to come from Max. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Set around the multi-million pound industry of land purchase and development, the story revolves around claims of dirty money. Johnny Nunn, homeless and keen to keep his head down, has knowledge that could bring the whole show crashing down on the lead developer of a London housing project. The stakes are high and with one vocal protester already dead under highly dubious circumstances, the list of those wanting Johnny silenced is only growing longer.

The narrative is driven by dialogue, whether that be from a copper, a nark, an executive or Johnny himself, and is always incisive and on trend. The level of threat builds steadily and the characters are plausible and relatable, none more so than the detectives working at street level with those whom life has and continues to rain upon.

I loved the south London and Kent settings. A spiky read that juxtaposes big business with a brutal underworld that most of us, thankfully, will never be part of.