R.I.P Robbie Silva

A hard-hitting 25,000-word noir thriller in the tradition of Jim Thompson and James M Cain, "R.I.P Robbie Silva" is the latest work from Tony Black, Irvine Welsh's favourite British crime writer. The story? Jed Collins, fresh from jail, is struggling to go straight when he hooks up with wild child Gail. Before long Jed is back to blagging ? with Gail in tow. But Jed has a past, and Gail has a secret about her gangster father that she wants to keep under wraps. One week in the Scottish capital for Jed and Gail turns into a bloody rollercoaster ride that leads straight to Hell. From the author? I wrote "R.I.P Robbie Silva" when I was Down Under, staying in Melbourne. It was a strange experience sitting in 30 degree heat and conjuring up grey and wet Edinburgh. It was also a break from writing the big, multi-layered thrillers. Sun and fun, then, like a holiday from myself. The result is that Jed Collins' story is definitely the most enjoyment I've had writing. ?Jed is a jump man who gets hooked up with wild-child Gail on his first day out the pound. Jed's got a nihilistic streak ? a hangover from a very messy childhood that in many ways chimes with Gail's ? and when they get together it's muy-der! ?The book's about the actions Jed takes to right old wrongs. It's about reactions too, and the consequences of crime. More than anything, though, I hope it's a right good read with some thrills and spills along the way. Praise for "The Storm Without" This is an elegiac noir for the memory of a place, delivered in a prose as bleakly beautiful as the setting. ? The Guardian This is the Great Scottish Novel, got it all and just a wee shade more... Classic. ? Ken Bruen, author of "Headstone" Highly entertaining, fast paced and tightly, almost sparingly, written. ? Undiscovered Scotland another masterclass in Tartan Noir ? Daily Record a thrilling piece of crime writing ? Scottish Field cracking stuff ? You Would Say That, Wouldn't You? Praise for Tony Black? Black's dialogue and atmosphere crackle with authenticity. ? The Times If you're a fan of Rankin, Mina or Welsh this is most certainly one for you. ? The Scotsman Tony Black's first novel hits the ground running, combining a sympathetic ear for the surreal dialogue of the dispossessed with a portrait of a city painted in the blackest humour. ? The Guardian The enigmatic Dury continues to be the punk rocker of the Scottish crime scene -- anarchic, rebellious and never afraid to shove his Doc Martens where they're not wanted. ? Daily Record Tony Black is my favourite British crime writer and Gus Dury the genre's most interesting protagonist. Like his previous books, Loss has the power, style and street swagger that makes most of his contemporaries a little bland by comparison. ? Irvine Welsh