White Riot: The Sunday Times Thriller of the Month (United Kingdom Trilogy)

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Supercharged by the music and counterculture of the era, White Riot weaves fiction, fact and personal experience to record the radical tale of London’s most thrilling borough.

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To counter their influence, anti-fascist groups launch the Carnival Against Racism in Victoria Park. It’s written in an extremely unique voice - somewhat difficult at times , i did toy with not finishing it once or twice but I continued on to the end. I am incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity with Arcadia to begin to build a body of work of which I’m proud and I am thrilled to continue this at their new home with the wonderful team at Quercus. The multinarrator points of view somewhat dilutes the main thread of the story, with perhaps too much detail provided, relating in a slightly 'heavy' read.From Rock against Racism to the National Front ‘NF’ logo, which was painted everywhere and seemingly endless marches and demonstrations.

Thomas • City, University of London Dr Joseph Thomas • City, University of London

One of the main things I will take from reading this book, and this is why I think it will do well and become an important read, is that comparing the 70s and 80s with the now, it appears that not much has really changed, and that's very sad. The story itself is decent enough and was made interesting for me because it covers history that I lived through. This book is very much in the style of David Pease whose books portray the era of protest and violence. As the son of West Indians, I despised and feared the NF, but suspected their vitriolic anti-immigrant stance was harboured quietly by many Britons, including politicians and police officers. Like David Peace and James Ellroy, Thomas fictionalises historical fact (among the many narrative voices here is that of Margaret Thatcher).Set in Hackney, against a backdrop of immigration, activism and institutionalised racism, the novel begins with the death of Shahid Akhtar, whose drowning is designated death by misadventure by the police, even though it happens after closing time beside a pub with a strict “no Asians” policy. Thomas ably captures local community anger, interracial tensions and especially the foreboding atmosphere around anti-fascist marches that led to violent clashes with NF skinheads and thuggish Special Patrol Group police.