No Smoke

The phenomenon of formerly violent ex-cons turning their hands to memoir and fiction is hardly a new one. One of the more notable examples in the US is that of Edward Bunker, who has written extensively on his own past (Little Boy Blue) as well as having penned a number of novels (Dog Eat Dog). Released (and presumably reformed) after 16 years in jail for murder, Hugh Collins is another of these real life gangster literati, with two volumes of memoir, and this, the first in a projected trilogy. What makes Collins intriguing is that his personal background and fictional setting coincide in Glasgow circa 1976. This pulpy potboiler starts in somewhat confusing fashion, in the midst of a shady deal in which both sides are trying to con the other. This transaction is the catalyst for a story that will invoke all the traditional gangster elements from double-crossing to razor blades, police brutality and racism in an almost nostalgic attempt to portray the end of of an era. Barney Boone is a charming, old timey (and at 60+, old), small time grifter. Unfortunately, for the scam that kicks things off, he partners with two decidedly more violent younger men. The contrast between the solid old-time "earners" who graft every day and the younger, drug-addled, violent mobs is one of the book's main themes.The plot is built on a series of misunderstanding and coincidences end in grimly violent repercussions. Collins jumps around a bit, zooming in on different characters a little haphazardly. For quite a while Barney gets the most attention as we learn his history and family life, and then part way through, the focus shifts from him and his two partners to two women and another, unrelated, gangster. There is also a Pakistani family who awkwardly disappears completely from the narrative. The story wraps up with cosmic justice meted out and the stage clearly set for the next in the series. The end result is a mostly satisfying Scottish riff on the pulpy crime novel which is not particularly original, but nonetheless interesting. Collins writes in the type of Scots popularized in recent years by writers such as James Kelman and Irvine Welsh. For newcomers to Scots, there's a basic glossary in the front, which is serviceable, but unfortunately omits the more obscure terms.