Dead Money by Ray Banks

Les Beale is a ticking time bomb. His best friend Alan Slater is his personal bomb disposal unit. When Alan fails to accompany Les to a poker game all hell breaks loose and Alan finds himself at the centre of the blast radius.

Ray Banks excellently deconstructs Alan’s life one body blow at a time. In his usual straightforward fashion Banks tell the tale of a cocky double glazing salesman whose choice of friend will cost him dear.

Like all of the fiction that I have read thus far by Ray Banks Dead Money can be summed up in three words: Simple and compelling. I highly recommend this riveting read.

Genre:  Crime Fiction
Publisher:  Blasted Heath
Format:  E-Book Novel
Price:  Amazon UK - £1.99
Rating:  5/5

California by Ray Banks

 Ray Banks has done it to me yet again. A straightforward linear tale. No intermingled plot lines. No unexpected surprises. Yet once again I felt totally compelled to finish this novella in one sitting.

Banks totally captivated my attention. Ask my opinion as a reviewer how does he do it? Buggered if I know! It's just top notch and totally immersive, addictive prose. The secret I think is in the voice. His characters come out of the page at you raging and frothing in Blu-Ray 3D HD and demand your attention.

California is the tale of one man's fight to keep his cool. Of course he fails at this spectacularly and yet he is provoked time and again. The logic Banks uses to justify his characters actions is irrefutable. Banks doesn't so much tell a story as he drags you along to experience the action. An absolutely first class read.

Download California HERE

Gun by Ray Banks

 I like to discover new authors with as few preconceptions as possible. I don’t read up on them. I don’t read reviews. I just dive into the icy waters of a new writers imagination. However, everyone I know in the crime writing fraternity, which I am new to, raves about Ray Banks. Still I bided my time and read his novella Gun when I was good and ready.

On the face of it the plot was a simple one. A guy just out of prison wants to earn some cash without the drudgery of the 9 to 5. Who can blame him eh? He runs an errand for a dodgy character that he feels owes him a favour. Things pretty much go downhill for Richie from there on in.

The dialogue throughout the story is absolutely spot on. It is never overdone nor underdone. I have discovered a great secret. The most powerful adhesive in the world: Ray Banks. Try as I might I could not put down my kindle. It was stuck fast to my hand. I was absolutely captivated. Gun had realism, grit, wit, violence and given the tone of the story, surprisingly also hope. Yes you were right my crime writing friends Banks the master has sucked in another one.

Download Gun HERE