Black is the Colour by Seamus Connolly
It has been almost three decades since the brutal murder of a young father took place on the streets of Glasgow.
Fleeing the country as a child Cal Lynch returns to Scotland a man, a lawyer, determined to exact vengeance on the gangster who killed his father and tore his family apart.
His desired retribution would be complex and challenging. He had dreamed, trained and prepared for the day of his return.
Falling in love was not part of the plan.
As Cal’s revenge on Eddie Quinn draws ever closer, what happens next will leave him broken and fighting for his very existence.
Black Is The Colour is a gritty gangland tartan noir thriller set against the turbulent backdrop of Thatcher's Britain.
About the author
Seamus Connolly is a Scottish based author who has recently published his first novel - Black is the Colour. Brought up in the West of Scotland he combines gritty reality and great humour within his fiction writing.
Seamus is currently drafting a follow up to his debut novel which promises to keep readers enthralled with twists and turns to keep the pages turning.
Follow him at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seamusgconnolly/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seamusconnolly_
Review
‘Black is the Colour’ was a tale of revenge and family honour all set in the environment that was the West of Scotland in the Thatcher years. This is a topic that is close to my heart as I studied it at uni and my family also lived it. All my uncles worked in the shipyards. I was enthralled and finished this in one sitting! There were some twists and turns that were pleasing and one shocking moment!
I enjoyed the character of Cal as he came across as quite a gentle soul really despite his plan of retribution but it was all the side characters that really helped to build up a true picture of Paisley! Everyone knows a Dixie - for me it's my cousin William. Always in and out of places helping others and knows what the score is! But it was the kids as well that made this book shine. You have to love Mickey, Tubbs and Maire-Claire's antics. Plus wee Mary bless her!
I loved about this book was the social commentary on how Scotland was forced to de-industrialise during the Thatcher era and the detrimental effect this had in communities all over the country. It shows how proud working communities were ignored and crushed by the government. Men who were grafters were suddenly left with nothing to do but watch telly, drink and fight. Tensions ran high, I don't laugh out loud when reading but I did when one of the characters shouts ‘f*** Thatcher’ at the TV as my grandad used to do that all the time!
This is a great start to what hopefully will become a full series as I would love to know more about Cal and his story!
