Brixton rock ([New edition])

"Pacy; witty; his characters are real and recognisable" LINTON KWESI JOHNSON"Alex Wheatle is the real deal; he writes with heart and authenticity, books that make you laugh and worry and cry and hold your breath" KIT DE WAAL"Alex Wheatle writes from a place of honesty and passion" STEVE McQUEEN, director of Small AxeSouth London in the 1980s.

Sixteen-year-old Brenton Brown is the mixed-race child of a mother he has never met.

He's been living in a children's home all his life, and when he is unexpectedly reunited with his mother, Cynthia, his whole world seems poised to change.

The best thing happens: Brenton has a family at last. And then the worst: Brenton falls in love with his beautiful half-sister, Juliet. As tensions brew in Brixton, Brenton finds himself embroiled in a violent feud with a killer.

Vengeance seems like the only option as Brenton hurtles towards an explosive climax which will risk everything. Brixton Rock is the extraordinary debut of one of the UK's finest writers, a pitch-perfect depiction of South London life. "A triumph . . . This is a debut which confirms its author is a pro in prose" The Times