The Late Candidate

A gripping, tense thriller guaranteed to keep you up all night…

In 1980s London, Black political leaders who can straddle the racial divide are a rarity.

So when a rising Black politician, Aston Edwards, is murdered, the effects quickly ripple through London’s Afro-Caribbean community.

Then a young Black boy is arrested for his murder, surrounded by rumours of an affair with Aston’s wife.

Sammy Dean, journalist-turned-investigator, is determined to find the truth. When a Black activist’s death is written off as a suicide, Sam begins to think the two cases are linked. With tensions running high, can Sam find the truth before the city erupts?

The Late Candidate is a gritty and authentic representation of London’s multi-cultural history, wrapped up in a tense thriller.

“'In this top-notch first novel... The plot is hard-boiled, the mystery unfolding gradually rather than presenting itself full blown for solution. Phillips's dialogue and his protagonist's voice-over ruminations on everything from racial disharmony to foolishness on TV are spot-on, adding to the pleasure a fresh, transatlantic sensibility and inflection.' Publishers Weekly Praise for Mike Phillips 'Could have come from the pen of the master, Raymond Chandler' Today 'Mr Phillips delivers quality' The Times 'Engaging pacy thriller... Phillips' prose in concise, witty and fluid' TLS 'Phillips... gives a mean streetwise documentary edge to his hero's hunt for a witness' Sunday Express 'There's much here to suggest that Phillips could be one of our bravest, most incisive social commentators' Mail on Sunday 'Phillips' depictions of urban London share more with Harlem and Los Angeles than the English drawing rooms of P.D. James and Ruth Rendell' Financial Times 'American readers willing to wonder a bit about unfamiliar London landmarks and neighbourhoods will be rewarded by Phillips's subtle psychological complexities and deadpan ironies' Publishers Weekly”

‘In this top-notch first novel… The plot is hard-boiled, the mystery unfolding gradually rather than presenting itself full blown for solution. Phillips's dialogue and his protagonist's voice-over ruminations on everything from racial disharmony to foolishness on TV are spot-on, adding to the pleasure a fresh, transatlantic sensibility and inflection.’ Publishers Weekly

Praise for Mike Phillips

‘Could have come from the pen of the master, Raymond Chandler’ Today

‘Mr Phillips delivers quality’ The Times

‘Engaging pacy thriller… Phillips’ prose in concise, witty and fluid’ TLS

‘Phillips… gives a mean streetwise documentary edge to his hero’s hunt for a witness’ Sunday Express

‘There’s much here to suggest that Phillips could be one of our bravest, most incisive social commentators’ Mail on Sunday

‘Phillips’ depictions of urban London share more with Harlem and Los Angeles than the English drawing rooms of P.D. James and Ruth Rendell’ Financial Times

‘American readers willing to wonder a bit about unfamiliar London landmarks and neighbourhoods will be rewarded by Phillips's subtle psychological complexities and deadpan ironies’ Publishers Weekly

Mike Phillips is the author of several books and screenplays as well as his award-winning Sam Dean novels, published by HarperCollins. In 1997 he was Writer in Residence at London’s South Bank Centre.

A gripping, tense thriller guaranteed to keep you up all night... In 1980s London, Black political leaders who can straddle the racial divide are a rarity. So when a rising Black politician, Aston Edwards, is murdered, the effects quickly ripple through London's Afro-Caribbean community. Then a young Black boy is arrested for his murder, surrounded by rumours of an affair with Aston's wife. Sammy Dean, journalist-turned-investigator, is determined to find the truth. When a Black activist's death is written off as a suicide, Sam begins to think the two cases are linked. With tensions running high, can Sam find the truth before the city erupts? The Late Candidate is a gritty and authentic representation of London's multi-cultural history, wrapped up in a tense thriller.

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