Guardian
Best Book of 2020
Irish Times
Best Crime Fiction of 2020
Times
Book of the Month
Mail on Sunday
Thriller of the Month
The Spectator
Crime Fiction of the Month
Crime Time
Book of the Year 2020
'Vivid, stylish, funny' Mick Heron
The first time I met Harold Challenor, he frisked me for weapons - I was ten years old.
Bent is the explosive story of the rise and fall of SAS commando, and notorious Detective Sergeant, Harold 'Tanky' Challenor.
During the Second World War, Challenor was parachuted behind enemy lines into Italy and France, performing remarkable feats of bravery.
In the grimy underbelly of 1960s Soho, he was a ferocious and controversial presence, mediating between factions of club owners and racketeers, and cultivating informers.
But just how far will he go to break the protection gang that has a grip on his manor?
It can be a fine line that divides hero and villain.
PRAISE FOR JOE THOMAS
'Brilliant'
The Times
'Feverish energy'
'Wonderfully vivid'
'Sophisticated, dizzying'
GQ
'Vivid and visceral'
'Superbly realised vivid and atmospheric'
'Original'
'A stylish, atmospheric treat an inspired blend of David Peace and early Pinter'
'Sparse, energetic, fragmented prose'
'Vibrant, colourful, and complex'
Irish Independent
'Stylish, sharp-witted, taut. A must for modern noir fans'
NB Magazine
'Definitive confident and energetic'
'Brilliant manic energy'
Jake Arnott
'Wildly stylish and hugely entertaining'
Lucy Caldwell
'Vivid, stylish, funny'
Mick Herron
'Gripping, fast-paced, darkly atmospheric'
Susanna Jones
'Snappy, thoughtful, moving'
John King
'Exciting, fresh, incredibly assured'
Stav Sherez
'Happy days!'
Mark Timlin
'Utterly brilliant'
Cathi Unsworth
'Had James Ellroy and David Peace collaborated on a novel they'd have written something like this'
Paul Willets