"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 Axe

South 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

"Brixton Rock is a pacey document of teenage angst ... which is why the pockets of humour prove to be such a triumph. This is a debut which confirms its author is a pro in prose" - The Times

"The novel's real strength lies in the dialogue. Wheatle gives us a fascinating snapshot of Black English in the early eighties" - Daily Telegraph

"Sharp-edged and sardonically funny, Brixton Rock is Graham Greene for the hip-hop generation" - Crime Time

"A powerful debut ... a real page turner. The mystery and intrigue just keeps on coming as the suspense builds to an explosive ending" - Big Issue

"Alex Wheatle's Brixton Rock has initiated the debate on how it feels to be a mixed-race Briton" - New Statesman