Raymond Chandler had Los Angeles, and Dennis Lehane chronicles Boston. In Scotland there’s the tartan noir army, but in England crime writers are exploring their own often unlikely mean streets. John Harvey has carved out Nottingham, and Stephen Booth explores the dark side of the beautiful Peak District of Derbyshire. Charlie Williams brings us the seamier side of what to many visitors is the typical English city of Worcester, with its pleasant parks and its cathedral which dates from the 11th century.
Worcester has more to it than just its cathedral, although its cloisters provide the unlikely setting for the beginning of this book, and its great opening sentence: ‘I was in the abbey when I realised I’d have to burn for my sins.’ As well as its cathedral, however, there’s another side of cities like Worcester that few visitors see. And Graven Image takes us into that world with the narrator Leon, a bouncer at a brothel, a brothel called Destiny.
Graven Image
Graven Image is a contrived title, with its Biblical echoes and Graven also being the name of one of the characters in the book. And Destiny is an obviously loaded name for a brothel. But it works, and after that great opening line the mysterious Graven provides the punchy ending, in one of those books where you need to keep reading to the final few words.
The Brothel Bouncer
The narrator, Leon, has quite a few things to worry about, which is why he feels at the start of the book that he will have to burn for his sins. For one, he overstepped the mark when a VIP visitor to the brothel misbehaved and Leon stepped in; but more importantly - and the central theme of the story - is Leon’s missing daughter Kelly, and his relationship with her mother, Carla. Them and the figure of Graven, who at first is rather ghostly but who slowly emerges to become very real indeed.
Life at the Brothel
Leon’s troubles begin when he leaves the brothel for a minute on a quiet Saturday afternoon to buy a packet of cigarettes. On his return he checks his computer’s security system to find out which girl is in which room, and with who. He lives by his system of rules, drawn up to let people know how to deal with any situation: ‘Level 1: Breach in Protocol’. Go through the 6-point system and the state of affairs will be dealt with. Unfortunately some of the girls need reminding of how the system is supposed to work.
Missing Daughter
From his troubles at work we’re led into Leon’s private troubles, the prime one being his missing young daughter, Kelly. She’s his little girl but now old enough to even be working at Destiny. The missing daughter drives him and drives the story, which builds in its brief 118 pages to a climax in a graveyard, where things come together in a surprising (to me) but satisfying ending. The ending takes you back to the beginning, and a need to read the book over again. Gripping stuff. And a great cover too.
Graven Image by Charlie Williams
Graven Image is published at £4.99 in the UK by Five Leaves Publications as part of their Crime Express series of crime novellas. Other titles include California by Ray Banks, Not Safe by Danuta Reah, and Claws by Stephen Booth.
Mike Gerrard - Mike is an award-winning travel writer who has worked for National Geographic, the London Times, and many other clients. ...
