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Billy Rags

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( 122 ratings, 11 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Billy Rags by Ted Lewis is a gripping tale set in the gritty underworld, following the story of Billy, an incarcerated criminal with a burning desire for freedom. As he plots his escape, the narrative unveils a world full of betrayal, ambition, and the relentless pursuit of survival. The book intricately explores the criminal psyche, combining tension with deep character insights, all against a backdrop of suspenseful thrills.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2700
Elsewhere:
$2999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this gripping tale if you're drawn to gritty crime narratives with complex characters. With its compelling blend of prison drama and thrilling escapes, it delves into life behind bars and a determined quest for freedom. This story will appeal to fans who appreciate tension-filled plotlines and intense character development.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A fascinating window in on life in a British maximum security prison, Billy Rags - by the author of Get Carter - is crime fiction at its best: lean, mean, and full of startling psychological depth....

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

It's the 1960s and Billy Cracken is a hard man to keep locked up. An austere and troubled childhood has given way to life as a hardened criminal and now status as one of the most feared prisoners in England. He has been moved from one maximum security prison to the next. Guards and inmates alike fear and begrudgingly respect the powerfully-built Cracken. But a life doing his porridge, even if as a minor celebrity, isn't the one he wants.

A girlfriend and a child await Cracken on the outside and he'll stop at nothing to get to them. While plotting his escape he crosses a powerful mobster who vows to make Cracken's life hell, and if nothing else succeeds at making his escape all the more difficult, something the ever-rebellious Cracken defiantly relishes.

The follow-up novel to the wildly successful Get Carter, Billy Rags is a fascinating look into the lives of British inmates serving time in a maximum security prison. Lewis manages once again to tell an exciting, action-filled story with a soulβ€”demonstrated most clearly in a series of brilliant flashbacks to Billy's childhood and in the end conjures a character that will remind readers of both Tom Hardy in Bronson and Lee Marvin in Point Blank.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780857305084

Publisher: Bedford Square Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 March 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: No Exit Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Born in Manchester, England, Ted Lewis (1940-1982) spent most of his youth in

Barton-upon-Humber in the north of England. After graduating from Hull Art School,

Lewis moved to London and first worked in advertising before becoming an animation

specialist, working on the Beatles' Yellow Submarine. His novels are the product of

his lifelong fascination with the criminal lifestyle of London's Soho district and the

down-and-out lifestyle of the English factory town. Lewis' novels pioneered the British

noir school. He authored nine novels, the second of which, Jack's Return Home, was

famously adapted in 1971 as the now iconic Get Carter, which stars Michael Caine.

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