The Syndicate

‘When infamous mobster Bugsy Siegel is murdered, LAPD cop Jonathan Craine is summoned by the Las Vegas mafia to find out who’s responsible. If he fails, he dies. Taut and atmospheric, this is an excellent classic detective novel.’

‘Bolton’s excellent novels are skillful evocations of the era but have a genuine darkness at their heart…[Bolton] manages to convey something of the redemptive magic of the movie business.’

'Brilliantly taut and atmospheric.'

‘If you enjoy hard-boiled American crime thrillers then this book is perfect for you. Highly recommended.’

‘Bolton perfectly captures the era, with cameos by debauched Hollywood stars, rampant chauvinism and racism, and hearings by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Craine’s fear, exhaustion, and desperation are palpable as one lead after another turns to a dead end. This top-notch thriller doesn’t pause from beginning to end.’ 

‘This is a razor-sharp evocation of the links between the movies and the mob and cements Bolton’s promise as a master of vintage Hollywood noir.’

‘The Pictures was an incisive noir thriller…and The Syndicate is just as good… The unravelling of a connection between Hollywood and the criminal world is adroitly done, and the period language never sounds a false note.’

'Former Los Angeles cop Jonathan Craine accepts an offer he can't refuse by mobster Meyer Lansky, plunging him back into the world of violence and corruption that lurks under the glitzy Hollywood facade. Real figures from the late 1940s mingle with the fictional in this terrific follow-up to last year's The Pictures. The powerful writing and masterful plotting carry a reminder of Chandler.'

‘Bolton is a fine writer. This is a gripping, gloves-off period tale, sharply told with no holds barred.’

'From the shocking start to the dramatic conclusion this is a great and compelling read.'

‘Both gritty and glitzy, this evocative noir set in Hollywood’s heyday feels like a lost reel from a Bogart classic.’

‘A violent, engrossing work set in Hollywood and Las Vegas… Fast moving and written with a deceptively light touch The Syndicate can only enhance Bolton’s growing reputation.’