Please try again. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. As Clarkie is the future "brains" of the operation, Terry is the future "muscle" of the operation. There, he sneaks into the grounds of Price's house and kills him with a gun he borrowed from Gene. Originally released in 2000 then adapted to Film in 2004, Layer Cake is, for me one of the most important, innovative books on the British Gangland scene. At Trevor's house, Trevor and the narrator are discussing the state of the drugs game when the narrator offhandedly mentions Van Tuck's murder. The narrator also explains to the readers how he made it to where he is—starting small, growing in rank, keeping quiet and making sure everything is strictly business. The boxes were actually filled with sex toys and pornography that Morty had been able to sell at Loveland, the sex shop that he owned. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Jeremy eventually arrives half an hour late to make the purchase. Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2012. Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2016. I very much enjoyed reading Layer Cake. This book is absolutely brilliant! This is a heck of a crime novel. In the tradition of "Ocean's Eleven" or Elmore Leonard novels, "Layer Cake's" unamed first person narrator is a criminal the reader quickly admires. It turns out that about six weeks after Temple took the pills, the narrator and Tammy were eating in a restaurant in London when Sydney, Tammy's jilted ex-boyfriend, found them. The story then fast-forwards about three years. Rich in baffling lingo and jargon this is a tricky book to get into, taking a certain amount of dedicated patience on the part of the reader but gradually the style and language does begin to flow and make some sort of sense, revealing a complex and violent tale with a fascinating knowledge of the criminal underworld. Price charges the narrator with the task of locating Charlotte as a favour to Jimmy's pal, and promises that if he is successful, Price will allow him to retire without fuss. The Best American Noir of the Century (The Best American Series), Blood Line (A Tom Rollins Thriller Book 1), Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga. Connolly brilliantly captures the tawdry flamboyance, peculiar camaraderie, creepy characters, and flashpoint violence of the drug world, a place he makes both repugnant and strangely compelling. The narrator then meets Sydney's girlfriend Tammy, to whom he is immediately attracted. Through Duncan, Trevor discovers that the cannabis has been seized by the police and after destroying many of Duncan's possessions in a rage, the action moves back to London. Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2018. Please try again. Jimmy tells Albie that he wants the narrator to be arrested for possession of drugs, which would result in a 12-year sentence. Upon their arrival, Shanks tells the narrator and his colleagues that the Yahoos have in fact stolen the pills from a neo-Nazi outfit in Amsterdam, and they used the narrator and Mortimers' names to gain credibility. On April Fools' Day in 1997, the narrator, and his pal Mister Mortimer are waiting impatiently to sell a half-kilo of cocaineto a less-than-punctual pal, Jeremy. Lawrence Francis Gower (alias 'Crazy' Larry Flynn) – A crazed homosexual gangster who was friends with Gene and Morty. Temple then delivers a speech to the narrator, explaining the nature of the drugs game, crime and life in general: "You're born, you take shit. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. She has run away with her new boyfriend, a cokehead by the name of Trevor Atkins, alias Kinky. https://www.amazon.com/Layer-Cake-J-Connolly-ebook/dp/B002EAZTXW Eddie goes on to explain that Jimmy has been moonlighting as a police informer for a number of years. It’s been a real pleasure dusting off my old copy of this and entering this violent and visceral world once again…, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2021. I saw the film before I read the book, which prompted me to purchase the book as well. Does this book contain quality or formatting issues? He is visited in hospital by a mysterious government official, who may work for the police or MI5. There’s a lot of Cockney rhyming slang in the book, which sometimes distracts you from the story, because if you don’t know what it means, it doesn’t make the sentence make sense. Melt the white and dark chocolate in separate bowls and leave to cool to room temp. Upon producing the recording, the narrator manages to convince Gene and Morty that Jimmy was an informer, and they trust one another again. Gene then goes on to explain that Freddy Hurst was an influential gangster in the late 1970s in London, and that Gene and Morty were members of his crew. Find the exact moment in a TV show, movie, or music video you want to share. This page was last edited on 19 March 2020, at 22:03. Please try again. It was made into a motion picture in 2004 (also called Layer Cake), directed by Matthew Vaughn and written for the screen by Connolly himself. The narrator then contracts Cody to organise a false police raid on the Yahoos' hideout to steal back the pills. Charlotte (aka Charlie) is the daughter of Edward Temple, a wealthy business contractor and socialite whom Price has known since childhood. Complicating matters are two million pounds' worth of Grade A ecstasy, a brutal neo-Nazi sect and a whole series of double crossings. In the 2004 adaptation, the narrator is seen leaving a country club with Tammy, where Sydney approaches and shoots the narrator. Jimmy had become involved in a scheme with some gangsters from Chechnya to purchase a consignment of non-existent Pakistani heroin. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Layer_Cake_(novel)&oldid=946395553, Articles needing additional references from September 2014, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention from July 2014, All Wikipedia articles with plot summary needing attention, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. These promotions will be applied to this item: Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. While speaking with Sydney, the narrator hears a story about the leader of Sydney's crew, a man named Darren who prefers to be known as The Duke. Enjoy. Before leaving the club, Tammy gives him her number and surreptitiously asks him to call her. The narrator is convinced that he got away cleanly and is unconcerned. The inspiration for the major motion picture starring Daniel Craig: a high-octane crime novel set in the dangerous London underworld of the 1990s. In a separate bowl beat together the egg yolks with the liqueur/coffee and vanilla. The narrator and Morty contact Shanks in Liverpool and get him to send an assassin down on the train. JJ Connolly published his debut novel, Layer Cake, in 2000. Layer Cake is the debut novel of British author J. J. Connolly, first published in 2000 by Duckworth Press. Albie Carter – Jimmy Price's connection with the Regional Crime Squad. Will I be reading the sequel Viva La Madness? Climb a little higher, you take less shit. Trevor's hope is that Van Tuck had not yet picked up the shipment, but there is a strong possibility that the police will have confiscated the drugs during their investigation of Van Tuck's murder. The real pills had been shipped back to Amsterdam and to an unknown fate. Until one day you're up in the rarified atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. 18. The first person narrative drags - the swearing and rhyming slang are supposed to add authenticity to the voice but comes across as forced, not at all natural. The purpose of the dinner, as it turns out, is the disappearance of a young girl name of Charlotte Temple. Watch the full movie online. Once melted and smooth, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, 5-10mins. The book takes place in London in the 1990s and is narrated by an unnamed, 29-year-old drug dealer ("If you knew my name, you'd be as clever as me") who plans on leaving the life of crime behind at the age of thirty to live life as "a gentleman of leisure." Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Eddie drops the narrator off back at the Churchill with the recording. Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2014. They allow the Yahoos to escape and they "confiscate" the pills. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Premier Park Road in Brent, London NW10. Shanks tells the narrator that the Germans have unleashed an assassin named Klaus to recover the pills and eliminate the thieves. The influence of this book on some of the best known London noir crime writers is inescapable, and J. J. Connolly really set the bar high for those following in his wake. The deal's irresistible, but our hero soon finds himself undercut, double-crossed, hung out to dry, and struggling to survive. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2015. Add to Wishlist. The narrator tasks his old friend Cody, also known as Billy Bogus and his partner Tiptoes with locating Charlie. ", A 2004 film adaptation of the same name, directed by Matthew Vaughn and starring Daniel Craig, had a largely unchanged storyline and received positive reviews.[1]. Trevor flies into a panic and takes the narrator to see Duncan, a local reporter who is friendly with many police officers and feeds Trevor information. Tip in the sugar and cook for 10 minutes... 0. That night, the narrator visits Gene at his flat. Jimmy had been taken in by the gangsters and had lost nearly 13 million pounds. The meeting ends and Trevor invites the narrator to come to dinner at his house. The narrator then realises that they have killed the wrong man and see Klaus run away from the scene. They decide to send it back. Sydney thinks the story is hilarious, but the narrator panics upon realising that the Duke probably had his number along with Mister Mortimer's, and the police could very well have information on them now. He can either testify against Morty or he will go to prison as an accomplice to murder. Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2013. He is summoned with Morty to see Gene, who promptly beats the narrator viciously and breaks his wrist. There he meets Eddie Temple, who explains that Jimmy has double-crossed the narrator. It'll quench your thirst for something cooling and something sweet. 206.403.1673 10333 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98125. Guy Ritchie was in place to direct, but other commitments meant he had to drop out. It felt very much like the movie, Snatch, with the rapid fire dialog, frenetic action, and loads of Britishisms. Terry – Morty's protégé. I was looking forward to reading the book, it takes me about 3 days to read a book of this size, but this took a considerable amount of time to read, found it quite disconcerting as the film is one of my favourites. The narrator gets very drunk with Gene, and the next day decides to arrange a meeting with Tammy at the Churchill Hotel. It had been long enough that I forgot much of it (didn’t even realize Hardy was in it) so it was nice to enjoy it all over. Until Jeremy arrives, readers are introduced to various characters and are given a brief look into their histories, including Jimmy Price; Mister Mortimer (Morty), who served five and a quarter years of an eight-year sentence for being caught while disposing of suicide victim Kilburn Jerry after a party; young Clarkie, whom the narrator expects to take his place when he retires; and Terry, friend to all. Atlantic Monthly Press (December 1, 2007). Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! To make the red onion jam, cook the onions in the oil with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, covered, until beginning to soften. Yarn is the best search for video clips by quote. Jimmy had sent the narrator to a dodgy accountant, and after the narrator is imprisoned, Jimmy was planning to take control of his assets to recover his lost wealth. Freddy subtly ridicules Morty and asks for some money. Something went wrong. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Chocolate Mousse Method: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stir occasionally until smooth. Slasher also manages to kill one of the Duke's prized Dobermans, Mike Tyson, by shooting it. It's the good bad guys against the bad bad guys in this brilliantly crafted, linguistically dense, European wise-guy tale, and readers will find themselves funning for the triumph of lesser evil. Navigating the many levels of the international underworld, Connolly convincingly chronicles his anti-hero's transformation from a turn-the-other-cheek diplomat to a revenge-charged hit man, setting his sights on anyone who stands in his way. Layer Cake. ‘Like good drug fiction, you’re given glamour and squalor, a voyeuristic thrill, and the bill.’-- Nick Hasted, Uncut, ‘Layer Cake is a storming piece of work ... the novel has a grasp of street argot unparalleled since Kinky Friedman first sashayed out of his front door and nailed a checker straight out of the bat’-- D. J. Taylor. Reluctant buddy of Jimmy Price. If ever there was a dessert made for a hot day, it would be this icebox cake. Does everybody swear this much in England? Cody Garret (alias Billy Bogus) – An old childhood friend of Narrator. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. 2004 105 minutes. Thinking that his job is finally complete, the narrator and his colleagues take the pills to Eddie Temple's bonded warehouse at Heathrow Airport, where Temple is having the pills flown to Tokyo. Coming to America clip with quote Mortimer, we're back. James Lionel Price – Kingpin and drug lord, fancies himself the "don" of northern London's entire drug enterprise. He is a good guy in a bad trade, a drug dealer who keeps a low profile, operating in the middle of the narcotics trade, between mafia dons and street pushers. Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? Even though the dialogue--a combination of drug jargon, vulgarities, British slang, and Cockneyisms--can be hard to grasp, and the plot is occasionally difficult to track, Connolly's slice of low life is utterly mesmerizing. J. J. Connolly is 35 and lives in London, where until recently he ran a flower stall. Highly recommended for anyone who watched the film as well. In the tradition of "Ocean's Eleven" or Elmore Leonard novels, "Layer Cake's" unamed first person narrator is a criminal the reader quickly admires. On April Fools' Day in 1997, the narrator, and his pal Mister Mortimer are waiting impatiently to sell a half-kilo of cocaine to a less-than-punctual pal, Jeremy. He is an exceptional con-man, with a knack for mimicry and impersonation. Until Jeremy arrives, readers are introduced to various characters and are given a brief look into their histories, including Jimmy Price; Mister Mortimer (Morty), who served five and a quarter years of an eight-year sentence for being caught while disposing of suicide victim Kilburn Jerry after a party; young Clarkie, whom the narrator expects to take his place when he ret… He is a good guy in a bad trade, a drug dealer who keeps a low profile, operating in the middle of the narcotics trade, between mafia dons and street pushers. Price also tells the narrator about a crew of gangsters who have recently acquired two million high quality Ecstasy pills from Amsterdam. Jason Statham will take on the role made famous by Daniel Craig in a sequel to the Matthew Vaughn crime caper Layer Cake, according to Deadline. When the pills are recovered by Cody and Tiptoes, XXXX delivers them to Eddie Temple. His goal is to retire at 30 and spend his remaining years far from the danger and double-dealing of London's crime gangs. Frozen raspberries are congealed in a layer of Jell-O. Layer cake (2004) - The Café Scene 2004 s Layer cake is one of the slickest films to ever have been produced in the UK. In 2004, Layer Cake was adapted into a feature film directed by Matthew Vaughn. Does this book contain inappropriate content? Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2020, It’s okay, I understood what was going on 90% of the time due to watching the film. Also, one of the primary reasons for Morty's incarceration. Planning to retire and begin a new life, Mr. X (Daniel Craig, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider), a successful West End drug dealer, has been asked for one last favor: to negotiate the sale of one million hits of Ecstasy. Upon arriving at the flat, the men find that Kinky is dead of a heroin overdose, and one of the crackheads who was living with Kinky believes that Kinky was murdered. An unnamed protagonist and his associate Mr Mortimer run a successful drug dealing business but things start to go wrong when they get called on to do a favour, for someone higher up the food chain Mr Jimmy Price, to find the missing daughter of another powerful gangster, while there’s also the small matter of two million stolen high grade ecstasy pills to contend with. The book though is hard to enjoy. Connolly is adapting his second novel, Viva La Madness for film, where actor Jason Statham was expected to star, rather than Daniel Craig. Keep this one ice cold. 405. Klaus – A sadistic German bent on retrieving the Ecstasy pills stolen by the Duke and his team. Details below. Freddy could have gotten Morty off the hook but chose not to, leading to Morty doing 5 years in prison unnecessarily. Set in 2001, Connolly’s follow-up to his well-received debut, Layer Cake (2001), offers plenty of violence, graphic sex, and coarse, colorful language, but little else. Temple takes the pills, telling the narrator that he is owed them as a result of the narrator causing Charlie distress. During the meeting with the gangsters, collectively known as the "Yahoos," the narrator finds that he cannot reason with them, and he leaves upon promising to find a buyer for the pills, albeit at a much lower price than if the Yahoos would consent to releasing the pills in small instalments. Edward Temple – A business contractor and wealthy socialite. Narrator takes Clarkie on as a protégé, partly out of favour and respect for Clarkie's family. The narrator and Morty receive a call from Cody, telling them that he has located Kinky, Charlie's boyfriend, in a flat in King's Cross. A cocaine addict. Link your DIRECTV account to Movies Anywhere to enjoy your digital collection in one place. Tammy – Sidney's pseudo-girlfriend and the Narrator's love interest. To conclude Layer Cake is not a book for the casual reader but with a determined persuasion a shocking crime tale unfolds in JJ Connolly’s debut novel. 4 / 5 stars. We are committed to using our baking skills to create truly scrumptious tasting, bespoke cakes, beautifully decorated by hand. The narrator spent six weeks in a coma and awoke with a steel plate in his head. 84% 80%. Price tasks the narrator with finding a buyer for the pills, and quickly. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Mister Troop – Ex-military, head bodyguard of Edward Temple. Just as the young dealer is eyeing an early retirement from the business, big boss Jimmy Price hands down a tough assignment: find Charlotte Ryder, the missing rich princess daughter of Jimmy's old pal Edward, a powerful construction business player and gossip papers socialite. "Layer Cake" author J.J. Connolly wanted to play Lucky in this movie. The crackheads tell them that Charlie has gone to Brighton and the narrator sends Cody after her. 18. It also fails to develop the lead character who remains anonymous in name but also as a person. Jimmy believed that if he could hold Charlie hostage, he could force Eddie to get his money back. The narrator heads back into London, where his colleagues are frantically trying to find out who killed Jimmy. A two-thumbs-up effort by a talented British newcomer. Charlotte Temple – Edward's uncontrollable, run-away daughter. Add the salt, vanilla, 3 cups of the powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp milk or cream and beat in, starting with mixer on low, then increasing the speed, until thoroughly mixed. The Duke and his girlfriend, Slasher, are a pair of dedicated coke addicts who live just outside London. ALL LOCATIONS HOURS SUN–WED 8AM–11PM | TH–SAT 8AM–11:45PM His goal is to make his fortune and retire by age thirty. The man tells the narrator to abandon the drugs trade and leave Britain or else he would find himself in prison for a very long time. Sep 23, 2020 - Explore Brianna Mortimer's board "Cake", followed by 289 people on Pinterest. Absolutely not the genre I’d usually read but I’m so glad I picked it up thanks to a film recommendation (thanks SH) and my stubbornness about not watching films before I’ve read the book. Layer Cake is J. J. Connolly's first novel. Freddie Hurst – An annoying, obese figure from Morty's past. The Duke – A flashy and careless gangster who steals a large shipment of ecstasy pills. Sydney shot the narrator multiple times, including in the head. As XXXX climbs through the layer cake of life, he finds himself back at Stoke Park Country Club. Add a splash of milk. Once thoroughly combined, divide equally into thirds between the two greased cake tins and keeping the remaining third to cook afterwards. Gene flies into a rage when he hears what has happened, and dispatches some of his own men to find and kill Klaus, which they do. Easily move forward or backward to get to the perfect clip. Overall an OK read. We pride ourselves on offering home-made cakes for all occasions crafted for you at our Mortimer-based kitchen. Leaving the club, Tammy gives him her number and surreptitiously asks him to her... His private security team take them all hostage and take the pills are recovered by Cody and Tiptoes, delivers! Enjoy your digital collection in one place book where the most important in! 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