Cleaning Up
Gerry O'Brien

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The Diamond is a psychopath. It wants to rule the world and it’s not messing about. It’s a Diamond that means business. And there’s only one man who can stop it.

Just one man? But surely. . . There has to be. . .

Dream on.

Down in London’s infamous borough the denizens are rushing to grab the Diamond first - before someone else does.

Can the Diamond be stopped? Can decency overcome greed? Will the fabric of Time, space and hospital corridors ever be the same again?

Enquire within.

'O'Brien's debut is a fresh, fast-paced tale ... and takes us smartly through the intricate consequences of what occurs when a desirable diamond ends up in the hands of the wrong people. It's packed full of motors, shooters, East End vernacular and plenty of old-fashioned London villains, who are prone to a comic cock-up or two. Sounds good? Now, imagine that a writer influenced by Terry Pratchett has decided to spice it up with a bit of fantasy, alternative reality and anthropomorphism. Yes, anthropomorphism. The diamond can think and converse with other inanimate objects and is, in fact, probably the most fully realised character in the novel - we even see the robbery from its perspective. If this sounds like a mess, it's not, as long as you can get along with a thinking, talking gemstone for a hero, the rest of the story pulls you in with its vigour and humour. Although clever-clever, Cleaning Up is intelligent as well, and you'll have a good time with it.'

The Mail on Sunday's Night and Day

'Has a warm and ingenious inanity that recalls the writing of Terry Pratchett: to coin a nasty new verb, we could say it Pratchett's away merrily. Be encouraged or warned, according to taste.'

Sunday Times

ISBN 0-86140-416-5 vi, 256 pp. £6.99

Also available is Gerry O'Brien's second novel featuring the Borough, entitled Planting Out