The Crew
The Crew is Dougie Brimson's first novel, following a series of books on the subject of football hooliganism written with his brother Eddy. Once again, the territory covered relates to the violence that surrounds football. This time, however, things aren't for real--still, the characters and story line seem real enough, especially for those familiar with any of the tales told in the author's factual volumes. Marrying the football violence theme with a well-established genre, Brimson turns his tale into a thriller. Using the master hooligan and the police detective as counterpoints, he weaves a believable and gripping story line, truly guaranteed to keep the pages turning. With the villain of the piece painted black from the word go, the chase is always on. What follows is well thought out, though the ending does not necessarily deliver all the promise of earlier chapters. Perhaps Brimson is just waiting to launch a sequel. Nonetheless, even if a tale of a group of hooligans travelling to watch England in Rome might cut a little close to the bone. (Author description)
The Crew is very much a typically British book, in so much as it deals with something peculiar to Britain at the time it was written, the football hooligan. The author has made something of a study of this subject, not least because he was a policeman and as a result has become an acknowledged expert on the subject. This expertise shines through in the novel, giving it a unique realism, particularly the police perspective. However, that is not to say that Mr Brimson’s football hooligans are less well drawn. Mr Brimson writes about what he knows and this shines through.
The Crew is not only an excellent read, full of twists and turns, including those ‘just when you think it’s all over’ moments, but the subject matter is also very interesting. The novel follows the policeman ultimately responsible for the investigations and also the hooligan, an otherwise ‘normal’ bloke with a good job, car and house, who for some reason feels the need to turn himself into something else at the weekends.
The novel was written in 1998 and subsequently made into a film, but in no way does the book feel dated. What it does do is make the reader glad that those dark days of the football hooligan are behind us.
An well written book and very enjoyable read. 5*