’Banks is the real thing,’ - Marcel Berlins, The Times

The biggest race riot in Manchester’s history and his brother’s death have left PI Callum Innes a physical and emotional wreck. He’s about to leave his newly established agency to partner Frank Collier when the word comes through that his erstwhile nemesis Mo Tiernan has gone missing.

Failed PI businessman, Cal Innes, babysits prodigal amateur boxer, Liam, on his first major tournament in Los Angeles. It soon turns into something more sinister, as rumours of a rigged competition fly around. As Cal’s codeine habit and Liam’s temper grow out of control, the City of Angels doesn’t seem quite so heavenly.

With the barbed-wire leash of parole freshly clipped from his throat and his Private Investigation business an unpleasant memory, Cal Innes is looking forward to continuing his job as caretaker at Paulo’s Lads’ Club. But a prodigal boxer, Liam, needs someone to go with him to his first major amateur tournament in Los Angeles. That someone is Cal . . .

A firebomb attack at a Plummer property thrusts Innes into the spotlight as he saves a child from the burning building. But when Plummer enlists his help to track down the arsonists, Innes finds himself dealing with more than the ENS and his rapidly overwhelming codeine addiction. Manchester needs a hero and Callum Innes is the closest it has.

It’s criminal up north ... Cal Innes is fresh out of Strangeways, playing PI and running from a past muddied with ties to local gang lord ‘Uncle’ Morris Tiernan. When Tiernan tells him to track down a rogue casino dealer ...

It’s criminal up north . . .  Cal Innes is fresh out of Strangeways, playing PI and running from a past muddied with ties to local gang lord ‘Uncle’ Morris Tiernan . . .