Crime and humour are Bateman’s unique literary combination

Nine Inches

Republicans were political with some elements of gangsterism, and the Loyalists were gangsters with some political elements. So that thuggery was always there on the Loyalist side, and they still use flags of convenience to legitimise what they do, which they say is protecting their community

“A FEW years ago I was in Amsterdam promoting a book,” says crime writer Colin Bateman, “and got held at knife-point by a couple of guys when I was going back to my hotel late at night. They wanted my wallet. A hero or a fool might have tried to disarm them. Dan Starkey would undoubtedly have handed over his wallet, and then gotten stabbed for being cheeky. In real life, I screamed like a girl, and they were so surprised I was able to just walk through them, wallet nice and safe.