Beer, Balls and the Belgian Mafia

Vincent Mclean is an ex-punk and sociopathic force of nature, a bad boy made good who returns to his home town at the start of the New Labour era with a fistful of dollars and some big ideas for regenerating the old mining communities by developing an innovative brewery business. Despite some local political opposition it all goes surprisingly well until he has the audacious idea of trying to sell his English beer to the Belgians with disastrous but hilarious consequences. Beer Balls and The Belgian mafia is street savvy crime fiction for the 21st century.

Vincent Mclean is an ex-punk and sociopathic force of nature, a bad boy made good who returns to his home town at the start of the New Labour era with a fistful of dollars and some big ideas for regenerating the old mining communities by developing an innovative brewery business. Despite some local political opposition it all goes surprisingly well. His faithful old school friend and guardian angel Richard Larwoood tries to steer McLean away from self-inflicted excesses but ego, complacency, ill-advised involvement with his local football club and an audacious idea of trying to sell his English beer to the Belgians leads to disastrous but hilarious consequences as he tangles with Glasgow criminal gangs, wannabe Belgian Mafia and his no-nonsense American investors. Beer Balls and The Belgian mafia is street savvy crime fiction for the 21st century.

Sam Holberry was raised in the coalfields of the Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire borderlands. His forebears were coal miners and he retains an active interest in the fortunes of his erstwhile community; despite moving to various other areas in his quest to find work. Sam has had a varied career, working in the City and as a teacher in a variety of different institutions. He is also a widely published writer, primarily in the fields of poetry, sports journalism and education. ‘Beer Balls and the Belgian Mafia’ is his first venture into the genre of speculative crime fiction. It reflects many of his own enthusiasms, his love of sport-including his formative years spent watching Worksop Town FC, Real Ale and his affection for the Belgian cities of Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. He hopes that the book will inspire people to think creatively about playing constructive roles in urban regeneration; as well as encouraging more people to experience the pleasures of life in Belgium.