A Mob Love Story: A Review of Skin Games

My Book Review of Skin Games by Adam Pepper:

Skin Games by Adam Pepper is a gripping star-crossed love story set against the backdrop of crime novel. It is a page turning tale that tosses romance with the mob and comes up a winner.

The book tells the life story of Sean as his journey towards a criminal career takes a detour into a love affair with the daughter of a mob boss. This decision puts him in the crosshairs of danger when the mob boss resolves to break the lovers apart by any means necessary.

Skin Games has an interesting format, as it is essentially a flashback story, bookended by a minor subplot. This design works well, due mainly to the strong first person voice of the protagonist; as a reader I didn’t even notice the switch in point-of-view as the story moved in and out of the enclosing segments. From the first tense action sequence to the poignant conclusion, the book compels your attention.

This story could have easily turned into a Romeo and Juliet cliché, but the authenticity of the characters moves the narrative splendidly and you get the genuine feel of people caught in a situation spinning beyond their control. The author does a marvellous job of creating a claustrophobic world of crime and mobsters, while still maintaining empathy for its inhabitants.

Skin Games is a taut, engaging book and I recommend it.


Skin Games is available at Amazon