London Games – The Novel
Now On Sale Here.
It is 2012. Britain is slowly emerging from the longest and deepest recession for 100 years. It has been a dark and difficult time. The London Olympics are now just a few months away. The whole country is hoping that the games will provide the inspiration and renewal that it needs.
London Games follows five characters through the spring and summer of 2012, culminating as the games open at the Olympic stadium. It is a gripping tale of relationships and dramatic personal experience. It concerns an Afghanistan veteran suffering from combat stress, a disgraced ex-banker sent to jail amidst scandal and public outrage, a cocaine dealer with customers at the very top and the very bottom of society, a property developer on the cusp of making his fortune and a restauranteur starting to make his name as a celebrity chef. At times it plumbs the depths of London’s sordid underworld yet it also catches an uplifting mood and celebrates the city’s unique history and environment. It examines crime and punishment as well as food and drugs, love and ambition. Ultimately it reveals a bond between the most unlikely of friends, thrown together in an extraordinary and thrilling climax with a redemptive message of hope and optimism.
Sir Damian Fremantle experiences the shock of his first night in Brixton prison while Susan is confused between shoplifting in Sainsbury’s and bomb disposal in Helmand province. Clive Dumonde is still mourning the death of his parents as he struggles to understand what’s involved in developing a multi-million pound property in Notting Hill. His business angel Mark is also an investor in the uber-hip and trendy Vermont restaurant just around the corner. Meanwhile, Mo, or Big M as his customers call him, is living the hectic, stressed-out life of a cocaine dealer, supplying crack to streetwalkers one minute and top grade powder to city bankers the next.
John George is on the brink of becoming London’s top chef. It is a constant struggle to devise new dishes while coping with the relentless pressure for perfection. As the guests become ever more famous, so the financial pressures increase, the staff becomes more difficult and the vanilla vodka bottle in his desk becomes his best friend. Then, without warning, the scales fall from his eyes and the sous chef who he has barely noticed for months is transformed into the love of his life.
The pressure on Mo never lets up. His customers call all day and all night. He is always looking over his shoulder, expecting to see a blue light in his mirror or hear a knock on the door. Then, for no good reason, his principal supplier accuses him of passing counterfeit money and Mo is in a race for his life with both the police and violent gangsters.
Susan finds herself locked up and heavily sedated. She thought she was doing her duty but she has committed a dreadful crime that will have consequences for the rest of her life. What future or hope can there be for someone who has been a hero, trained as a killing machine but now behaves like a homicidal maniac?
Five characters, products of their time, all on an inevitable path as their stories intertwine and we glimpse a post-2012 Britain, rejuvenated, reinvigorated, ever more complicated, challenging and exciting – a Great Britain.
Peter Reynolds 
Sounds like a good read Peter! I have been networking the Internet for many years and the synopsis reads like it would get me back to reading in the bath!
I am interested in buying a copy, please keep me informed as to when it becomes published. Good luck to getting it published I shall begin the process by publishing this page through my network
Warm Regards Gaynor
wholisticuk
November 15, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Thank you Gaynor. I appreciate your kind words.
Peter Reynolds
November 15, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Are there any pictures? 😉
duncanr
November 15, 2010 at 7:56 pm
Only of me on the fly leaf Duncsy baby.
Peter Reynolds
November 15, 2010 at 8:12 pm
It’s not that one of you wearing a fluffy pink thong, is it ??? 😯
duncanr
November 15, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I hope to go for something like “dignified with a rather naughty edge”.
I’ll think about the pink thong. Any other ideas?
Peter Reynolds
November 15, 2010 at 8:52 pm
I like the title – deceptively simple, but with layers of meaning !
duncanr
November 15, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Yes, I’m not sure it’s suitable for someone of your tender disposition Duncan
Peter Reynolds
November 15, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Good read Peter, like it! What’s your first novel may I ask?
Have you ever looked into self publishing? I have a novel that I self published and it’s of fair quality as it goes. It can be sold in shops & Amazon through self publishing as you can package it with the ISB number.
All of this has been on hold due to limited health and the battle I’m in with the obvious.
Only trouble with self publishing, not a lot of profit in it for the writer. It tends to be for the love of the work; but I’m sure you know all this already so ignore me.
HomeGrownOutlaw
November 15, 2010 at 8:50 pm
I would never ignore you Jason!
Peter Reynolds
November 15, 2010 at 9:13 pm
That sounds fantastic, Peter. Got to be better than the rubbish “comedy” show thats been running on R4 – a retrospective, sort of, on why the Olympic Games was a Disaster, or some such tripe.
For self-publishing there’s LULU, I think it’s called. And you can do it free.
The best of luck with it. I’m full of admiration for anyone who finds time to write a novel when they are as prolific as you are with your blog.
keeptonyblairforpm
November 15, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Why not self publish and promote with a blog isn’t that what everyone does now?
https://www.createspace.com/Author.jsp
Andy
November 15, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Is it? I don’t know. What about my six figure advance and “tedious” book signing tour?
Peter Reynolds
November 15, 2010 at 11:23 pm
Well, yeah, what’s not to like, eh? 🙂
Jayelle Farmer
November 16, 2010 at 1:42 am
Who do you think you are, Peter? Tony (let’s throw shoes and eggs at him) Blair?
If you do set up a book signing please let me know. I’ll be there and I’ll let you into a secret, more or less, just as you are about to sign it.
keeptonyblairforpm
November 16, 2010 at 2:16 am
Yes, that could be a push.
Andy
November 15, 2010 at 11:33 pm
wish i could have help.. sounds could. we will speak soon.
terry
November 17, 2010 at 10:10 am
Throw in some terrorists about to blow the whole shebang up until they smoke some dope and change their world-view. And add me as a disappointed fringe character, pissed off they converted a few days too soon, now on route to London to light the blue touch-paper myself.
allcoppedout
November 17, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Hay Peater, sound’s like good reading. As soon as it’s published, please let me know. I would like an autograph copy. You can have it sent to me through Terry Hayden. All the best and God bless. as we say in Jamaica. “Walk Good!!”
Basil Waite
Lord Basil
December 20, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Peter – well done! With all my dramas I never did finish reading what u sent me – but I have found my email inbox and will enjoy using my free time today reading – can’t wait to have the book in my hands! X
clara
April 18, 2011 at 9:11 am
Thanks Clara
Peter Reynolds
April 18, 2011 at 10:36 am