Headhunters

Headhunters is the story of five friends. Carter USM is a live wire who lives on the edge and tries not to think too much; Mango can't stop thinking, has made money but is weighed down by family tragedy; Harry is a beer-lover and dreamer; Balti his drinking partner, out of work and hoping for a fresh start; while Will is the quiet romantic, a voice of reason as the lives of the others become increasingly chaotic. Headhunters is also a story of London. The novel is rooted in its streets, workplaces, pubs and music, but a parallel society exists, where the planet's wealthy are able to buy and sell whatever they like. This is a world from which the Londoners of this novel are excluded, resentment too often directed against their own kind. The Unity is the boys' local pub and it is here that they form a tongue-in-cheek Sex Division to celebrate a new year. Based on the idea of a football league, the most Woman can offer Man is four points--unless she leaves her handbag unattended. Recognition of the affinities between the sexes soon becomes clear. Background is more important than gender. Headhunters mixes humor and longing as the real feelings of these men break through. A missing brother, prophetic visions, genuine romance and a tit-for-tat confrontation draw the characters out into the open--revealing the individuals behind the words and their craving for respect. Events run out of control, but several happy endings seem possible.

John King’s first book, The Football Factory, was an instant word-of-mouth success and was later turned into a high-profile film. Sales in the UK now top a quarter of a million copies. The novels Headhunters, England Away, Human Punk, White Trash, The Prison House, and Skinheads followed. He has long been associated with fanzines, writing for various titles over the years and running Two Sevens in the early 1990s. He currently publishes and edits Verbal, a fiction-based publication. Other interests include a regular Human Punk night at London’s legendary 100 Club. He lives in London.