Johnny Come Home by Jake Arnott

Publisher: Sceptre
Length: Novel
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Blurb: It’s 1972 and as the dreams of the sixties give way to anger and political unrest, the charismatic anarchist Declan O’Connell commits suicide, leaving his boyfriend Pearson and fellow squatter Nina to try to make sense of what has happened. Enter Sweet Thing, a streetwise rent boy, who has an uncanny hold over glam rock star Johnny Chrome; and in the wings lurks Detective Sergeant Walker of the newly formed Bomb Squad, who knows more about O’Connell than anyone ever suspected. The course of all their lives is about to change forever – for better and for worse. In this taut, powerful novel, Jake Arnott portrays four people searching for a sense of identity, their emotional and sexual turmoil mirrored by the turbulence of the times. Bringing that era vividly to life, he captures the mood of Britain at a turning point in history.

Reviewed by Jamie: If the cover and the blurb alone doesn't get your salivating over this book, then the quote from glam rock icon David Bowie should - "Whenever he's got a new book out I drop everything."

Arnott writes with fluid grace, a lot of drama, and bittersweet imagination.

This is not a romance story by any means, this is gritty and real. But in the midst of potentially dangerous situations, romance blossoms where it's least expected.

After his boyfriend's suicide, Pearson, a quiet social activist in London, is disheartened and lonely. He finds a streetwise rent boy, nicknamed Sweet Thing, and takes him home.

Except nothing goes according to plan for Pearson. Sweet Thing is already busy being at the beckoned call of an aging rock star, Johnny Chrome, to be bothered with Pearson. Then the double whammy of Sweet Thing starting a relationship with Pearson's female -and supposedly- lesbian housemate, Nina, really knocks him.

This sets Pearson off on a revenge plot, while Nina and Sweet Thing try to define themselves as man and woman, gay or straight or both....or possibly just human.

'Johnny Come Home' is a whirlwind, a real emotional twister.

I would warn that, if you're used to happy endings, you may get an unwelcome surprise by the somewhat abrupt ending of this book. When the ending came for me, I was left breathing deeply, and wishing it could have gone on for another book!

Love it or not, this is not a story to miss in your reading library.

A