Drugs and violence form the backdrop of a gritty new novel from the author of Powder and Leisure.

Outlaws is Kevin Sampson's finest book to date - a taut, thrilling novel told in a vernacular that sizzles off the page.

It's getting harder and harder to eke out a dishonest living in Liverpool. Gun law is out of control. Organized gangs are fighting for supremacy in clubland and the lucrative supply of narcotics. Younger, more ruthless gangs are moving in. Ged, Moby and Ratter, three South End villains, are old-fashioned highwaymen with two decades of meticulously planned jobs behind them. But times are tough. It's Christmas and Ged is planning a job to see the boys through until spring. As usual, he won't give them any details until the morning of the job. Until then, they have to stay off the street and keep out of trouble. But Moby loves to go out - girls love him, guys send drinks over - he could live like this forever. And Ratter wants out - he's invested his loot in the booming property sector. As the heist approaches, Ged needs to summon all his street savvy and killer instinct just to survive.