Cole and Ruben are brothers of the back streets of East London. Now in their teens and their dad in prison, they know how their part of the world works.

One morning, as the rain falls in a fine mist, they walk in silence in the comfortable way of brothers. They have an envelope to deliver and payment to collect.

Their destination is a pub which should be empty of punters at this hour, but isn’t. The barman is there as expected, but so are some men, a teenage girl their age and a small Capuchin monkey.

The drop goes as planned but that’s as far as anything straightforward goes for the brothers this morning. Violence is swift, escape as smooth as possible and then introductions made. Their morning changes further, with the scream of sirens, blue lights flashing and a suggestion of a drive to Scotland. Five Hundred Miles isn’t too far to drive for a monkey – is it?

As always, Kevin Brooks delivers a gritty, genuine tale – a snippet of two brothers in the back streets of East London. Their past, family connections, and imprisoned but feared and respected father mould their reactions to what plays out in front of them, and when escape is not possible, Five Hundred Miles is the obvious solution. Loved it.

Author – Kevin Brooks

Reading Age 8 – Interest Age 13+

(2016, Barrington Stoke, London, Violence, Strangers, Escape, Flee, Family business, Police, Capuchin, Monkey, Brothers, Siblings, Dyslexic, Dyslexia, Family, Crime)