Trick – Sean Hancock

School’s out, and Richard Trick having finished his GCSEs, is at a loose end. He lives in Hitterton, a non-descript little town in North Devon remarkable in his view only for the absence of an appropriate initial letter S in its name. He is in with a bad crowd and they are into fags, booze, dope and now a (not very) armed robbery on the local store.

The raid is unexpectedly successful both in terms of execution and the proceeds, but this brings more problems than it solves for the gang. They can’t spend the cash without attracting suspicion and the money taken includes the ill-gotten gains of a local hoodlum, who wants it back.

Trick’s problems don’t end there: he is the only black kid in town; he’s in love with a girl he thinks is unattainable; and relations with his mum and stepdad are fraught (or normal for a teenager).

Hancock takes us through Trick’s pivotal summer at a fast pace, with liberal references to fashion (branded T-shirts & trainers), music (retro heavy metal), and soft drug culture. Also used liberally is the unsavoury language of unsavoury youth.

The subject matter, style and language would probably go down well with the young adult market. But while some may consider it unsuitable for younger teens due to the casual swearing and drug references, older teenagers may find the story lacks sophistication and depth.

As an adult (vetting the book for my 15 year-old) I found it passed the time well enough, and I did feel for Trick. Hancock does capture some of the vulnerability, frustration and irrationality of adolescence, as Trick perversely pursues paths that he knows will lead him to no good. Will his dawning maturity and native wit be sufficient to find a sustainable route out of the mess?