You emerge from Leicester Square tube station, blinking in the London sunlight (optimistic, but some days in London it doesn’t rain).  First stop, a mission not just for pints or a G&T, but for a journey through time to a small and modest watering hole, the Tom Cribb. It is one of London's most storied pubs, a homage to the relentlessly harsh 19th century sport of bare-knuckle boxing.

INTRODUCTION

If your're a fan of historical fiction you've probably come across this. If you haven't you're in for a treat!

Brian Keenan, a Belfast man teaching at the American University in Beirut, hit the headlines in 1986 when he was abducted by gunmen representing Islamic Jihad, an element of the Hezbollah organisation. Over the course of the Lebanon hostage crisis, which lasted a full ten years from 1982 to 1992, over 100 foreigners were taken into captivity to be used as leverage against the USA and its allies.

If you're looking for something a little different to do in the metropolis, consider taking one of these unusual walks in southeast London. 

Gangland crime has long been a fascination of readers and writers alike, and many great books have been written about the seedy underworld of London's criminal underbelly. From gritty street crime to high-level organized crime, these books can take you on a thrilling journey through a shadowy world of skullduggery. Here are four of my fav gangland gangster novels set in London.

MILLWALL

London has been a hub for literature for centuries. Scores of great works are set on its streets. Thriller novels set in London are especially gripping, as they combine the fast-paced action of the genre with the rich history and culture of the city. Here's a selection of 4 of my favourites. 

Prison Books

 ‘Here's my question to you: if Get Carter is forty years old, how come it still looks so young?’