Direkt und authentisch
"'Ravenhill' ist nichts für zartbesaitete Leser, der Gewaltlevel ist so erschreckend hoch wie realistisch dargestellt und zeigt die große Stärke des Romans. Selten wurde man derart direkt und authentisch in eine paramilitärische Organisation wie die UDA hineingezogen. Ein knallharter, schockierender Roman, der am Ende das Gewirr aus Intrigen und Verrat mit einigen überraschenden Wendungen auflöst." booknerds.de
Taut and intelligent
"John Steele's debut novel Ravenhill is a thriller set in his home town of Belfast. It is the first book in a series featuring Jackie Shaw, and has been described by Tony Parsons as 'a taut, intelligent thriller that ranks as the best Belfast thriller since Harry's Game by Gerald Seymour'." Crime Fiction Ireland
Noir reality
"John Steele’s explosive story of Belfast paramilitaries is a tale of noir reality – it’s cruel, shocking, tense and spectacular, and far removed and with far more impact than fictional gangsters in Glasgow, London or New York." Crime Review
Home and History
"Belfast-born author John Steele wanted to explain his native city to his half-Japanese daughter Hana... so he wrote a crime thriller about the road he grew up on, introducing legendary Belfast hard man Jackie Shaw." Belfast Telegraph
Behind the story
"This is the 73rd installment in The Rap Sheet’s 'Story Behind the Story' series. Today’s contribution comes from Belfast-born author John Steele. In 1995, at age 22, he traveled to the United States and has since lived and worked on three continents, including a 13-year spell in Japan. Among past jobs he has been a drummer in a rock band, an illustrator, a truck driver, and a teacher of English. Steele now lives in England with his wife and daughter. He began his writing career producing short stories, selling them to North American magazines and fiction digests. This year’s Ravenhill—the subject of his essay below – is his first novel, and a second Jackie Shaw yarn, Seven Skins, has already been signed for publication by London-based Silvertail Books." The Rap Sheet
