Small time criminal Eric Stanton gets a tip off for a sure-fire heist, to snatch a handsome wedge of greasy moolah from some dodgy drug dealers. So together with his powerhouse brother Derek and assisted by bouncer Darren they head out for some easy money. But a grave mistake made by one of the crew plunges the Stanton Brothers into their usual state of utter chaos and big trouble. Local gangster Jonno wants his stuff back and is hell bent on revenge, not caring who’s in the way of his blind fury. The author paints a vivid picture of the seedy North East underworld, while the strong narrative is told from multiple points of view which gives greater variety and depth of character while at the same time keeping the novel firing on all cylinders. To conclude A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Billingham Forum is bloody, gripping and gritty. Even more importantly this may be author Martin Stanley’s finest novel so far and if you haven’t read any of his books then this is a great place to start.

I've read all of the Stanton books and the characters and the areas seem real. I'm from the north east and can picture the story as though I'm there. GREAT READ

Once again a brilliantly executed tale about the Stanton brothers on the rob. This is fast paced with dry wit, seedy characters, violence and gore galore. If you enjoy a good crime novel then martin stanley is very much up there. The unique teeside dialect makes for some laugh out loud moments amidst the very believable corrupt lives. If i could find any criticism about this novel it would be the lack of sexual activity.

I've been a reader and a fan of Martin Stanley's work and workings for a few years, but have shamefully neglected his books recently. When an opportunity and the inclination arose, I picked up his most recent novel at a bargain price and set about righting my wrongs.

This is a multi-plot stranded heist thriller focusing on Stanley's favourite bickering brothers, The Stantons (Eric and Derek), as they continue in their preferred method of making money; stealing it from people for whom a police reference number would be useless. In this tale, they're looking to take it from Jonno, a man who is in equal parts handsome and vicious, and his drug dealing business partner, Ramon. What should be a routine hit and run, they're dragged into a mire of crossing, double crossing, and a racist Oriental lunatic with a penchant for spraying diseased blood wherever he can get it.

So what's changed in the two years since I last spent time with the Stantons and Stanley's world? In terms of the structure and the themes, not much. Stanley's spent his time mastering what he knows and this novel is all the stronger for it. The individual plot strands and his choreography of them is pitch perfect, as is his wrapping up of each one neatly in its own blood spattered box. He elevates his novel above standard heist fare with characters and dialogue that are both fun and funny. Eric and Derek spend the entire book bickering to the bemusement of any audience they have, with great wit, but then they work together like clockwork when they need to. Billy Chin reminds me of a nihilistic and even more deranged smoggy version of the Leslie Chow character from The Hangover, which set a nice contrast when his true colours revealed themselves.

Overall, this is a fantastic signifier of how far Martin Stanley has come with his signature dish. It's got a Guy Ritchie vibe with the humour and snappy dialogue, which works incredibly well when set against the ultra-violence that comes with this world he's created, filled with characters whose moral compasses are there for set dressing only. His best yet, for me. Five stars.

It's hard-boiled, gritty and very brutal.

A well-crafted tale that's only let down by the fact that, unless you're a hardened criminal or sociopath, there isn't much to like about many of the characters.

As ever with Martin Stanley, an extremely violent voyage through the underbelly of urban life, involving stolen drugs and money and... well, you get the idea. Quite a few characters, which makes it difficult to keep a grip on the narrative sometimes, but Stanley does a nice line in streetsy dialogue and it's a fast, easy read. If this is the kind of thing you like, you'll like this.

I absolutely love these books, love the main characters the Stantons and love the story lines. Was awake till three o'clock this morning reading this and when it did end I wished I'd kept it till later. Can't remember how I came across this series but I am so glad I did. Now onto number three.

A fast paced, violent, black comedy thriller that had me page turning furiously. Loads of descriptive violence. Loads of coarse swearing. Loads of cracking one liners. Loads of twists and turns. Book 3 here I come.

It has been a long wait, but Martin Stanley’s new Stanton Brothers novel, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Billingham Forum, is finally here and it just may be the best book in the series (and that says a lot). As always, the brothers are up to their necks in crime and violence, and also at each other’s throats.

When the brothers get some intel from a snitch and agree to hijack a drug deal, they anticipate a smooth plan. Troubles arise when they need to bring a new crew member on board and they are unsure of his ability to keep to the plan. Sure enough, he takes too much liberty during the commission of the crime and he leaves them exposed and on the radar of some dangerous men. Instead of taking their money and running away, Eric Stanton insists they do the honorable thing and help their contact out of the rough spot he now finds himself in. Trouble and violence soon follow suit and the Stantons must extricate themselves from this round of trouble, as well as try to stop some former cronies from getting their desired revenge on the brothers.

Stanley has a knack for doing everything right in his books. His writing is both fun and engaging, with a nice layer of suspense thrown in for good measure. The banter between the brothers gives his books a nice touch of comic relief, but not so much as to distract from the action. This book rises above the many crime novels I have read due to the level of character depth Stanley infuses into each character. The characters come to life through the backstories Stanley weaves into his narrative and the reader truly gets the sense each character is 3-dimentional and alive; allowing us to understand them, their motivations, and allowing us to understand their actions.

I really have enjoyed seeing Eric Stanton grow throughout the series. He is a deep character and, although he commits amoral actions, he has a moral center to which he stays true. He is a good man who resides in a bad world. He makes decisions that only hurt people he feels have it coming to them and he does his best to keep innocent people out of harm’s way. Having his brother as his sidekick allows him to have muscle as well as an opposing viewpoint for every decision he is faced with. The two characters play off each other very nicely and add a great amount of humor and tension to the book.

Overall this is one of the better books I have read this year. From great recurring characters, fresh new characters that have great depth and show great depravity, a good plot, and some excellent writing, this book should attract a large audience of readers who are looking for a fresh take on a familiar plot tale of a robbery gone awry.

Highly Recommended.

I haven’t read any other books in this series, but there was no need since the story did not really allude to prior events. This is a very well-written book with realistic free flowing dialog. To say that the story is gritty, is an understatement. As an American, I found the British slang and dry humor to be entertaining. The story is unique in that it is populated by characters who are all bad guys—villains. Their moronic stupendously violent escapades as a whole are softened a little by the humanity and pathos of Harry and his son, and Eric Stanton doesn’t seem quite as bad or stupid as the rest. This one is not for the faint of heart or anyone allergic to foul language. I was thoroughly entertained.

This hardcore British crime story is not short -- but it's paced so swiftly that I inhaled it in two days. At its core are the ever-bickering Stanton Brothers, whose quarrels provide welcome counterbalance to the extreme grimness that is Martin Stanley's stock in trade. What's interesting, though, is that in this outing the Stantons are "on screen" for a relatively low amount of the story. Instead, they are the mainspring that sets the machine ticking. Then Stanley presents and develops a very deep cast, which includes a great new crazy named Billy Chin. The subplot involving the reluctant criminal who wants to go straight, Harry Sparks, is also quite well done. The family drama involving Harry, his wife, and his young son is often very touching. The shades of grey with moral codes -- which are also quite visible with the smart Stanton, Eric -- are something Stanley explores to very good effect.

This is a fast paced, action packed book with as many characters as there are sub-plots. No-one can be trusted although Eric Stanton does try and look out for his partners, whether that is beneficial to him or not. Mr. Stanley writes about the English underworld as if he has been a life-long resident. Well written and it will hold your attention until the last page.

A great addition to the Crime / Heist genre of storytelling. Like myself, you don't need to have read previous Stanton brothers books to be able to appreciate this one as a stand-alone. Stanley has created a crew of likable characters and immersed them into a fast paced, engaging tale. Violence, sex, action and profanity; all the things that make a story hum. I will be sure to look into previous capers that these brothers have embarked on.