Vinnie Got Blown Away marks a turning point in British crime writing. Funny and violent, it turns away from the traditional murder mystery among the middle classes. Following the American model, it revolves around the dispossessed, the petty criminals, the local boys of east London. It mixes without discrimination among black, white and Asian communities. It follows their speech patterns: Cockney and Caribbean unite. It demonstrates a resilience in these communities, an ability to survive against all outside pressures and values.Nicky Burkett finds his mate Vinnie dead at the bottom of a tower block. He and his mates have a code of conduct which makes revenge inevitable. They have to find the villains - much more serious criminals - and then they have to take them on. Violence ensues.