The Reaper (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781399969819)

A troubled kid, Max McCabe has an unfortunate start to his life, abandoned at the doors of a catholic church in Liverpool. Without the influence of a mother, he's outcast and struggles with his early years in foster care before he's reunited with his estranged Father, the infamous Bare-knuckle fighter, Davie Rhodes.

Unknown to him he's set up and sent to jail before he's sixteen because of a vendetta, Jack Gallagher, Liverpool's most notorious gangster, carried for Davie. Inside Altcourse Jail, Max is traumatised by beatings, starvation, and isolation led by the wishes of the vindictive The Governor. His hope for life diminishes but his survival skills ignite against his bullies and the system and in turn, a beast is created.

Consumed with an uncontrollable rage and the release fighting gives him from his burden of memories, he takes to Bare Knuckle fighting, continuing on a self-loathing path of self-annihilation where he fights for Jack Gallagher. The sight of that man disgusts him as he commits his life to regaining payback for the stint inside only to be held back by Davie who has his own agenda of redemption.

Max falls for Jacks barmaid, Courtney who becomes the only joy in his life, asking no questions about his seedy affairs as he sets out on a steroid filled path, burning for notoriety in the unmerciful world of the bare-knuckle, seeking to gain the same ruthless title as Davie once held.

On the sidelines, he mingles as a gunrunner for Davie, working as part of The Stable and offers no ambition to carry out the job until his circumstances change and he's made an offer he can't refuse.

His vicious temper rips Courtney out of his life while losing his sanity in the process. She carries his child, who he doesn't carry any empathy for. She leaves him as he focuses on a path that will lead him to the epic duel with his brother, Joe and results in him being re-born to the lifetime of abuse and manipulation inflicted upon him. He births a new form of redemption. The kind that will leave no regrets.