The third book in Joe Thomas's acclaimed United Kindgom Trilogy, taking us from the birth of Acid House to the poll tax riots and Thatcher's demise

New Year's Eve 1988. An illegal rave in Hackney. Acid House has arrived in the UK. But the Second Summer of Love is no golden era for Britain.

A decade of Thatcher is starting to bite and her planned "Community Charge" will only rub salt in the wounds. Privatisation has lined shareholders pockets, but at what cost? A nation stripped of its assets, going for broke.

DC Patrick Noble is assigned to a task force working out of Stoke Newington, gathering evidence of police corruption to use against his new colleagues. But this is a dangerous game. And his underlings - spycop Parker and reluctant civilian Suzie Scialfa - are getting restive. Turns out blackmail and intimidation can only get you so far. Meanwhile, council solicitor Jon Davies is once again lifting stones that shouldn't be lifted - this time plumbing the depths of the deal to privatise water.

As the country hurtles towards disorder, in the form of riots that even the Iron Lady can't withstand, Noble walks an inexorable path towards his own inescapable fate. Things can only get better. But first they have to hit rock bottom.

REVIEWS FOR WHITE RIOT, A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Rpresents everything that is good and important about the crime fiction genre' Irish Times
'Enthralling' Sunday Times
'Gripping' The Times
'Propulsive' Guardian