Alison Rose

A misanthropic author, a single mother and waitress, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.

Arthur Bishop is a veteran hit man who, owing to his penchant for making his targets' deaths seem like accidents, thinks himself an artist. It's made him very rich, but as he hits middle age, he's so depressed and lonely that he takes on one of his victim's sons, Steve McKenna, as his apprentice. Arthur puts him through a rigorous training period and brings him on several hits. As Steven improves, Arthur worries that he'll discover who killed his father.

Set in contemporary London, three inner-city friends discover themselves after pursuing desperate measures to cut their own hip-hop record. In spite of the ups and downs that continually spin around them, they not only explore their individual selves, but also the bonds of their friendship.