John R. Gordon - Faggamuffin

'Foreign... me haffi go a foreign...' Outed and driven from his homeland by a murderous mob, gay Jamaican Cutty Munroe arrives in London penniless and desperate. At first he is relieved to be given shelter by Buju Staples, a petty crook on the White City Estate, and his girlfriend Cynthia, but Cynthia soon wants to be rid of this 'wasteman' crashing on her man's sofa. Cutty, however, has nowhere else to go. Traumatised and lonely, Cutty falls in love with Buju, and starts to believe that Buju might share his feelings. One night while out on the rob Cutty makes a move on his spar. And then his troubles really begin...

'An engaging and enjoyable read.'

- QX Magazine

'A master novelist.'

- The Huffington Post

Read these essential in-depth profiles on John R. Gordon:

The Genius of John R. Gordon by Diriye Osman

The Plight Of A ‘Faggamuffin’ by Hazelann Williams, The Voice

You can buy Faggamuffin via the following outlets:

UK: Waterstones / Amazon /

US: Barnes & Noble / Amazon /

READER REVIEWS

★★★★★

'I absolutely loved this book. It made my heart feel all the feels and got me hot under the collar. The main characters were so authentic and believable. It was refreshing to hear these voices told, as they aren't often.'

★★★★★

'This book was sooo freaking good. This has to be made into a movie asap. I have no idea if this is autobiography but it felt so much like it. The way Cutty's story is told is so realistic and I really hope this is made into a movie as it gave me hope for a better future for gay black men. I was once a refugee myself as we had to flee our country because we feared for our lives and this is the same for Cutty.'

★★★★★

'Faggamuffin is gritty, sexy and abundant with twists and turns. Very enjoyable.'

★★★★★

'Absolutely compelling. A MUST read! By chance I happened across this book / author and I must say I was totally engaged from the start. The attention to the central characters human idiosyncrasies was most endearing. Being of a certain age, Jamaican roots and LGBTQIA, I felt like I lived (partially) some of their lives. Certainly all the places referenced are known to me and were previous regular hang outs - it was like I 'lived' a parallel life during this time period. This author didn't just highlight the plot but justified each characters personal dilemma, thought process, cause and effect (rightly or wrongly - who are we to judge? I believe that these fictional characters are very real!!!) Leading one to be totally invested in this story as it unfolded. I honestly couldn't put it down. Well done, Sir - you have a new fan (albeit a decade late!)'

★★★★★

John R. Gordon is an extraordinarily talented writer and whilst I may be a straight white boy from West London I can strongly recommend this finely crafted, moving, visceral & pulsating book. It's a cracking read, a classic page-turner that has you caring not only about the central characters but EVERY character (always the sign of a good Writer IMHO).'

★★★★★

'Five stars. Excellent read, I find it hard to put the book down.'

★★★★★

'Bloody good story, just finished it. It pulled me along - needed to keep reading. Exciting, convincing. What I found particularly good - real and convincing - were the motivations behind the characters' actions and the dynamics going on between them, especially the triangle of Cynthia-Buju-Cutty inter-relations. I also found it (without being worthy) informative about Jamaican culture and all the specifics of how complex it is to be Jamaican and queer and survive both in Jamaica and here. Great!'

★★★★★

'The best book I've read in a long time!!! I cannot stress enough how good Faggamuffin is. John R. Gordon is a super talented writer.'

★★★★★

'This is what I'm talking about! The book has a good glimpse of the taste, smell, bounce and the wide palette of life in a defined area of both captivity and freedom, the hood. Set in London and Kingston but recognizable by all from wherever as in the enclaves of the leftover parts of the social plan. If the book does not let one be the winning hero and get the desired man, in my view that character is not the hero at all. I like happy endings and heroes. This book has both. The ending has credibility because the whole work is self defined and not a mirror of a reality foreign to the place these characters live and breathe.'

★★★★★

'I really enjoyed this book so much that I took my time reading it and was totally not disappointed. I was so drawn to the two main characters that I wanted to be with them myself. Especially Cutty, speaking that patois, turned me on so much! I love hearing Jamaicans talk their language because it gives me a fresh view I never thought or imagined before and makes everything beautiful. If the voice speaking it is a rich bass or baritone, I am so done!! And Buju, he could be my ideal man in just about every way. Where can I find him. I want more from these two AND the author.'

★★★★★

'Pure excellence. You know those books you wish you could go back and read again for the first time? This instantly became one of those for me. I didn't know what to expect but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey it took me on. Empathy, humanity, and beautiful black love at the heart. One of the best books I've ever read, hands down. Highly recommended!'

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