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J. J. Connolly | |
|---|---|
| Born | London, England |
| Occupation | Author |
| Period | 2000–present |
| Genre | Crime fiction |
| Notable works | Layer Cake |
| Website | |
| jjconnolly | |
J. J. Connolly is an English novelist. He is known for writing the crime novelLayer Cake (2000), which he also adapted into a hit2004 film of the same name.[1]
Connolly was born inNorth London, the son ofIrish parents.[1]
His first novel,Layer Cake, was first published in 2000 byDuckworth Press.[2] The book takes place in nineties London and is narrated by an unnamed, 29-year-old drug dealer ("If you knew my name, you'd be as clever as me") who plans on leaving the crime game behind at the age of thirty to live life as "a gentleman of leisure." His retirement plan, however, is made complicated by a large shipment of stolenecstasy, the Serbian war-criminals who want it back and revenge on anyone they hold responsible for the theft, the unpredictable and often outrageous personalities of his friends, and his boss, kingpin Jimmy Price, who has charged him with the task of recovering the missing daughter of a wealthy socialite. He described the novel as a reflection of experiences told to him; he described himself as "an end-user, a punter."[3]
His second novel,Viva La Madness was published in 2011,[4] and resumes after the first, in which only two characters remain: the unnamed narrator and his partner in crime, Mister Mortimer, AKA Morty.[5] It begins in the Caribbean with Morty attempting to recruit the reluctant narrator back to London and the crime business as a super-salesman and closer for a UK syndicate.[6]
In 2004,Layer Cake was adapted into afeature film directed byMatthew Vaughn. Connolly wrote the screenplay for the film, and wanted to portray the character Lucky in the film.[7]
Connolly is adapting his second novel,Viva La Madness forfilm, in which actorJason Statham is going to star, rather thanDaniel Craig.[8] In 2015, it was announced that the novel would be adapted as a television series, but nothing came from it. In 2026, the film adaptation was announced to start filming in the beginning of January, 2026, starring Jason Stratham and Vinnie Jones, and directed by Guy Ritchie.[9]
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