In Call Me Spud, Stephen Rowley examines the influence of the violence of the Northern Ireland Troubles and its inevitable repercussions on the human psyche. The novel traces the dramatic consequences of the common brutality which was witnessed during the province's bloodiest years, and more specifically, the exceptional savagery of West Belfast's infamous gang of serial killers. This work of fiction follows the daily routine of a police constable engaged in the arduous task of pursuing and eventually capturing the killers.
The impact of their violence results in both individual and collective trauma as the novel moves beyond the immediate geographical boundaries of Northern Ireland to the south of England. The shift in location points to the universality of violence and its aftermath.
