Underneath the Streets

Underneath the Streets is a political thriller by Adam Macqueen who was for many years a contributor to Private Eye.   

The central character is a male prostitute called Tommy Wildeblood who perchance investigates the death of a rent boy in Hampstead Heath.

The trail leads him to Devon and to the village of Norman Scott who in the novel is murdered although his dog Rinka survived.

As a depiction of what it is like to be gay in the 1970s, the Piccadilly rent boy scene and the homophobia of the Police it works well but the conspiracy element of the thriller lacked credibility.

One wonders to what extent the novel is autobiographical.

Certainly Macqueen draws from his own experiences with a visit by Tommy to Private Eye’s offices and a subsequent meeting with Paul Foot.

Many real politicians appear like Tom Driberg.

One of the best sequences is when Tommy on the run goes back to his family home in Reading he left four years previously after a row with his homophobic,  intolerant father.

The action moves at a fast pace towards a conclusion in high places that really does stretch credulity although Macqueen in a postscript tried to justify it.

I am not attracted to conspiracy theories and those like Oliver Stone who subsequently admit they have made a film not a documentary.

I do not believe the events Macqueen describes could have happened but as a depiction of gay life in the 70s I did enjoy and would recommend it.