Summer reads for tough guys 

Slippery written by Tawny Frogmouth founding Founder, Liam Carroll, and Escape from the blood-stained fingers of Christopher Lazar, a handsome butcher, are self-published books for tough guys. 

Thanks to our good friends at Berkelouw Books Balgowlah you can buy them just in time to give the tough guys in your life a Christmas present they’ll treasure. 

Slippery celebrates its 10th birthday soon. It was written by Tawny’s founder when he escaped the world of hydrocarbon men as an oil trader, long before community print took his focus. It follows foul-mouthed Flynn James from Manly as he moves to Singapore and Shanghai, with a few diversions, working as a junior trader for a Geneva-headquartered precious metals and oil trading company. It’s a cutthroat world recounted with raw, unbridled swagger, free of any diplomacy or political correctness. Despite, or because of, its feisty language and confronting content, it achieved a cult following in Singapore, Geneva and the UK, environments where cutthroat commodities traders reign supreme. Unsurprisingly it was banned in China, and you’ll know why when you read it. 

Carroll writes with a stripped-back, punchy style that mirrors the precarious situations his characters face. Themes of loyalty, betrayal and the shifting rules of engagement dominate. Part Fight Club, part Bourne Identity. 

By contrast, Lazar’s Escape focuses as much on the inner world of its protagonist, Christian, and the threats he faces. Christian gets in with the wrong crowd, is betrayed by his friends, and ends up in prison where his poor judgment and ambition continue. Set in New Jersey, USA, the story explores Christian’s desire for freedom, the limits of endurance, and the personal transformations that crises can trigger. While the pace is less relentless than in Slippery, Lazar builds tension through plot and character psychology, giving readers moments to consider the moral and emotional stakes of survival. The suspense emerges from physical danger and Christian’s struggle to reconcile his actions with conscience.

Side by side, the differences are clear: Slippery delivers immediate, street-smart thrills, driven by action and ethical fluidity, while Escape balances suspense with introspection, exploring the personal cost of seeking freedom. Both novels excel in immersing readers in worlds where choices matter, risks are tangible, and male protagonists wrestle with courage, cunning and consequences.

They both have gripping narratives aimed at adult male readers and will keep you alert, even alarmed, by the gritty immediacy of their hard-edged story telling. Whether you’re drawn to Carroll’s relentless, street-smart energy or Lazar’s layered, contemplative suspense, both novels offer engaging, thought-provoking reading experiences that will have you shaking your head and laughing out loud, sometimes at the same time. 

Where to buy

Exclusively at Berkelouw Books Balgowlah. Perfect Christmas gift for your tough guy. 

Want more tough guy reading experiences?

Join the Tough Guy Book Club, a monthly book club for the thinking tough guy, there’s a Manly chapter and they meet at The Ivanhoe on The Corso. Sign up tough guys and get your reading crack on.