A true story of survival, redemption, and the cost of chasing escape.
Nightmare in Jamaica is the raw, unfiltered memoir of Tommy Kennedy IV — a British writer from Warrington who found himself caught between two worlds: the streets of London and the chaos of Kingston.
What began as a dream of freedom turned into a fight to survive. Arrests, deportation, and the hard lessons of consequence shaped a man who refused to stay down. Written in a gritty British noir style, this memoir doesn’t hide behind glamour or excuses. It tells it straight — from the heart, from the street, and from experience.
Tommy Kennedy IV brings his working-class voice and unshakable honesty to every page. His journey from bricklaying and music promotion to becoming a published author and creative writing student proves that even the roughest paths can lead somewhere real.
Available now in the British Library and on Amazon.
About the Author
Tommy Kennedy IV is a London-based author and music promoter, born in Warrington. His writing blends working-class grit with Caribbean rhythm, weaving truth, humour, and reflection through lived experience.
Visit the Author Blog to read more about the stories behind the book, his writing process, and life after Nightmare in Jamaica.
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Nightmare in Jamaica by Tommy Kennedy IV – true memoir of a British writer in Jamaica.
Nightmare in Jamaica – A True Memoir by Tommy Kennedy IV
Nightmare in Jamaica by British author Tommy Kennedy IV – a raw memoir of crime, consequence, and redemption between London and Kingston. Available in the British Library and on Amazon.