When assassin Gin Blanco, a.k.a. the Spider, is robbed and taken hostage at gunpoint during the biggest gala event of the summer at Ashland's fanciest art museum, she is more than happy to show these unlucky thieves that red is her favorite color.

For millions of people across the world, lighting up a joint is no more controversial than having a cup of tea. But in Hash Wensley Clarkson explores the dark and sinister side of this multi-billion pound business: one fuelled by a brutal underworld network of dealers, drug barons, bent cops and even terrorists. Sex, intimidation, bribery and murder are all employed in a quest for vast profits. Travelling from the lawless Rif mountains in Morocco to darkened warehouses in Spain, protected by heavily armed gangsters, this is a revelatory roller-coaster ride through the secret world of Hash.