Finlay won the award for his first novel, �Vernon God Little�, a dark comedy that centers around a 15-year-old Texan implicated in a high school massacre. Some critics have compared the book to the writing of JD Salinger�s �Catcher in the Rye�. 

But it appears that Pierre won�t be able to enjoy the monetary windfall that goes along with the prestigious Booker Award. The $80,000 prize money will go towards helping pay off Pierre�s nearly $200,000 in debt he amassed from a "pit of deceit and failure".

Knowing that his shady past might come into question with the attention brought by being nominated for the Booker prize, Pierre began coming clean in the press about his past transgressions.  

He admitted to past drug and gambling problems and of conning friends out of money. One the most telling tales involves his selling a friend�s home in Spain and taking off with the money. 

His life story might make just as interesting a read as his novel which the head of the Booker Award judging board, John Carey, noted that Pierre�s work of fiction, �Vernon God Little� was "a coruscating black comedy reflecting our alarm and fascination with America". .