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Home > Books > Fiction > Thriller Books > T Thriller Books > The Know - Martina Cole

User Reviews

for The Know - Martina Cole

Rating Summary based on 10 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		3
  • 4 Stars
    		5
  • 3 Stars
    		0
  • 2 Stars
    		1
  • 1 Star
    		1

Detailed rating

  • Characters
  • How does it compare to other works by the same author?
  • How does it compare to similar books?
  • Readability
  • Story
  		• 4.3
  		• 2.3
  		• 3.1
  		• 4.7
  		• 4.0
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  • 40 of 40 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of fantasybeliever

    fantasybeliever

    4 Stars KNOWLEDGE CAN BE DANGEROUS Review with images 27/09/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Engaging, well written, gritty story

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Sensitive issues included

    Given that crime fiction, psycho thrillers is perhaps my favourite genre, it may seem strange to some that until recently I had never read an offering by Martina Cole. Ms Cole is a best selling author in her field and many of her books have been dramatised for TV series, such as Dangerous Lady and The Jump. However, that all changed on my recent fishing holiday in rural Devon where I had lots of time to participate in solitude and enjoy reading and fishing (sometimes simultaneously) in equal measure. I have the plethora of charity shops in the Somerset towns of Wellington and Chard to thank ... more
  • 26 of 26 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of sunworld

    sunworld

    4 Stars In the know........ 03/09/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages A great read

    Disadvantages Disadvantages There was an ending!

    The novel, "The Know", is the most recent of stories by the acclaimed criminal and seedy underworld expert, Martina Cole. As were the previous nine books before this, The Know (released in 2003) was a number one bestseller and highly praised. Martina Cole seems to write with apparent ease: her words flow effortlessly and digesting the story takes little thought whatsoever. Before you know it, you are ploughing through this novel with abandon - sometimes touched by the heartfelt storyline, whilst at other times cringing at the brutality. The story rattles along at intense speed, slowly building ... more
  • 30 of 30 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of frizzball

    frizzball

    4 Stars *A PROSTITUTE, A HARD MAN AND A LITTLE GIRL* Review with images 15/01/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Well written

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Will scare parents

    Ever since I read my first Martina Cole I’ve been obsessed with her ability to make criminals, prostitutes and drug-dealers part of my world, as if they live next door. I have to admit that before I found Cole, I had little or no interest in the world of falling down council estates and more flesh on show than the daily sport. But, Cole’s creative response to issues such as prostitution, drugs and racism are so well-written that I haven’t looked back since. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *THE STORYLINE* The book starts with a prologue that, for me, partly spoils the ending of the ... more
  • 30 of 30 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of brittle1906

    Level 7 brittle1906

    Member since 05/03/2005

    Reviews written: 492

    5 Stars The Know where knowledge is deadly 04/04/2008
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages A compelling well written novel

    Disadvantages Disadvantages May offend some readers

    A review of 'The Know' by Martina Cole I was first introduced to Martina Cole's work by my mother, who in her own inimitable way handed me a book called 'The Know' and stated that it was a 'disgusting' book, so she thought I might like it..... There started my collecting of Martina Cole novels! **The author** Martina Cole writes of subjects that to many are considered taboo, prostitution, drugs, paedophiles, people smuggling and gangland crime to mention a few topics. In The Know, all these are covered. Ms Cole is not afraid to draw on things that most of us find uncomfortable and work them ... more
  • 90 of 90 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of mizzameII

    mizzameII

    2 Stars Gangsters, Pimps and Whores 09/01/2004
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Well written.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Sensitive issues tackled badly. Shocking.

    I’ve introduced quite a number of Ciao members to Martina Cole. I’m not a bookworm but occasionally I find a book that I just cant put down and in the case of Martina Cole I now wait with baited breath until she publishes a new title! The Know is the most recent of Cole’s work to be published, it’s her tenth novel and although only published in October 2003 is already receiving rave reviews. Before we go any further I must point out that Martina Cole isn’t scared to dice with controversial or sensitive storylines so if you’re looking for a fairytale this certainly isn’t the book nor the author ... more
  • 14 of 14 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Ash28

    Ash28

    4 Stars Being In The Know Can Be Deadly... 16/05/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Addictive plot

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Sickening and worrying

    Here is yet another offering from our mutual friend, Ms. Cole. Welcome to the world according to Joanie Brewer, and the criminal ins and outs of her and hers. Caring Joan would do anything for her children to the point of selling her own body. Joan has three kids, each with their own personality, and each with their own father. Jon Jon is an eighteen year old up-and-coming wide-boy, not to be messed with but nevertheless, he loves his family. Jeanette, Joan’s eldest daughter at fourteen, seems to be following her mother’s footsteps to the street corners and prostitution. Wayward ... more
  • 21 of 22 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of devilinpinksox

    devilinpinksox

    4 Stars In the Know 29/12/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Another fine offering with strong characters, good strong storyline

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Deals with paedophiles so can be a bit sickening

    "The Know" - another fine offering from Martina Cole. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ B asics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Currently in Hardback only Published October 27th 2003 404 Pages ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ Synopsis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ Joanie Brewer - prostitute and mother of three children - 18 year old Jon Jon who is knee-deep in crime, Jeanette who is 14 and is becoming her mother fast and 11 year old Kira - everybody's darling. Joanie loves her kids and will do anything for them - even sell her body. Her biggest fear is that someone ... more
  • 20 of 20 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Littlekel

    Littlekel

    5 Stars The Know- Martina Knows she is good!! 18/09/2004
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages It is so exciting and you really dont know what is going to happen next!!!!!!!

    Disadvantages Disadvantages i was on holiday and couldnt put it down so i spent much of our week away reading!

    I absolutely loved this book. It took me a few chapters to get into it. Cleverly Martina's prologue has alreadly let the reader know that the main character Joanie's daughter is dead so that builds up the suspense because you are waiting for her to disappear! There are so many points in the book where you think 'this is it she is going to get taken now' but she doesn't and when the little girl finally went missing you didn't see it coming! It is not a book for people who can't stand bad language or get upset about how some people live. I love the family that Martina has created, Joanie is a ... more
  • 1 of 11 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of ella__x

    ella__x

    5 Stars Brilliant. 26/05/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Amazing, compelling read

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Didn't want it to end!

    After having read 5 of Martina Cole's other works previously and having loved them all; I couldn't wait to read The Know. Although I did wonder whether it would be up to par with the high expectations I have of Cole's books. It did not disappoint. At all. In my opinion, one of her finest books. It was gripping, engaging, completely unpredictable and true to form, full of violence. I started reading it and I literally could not put it down; I had to read from cover to cover. My advice to anybody wanting to read this, would be to read one of the lesser violent ones first. If you have already ... more
  • 1 of 11 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of etihsbog

    etihsbog

    1 Star Pointless 01/11/2005
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Very easy language to read

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Terribly written. Left nasty taste in mouth

    This is the first Martina Cole I have read and definitely will be the last. The subject of the book was horrible which I can deal with but not one of the characters was developed well and I felt that there was no need to make the book so unbelievably depressing (there is not one happy event in the book). By the time I got to the end I felt extremely desensitised and didn't actually care what had happened to her daughter. it seemed as though hundreds of characters were introduced all at once, each one of them supposedly more powerful and frightening than the last. So at the end I was imagining ... more
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