The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...literary entertainment - Martina Cole. The Ladykiller was the eighth book of hers that I have read and as I had enjoyed the others immensely, it seemed a safe bet that this one would also meet my high expectations. But did it? Read on… Not long after beginning the novel, I was warned it was Cole's most graphic book and this needs to be stated clearly. Cole's books are never for the faint-hearted, but The Ladykiller makes her other novels seem like ...
...culture, this one also explores the mind and actions of a depraved and sick man. You have been warned. It is no surprise that there is a strong woman in this book, as Cole is known for this and it is one of the things that attracts me to her writing. The Ladykiller introduces us to a 40-year-old policewoman called DI Kate Burrows. She lives with her teenage daughter, Lizzy and her mother, Evelyn. Kate faces sexism at work, but prides herself on ...

KarenUK 06.05.2005 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

To the outside world, George Markham seems like a normal man. In his early 50s, henpecked by his wife, facing redundancy at work and a bit of a loner with few friends, he probably seems a bit of a misfit, but he’s harmless enough. Even his domineering wife, Elaine, thinks he’s harmless, and that’s why she sees no harm in making a new social life for herself – which doesn’t include George. But while Elaine is out enjoying himself, George is indulging ...
...sexually motivated murders. Dubbed the Grantley Ripper, George keeps his secret life to himself, and we as the reader are the only ones in on it. Despite an incident 20 years ago that is no longer talked about, even Eileen does not contemplate that her husband could be the violent criminal that everyone is talking about. But George is a wanted man. On his case is DI Kate Burrows, a surprisingly well-respected female detective, who is working to ...

Pumpkin 05.04.2004 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

George Markham, to the outside world is an unassuming sort of person. At first glance he seems like just another ordinary guy; he’s quiet, has a good job, a nice car and lives with his wife in suburbia. Look a little deeper and you’ll find a man who’s more than a bit hen-pecked and nagged by his wife and thought of by his work colleagues as a bit of a loser, even a bit ‘sad’. He has no real friends; he doesn’t seem to ‘belong’. Some would even go ...
...deceptive. Very deceptive indeed in the case of this particular gentleman. He likes domination and bondage magazines, hardly surprising given his wife’s nature and not exactly perverse; but that is the very least of his hidden traits. George Markham is a misogynist and seemingly no woman is safe from his twisted way of thinking. He has a ‘secret smile’, the one that if you knew what it meant would have you running… You see he also hides a secret ...

rachels_ratty 07.12.2002 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...with this best seller. The story starts with a guy called George Markham, and describes his normal living life with his wife, and perfect job. As a reader you get the impression that George is an everyday middle-aged man, but soon come to realise that he has many sexual fantasies involving women, and killing them. The inspector involved in the case is called Kate Burrows who falls in love with one of George Markham’s victims father, Patrick Kelly, ...
...in a coffin. As the book goes on, you read of many disturbing murders carried out by George involving young teenage girls, followed by many sex acts. Martina Cole gives the reader a good aspect of what it is like to be inside a maniac’s brain. The best thing I liked about the book, was that to everyone else surrounding George, he was just an average guy. You could call him a “slippers and pipe”, kind of man who wouldn’t hurt a fly. As I have said ...

KatieMarsh 13.01.2002 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

I bought The Lady Killer by Martina Cole as i had just finished reading one of her other books that i had got from a carboot sale Two Woman, i enjoyed it so much i just had to get another of her books and i wasn't disappointed. It had me up again all night reading just another chapter then another as i couldn't put it down. DI Burrows is an unmarried mum or a teenage daughter, she is hard working and good at her job but finds this hard to prove ...
...disturbing sight is found in the small town of Grantley, a young woman has been brutally murdered and raped, there are no clues. George Markman seems a normal middle aged man, he is married, has a good job and keeps himself to himself. George's wife seems to nag this poor man constantly so he keeps out of her way and spends his time down in the garden shed, pottering with his plants. In Grantley another body is found, again a young woman bound, ...

quizzeyq 09.01.2003 (22.01.2003) · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...but this is by far the best one I've ever read! I've read it 3 times now, and I could quite happily read it again! The story is based around the Grantley Ripper, a sadistic, sexual murderer, otherwise known as George Markham. He commits these heinous crimes, all the while trying to maintain his normal, meek existence with his wife Elaine. The other main characters here are Kate Burrows, the detective leading the hunt for the Grantley Ripper, and ...
...for clues to stop him, and Patrick Kelly continues to try to avenge his beautiful daughter's death. Every chapter is easily better and more thrilling than the last, and every time you think you can second guess what's going to happen next, you're proved wrong. Definately worth reading this book! ...

angelik 16.12.2007 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...DIDNT CHANGE MY OPINION. THE STORY LINE IS BASED ON THREE MAIN CHARACTERS GEORGE MARKHAM, KATE BURROWS AND PATRICK KELLY, ALL THE CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED BRILLIANTLY AND I REALLY FELT I COULD IMAGINE WHAT THESE CHARACTERS LOOKED LIKE AND THERE FEELINGS. DETECTIVE KATE BURROWS IS IN CHARGE OF THE CASE OF THE GRANTLEY RIPPER GEORGE MARKHAM WHO HAS BEEN RAPING AND KILLING WOMEN WHILE LIVING WHAT SEEMS TO OTHERS A NORMAL LIFE, ONE OF GEORGES VICTIMS ...
...HE FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE DI ON THE CASE KATE BURROWS. GEORGE IS A VERY CUNNING AND CLEVER CHARACTER AND REALLY BELIEVES WHAT HE IS DOING IS RIGHT AND HE WONT BE CAUGHT. THIS BOOK WAS ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE AS WE SAW REASONS WHY GEORGE HAD SUCH A DISLIKE TO CERTAIN WOMEN AND THE HORRIFIC CHILDHOOD HE ENDURED. THE BOOK IS A MUST READ, CANCEL ALL YOUR APPOINTMENTS AND TURN YOUR PHONES OFF BECAUSE THIS STORYLINE WILL KEEP YOU GRIPPED TO THE END, ENJOY ...

weston83 19.02.2007 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...novel was Dangerous lady. The price or the book is £5.99. The main characters George Markham: He seems like an eveyday man with a wife,job ace..,but first impreshons can be very wrong. D.I kate Burrows: She is a singl mum who lives with her daughter and her mum.she is good a her job, but then her heart arrects her judgment with a known villan. Patrick Kelly: He is a hard man and most people fear him, he also as a big heart where his daughter ...
...grabs hold for you from the first page and does not let go untill the last page. You cant wait to find out what the characters are getting upto and what they do next. As you start reading this book you would think that George was a everyday man,he used to go to work then come home then his wife would nag at him for little things,you kind of feel sorry for him,but then you start to find out that he is not a normal man,is goes out for walk,which are ...

carmen83 21.03.2006 (22.03.2006) · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...LOVE A GOOD THRILLER WITH THE ODD TWIST IN THE STORY. THE END WAS WELL WORTH IT, VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND I DID LIKE HER STYLE OF WRITING, IT WAS VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD AND EASY TO READ. I HAVE RECENTLY READ ANOTHER OF HER BOOKS AND WILL BE MAKING COMMENT ON THAT TOO, I'VE JUST GOT ANOTHER ONE WHICH I INTEND TO START ONCE I GET OVER THE LAST ONE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AUTHOR. Due to comments, I'm adding this little bit to my OP. The story is about ...
...women. The serial killer makes a huge mistake by killing the daughter of a well known villain (Patrick Kelly), who wants revenge. Kate has to have alot of dealings with Patrick and a romance is brewing. Very difficult for a cop, but he has his own backup in the force! Which makes for interesting reading. The plot is brilliant, the ending is what I call "just desserts". The follow on book is Broken, which I have also made a comment on. I hope this ...

BIGSONJ 20.10.2001 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

The Lady Killer is an all-round gripping and thrilling novel. The character of Georgie Markham is a daunting yet quite believable character. The novel is authoritative and gives us a fascinating insight into the mind of a serial killer and at some points evokes a certain sympathy within the reader. At no point do we condone Georgie Markham's behaviour yet his past and personal experiences are brought to the forefront by Martina Cole in an excellent ...

hv792002 08.12.2003 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole

...this author when I bought the book, the the blurb on the jacket sounded interesting. It's amazing how wrong first impressions can be. Whilst the plot and idea is good, the writing is weak. Cole uses the same terms over and over again, to the point where they could almost become her catch phrases. I've never known so many people in one book who "had the grace to blush/look away", etc ... It becomes intensely irritating to read vocabulary which is ...
...story: Serial killer on the lose, grusome rapes and murders, the struggle and determination of female Detective Inspector to bring the maniac to justice which is complicated by the intricacies of her home life. Cole provides a good insight into how her characters came to be the people they are, but only by repeating herself. This may have been her first book, I'm not sure, but my advice would be to not bother with this one and try Two Women by the ...

Lizzy 02.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of The Ladykiller - Martina Cole