Sorry have not been around for awhile, started a new job and christmas just crept up on me!
Sorry have not been around for awhile, started a new job and christmas just crept up on me!
Member since:29.10.2006
Reviews:132
Members who trust:80
I read my first martina Cole book about 3 years ago. We go to scotland every year for our holiday and it is a long drive, so i buy lots of books to read on the way. The first book i bought was Two women and could not put it down, I started it when we left home and was nearly finished by the time we stopped for the night at a travel inn. I ended up sitting in the loo until 4am finishing it while the boys were snoring!
I have read every book since and loved them all except the last one The graft, i felt she had lost her way a bit. So i wasn't expecting much from this one. but i was glad to be proved wrong!
MARTINA COLE ----------------------- martina cole lives in Essex with her 2 children, close to where she was brought up. Before becoming a writer she was a agency nurse. She had her first novel Dangerous Lady published in 1992. She had written it 10 years
previous, she finally sent it to an agent and the rest is history. All her novels are based around the east end of London and are written about gangland activity. This is her 12th book, with most of them going straight to number 1. The Jump & Dangerous lady have both been made into TV series.
THE CHARACTERS -------------------------- Freddie Jackson---- Just came out of prison. He has made some good connections in prison and wants to make a name for himself and become the top man in the east end underworld. Has little love for his wife and is also very violent.
Jackie Jackson----------- Freddies long suffering wife. Is so happy her husband is coming home. But has forgotten the bad times. Keeps everything blocked out with pills.
Jimmy Jackson---- freddies cousin and right hand man, tries to keep freddie out of trouble. Is also in love with jackies sister.
Maggie Summers---- Jackies younger sister. Who wants to make sure her life is nothing like her sister's.
Ozzy----- The big man. freddie got to know him in prison and when he came out went to work for his buisness.
THE PLOT ------------------- The story is mainly centered around 2 sisters and their husbands. Freddie wants to take over the underworld when he comes out of prison, he has made important connections with Ozzy the king of the underworld and wants to eventually take over his empire including drugs, prostitution & protection. But his temper and drug taking cause him to make serious errors of judgement. He has a very volitile relationship with his wife Jackie and is always cheating on her with younger and prettier women, which makes her turn to pills and drink. Jackie is also battling her own jealousy against her sister who is much prettier and refuses to end up like her. Freddie also has a very unhealthy interest in his sister-in-law Maggie but she can't stand him. His cousin Jimmy idolises him and wants to be just like him, but the more he see's of his cousin the more he starts to worry about him. He also has to pick up the pieces every time his cousin goes on a rampage. Jimmy also falls for Freddies sister-in-law Maggie, which starts to cause jealousy between the cousins. I can't give anymore away you will have to read it yourself.
MY OPINION ------------------ This was martina Cole back to her best. The charaters are totally belivable if a little over the top. It did make uncomfotable reading in a couple of places but that is part of her storytelling. Please be warned if this is your first Martina book it is very violent in places and also some explicit sexual content but it is not violence for violence sake, it is in context with the story. She also has a way off taking you completly in so as you need to finish the book to find out the end. The baddies are very bad and the goodies are also bad but you do find yourself rooting for them. Her knowledge of gangland is second to none and she explains this life in a way that doesn't glorify it but you understand how and why people get into this.
OTHER TITLES ---------------------- Dangerous lady The Ladykiller Goodnight lady The jump The runaway Two women Broken Faceless Maura's game The know The graft
Two women is still my all time favourite but this was a very good read. At least i didn't sit in the loo this time i actually read this one at home.
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Dec 4th, 2006
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