Martina Cole is a bestselling author whose novels are set in London's gangland. Her style is characterized by raw realism and a deep insight into the lives of characters operating on the fringes of the law. Cole masterfully depicts harsh environments and complex interpersonal relationships, drawing readers into thrilling stories full of twists and turns. Her works are valued for their authenticity and captivating nature.
**Pre-order the brand new novel from No. 1 bestseller Martina Cole** If you want to survive in this world there's one thing you need to value above all else: loyalty. Don't miss the explosive new novel from the queen of crime Martina Cole, coming in 2021. 'She's a total one-off' Guardian 'The stuff of legend' Mirror 'Superstar crime writer' This Morning 'There really is only one Martina Cole' Closer 'The undisputed Queen of crime writing' Erwin James
In the sixties, Briony Cavanagh ran a string of the most notorious brothels in London. Only Briony knew what went on behind those doors, and she never opened her mouth - unless she stood to benefit. Only Briony knew the painful road she'd travelled to get there. From an impoverished childhood that ended with shocking betrayal, she was determined to be mistress of her own fate. But along with success came risk and danger. And the Goodnight Lady had her own secret place that was always shadowed by loss.
Renowned for her gripping storytelling, the latest novel from Martina Cole promises a thrilling exploration of crime and suspense. Known as the queen of crime, Cole weaves intricate plots and complex characters that delve into the darker sides of human nature. This new release is sure to captivate fans and newcomers alike with its intense narrative and compelling themes. Expect a masterful blend of tension and emotional depth that defines her bestselling works.
DI Kate Burrows thought she'd never face a killer like the Grantley Ripper again. But she was wrong. One by one, children are being abandoned. Thankfully, they're rescued from harm. Then one victim is not so lucky, and Kate knows she's in a race against time to save lives. As a parent herself, Kate's finding the case tough and she needs the support of her lover, Patrick Kelly, more than ever. But Patrick's got problems of his own...
Danger and violence have always been part of Sue Dalston's East End upbringing. Unloved by her mother, abused by her father, and brutalised throughout her entire marriage, she's convicted of smashing her husband's skull in a final act of desperation. All that keeps her sane is knowing that she's done it to protect her four children. At last, they are safe from harm. When she is celled up with murderess Matilda Enderby, their fates become inextricably linked. And no one - least of all Sue - could have predicted the consequences . . .
Maura Ryan was the queen of the criminal underworld when she pulled off the most audacious gold bullion robbery of all time. Since then she’s retired from a life of crime to be with the only man she’s ever loved. But enemies from her past are closing in and they’re about to learn that they should never cross Maura Ryan. The dangerous lady is back and she’s as lethal as ever... MAURA’S GAME is an explosive novel of East End violence and corruption from one of the most original voices in fiction today. Martina Cole’s unique blend of emotional drama and shocking realism combine in this electrifying new bestseller.
THE RUNAWAY: You may have seen the TV. That doesn't mean you know the full story.
No one thinks a seventeen-year-old girl can take on the hard men of London's gangland, but it's a mistake to underestimate Maura Ryan: she's tough, clever and beautiful - which makes her one very dangerous lady. Together, she and her brother Michael are unbeatable but notoriety has its price. The police are determined to put Maura away once and for all - and not everyone in the family think that's such a bad idea. When it comes to the crunch, Maura has to face the pain of lost love in her past - and the dangerous lady discovers her heart is not make entirely of stone.
Being in the know can be deadly. Joanie Brewer's children mean the world to her. She'd do anything to make sure they're fed and clothed - even if it means going on the game - and she lives in constant fear that one of them will be taken from her. Eighteen-year-old Jon Jon is knee-deep in crime, and Jeanette, only fourteen, knows more than is good for her. But it's Kira who really scares her, for in a world where no one is to be trusted, her eleven-year-old angel is the most vulnerable to danger. Then Kira disappears and Joanie's darkest fears are realised. She thinks she knows what's happened to her little girl, and her obsession to uncover the truth threatens to destroy them all.
Eleven years ago Marie Carter was convicted of killing her two best friends. Now she is being released from prison, but life has moved on and Marie has nowhere to go. Her parents have disowned her, her friends have abandoned her, even her kids don't want to know. But some people out there are watching her, following her every move - they know that Marie Carter wants retribution.
Freddie Jackson thinks he owns the underworld when he gets out of prison. He's done his time, made the right connections, and now he's ready to use them. His wife Jackie just wants her husband home, but she's forgotten the rows, the violence, and the girls Freddie can't leave alone. Bitter, resentful, and increasingly unstable, Jackie watches her life crumble while her little sister Maggie's star rises. In love with Freddie's cousin Jimmy, Maggie is determined not to end up like her sister. Families should stick together, but behind closed doors, jealousy and betrayal can fester until everyone's life is infected. And for the Jacksons, loyalty cannot win out. Because in their world you can trust no one. In their world everyone is on the take.
Donna Brunos worships her husband and is devastated when he is jailed for armed robbery. Georgio swears he’s been set up and persuades Donna to help him escape. Implementing ‘the jump’ takes Donna into a twilight world she never believed existed - a world of brutal sex and casual violence. Finally, she is confronted by a series of shattering revelations that threaten not only everything she believes in but also, ultimately, her own life...
When he heard someone's footsteps downstairs during the night, Nick's instinct was to fight--to protect his family, his privacy, his reputation. He'd grafted for these things all his life and no one was goint to jeopardise them now. but Nick's instinct was wrong, and what happened that night was the star of something even he couldn't stop.
The most authentic novel of gangster family life ever written, from the No. 1 bestselling author. The Bailey brothers are gangsters determined to make their mark in the world. Peter and Daniel are chalk and cheese in many ways - Peter's calm exterior belies his ruthless nature, while Daniel's penchant for spectacular violence is legendary - but together they are unstoppable. From the late seventies they rule London's East End and, when their sons join the business, it seems that no one can touch the powerful Baileys. Although it's never easy at the top; there is always someone waiting to take you down - sometimes even those closest to you . . . Lena Bailey is determined to shield her youngest child Tania from the Life. But when a terrible tragedy occurs, Tania's eyes are opened to their world in a way that forces her to make an irrevocable choice that will determine her future.
Highly acclaimed for her hard-hitting, uncompromising and compelling writing, as well as her phenomenal No. 1 success, Martina Cole is the only author who dares to tell it like it is.CLOSE has been a runaway success in hardback and is the story of the women who are left behind. Set in London's dark and violent gangland, this novel tells the tale of a gutsy mother and her two sons, and their lives in and out of jail. With her characteristica lly haunting writing and visceral subject matter, Martina Cole has written yet another compulsive bestseller - her best yet.
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NEVER FREE. Cain Moran wanted Jenny Riley more than he had ever wanted anyone or anything before in his life. But loving Jenny Riley was the easy part; it was telling his wife he wanted a divorce that was going to be the killer... Jenny is not just any girl. She cares nothing for Cain's hard-man reputation - she just wants to be with him. But Cain is not a free man. And he's about to find out that when his wife Caroline said 'til death us do part, she meant it. When Cain is sentenced to life in prison it seems that Caroline might have got her wish. All Cain and Jenny know is that if their love can survive such separation, then one day they will have a chance at the Good Life together again. But there are greater trials ahead than either can foresee. They're about to learn the hardest lesson of all: LIVE THE GOOD LIFE. PAY THE PRICE.
* Pre-order LOYALTY, the brand new novel from Martina Cole. Coming October 2023. * DI Kate Burrows could never keep away for long... HARD GIRLS is the third book in the DI Kate Burrows series: the only time the 'undisputed queen of crime writing' (Guardian) and Sunday Times bestseller Martina Cole has written from the perspective of the Old Bill. Kate Burrows might be a retired DCI, but she never could stay away from the law for long. And now Grantley appears to have a new serial killer on its hands, Kate is the only one with the expertise to catch him. The case bears striking similarities to the Grantley Ripper. But this time the victims are prostitutes, and even hard girls deserve protection and justice. Kate Burrows caught the Ladykiller. She's just the woman for this job. The DI Kate Burrows series is dangerously gripping - before you take on HARDGIRLS and DAMAGED, be sure to catch the series' first and second instalments LADYKILLER and BROKEN
THE FAITHLESS: family life is always at the heart of Martina's storytelling... loyalty, protection and how the ties that bind us can also sometimes choke the very thing we want to protect.
Imelda Dooley is scared. She's played hard and fast and now she's been caught. She's pregnant and now she's on her own. Her father, not a man to mess with, will see that somebody pays for this. And it's not going to be her. So Imelda Dooley tells a lie. A lie that literally causes murders. When Mary Dooley's husband is killed in the night's events, she knows she must graft to keep the family afloat. And graft she does, becoming a name in her own right. But she still has to watch her daughter's life spiral into a vicious, hate-fuelled cycle of drugs and prostitution. Caught up in the carnage that is Imelda's existence are Mary's adored grandchildren, Jordanna and Kenny. Pretty little Jordanna isn't yet three and she already knows far too much. All she can do is look after her baby brother, Kenny, and try not to draw attention to herself.
The race is on for DCI Kate Burrows in No. 1 bestseller Martina Cole's new serial killer thriller. She must stop the killer before more innocent girls die.
BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT. Michael Flynn is untouchable in a world of power, money and violence. He fights for what he wants and he takes it, whatever the cost. He learns the rules of the Life from the best and when his mentor, legendary Face Patrick Costello, is taken out, no one questions that Michael Flynn is his natural successor. For Michael, loyalty - and crime - pay. Michael Flynn rises to heights beyond anything the criminal underworld has seen. He owns everyone and he rules his empire with an even but fierce hand. No one would dare challenge him. Then the unthinkable happens. Perhaps Michael Flynn is not so untouchable after all, and he must learn that... WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE CAN BE NO FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
Keep your family close... Set in the heart of London's criminal gangland, FACES by the 'undisputed queen of crime writing' (Guardian) and Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Martina Cole reaches the darkest corners of family life and explores the dangerous line between love and hate. Danny Cadogan is the most powerful man in gangland London, but he's also the most hated. He entered this dark world to protect his family, but the violent streak running through his veins means even those closest to him fear and despise him. His wife Mary dreams of her husband's murder. His brother-in-law Michael knows Danny is bad for business. Danny is at the top of his game, but there are plenty of people getting ready to bring him down... For more stories centred on family life, check out THE FAMILY, THE FAITHLESS and BETRAYAL. Martina Cole explores loyalty, protection, and how the ties that bind us can also sometimes choke the very thing we want to protect...
Betrayal by Sunday Times No.1 bestseller, Martina Cole, author of DANGEROUS LADY, THE TAKE, GET EVEN and many more, is a gripping novel about the bonds that make - or break - a family. The 'undisputed queen of crime writing' (Guardian), Martina's unique, powerful storytelling will appeal to fans of Karin Slaughter and Patricia Cornwell. Aiden O'Hara has been head of the family since he was a kid, and he's going to keep it that way. Jade Dixon watches his back. Mother of his son, she's the one who makes him invincible. But Jade's been in the game a lot longer than Aiden. She knows no one's indestructible. And when you're at the top, that's when you've got to watch the hardest. Especially the ones closest to you . . .
The twenty-second novel from Sunday Times No.1 bestseller, Martina Cole, author of DANGEROUS LADY, THE TAKE, THE GOOD LIFE and many more... Playing grown-ups, the future is theirs for the taking. Sharon Conway and Lenny Scott are childhood sweethearts. Everyone says they are too young, but nothing can keep them apart. Sharon doesn't question Lenny's business dealings and it isn't long before his reputation as a hard man destined for the top means they are living the good life with their sons. It leaves a stain on her heart for ever. But one night Lenny doesn't come home. It isn't the first time he has gone AWOL. But it is his last. He is found murdered - beaten to death in an act of brutality that shocks even the police. And Sharon never knows why. Old wounds will surface. Now, twenty years later, Sharon is about to find out the truth. Such a crime cannot go unpunished. Revenge is long overdue. The time has come to... GET EVEN
The Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller and 'undisputed queen of crime writing' (Guardian) is back. The biggest selling female crime writer in the UK, Martina's unique and powerful novels have gripped their readers for twenty-five years, and include Dangerous Lady, The Take and Damaged. Diana Davis has been head of the family business since the death of her husband, an infamous bank robber. She's a woman in a man's world, but no one messes with her. Her only son, Angus, is a natural born villain, but he needs to earn Diana's trust before she'll allow him into the business. Once he's proved he has the brains to run their clubs in Marbella, he is given what he's always wanted. It's the beginning of a reign of terror that knows no bounds. But Angus has a blind spot: his wife, Lorna, and their three kids, Angus Junior, Sean and Eilish. And as the next generation enters the business, Angus has a painful truth to learn. Even when it comes to family, he must show no mercy...
Once you're in the family, you're in it for life... Devastatingly powerful, THE FAMILY by the 'undisputed queen of crime writing' (Guardian) and Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Martina Cole reaches the darkest corners of family life. Philip Murphy expects loyalty from their nearest and dearest - for better or for worse... Family is everything for the Murphy clan. Philip runs his business empire with the help of his brother, and dotes on his two sons who will, one day, take over. His wife Christine is his perfect match. She'd always dreamed of a big happy family and, when she married into the Murphys, she thought she'd found one. But when that illusion is shattered, she's already in too deep. The Murphys are dangerous and Christine can't unsee the horrors she has now been forced to open her eyes to. But nor can she escape them. For more stories centred on family life, check out FACES, THE FAITHLESS and BETRAYAL. Martina Cole explores loyalty, protection, and how the ties that bind us can also sometimes choke the very thing we want to protect...
Renowned for her gripping storytelling, the latest novel from Martina Cole promises to deliver a thrilling experience filled with suspense and intricate character dynamics. Known for her exploration of crime and the darker aspects of human nature, this installment is expected to captivate readers with its intense plot and compelling themes. Cole's signature style combines emotional depth with a gritty narrative, ensuring a powerful and unflinching portrayal of the criminal underworld.
A los amigos hay que tenerlos cerca; a los enemigos, muy cerca; y a la familia, aún más cerca. Lily Diamond, una joven que ha crecido en un medio difícil, se une a Patrick Brodie, un cabecilla del hampa local que lleva sus «negocios» con mano de hierro. Juntos formarán uno de los clanes más poderosos de los ambientes turbios del East End londinense. Tienen cinco hijos, a los que pretenden darles todo lo que ellos no tuvieron, sin importarles la forma de conseguirlo. La vida parece sonreírles cuando Patrick es asesinado por una banda rival. Con todo perdido, desamparada en un mundo peligroso en el que no se puede confiar en nadie, Lily tendrá que sacar adelante a su clan. Más cerca es una novela sobre los ambientes arrabaleros del Londres cada vez más mestizo de los años setenta. Un periodo de mutaciones en el que los viejos negocios del hampa (juego, prostitución...) van dejando paso al más rentable mundo de las drogas que se abre paso a borbotones de sangre. Martina Cole rinde en Más cerca un especial homenaje a la mujer en esos medios sórdidos, maltratada por la familia, sacudida por el entorno agresivo. Al mismo tiempo, explora en el corazón del Soho las simas del alma humana, allí donde maduran los rencores y las envidias, allí donde se fraguan las venganzas más sangrientas.
Pat Brodie ist ehrgeizig und setzt alles ein, um seine Ziele zu erreichen, auch in der Liebe. Mit Lily Diamond verändert sich alles, bis ihre Welt zusammenbricht und sie allein mit ihren Kindern dasteht. Doch nun ist sie bereit, für ihr Glück zu kämpfen.
Cathy wächst als Kind einer Prostituierten in East London auf und landet in einem Heim. Nach ihrer Flucht schlägt sie sich im Vergnügungsviertel Soho durch und trifft Desrae, die ihr zeigt, wie man in dieser rauen Welt überlebt.
Patrick Kelly, der gefürchtetste Mann Londons, ist bereit, alles zu tun, um seine Tochter Mandy zu rächen, die Opfer eines Verbrechers wurde. Die Polizistin Kat Burrows, selbst Mutter, versucht ihn aufzuhalten, doch sie spürt eine gefährliche Faszination für den harten Kelly.
Freddie Jackson, ein frisch entlassener Gangsterboss, terrorisiert seine Familie und erkennt nicht, dass sich vieles verändert hat. Seine Freunde sind misstrauisch, und seine eifersüchtige Frau Jackie bemerkt Freddies Interesse an ihrer Schwester Maggie, die jedoch kein Interesse an ihm hat.
Maura, eine blonde Schönheit irisch-katholischer Herkunft, wird zur gefürchteten Chefin der Londoner Unterwelt. Gemeinsam mit ihrem Bruder Michael beherrscht sie die Rotlicht- und Drogenszene. Eifersucht und familiäre Intrigen destabilisieren ihre Macht, während die Sehnsucht nach ihrer großen Liebe sie emotional herausfordert.
Ein Thriller, der die schlimmsten Träume wahr werden lässt Joanie Brewer führt ein Leben am Rande der Gesellschaft, dennoch stehen ihre drei Kinder im Mittelpunkt. Für sie ist sie bereit, alles zu geben. Umso größer ist ihr Schock, als die jüngste Tochter spurlos verschwindet.
Moederliefde en obsessie, een gevaarlijke combinatie... - druk 2
Susan Dalston hat genug von den Demütigungen ihres Mannes. Als er ihre Tochter bedroht, wehrt sie sich gnadenlos und raffiniert.
Een jonge vrouw en haar vriend leiden een bestaan waarin seks en drugs belangrijk zijn: zij als nachtclubeigenares in Soho en hij als Ierse maffiabaas in New York.
Hun gemeenschappelijke verleden zal hen altijd blijven achtervolgen...
Een jonge vrouw en haar vriend leiden een bestaan waarin seks en drugs belangrijk zijn: zij als nachtclubeigenares in Soho en hij als Ierse maffiabaas in New York.
Het leven van een misdadige Amerikaanse familie, waarin loyaliteit en liefde botsen met zelfzucht en gewelddadigheid, wordt ca. tien jaar gevolgd.
Een vrouwelijke inspecteur van politie krijgt tegelijkertijd te maken met een kinderpornozaak en een criminele afrekening waarbij haar partner betrokken is.
Můj stav těžko popsat a přiblížit těm, kteří nikdy nezažili či neví, co vše dokáže mysl s vaším tělem. Je to jako se bavit o otázce nekonečnosti. Když se hovoří velmi dlouho a nikdo nezná odpověď, hodně lidí začne pociťovat známky frustrace. Jiní o tom raději nemluví nebo mají svou odpověď na existenci života, vesmíru a smyslu toho všeho. Pocit depersonalizace – odosobnění jsem zaslechla až po dvaceti letech života. Tak často jsem se cítila šťastná i přes ztrátu otce. Nikdy jsem však nemohla být úplně šťastná, jako celý člověk. Myšlenky, že se mi vše zdá, byly zdrcující. První vydání.
From classic crime to magical anti-realism, hot sex to cold calculation, Tart Noir is a collection of 20 stories by female crime writers. The morals of the protagonists are questionable and their actions are guaranteed to shock.
