This Lady is Dangerous! Dangerous Lady, a novel by Martina Cole (Dangerous Lady - Martina Cole)

Member Name: brittle1906

Product:	Dangerous Lady - Martina Cole
Date:	12/09/09 (56 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gritty writing and well rounded characters.

Disadvantages: Strong language and graphic descriptions may offend some

Review of 'Dangerous Lady', a novel by Martina Cole.

I am reviewing the paperback version of the book, published by Headline Books. 563 pages, ISBN 9-9999-8458-4, cover price £6.99.

**The novel**

A compelling London gangland novel from the pen of popular crime writer, Martina Cole, Dangerous Lady draws the reader into the London gangland sub culture, a violent and sometimes uncomfortable place.

The novel's plot covers the Ryan family, a rough, tough bunch of six boys and their only sister, Maura. The story begins in May 1950, with the birth of Maura Ryan. The Ryans are well known in their district, their father Benjamin is a drinker, gambler and a dead loss as a provider for the family. Their mother, Sarah is worn out with struggling to feed and clothe her family, as time passes, more and more responsibility falls on the shoulders of the eldest Ryan son, Michael.

Michael is a good looking boy who grows into a handsome man, tall, well built and well muscled. Michael Ryan has a dark side to his nature, a violent temper which he is hard pressed to control. Michael dotes on his little sister and cares for his mother and brothers, family first is his motto.

As the story progresses we see Michael Ryan growing up to become an increasingly violent, increasingly unstable, homosexual. His temper becomes a legend in London's underworld. No one is safe from the Ryans when Michael gives the word. He even kills his lover, Joe the Fish, the man who gave him his first break into business.

Sarah keeps Maura well under her thumb for as long as she can , but eventually Maura strikes out on her own and in 1966, meets a man and has to keep his existence secret as her boyfriend, Terry Petherick, is a Policeman. Terry loves Maura, but his association with her comes to the ears of his senior officers and he is given a choice, dump her or lose his career. Terry choses the Police Service and tells Maura he doesn't want to see her again, not knowing that Maura is pregnant with his child.

Sarah is told of the pregnancy and she decides that an illegitimate baby would ruin Maura's life, so arranges a back street abortion for her daughter, this is very badly bodged and nearly costs Maura her life. When Michael finds out, he blows up the flat of the abortionist with the man's family inside. Maura recovers physically, but is severely scarred mentally and never really forgives her mother for forcing her into the operation and turns against her.

Maura joins her brothers in the 'business' and becomes a force to be reckoned with, her name automatically earns her respect, but she proves herself to be an intelligent and useful member of the family firm. She overtakes the family ice cream and hot dog pitches and proves herself an equal to the families rivals.

The plot covers the exploits of the Ryan family up to the mid 1980's, it twists
and turns, keeping the reader engrossed in the story.

More I will not say for fear of spoiling the book for others.

**The Author**


Martina Cole born in 1958, was brought up in Essex. Her first novel Dangerous Lady, was an instant best-seller and became a highly successful TV drama series. Since then Martina Cole has written fourteen more best selling novels set in the criminal underworld of London. Ms Cole is no stranger to hardship and has taken many knocks in life herself. Her parents both died when she was young and by 18 years of age, she was living alone in a Tilbury council flat with her baby son. She began writing as a way of escaping her own problems. She has in her own words 'always been a grafter' and has built a comfortable life on the strength of her books. She has been married and divorced twice and has a son, a daughter and a grandchild. Martina Cole teaches creative writing to inmates at Wandsworth and Belmarsh prisons and is a patron of Chelmsford Women's Aid, which she says is her way of putting something back into society.

I have noticed that Martina Cole invariably dedicates her novels to family members and friends from her past, a very human touch in my opinion.
For further information about the author and her books, visit Headline and Martina's own website
www.headline.co.uk
www.martinacole.co.uk

**Cost and Availability**

My copy bears the jacket price of £6.99, however s copies can be obtained from various online retailers for as little as £2.49 or from 1p used from amazon.


**My Thoughts and Conclusion**

A fast paced, gritty novel with plenty of richly described characters. Ms Cole has the knack of making her characters real and compelling, yet absolutely awful at the same time.
The strong language and violent elements of Martina Cole's writing is not for the faint hearted, yet the story lines of her novels would not be as realistic without them.


Thank you for reading.

©brittle906 September 2009


N.B. My reviews may be found on other review sites under the same user name, brittle1906.

Summary: A good read with strong female characters and a gritty story line