Broken Home

by Roberta Kray

Hope Randall has lived a quiet life. But that peace is about to be broken. When a stranger turns up on her doorstep telling Hope she has a half-sister, her instinct is to turn him away. But Michael Flint won't give up that easily—he believes Hope's sister Connie is in serious trouble. Connie's childhood was a world away from Hope's comfortable upbringing—she's endured poverty, hardship, and abandonment. Connie's future doesn't look much brighter. If Hope doesn't care about her, who will? The father the girls shared—who Hope can't even remember—was murdered twelve years ago. To find her sister, Hope must enter the dark underworld of the East End, full of violence and vice. She'll have to toughen up, and fast. It turns out that Connie had links to the notorious Street crime family. With a killer on the loose targeting working girls, will she be the next victim? Hope has to do everything she can to find her sister—even if it involves getting close to the enemy.

Genres: Fiction

464 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

To the Author

[Alannah Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think that I would have, in a million years picked up this book if it hadn't been sitting on my staircase. The blurb at the back instantly drew me in and I had developed a taste for crime fiction after The Girl Who Played With Fire trilogy.

Broken Home focuses Hope who lives a lovely quiet life in Scotland until she's suddenly thrown in to the East End underworld when her sister Connie goes missing. Just before she disappeared she was getting closer to finding out who killed their father so is that the reason she's vanished? That's just the simple version because there are so many threads in this story that I can't believe the author managed to juggle them all so brilliantly: there's a gangster family called The Streets, there's the household of lady pick-pocketers that Hope finds herself living with, there's a serial killer on the loose, there's a Russian drug baron causing grief and I loved the female detective who weaves in and out of all these stories. And then obviously there's the mystery of where Connie is. Everyone's stories bounce off one another and many are connected.

I really enjoyed reading this book, once I really started this book it was really hard for me to put down, I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in Crime Fiction. There is one more thing that I would have to say about the author as after I finished this novel, I searched the author on google and discovered that she was married to Reggie Kray who along with his brother, were involved in armed robberies, arson, protection rackets, violent assaults including torture and the murders of Jack "The Hat" McVitie and George Cornell. So it is clear that Roberta Kray knew her east-end crime which she was able to use so well in this novel.

[Wendy Soliman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. I read almost all of this book in one sitting on a Transatlantic flight and it kept my attention. The heroine discovers she has a half-sister she knew nothing about. That sister is now in big trouble in the East End and Hope dashes off to try and find out what's happened to her. I bow to Ms Kray's superior knowledge of the London underworld: it certainly sounded realistic to me, but what do I know!

Anyway, there were lots of twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I've read most of her books and will certainly look out for the next one.

[Maria Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful

I personally persevered it was dull and boring but I carried on to the finish which only got worse I didn’t guess the twist at the end most likely because it was so unlikely an unbelievable ridiculous ending the whole story was rubbish and hours I’ve lost that I will never get back

[Bev Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing twist at the end. Didn't see that coming

[Carissa Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!! Surprise ending

[Alison Hurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this on holiday

[Wendy Bamford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enjoying this book at first but I think I went on for too long. Good read though

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great twists at the end

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok but it dragged on and on but great twists, regarding Connie , Lloyd the step father ...,mmm and great characters!

[Paul Shepherd]

sorry couldn't get into this one

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

was yet another good read but slow in places

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hope Randall finds her quiet peaceful life turned upside down when she finds out she has a hslf sister Connie-who is now missing with serious concern for her welfare. Hope's first instinct is to walk away and go back to her orderly life but Micheal Flint-a friend of Connie's-presuades her otherwise and Hope's sense that if she doesnt care for Connie then who will. To find Connie,Hope has to delve into the criminal underworld to first find out what she can about her father-the one she shared with Connie-who was murdered 12 yeats previously.

I can't honestly say that I loved this book but it did the job and was fine for a midweek read. I do quite like the Martina Cole/Roberta Kray sort.of genre but in instances find it can get quite repetitive. You've read one-you can kinda tell the rough outline of the next. That been said I do find Kray's books better than Cole's in the sense I feel Kray doesnt need to be overly graphic with depicting voilence,whereas I feel Cole does-and it takes away rather than adds to. Clearly from beginning there was something about Llyod although.I didnt quite figure out what it was. I did find it hard to believe that Hope would fall so easily into the criminal lifestyle. It probably wouldnt entice me to rush out and buy another Roberta Kray novel but if it fell into my lap,I would certainlh try it.

[Ceri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant, gripping read and kind of a happy ending which is unusual for these types of books. Kept me gripped and did not see some of the twists till much later then normal. I also liked that it followed on from Villans Daughter but not so much that you would have to read it first to understand what is happening. Would definitely recommend

[Vicky Mortimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like martina cole you will love this book :-)

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read, really enjoyed my first book by Roberta Kray.

[Amy Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars as I usually love Roberta Krays books. It was good, but I didn't enjoy it as much as her other books I've read. I found the story quite tame.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of martina cole's books but discovered this book at a holiday let I was staying in and couldn't put this book down. Will definitely read some of her other books!!

[~ Cariad ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*sighs happily*... Loved it!

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book 📖

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

too melodramatic + too heavy British/London accent