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Nothing but trouble
That was the last time any of them saw Minnie Bright. It was forty-eight hours before her crack-addicted mother reported her as missing, and a few hours more before the police entered the house and found her small twisted body hidden under the bed.
Fifteen years ago, a little girl was murdered.
Now journalist Jess Vaughan and detective Harry Lind are asking questions about what really happened that day.
Questions that someone will kill to keep hidden.
No one knows crime like KRAY
Fifteen years ago, a little girl was murdered.
Now journalist Jess Vaughan and detective Harry Lind are asking questions about what really happened that day.
Questions that someone will kill to keep hidden.
No one knows crime like KRAY
480 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2012
27 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 23, 2024
Readable but very amateur, just trading off the Kray name I imagine.
Two stars.
Two stars.
August 14, 2015
I came across this whilst on holiday. I grabbed it from a second-hand book shop as I'd run out of reading material. I'm so glad I did! Although it took a while for the story to get going, once the pace had picked up it was impossible to put down. It was obvious that the author had personal experiences with which she could draw upon and this gave the story more credence too.
March 27, 2013
I won this book in a Twitter contest held by the UK's The Crime Vault for for "What would you name your series character?" I came up with Inspector Everlast Forlorn. And I won ten books! I read the descriptions of all the books and chose to read Roberta Kray's first.
I'm not familiar with Kray. I didn't know if this book was the start of a series or mid-series or what. But it didn't matter. She weaves in memories of previous cases so effortlessly that a new reader would learn some of the backstory while old hands would not be bored and start flipping pages to get to the new stuff again. By the end of the book, I still couldn't say definitively that this book is part of a series, but I did feel like I was in the middle of a story about the main characters. It would be interesting to see what happens next.
I liked the characters. It took me awhile to get to know them, and I felt like sometimes they bordered on the stereotypical. All in all though, I was left not quite knowing enough about the crime solvers and thus wanting to know more.
The plot was convoluted. And this is where my brain-injury-imposed reading limitations put a serious dent in my ability to solve the mystery. I didn't. And even when it was solved in the book, it took me awhile to piece the picture together in my poor head because it's not a simple crime. I never fully understood the final motive (I wonder if I missed the explanation that some authors include, or if there wasn't one), and I think that's because the reader needs to sink right into this book and be able to follow the characters and build up the big picture and put the pieces together like one does a jigsaw puzzle. And I couldn't do that. It's a book for rereading and for engaging the mind, for sure.
I'm not familiar with Kray. I didn't know if this book was the start of a series or mid-series or what. But it didn't matter. She weaves in memories of previous cases so effortlessly that a new reader would learn some of the backstory while old hands would not be bored and start flipping pages to get to the new stuff again. By the end of the book, I still couldn't say definitively that this book is part of a series, but I did feel like I was in the middle of a story about the main characters. It would be interesting to see what happens next.
I liked the characters. It took me awhile to get to know them, and I felt like sometimes they bordered on the stereotypical. All in all though, I was left not quite knowing enough about the crime solvers and thus wanting to know more.
The plot was convoluted. And this is where my brain-injury-imposed reading limitations put a serious dent in my ability to solve the mystery. I didn't. And even when it was solved in the book, it took me awhile to piece the picture together in my poor head because it's not a simple crime. I never fully understood the final motive (I wonder if I missed the explanation that some authors include, or if there wasn't one), and I think that's because the reader needs to sink right into this book and be able to follow the characters and build up the big picture and put the pieces together like one does a jigsaw puzzle. And I couldn't do that. It's a book for rereading and for engaging the mind, for sure.
May 13, 2013
At first I thought that this would be yet another all 'blood and guts' read, however I was pleasantly surprised. A little slow to get going...but then when it did, it was excellent. I just had to keep reading as I really wanted to get to the bottom of the puzzle and it kept me intrigued throughout.
August 31, 2012
‘Nothing but Trouble’ by Roberta Kray
Published by Sphere, 17 May 2012. ISBN: 978-1-84744-442-4
Harry Lind and his partner Mac, both ex-cops have relocated their PI business from the West End to Kellston in the East End of London, where rents are cheaper. Before the offices are officially open for business Harry gets a visit from investigative journalist Jess Vaughan – someone he hasn’t seen for a number of years. Jess tells him that her friend Sam was one of the five girls involved in the incident fourteen years ago, when Minnie Bright was killed. Donald Peck was convicted of the crime and went to prison where he later hanged himself. Jess was interested in doing a piece on the effects of crime on those, as it were, left behind. Although one of the girls is now dead, the others had initially been keen to be part of the story, but now they have pulled out, and Sam has had her tyres slashed and received anonymous death threats. Harry is sceptical, he had worked on the original case and can envisage no reason why anyone would be concerned about a story on the case, but agrees reluctantly to speak with Sam. Meanwhile he has another ‘paying’ client – a man wants his wife watched.
The story is multi-layered, as Harry gets drawn into both the death of 10-year-old Minnie Bright following a related murder, and the beautiful Aimee Locke, a possible cheating wife.
Rich in characters - Harry Lind and his ex-wife DI Valerie Lind, who while divorced don’t seem to have actually severed the ties that binds, Jessica Vaughan, who is in a relationship with Neil, but how deep does it go? The fall-out from that fateful day fourteen years ago, which has left its mark on all the girls for different reasons. I could not put this book down and although it is 470 pages, I read it in one sitting. There was no way I could go and do something else until I knew the outcome.
Utterly gripping the story moves at a cracking pace. The story is told from multiple points of view, and as the layers of deceit are stripped away the truth eventually surfaces with many surprises, and heart in the mouth, edge of your seat situations. This book is highly recommended.
-----
Lizzie Hayes
Other books are The Debt, The Pact, The Lost, Strong Women, Villain’s Daughter, Broken Home.
Published by Sphere, 17 May 2012. ISBN: 978-1-84744-442-4
Harry Lind and his partner Mac, both ex-cops have relocated their PI business from the West End to Kellston in the East End of London, where rents are cheaper. Before the offices are officially open for business Harry gets a visit from investigative journalist Jess Vaughan – someone he hasn’t seen for a number of years. Jess tells him that her friend Sam was one of the five girls involved in the incident fourteen years ago, when Minnie Bright was killed. Donald Peck was convicted of the crime and went to prison where he later hanged himself. Jess was interested in doing a piece on the effects of crime on those, as it were, left behind. Although one of the girls is now dead, the others had initially been keen to be part of the story, but now they have pulled out, and Sam has had her tyres slashed and received anonymous death threats. Harry is sceptical, he had worked on the original case and can envisage no reason why anyone would be concerned about a story on the case, but agrees reluctantly to speak with Sam. Meanwhile he has another ‘paying’ client – a man wants his wife watched.
The story is multi-layered, as Harry gets drawn into both the death of 10-year-old Minnie Bright following a related murder, and the beautiful Aimee Locke, a possible cheating wife.
Rich in characters - Harry Lind and his ex-wife DI Valerie Lind, who while divorced don’t seem to have actually severed the ties that binds, Jessica Vaughan, who is in a relationship with Neil, but how deep does it go? The fall-out from that fateful day fourteen years ago, which has left its mark on all the girls for different reasons. I could not put this book down and although it is 470 pages, I read it in one sitting. There was no way I could go and do something else until I knew the outcome.
Utterly gripping the story moves at a cracking pace. The story is told from multiple points of view, and as the layers of deceit are stripped away the truth eventually surfaces with many surprises, and heart in the mouth, edge of your seat situations. This book is highly recommended.
-----
Lizzie Hayes
Other books are The Debt, The Pact, The Lost, Strong Women, Villain’s Daughter, Broken Home.
April 22, 2013
a gang of girls bully a younger girl intop going into the house of a known pervert, to steal money, when she doesnt come out they all flea, 2 days later she turns up in the house under the bed dead
August 26, 2016
a must read
October 24, 2020
I loved this book and I very nearly didn't read it after reading The Debt which I found very hard going and to be honest boring.
This book felt like it was written by a different author it was so different, in fact I couldn't put it down and will be looking to read other books by this author if they are as good as this one.
This book felt like it was written by a different author it was so different, in fact I couldn't put it down and will be looking to read other books by this author if they are as good as this one.
March 25, 2024
The whole book was an enthralling read, but the ending was weak and not exactly well thought of. The character portrayals were good and it keeps you on edge, which is why the way the truth comes out seems so disappointing
August 16, 2017
Ug. Being the widow (I think...or perhaps the prison widow) of a (in)famous criminal does not make a brilliant crime writer. This was...adequate but a long way from exceptional.
Best,
David
Best,
David
April 6, 2018
Excellent book great story and fabulous outcome well worth 5*
June 1, 2021
Difficult to get through,a lot of useless verbage to make the pages longer but not help the plot.
I'd would never call her in the same league as Martina Cole..NEVER!
I'd would never call her in the same league as Martina Cole..NEVER!
April 12, 2022
As amazing as Martina Cole!
February 11, 2023
Nothing but Trouble
Gripping from start to finish with a few shocks along the way. Read this in three sittings brilliant thoroughly recommend
Gripping from start to finish with a few shocks along the way. Read this in three sittings brilliant thoroughly recommend
April 22, 2023
Really good read
July 10, 2023
Never guessed who was behind it all, great story!
January 1, 2025
Really good fast paced thriller with lots of twists and turns right to the end 📖
October 11, 2025
Another brilliant read. Twists and turns along the way and just as you think you have it worked out something else popped up!! Can’t wait for the next me to come my way
February 7, 2017
This wasn't Roberta's usual 'style' - she tends to veer toward the gangland plots. This was a typical "Whodunnit" mystery. Lots of detective inspectors and leads to follow - not my usual type of book. I find myself having to remember lots of different references and that's one reason why I don't read crime novels, I just find them hard work. This was also hard work for me, I'm afraid. A bit of a task to keep up with everything.
June 22, 2016
A good story but I did feel there were some very minor (almost transparent) loose ends. This is the first book I've read by this author so I'd be tempted to check out more of her material. Very true to life I think and captures the London gangster/club scene well.
October 31, 2016
Not the best Kray book I have read. It took me a week to read it, so that sums up how little it gripped me. The plot was good, but the story became rather boring at times. I hope the next one I have waiting is a bit more exciting to read.
April 7, 2013
started off slow but finished well
October 25, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed this
January 10, 2016
Loved it!
@annieAldington took this from great to brilliant - best narrator EVER!!!
@annieAldington took this from great to brilliant - best narrator EVER!!!
July 6, 2016
Another brilliant read. Had me hooked from the beginning and characters I could relate to that have been used before. Can't wait for the next one.
June 29, 2016
Good writing, but not as gripping as I hoped it would be. The ending in particular happened far too rapidly.
January 3, 2017
This is a far better book, although slower to start than the previous one I read by Roberta Kray.
November 10, 2017
Brill book love herone og my fav authors
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews