The Charmer

by Mandasue Heller

Maria Price has inherited a big house in the best part of Manchester, and more money that she could have ever dreamed. An orphan since 11, she thought she would never again have a family or security. Then she meets handsome, charming Joel Parry, and he just happens to need a place to stay. Before long, Joel has moved into Maria’s new house and has begun spending her money. But Joel is deep in Manchester’s drug scene, and his terrifying past is about to catch up with him—and the naïve girl who trusts him.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

400 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

Mandasue was born in Cheshire and moved to Manchester in 1982. She spent ten years living in the notorious Hulme Crescents which have since become the background to her novels. Not only is she a talented writer, but she has also sung in cabaret and rock groups, seventies soul cover bands and blues jam bands.

Reviews

[Lainy · Rating 3 out of 5]

review to follow

[David Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing the novel The Charmer by Mandasue Heller which is an excellent thriller which I bought from a car boot sale. Mandasue lived in the Hulme Crescents part of Manchester for 10 years and her books are based on that infamous area. The books she writes are gritty thrillers and this story proves no exception. The plot is a teenager who was brought up in care inherits a 3/4 million pound fortune from her fathers sister who she has never met. She buys a house and gets a job helping the teacher in a school. There is a handsome young man who tries to take advantage of her and they end up living together. He is a drug dealer and a bit of a ladies man who is on the run from Psycho and his gang presumably because of some drug deal that went wrong. At one stage he disappears and Psycho beat and rape the people to try and get them to talk but they don't know anything. They dare not report it to the police either because Psycho will kill them. Psycho does get him comeuppance by the end of the book. Anyway this boyfriend keeps stealing her credit cards and tries to fund his drug deals with her money. Her boyfriend gets a sticky end by the end of the book. I think the theme of the book is when someone comes into a lot of money and is young, it's all too easy for other people to take advantage of them. I enjoyed this book & I think Mandasue's novels are consistently good.

[Shona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another spellbinding book which has twists and turns throughout the book. You are never quite sure what is going to happen and if you can guess then ending then you really must be a psychic.

Maria Price who has successfully managed to survive living in care and get a successful life finds out that she has inherited a huge and expensive house as well as a large sum of money. She seems to have it all when she meets Joel Parry, who is a charmer and good looking. Unfortunately for Maria, Joel is not all he says he is and rather than being successful in the music industry is in fact a drug dealer who just happens to need somewhere to stay. Maria is so spell bound by him that she lets him move in with her and spend her money. If you think that is bad things get much worse...

[Louise Fearnside · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of mine is a massive Heller fan and lent me this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would most definitely recommend it!

[Emily Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a pretty good, easy read- the storyline being something I could relatively relate too having grown up on the streets of London. Alarming how true some parts of the story holds. The main character Maria drove me insane though. I know it happens on a daily basis, women falls in love with man after a day, drops all her friends, forgets herself, turns into housewife slave. It was mindboggling how much she lost herself though, how can someone be so bright and ambitious one minute, to a scared little rich girl the next? Some would say she was portrayed as a completely different character by the time you get half way through. And NO-ONE would be that stupid with money surely?! Joel was just as annoying, if not more so. And I'm still confused about why Adam did what he did, what was all that about?! That being said, the pages kept turning and my curiosity was there throughout. I shall look out for more of Mandasue's work.

[Philip Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without spoiling the plot, the story revolves around a young woman who has known little love in her life after her mother was killed in an accident. Maria Price was at an early age placed into the care system.
She then inherits money and a house through a previously unknown family member. Her trials start there, when she meets Joel.
The narrative is easy to read and the plot moves along swiftly. There is a twist, and the most annoying part was the heroine herself. Unbelievable naivety. Thoroughly enjoyed it, will look to her other works.

[David Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad but not great...

I've heard a lot about this author and have read some of her books before and I enjoyed them but I'm sad to say that I was disappointed with this book but it wasn't that bad but then again it wasn't that good.... I will still be reading more from this author....

[Parparak Pink · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was gonna rate it 4 stars eventhough the heroine was pissing me off really really bad but I thought it's okay let's see how it goes but the ending was the last straw for me. when I read Martina Cole books, after all the heroine miseries there's always a happy ending, at the end of her books I feel good but I've read 3 books of mandasue heller and at the end I felt nothing but anger and disappointment over wasting my time over a story so pointless!!!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this a long time ago & didn't realise until I started reading again, it's such a good book that I re read it. I really enjoy all of Mandasue's books. Her gritty storylines always have me on the edge of my seat, turning pages. Yet another fab one under her belt!

[Stephii-Dawne Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my 2nd book by Mandasue, and I had high hopes after reading the 1st one. However the story of Maria and Joel just continued to repeat, and it was hard to stick at reading this book. However this has not put me off other books of hers, as I don't feel one book ruins the rest of them.

[Meike · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning it took quite long for me until I got to that point that you want to know whats going to happen. The middle part was good but also dragged on a bit long. It can be a bit triggering if you've been in a relationship with a manipulative person, I guess Mandasue described it well.

[Loretta Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was my first time reading Mandasue Heller. The only issue I have with the book is the ending.. it leaves too much unsaid and left unanswered.. Can anyone tell me.. is there a follow up book to this one?

[Gary Cupitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Naïve teenager wins a small fortune and is exploited by ( well by anyone who fancies getting a few bob from a naïve teenager). The language from the streets of Manchester and the story line also seem written by a naïve teenager.

Not for me

[Stargazer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eye-rollingly daft... had to laugh to see the ubuquitous 'if dahdah thinks dahdah he's got another think coming' - Heller's ole faithful stockphrase.

[Mai · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of the book was very boring and ridiculous, it took ages to get into the main plot which was very interesting and intriguing. But then the end was very rushed and stupid.

[June Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sluggish start, nearly stopped reading, but picked up, and then got better and better.

[Jody Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. The things people will do for money and the sad part is ours so true. Can't wait tho read the next one

[Stella Rimmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this books but it ended as though there should be a follow up book bit disappointed.

[Lisa Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read but disappointing ending

[Emma Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given it another star as it is a good book, but I found myself getting very frustrated with Maria as she's a bit of a sap

[Debbie Branch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great.usually read martina cole this was brilliant.be reading more of hers

[Charlotte Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Finished very quickly, it gripped me from the beginning.

[aprilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 1.5. This one didn't do much for me, I'm glad it wasn't the first of her books I read or I might not have tried others, and I have enjoyed others so much more.

[Mrs Carol Bruce]

Brilliant - but could have gone on longer....

Finished too early unless there is going to be a follow up story if so I await that with baited breath

[Alison May · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typically of this author, the story is set in the rough side of Manchester. Not a bad read but quite violent in parts.

[Sally-Anne Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad book.

[Clare Holohan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt it dragged on too long, could have lost a lot of pages as the same old, same old story. Personally, I hated the ending. Feel like a need a part two

[Marie Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually love Mandasue Heller books but this one made for very uncomfortable reading, violence, rape, just too much. I didn't like it all.

[Avard MacPhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The case of one person taking advantage of another who felt total love without any questions. Love is BLIND. 4 Stars