The Devil You Know

by Josephine Cox

One overheard conversation. One fateful evening. A lifetime of consequences.

Sonny Fareham's lover - and also her boss - is the charismatic Tony Bridgeman, a successful and ruthless man who usually gets what he wants. But for Sonny, the affair that has promised a future of hope and happiness must end in desperate fear. Late one evening, Sonny overhears a private conversation between Tony Bridgeman and his wife. Only then does she realise she is in great danger.
Pregnant and afraid, Sonny flees her home to make a new life in the north of England, where she meets a gregarious and motherly new friend, Ellie Kenny. When the mysterious and handsome David Langham seems drawn to her, Sonny almost dares to believe that she could be happy again. But never far away is the one person who wants to destroy everything that she now holds dear...

Genres: Fiction

452 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 7, 1996

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

Reviews

[Ghada Yusuf]

Thank God I've finished it finally, such boring and predictable novel, i just finish it to exercise reading, it's one of the worst love stories I've ever read.

[S]

OMG!

What is it with all the four star reviews? An absolutely RIDICULOUS portrayal of weak willed, weak minded women, who will do anything for an evil, disgusting, adultorous violent man.

I don't know how a female author could write women to be so unsupportive of other women, and so ridiculously simpering, ebony jealous and loose lipped with their friends life or death secrets. The older women were portrayed either to old, gruff, low-moraled or prudosh, and much older than they were.

Ugh. I gritted my teeth reading through the end.

Talk about very little sisterhood making it easy for men to take advantage of women. Would never recommend.

Implausible codswallop!

[Tony]

A smashing tale that I really enjoyed, I always allow my self to enjoy this type of fiction and give a little license to the stories, after all they are stories of fiction, if you allow your imagination to carry you in to the story you can have a wonderful read in this and many other tales. I will add this one to read again at some point.

[Susan Burns]

It may have seemed like you know how this book is going to end - and to some extent that is true, but I enjoyed the climax of this book and the characters. When Sonny finds out she is pregnant, but then realises she must leave her current life behind, it follows her journey North to see if she can get away from her old life and try and make sure it doesn't catch up with her.

[Mrs J A Saxton]

A heart warming read!

Such a moving and beautifully written novel! One you have to keep reading to the very end almost in one go! Josephine Cox is one of my favourite author's and looking forward to my next although I have read so many I hope I can find one I haven't read!

[Kiera]

GIRL the twists and turns. i was reading this book out to my friends and having them react to what was said. i know that this isn't the most well written but it gets the job done with giving you a little drama.

[Pat Manby]

The devil you know

Good catchy story but unbelievable in parts. 69 year old women presented more like 80+ woman with even no teeth! Heroine couldn’t be traced even though visited by people from old address. Poor riveted detective.

[Ms K]

a good one, when Sonny finds herself pregnant by her married lover who has promised her the world, she finds out that he didn’t mean a word of it and she realises that she’s in danger from the man she thought loved her!
she flees and makes a new home for herself, but will her old life catch her up?

[Jenni]

Enjoyed reading this on holiday, got fond of the character Ellie who had a warm heart, predictable ending happy ever after sort but getting there for the main character Sonny was a long haul.

[Rowlie]

Another great Jo Cox read.

[Joan Archer]

Good read

Another of my favourite authors I know I'm in for an enjoyable read when I pick one of Josephine Cox s books.

[Sharon]

Love Josephine cox.

[valarie lawrence]

the devil you know

lovely read right to the very end loved all the characters I enjoy reading to the very end of the book I can’t fault anyone of her books

[mrs anna ley]

Lovely

A lovely book, my heart was in my mouth several times, enjoyable story. Must read more Josephine Cox books, thanks

[Sally Hogston]

Tony Bridgeman

What an evil selfish man he was. !
A brilliant page turner lots of twists and turns. Loved reading it. Another good book by Josephine Cox

[Barbara Bensley]

Kind


Don't with to write advice about the book as I have read a lot of her books orient enjoy this book

[Mrs Penny Barton]

Very good read

Josephine Cox. Kept me totally engrossed from start to finish,one of the best authors going ,didn't want the book to end

[maggie]

All I can say,I struggled to the end,skipping pages.didn't enjoy at all

[Susan Elliot]

I was glad to finish this book as I was not endeared to any of the characters.

[Annemarie Curtis]

excellent book again by Josephine cox really enjoyed it

[Bluecat]

Totally dull book. Waste of my time.

[Lynn Hutchinson]

Page-turner, thoroughly enjoyed this book. Plenty of twists and turns.

[Sandra jones]

Happy and sad in equal parts.

Well written Mrs Cox has seen some life and lived it t the full,here own life perhaps reflected in her writing, would recommended it .