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The Taken
When you’ve lost everything, you’ll do anything to survive.
Saskia Frost’s world is blown apart when her dad dies. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men – Joshua and Vincent Harper. Before long, aspiring ballerina Saskia finds herself lap-dancing in a London club to survive. A club run by the infamous Harper brothers. Saskia is now their property and they’re going to make her pay every penny back.
Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But she soon learns that not everyone can be trusted as she finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets. As the sickening truth is revealed, Lena is forced to fight for her life - and her baby’s.
When their worlds collide, Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But with the terrifying Harper brothers on their tail, as well as Lena’s vengeful and violent husband, can they escape with their lives?
Saskia Frost’s world is blown apart when her dad dies. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men – Joshua and Vincent Harper. Before long, aspiring ballerina Saskia finds herself lap-dancing in a London club to survive. A club run by the infamous Harper brothers. Saskia is now their property and they’re going to make her pay every penny back.
Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But she soon learns that not everyone can be trusted as she finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets. As the sickening truth is revealed, Lena is forced to fight for her life - and her baby’s.
When their worlds collide, Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But with the terrifying Harper brothers on their tail, as well as Lena’s vengeful and violent husband, can they escape with their lives?
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 5, 2016
330 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Casey Kelleher
32 books357 followersCasey Kelleher was born in Cuckfield, West Sussex. Growing up she became an avid reader, loving in particular gritty crime thrillers and gangland books.
The Books
Standalone Psych Thrillers
The Perfect Guest
The Missing Mother
The Babysitter's Secret
MINE
I'll Never Tell
Only Child
The Babysitter's Secret
Gangland/crime thrillers
standalones
Bad Blood
The Taken
The Promise
Rotten to the Core
Rise and Fall
Heartless
Griffin Estate Trilogy
No Escape (book 1)
No Fear (book 2)
No Going Back (book 3)
The Byrne Trilogy
The Betrayed (Book 1)
The Broken (Book)
The Forgotten (Book 3)
For all offers and news on Casey's new releases, click the FOLLOW button on Casey's Amazon page, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casey-Kelleh...
http://caseykelleher.co.uk
www.instagram.com/caseykelleher
http://facebook.com/officialcaseykell...
The Books
Standalone Psych Thrillers
The Perfect Guest
The Missing Mother
The Babysitter's Secret
MINE
I'll Never Tell
Only Child
The Babysitter's Secret
Gangland/crime thrillers
standalones
Bad Blood
The Taken
The Promise
Rotten to the Core
Rise and Fall
Heartless
Griffin Estate Trilogy
No Escape (book 1)
No Fear (book 2)
No Going Back (book 3)
The Byrne Trilogy
The Betrayed (Book 1)
The Broken (Book)
The Forgotten (Book 3)
For all offers and news on Casey's new releases, click the FOLLOW button on Casey's Amazon page, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casey-Kelleh...
http://caseykelleher.co.uk
www.instagram.com/caseykelleher
http://facebook.com/officialcaseykell...
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
February 26, 2017
There is a warning at the front of this book “Not for the faint hearted”. Never a truer word was spoken.
Gripping, heart-stopping, breath-holding, creepy.
Lena is kidnapped off the streets of Albania on her way home from school.
Saskia’s father died and left massive debts and their house mortgaged to big-time criminal Joshua Harper.
Colin, abused by his alcoholic mother all his life, has deep psychological issues.
I found the three different storylines not unique in themselves as I’ve come across each of them separately in different books. What was unique is Kelleher has combined them into one book and then successfully pulled off combining the three plot lines and making it highly believable.
I read this line in another book recently and it fits well here. “The stories are made-up but that doesn’t mean they’re not true.”
The Taken is a fast paced story that will have you hooked from the very beginning. With determined strong women and hard ruthless men it portrays the seedy side of London and the devastating toll of human trafficking and the incorrigible men behind it.
This will definitely be a 5 star read for many and I know these men were hardened criminals however the swearing was just a bit too much for me.
I received a copy from Bookouture via Netgalley to read and review
September 29, 2016
The Taken by Casey Kelleher is a look into innocent female characters being forcefully dragged into the underworld of crime and sexual slavery and how their worlds collide.
Saskia Frost is devastated when her father dies. When she learns she has lost everything else, due to his debts to a ruthless underworld crime boss, Joshua Harper, a deal is struck. To keep her London home she goes from ballet school to giving lap dances and pole dancing in Joshua’s upscale gentlemen’s club.
Lena Cona is a teenager in Albania, who just wants to continue going to school in a community that wants to keep her home and married. She is kidnapped from the street on her way home and forced into an abusive marriage. Lena, her husband and baby are smuggled as illegal immigrants into England and make their way to a brothel and bar in London.
This story comes together slowly. At first I was confused and didn’t see how these two girls and the third subplot character of a psychologically damaged graveyard worker could come together. As they start to interact, the pace takes off and it is a good read. The writing is good and the characters are well drawn, but I just was not compelled to read on and keep turning the pages until the second half of the book and I feel some will give up before that point.
Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Saskia Frost is devastated when her father dies. When she learns she has lost everything else, due to his debts to a ruthless underworld crime boss, Joshua Harper, a deal is struck. To keep her London home she goes from ballet school to giving lap dances and pole dancing in Joshua’s upscale gentlemen’s club.
Lena Cona is a teenager in Albania, who just wants to continue going to school in a community that wants to keep her home and married. She is kidnapped from the street on her way home and forced into an abusive marriage. Lena, her husband and baby are smuggled as illegal immigrants into England and make their way to a brothel and bar in London.
This story comes together slowly. At first I was confused and didn’t see how these two girls and the third subplot character of a psychologically damaged graveyard worker could come together. As they start to interact, the pace takes off and it is a good read. The writing is good and the characters are well drawn, but I just was not compelled to read on and keep turning the pages until the second half of the book and I feel some will give up before that point.
Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2016
Having never read of this authors books before and coming across this one on Bookatour, also finding a blog tour taking place I decided it might be quite nice to branch out and read a different authors book. I was taken with the blurb and the book cover.
Saskia is the main character within the read however, there are other characters that she comes into contact with too, some bad, some good, some not so good.
Saskia's father had died and Saskia found out the hard way that he owed money. But not to some lender, not from a bank, no, from a more sinister means.
Her Father's home meant everything to him, so why?
She decided she wants his back.
This is where Saskia goes from quite innocent to growing up fast and learning things and doing things she would never have dreamed of in the normal world of things.
She meets Missy who becomes her mentor.
From Saskia being a ballet dancer to a pole dancer comes about in desperation and leads her to paths she doesn't want to cross, but, she has a good nature and when someone is in distress, what can she do except help.
When the write up says A TWISTED, GRIPPING CRIME THRILLER, NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED they were not kidding.
This is a book that you loath to put down.
I will most definitely be getting more books from the author.
My thanks to Bookoutour and Kim Nash.
Saskia is the main character within the read however, there are other characters that she comes into contact with too, some bad, some good, some not so good.
Saskia's father had died and Saskia found out the hard way that he owed money. But not to some lender, not from a bank, no, from a more sinister means.
Her Father's home meant everything to him, so why?
She decided she wants his back.
This is where Saskia goes from quite innocent to growing up fast and learning things and doing things she would never have dreamed of in the normal world of things.
She meets Missy who becomes her mentor.
From Saskia being a ballet dancer to a pole dancer comes about in desperation and leads her to paths she doesn't want to cross, but, she has a good nature and when someone is in distress, what can she do except help.
When the write up says A TWISTED, GRIPPING CRIME THRILLER, NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED they were not kidding.
This is a book that you loath to put down.
I will most definitely be getting more books from the author.
My thanks to Bookoutour and Kim Nash.
Want to read
October 16, 2016Buddy read with S
October 4, 2016
Not much keeps me from my sleep at night but I can say 100% I could not put this new book by Casey Kelleher down.
I just love these type of books, gritty characters and yes the author was right it's not for the faint-hearted.
Saskia Frost an inspiring ballet dancer, shielded by her father until the end.
She is thrown into the world of lapdancers, club owners and gangsters the ........ Harper Brothers
Ramiz
Three words......
Lena Cona where do I start.....
Kidnapped and forced into marriage to a violent husband. Lena and her baby find themselves drawn into the world of traffickers. Desperate to escape she accepts the help of Colin Jefferies
Colin Jefferies
He could of had a book written just about him.
Three stories that link together perfectly.
This was a fast paced thriller. Lena's character was so believable and really well written. Her plight was heartbreaking and a real insight to whats going on in the world today.
I can't wait for her next book and if your fans of Kimberley Chambers and Martina Cole this will be your type of book.
***ARC provided by Netgalley via Bookouture in return for an honest review***
October 5, 2016
I’ve been a huge fan of Casey Kelleher ever since she published her first book Rotten To The Core back in 2011. I was ecstatic when I found the author was teaming up with one of my favourite publishers Bookouture, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on an ARC The Taken. Did it live up to expectations? hell yes I found The Taken to be a gritty and a compelling read with drama and shock a plenty. The Taken is hard hitting and this was evident from the first chapter where Lena is grabbed of the streets whilst walking home from school. From then on the pace is relentless, the author certainly packs a punch with her writing both in the dialogue and her style of writing, its as brutal as it comes, as this book explores the seedier side of crime I think her style of writing makes it a very credible and compelling read.
The characters on the whole are well developed but if I’m honest I was more intrigued with Lena’s story than Saskia’s, as out of the two she had the bigger story to tell as we follow her harrowing journey to find a better life for her and her daughter. Once she meets Colin Jefferies one of the creepiest characters I have ever read about, her life takes a dark and dangerous turn, and that’s all I’m going to say as I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
There is so much going on its a difficult book to put down, it’s twisted, brutal and totally gripping. I have one small criticism I got the impression the author had all these ideas floating about and put them all into one book, and I’m not sure if some of the sub plots were really needed, but that’s only my humble opinion. This book definitely isn’t for the faint hearted or for those readers who aren’t a fan of swearing in books, believe me when I say there’s plenty of it! But in the authors defence it’s very much part of the darker side of life, trafficking refugees, violence and murder, all of which she portrays with gritty realism. I would highly recommend The Taken to readers who love a hard hitting, gritty crime read.
The characters on the whole are well developed but if I’m honest I was more intrigued with Lena’s story than Saskia’s, as out of the two she had the bigger story to tell as we follow her harrowing journey to find a better life for her and her daughter. Once she meets Colin Jefferies one of the creepiest characters I have ever read about, her life takes a dark and dangerous turn, and that’s all I’m going to say as I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
There is so much going on its a difficult book to put down, it’s twisted, brutal and totally gripping. I have one small criticism I got the impression the author had all these ideas floating about and put them all into one book, and I’m not sure if some of the sub plots were really needed, but that’s only my humble opinion. This book definitely isn’t for the faint hearted or for those readers who aren’t a fan of swearing in books, believe me when I say there’s plenty of it! But in the authors defence it’s very much part of the darker side of life, trafficking refugees, violence and murder, all of which she portrays with gritty realism. I would highly recommend The Taken to readers who love a hard hitting, gritty crime read.
October 13, 2016
*****5 GrIpPiNg StArS*****
Fantastic, Twisted Gripping Thriller....full Review to come
Fantastic, Twisted Gripping Thriller....full Review to come
October 11, 2016
I’ve read all but one so far of this authors novels and every one has been without a doubt a five star read. The Taken though has taken it to a whole new level as it is literally outstanding. It is just sooooo good. So good in fact that as soon as I started it the whole outside world was forgotten and I did not put it down until I had read the very last page.
This authors novels are always dark and hit you right in the gut. She doesn’t hold back on what happens in the real world and her stories are so realistic that what is happening to her characters feels like it could be happening to us as we feel the fear and emotions that they feel.
In The Taken we meet two teenagers who have led relatively happy lives but both of their worlds change dramatically over night which see them having what is left of their childhoods ripped away from them and sent hurtling into an adulthood which most of us wouldn’t wish even for our enemies.
What I loved in particular about this novel is how two total strangers who are really worlds apart, have an impact on each others lives as well as the readers. Both in their own way are fighters and are not prepared to take things lying down. Without a doubt what happens to Lena is just awful but Saskia’s story is never the less just as riveting. I also couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Misty in the story either. Even though she has hardened somewhat to the environment that she lives in, she still has a heart of gold and I loved how she takes Saskia under her wings and watches out for her even though it could mean bad things for her.
The author cleverly weaves the girls stories together so that it blends perfectly. The author doesn’t stop there though, she throws a curve ball in there as well just to keep the readers even more on their toes which truly leads to a chilling and thrilling experience.
The Taken may not be a comfortable read with it’s hard hitting storyline but it is very relevant and within keeping to what is happening right now in the world. The characters and their story totally captivate the reader so much so that they grab them by the head and the heart making themselves and their story impossible to ever forget.
An outstanding novel by one extremely talented lady who though likened to some other pretty amazing authors, I think she is well and truly in a league of her own.
My Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This authors novels are always dark and hit you right in the gut. She doesn’t hold back on what happens in the real world and her stories are so realistic that what is happening to her characters feels like it could be happening to us as we feel the fear and emotions that they feel.
In The Taken we meet two teenagers who have led relatively happy lives but both of their worlds change dramatically over night which see them having what is left of their childhoods ripped away from them and sent hurtling into an adulthood which most of us wouldn’t wish even for our enemies.
What I loved in particular about this novel is how two total strangers who are really worlds apart, have an impact on each others lives as well as the readers. Both in their own way are fighters and are not prepared to take things lying down. Without a doubt what happens to Lena is just awful but Saskia’s story is never the less just as riveting. I also couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Misty in the story either. Even though she has hardened somewhat to the environment that she lives in, she still has a heart of gold and I loved how she takes Saskia under her wings and watches out for her even though it could mean bad things for her.
The author cleverly weaves the girls stories together so that it blends perfectly. The author doesn’t stop there though, she throws a curve ball in there as well just to keep the readers even more on their toes which truly leads to a chilling and thrilling experience.
The Taken may not be a comfortable read with it’s hard hitting storyline but it is very relevant and within keeping to what is happening right now in the world. The characters and their story totally captivate the reader so much so that they grab them by the head and the heart making themselves and their story impossible to ever forget.
An outstanding novel by one extremely talented lady who though likened to some other pretty amazing authors, I think she is well and truly in a league of her own.
My Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2016
I am so very thankful that Casey Kelleher signed with Bookouture this year as I may not have heard of her or read this book if she hadn’t! I absolutely love the books that this publisher is putting out at the moment and trust them implicitly as they seem to have that magic touch! So I was excited as a fan of Martina Cole to try a new author to me but I have to say that Casey Kelleher “out-Martina-Coles” Martina Cole! This book is BRILLIANT and I defy anyone to be able to put it down once they pick it up. I took it to bed to read just one or two chapters before I went to sleep…3 hours later I finished it, exhausted both physically and emotionally. Try sleeping after that!
This book has two very strong young women at the heart of its plot and I took to both of them the moment I met them. Both of their stories up to the point of their meeting had me enthralled. And the snippets of a character called Colin also had me rather intrigued, how was this man connected to the girls? And that connection absolutely floored me! What a climax at the end of this gritty, dark and currently relevant thriller but didn’t want it to end! Not for a long while have I felt so attached to, not one but two, characters in a book that I want to ask Casey where they are now and how they are doing! Fans of Martina Cole with definitely love this one but for me Casey Kelleher has the edge at the moment, her storytelling skills weaved their magic spell over me in a way I hadn’t experienced in this genre for a while.
This book is very highly recommended by me and I can’t wait to read more from Casey Kelleher in the future.
This book has two very strong young women at the heart of its plot and I took to both of them the moment I met them. Both of their stories up to the point of their meeting had me enthralled. And the snippets of a character called Colin also had me rather intrigued, how was this man connected to the girls? And that connection absolutely floored me! What a climax at the end of this gritty, dark and currently relevant thriller but didn’t want it to end! Not for a long while have I felt so attached to, not one but two, characters in a book that I want to ask Casey where they are now and how they are doing! Fans of Martina Cole with definitely love this one but for me Casey Kelleher has the edge at the moment, her storytelling skills weaved their magic spell over me in a way I hadn’t experienced in this genre for a while.
This book is very highly recommended by me and I can’t wait to read more from Casey Kelleher in the future.
Read
September 16, 2016Saskia Frost's world is blown apart when her Dad dies. She is left with her Father's debt. A lot of money was owed to Joshua and Vincent Harper who are dangerous men. Saskia is now their property and will have to pay every penny back.
Lena Cona has escaped a cruel marriage. She arrives in England with her new born daughter. She soon finds herself in the clutches of Colin Jefferies.
Saskia and Lena become friends but the Harper brothers and Lena's violent Husband are looking for them. Can they escape with their lives?
Great characters, great plots. Another author I will be adding to my list.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Caser Helleher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lena Cona has escaped a cruel marriage. She arrives in England with her new born daughter. She soon finds herself in the clutches of Colin Jefferies.
Saskia and Lena become friends but the Harper brothers and Lena's violent Husband are looking for them. Can they escape with their lives?
Great characters, great plots. Another author I will be adding to my list.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Caser Helleher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read The Taken, By Casey Kelleher for and unbiased review.
Lena lives in Albania with her family and still goes to school which isn't expected of a teenage girl, while walking home with her brother, Lena is attacked and bundled into a car, where will her kidnappers take her?
Saskia lives in London, goes to ballet school and has just lost her dad, only to find out the house she was brought up in doesn't belong to her, what will she do and how will she keep her family home?
This is a fantastic book which had me gripped from page one, this has to be one of my favourite books for 2016. Very gritty storyline that is superfast paced, I have never read this authors books before now, but am now a definite fan. I found The Taken even more gritty than the Martina Cole books and like the fresh style of writing. Highly recommended read!!
Lena lives in Albania with her family and still goes to school which isn't expected of a teenage girl, while walking home with her brother, Lena is attacked and bundled into a car, where will her kidnappers take her?
Saskia lives in London, goes to ballet school and has just lost her dad, only to find out the house she was brought up in doesn't belong to her, what will she do and how will she keep her family home?
This is a fantastic book which had me gripped from page one, this has to be one of my favourite books for 2016. Very gritty storyline that is superfast paced, I have never read this authors books before now, but am now a definite fan. I found The Taken even more gritty than the Martina Cole books and like the fresh style of writing. Highly recommended read!!
October 5, 2016
A mahoosive thanks to Kim Nash/ Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Eeeeeek! Where do I start!! Well first, I have to say that I was a teeny, tiny bit worried that some of the grit and rawness I got from Casey Kelleher’s first four books may have been lost after she signed with Bookouture. What the hell was I thinking?! *smacks hand* – I could not have been more wrong!
Set in London, we are taken on a journey with the characters while such things as violence, gangs, poverty/debt, culture, power, control, alcoholism, struggle, survival and loss are explored.
The plot is cleverly written and captures a few strands before coming together and really taking hold. I was intrigued and gripped from the start and OMFG peeps – the twists! The twists had me totally caught off guard and a little creeped out! Who knew that Casey Kelleher could be so disturbed! I love it!!
There is a great mix of characters in this book and each add a certain flavour to the story. Saskia Frost is determined, slightly innocent (at first!) and a real fighter! She is not afraid of a challenge or hard work if gets her what she wants. She also has a kind soul. Love a strong, female lead! Lena shares the same characteristics, except her fight for survival really had me rooting for her! Her husband is a grade-A arse and I was really hoping she would just kick him to the curb…she does better! #NoSpoilers! The Harpers are the Ronnie & Reggie Kray of this story – the London gangsters who have all the power. Their characters were a bit more complex than that though and I enjoyed their streak of nastiness! But Mary and Colin….WTAF?!? I really do not want to spoil anything about these two but JAYSUS!!! You are one messed up cookie, Mrs K! I friggin love it!! There were many more characters which brought this story to life, but if I talk about them all, you won’t want to find out about them yourself!
Another winner for Casey Kelleher and Bookouture! It gets a massive HELL YEAH recommendation from me and I look forward to what this author has in store for us next! Head over to amazon and get yourself a copy…Now! Now! Now!! Woohoo!!
Eeeeeek! Where do I start!! Well first, I have to say that I was a teeny, tiny bit worried that some of the grit and rawness I got from Casey Kelleher’s first four books may have been lost after she signed with Bookouture. What the hell was I thinking?! *smacks hand* – I could not have been more wrong!
Set in London, we are taken on a journey with the characters while such things as violence, gangs, poverty/debt, culture, power, control, alcoholism, struggle, survival and loss are explored.
The plot is cleverly written and captures a few strands before coming together and really taking hold. I was intrigued and gripped from the start and OMFG peeps – the twists! The twists had me totally caught off guard and a little creeped out! Who knew that Casey Kelleher could be so disturbed! I love it!!
There is a great mix of characters in this book and each add a certain flavour to the story. Saskia Frost is determined, slightly innocent (at first!) and a real fighter! She is not afraid of a challenge or hard work if gets her what she wants. She also has a kind soul. Love a strong, female lead! Lena shares the same characteristics, except her fight for survival really had me rooting for her! Her husband is a grade-A arse and I was really hoping she would just kick him to the curb…she does better! #NoSpoilers! The Harpers are the Ronnie & Reggie Kray of this story – the London gangsters who have all the power. Their characters were a bit more complex than that though and I enjoyed their streak of nastiness! But Mary and Colin….WTAF?!? I really do not want to spoil anything about these two but JAYSUS!!! You are one messed up cookie, Mrs K! I friggin love it!! There were many more characters which brought this story to life, but if I talk about them all, you won’t want to find out about them yourself!
Another winner for Casey Kelleher and Bookouture! It gets a massive HELL YEAH recommendation from me and I look forward to what this author has in store for us next! Head over to amazon and get yourself a copy…Now! Now! Now!! Woohoo!!
October 7, 2016
I discovered Casey Kelleher back in 2012 and loved all of her books. When she was published with Bookouture I was so excited for both her as an author and myself as a reader! Her books had the slight Gangland feel to them and if I am being 100% honest I was hoping this latest release wasn't too similar as there seem to be an awful lot of these types of books I have read and they can get a bit stale if you read too many. What I hadn't banked on was Casey mixing things up and using the basis of the Criminal Gang leader and combining it with current world issues. What it makes for is an outstanding book that I devoured in just two sittings and is without a doubt her best work to date.
Initially I wondered why there were seemingly so many characters, but that in itself is the beauty with this book. You become embroiled in each persons journey and by the time you reach the end you see why they are all linked. Saskia Frost is one main character who is trying to process her grief as she has just lost her Father. However, she hadn't banked on her Father leaving her with a ton of debt to a dangerous criminal like Vincent Harper. Before she knows it Saskia has become part of their world as she tries to get her life back in line. On the other side of the world we meet Lena Cona who is living a life of misery trapped with an abusive and controlling husband she is doing everything she can to keep her daughter safe.
As the story evolves I was thoroughly entranced by each girl's story, and it wasn't until the last quarter of the book that things begin to link up and frankly I was completely involved in the book by this stage and nothing could stop me reading. Written with emotion, and clearly her best writing I was captivated by this book and truly enjoyed every page. I think the biggest surprise for me was how the story unfolded and the fact that it was so unexpected.
This truly was a delight to read and had all the ingredients for the perfect recipe. A blinder of a book which I would hugely recommend to everybody reading this genre.
Initially I wondered why there were seemingly so many characters, but that in itself is the beauty with this book. You become embroiled in each persons journey and by the time you reach the end you see why they are all linked. Saskia Frost is one main character who is trying to process her grief as she has just lost her Father. However, she hadn't banked on her Father leaving her with a ton of debt to a dangerous criminal like Vincent Harper. Before she knows it Saskia has become part of their world as she tries to get her life back in line. On the other side of the world we meet Lena Cona who is living a life of misery trapped with an abusive and controlling husband she is doing everything she can to keep her daughter safe.
As the story evolves I was thoroughly entranced by each girl's story, and it wasn't until the last quarter of the book that things begin to link up and frankly I was completely involved in the book by this stage and nothing could stop me reading. Written with emotion, and clearly her best writing I was captivated by this book and truly enjoyed every page. I think the biggest surprise for me was how the story unfolded and the fact that it was so unexpected.
This truly was a delight to read and had all the ingredients for the perfect recipe. A blinder of a book which I would hugely recommend to everybody reading this genre.
May 20, 2017
All I can say is... BRILLIANT!
I demolished this standalone novel in a day! The very first chapter completely sucked me in, I literally couldn't put it down! Before I knew it I was at 76% and I happily lost precious sleep last night in order to finish it
I'm not wholly convinced that we needed Colin's sick and deeply disturbing story? It had the potential to be a book in its own right!
Thanks once again to Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A solid 4.5 stars!
I demolished this standalone novel in a day! The very first chapter completely sucked me in, I literally couldn't put it down! Before I knew it I was at 76% and I happily lost precious sleep last night in order to finish it
I'm not wholly convinced that we needed Colin's sick and deeply disturbing story? It had the potential to be a book in its own right!
Thanks once again to Bookouture for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A solid 4.5 stars!
October 6, 2016
I have been a massive fan of Casey for years, since her debut novel Rotten to the Core was published back in 2011. So you can imagine my excitement when Casey got a book deal with Bookouture because this lady can write one brilliant story and she sure has hell doesn't disappoint with this latest novel The Taken, being the best one to date! It is that good I couldn't peel myself away from it and stayed in on a Saturday night to read it. Which I have to add isn't like me. But i was that gripped I just had to keep reading it until the end to find out what was going to happen…...This is certainly a page turner I flipping loved it.
With one gritty and exciting start we meet two people from different worlds
Saskia Frost’s world is blown apart when her dad dies. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men and finds herself lap dancing to survive. Then there is Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But not everyone is who they seem to be and finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets.
the bad guys the Harper brothers who run the club. Saskia is working at. What is Lena Cona connection with the brothers? Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But Harper brothers are never far behind them!
This story is cleverly woven together where we are taken on a journey into the dark world of Gangland.
OMG OMG OMG what a story. This book will have you on the edge of your edge, routing for both girls with plenty of twists and turns.
This story is a must read for fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers which I highly recommend giving it 5 gritty stars.
Thank you to Kim Nash and Bookouture for an Advanced Reader's copy in exchange for a honest review.
With one gritty and exciting start we meet two people from different worlds
Saskia Frost’s world is blown apart when her dad dies. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men and finds herself lap dancing to survive. Then there is Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But not everyone is who they seem to be and finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets.
the bad guys the Harper brothers who run the club. Saskia is working at. What is Lena Cona connection with the brothers? Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But Harper brothers are never far behind them!
This story is cleverly woven together where we are taken on a journey into the dark world of Gangland.
OMG OMG OMG what a story. This book will have you on the edge of your edge, routing for both girls with plenty of twists and turns.
This story is a must read for fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers which I highly recommend giving it 5 gritty stars.
Thank you to Kim Nash and Bookouture for an Advanced Reader's copy in exchange for a honest review.
May 9, 2017
Overall likability of characters: 3.5/5
Consensual intimacy scenes: 0/5
Plot: 3.75/5
Ending: 3.5/5
Triggers? Yes.
First time reading this author's work and this story was mildly entertaining for me. The very slow build up of this story until the 50% mark kept me on the very edge of boredom. The primary characters were Lena Cona and Saskia Frost, but the third person POV alternated between nine other characters as well. While I was slightly intrigued about where these characters' paths would intersect and how they would all connect, the story lacked intensity for me.
After 50%, the pace of the story picked up some momentum, but suspense level was low and never got to fever pitch status. There were some dark-ish situations, but this was not a gritty story. It was low on the scale of disturbing at best.
This is a great book for someone who enjoys a light suspense sort of read or for someone who has an aversion to erotica or romance. There was more telling than showing in this story, but I appreciated the author addressing the refugee crisis.
Consensual intimacy scenes: 0/5
Plot: 3.75/5
Ending: 3.5/5
Triggers? Yes.
First time reading this author's work and this story was mildly entertaining for me. The very slow build up of this story until the 50% mark kept me on the very edge of boredom. The primary characters were Lena Cona and Saskia Frost, but the third person POV alternated between nine other characters as well. While I was slightly intrigued about where these characters' paths would intersect and how they would all connect, the story lacked intensity for me.
After 50%, the pace of the story picked up some momentum, but suspense level was low and never got to fever pitch status. There were some dark-ish situations, but this was not a gritty story. It was low on the scale of disturbing at best.
This is a great book for someone who enjoys a light suspense sort of read or for someone who has an aversion to erotica or romance. There was more telling than showing in this story, but I appreciated the author addressing the refugee crisis.
September 14, 2016
Wow! A thrilling, pacy, tense and thoroughly addictive read that I could not put down! From start to finish, the pace does not let up, tension leaping off each page. I was reading late into the night and until the early hours of the morning. This amazing story will stay with me for a while. Brilliant and highly recommended!
October 7, 2016
The Taken by Casey Kelleher is a gripping read that involves organized crime and human trafficking - both isues we read constantly in the media. I was gripped from the start and couldn't put it down. Great read
August 20, 2016
brilliant.
Scare's me to think how a mind can come up with a story line like that.
brilliantly woven together.
full review soon.
I need to go lie down and sort my mind out. lol
Scare's me to think how a mind can come up with a story line like that.
brilliantly woven together.
full review soon.
I need to go lie down and sort my mind out. lol
September 19, 2016
Saskia Frost is an eighteen-year-old ballet student who has her whole world thrown into disarray following the death of her father. Discovering that he was in serious debt to the vicious Harper brothers, Joshua and Vincent, she stands to lose her home too unless she can make some kind of deal, some arrangement to clear her father’s debts. She soon finds herself working for the Harpers in their lap dancing club, drawn into a seedy world that she has no place being in.
Lena Cona is a young girl, snatched from the streets of her home town in Albania and forced into marriage against her will. Repeatedly beaten and raped by her husband, Ramiz, Lena will do anything to protect the one good thing to come from this forced union; her daughter Roza. With Ramiz’s life under threat owing to a long standing family feud, they flee Albania with hopes of reaching England and a new life of safety and opportunity. But things do not go as expected. The traffickers who they have paid for passage let them down, and now their lives. and those of their fellow passengers, are in jeopardy. When Roza falls violently ill, Lena is devastated to learn that Ramiz is responsible. With her daughter under threat, Lena takes the decision to run, a choice which has far reaching consequences, but not only for her and her daughter.
Colin Jefferies is a bit of a loner. Working in a graveyard, Colin’s home life is dominated by an alcoholic mother, a woman too drunk and blind to see how twisted her son has become from the years of abuse at her hand. Colin hides his true obsession, and his true self, from the world, knowing that no one will understand it. As first his mother and then Lena uncover his secrets, Colin knows he must do anything to protect them.
‘The Taken’ is a really intriguing novel. Delving deeply into the darker side of humanity, from the world of organized crime in which the Harper brothers operate, to the murky world of human trafficking, exploiting the fears and desperation of refugees, the story touches upon some very difficult subjects. While not particularly graphic, it is very clear the level of abuse that Lena has endured at her husband’s hands. The sense of the lawlessness and hopelessness of the refugee camp at Calais is captured well, along with the sheer evil and selfish nature of Ramiz, a character with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, unless you count his seeming affection for his equally repugnant mother, Drita.
I will be honest. At first I couldn’t see how the stories would tie together. A fifteen year old victim of a kidnapping in Albania, an eighteen year old left destitute following her father’s death and a creepy middle aged man with a very bizarre hobby. While their stories were each in themselves compelling, they seemed so very separate that I had to wonder where the author was taking us. The answer to that was on a wild and, at times, disturbing ride. The separate threads are so very neatly braided by the end that you forget they were ever separate to begin with.
In Lena and Saskia, Kelleher has created two very independent and strong heroines. Both have their reasons to simply give in to their lot and accept a less than perfect fate, but neither does. Both have a believable inner strength and the conviction to do what they need to do to protect themselves and each other. Even Misty, the club’s ‘House Mother’, somewhat jaded and wise to the real nature of the Harper’s business dealings, comes good in the end, protecting Saskia and ensuring Lena’s freedom. In fact, all of the characters are well rounded, even the repulsive Ramiz, whose selfishness knows no bounds, something clearly spelt out on each page.
With such varied settings, from the nightclub, the streets of Albania, to the refugee camp in Calais, Kelleher manages to capture the essence of each very well. The pace is fast, the chapters short and sharp which compels you onward. Each of the girl’s stories draws you in, Lena perhaps more than Saskia, as it’s almost inevitable that Saskia will be an ace on the pole and yet Lena, although clearly independent in her thinking from an early age, is only fifteen when she is abducted, still young enough for the experience to have broken her. You will be willing her to keep her nerve and to catch a break; for Lena to find that one moment of peace for her and little Roza.
If there was one thing which did threaten to throw me out of the book, it was Colin’s story. It became very clear to me early on what his secret was, and that in itself didn’t really put me off, as sickening as the idea was. But there was one scene which made me cringe a little, the idea of what could be sitting very uncomfortably. It was brief and in fairness it was interrupted and, again, not graphic, but off putting nonetheless. That said, a story which can illicit such strong feelings, make my skin crawl, without actually describing anything in detail, is doing its job and doing it well.
‘The Taken’ does a great job of highlighting the plight of young women, not just in Albania specifically, but in a number of countries where their needs and rights are secondary to those of their male relatives. It also draws attention to the suffering and desperation of refugees across Europe. What Lena and Ramiz experienced in the novel is, sadly, all too real, and the loss of human life all too common still. All very difficult subjects to tackle, but done with care – no really gratuitous detail just for the sake of shocking the reader.
A gritty, creepy and sometimes grizzly, 5 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and publishers Bookouture for the copy of ‘The Taken’ by Casey Kelleher in exchange for my honest review.
Lena Cona is a young girl, snatched from the streets of her home town in Albania and forced into marriage against her will. Repeatedly beaten and raped by her husband, Ramiz, Lena will do anything to protect the one good thing to come from this forced union; her daughter Roza. With Ramiz’s life under threat owing to a long standing family feud, they flee Albania with hopes of reaching England and a new life of safety and opportunity. But things do not go as expected. The traffickers who they have paid for passage let them down, and now their lives. and those of their fellow passengers, are in jeopardy. When Roza falls violently ill, Lena is devastated to learn that Ramiz is responsible. With her daughter under threat, Lena takes the decision to run, a choice which has far reaching consequences, but not only for her and her daughter.
Colin Jefferies is a bit of a loner. Working in a graveyard, Colin’s home life is dominated by an alcoholic mother, a woman too drunk and blind to see how twisted her son has become from the years of abuse at her hand. Colin hides his true obsession, and his true self, from the world, knowing that no one will understand it. As first his mother and then Lena uncover his secrets, Colin knows he must do anything to protect them.
‘The Taken’ is a really intriguing novel. Delving deeply into the darker side of humanity, from the world of organized crime in which the Harper brothers operate, to the murky world of human trafficking, exploiting the fears and desperation of refugees, the story touches upon some very difficult subjects. While not particularly graphic, it is very clear the level of abuse that Lena has endured at her husband’s hands. The sense of the lawlessness and hopelessness of the refugee camp at Calais is captured well, along with the sheer evil and selfish nature of Ramiz, a character with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, unless you count his seeming affection for his equally repugnant mother, Drita.
I will be honest. At first I couldn’t see how the stories would tie together. A fifteen year old victim of a kidnapping in Albania, an eighteen year old left destitute following her father’s death and a creepy middle aged man with a very bizarre hobby. While their stories were each in themselves compelling, they seemed so very separate that I had to wonder where the author was taking us. The answer to that was on a wild and, at times, disturbing ride. The separate threads are so very neatly braided by the end that you forget they were ever separate to begin with.
In Lena and Saskia, Kelleher has created two very independent and strong heroines. Both have their reasons to simply give in to their lot and accept a less than perfect fate, but neither does. Both have a believable inner strength and the conviction to do what they need to do to protect themselves and each other. Even Misty, the club’s ‘House Mother’, somewhat jaded and wise to the real nature of the Harper’s business dealings, comes good in the end, protecting Saskia and ensuring Lena’s freedom. In fact, all of the characters are well rounded, even the repulsive Ramiz, whose selfishness knows no bounds, something clearly spelt out on each page.
With such varied settings, from the nightclub, the streets of Albania, to the refugee camp in Calais, Kelleher manages to capture the essence of each very well. The pace is fast, the chapters short and sharp which compels you onward. Each of the girl’s stories draws you in, Lena perhaps more than Saskia, as it’s almost inevitable that Saskia will be an ace on the pole and yet Lena, although clearly independent in her thinking from an early age, is only fifteen when she is abducted, still young enough for the experience to have broken her. You will be willing her to keep her nerve and to catch a break; for Lena to find that one moment of peace for her and little Roza.
If there was one thing which did threaten to throw me out of the book, it was Colin’s story. It became very clear to me early on what his secret was, and that in itself didn’t really put me off, as sickening as the idea was. But there was one scene which made me cringe a little, the idea of what could be sitting very uncomfortably. It was brief and in fairness it was interrupted and, again, not graphic, but off putting nonetheless. That said, a story which can illicit such strong feelings, make my skin crawl, without actually describing anything in detail, is doing its job and doing it well.
‘The Taken’ does a great job of highlighting the plight of young women, not just in Albania specifically, but in a number of countries where their needs and rights are secondary to those of their male relatives. It also draws attention to the suffering and desperation of refugees across Europe. What Lena and Ramiz experienced in the novel is, sadly, all too real, and the loss of human life all too common still. All very difficult subjects to tackle, but done with care – no really gratuitous detail just for the sake of shocking the reader.
A gritty, creepy and sometimes grizzly, 5 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and publishers Bookouture for the copy of ‘The Taken’ by Casey Kelleher in exchange for my honest review.
October 4, 2016
We all live with the idea that bad things always happen to other people. If we didn't we would never go out, cross a road or fall in love just in case.......... Most of the time we are right but sometimes just coming home from school can put you in the wrong place at the wrong time. It did for Lena. She was taken.
Casey Kelleher delivers a story that involves three very different people and all are emotionally controlled by someone else. Their lives are destined to cross. Each have a very different emotional journey and although Lena's story was very tragic I felt myself drawn to Colin's story the most. To me I really felt sorry for him that may seem funny to a lot of readers when you have finished this book, but I did.
Casey Kelleher really delves deep into how depraved some people can be or is it mental illness? is there really a difference? because what she describes really does break your heart at times.
This is a really well written novel that has a constant fast pace through out. You are easily lead into situations that you can see coming a mile away but you just don't know how they are going to end. A stunning novel. Awesome.
I wish to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Casey Kelleher delivers a story that involves three very different people and all are emotionally controlled by someone else. Their lives are destined to cross. Each have a very different emotional journey and although Lena's story was very tragic I felt myself drawn to Colin's story the most. To me I really felt sorry for him that may seem funny to a lot of readers when you have finished this book, but I did.
Casey Kelleher really delves deep into how depraved some people can be or is it mental illness? is there really a difference? because what she describes really does break your heart at times.
This is a really well written novel that has a constant fast pace through out. You are easily lead into situations that you can see coming a mile away but you just don't know how they are going to end. A stunning novel. Awesome.
I wish to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2017
Many really intriguing characters whose lives become intertwined as the story rocks back and forth.
The author steers the story well as we meet Lena & Saskia who are so very different but both in difficult dangerous situations. The ladies worlds collide as they both strive to flee & survive and they form an usual friendship, but closing in and tracking them down is Lena's violent Husband and the much feared Harper Brothers.
The story is gripping and brutal and kept me gripped right until the bitter end.
A must read for any fan of this genre.
My thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley in providing me with a arc in return for an honest review.
The author steers the story well as we meet Lena & Saskia who are so very different but both in difficult dangerous situations. The ladies worlds collide as they both strive to flee & survive and they form an usual friendship, but closing in and tracking them down is Lena's violent Husband and the much feared Harper Brothers.
The story is gripping and brutal and kept me gripped right until the bitter end.
A must read for any fan of this genre.
My thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley in providing me with a arc in return for an honest review.
Read
October 19, 2016Could not endure any more of what Lena is doing to endanger her baby by fleeing everyone who could help her. Felt like the author was torturing the reader by making Lena so ignorant & credulous. Hate to disappoint my GR friends but this one is too intense.
Let me add that from a moral & spiritual viewpoint, this book is excellent. The evil characters will really make you skin crawl & the reader on the audible does the voices & dialects perfectly so you will both hate them & fear them. I so hope I can find a copy of the print edition to glance @ the ending to find out that they get their just deserts. But I might wreck the car if I listen to any more.
Let me add that from a moral & spiritual viewpoint, this book is excellent. The evil characters will really make you skin crawl & the reader on the audible does the voices & dialects perfectly so you will both hate them & fear them. I so hope I can find a copy of the print edition to glance @ the ending to find out that they get their just deserts. But I might wreck the car if I listen to any more.
December 22, 2018
Brilliant from the first to last page!
August 22, 2016
I've read a few Casey Kelleher books now and enjoyed them all, however, this just blew the others out of the water. From the very first introduction to the main characters, you are immediately drawn in to their separate stories.
Saskia finds herself at risk of losing her home after losing her father. Unknown to her, he has run up massive debts, securing their family home against gambling debts owed to criminal gangster Joshua Harper. Her whole world has been turned upside down, at 18, she has to leave ballet school and work for brothers Joshua and Vincent Harper in their strip club in order to survive.
In Albania, Lena is walking home from school with her brother Tariq when he is beaten and she is kidnapped, forced into a car by a gang of thugs. We next see her a year later, forced to marry vile Ramiz and have his baby. They are forced to flee their country because of an old feud with another family and after a horrific passage, find themselves in London.
This is a brilliantly written story, with some genuinely wonderful and some not so nice characters. How Casey has managed to engineer it so the characters lives evolve and become linked is absolutely brilliant. I went through so many different emotions reading this gritty story, but the overall feeling is that I absolutely loved it!
Saskia finds herself at risk of losing her home after losing her father. Unknown to her, he has run up massive debts, securing their family home against gambling debts owed to criminal gangster Joshua Harper. Her whole world has been turned upside down, at 18, she has to leave ballet school and work for brothers Joshua and Vincent Harper in their strip club in order to survive.
In Albania, Lena is walking home from school with her brother Tariq when he is beaten and she is kidnapped, forced into a car by a gang of thugs. We next see her a year later, forced to marry vile Ramiz and have his baby. They are forced to flee their country because of an old feud with another family and after a horrific passage, find themselves in London.
This is a brilliantly written story, with some genuinely wonderful and some not so nice characters. How Casey has managed to engineer it so the characters lives evolve and become linked is absolutely brilliant. I went through so many different emotions reading this gritty story, but the overall feeling is that I absolutely loved it!
September 1, 2016
After reading Bad Blood by Casey Kelleher, I have been keen to read more from this exciting author and I wasn’t disappointed.
The Taken has it all and is an action packed thriller.
Fast paced and gritty with a sad story line, but was not as difficult to read as some books I have recently read about the same topic.
Some wonderful characters, especially Saskia and Lena and some truly despicable characters as well.
My only gripe is that I felt that there could have been an extra chapter to wrap things up a bit more.
I can highly recommend this brilliant and exciting book
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this great ARC.
The Taken has it all and is an action packed thriller.
Fast paced and gritty with a sad story line, but was not as difficult to read as some books I have recently read about the same topic.
Some wonderful characters, especially Saskia and Lena and some truly despicable characters as well.
My only gripe is that I felt that there could have been an extra chapter to wrap things up a bit more.
I can highly recommend this brilliant and exciting book
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this great ARC.
February 6, 2017
Well.... this book left me speechless and in a wow state. Such a deeply moving and emotional read!! Definitely not for those that have a light stomach.
Yikes.... powerful stuff my friends. I could not put this novel down!
I really really enjoyed the characters of Lena and Saskia. What a powerful bond these two women made throughout previous trauma/heart ache.
Only thing that I was a little bummed about is the ending for Saskia. I was hoping that the author would have given us a little bit more of a closure for Saskia.
Overall dark and emotional fast paced thriller that you will not be able to put down! :)
Yikes.... powerful stuff my friends. I could not put this novel down!
I really really enjoyed the characters of Lena and Saskia. What a powerful bond these two women made throughout previous trauma/heart ache.
Only thing that I was a little bummed about is the ending for Saskia. I was hoping that the author would have given us a little bit more of a closure for Saskia.
Overall dark and emotional fast paced thriller that you will not be able to put down! :)
September 10, 2016
Many thanks to Netgallery and Bookouture for accepting my request.
Having read all of Casey Kellehers books, I was so excited to read The Taken.
OMG this has got to the Casey's best book that she has ever written so far (I have loved them all) it was such a gritty, action packed story that had me absolutely hooked from beginning to end. Absolutely fantastic,well written. well done Casey, you have written a winner here that anyone who has loved your books like I have will truely hooked on this one!!
Amazon
October 6, 2016
Whilst this book was very different to Caseys other books. I found it very good. Well written. A story that wrenches at your heartstrings. Brutal in parts but a sad situation for the people involved. I simply loved it 5 stars
October 13, 2016
A brilliant crime thriller. I was glued to it right from the first page up until the very last page, highly recommend
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