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Kaz Phelps #1
The Informant
Set in London and Essex, The Informant is a story of ruthless criminals, corrupt cops, obsessive love and the villainy that operates on both sides of the law.
As a drug-fuelled teenage tearaway, Kaz Phelps took the rap for her little brother Joey over a bungled armed robbery and went to jail.
Six years later she's released on licence. Clean and sober, and driven by a secret passion for her lawyer, Helen, Kaz wants to escape the violence and abuse of her Essex gangster family.
Joey is a charming, calculating and cold psychopath. He worships the ground Kaz walks on and he's desperate to get her back in the family firm. All Kaz wants is a fresh start and to put the past behind her.
When Joey murders an undercover cop, DS Nicci Armstrong is determined to put him behind bars. What she doesn't realize is that her efforts are being sabotaged by one of their own and the Met is being challenged at the highest level.
The final test for Kaz comes when her cousin, Sean, gets out of jail. He is a vicious, old-school thug and wants to show Kaz who is boss. Kaz may be tough enough to face down any man, but is she strong enough to turn her back on her family and go straight?
As a drug-fuelled teenage tearaway, Kaz Phelps took the rap for her little brother Joey over a bungled armed robbery and went to jail.
Six years later she's released on licence. Clean and sober, and driven by a secret passion for her lawyer, Helen, Kaz wants to escape the violence and abuse of her Essex gangster family.
Joey is a charming, calculating and cold psychopath. He worships the ground Kaz walks on and he's desperate to get her back in the family firm. All Kaz wants is a fresh start and to put the past behind her.
When Joey murders an undercover cop, DS Nicci Armstrong is determined to put him behind bars. What she doesn't realize is that her efforts are being sabotaged by one of their own and the Met is being challenged at the highest level.
The final test for Kaz comes when her cousin, Sean, gets out of jail. He is a vicious, old-school thug and wants to show Kaz who is boss. Kaz may be tough enough to face down any man, but is she strong enough to turn her back on her family and go straight?
465 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
25 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Susan Wilkins
16 books136 followersI’m Susan Wilkins, a television writer turned novelist, and I write crime thrillers that dig deep into human psychology.
How do ordinary people end up on the wrong side of the law? That’s what I’m always asking. The characters are central to all my stories. The protagonists tend to be female, but not always, and I specialise in female detectives.
I grew up in Essex, studied Law, but spent twenty-five years writing television drama. I have over 130 broadcast credits to my name, including Casualty and Holby City, Heartbeat, Coronation Street and Eastenders, Footballers’ Wives, Dangerfield and Down to Earth, and I created the pioneering BBC detective drama South of the Border. This was the best education anyone could have in how to craft a gripping, page turning story.
I’ve moved around a lot in my life, within the UK and abroad. But now I’m settled in Devon. I walk by the sea every day and drink too much coffee.
If you’d like to find out more about my writing and keep in touch with my latest news, exclusive content and giveaways, visit susanwilkins.co.uk
How do ordinary people end up on the wrong side of the law? That’s what I’m always asking. The characters are central to all my stories. The protagonists tend to be female, but not always, and I specialise in female detectives.
I grew up in Essex, studied Law, but spent twenty-five years writing television drama. I have over 130 broadcast credits to my name, including Casualty and Holby City, Heartbeat, Coronation Street and Eastenders, Footballers’ Wives, Dangerfield and Down to Earth, and I created the pioneering BBC detective drama South of the Border. This was the best education anyone could have in how to craft a gripping, page turning story.
I’ve moved around a lot in my life, within the UK and abroad. But now I’m settled in Devon. I walk by the sea every day and drink too much coffee.
If you’d like to find out more about my writing and keep in touch with my latest news, exclusive content and giveaways, visit susanwilkins.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 9, 2014
I usually ignore the quotes and comparisons on the front of books yet my proof copy described this as Lynda La Plante meets Martina Cole and having finished the book, I couldn't agree more. It has the brilliant police element that La Plante does so well, alongside the gritty gangster story that early Cole did so well. Susan Wilkins is a television writer turned novelist, and that's something I usually enjoy as you often get the best of both worlds. Television writers bring with them the ability to give a nice flow to the novel, and have chapters ending on cliffhangers in much the same way as a television episode would. At times this was like an 18-rated soap opera, only better.
The main family in the book are the Phelps and our introduction to son Joey is of a boy turned man who enjoys inflicting pain on people, and loves murder. Nothing gives him greater pleasure in life than killing. The police have been after him for the longest time, however when he kills an undercover police officer their hunger to take him down only increases and plans are made to find an informant that will help destroy both him and his criminal empire. Joey is an evil character and given that I've read the books of Kimberley Chambers, Jessie Keane and Martina Cole is saying something, as they have created some brilliant villains. Often people put blame on families, or how a person was brought up yet I believe some people are just born evil, and Joey is one such person. DS Nicci Armstrong has a personal connection to the case, and wants him brought to justice more than most. She gets her own thread to the story which makes for some exciting twists along the way.
Kaz is Joey's sister, about to be released from prison for a crime that Joey committed. Her plans are to go straight and live a normal life, however Joey has other ideas and wants Kaz to pick up where she left off and he has big plans for the family business and they all include her. Kaz was a likeable character from the off despite all that she's done you can see she does want to turn her life around, but at times that life is all that she knows and it does make for some gut-wrenching decisions for her along the way. Add in a police officer determined to turn Kaz against Joey and sexual tension between Kaz and her lawyer Helen and she's about to find out that life on the outside is going to be anything but quiet. Things take a turn for the worse for both Kaz and Joey when their cousin Sean is released from prison, with their father unable to run the business Sean wants to take control of what he feels is rightfully his and this is when the story really picks up and gets going.
The book is full of realistic and believable characters. Characters who in other circumstances might have had very different lives, however the life they have been born into has led them down only one path. In books like this it's important not to trust anybody, and I certainly don't. Especially the characters that we are meant to trust, as experience has shown that they are often the ones to watch. Kaz was a favourite character of mine throughout, I really wanted her to overcome her demons and go on to live the life she so obviously craved, that said however it would have made for a boring story and so there are so many exciting and thrilling twists and turns that I honestly struggled to put the book down. I did feel at times however that some of the dialogue didn't suit the characters, certain things especially with Joey just didn't seem like things you would expect a gangster to say, that said though it didn't happen often but was very noticeable when it did.
The characters are all well established and we are told a lot about their past but what was missing for me was flashbacks and is something this genre does so well. I like it when we get whole chapters going back in time rather than just having events alluded to briefly. It allows you to really understand the characters more. What I also like is when London almost becomes a character in itself. Wilkins creates a very gritty but believable London, showing its seedier side and putting us right inside its underworld. A world which for the longest time held almost an allure of glamour, yet we now know that the world is anything but glamorous. Full of unsavoury characters who make it almost impossible to escape once you are part of its world. In fact the only way to escape might be to turn informant...
I really didn't want to put this book down and found myself annoyed when I had to. Once you get started it is an incredibly addictive read, the latter half especially as all the threads to the story start to join together as we race towards a very dramatic finale. I could see the pages dwindling but found myself hoping more would miraculously appear. I wasn't ready to finish the story and after the shocking cliffhanger that the book ends on the sequel, The Mourner, cannot come quick enough. Wilkins' experience is evident from the very first page making this one of the most exciting debuts of the year and certainly one of the best I've read in 2014. This book comes highly recommended by me.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
The main family in the book are the Phelps and our introduction to son Joey is of a boy turned man who enjoys inflicting pain on people, and loves murder. Nothing gives him greater pleasure in life than killing. The police have been after him for the longest time, however when he kills an undercover police officer their hunger to take him down only increases and plans are made to find an informant that will help destroy both him and his criminal empire. Joey is an evil character and given that I've read the books of Kimberley Chambers, Jessie Keane and Martina Cole is saying something, as they have created some brilliant villains. Often people put blame on families, or how a person was brought up yet I believe some people are just born evil, and Joey is one such person. DS Nicci Armstrong has a personal connection to the case, and wants him brought to justice more than most. She gets her own thread to the story which makes for some exciting twists along the way.
Kaz is Joey's sister, about to be released from prison for a crime that Joey committed. Her plans are to go straight and live a normal life, however Joey has other ideas and wants Kaz to pick up where she left off and he has big plans for the family business and they all include her. Kaz was a likeable character from the off despite all that she's done you can see she does want to turn her life around, but at times that life is all that she knows and it does make for some gut-wrenching decisions for her along the way. Add in a police officer determined to turn Kaz against Joey and sexual tension between Kaz and her lawyer Helen and she's about to find out that life on the outside is going to be anything but quiet. Things take a turn for the worse for both Kaz and Joey when their cousin Sean is released from prison, with their father unable to run the business Sean wants to take control of what he feels is rightfully his and this is when the story really picks up and gets going.
The book is full of realistic and believable characters. Characters who in other circumstances might have had very different lives, however the life they have been born into has led them down only one path. In books like this it's important not to trust anybody, and I certainly don't. Especially the characters that we are meant to trust, as experience has shown that they are often the ones to watch. Kaz was a favourite character of mine throughout, I really wanted her to overcome her demons and go on to live the life she so obviously craved, that said however it would have made for a boring story and so there are so many exciting and thrilling twists and turns that I honestly struggled to put the book down. I did feel at times however that some of the dialogue didn't suit the characters, certain things especially with Joey just didn't seem like things you would expect a gangster to say, that said though it didn't happen often but was very noticeable when it did.
The characters are all well established and we are told a lot about their past but what was missing for me was flashbacks and is something this genre does so well. I like it when we get whole chapters going back in time rather than just having events alluded to briefly. It allows you to really understand the characters more. What I also like is when London almost becomes a character in itself. Wilkins creates a very gritty but believable London, showing its seedier side and putting us right inside its underworld. A world which for the longest time held almost an allure of glamour, yet we now know that the world is anything but glamorous. Full of unsavoury characters who make it almost impossible to escape once you are part of its world. In fact the only way to escape might be to turn informant...
I really didn't want to put this book down and found myself annoyed when I had to. Once you get started it is an incredibly addictive read, the latter half especially as all the threads to the story start to join together as we race towards a very dramatic finale. I could see the pages dwindling but found myself hoping more would miraculously appear. I wasn't ready to finish the story and after the shocking cliffhanger that the book ends on the sequel, The Mourner, cannot come quick enough. Wilkins' experience is evident from the very first page making this one of the most exciting debuts of the year and certainly one of the best I've read in 2014. This book comes highly recommended by me.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
November 17, 2014
I was really interested to read this title because I’m not, it has to be said, normally a fan of the gritty gangster type thriller a la Martina Cole – but I had heard great things about this one and how addictive it was and I have to say now I’ve read it I’m in full agreement.
When Kaz gets out of prison she immediately, despite her protests, starts to get drawn back into the vortex of her blood family – the death of an undercover police officer puts yet more pressure on her from other directions and how she copes and the people surrounding her makes this endlessly fascinating.
It very much came down to the extremely well written character of Kaz that made the difference for me. Struggling to escape her past, determined to do better in the future, she walks a fine line between family and her own needs and this made it all thoroughly exciting – I also related to her quite well, she was realistic in her outlook and was flawed in a way that had been dictated by her birthright. Joey as well is a superbly written “villain” – violent, cold and yet warm towards those who are “his” you can tell early on that you would betray him at your peril and that gives the whole thing an added frisson as Kaz walks that line. And I havent even gotten to Sean…I think I’ll leave you to meet him for yourself.
The police side of things is also peppered with some terrific characters, the lines blurring often between them and the criminals – the author managing to put those shades of grey in seemlessly, so often you wonder if anyone at all is on the side of the angels. I loved Nicci, on a mission of her own, there are some really great strong female leads to be found here and all the characters have great depth and their own agendas which give a nice little set of twists to proceedings.
The story itself is really excellent, several intriguing threads making up a wonderfully layered plot. Corruption, Love, Hate and the nature of family, asking some really insightful questions about how much we can leave behind of our past and head into a better future. Ms Wilkins has managed to write a thriller that is also very much a family drama, in a way that appealed to me much more than a lot of other authors who write similar tales – we all read differently of course – but I was hooked from the first page and that never really went away.
Very much character driven, but with enough thrills and spills to keep the most ardent crime fan happy, overall then an excellent gritty almost noir tale, and how happy was I when I saw the little teaser in the back for the sequel coming soon – It definitely can’t come soon enough for me.
Happy Reading Folks!
When Kaz gets out of prison she immediately, despite her protests, starts to get drawn back into the vortex of her blood family – the death of an undercover police officer puts yet more pressure on her from other directions and how she copes and the people surrounding her makes this endlessly fascinating.
It very much came down to the extremely well written character of Kaz that made the difference for me. Struggling to escape her past, determined to do better in the future, she walks a fine line between family and her own needs and this made it all thoroughly exciting – I also related to her quite well, she was realistic in her outlook and was flawed in a way that had been dictated by her birthright. Joey as well is a superbly written “villain” – violent, cold and yet warm towards those who are “his” you can tell early on that you would betray him at your peril and that gives the whole thing an added frisson as Kaz walks that line. And I havent even gotten to Sean…I think I’ll leave you to meet him for yourself.
The police side of things is also peppered with some terrific characters, the lines blurring often between them and the criminals – the author managing to put those shades of grey in seemlessly, so often you wonder if anyone at all is on the side of the angels. I loved Nicci, on a mission of her own, there are some really great strong female leads to be found here and all the characters have great depth and their own agendas which give a nice little set of twists to proceedings.
The story itself is really excellent, several intriguing threads making up a wonderfully layered plot. Corruption, Love, Hate and the nature of family, asking some really insightful questions about how much we can leave behind of our past and head into a better future. Ms Wilkins has managed to write a thriller that is also very much a family drama, in a way that appealed to me much more than a lot of other authors who write similar tales – we all read differently of course – but I was hooked from the first page and that never really went away.
Very much character driven, but with enough thrills and spills to keep the most ardent crime fan happy, overall then an excellent gritty almost noir tale, and how happy was I when I saw the little teaser in the back for the sequel coming soon – It definitely can’t come soon enough for me.
Happy Reading Folks!
November 7, 2015
This was a fantastic book, I couldn't put it down and stayed up late on a work night to finish. The author does a really good job of bringing the characters to life in this gritty tension filled story.
If you read the likes of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers & Jessie Keane then this is for you & is right up there with the best of their books.
This is the author's debut novel, she obviously has a great talent and I will certainly be reading her next book.
If you read the likes of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers & Jessie Keane then this is for you & is right up there with the best of their books.
This is the author's debut novel, she obviously has a great talent and I will certainly be reading her next book.
December 30, 2014
The Informant – Stunning Debut
The Informant is the stunning debut crime thriller from by Susan Wilkins a former screenwriter for British TV, who has brought her experience from screenwriting to bear on this excellent thriller. This debut crime thriller hits all the cliches you can think of from mind blowing psychological crime thriller and a page turner. Susan Wikins takes you through all the twists and turns and leaves you mind blown at the end wanting more hoping you can get to the follow up as quickly as possible.
Kaz Phelps has served six years and has just been released on licence after a brutal armed robbery that went wrong which included covering for her little brother Joey. Kaz is leaving prison a reformed character with a love of art and wanting to be an art student but she recognised the biggest obstacle to this new life would be her own family. At least one difference for her now is that her father Terry, is now wheelchair bound and no longer the bullying con he was when she went inside the family firm now being run by Joey, who is keen to get Kaz involved.
DS Nicci Armstrong is leading the hunt to put one of London’s biggest villians in prison everyone in the Met wants to see Joey Phelps in prison. Every time they get close they cannot prove anything against him, they know he has killed one police officer and there are other bodies to his name but with no evidence. Joey Phelps controls the drugs trade in Essex and is slowly taking over large parts of London, and the police are unable to find the evidence to secure a conviction. They need some help an informer but nobody is that stupid as they know they will wind up dead.
Kaz’s little brother Joey is a cold and very calculating psychopath who loves his big sister and wants to involve her in the family business. He knows he can trust her because not once did she grass him up even though she was under pressure from the Police. Kaz can see no wrong in Joey, that he is doing a good job and wants to go legit, she loves him and remembers how she used to try and protect him from their father.
Through out the book we see a darker side to Joey Phelps a side that Kaz does not see or does not want to see. Joey has even promised to stop the violence for her so that she can be part of the ‘firm’ and take it ligit. We can see all the pyschological games that Joey plays to get his way but will Kaz be able to see that before it is too late?
This is not your usual crime thriller where we see police procedure from beginning to end, even if we do know who the bad guys are from the start. The characters are well developed and reflect their life experiences, so Kaz Phelps’ hard life is reflected as is her vulnerablity and her misguided faith in her brother. We are able to see the complex family relationships between Kaz, Joey and their family and even more so when their cousin Sean is released from prison also on licence. Throw in to the mix that the police are determined to try and get Kaz to inform against Joey, but they forget the unwritten rule of never grassing on your family even when you are going straight.
The complexity of all the relationships between the Phelps’ family and with all those they interact with can only end in a car crash of events. Who will be left standing at the end is one of the biggest questions, along with what will Kaz do and will she become the art student she so much desires to be.
There is some serious stuff in this thriller all of which are believable especially in both the criminal and police worlds of today in London. This is a well researched well written thriller that adds up to being an absolutely stunning debut.
The Informant is the stunning debut crime thriller from by Susan Wilkins a former screenwriter for British TV, who has brought her experience from screenwriting to bear on this excellent thriller. This debut crime thriller hits all the cliches you can think of from mind blowing psychological crime thriller and a page turner. Susan Wikins takes you through all the twists and turns and leaves you mind blown at the end wanting more hoping you can get to the follow up as quickly as possible.
Kaz Phelps has served six years and has just been released on licence after a brutal armed robbery that went wrong which included covering for her little brother Joey. Kaz is leaving prison a reformed character with a love of art and wanting to be an art student but she recognised the biggest obstacle to this new life would be her own family. At least one difference for her now is that her father Terry, is now wheelchair bound and no longer the bullying con he was when she went inside the family firm now being run by Joey, who is keen to get Kaz involved.
DS Nicci Armstrong is leading the hunt to put one of London’s biggest villians in prison everyone in the Met wants to see Joey Phelps in prison. Every time they get close they cannot prove anything against him, they know he has killed one police officer and there are other bodies to his name but with no evidence. Joey Phelps controls the drugs trade in Essex and is slowly taking over large parts of London, and the police are unable to find the evidence to secure a conviction. They need some help an informer but nobody is that stupid as they know they will wind up dead.
Kaz’s little brother Joey is a cold and very calculating psychopath who loves his big sister and wants to involve her in the family business. He knows he can trust her because not once did she grass him up even though she was under pressure from the Police. Kaz can see no wrong in Joey, that he is doing a good job and wants to go legit, she loves him and remembers how she used to try and protect him from their father.
Through out the book we see a darker side to Joey Phelps a side that Kaz does not see or does not want to see. Joey has even promised to stop the violence for her so that she can be part of the ‘firm’ and take it ligit. We can see all the pyschological games that Joey plays to get his way but will Kaz be able to see that before it is too late?
This is not your usual crime thriller where we see police procedure from beginning to end, even if we do know who the bad guys are from the start. The characters are well developed and reflect their life experiences, so Kaz Phelps’ hard life is reflected as is her vulnerablity and her misguided faith in her brother. We are able to see the complex family relationships between Kaz, Joey and their family and even more so when their cousin Sean is released from prison also on licence. Throw in to the mix that the police are determined to try and get Kaz to inform against Joey, but they forget the unwritten rule of never grassing on your family even when you are going straight.
The complexity of all the relationships between the Phelps’ family and with all those they interact with can only end in a car crash of events. Who will be left standing at the end is one of the biggest questions, along with what will Kaz do and will she become the art student she so much desires to be.
There is some serious stuff in this thriller all of which are believable especially in both the criminal and police worlds of today in London. This is a well researched well written thriller that adds up to being an absolutely stunning debut.
November 25, 2014
Another author to watch out for. If this first book is anything to go by.
Firstly I want to say a huge thank you to the publishers for a review copy of this book.
This was certainly my sort of book. I enjoyed it right from the beginning. And can not wait to see what Susan Wilkins does next. I believe there is going to be a sequel to this book, and by god I can not wait.
A fantastic read. And I believe fans of authors Like Martina Cole, Casey Kelleher, Helen black, Jessie Keane and on and on (to name just a few) would really enjoy this book. As a very keen reader, I love books in this Genre, and it still amazes me when we get a new author who can deliver the story as good as, if not better than some of the leading authors in this category.
#police #lawyer’s #gangster’s #prison #drugs #murder. What more can you ask for in a book. Once I started this I really didn’t want to put it down, and I found the more I read, the more I wanted to carry on reading. And although it was a fantastic read and I really needed to get to the end, once I was near the end, I wanted to put the book down so that I didn’t finish it. And OH MY GOD What an ending.
We are introduced to the wonderful (ok Not so wonderful) Phelps family.
Joey the up and coming wanna be gangster, has taken over the family firm. After Dad is no longer in a position to run it. Joey seems to be a bit of a loose cannon, and you can’t help liking him and hating him at the same time. Along with his side kick Ash, Joey seems to just be able to find trouble, and being so badly wanted by the police you would think he would try staying out of it. (Although that would have been boring lol)
His sister Karen is just released from Prison after serving 6 years of her 12 year sentence. Karen wants nothing to do with the family business, and is determined to continue her ART studies that she started whilst in prison; she wants to enrol into collage and be left to get on with things. But being part of the Phelps family this might not be the plan that Big brother has for her. Kaz was really likeable throughout the book. At times she seemed a very confused young lady, not knowing what she wanted or how to go about it. Her head was very mixed up at times, but I think that is understandable. Maybe getting a little to close to her Lawyer. And not coping to well with being followed by a not so undercover, undercover cop. But the police want this family off the streets, and it seems they will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Karen’s younger sister has not done to well for herself whilst Karen has been in Prison, and Karen is not happy that Joey hasn’t taken care of her.
When Cousin Sean is also released from Prison, he thinks its only right that he takes over as the head of the family business. But is Joey about to stand back and let him, or has Joey got used to being the main man and doesn’t want Sean by his side. One thing is for sure. Things are going to get messy. Who can survive and come out the other end. Well you need to read it and find out.
A must read..... 5/5
This book will certainly be in *one of my best books read this year* group. Come on Susan you now have a fan club eagerly awaiting your next book, and we are praying you can deliver something just as good if not better.
Firstly I want to say a huge thank you to the publishers for a review copy of this book.
This was certainly my sort of book. I enjoyed it right from the beginning. And can not wait to see what Susan Wilkins does next. I believe there is going to be a sequel to this book, and by god I can not wait.
A fantastic read. And I believe fans of authors Like Martina Cole, Casey Kelleher, Helen black, Jessie Keane and on and on (to name just a few) would really enjoy this book. As a very keen reader, I love books in this Genre, and it still amazes me when we get a new author who can deliver the story as good as, if not better than some of the leading authors in this category.
#police #lawyer’s #gangster’s #prison #drugs #murder. What more can you ask for in a book. Once I started this I really didn’t want to put it down, and I found the more I read, the more I wanted to carry on reading. And although it was a fantastic read and I really needed to get to the end, once I was near the end, I wanted to put the book down so that I didn’t finish it. And OH MY GOD What an ending.
We are introduced to the wonderful (ok Not so wonderful) Phelps family.
Joey the up and coming wanna be gangster, has taken over the family firm. After Dad is no longer in a position to run it. Joey seems to be a bit of a loose cannon, and you can’t help liking him and hating him at the same time. Along with his side kick Ash, Joey seems to just be able to find trouble, and being so badly wanted by the police you would think he would try staying out of it. (Although that would have been boring lol)
His sister Karen is just released from Prison after serving 6 years of her 12 year sentence. Karen wants nothing to do with the family business, and is determined to continue her ART studies that she started whilst in prison; she wants to enrol into collage and be left to get on with things. But being part of the Phelps family this might not be the plan that Big brother has for her. Kaz was really likeable throughout the book. At times she seemed a very confused young lady, not knowing what she wanted or how to go about it. Her head was very mixed up at times, but I think that is understandable. Maybe getting a little to close to her Lawyer. And not coping to well with being followed by a not so undercover, undercover cop. But the police want this family off the streets, and it seems they will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Karen’s younger sister has not done to well for herself whilst Karen has been in Prison, and Karen is not happy that Joey hasn’t taken care of her.
When Cousin Sean is also released from Prison, he thinks its only right that he takes over as the head of the family business. But is Joey about to stand back and let him, or has Joey got used to being the main man and doesn’t want Sean by his side. One thing is for sure. Things are going to get messy. Who can survive and come out the other end. Well you need to read it and find out.
A must read..... 5/5
This book will certainly be in *one of my best books read this year* group. Come on Susan you now have a fan club eagerly awaiting your next book, and we are praying you can deliver something just as good if not better.
April 11, 2015
The Informant is described as being similar to Lynda La Plante whose books I've never read but have seen adapted for the small screen many times.
This is the first gangster style novel I have read that is primarily told by a woman. Kaz is newly released from prison and on license for a crime that she didn't commit. She wants to rebuild her life and make a career as an artist as well as distancing herself from her crime driven family.
I was a little unsure at first, until the first act of violence was committed. A crime that only a psychopath could commit.
Kaz was believable and very likeable. Not wanting to betray her family but not wanting to be any part of criminal activity either. The story is told from a few different people, Kaz, Helen, her lawyer,the police officers and various members of Kay's family.
A cliff hanger ending which because of the delay I don't have to wait too long to read.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me this copy to read and review.
This is the first gangster style novel I have read that is primarily told by a woman. Kaz is newly released from prison and on license for a crime that she didn't commit. She wants to rebuild her life and make a career as an artist as well as distancing herself from her crime driven family.
I was a little unsure at first, until the first act of violence was committed. A crime that only a psychopath could commit.
Kaz was believable and very likeable. Not wanting to betray her family but not wanting to be any part of criminal activity either. The story is told from a few different people, Kaz, Helen, her lawyer,the police officers and various members of Kay's family.
A cliff hanger ending which because of the delay I don't have to wait too long to read.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me this copy to read and review.
August 11, 2023
Quite a good read, would be something you'd find on ITV. There's some outdated language but thats to be expected from a book from 10 years ago
I don't know if the story line warrants 3 books but I did like it, wasn't as gripping as I thought it would be though
I don't know if the story line warrants 3 books but I did like it, wasn't as gripping as I thought it would be though
September 18, 2023
Amazing. Honestly couldn't put it down, the characters are so well written and the plot is amazing. Such a good read. You can tell the author has written for TV as the detailed description just conjures up images perfectly. Loved this book
July 14, 2025
I didn't really enjoy the story or the characters, but the character writing was phenomenal. It's rare to see such human complexity captured on the page.
November 20, 2014
The Informant is not your regular crime mystery. Yes, if you look for it in the store it’ll probably be shelved under crime, but trust me, this is not your regular crime mystery. Because everyone knows who the bad guys are. No one doubts they did it—whatever particular it you had in mind, as with Joey Phelps and company you can pretty much count on them having commited that particular kind of crime. What makes The Informant compelling then, isn’t the presumed whodunnit, but the psychological development of its lead characters and that of Kaz in particular.
Kaz is fantastic. Hardened by an awful youth and a stay in jail, she is still surprisingly vulnerable and innocent in some respect. Her almost willfully blind belief in her brother’s better nature and her hope of redeeming him are both touching and frustrating, especially that to the reader it’s clear that Joey is a complete and utter psychopath who thrives on violence. His ability to manipulate Kaz is masterful and at times you could almost say he has a dual personality, but that isn’t actually true and even Kaz has to face up to the fact that she has made herself see the warning signs in a more flattering light so she could deny the truth. But Kaz isn’t the only one who pretends Joey is not all bad; Kaz’s mother and sister are also blind to his faults. Then again, all three Phelps women have been trained to ignore the comings and goings of their menfolk for decades. The only reasons Kaz has her eyes opened has been her time away in prison and the influence of her lawyer, Helen. Her bond with Helen was interesting, but Helen pissed me off. Iunderstand there was an undeniable attraction between these two, but I felt she led Kaz on and created complications Kaz didn’t need, both in terms of rehabilitation in society and in maintaining her sobriety.
But Helen isn’t the only tarnished character on the side of the angels, as those upholding the law aren’t all pristine either. We learn quickly that the Met is compromised and some of its officers are more concerned with serving themselves, rather than justice. The shenanigans of the upper brass are revealed both directly in their own viewpoints and through the viewpoints of two of the really good guys. In DS Nicci Armstrong DC Mal Bradley Wilkins created two very sympathetic characters, who it was easy to root for, while their boss Turnbull was utterly vile in more ways than one. I liked how Wilkins humanised both Nicci and Mal by showing them off the clock, Nicci with her daughter and Mal as he silences his woes by drowning them in alcohol. His struggle with overcoming the prejudices his pretty-boy appearance and his half-Iranian descent occasion was interesting and gave his character an interesting slant.
The pacing and the plot of the novel are fantastic. The story is utterly character-driven, yet the action is very well written and nail-bitingly tense. Wilkins included some heart-breaking events – one in particular made me want to sob – and it is a sign of how invested I was in the characters that I felt so much on their behalf. The road to going straight is a bumpy one for Kaz and the detours Wilkins leads her on are interesting and painful. Kaz’s journey is about betrayal and loyalty in many guises, but the most important lesson Kaz learns is that the most important loyalties she has, are those to herself and to doing what is right, even if that means going against family and the instincts that have been ingrained in her from childhood.
The Informant was a fantastic read and all I can say is I want more—more Kaz, more Nicci and more of Susan Wilkins’ writing. Luckily for me, the next book The Mourner will be out next spring. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a good crime read, I recommend you pick up The Informant.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Kaz is fantastic. Hardened by an awful youth and a stay in jail, she is still surprisingly vulnerable and innocent in some respect. Her almost willfully blind belief in her brother’s better nature and her hope of redeeming him are both touching and frustrating, especially that to the reader it’s clear that Joey is a complete and utter psychopath who thrives on violence. His ability to manipulate Kaz is masterful and at times you could almost say he has a dual personality, but that isn’t actually true and even Kaz has to face up to the fact that she has made herself see the warning signs in a more flattering light so she could deny the truth. But Kaz isn’t the only one who pretends Joey is not all bad; Kaz’s mother and sister are also blind to his faults. Then again, all three Phelps women have been trained to ignore the comings and goings of their menfolk for decades. The only reasons Kaz has her eyes opened has been her time away in prison and the influence of her lawyer, Helen. Her bond with Helen was interesting, but Helen pissed me off. Iunderstand there was an undeniable attraction between these two, but I felt she led Kaz on and created complications Kaz didn’t need, both in terms of rehabilitation in society and in maintaining her sobriety.
But Helen isn’t the only tarnished character on the side of the angels, as those upholding the law aren’t all pristine either. We learn quickly that the Met is compromised and some of its officers are more concerned with serving themselves, rather than justice. The shenanigans of the upper brass are revealed both directly in their own viewpoints and through the viewpoints of two of the really good guys. In DS Nicci Armstrong DC Mal Bradley Wilkins created two very sympathetic characters, who it was easy to root for, while their boss Turnbull was utterly vile in more ways than one. I liked how Wilkins humanised both Nicci and Mal by showing them off the clock, Nicci with her daughter and Mal as he silences his woes by drowning them in alcohol. His struggle with overcoming the prejudices his pretty-boy appearance and his half-Iranian descent occasion was interesting and gave his character an interesting slant.
The pacing and the plot of the novel are fantastic. The story is utterly character-driven, yet the action is very well written and nail-bitingly tense. Wilkins included some heart-breaking events – one in particular made me want to sob – and it is a sign of how invested I was in the characters that I felt so much on their behalf. The road to going straight is a bumpy one for Kaz and the detours Wilkins leads her on are interesting and painful. Kaz’s journey is about betrayal and loyalty in many guises, but the most important lesson Kaz learns is that the most important loyalties she has, are those to herself and to doing what is right, even if that means going against family and the instincts that have been ingrained in her from childhood.
The Informant was a fantastic read and all I can say is I want more—more Kaz, more Nicci and more of Susan Wilkins’ writing. Luckily for me, the next book The Mourner will be out next spring. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a good crime read, I recommend you pick up The Informant.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
April 8, 2015
I was looking forward to this and had seen some pretty good reviews for it. The synopsis sounded very readable and I was pleased that I finally got around to it. First off it’s very readable, now I know that sounds like a silly thing to say but you know what I mean. The writing flows well and the book can be picked up and read with no effort. Realising that Susan Wilkins has moved from the world of script writing is no surprise. Kaz is the main character followed by her brother Joey. It seems Joey has been running the business while Kaz has spent a good few years in prison, for a crime her brother committed.
Kaz and Joey are complete opposites and it was easy to like Kaz as you see her struggle to get to grips with life on the outside. What makes it worse is that she wants to go straight, and Joey seems set on becoming more dangerous than he already is. I liked the copper Nicci Armstrong and thought her and Mal Bradley worked well together. There were a few threads going on within the story but each one held my interest. There was quite a lot of action and the story flowed well, held my interest and kept me reading, which I think I did in just a few sittings, and in a day and a half.
It has been left in such a way that the follow up is something you want to read but I still felt it had been wrapped up well enough and there was no major cliff-hanger. I was very pleased to realise that the second book by Susan Wilkins is out in May 2015 entitled The Mourner. It’s one that I think will be making it to my Kindle sooner rather than later. Certainly a cracking debut and an author I will be looking out for in the future.
Kaz and Joey are complete opposites and it was easy to like Kaz as you see her struggle to get to grips with life on the outside. What makes it worse is that she wants to go straight, and Joey seems set on becoming more dangerous than he already is. I liked the copper Nicci Armstrong and thought her and Mal Bradley worked well together. There were a few threads going on within the story but each one held my interest. There was quite a lot of action and the story flowed well, held my interest and kept me reading, which I think I did in just a few sittings, and in a day and a half.
It has been left in such a way that the follow up is something you want to read but I still felt it had been wrapped up well enough and there was no major cliff-hanger. I was very pleased to realise that the second book by Susan Wilkins is out in May 2015 entitled The Mourner. It’s one that I think will be making it to my Kindle sooner rather than later. Certainly a cracking debut and an author I will be looking out for in the future.
December 21, 2014
This is where I come over all pedantic. I kept getting distracted and irritated by the way the narrative flow got disrupted by poor punctuation. It was a really good example of how punctuation helps make sense of text, by its absence in this instance.
Interesting story set mainly in the City and East End of London, and Essex, my home ground. Can you ever escape your roots and destiny to forge a future based on your talents? Can heroine Kaz break free of her Kray-like criminal family to live a honest future honing her artistic gifts (and not as a forger, unless that is the next episode). She certainly recovers quickly from the injuries sustained in beatings from her mainly misogynistic relatives and is a tower of strength to her badly done-to female family. The plot is good, the characterisation a bit lacking in depth at times. Also, much was made early on of the rules governing her release from prison on licence, yet these were readily flung aside later on. Surely someone in these circumstances would be more concerned about keeping a gun in their home, even if she does consider tossing it from the window? I feel mean being picky, when other readers have been more appreciative. I must say that after the first couple of chapters, I thought about giving up. I'm glad I persevered. Hopefully the sequel will be given slightly more rigourous attention by its editor.
Interesting story set mainly in the City and East End of London, and Essex, my home ground. Can you ever escape your roots and destiny to forge a future based on your talents? Can heroine Kaz break free of her Kray-like criminal family to live a honest future honing her artistic gifts (and not as a forger, unless that is the next episode). She certainly recovers quickly from the injuries sustained in beatings from her mainly misogynistic relatives and is a tower of strength to her badly done-to female family. The plot is good, the characterisation a bit lacking in depth at times. Also, much was made early on of the rules governing her release from prison on licence, yet these were readily flung aside later on. Surely someone in these circumstances would be more concerned about keeping a gun in their home, even if she does consider tossing it from the window? I feel mean being picky, when other readers have been more appreciative. I must say that after the first couple of chapters, I thought about giving up. I'm glad I persevered. Hopefully the sequel will be given slightly more rigourous attention by its editor.
May 4, 2017
This book was recommended by a good friend of mine so I was like yh it's got to be good right. I had really high expectations but it didn't meet them. Don't get me wrong the book is good and worth reading but I found the beginning horrifically slow. If your able to get beyond the it's brilliant but otherwise you will be sorely disappointed.
July 3, 2015
Great, very violent, very pacey book that still takes time to create some real characters.
December 22, 2018
Kaz got 12 years, but serves 6 before she’s let out on parole. She, and her crime family, knows that she took the fall for her brother, Joey, but as if it matters now. But for Kaz, she’s spent years away from their insidious influence and she’s kind of hoping she can have a life of her own and doesn’t have to just pick up where she left off.
The police lost an undercover officer to Joey Phelps, so the next one they send in, they target on his sister. He’s handsome, eager and willing to do what it takes even if honeypot stings are illegal, but Kaz is in love with Helen, her lawyer.
I am halfway through and I have some issues. Kaz has decided that they need to NOT kill people. *blinks* I mean… you can’t run a drug and crime empire and not hurt people. It’s startlingly naive to think you could. And why the heck would Joey agree to this? Whispers - it makes no sense.
I’m struggling to get through the middle… and the head jumping is annoying me. I don’t need someone describing her tits in the middle of a highly tense scene that was in her POV … you know?
Kaz is supposed to be smart but it just takes her too long to work it all out.
2 stars
The police lost an undercover officer to Joey Phelps, so the next one they send in, they target on his sister. He’s handsome, eager and willing to do what it takes even if honeypot stings are illegal, but Kaz is in love with Helen, her lawyer.
I am halfway through and I have some issues. Kaz has decided that they need to NOT kill people. *blinks* I mean… you can’t run a drug and crime empire and not hurt people. It’s startlingly naive to think you could. And why the heck would Joey agree to this? Whispers - it makes no sense.
I’m struggling to get through the middle… and the head jumping is annoying me. I don’t need someone describing her tits in the middle of a highly tense scene that was in her POV … you know?
Kaz is supposed to be smart but it just takes her too long to work it all out.
2 stars
January 15, 2023
Kaz is just being released from prison on parole. She has served her time but is now on licence for the remaining time and just wants to stay clean, above the law and away from the dodgy dealings of her family. That also means her younger brother Joey Phelps who is quite the big time drug merchant in the East end. Kaz has also just served her time on his behalf, she took the blame in stead of him and wouldn’t point the finger when asked. Being inside helped her to quit drugs, learn what she is good at - Art and know that she has value as a person herself not just as a small leg of the Phelps empire!
However as soon as she is out she gets embroiled into family issues within a short time.
Can Kaz stay out of the family crap and dynamics? Can she stay on the right side of the law (or even just out of the clutches or cuffs of the Old Bill?).
This was a page turner. I absolutely loved it. It will leave you on a cliffhanger and this is a 3 book series. I cannot say what cliffhanger book 2 leaves you on but I am opening it as of tomorrow!
some books just grip you and cling to your thoughts at night.
The characters are likeable, well formed and even Psychotic Joey you cannot fail to see his like ability and charm!
However as soon as she is out she gets embroiled into family issues within a short time.
Can Kaz stay out of the family crap and dynamics? Can she stay on the right side of the law (or even just out of the clutches or cuffs of the Old Bill?).
This was a page turner. I absolutely loved it. It will leave you on a cliffhanger and this is a 3 book series. I cannot say what cliffhanger book 2 leaves you on but I am opening it as of tomorrow!
some books just grip you and cling to your thoughts at night.
The characters are likeable, well formed and even Psychotic Joey you cannot fail to see his like ability and charm!
June 19, 2023
Whilst this book did not disappoint, I did find it a little difficult to get into at the beginning. It might be that it was the first audio book I had listened to, and feeling my way around that way of reading, once I was a few chapters in, I was hooked.
I enjoy Lynda la PLant and have read a few of Martina Coles books, and I think Susan Wilkins will become one of those names we call on in the future.
We start off with the main character Kaz Phelps, being released from prison after a 6 year stint with still another 6 months on licence once released. she has to keep her nose clean and to do that, she has her mind set on art classes and avoiding her brother, Joey, and the family. Joey was the reason she was in prison so she wants to avoid getting dragged back into the family business.
Her brother has changed somewhat in the 6 years she was incarcerated and he is now a cold, but charming psychopath, and he is proves desperate to get her back into the fold. After he murders an undercover cop, the police are determined to put him behind bars, if only they could pin it on him.
There are more twists to this riveting story and I really enjoyed the read. I will be reading the next instalment of Kaz’s life and hoping that the next novel is as good as this one .
I enjoy Lynda la PLant and have read a few of Martina Coles books, and I think Susan Wilkins will become one of those names we call on in the future.
We start off with the main character Kaz Phelps, being released from prison after a 6 year stint with still another 6 months on licence once released. she has to keep her nose clean and to do that, she has her mind set on art classes and avoiding her brother, Joey, and the family. Joey was the reason she was in prison so she wants to avoid getting dragged back into the family business.
Her brother has changed somewhat in the 6 years she was incarcerated and he is now a cold, but charming psychopath, and he is proves desperate to get her back into the fold. After he murders an undercover cop, the police are determined to put him behind bars, if only they could pin it on him.
There are more twists to this riveting story and I really enjoyed the read. I will be reading the next instalment of Kaz’s life and hoping that the next novel is as good as this one .
August 16, 2018
I received this book thru the Goodreads First Reads Program in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great read full of action.
I had previously gotten an advance copy of The Killer, which is the 3rd book of this series, from NetGalley and liked it so much that I was very excited to win The Informant.
Kaz Phelps has just been released from prison after a 6 year stretch for taking the blame for a crime her baby brother committed. She wants nothing more than to get on with her life and pursue her interest in the art world. Her little brother has different plans. He expects her to return to the family business of drug dealing. Joey is a psychopath who has little interest in anyone else except in how they can help him make more money, and if he has to kill someone to maintain his kingdom, that's okay with him. He actually enjoys this aspect of his business. Between some crooked cops and her dysfunctional family, Kaz has to find a way to break free and live the life she wants.
This is a great read full of action.
I had previously gotten an advance copy of The Killer, which is the 3rd book of this series, from NetGalley and liked it so much that I was very excited to win The Informant.
Kaz Phelps has just been released from prison after a 6 year stretch for taking the blame for a crime her baby brother committed. She wants nothing more than to get on with her life and pursue her interest in the art world. Her little brother has different plans. He expects her to return to the family business of drug dealing. Joey is a psychopath who has little interest in anyone else except in how they can help him make more money, and if he has to kill someone to maintain his kingdom, that's okay with him. He actually enjoys this aspect of his business. Between some crooked cops and her dysfunctional family, Kaz has to find a way to break free and live the life she wants.
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September 9, 2020My review was first posted on Northern Plunder, you can read more of my reviews there too.
I’ll be honest, didn’t even realise this was a proof copy until last month when I picked it up which means this is very possible the first proof I ever got sent.
Its from 2014
Which is around the time I was still in education and was very hit and miss with my blogging schedule so first of all I’m sending lots of apologise to the publishers for letting them down.
And well my taste in books has changed a lot. The last crime book I read all the way through I had a lot of thoughts on and decided I’d probably had enough with the genre.
I tried again for The Informant though and noped out very early on when it was pretty violent but the guy was having a Good Time whilst partaking in the violence. Sorry! I tried even with my doubts.
I’ll be honest, didn’t even realise this was a proof copy until last month when I picked it up which means this is very possible the first proof I ever got sent.
Its from 2014
Which is around the time I was still in education and was very hit and miss with my blogging schedule so first of all I’m sending lots of apologise to the publishers for letting them down.
And well my taste in books has changed a lot. The last crime book I read all the way through I had a lot of thoughts on and decided I’d probably had enough with the genre.
I tried again for The Informant though and noped out very early on when it was pretty violent but the guy was having a Good Time whilst partaking in the violence. Sorry! I tried even with my doubts.
September 6, 2017
I won this book from Goodreads. When I received it in the mail I have to say that my first thought was that it might really not be that great a book. I really do not like the cover of the paperback. It reminded me of a cheap romantic thriller. But when I read the back cover the storyline interested me. I thought I would give it a try and if i did not like it, I did not have to finish it. Well the saying "you cannot judge a book by its' cover" is definitely true in this case. I enjoyed the book. I found I really got involved with the character and what was happening to them. I thought the story was really interesting and the writing style was really enjoyable. I would recommend that others give this book a try. There are other books in the series and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them.
August 12, 2018
This was one of the worst books I ever read. The plot was totally predictable from page 3. Only the most naive and brain dead could not guess at how it will end. The intermittent developments also were largely predictable. Therefore, the author has failed to make this book gripping. I have never had a book in my hands dripping in such an intense foul language. Every single page had a handful of vulgar, obscene and expletive terms. I understand that "f" and "b" words are the norm in the parts of our society where this book plays but a more sparsely sprinkled use of offensive words would have been more acceptable, especially as they often add nothing whatsoever to the story line. With books like this in circulation, it is small wonder that many people know no better than speak in vulgar terms. POOR.
April 17, 2020
I must begin by mentioning the narrator, Lucy Price-Lewis, who reads this book so well. I can't imagine actually reading a copy of this work after having listened to Ms Price-Lewis read two of this series. She is exceptionally good.
This is the first book in a trilogy (to my knowledge) and I started on number 3 which meant that I knew more than I should have done when starting this book. Strangely, this didn't spoil my enjoyment of The Informant which mostly held my interest throughout. It was just the end that I found a little disappointing - but that could be because I know what happens in Book 3. The action is so fast-moving and the characters so believable that this just rushes along at breakneck speed and I struggled to turn off my MP3 player. I've now got to get hold of Book 2 to see how Book 3 got to where it ended up! Highly recommended.
This is the first book in a trilogy (to my knowledge) and I started on number 3 which meant that I knew more than I should have done when starting this book. Strangely, this didn't spoil my enjoyment of The Informant which mostly held my interest throughout. It was just the end that I found a little disappointing - but that could be because I know what happens in Book 3. The action is so fast-moving and the characters so believable that this just rushes along at breakneck speed and I struggled to turn off my MP3 player. I've now got to get hold of Book 2 to see how Book 3 got to where it ended up! Highly recommended.
March 19, 2017
I came across this by accident when I was trawling through Amazon. It sounded interesting so I thought I would give it a go. I think fans of Martina Cole may like this. It is authors debut novel I believe.
Kaz is a victim of childhood sexual abuse from her father and cousin. Her family are Essex criminals. Her father is now in the corner of the living room in a vegetative state reclining in a wheelchair following a stroke with her brother Joey in charge of the family firm. Joey has great plans to take the family business of drug supply online!
Kaz has spent 6 years in prison for a crime committed by Joey and is now out on licence. She wants to go ‘straight’ and be an art student.
However life with her brother isn’t easy and as well as that she is in love with her lawyer Helen.
This book is fast moving. It shows up some very shady practices by the Police, like acting like a health worker to get information from a girl in hospital detoxing with the permission of her medical team. With medical ethics, confidentiality and patient responsibility I find it hard to believe. It feels very like one of Ray Winstone’s gangster characters or Kray twins on speed to be honest.
I had ordered book 2 and three in the series but have quickly cancelled this order.
I do not enjoy that kind of book, swiftly crossing the road to avoid anything like Martina Cole. This will be loved by some but for me I could not personally recommend it.
Kaz is a victim of childhood sexual abuse from her father and cousin. Her family are Essex criminals. Her father is now in the corner of the living room in a vegetative state reclining in a wheelchair following a stroke with her brother Joey in charge of the family firm. Joey has great plans to take the family business of drug supply online!
Kaz has spent 6 years in prison for a crime committed by Joey and is now out on licence. She wants to go ‘straight’ and be an art student.
However life with her brother isn’t easy and as well as that she is in love with her lawyer Helen.
This book is fast moving. It shows up some very shady practices by the Police, like acting like a health worker to get information from a girl in hospital detoxing with the permission of her medical team. With medical ethics, confidentiality and patient responsibility I find it hard to believe. It feels very like one of Ray Winstone’s gangster characters or Kray twins on speed to be honest.
I had ordered book 2 and three in the series but have quickly cancelled this order.
I do not enjoy that kind of book, swiftly crossing the road to avoid anything like Martina Cole. This will be loved by some but for me I could not personally recommend it.
February 12, 2020
Really gripping rollercoaster ride through the vicious lives of an Essex criminal family and the attempts to escape the family by Kaz who has just been released from gaol on licence.
The twists and turns are provided more by the development of the main character rather than the narrative arc
The sub-plot of intrigue within the Met is interesting and points to the current breakdown in political will to own up to what is required of governments to support a society under stress - can't say any more on that front as it may just be a spoiler.
Solid 4 stars from me.
The twists and turns are provided more by the development of the main character rather than the narrative arc
The sub-plot of intrigue within the Met is interesting and points to the current breakdown in political will to own up to what is required of governments to support a society under stress - can't say any more on that front as it may just be a spoiler.
Solid 4 stars from me.
July 30, 2017
This was recommended to me by a friend he thought I would enjoy it, this is an author I have never heard of before. This was an absolutely fantastic book and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. This was such a great book that I'm not going to give anything else away. It was full of suspense and action from the first page to the last. Could not put this down.
August 6, 2022
#borrowbox
#audiobook
This was August's bookgroup book.
When it started , I did think I'm not going to enjoy this . It starts very graphically and violently.
Once I got past the start and into the characters of Kaz and her brother Joey it got really interesting. I loved Kaz, brilliant strong woman and character .
An interesting and different read
#audiobook
This was August's bookgroup book.
When it started , I did think I'm not going to enjoy this . It starts very graphically and violently.
Once I got past the start and into the characters of Kaz and her brother Joey it got really interesting. I loved Kaz, brilliant strong woman and character .
An interesting and different read
September 7, 2022
When Caz Phelps is released from prison she wants to go to art college and make something of herself. Unfortunately she has a family that have been involved in crime and they want Caz back in the family business.
After the murder of an undercover police officer the police want Caz's brother behind bars and they seek to coerce Caz to help them achieve this.
After the murder of an undercover police officer the police want Caz's brother behind bars and they seek to coerce Caz to help them achieve this.
May 24, 2017
Fast paced and a fun read, just a shame the storyline was so crap. It reads like a bad imitation of a good crime novel.
June 8, 2017
Really enjoyed this one. A bit more gritty than typical crime books, focussing on the criminal Phelps family. Looking forward to the next one
September 7, 2017
A book recommendation so not my usual genre - an okay read that kept my interest.
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