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The Mallen Trilogy #1
The Mallen Streak
Thomas Mallen of High Banks Hall had many sons, most of them bastards. But to all of them he passed on his mark--a distinctive flash of white hair running to the left temple, known as the Mallen Streak. It was said that those who bore the Streak seldom reached old age or died in bed, and that nothing good ever came of a Mallen.Nor did it. In 1851, Thomas Mallen found himself a ruined man, forced amid scandal and disgrace, to sell the Hall and adjust to a new and very different mode of living. With him went his two young wards and their indomitable governess. Then, into their lives came the Radlet brothers of Wilbur Farm, one of whom bore the unmistakable Mallen Streak.THE MALLEN STREAK is the first in a trilogy of novels following the fortunes of the Mallens through succeeding generations.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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About the author
Catherine Cookson
501 books683 followersCatherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.
Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.
For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.
Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.
For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 6, 2020
What an unpleasant set of characters!
It's ironic how Thomas Mallen lived to be almost seventy and he was the worst of the lot while his arrogant son met his end in his twenties. I almost felt sorry for him because I shared his negative feelings towards the governess, Anne. In the end I really didn't expect all those demises.
It's ironic how Thomas Mallen lived to be almost seventy and he was the worst of the lot while his arrogant son met his end in his twenties. I almost felt sorry for him because I shared his negative feelings towards the governess, Anne. In the end I really didn't expect all those demises.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2009
This is my first Catherine Cookson novel and it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is not deep, meaningful, or even thought evoking but is an entertaining family drama that had me on the edge of my seat from page 2. (Page one was scenery descriptions)
Meet the Mallens, a rich family in 1851. The head of the Mallens is Thomas, a very arrogant man who has sired numerous bastards across the surrounding farms. He has one legitimate son and one daughter (who really plays no role in the book whatsoever). The legitimate son commits a crime at the same time that Thomas loses his lands, house, and all his frivolous possesssions. A life of hard gambling and unpaid debts has caught up with both Mallen men. When his fugitive son disappears, Thomas Mallen is taken down a few pegs and becomes dependent on his mistress Anna, also his nieces' governess.
His nieces are Barbara and Constance. Readers will be charmed by the closeness of the sisters as they grow together and intrigued by their relationship with Anna. All these women, including the maid, Mary, form a strong bond and throughout many horrors, tragedies, and difficulties, the bond remains intact. And there is no small amount of difficulties as one of Thomas's bastard sons proceeds to enter their lives and upon taking one of the nieces to wife, attempts to exact his revenge on the entire family thru her, to hell with whoever gets harmed in the process.
A terrific family story. There is no end to the drama or surprises. There is scandal and shame and betrayal, but also love, affection, and trust. The ending is not necessarily happy for all, but does introduce babies Michael and Barbara which I feel we will be reading more of in the next book, The Mallen Girl.
This is the first of a trilogy and I am eager to begin the next book.
Meet the Mallens, a rich family in 1851. The head of the Mallens is Thomas, a very arrogant man who has sired numerous bastards across the surrounding farms. He has one legitimate son and one daughter (who really plays no role in the book whatsoever). The legitimate son commits a crime at the same time that Thomas loses his lands, house, and all his frivolous possesssions. A life of hard gambling and unpaid debts has caught up with both Mallen men. When his fugitive son disappears, Thomas Mallen is taken down a few pegs and becomes dependent on his mistress Anna, also his nieces' governess.
His nieces are Barbara and Constance. Readers will be charmed by the closeness of the sisters as they grow together and intrigued by their relationship with Anna. All these women, including the maid, Mary, form a strong bond and throughout many horrors, tragedies, and difficulties, the bond remains intact. And there is no small amount of difficulties as one of Thomas's bastard sons proceeds to enter their lives and upon taking one of the nieces to wife, attempts to exact his revenge on the entire family thru her, to hell with whoever gets harmed in the process.
A terrific family story. There is no end to the drama or surprises. There is scandal and shame and betrayal, but also love, affection, and trust. The ending is not necessarily happy for all, but does introduce babies Michael and Barbara which I feel we will be reading more of in the next book, The Mallen Girl.
This is the first of a trilogy and I am eager to begin the next book.
May 20, 2012
Just arrived from UK through BM.
This is the first book of the Mallen's Trilogy.
The plot describes how a rich family, the Mallens, have their destiny subtle changed by Thomas son, a real gambler. But Thomas is also very well known as a rapist among the village women. This brings a lot of tragedy, vengeance and forbidden love into the narrative.
Dame Cookson had a prodigal way of writing captivating stories and give us another great masterpiece of literary fiction.
The story continues with the second volume of this trilogy, The Mallen Girl.
This is the first book of the Mallen's Trilogy.
The plot describes how a rich family, the Mallens, have their destiny subtle changed by Thomas son, a real gambler. But Thomas is also very well known as a rapist among the village women. This brings a lot of tragedy, vengeance and forbidden love into the narrative.
Dame Cookson had a prodigal way of writing captivating stories and give us another great masterpiece of literary fiction.
The story continues with the second volume of this trilogy, The Mallen Girl.
December 31, 2017
Yet another brilliant story by Catherine Cookson. Storytelling at it's best.
April 14, 2009
I have to add this to GR really although I have little interest in Cookson's books because she is (distantly) related to me - my grandmother's cousin. I grew up with her books around the house (about the only books around the house) and knew the area she writes about very well from my summer holidays spent in Jarrow (the coastline along there - near South shields - used to have flags saying you are now entering Cookson country). It was as poverty-struck then (when I went up in the 60s & 70s as a child & teenager) as it is described in her books of the forties & fifties.
Therefore I have read several of her books but this can stand in for them all. You have to praise her for her ability to hook readers: during my two year stint in public libraries (1980-82) she was by far the most popular writer. Thus the three stars, but I can remember little about them.
Therefore I have read several of her books but this can stand in for them all. You have to praise her for her ability to hook readers: during my two year stint in public libraries (1980-82) she was by far the most popular writer. Thus the three stars, but I can remember little about them.
May 24, 2016
I read this years ago, not sure of the date. What I do remember is this: I LOVED THIS STORY! As soon as I saw the title I remembered it. This book will make you cry beautiful tears. A traditional, heartwrenching romance from the pen of an expert story teller.
September 27, 2020
Having recently read the biography of the life of Catherine Cookson, and having moved close to Hexham, I decided it was about time to delve into some classic Cookson novels. I started with The Mallen Streak. I have a vague recollection of reading this when I was about ten or eleven years old but not really understanding a lot of the complex relationships. Note to my mother - it is never wise to leave such explicit reading on the shelves when you have daughters who are prolific readers, and especially when we only got to go the library once a week.
This is the first of her novels I have read with adult eyes. It was a revelation. The characterisation is complex and rich, and the setting evocative, painted with meticulous attention to detail. One particular descriptive passage was striking: 'The day was bleak, the hills looked cold and lonely as if they had never felt the warmth of the sun or borne the tread of a human foot...' The personification of the natural world, attributing it with human emotion is done with understated brilliance.
I am really struggling to understand why Cookson is labelled with the romantic/historical novelist. While it is certainly a historical novel, romance is not a priority. Indeed, in this particular novel the strongest romantic relationships having something rotten at the heart of them - the loyalty of the uptight Miss Brigmore to the despicable Thomas Mallen, and the love between Constance and the brother of her husband, which at the time the novel was set, was incest. What Cookson does is explore the darker side of human nature and the consequences that follow from a man failing to curb his baser desires. Rape and violence are common place, written with a despairing acceptance that this is just the way life was for women.
I was particularly taken with Miss Brigmore - written so well, largely in part because Cookson flows between calling her Miss Brigmore, the governess struggling to make a living in a world that has not been kind to her, and Anna, a woman with desires and frustrated dreams which lead to her abandoning all hope of security to pander to the whims of the despicable Mallen. Her gutted dreams seem somehow representative of the fate of many a woman who puts her trust in a man.
There are some flaws. Cookson's understanding of the law was not quite correct. Nevertheless, this did not detract from the overall story telling, and I only knew that her understanding of the law was incorrect because I have studied nineteenth century law in some detail.
The book was fast-paced, and if anything the ending seemed to come about too quickly. I have since discovered that the book became a series.
As an adult introduction to a revered Northern writer, I wonder again why is it that she barely rates a mention when discussing the giants of English literature. Her work is vibrant, relevant and creates a portrait of the past of the North that should not be forgotten. I will be reading more.
This is the first of her novels I have read with adult eyes. It was a revelation. The characterisation is complex and rich, and the setting evocative, painted with meticulous attention to detail. One particular descriptive passage was striking: 'The day was bleak, the hills looked cold and lonely as if they had never felt the warmth of the sun or borne the tread of a human foot...' The personification of the natural world, attributing it with human emotion is done with understated brilliance.
I am really struggling to understand why Cookson is labelled with the romantic/historical novelist. While it is certainly a historical novel, romance is not a priority. Indeed, in this particular novel the strongest romantic relationships having something rotten at the heart of them - the loyalty of the uptight Miss Brigmore to the despicable Thomas Mallen, and the love between Constance and the brother of her husband, which at the time the novel was set, was incest. What Cookson does is explore the darker side of human nature and the consequences that follow from a man failing to curb his baser desires. Rape and violence are common place, written with a despairing acceptance that this is just the way life was for women.
I was particularly taken with Miss Brigmore - written so well, largely in part because Cookson flows between calling her Miss Brigmore, the governess struggling to make a living in a world that has not been kind to her, and Anna, a woman with desires and frustrated dreams which lead to her abandoning all hope of security to pander to the whims of the despicable Mallen. Her gutted dreams seem somehow representative of the fate of many a woman who puts her trust in a man.
There are some flaws. Cookson's understanding of the law was not quite correct. Nevertheless, this did not detract from the overall story telling, and I only knew that her understanding of the law was incorrect because I have studied nineteenth century law in some detail.
The book was fast-paced, and if anything the ending seemed to come about too quickly. I have since discovered that the book became a series.
As an adult introduction to a revered Northern writer, I wonder again why is it that she barely rates a mention when discussing the giants of English literature. Her work is vibrant, relevant and creates a portrait of the past of the North that should not be forgotten. I will be reading more.
November 16, 2018
Cookson is the undisputed ruler of Historical Fiction, Romance Division. Avoids the dull and obvious prose choices. For instance, when one of the young lady protagonists on horseback fears an approaching storm, she turns to her riding companion and instead of saying, 'Can you make the horse hurry?', she gives us the much better 'Can ... can you make it hurry, the horse?'.
May 25, 2020
This book made me craving for old Spanish/Mexican telenovelas I watched carefully as a child. I've adored it.
November 2, 2009
I liked this book and it isn't too long. Will be interesting to see what happens to the young Barbara. This is a very good author. I like her style of writing. This book doesn't have the emotional pull as others do but maybe the next one will.
October 20, 2025
4.5* Set in the 1850s Northumberland. Well developed and brilliantly told tale of the Mallens. Good social historical background and characters strong and well rounded.
May 20, 2023
The Mallen Streak breaks all the writing rules and crosses over into my personal reading pet peeves with the character perspective transitions every other paragraph or sometimes sentence, the massive and abrupt time jumps, the summarization and telling over showing, and the almost mean-spirited undercurrent to the way the story and characters commit to indulging the worst possible decisions and impulses. There is nothing romantic or glamourizing about this historical fiction. Cruel fate and early death seem to be the Mallen Streak as much as the identifying white strip of hair. And yet, I was still taken in by these characters and their suffering and hanging on a string to know what will become of the next generation of cursed Mallens. On to the sequel!!
September 9, 2017
A study into the extremes that originate from insecurity and increasing paranoia. An appreciation for the kind of unwavering loyalty that every employer is looking for. The agony of love that this near, even accessible, but never realized.
Sisterly love that runs deeper than almost any kind one can experience in life.
And, the echoes of a curse that rings forward from generation to generation.
So much packed into this one short story.
I recommend Catherine Cookson's "The Mallen Streak!"
Sisterly love that runs deeper than almost any kind one can experience in life.
And, the echoes of a curse that rings forward from generation to generation.
So much packed into this one short story.
I recommend Catherine Cookson's "The Mallen Streak!"
March 26, 2025
This is only my 2nd Catherine Cookson book. I was told a few times to try her books. My late father was a big reader of her books. This book is the 1st of a trilogy about the Mallen family. The boys are all born with the unlucky white streak in their hair. Thomas Mallen the owner of a Stately home goes bankrupt and has to move in with his 2 nieces and their governess. Several tragedies befall the family. I shall read the 2nd book to see what happens.
September 27, 2023
This was entertaining. My first Catherine Cookson and I have to say I’m pleased with it. The writing is decent and if you want plot driven you can’t go wrong with this one. Let’s be honest she wasn’t going to get a Pulitzer for her work, but she’s a bestseller for a reason. I have a couple more of Cookson’s books and I will be reading them next.
December 1, 2016
A good book. I haven't read a Catherine Cookson book in a while. I enjoyed this one. I think the author may have been inspired a bit by Emily Bronte for this one. Thanks to Angela Pike for recommending this series! On to book 2...
February 3, 2020
I was hooked on Catherine Cook, I read all her books,
The Mallon Streak was fabulous the men had the streak white hair over his left temple
This book is the start of the tale of the family their mishaps their bad luck their love life’s
The Mallon Streak was fabulous the men had the streak white hair over his left temple
This book is the start of the tale of the family their mishaps their bad luck their love life’s
April 19, 2022
I read this as a young teen. I think I learned social history from Catherine Cookson & her descriptions of poverty as much as the school text books. The fiction brought the fact to life using unchallenging language.
March 24, 2025
I first read this over 20 years ago i grew up reading Catherines books she is a book idol of mine the queen of sagas. The Mallen streak is a special trilogy to me as it was one of the first. This is packed with drama and tragedy just brilliant!
September 13, 2018
Read this on the airplane. it was OK. Probably not one of her better books.
September 16, 2019
Always enjoy a Catherine Cookson book
December 28, 2019
Read YEARS ago! Re-reading the trilogy. Glad I can't remember it! Still, a great read!
February 23, 2020
A fantastic read a real page Turner will keep the reader capuvated from the first page
September 22, 2020
One of the best Catherine Cookson novels I've ever read. Flew through this in around 3 days.
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December 10, 2020Read Dec 2020
January 18, 2021
Usually I enjoy her books, but this one had so many shallow, vengeful characters and was so slow that it took me a long time to finish it. I don’t recommend it.
July 9, 2022
Quick read for a multi-generational saga, which kept me from being completely immersed in it, but it did make me cry, so a bonus star for that. Already onto the next book--The Mallen Girl.
April 10, 2023
Bra bok dock lite "gammalmodigt" skriven men klart läsvärd. Gillade karaktärer. Del 1 i serie.
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July 11, 2023Fantastic triology. Wonderful books
October 5, 2023
Beautiful, Sad, Authentic
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews