'The Feud' is a rollercoaster ride of drama, mystery and violence - and the same can certainly be said for the 'The Traitor' and 'The Victim'.
Messrs Mitchell & O'Hara:
When what starts out as a turf war between notorious East End gangster Harry Mitchell, and traveller kingpin Butch O'Hara, turns into a blood feud between their sons (Eddie Mitchell and Jimmy O'Hara), things get messy!
With each new generation piling into the fight, and with every new action calling for a new reaction, they've all developed an appetite for revenge - but none more than Jimmy's youngest son: Jed O'Hara.
When Jed O'Hara comes of age, we finally realise that Butch and Jimmy were just the warm-up acts for the real bad guy of the series. Whilst they were distracting Eddie with their misdeeds, the devil was hiding in plain sight.
Jed O'Hara:
The cheerful and charming, smooth-talking, traveller who wins Frankie Mitchell's heart.
When we begin to see behind Jed's friendly facade, however, it becomes clear that he's a textbook psychopath - with a horrible secret.
Unlike Eddie, Jed doesn't have a big team at his disposal, but that's not his style. He keeps things simple, and doesn't live under his father's shadow. Jed's cousin Sammy is his loyal right-hand-man, and Jed's mother Alice O'Hara has a sixth-sense for trouble, which comes in handy on more than one occasion.
Jed's character is brilliantly devious, and it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine how he can ever be stopped. He is a scheming, sneaky and resourceful guy, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Frankie Mitchell:
Frankie and her twin brother Joey (the children from Eddie's second marriage), started off as just a couple of normal kids. Having been kept away from their father's business, they lived quite a sheltered and privileged life until their mother's untimely end.
Upon moving into Jed's trailer, however, Frankie realises too late that she's signed-up for a very different way of life. Unfortunately for Frankie, there is no chance of backing out because she's burned all of her bridges.
Nevertheless, things start looking up for Frankie when Jed moves their trailer onto Sammy's land and Frankie makes friends with Kerry, Sammy's partner.
Nothing ever goes well for long, of course, and when Frankie suspects Jed of cheating on her, her investigations lead to the horrible truth about Jed's secret.
Jed's Secret:
It's Jed's secret that sees Frankie end up in prison at the end of 'The Traitor', and this secret fuels even more disaster in the final book, 'The Victim'.
The secret concerns Eddie, but Frankie knows that if she tells her father, he'll do something impulsive and end up back in prison. This secret is also the thing standing between Frankie and her chances of seeing her children again.
Frankie is in an impossible position, but with a couple of unlikely allies, she tries to make things right. Things, however, never go according to plan!
The Last Word:
Joycie and Stanley are a hoot as always.
We see Joey's transition from the sidelines and his transformation into an indispensable character.
Ronny and Paulie become the side-show that Eddie could do without.
There are some births, a spattering of deaths, and a marriage along the way.
We're also introduced to a few new and interesting characters.
Kimberley Chambers masterfully weaves together this menacing Easter-egg hunt of a series!
So if you're an avid reader of crime fiction, a mystery junkie, or someone of the thrill-seeking persuasion, then you'll love the Mitchell & O'Hara series.
Thanks for reading!
D x