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Molls Like It Hot
Evie Brown used to serve in the Army, until a tragic loss forced him to return to civilian life earlier than planned. Now he drives one of London's iconic black cabs. On a dark, wet night, he gives a lift to a wounded gangster, and everything changes from that point on.
When the gangster gets in touch some time later, offering Eyrie a small fortune if he will take care of a mysterious young woman for a few nights, Eyrie is suspicious and hesitant. He can see trouble ahead, but the money will change his life for the better, so he reluctantly agrees to become a temporary guardian. But some deals should never be struck, and his charge turns out to be far more of a handful than he had ever anticipated. As twist follows twist and the bodies start to mount, Eyrie gets backed into a blood-soaked corner and must resort to desperate, inventive measures if he is to stand any chance of seeing his mission through and making it out of the weekend alive.
Fast-paced, action-packed, gritty London-based noir, inspired by the likes of Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, with a large tip of the hat to the Billy Wilder movie Some Like It Hot.
When the gangster gets in touch some time later, offering Eyrie a small fortune if he will take care of a mysterious young woman for a few nights, Eyrie is suspicious and hesitant. He can see trouble ahead, but the money will change his life for the better, so he reluctantly agrees to become a temporary guardian. But some deals should never be struck, and his charge turns out to be far more of a handful than he had ever anticipated. As twist follows twist and the bodies start to mount, Eyrie gets backed into a blood-soaked corner and must resort to desperate, inventive measures if he is to stand any chance of seeing his mission through and making it out of the weekend alive.
Fast-paced, action-packed, gritty London-based noir, inspired by the likes of Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, with a large tip of the hat to the Billy Wilder movie Some Like It Hot.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2019
25 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Darren Dash
6 books323 followersDarren Dash was born in England in 1972, but has spent most of his life in Ireland, where he lives with his wife and son. In his day job, under a different name, he has sold over 25 million books worldwide, mainly in the YA market. But he feels much more at home in the nights of his adult worlds...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
August 1, 2020
Edit : Read roughly eight months ago. Not sure why the date changed after rereading it. Was lucky enough to get receive an advanced copy. Another great work from the master of horror. Gritty , dark and addicting. Has so many twists but wouldn't be a shan book without them. Found myself glued to my seat in a hypnotic trance unable to stop reading! Very much enjoyed seeing him venture into the world of gangsters. It's short with no frills . The hooks are there from page one. Highly recommend!
March 2, 2021
Great as usual
Great book again Mr Dash and another rug pull right at the end just to keep you on your toes. Couldn't put it down. Looking forward to the next.
Great book again Mr Dash and another rug pull right at the end just to keep you on your toes. Couldn't put it down. Looking forward to the next.
January 14, 2023
Gripped from the very first page! A few twists and turns - a joy to read
December 6, 2019
I received this as an arc a few weeks back. I've ashamedly haven't read any of Darren Dash adults books before this one. I definitely plan to read more of them. I have read a few of his children books under the name Darren Shan.
I've not read a gangster story before, but I do appreciate gangster movies and TV Shows so when I read the blurb I instantly agreed to the arc with no doubts that it wouldn't good.
Darren Dash is a great writer but seeing it in an adult book, you can see how amazing his writing truly is. The writing in this book had a great flow, very descriptive and really natural dialogue. The characters all had their unique personalities and that really came through in the book.
When I began reading the book, I knew instantly that I liked the writing style as the book starts out with a description of a taxi driver sitting looking out at a wet cold London and then jumped straight into the action. 6 pages in I was hooked.
The book was very fast paced and I was really happy with the length of it. Any longer and it wouldn't have been very good. The snappiness of it was what kept the nice flow of the plot. Now I'm not going to say it was perfect. It did have some slow scenes, some were more dialogue than the continuation of the plot. But in some cases these scenes were good and needed as it showed us more of the main character.
If you looking into this and think that because it's a gangster story it's going to be all doom and gloom. Yes there is plenty of that but there is also really funny scenes and funny things said by characters. Such as a joke about Jesus riding a canoe. The imagery of that made me have a little giggle.
The main character is Eyrie Brown a taxi driver with a darker past. The book was written in his perspective as he deals with the task from gangster boss Lewis Brue to look after a woman named Toni. Eyrie is a really interesting character, and we find out so much about him as the story goes on. I loved his character development. We also see another side of Toni as the book progresses and I really appreciate that character development too.
Although I do admit, I did feel there was too many characters at one point being thrown about. Lewis lists all of his friends in one chapter and just seemed a bit too much for the most part. Some of them were mentioned again later on a bit more but the rest were barely mentioned probably could have been left out.
The part I loved the most in this book was the ending, I could not predict it. There was so many twists straight after the other I couldn't put the book down. It was a great conclusion to this book. I really enjoyed the book and if Darren Dash was planning to make anymore books in this universe, I'd recommend a prequel about Lewis Brue. Love to know how he became a gang boss.
I highly recommend this book. It was something a bit different to what I'm use to, something not fantasy for change. But a welcomed change, I'm glad I read it.
Read more reviews of mine at www.angelicimpressions.blogspot.com
I've not read a gangster story before, but I do appreciate gangster movies and TV Shows so when I read the blurb I instantly agreed to the arc with no doubts that it wouldn't good.
Darren Dash is a great writer but seeing it in an adult book, you can see how amazing his writing truly is. The writing in this book had a great flow, very descriptive and really natural dialogue. The characters all had their unique personalities and that really came through in the book.
When I began reading the book, I knew instantly that I liked the writing style as the book starts out with a description of a taxi driver sitting looking out at a wet cold London and then jumped straight into the action. 6 pages in I was hooked.
The book was very fast paced and I was really happy with the length of it. Any longer and it wouldn't have been very good. The snappiness of it was what kept the nice flow of the plot. Now I'm not going to say it was perfect. It did have some slow scenes, some were more dialogue than the continuation of the plot. But in some cases these scenes were good and needed as it showed us more of the main character.
If you looking into this and think that because it's a gangster story it's going to be all doom and gloom. Yes there is plenty of that but there is also really funny scenes and funny things said by characters. Such as a joke about Jesus riding a canoe. The imagery of that made me have a little giggle.
The main character is Eyrie Brown a taxi driver with a darker past. The book was written in his perspective as he deals with the task from gangster boss Lewis Brue to look after a woman named Toni. Eyrie is a really interesting character, and we find out so much about him as the story goes on. I loved his character development. We also see another side of Toni as the book progresses and I really appreciate that character development too.
Although I do admit, I did feel there was too many characters at one point being thrown about. Lewis lists all of his friends in one chapter and just seemed a bit too much for the most part. Some of them were mentioned again later on a bit more but the rest were barely mentioned probably could have been left out.
The part I loved the most in this book was the ending, I could not predict it. There was so many twists straight after the other I couldn't put the book down. It was a great conclusion to this book. I really enjoyed the book and if Darren Dash was planning to make anymore books in this universe, I'd recommend a prequel about Lewis Brue. Love to know how he became a gang boss.
I highly recommend this book. It was something a bit different to what I'm use to, something not fantasy for change. But a welcomed change, I'm glad I read it.
Read more reviews of mine at www.angelicimpressions.blogspot.com
December 10, 2019
Just like any of Darren Dash’s books I was hooked from the beginning to the end! “Molls like it hot” is the best book I’ve read in a while. It’s brilliant, horrific and at times very comedic plot will keep you turning pages for hours.
An ex army vet Eyrie Brown now works as a cab driver. While driving one of his routs he picks up a gangster who has been injured. To show his gratitude, the gangster offers Eyrie a large sum of money to keep someone safe for the weekend. He’s suspicious of the gangster and is worried there might be a catch. But the money could really help him out so he agrees. It’s just a weekend. Right? How hard can it be to lay low and keep one person unharmed for that amount of time?
He then realizes that he’s underestimated the severity of the situation...... It’s way worse than he could have imagined! Paired with an unpredictable psychopath, he has to figure out just how to handle her and her recklessness until the weekend is over. But keeping her out of trouble proves just too much for him to handle. And he will have to risk his life in the hopes of saving hers.
No part of this book is boring. It’s well written and fast paced plot will keep you guessing until the very end. “Molls Like it Hot” is definitely worth reading and gets a five star out of five star rating from me! I have no doubt that this book will be re read many times.
An ex army vet Eyrie Brown now works as a cab driver. While driving one of his routs he picks up a gangster who has been injured. To show his gratitude, the gangster offers Eyrie a large sum of money to keep someone safe for the weekend. He’s suspicious of the gangster and is worried there might be a catch. But the money could really help him out so he agrees. It’s just a weekend. Right? How hard can it be to lay low and keep one person unharmed for that amount of time?
He then realizes that he’s underestimated the severity of the situation...... It’s way worse than he could have imagined! Paired with an unpredictable psychopath, he has to figure out just how to handle her and her recklessness until the weekend is over. But keeping her out of trouble proves just too much for him to handle. And he will have to risk his life in the hopes of saving hers.
No part of this book is boring. It’s well written and fast paced plot will keep you guessing until the very end. “Molls Like it Hot” is definitely worth reading and gets a five star out of five star rating from me! I have no doubt that this book will be re read many times.
January 3, 2020
Disclaimer: got a an electronic copy prior to publishing.
I really liked this book. It got my hooked pretty early on, and it had a couple of totally unexpected twists and turns in the storyline.
The book itself is pretty gruesome at some points. Darren really doesn't limit what you as a read are going to experience. To not spoil the fun, I won't go into details here.
The story itself is a gangster story with a little bit of romance.
I really liked this book. It got my hooked pretty early on, and it had a couple of totally unexpected twists and turns in the storyline.
The book itself is pretty gruesome at some points. Darren really doesn't limit what you as a read are going to experience. To not spoil the fun, I won't go into details here.
The story itself is a gangster story with a little bit of romance.
January 14, 2020
I enjoyed this a lot if it wasn't wrote by darren dash I wouldn't of picked it up or given it a second look.
The writing was great as always and I didn't see the twists coming.
The writing was great as always and I didn't see the twists coming.
August 7, 2020
Recensione su World of Interests
Oggi vi parlo di un libro molto particolare, scritto da uno dei miei autori preferiti. Di suo, prima di questo libro, avevo letto solo libri per bambini e ragazzi. Questo invece è un libro per adulti.
Trigger Warnings: Omicidio, violenza, tortura, atti sessuali non consensuali, menzione di stupro
Quando Eyrie Brown fa salire sul suo taxi un gangster, si aspetta di essere ucciso o, almeno, di non incontrarlo più; ma il gangster lo contatta, chiedendogli di fare un lavoro per lui: in cambio di una grande quantità di soldi, dovrà proteggere e enere nascosta una giovane donna durante il weekend. Eyrie accetta, e da lì le cose vanno piuttosto male.
Avendo letto solo libri per ragazzi di quest’autore prima di Molls like it hot, non sapevo bene cosa aspettarmi. Ovviamente è molto diverso e, pur essendoci temi molto seri anche nella serie di Cirque du Freak e nella saga di Larten Crepsley questi non sono così espliciti. La cosa non mi ha disturbata, anzi, volevo vedere fino a che punto i personaggi si sarebbero spinti. Tra gangster rivali e omicidi, Darren Dash è riuscito a farmi leggere un genere che non avrei mai letto altrimenti. Sicuramente non è per i deboli di stomaco, soprattutto per quanto riguarda una certa scena. Ci sono un sacco di plot twist che ti tengono attaccato al libro, dicendoti “ancora un’altra pagina.” Il finale, poi, è piuttosto sanguinario e mi è piaciuto tantissimo.
I personaggi hanno catturato il mio interesse: tutti hanno i loro scopi, le loro vendette, a partire da Eyrie, che dimostra un carattere totalmente diverso da quello che si pensa all’inizio. È un personaggio che, se all’inizio pensiamo sia abbastanza tranquillo e diverso dal gangster che lo assume, si dimostra rancoroso e violento. Non me lo aspettavo, ed è stata una bella sorpresa.
Toni, la ragazza di cui si deve prendere cura Eyrie, all’inizio è di un’antipatia disarmante e anche un po’ una rottura di scatole. La sua evoluzione nel corso della storia è una delle cose che mi sono piaciute di più in questo libro. Pian piano, diventa più umana, mostra paura e, pur non lasciando indietro la sua voglia di vendetta e l’essere una persona dal grilletto facile, è diventata una persona reale ai miei occhi. All’inizio, invece, speravo morisse…
Anche l’evoluzione della relazione tra lei ed Eyrie mi ha lasciata sorpresa. Ammetto che non mi aspettavo quel tipo di relazione da parte dell’autore; anche se, ovviamente, c’erano dei segnali nella storia.
Gli alri personaggi sono un po’ un contoerno, un modo per fare andare avanti il plot. Lewis Brue, il gangster che ingaggia Eyrie, è un bastardo di prima categoria. Egoista e pronto a sacrificare chiunque per i propri scopi, è lui che parzialmente muove i fili della storia. È un personaggio piuttosto antipatico e non mi è piaciuto affatto, ma era necessario perché la storia andasse avanti.
Il libro, almeno per ora, è solo in inglese. Ammetto che ho dovuto cercare il significato di alcune parole, anche perché è inglese britannico e ci sono parole specifiche di quell’inglese. Ci vuole un livello di conoscenza della lingua abbastanza alto per poterlo leggere.
Nel complesso, io ho amato questo libro e spero che anche voi gli diate una chance!
Oggi vi parlo di un libro molto particolare, scritto da uno dei miei autori preferiti. Di suo, prima di questo libro, avevo letto solo libri per bambini e ragazzi. Questo invece è un libro per adulti.
Trigger Warnings: Omicidio, violenza, tortura, atti sessuali non consensuali, menzione di stupro
Quando Eyrie Brown fa salire sul suo taxi un gangster, si aspetta di essere ucciso o, almeno, di non incontrarlo più; ma il gangster lo contatta, chiedendogli di fare un lavoro per lui: in cambio di una grande quantità di soldi, dovrà proteggere e enere nascosta una giovane donna durante il weekend. Eyrie accetta, e da lì le cose vanno piuttosto male.
Avendo letto solo libri per ragazzi di quest’autore prima di Molls like it hot, non sapevo bene cosa aspettarmi. Ovviamente è molto diverso e, pur essendoci temi molto seri anche nella serie di Cirque du Freak e nella saga di Larten Crepsley questi non sono così espliciti. La cosa non mi ha disturbata, anzi, volevo vedere fino a che punto i personaggi si sarebbero spinti. Tra gangster rivali e omicidi, Darren Dash è riuscito a farmi leggere un genere che non avrei mai letto altrimenti. Sicuramente non è per i deboli di stomaco, soprattutto per quanto riguarda una certa scena. Ci sono un sacco di plot twist che ti tengono attaccato al libro, dicendoti “ancora un’altra pagina.” Il finale, poi, è piuttosto sanguinario e mi è piaciuto tantissimo.
I personaggi hanno catturato il mio interesse: tutti hanno i loro scopi, le loro vendette, a partire da Eyrie, che dimostra un carattere totalmente diverso da quello che si pensa all’inizio. È un personaggio che, se all’inizio pensiamo sia abbastanza tranquillo e diverso dal gangster che lo assume, si dimostra rancoroso e violento. Non me lo aspettavo, ed è stata una bella sorpresa.
Toni, la ragazza di cui si deve prendere cura Eyrie, all’inizio è di un’antipatia disarmante e anche un po’ una rottura di scatole. La sua evoluzione nel corso della storia è una delle cose che mi sono piaciute di più in questo libro. Pian piano, diventa più umana, mostra paura e, pur non lasciando indietro la sua voglia di vendetta e l’essere una persona dal grilletto facile, è diventata una persona reale ai miei occhi. All’inizio, invece, speravo morisse…
Anche l’evoluzione della relazione tra lei ed Eyrie mi ha lasciata sorpresa. Ammetto che non mi aspettavo quel tipo di relazione da parte dell’autore; anche se, ovviamente, c’erano dei segnali nella storia.
Gli alri personaggi sono un po’ un contoerno, un modo per fare andare avanti il plot. Lewis Brue, il gangster che ingaggia Eyrie, è un bastardo di prima categoria. Egoista e pronto a sacrificare chiunque per i propri scopi, è lui che parzialmente muove i fili della storia. È un personaggio piuttosto antipatico e non mi è piaciuto affatto, ma era necessario perché la storia andasse avanti.
Il libro, almeno per ora, è solo in inglese. Ammetto che ho dovuto cercare il significato di alcune parole, anche perché è inglese britannico e ci sono parole specifiche di quell’inglese. Ci vuole un livello di conoscenza della lingua abbastanza alto per poterlo leggere.
Nel complesso, io ho amato questo libro e spero che anche voi gli diate una chance!
December 6, 2019
'Molls Like it Hot' is a gritty British gangster mystery thriller with plenty of action to go around. Action takes place from the very beginning and is often followed by periods of build and tension before another big action scene to blow off all that built up tension. The action is well paced and described, offering a sense of tension and shock in all the right places.
It offers a very different experience from Darren's other Monster, Demon, and Fantasy based other novels (including his work under Darren Shan), which is very much a welcomed change, reminding me very much of his Darren Shan book 'Lady of The Shades'. Being relatively short at around 250 pages, this allows for the story to progress at an accelerated rate and not give any time for any 'bullshit'.
The characters are well developed and we are instantly feel like we either know them or have a strong feeling towards them. Eyrie, is a likeable character with a strong will and an essence of struggling with PTSD following his time in the Army - Eryie's cabbie friends are equally as likeable, each one being given a unique identity which later helps factor into the story, like each one was purposefully woven into the story. Toni on the other hand to begin with is instantly unlikeable, being very stuck up, however, Toni has probably the most resounding character development throughout. All of the arcs the characters take are extremely satisfying.
The plot itself is an extremely engaging one, having me hooked from the first few pages. I was actually able to finish this book in one morning. I was enjoying the characters and plot so much I lost track of time. The plot kept reimagining itself and making itself fresh. As well as digging into a possible hidden love of old silent films that Darren may have, as this is where the name of the book comes from, the 1959 Billy Wilder film 'Some Like it Hot'.
In all honesty, this is probably Darren Dash's best work to date. I only wish the book was longer so I could spend more time with the characters I had grown to care for. Despite wishing it was longer, the length of around 250 pages left enough to the imagination and enough on the page to leave me completely satisfied and hungry for more.
'Molls Like it Hot' is a thoroughly grizzly, gritty, and unmissable story based in London, UK that provides the reader with plenty of twists and turns to keep them hooked from the very first page. With likeable and believable characters, it truly is a testament to Darren's writing abilities. It is a worthwhile read to all adult readers who enjoy crime, action, thrills, and chills. The only shame is, being self-published, this won't get to grace the shelves of Waterstones, Barnes and Noble or other bookshops where it surely belongs.
Despite being released late into the year, 'Molls Like it Hot' surprised, and left such an impact on me, I am naming it my Book of the Year 2019.
It offers a very different experience from Darren's other Monster, Demon, and Fantasy based other novels (including his work under Darren Shan), which is very much a welcomed change, reminding me very much of his Darren Shan book 'Lady of The Shades'. Being relatively short at around 250 pages, this allows for the story to progress at an accelerated rate and not give any time for any 'bullshit'.
The characters are well developed and we are instantly feel like we either know them or have a strong feeling towards them. Eyrie, is a likeable character with a strong will and an essence of struggling with PTSD following his time in the Army - Eryie's cabbie friends are equally as likeable, each one being given a unique identity which later helps factor into the story, like each one was purposefully woven into the story. Toni on the other hand to begin with is instantly unlikeable, being very stuck up, however, Toni has probably the most resounding character development throughout. All of the arcs the characters take are extremely satisfying.
The plot itself is an extremely engaging one, having me hooked from the first few pages. I was actually able to finish this book in one morning. I was enjoying the characters and plot so much I lost track of time. The plot kept reimagining itself and making itself fresh. As well as digging into a possible hidden love of old silent films that Darren may have, as this is where the name of the book comes from, the 1959 Billy Wilder film 'Some Like it Hot'.
In all honesty, this is probably Darren Dash's best work to date. I only wish the book was longer so I could spend more time with the characters I had grown to care for. Despite wishing it was longer, the length of around 250 pages left enough to the imagination and enough on the page to leave me completely satisfied and hungry for more.
'Molls Like it Hot' is a thoroughly grizzly, gritty, and unmissable story based in London, UK that provides the reader with plenty of twists and turns to keep them hooked from the very first page. With likeable and believable characters, it truly is a testament to Darren's writing abilities. It is a worthwhile read to all adult readers who enjoy crime, action, thrills, and chills. The only shame is, being self-published, this won't get to grace the shelves of Waterstones, Barnes and Noble or other bookshops where it surely belongs.
Despite being released late into the year, 'Molls Like it Hot' surprised, and left such an impact on me, I am naming it my Book of the Year 2019.
January 22, 2020
Holy guacamole! I finished reading this a while ago, and have been trying to gather my thoughts ever since. If I had been Eyrie, I straight up would have died. Turns out, I'm not that great at judging who the good guys are. I had it all wrong. Okay, maybe I wasn't completely wrong. I knew most of the characters were gangsters so the line between good and bad is blurred, a lot, but geez.
I still haven't figured out how I feel about Eyrie now that I know everything. At first, I thought he was just a little crazy to be letting someone who you can tell was just in a freaking shootout into your cab and starting a kind of partnership with him. The sensible thing would be to drive away and not look back. Actually, the sensible thing would have been to not drive down that way to begin with. I think at first, the allure of money gets to him. For someone working as a cabbie, being offered money to just watch over another adult for a weekend seems like to good of an opportunity to pass up. Personally, I wouldn't have taken the job, but you learn quickly that Eyrie has skills that make him capable of fulfilling his duty as long as everything goes to plan.
Of course, everything does not go to plan and the real intentions of characters are brought to light. In case you were wondering, this is where I would have died. Yes, I knew the characters were gangsters, but I honestly thought Eyrie was being told the truth and they were just taking advantage of his willingness to help. Luckily for Eyrie and Toni, he not only ignored the times he was given the okay to quite, but also was able to read between the lines of what he was told to find out the real story.
For me, the part where Eyrie finally leaves the service of Lewis, was one of my favorite parts. Mostly because Lewis using his gangster ways had looked into Eyrie before ever bringing him in, and thought he knew how Eyrie would react to everything. It's amazing how quickly confidence can fall when you realize you've built it on a lie, or at least a partial truth. It can be enough to crumble an empire.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
Author: Darren Dash
Publisher: Home of the Damned
Publication Date: December 4th 2019
I still haven't figured out how I feel about Eyrie now that I know everything. At first, I thought he was just a little crazy to be letting someone who you can tell was just in a freaking shootout into your cab and starting a kind of partnership with him. The sensible thing would be to drive away and not look back. Actually, the sensible thing would have been to not drive down that way to begin with. I think at first, the allure of money gets to him. For someone working as a cabbie, being offered money to just watch over another adult for a weekend seems like to good of an opportunity to pass up. Personally, I wouldn't have taken the job, but you learn quickly that Eyrie has skills that make him capable of fulfilling his duty as long as everything goes to plan.
Of course, everything does not go to plan and the real intentions of characters are brought to light. In case you were wondering, this is where I would have died. Yes, I knew the characters were gangsters, but I honestly thought Eyrie was being told the truth and they were just taking advantage of his willingness to help. Luckily for Eyrie and Toni, he not only ignored the times he was given the okay to quite, but also was able to read between the lines of what he was told to find out the real story.
For me, the part where Eyrie finally leaves the service of Lewis, was one of my favorite parts. Mostly because Lewis using his gangster ways had looked into Eyrie before ever bringing him in, and thought he knew how Eyrie would react to everything. It's amazing how quickly confidence can fall when you realize you've built it on a lie, or at least a partial truth. It can be enough to crumble an empire.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
Author: Darren Dash
Publisher: Home of the Damned
Publication Date: December 4th 2019
December 8, 2019
Last month, I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Darren Dash’s surprise new Christmas release, Molls Like It Hot, and boy did it take me on one hell of a ride. I found myself immersed in the dark underbelly of London, a world where bad things happen to good people and good people are far and few between. Our guide, Eyrie Brown, is a smooth operator; tough as nails, but human where it counts. I have to say, I enjoyed him immensely. Our female lead, Toni Curtis – yes, you heard me right – is equally as engaging, and the two bounce off each other in many interesting ways. Two hard heads clashing; sometimes with spice, but always witty banter galore.
Dash’s voice is dark and gritty, with a confidence that you know can lead you down whichever twisty garden path he chooses to lead you. Straight off the bat he sucks you into conversations with a colourful cast of characters who jump off the page at you, the dialogue peppered with dark humour and old pop culture references, sprinkled throughout with fond reminiscence. The premise is tense and exciting, and early on, I found myself imagining early on all the ways in which things could possibly go wrong. I was not disappointed.
Molls Like It Hot is a tangled maze of bonds and betrayal. A bloody masterpiece of murder and mayhem. The breakneck twist midway through kicked things straight into sixth gear, and as I sit, wondering if this is what it feels like to have whiplash, I realise that Dash is not messing around. Who’s the god guy? Who’s the bad guy? It’s not so black and white. The small tender moments amid a churning storm were an unexpected treat. The final revelation is one that you think you’ve seen coming. But once you’ve followed the breadcrumbs to the end of the trail, you quickly realise that you’re standing right where Dash wanted you to be.
Overall, Molls Like It Hot is the kind of book that I would read again. I say this, knowing that I do not reread books, and that my list of exceptions to this rule is ridiculously small. For this reason, anything less than five stars would be a crime.
Dash’s voice is dark and gritty, with a confidence that you know can lead you down whichever twisty garden path he chooses to lead you. Straight off the bat he sucks you into conversations with a colourful cast of characters who jump off the page at you, the dialogue peppered with dark humour and old pop culture references, sprinkled throughout with fond reminiscence. The premise is tense and exciting, and early on, I found myself imagining early on all the ways in which things could possibly go wrong. I was not disappointed.
Molls Like It Hot is a tangled maze of bonds and betrayal. A bloody masterpiece of murder and mayhem. The breakneck twist midway through kicked things straight into sixth gear, and as I sit, wondering if this is what it feels like to have whiplash, I realise that Dash is not messing around. Who’s the god guy? Who’s the bad guy? It’s not so black and white. The small tender moments amid a churning storm were an unexpected treat. The final revelation is one that you think you’ve seen coming. But once you’ve followed the breadcrumbs to the end of the trail, you quickly realise that you’re standing right where Dash wanted you to be.
Overall, Molls Like It Hot is the kind of book that I would read again. I say this, knowing that I do not reread books, and that my list of exceptions to this rule is ridiculously small. For this reason, anything less than five stars would be a crime.
December 23, 2019
Well as per usual, he had me hooked. Even whilst contending with a busy schedule, finishing this book had to be a priority.
Dash takes the obvious to the most unlikely of characters and shows how all can become entangled in this old-school, no frills, perverse world of crime. Although portrayed as a fictional, guilty pleasure take on the grimy underbelly of London from the black cab driver’s point of view, the storyline cleverly entwines aspects of the truth with shock-factor, Tarantino-esque gore.
The first half of the book sets a vivid scene and immerses you into the life of Eyrie Brown, allowing you to gain his perspective and together, embark on his unlikely journey. Dash drip-feeds the reader layers to this character throughout, never allowing you to feel like you know all of his secrets until the end.
The female lead is far from your usual damsel in distress. She is dangerous, chaotic and utterly unapologetic to the very end. This gives a refreshing character style to the literary world and she leaves a brilliant opening to a whole other book (please!) just to be able to understand a fraction of her life which is only touched upon in this.
Life-long fans will not be disappointed as the Darren Shan style of a grand finale with plenty of unexpected twists and turns is delivered by the bucket full - with plenty of action along the way to keep you satisfied.
As ever, I look forward to seeing more Darren Dash books released in the future as each brings a new style to his repertoire. Each new tale shows his exploration of another side of writing whilst never losing the background “Shan” we have all come to know and love.
Dash takes the obvious to the most unlikely of characters and shows how all can become entangled in this old-school, no frills, perverse world of crime. Although portrayed as a fictional, guilty pleasure take on the grimy underbelly of London from the black cab driver’s point of view, the storyline cleverly entwines aspects of the truth with shock-factor, Tarantino-esque gore.
The first half of the book sets a vivid scene and immerses you into the life of Eyrie Brown, allowing you to gain his perspective and together, embark on his unlikely journey. Dash drip-feeds the reader layers to this character throughout, never allowing you to feel like you know all of his secrets until the end.
The female lead is far from your usual damsel in distress. She is dangerous, chaotic and utterly unapologetic to the very end. This gives a refreshing character style to the literary world and she leaves a brilliant opening to a whole other book (please!) just to be able to understand a fraction of her life which is only touched upon in this.
Life-long fans will not be disappointed as the Darren Shan style of a grand finale with plenty of unexpected twists and turns is delivered by the bucket full - with plenty of action along the way to keep you satisfied.
As ever, I look forward to seeing more Darren Dash books released in the future as each brings a new style to his repertoire. Each new tale shows his exploration of another side of writing whilst never losing the background “Shan” we have all come to know and love.
December 5, 2019
~eARC was provided by the author in October 2019~
Darren Dash (who also publishes middle grade books under the name Darren Shan) is by far my favorite author and because of this I wanted to give this a better rating but the truth is that I didn't like this as much as his other books.
The overall story was really entertaining and I found the main character Eyrie to be really interesting. In the first half we got to know Eyrie, his backstory, thought processes, the people he surrounds himself with and just generally what kind of person he is.
When the actual plot revealed itself, it was too twist- and action-heavy for my taste. By the title and synopsis of the book I expected something like this, but it was overall too cliché for me and the ending just made me cringe.
I'm really sorry Mr Shan, but this just wasn't for me.
Nonetheless, it is a really fast-paced book and for people that like action movies or can overlook some cringe-worthy scenes, this can be really entertaining.
Darren Dash (who also publishes middle grade books under the name Darren Shan) is by far my favorite author and because of this I wanted to give this a better rating but the truth is that I didn't like this as much as his other books.
The overall story was really entertaining and I found the main character Eyrie to be really interesting. In the first half we got to know Eyrie, his backstory, thought processes, the people he surrounds himself with and just generally what kind of person he is.
When the actual plot revealed itself, it was too twist- and action-heavy for my taste. By the title and synopsis of the book I expected something like this, but it was overall too cliché for me and the ending just made me cringe.
I'm really sorry Mr Shan, but this just wasn't for me.
Nonetheless, it is a really fast-paced book and for people that like action movies or can overlook some cringe-worthy scenes, this can be really entertaining.
December 6, 2019
Disclaimer: I was sent this book to review by the Author. This review is still going to be my honest and true opinion.
This is the tale of Eyrie Brown, a man who has lived through the horrors of war and now lives in the brutal underbelly of London.
Without giving to much away, Eyrie is a Cab driver who gets thrust into the criminal world and must adapt to survive using all his military training and street smarts.
I really enjoyed reading this story it was Graphic, Gory and Gritty the 3Gs that are a must in Thrillers.
The story had so many twists and turns that I was glued to it and finished it in 2 days, this was also helped by the fact it wasn't a long story, but short and sweet are fine. It means it was fast paced which you need in a Thriller. If it was any longer it would have been just filler writing but this way it was all action.
Strap in and enjoy this life or death roller coaster of a tale.
This is the tale of Eyrie Brown, a man who has lived through the horrors of war and now lives in the brutal underbelly of London.
Without giving to much away, Eyrie is a Cab driver who gets thrust into the criminal world and must adapt to survive using all his military training and street smarts.
I really enjoyed reading this story it was Graphic, Gory and Gritty the 3Gs that are a must in Thrillers.
The story had so many twists and turns that I was glued to it and finished it in 2 days, this was also helped by the fact it wasn't a long story, but short and sweet are fine. It means it was fast paced which you need in a Thriller. If it was any longer it would have been just filler writing but this way it was all action.
Strap in and enjoy this life or death roller coaster of a tale.
June 23, 2020
What an amazing read from one of my favourite childhood authors! This is the first time I have picked up one of Darren Shan's Adult books having read Cirque Du Freak 18 years ago, and it does not disappoint! I found Molls Like It Hot a thoroughly enjoyable read and hard to put down, in my youth I was hooked on the Saga of Darren Shan and The Demonata series and my only complaint would be i wish I had read this book sooner! It is fantastic to discover Darren Shan once more and fall in love with his books all over again.
June 2, 2020
Another thrilling Darren Dash book
Loved this book so much. Very believable characters that I could not only picture in my mind, but I could hear them. And a thrill a minute story. And even a great ending .
Loved this book so much. Very believable characters that I could not only picture in my mind, but I could hear them. And a thrill a minute story. And even a great ending .
February 24, 2020
Read it in a day, a wonderful adventure
May 19, 2020
A roller coaster ride of a thriller
Once I got past the font the book was written in I just tried to hold on as the plot twisted and turned its way to its bloody end
Once I got past the font the book was written in I just tried to hold on as the plot twisted and turned its way to its bloody end
December 8, 2019
I'm not that familiar with this 'gangster' genre and my only exposure to this world has been very limited and only though Darren Shan/Dash's previous works (Lady of the Shades and The Evil And The Pure), so I think I couldn't quite get some references. Not that it prevented me from appreciating the story though.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the story and I love how Darren Dash has been writing genres other than horror (even though I truly miss him writing horror ones). This was different from the rest of the Shan/Dash books, it was less gruesome and less bloody (despite all the deaths) but it was action-packed, dark and exciting from almost the very beginning to the end. It's also very fast-paced, so it's easy to lose yourself in the story - I was reading last night and I couldn't put it down but eventually, I had to do it at 2 a.m with only 30 pages left because I was afraid I would go blind or sth as my eyes were hurting bad.
A few scenes felt kinda rushed to me, I wanted more details, I wanted the story to slow down a bit here and there, but I guess the pace fits the world the story is set in and Eyrie's tight deadline.
Despite the story being fast-paced, the main characters are quite well-written. You get to know them and their backstory as the story unfolds which is great. I wasn't overly fond of Eyrie but I felt sorry for him at times and I cared for him - I also wanted to slap some sense into him a couple of times. I also disliked Toni but at the same time, I didn't want anything bad happen to her and I really really felt bad for her.
I'm not sure if this was planned by the author or not, but I guessed what was going on way before the main character did (Spoiler: I'd guessed who was really behind the kidnapping), of course, I doubted myself at some points and I could have never guessed the details of the work, but when the truth came out, I was like I KNEW IT.
I liked the humor splashed all over the book and I think the cliches, though cringe-worthy at times, added flavor to the story.
Overall, a great story and a pleasant experience reading it. Would recommend to everyone.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the story and I love how Darren Dash has been writing genres other than horror (even though I truly miss him writing horror ones). This was different from the rest of the Shan/Dash books, it was less gruesome and less bloody (despite all the deaths) but it was action-packed, dark and exciting from almost the very beginning to the end. It's also very fast-paced, so it's easy to lose yourself in the story - I was reading last night and I couldn't put it down but eventually, I had to do it at 2 a.m with only 30 pages left because I was afraid I would go blind or sth as my eyes were hurting bad.
A few scenes felt kinda rushed to me, I wanted more details, I wanted the story to slow down a bit here and there, but I guess the pace fits the world the story is set in and Eyrie's tight deadline.
Despite the story being fast-paced, the main characters are quite well-written. You get to know them and their backstory as the story unfolds which is great. I wasn't overly fond of Eyrie but I felt sorry for him at times and I cared for him - I also wanted to slap some sense into him a couple of times. I also disliked Toni but at the same time, I didn't want anything bad happen to her and I really really felt bad for her.
I'm not sure if this was planned by the author or not, but I guessed what was going on way before the main character did (Spoiler: I'd guessed who was really behind the kidnapping), of course, I doubted myself at some points and I could have never guessed the details of the work, but when the truth came out, I was like I KNEW IT.
I liked the humor splashed all over the book and I think the cliches, though cringe-worthy at times, added flavor to the story.
Overall, a great story and a pleasant experience reading it. Would recommend to everyone.
June 24, 2020
A dark and gritty tale about Eyrie Brown a London cabbie and former bare knuckle boxer which will have you hooked from the very first page. While Dash / Shan's books always include a healthy dose of the dark and disturbing, Dash really does outdo himself with this one.
Dash delivers a dark, thrilling, violence filled, fast paced page-turner based in the seedy underworld of London's crime world full of suspense and double-crosses. A remarkable book without a boring page.
A highly recommended read.
Dash delivers a dark, thrilling, violence filled, fast paced page-turner based in the seedy underworld of London's crime world full of suspense and double-crosses. A remarkable book without a boring page.
A highly recommended read.
December 24, 2019
This is a good book with good character development, each with their own quirks. If you enjoyed Darren Dash's previous books I'm sure you'll enjoy this. I felt parts were a bit too predictable and the ending was not as satisfying and somewhat rushed compared to other stories of his. Having said that I did finish it in two days so that's the real proof of the pudding.
May 8, 2021
In a fit of whimsy, I hereby announce I will give everyone five stars but the reviews may not reflect it.
A roller coaster ride of a gangster tale. Full review here - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2021/05/...
A roller coaster ride of a gangster tale. Full review here - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2021/05/...
December 7, 2019
A dirty, dark little story that I just couldn't out down. Dash's books are always nasty and unpredictable and I love it. there was a sneaky reference to an old character hidden in there too!
June 14, 2020
What an action packed thrill that was!
5* again Shan.
Utterly Incredible story, characters, twists and ending. Absolute blinder of a story.
5* again Shan.
Utterly Incredible story, characters, twists and ending. Absolute blinder of a story.
December 6, 2019
Brutal, raw, disturbing…and positively addicting, Molls Like it Hot is unlike any Darren Dash novel I’ve ever read. It has the dark and suspenseful intrigue that a reader can expect from any story of his, absolutely, but it took me on a wild ride that I wouldn’t have expected from an expert horror writer like Darren Dash.
As I read, my mother would ask me, “How are you liking the book?” I honestly couldn’t reply with a cohesive answer. My mind whirled with questions, emotional pleas, and even more confused, frantic questions. I wasn’t a fan of the female protagonist, Toni, but I was hooked on her story… Just how she was added to the mix. I was desperate to find out more about this character that I didn’t even like. Without giving away too much information, I felt as if I had as much of a love/hate relationship with the two main characters (Eyrie and Toni) as they had with each other. Was this on purpose? Was I supposed to admire these characters one minute and despise them the next? Did Darren Dash want me to feel all of these things? If so, bravo. They certainly garnered a reaction out of me.
Although the question of, “Where do my feelings about this book lie,” was uncertain and went unanswered as I read the book, one thing is for certain now that the story is over. Molls Like It Hot stuck with me like you wouldn’t believe.
There comes a certain risk with books that you adore from the very beginning. The protagonists can lose character development, the ending is sometimes disappointingly predictable, the author can ramble into uncharted territory that only makes sense in their own mind and lose the readers’ interest (although I’ll never reveal which book/author I’m talking about in particular…), and so on. That is a risk I never have to take with a novel from Darren Dash. No matter how surprising or unexpected a book of his is, I always walk away feeling as if my mind has been blown. Molls Like It Hot in particular. I have no idea what happened, I have no idea where the time went as I read, I have no proper words to describe what this book has done to me, but I do know this: Molls Like It Hot is a book I will never forget.
It angers, it captivates, it intrigues, and it is everything one would desire from a Darren Dash novel.
As I read, my mother would ask me, “How are you liking the book?” I honestly couldn’t reply with a cohesive answer. My mind whirled with questions, emotional pleas, and even more confused, frantic questions. I wasn’t a fan of the female protagonist, Toni, but I was hooked on her story… Just how she was added to the mix. I was desperate to find out more about this character that I didn’t even like. Without giving away too much information, I felt as if I had as much of a love/hate relationship with the two main characters (Eyrie and Toni) as they had with each other. Was this on purpose? Was I supposed to admire these characters one minute and despise them the next? Did Darren Dash want me to feel all of these things? If so, bravo. They certainly garnered a reaction out of me.
Although the question of, “Where do my feelings about this book lie,” was uncertain and went unanswered as I read the book, one thing is for certain now that the story is over. Molls Like It Hot stuck with me like you wouldn’t believe.
There comes a certain risk with books that you adore from the very beginning. The protagonists can lose character development, the ending is sometimes disappointingly predictable, the author can ramble into uncharted territory that only makes sense in their own mind and lose the readers’ interest (although I’ll never reveal which book/author I’m talking about in particular…), and so on. That is a risk I never have to take with a novel from Darren Dash. No matter how surprising or unexpected a book of his is, I always walk away feeling as if my mind has been blown. Molls Like It Hot in particular. I have no idea what happened, I have no idea where the time went as I read, I have no proper words to describe what this book has done to me, but I do know this: Molls Like It Hot is a book I will never forget.
It angers, it captivates, it intrigues, and it is everything one would desire from a Darren Dash novel.
August 11, 2022
I read Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare and Lord Loss as a youngster, so pardon my bias towards the legend, Mr Shan. He’s arguably the reason I got hooked onto reading. This is the second “adult” book of his I’ve read, and it was really good. It’s fast paced, action and dialogue heavy, dark, graphic, and funny. Overall it is well written and has a good, consistent tone. A few of the conflicts were a bit on the unbelievable side, as were some of the motives behind the plans made by London’s gangsters, but there was nothing that distracted from the overall work. However, I don’t think the two characters who got together at the end would really be interested in one another, each for their own reasons. I think that’s why I gave it a 4 rather than a 5.
Recommended for both avid and reluctant readers.
I think I missed 100% of the old movie references. Also, I can tell he started this story in 1996 because the plot works better when texting and cell phones were less common.
Recommended for both avid and reluctant readers.
I think I missed 100% of the old movie references. Also, I can tell he started this story in 1996 because the plot works better when texting and cell phones were less common.
February 17, 2020
Where do I start when talking about Darren Shan. He's the sole reason my love for reading is what it is today. And thankfully as I come towards the end of my 20s he's banging out adult books to keep me going.
Molls like it Hot the latest of his adult releases and my favourite I've read so far. A seemingly simple story of ex army turned taxi driver with a vague dark past who finds himself in the midst of a gang Shootout in back streets of London. What follows is an intense and action packed story of survival that doesn't let up until the you finish the last page.
What I loved about this book was how to the point it was. After a brief introduction to some very interesting characters. You're thrown into a bulletstorm story. A twist was expected, as shans adult novels often do so well. I knew something was coming, but not what. For those who like closure in their books, Molls does a great job of wrapping up every loose end leaving you satisfied with the ending (almost over explaining itself at times) . A short and sweet story that takes many dark twists and turns.
Thankfully I hade a few more Dash books to keep me busy. This was a not so subtle reminder of why I'm such a huge fan. #darrenshan #darrendash
Molls like it Hot the latest of his adult releases and my favourite I've read so far. A seemingly simple story of ex army turned taxi driver with a vague dark past who finds himself in the midst of a gang Shootout in back streets of London. What follows is an intense and action packed story of survival that doesn't let up until the you finish the last page.
What I loved about this book was how to the point it was. After a brief introduction to some very interesting characters. You're thrown into a bulletstorm story. A twist was expected, as shans adult novels often do so well. I knew something was coming, but not what. For those who like closure in their books, Molls does a great job of wrapping up every loose end leaving you satisfied with the ending (almost over explaining itself at times) . A short and sweet story that takes many dark twists and turns.
Thankfully I hade a few more Dash books to keep me busy. This was a not so subtle reminder of why I'm such a huge fan. #darrenshan #darrendash
December 6, 2019
Molls Likes It Hot by Darren Dash.
I was luckily given a chance to read this book prior release by the master of horror himself and can not say how happy I was.
A fictional Story following Ex Soldier, turned East London Cab driver Eyrie Brown. Eyrie Lived a usual life until he met Lewis Brue who asks Eyrie for a Simple favour, however' Simple' is not in toni curtis vocabulary.
Though a short read I found this book really Enjoyable. Each chapter Leaves you hanging on for mone to read on. I found the character growth throughout the book fantastic.
As much as I enjoyed the book Ifelt there could have been more closure to some other characters, It felt Like though they're Not Important in the grand Scheme they were forgotten which Personally Leaves Me without closure.
This is the fifth book written by Darren Dash, A collection of books aimed for an adult audunce, very different to previous works.
Like ' Midsummer Nights Bottom' I would not recommend this book to the younger audience as it contains mature content.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and give it a 10/10 rating.
I was luckily given a chance to read this book prior release by the master of horror himself and can not say how happy I was.
A fictional Story following Ex Soldier, turned East London Cab driver Eyrie Brown. Eyrie Lived a usual life until he met Lewis Brue who asks Eyrie for a Simple favour, however' Simple' is not in toni curtis vocabulary.
Though a short read I found this book really Enjoyable. Each chapter Leaves you hanging on for mone to read on. I found the character growth throughout the book fantastic.
As much as I enjoyed the book Ifelt there could have been more closure to some other characters, It felt Like though they're Not Important in the grand Scheme they were forgotten which Personally Leaves Me without closure.
This is the fifth book written by Darren Dash, A collection of books aimed for an adult audunce, very different to previous works.
Like ' Midsummer Nights Bottom' I would not recommend this book to the younger audience as it contains mature content.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and give it a 10/10 rating.
December 28, 2023
*received an eARC from the author but have since bought a physical copy, all thoughts are my own*
5 Stars
#6 read of 2019
I can't say that I have read too many mob themed books before or seen the films mentioned within this book so I may not have picked up on the more subtle nods and winks within. That being said Dash has crafted an extremely immersive world that's as gritty and grime-soaked as hell and full to the brim with believably flawed and complex characters, most of whom you would not want to cross paths with in reality. Prepare to be taken on a ride through the seedy side of London and to have the wind taken out of you with each new twist in the story right until the gut-punch that is moment when all the sickeningly twisted details are revealed for all to see.
This book strangely had me laughing at some of the most inappropriate moments and left me feeling so covered in grime that I feel like I need to re-evaluate my sanity while I take a shower.
5 Stars
#6 read of 2019
I can't say that I have read too many mob themed books before or seen the films mentioned within this book so I may not have picked up on the more subtle nods and winks within. That being said Dash has crafted an extremely immersive world that's as gritty and grime-soaked as hell and full to the brim with believably flawed and complex characters, most of whom you would not want to cross paths with in reality. Prepare to be taken on a ride through the seedy side of London and to have the wind taken out of you with each new twist in the story right until the gut-punch that is moment when all the sickeningly twisted details are revealed for all to see.
This book strangely had me laughing at some of the most inappropriate moments and left me feeling so covered in grime that I feel like I need to re-evaluate my sanity while I take a shower.
December 17, 2019
Darren Dash’s books are brilliant, whether Sci-Fi, Horror or Otherwordly. Molls Like It Hot is a dark and captivating London gangster novel.
This book reminds me of a gritty and entertaining London gangster movie. Though not my usual type of book, I really enjoyed it. Whether you know him as Darren Dash or Darren Shan, the man can certainly write a story.
Eyrie Browne is an ex military officer and a bored taxi driver. On a dead night, he picks up a bloodied London gangster and he finds himself on a whirlwind journey of danger and excitement.
When Eyrie agrees to watch over the young and troublesome Toni, he finds himself caught up in murder and betrayal. It’s exciting, dark and the scenes flowed with cinematic flair and colour.
Darren proved he can write sci-fi, horror and now London noir fiction.
This book reminds me of a gritty and entertaining London gangster movie. Though not my usual type of book, I really enjoyed it. Whether you know him as Darren Dash or Darren Shan, the man can certainly write a story.
Eyrie Browne is an ex military officer and a bored taxi driver. On a dead night, he picks up a bloodied London gangster and he finds himself on a whirlwind journey of danger and excitement.
When Eyrie agrees to watch over the young and troublesome Toni, he finds himself caught up in murder and betrayal. It’s exciting, dark and the scenes flowed with cinematic flair and colour.
Darren proved he can write sci-fi, horror and now London noir fiction.
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