Malice

Rina Walker #3

by Hugh Fraser

Rina Walker is back and as deadly as ever... but it's not just her life at stake.

London 1964. Gang warfare is breaking out. Rina Walker struggles to survive amid the battles and betrayals of a gruesome cast of racketeers and gangsters.

Her considerable skills as an assassin are her only hope of survival.

Playing one side off against the other to protect those she loves, Rina is caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse where her life is just one of many at stake . . .,

Genres: Crime, Fiction, British Literature, Thriller

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2021

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though it hasn’t been that long since I read the second book in the series, I’ve really missed Rina. She’s an absolute breath of fresh air in this genre and I am loving all the girl power.

As I would expect now when picking up a book in this series, nothing is ever straight forward for Rina and she seems to constantly get caught up in the things she shouldn’t be. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t have a heart but she does and it usually ends up complicating things even further.

There is so much going on throughout the story and I love how Rina holds it altogether. Many women would crumble well before now but somehow she just keeps picking herself up, dusting herself down and getting on with it. I love the relationship she has with Lizzie and apart from her and her sister Georgie, they are the only people that bring a bit of normality into her life.

Malice is packed full of racketeering, gangsters and action. There is certainly plenty to entertain you and the author yet again had my attention from the first to the very last page. If you love a strong female protagonist doing it for themselves, then you need to read the Rina Walker series right now.

[~ Cariad ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stupendous!

If this gritty, gripping, beautifully descriptive and (thanks to Annie Aldington) perfectly narrated series, isn't picked up for TV, then I don't know what would be!

I've nothing but love for this series; Hugh Fraser is incredibly talented with a fantastic eye for detail.


Pre-review:
I'm so happy to finally be able to pre-order this on Audible... about bloody time!!!

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in a brilliantly gritty series set in 1960s London. Our main protagonist here, Rina Walker, is a bit of a complex character and has a rather chequered and colourful past so, although I recommend this for all series books, to get the most of this book, you really would be better off reading Harm and Threat first.
In this book, we see the uprising of the gangs in London. Fighting for territory and pitting wits against each other in the war to supply drugs and girls as well as offering "protection" to businesses. Due to several previous incidents and family associations, Rina is allied to one side. Problem is, the lines which were previously clear cut turn out to be a bit blurred and she finds herself on the wrong side on more than one occasion.
Well, this is now turning out to be one of my favourite series of books. I devour each new one and then pine for the next. I was told once that "celebrities" can't write. They only sell books on the back of who they are. I have seen truth in this statement a couple of times but, believe me, this is definitely not the case with Mr Fraser. I do however have to admit to being a wee bit shocked at the darkness and, on occasion, rather gruesome nature of some of the scenes, given that my preconception of the author was based solely on his portrayal of one Captain Hastings in the wonderful Poirot TV series. There is also a fair amount of bad language used along the way. Not for shock value I hasten to add, all totally within context of the characters and situations.
Rina herself is becoming a bit of a favourite character of mine and I do love the way she has been created. Sometimes male authors come very close to a good female lead but Mr Fraser has it perfect in every way. He also must either be an aficionado of women's clothing of that era or he has a secret source feeding him the information! I love the way that Rina has accepted her role in life with what she does but still manages to strike a good balance between that and the rest of things. Her sister for instance. Also, in this book she shows her softer side a bit. The only thing I didn't like so much in this book was the repeated mentions of the book she herself was reading throughout. I am not totally convinced that it gave enough to the story at hand to warrant the amount of inclusion it got. At times it felt a wee bit like padding, totally unnecessary in my opinion as the story was well strong enough to stand up for itself.
Pacing was good as well as the overall balance of the book. There were some quite high octane action parts which left me totally breathless but these were followed by some slower moments which allowed me as a reader to take a breather and regroup before it all kicked off again.
Description was also of a high standard, especially with regard to the place and time setting. I'm not quite old enough to remember the 60s but there were several memory links in the book that had me chuckling or cringing, sometimes at the same time!
All in all, a stonking good read that held my attention throughout and left me completely satisfied at the end. Roll on book four... soon as you can please Mr Fraser!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Craig Sisterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many crime-lovers may know of Hugh Fraser from his long-running role as Captain Hastings in the massively popular television adaptation of Agatha Christie's Poirot. Like Dr Watson in the Sherlock Holmes tales, Hastings is the chronicler of Poirot's sleuthing adventures, the surrogate for the reader whose viewpoint gets us alongside the eccentric genius of a detective.

Interestingly, perhaps due to the strength and popularity of Fraser's adroit performances, Hastings actually appears in far more of the TV adaptations than he did in the original novels.

Given Fraser so epitomizes the Golden Age era of murder mystery writing in his most well-known screen role, some readers may be shocked to see his own crime writing is about as far away from Agatha Christie that you could get. There are no sedate country houses or intellectually minded sleuths puzzling over a murder before revealing the culprit to the gathered suspects.

Instead, Fraser's Rina Walker series is urban, violent, sexy, and full of action and coarse language. What Fraser does share with Christie is he knows how to tell a good story that draws you and and keeps you turning the pages. He's also created a memorable central character.

Rina Walker is a young lesbian working as a contract killer for various gangsters in 1960s London. She had a troubled childhood, and is trying to do the right thing by her younger sister, while navigating the seamy backstreets and internal politics of her gangland paymasters. Despite the violence of her job, Fraser has us immediately alongside Rina Walker, and empathising with her.

For want of a better phrase, Rina's a contract killer with a heart of gold. She can capably handle herself against the muscle and misogynists in her world, and questions herself and what she is doing. She wants to save the innocent and put down the guilty. While getting paid along the way (so she can help her sister have a better life, and avoid the choices that Rina and other family members made).

MALICE, the third in the series, is just a really fun, fast read. I tore through it, Rina is a fascinating character to follow as she navigates London and beyond in the swinging '60s. Fraser isn't afraid of confronting some tough and brutal issues in his books, particularly the pressures and prejudices (and worse) faced by women. There's tonnes of action to keep the pages purring, and it's great to see kick-ass female characters that can not only match but better the tough guys of crime fiction.

Perhaps not one for the ardent cosy fans, but MALICE is a slicky told gangland thriller that many other crimelovers could enjoy. I for one won't forget Rina Walker anytime soon.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do enjoy this series. It's great to see a female lead who has the smarts and the skills to hold her own amongst the tough guys who would typically dominate the action and thriller genre. And, as the books are set in 1960's London, Rina Walker is a bit of a breath of fresh air. She's not superwoman, as some of the scrapes she finds herself in this time around will attest. She can't match the men for strength, but she makes up for it in other ways and you know that she will find a way to prevail.

In Malice, Rina finds herself caught in the middle of a kind of turf war. When one of the top crime bosses in London is taken out, courtesy of our hero, Rina, of course, there is a new name in town and they are hell bent on making their mark. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Rina is tasked by both her main contact, George Preston, and new comer, Johnny Brindle, to take the other one out, the motivations they use to persuade her are vastly different. On one hand, Rina is offered a fortune, the like of which will secure a future for her and her sister, Georgie. On the other, she guarantees the safety of a young woman, Dawn, who is being used as a pawn in the midst of a very dark and deadly game.

I really like Rina. She is independent and strong and, in spite of herself and her 'choice' of career, really does try to do the right thing ... in as much as a female assassin ever can. There is a sense of loyalty about her, but also the knowledge that she will do anything for those she loves and for those she sees as being hurt or abused. There are some very strong characters in her life, from lover, Lizzie, to Preston, to Preston's right hand man, Bert, but it is her love for Georgie which really shows the measure of her as a character. It's hard not to respect her, and Hugh Fraser has done a brilliant job of making he extremely likeable and good to spend time with.

Now I'm not old enough to remember 1960's London, or any other city at that time - I hail from a later decade - but there is a real sense of authenticity about the book and you can't help feeling that the author has a real love for the city of around that time. I felt transported in time and space and although it is not the kind of life I am likely to have known, now or then, each and every touch rings true. I love that he has engaged all of the little flourishes, from the fashions of the day to the kind of club culture that is so vastly different from my youth, and wound them into a story which is full of action and thrills. Set against a surprising backdrop of movie making to boot, it kept my attention from start to finish and, with the odd surprise along the way, and a few near hopeless situations for Rina, I absolutely tore through it.

I need to catch up on book four, but for a touch of history with a kick ass female lead and a lot of fun and action, I can recommend this series.

[Joel Borden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malice

RIna Walker Book 3

Hugh Fraser

It’s London in the mid-1960s and Rina is back to being a necessary component of the organized crime scene. The different factions seek her services when there’s someone to be done for. The work pays well enough; especially for an unskilled young woman who is trying to raise a younger sister. Rina is surrounded by the most likely alternatives tp being a hitman…prostitutes and call girls. She finds murder pays better and suits her just fine.

As in earlier situations, Rina continues to use self-harm as a way to regulate her mood. She grew up with no adult role models to show her how to cope with anger or frustration, so she uses the mechanisms she discovered herself. These actions provide distraction and release of inner turmoil she’s never learned to cope with, or to control in other ways.

This installment includes a film crew making a movie that seems a parallel of Rina’s life, so naturally she ends up with a part in the production. I enjoyed the way Fraser wove the movie production into the story and gave us some first-hand insight into the process.

Throughout the book I was constantly reminded of my own time living in 1970s England with regular visits to London. I think the writer has modernized some things. For example, Rina “picks up the phone and orders a hamburger” from room service. My experience at that time resulted in a sandwich made from ground ham. If I wanted what we call a hamburger, I would have ordered a beef burger.

A little bit of the Hastings character from TV comes through as well. “…told you we should have come in the Lagonda darling,’ says Lizzie, as we get out of the car.” Captain Hastings drove a Lagonda in the Poirot TV series.

Rina is obsessed with giving her sister Georgie the life she's never had. So, Rina gets her into a good school, pays for your university expenses and does everything she can for Georgie. This story also provides a lot more exposure to Rita’s neighbor, confidant and lover Elizabeth, aka Lizzie. And it shows how Rina leans on her friend in times of need.

This was a great continuation of an exciting story and I look forward to the next book.

[Thelastwordreview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugh Fraser returns with Malice the third in the series following up from Harm and Threat also back is Rina Walker in 1960’s London and if you have read and loved Hugh’s first two then you are in for a real treat. This is an action packed thriller that packs a punch from the first page and will keep you gripped to the very last.

1960’s London was well known for gangs and its leaders and we love a hero who will take them on, in this series we have a heroine in Rina a complex character and she fearlessly takes on the ‘bosses’ and hunts down those she needs to. There is violence as you would come to expect in this series. Rina is a gritty woman and one you would not pick a fight with, a gritty and determined leading character.

This time around Rina is hired to ‘take out’ a rival gangland leader who is threatening George Preston’s patch. But what Rina does not realise is that dealing with one problem will unleash more danger and revenge. The violence is at times graphic as the story takes us from Soho to the Midlands and then to the Spanish Coast. Like the previous two in the series I raced through this as it is a fast paced addictive read. If, however you have not read the first two in the series fear not as they can be read on their own. Be warned though, read on and you will want to read the entire series. One day a screenwriter will read one of these and will see just how dramatic they are and will want to transfer to the small screen. It would make for dramatic television viewing.
My copy was provided by the publisher in return for a review.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malice throws you straight into the smoky, ruthless underbelly of '60s London, where everyone’s lying and only the sharpest will survive. Rina Walker is as deadly as she is compelling—an assassin navigating a maze of rival gangsters, double-crosses, and blood-soaked loyalties. Fraser keeps the pace tight and the tension simmering.

I loved the way Rina plays both sides with clinical precision, all whilst fiercely protecting the people she cares about. It’s violent, punchy, and irresistibly atmospheric—though occasionally the tangled alliances feel a touch overwhelming.

This is a slick, stylish entry in the series, and Rina remains one of the most intriguing anti-heroines out there.

Final verdict: Dark, dangerous, and deliciously addictive. Rina never misses her mark—and neither does this book.

[Jim D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book three in the Rina Walker series Is excitement on steroids! It may be better than the others. I love the character of Rina, her personality and the way she takes care of those close to her. She is tough,
street smart and attractive, and is constantly caught up in the British gang underground of the 1960's. She is the kind of character who fights for herself and never gives up. I so enjoyed these books and hope that Mr Fraser intends to continue this series. It helps to understand British slang, but it is not necessary as all is in a context that is easy to understand. Thank you Mr Fraser for giving me so many days of great reading.

[Jo Jenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Rina. Yet again she appears to be the only hit person in East end London in the 60’s. Rival gang bosses employ her to kill each other mainly because she is the best.
However like previous books she is forever getting caught and saved by other strong women.
A great book if a little far fetched.

[Nelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best in the series so far in my humble opinion.

Love Rina and her life, even admire her in some ways. Stands out from other books in the same vein because of the quality of the writing and the descriptions of locations. Brilliant.

[michelle Simons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read.

This book took me a while to get into, but once I did it really picked up it's pace. A gritty tale of a hit woman who is extremely efficient and exceptionally intimidating this is well worth a read.

[LAUЯA · Rating 4 out of 5]

To quote Captain Hastings, "I thought it was splendid".

[June Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strong women, in more ways then one, very entertaining read.

[Yvette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast read, entertaining

[Graham Fi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far fetched by entertaining

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and powerful novel. Often has shocking violence but we do engage with the heroine. Made for a tv adaptation and the period setting is spot in. So good I read the others straight away.