The Graft

by Martina Cole

Looking back, Nick Leary couldn't say exactly what kept him awake that night. It might've been the oppressive heat, or the distant rumble of thunder. He'd had a lot on his mind; perhaps he'd been thinking about the 'respectable' Essex business that he ran, or about his two young sons sleeping in the room next door. Or was it simply the sound of his beautiful wife's steady breathing beside him...Whatever it was, he was awake when he heard someone's footsteps downstairs, and Nick's instinct was to fight. It had always been that way, to protect the things he treasured most: his family, his privacy, his reputation. He'd grafted for these things all his life and no one was going to jeopardise them now. Unless, of course, Nick's instinct is wrong, and what happens this time is the start of something even he cannot stop...

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Literature, Audiobook

679 pages, Paperback

First published October 25, 2004

About the author

Martina Cole was born and brought up in Essex. She is the bestselling author of fourteen novels set in London's gangland, and her most recent three paperbacks have gone straight to No. 1 in the Sunday Times on first publication. Total sales of Martina's novels stand at over eight million copies.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

The graft is a colloquial term used in the London crime underworld to mean the work you put in. Nick Leary had grafted hard and at times bad to get to the position of owning a million pound mansion, having a beautiful wife and living the good life when he catches an armed burglar in his home, and beats him into a coma... it's only when he takes of his mask does he see the burglar is only a kid, mixed-race, no older than 16-17!

This is very much a stand-alone Cole ride, as for once she doesn't focus on the women that have to live in the organised crime world of London, this time it's all about the boys. A book that is, as ever completely from the perspective of the community it is set in, seems just that more real. The prime themes include our real and hidden selves; how many men struggle forming real relationships, conspiracies within conspiracies, but most of all it's about the stark reality of trying to live a life on hard drugs and what you lose to live that live. Huge trigger warnings for violence including against woman and children, child prostitution, sexual assault and more, so not a read for some of you. What raise this intense read above most of her (good) work, is the mystery content as the burglar's (Rasta) dad is consumed with trying to find out why his (estranged) son was doing armed in a multi-million pound mansion. Scorcher! 8.5 out of 12

2022 read, 2012 read; 2005 read

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Martina Cole and the atmosphere she creates in her books. Her characters feel very solid and I love how they express themselves, very Essex indeed.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a wonderful gritty realism to Cole's books, the language used is very crude but effectively plants that East London twang into the readers head.

Whilst this wasn't Cole's strongest novel, the plot itself raised some interesting questions and I was completely invested in the outcome.

Business man Nick Leary is well within his rights to stop a burglar who's entered his house.
The intruder was carrying a gun and Nick felt it was within his right to viciously attack him.
The grey area of the story is that the identity of the boy who died was that he was only a teen.

The repercussions of a life ended at a relatively young age runs strongly through the narrative as both Nick and the boys family deal with the after effects.

[Arwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nasty, crude tale, not to be read if you don't like books with bad language, violence, perversion and sex. But it's a book about the sleazy London underworld so the above is to be expected if it's going to be realistic.
It's well written and the characters are excellent, and there is a twist towards the end which left me 'Wow!!!', very cleverly done.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first read by this author but it left me feeling blah. I was surprised to see the great ratings it has but it just didn't succeed for me.
It's the story of Nick, a very well to do man (due to the London underworld) that ends up surprising a burglar in his home in the middle of the night. The events that unfold after that incident are not only surprising but gruesome, sad, and extremely violent.
I found the book way too long. It was dragged out and boring in several places. I thought about giving up on it several times but read it to the end. The ending was pretty good and half saved it for me. Raising it to a 2-star. There are a lot of characters introduced throughout so it does get a little hard to follow at times. It also uses a lot of slang and different terminology, both criminal and regional; which I found harder to follow as well.
It does seem to give you an authentic look into the criminal underworld as well as horrifically low and damaged human beings. Nothing is sugarcoated. Most of the characters are pretty unlikable and the entire story leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

[OluwaToyin · Rating 5 out of 5]

You couldn't protect your kids properly until you understood exactly what you were supposed to be protecting them from.
Then and only then, could you actually keep them safe.

[Andrew Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, brutal and graphic in places but hey, that's the world the characters live in. A twist at the end that I never saw coming.

[Corina Ventura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rainha do submundo do crime.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Martina Cole book I read is better than the last and The Graft is no exception.
A teenage black boy is beaten to death as he tries to burgle an isolated house. His murderer is not charged with any crime, and is made a hero by the tv and papers alike.
The dead boy's father wants to find out what happened, but the mother is a junkie on 'brown' of heroin and only wants her next fix.
The story leads the reader from the initial crime through a network of drugs, burglary, violence and rent boys. We're told the consequences of the choices the characters make and come to our own conclusions as to who's right and who's wrong. There are also a few grey areas.
I couldn't stop reading this book. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next one.

[Jane Shambler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well

What's to say really. Cole takes on the most sensitive subjects. She tells it as it is. She holds no punches. But still tells them with so much sensitivity.
This book is more a mystery than a thriller. She keeps you guessing right to the end. Although there are hints throughout.
Also thank you for the extra bit. She was one astute lady.
Read and enjoy. I did.

[Pol · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd time of reading The Graft, Great book.

[Neale Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gory, brutal and frightening look at the other side of life. I found the characters dislikeable, which suited the context. This story had a terrific flow and an even better twist. It gripped me immensely.

[Margarida · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

[Geoff Battle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martina Cole is a big name in the crime thriller genre had she misfires here, with an unnecessarily lengthy story about a burglar murdered in a rich man's house. There is great potential from such a strong start, however it is quickly bogged down with the introduction of a myriad of characters, every one of them unlikeable. Each character has there own vice and the Cole ensures the reader gets to share their misery; The Graft is pretty bleak. The downside is there are far too few opportunities for hope and eventually it becomes a grind, a persistent narrative of drugs, sex and perversion. Without the glitz, or possibly a better writer, it becomes dull. There is a good enough story in there, with some interesting twists, however the total void of decent folk make this a bit of a downer.

[Theweebarrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her latest novel, Martina tells the story of Nick Leary - devoted father, loyal friend and shrewd business - and what happens when a masked intruder breaks into his home.... In her unique style, Martina Cole holds up a mirror to our society, writing about tough and often harrowing subjects in a brutally honest and compassionate way. Her characters are injected with sympathy and warmth and there is an honesty in her books that speaks to millions of people.

One of her later books but still had me turning the pages to get to the end

[Ann York · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good and I really enjoyed it its about a dad looking for his sons killer because his son gets killed and he trys to find out why it happened to him and its a great twist at the end of the book this is a must read and I don't want to spoil it for anyone its about a man called nick and his wife name is tammy and its really just about him and his family and the sons family but it is a good one

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a load of rubbish

This book is crap!
Not a patch on any of the other books I have read, there's no story nothing is happening it's dead and a waste of time I have read page after page waiting for something to happen? A real let down Martina Cole you should be ashamed of yourself it's just utterly pointless and boring and a waste of my money.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hellova good book! The incredible insight that this author showcases just blows my mind. From drug-addicted skanks to spoiled socialites, Cole writes it as though it were a biography. I'm hooked!

[Margaret Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent proper page turner you think these characters cam not get worse but they do another great read from Martine sw

Worth five starts think I have read most of her books now some of them twice look forward to next one

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read with some good twists to it

[Chelsea Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually a big fan of Cole's work, and this novel starts pretty strong. The characters are varied and engaging and the writing is good. Fast paced and convincing. However, as it goes along it seems to take forever to get to the point, and for me it became pretty stale, to the point that even though the twist was pretty good it was watered down because of how long it took to get there. I also noticed quite a few errors of words missing or certain bits of the prose not making complete sense (which I know is an editorial rather than a writing issue but still affected the reading experience). Overall I wouldn't recommend it you like your crime novels to be fast paced and medium length. It's ok.

[Lauren Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. My first Martina Cole book and will definitely be reading more.

[Mick Grimble · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline was ok could of been wrapped up sooner not the greatest of Martina Cole books so bit disappointing would not rush to to listen too

[Alison Hurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

read on holiday

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yuck. Well written and all, but yuck. Mountains of drug abuse, rivers of booze... Yeah, no

[Laura Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, gritty and enthralling. Well worth a read.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sitting on my shelves for a while before I got around to reading it. I bought it by mistake one day - thinking the title said The CRAFT, not Graft lol. Someone else described it as a brutal story and I have to agree but it is a SLIMY brutal story too. The back streets of the London crime scene (described often in their terminology which I had problems understanding at times). Rent boys, drugs, beatings, murder - it has it all. Not the most comfortable read but I did see it through to the end - found myself fascinated to see what was coming next. So the whole concept was "OK" but it jolted me out of my usual sci-fi/fantasy world and it was an interesting read, hence 3 stars instead of 2 :)

[Esther Eiyegbeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Was an Englishman’s home really his castle?’

The story begins with Nick who defends his family by killing a teenage robber named Sonny who breaks into his home. At first, Nick’s actions seem justified; after all, Sonny is armed, and protecting one’s family is something anyone would initially do. Cole uses the omniscient point of view which initially draws us into Nick’s perspective, making us sympathize with his decision. As a result, we feel and understand Nick’s sadness and guilt over Sonny’s death, as he didn’t expect to kill the boy.

However, as the story continues, it becomes clear that we, like the characters around Nick, have been tricked. Nick’s grief runs deeper than mere regret over a life taken in self-defence, hinting at something darker.

===
‘No one is who you think they are.’

Tyrell’s search for the truth behind the death of his son, Sonny.

He believes he knows his children well, and despite Sonny’s questionable life, he’s certain that robbery wasn’t one of his flaws. When Sonny is brutally killed by the owner of the house he attempted to rob, Tyrell senses something is wrong, especially since Sonny was found with an expensive gun. As a result, he’s driven to uncover what truly happened that night.

What initially appears to be a straightforward tale of self-protection gradually reveals to have darker and more complex elements. ‘The Graft’ focuses on the underbelly of East London’s criminal world, where power, crime, betrayal, and self-interest (at the expense of their relationships with others) thrive.

There are many themes in the story and one is the failure of parental responsibility and the effects of this neglect. Throughout the book, we see how each person’s dysfunctional family life shaped them.

Sonny, for instance, is deeply affected by his mother Jude’s drug addiction and manipulation. Jude exploits her son to feed her addiction, making him commit criminal and immoral acts to provide money for her habit. Tyrell also, being emotionally absent, sets Sonny into a life of crime and his tragic fate.

The second is Nick, who experienced sexual abuse by his parents (though little is spoken about the actions of his mother) and in turn, inflicts the same on others, specifically young boys. His justification is that there is mutual consent but it’s a grim reminder of how people place immoral acts alongside poor excuses, hoping they get pitied because of their past.
Along these lines, the novel also highlights neglected children left on the streets, forced into prostitution as a means of survival.

In the book, men who are ‘good’ by societal standards have immoral secrets that they would kill to protect, which is the primary reason why Nick killed Sonny as they were involved with each other. It’s shocking as these men lead double lives, abusing children while maintaining respectable lives, which also connects with the theme of hypocrisy, which runs through the book. Nick’s hypocrisy is particularly shown when he kills his right-hand man, Gary, for similar crimes, though he is guilty of the same acts.

Following up on hypocrisy, several characters in the book show this off. We also see it in Tyrell who condemns Jude for ruining their son when he also neglected Sonny. After Sonny’s death, Tyrell is consumed with finding out ‘the truth,’ neglecting his second wife, Sally, and their children in the process.

A question Cole brings up is this: ‘Is ignorance truly bliss?’, which stays throughout the novel, especially in Tyrell’s search for answers. As he digs deeper into Sonny’s life, Tyrell uncovers shocking details that change his beliefs about his son. It’s also through his lens that we see the extent of the underbelly of East London and the devastating effects on children neglected by their parents.

Another theme is the illusion of wealth solving all things. Tammy, Nick’s wife, she has it all—wealth, beauty, and the appearance of a perfect life. Yet her marriage to Nick is a façade, marked by fighting, and resentment. Tammy thinks she’s the main character (which is ironic as an omniscient POV is used), focusing on her own needs and maintaining her public image rather than having a relationship with her family, which makes her life seem hollow.

Drug addiction is another theme, represented by Jude, the heaviest user. Drugs are used by various characters as an escape from their realities, but these addictions lead them to harm both themselves and others. Jude’s dependency on drugs is so overwhelming that even after Sonny’s death, she continues to use his memory to elicit sympathy and fuel her addiction. This also affects Sonny’s friend Gino, who, under Jude’s influence, becomes hooked on heroin.

One thing I notice is how people, like Verbena (Tyrell’s mother), are quick to excuse Jude’s behaviour, blaming her drug addiction for her failures. But is it the drugs at fault, or Jude? Drugs exist in the background until someone reaches for them and Jude makes that choice, prioritising her addiction over her son’s wellbeing. While Sonny may have loved her, she didn’t love him that much.

One of my favourite quotes in the book is this: ‘We are all guilty of something even if it’s only laziness or ignorance.’

All characters here are morally grey, each having secrets that would shatter their constructed lives. They all embody these contradictions, showing how easily people judge others while ignoring their vices.

In ‘The Graft’, Cole doesn’t just tell the story of flawed people with vivid and raw descriptions; she also shows that behind the facades are individuals whose lives were shaped by neglect, trauma, and lack of parental care.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aspiring writers are told to 'show don't tell', but this kind of book is 100% telling – 'Billy loved his brother Louis. He wasn't cut out for all this really, he was like Tyrell in that way…' But then Martina Cole sells by the truckload…
Strong points are her voice. You can tell she writes what she knows about in strong language she speaks. This is a brutal story, but then MC, as the publicity claims, tells it like it is.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Graft is cleverly written so that you discover more and more about the main characters (including some very big surprises, but I won't tell you what they are !) as you read. The characters have hidden depths and dark secrets that nobody, neither the other characters in the story nor the reader, will suspect until they are suddenly revealed.

(Full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...)