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The Runaway
When Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty are thrown together as children in the East End their fate is sealed.
Cathy's miserable life as a prostitute's child changes forever when she's forced into care. The ordeal that follows leaves her with no choice but to run away to Soho, and she learns to survive in the violent heart of London's underworld. Meanwhile, Eamonn, who fled to New York, has gained a reputation as a ruthless villain.
But when their paths cross again, Cathy's an equal match for Eamonn.
Cathy's miserable life as a prostitute's child changes forever when she's forced into care. The ordeal that follows leaves her with no choice but to run away to Soho, and she learns to survive in the violent heart of London's underworld. Meanwhile, Eamonn, who fled to New York, has gained a reputation as a ruthless villain.
But when their paths cross again, Cathy's an equal match for Eamonn.
663 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Martina Cole
82 books1,545 followersMartina 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
July 10, 2020
Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty were forced to live together as children; Cathy's Mum is a prostitute and Eamonn's Dad lived off her wages. They maybe poor but they have each other.
After a series of events Eamonn is forced to move to New York and Cathy, after running away from the care home, is rescued by Desrae who teaches her how to survive in Soho. You know it's only going to be a matter of time before their paths cross and it's all go when they do.
If you have read any of MC's books you know the drill, they are all quite similar in terms of their characters and the plot themes; the guys want to be a face and the girls are either used by said face or are powerful in their own right.
A graphic story but to me this is one of MC's better books.
After a series of events Eamonn is forced to move to New York and Cathy, after running away from the care home, is rescued by Desrae who teaches her how to survive in Soho. You know it's only going to be a matter of time before their paths cross and it's all go when they do.
If you have read any of MC's books you know the drill, they are all quite similar in terms of their characters and the plot themes; the guys want to be a face and the girls are either used by said face or are powerful in their own right.
A graphic story but to me this is one of MC's better books.
May 24, 2019
Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty are brought together in the grim East End of London, Cathy the daughter of a prostitute and Eamonn’s relationship is severely tested other time.
Highly gripping and authentic, Cole is a great enjoyable read!
Highly gripping and authentic, Cole is a great enjoyable read!
July 29, 2009
The first ever Martina Cole book I read. Very out there and brutal, love her books though. Not for the faint hearted!!!
April 5, 2009
hmmm, good one. long but good. a bit too gory too stomach at times. made me feel blessed i'm an insignificant nothing, rather than a big head hunted down by enemies who would go for my throat any time...
July 20, 2011
Simply dreadful! I listened to this as an audible download on the strength of all the great reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. It just went on and on.. I kept listening because I thought it must improve soon. So much gratuitous violence and interminable graphic detail that left little room for a decent plot.
March 3, 2019
A real page turner. I love M.C. books. Never disappoint.
February 6, 2020
One usually knows what to respect with Cole and her stories of the underclass and some of the criminal families that live amongst them - but The Runaway sees Cole's storytelling powers remain as well as they've always been but as one reads more of her books it all appears to formulaic with most characters been a slight tweak of others she's written before. If you've never read a Cole before, you will most likely very much enjoy this. 4 out of 12.
April 8, 2008
Brilliant read, couldn't put the book down. Realy good ending as well.
December 14, 2007
Fantastic read. A story about how a young girl, no matter how badly her upbringing is, can still make a good life for herself.
Brought up by a prostitute for mother and an alcoholic for a father, she manages to escape her damaged life and find refuge, not after going thru her fair share of emotional traumas.
She ends up stabbing one of her mothers punters and her mother, deciding that she hasn't been a good mother, decides to take the blame for it.
After her mother is jailed, she is put into care, where she escapes the brutal beatings and torture that her foster family dish out.
Eventually making a new life for herself and becoming a success herself.
Brilliant book!!!
Really sad ending, but I couldn't put this book down.
Brought up by a prostitute for mother and an alcoholic for a father, she manages to escape her damaged life and find refuge, not after going thru her fair share of emotional traumas.
She ends up stabbing one of her mothers punters and her mother, deciding that she hasn't been a good mother, decides to take the blame for it.
After her mother is jailed, she is put into care, where she escapes the brutal beatings and torture that her foster family dish out.
Eventually making a new life for herself and becoming a success herself.
Brilliant book!!!
Really sad ending, but I couldn't put this book down.
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January 8, 2016
Couldn't finish this book - got about half way. It wasn't that it was badly written, all the full stops were in the correct place, or was just so long and boring. It's difficult to say that something with such a depressing and harsh storyline was boring but it truly was and I'm kind of tired of the same old crime fiction storylines of whores and women thinking they need men to survive. I'm honestly thinking of starting to read chick-lit, this stuff is getting old.
December 18, 2007
Fantastic book about a girl who survives a really bad childhood, with an alcoholic father and a prosititute mother.
She makes a success out of herself with courage and determination.
She doesn't use her past or upbringing as an excuse in life.
Heartwarming story, really sad ending but utterly brilliant.
She makes a success out of herself with courage and determination.
She doesn't use her past or upbringing as an excuse in life.
Heartwarming story, really sad ending but utterly brilliant.
November 17, 2008
Cathy and Eamonn are thrown together as children growing up on the sleazy streets of London's East End. Cathy learns how to survive in the criminal underworld, and Eamonn, fleeing to America, has become a ruthless villain. Its only a matter of time before their paths cross again.
It lets you see how a friendship from the past can be good or bad for you. And how it affects your loyalties
It lets you see how a friendship from the past can be good or bad for you. And how it affects your loyalties
May 22, 2020
Cathy Connor and Eamon Docherty are brought up together, knowing each other since childhood and clinging together between his alcoholic, abusive father and her prostitute mother the kids have no one else.
Inevitably as they get older they fall in love but when after a shocking tragedy Cathy gets taken into care her world is turned upside down and the pair are separated as Eamon after a brutal murder flees to New York.
Meeting many years later they resume their love affair, both are now harder and worldly wise but when one is still a bad apple and the love is all one sided how can this possibly work?
Set against the backdrop of London's East end and the USA this is a gritty look into the world of child and adult prostitution, sexual abuse and the seedy underworld that links these lifestyles.
Graphic and harrowing this is still an excellent read with a great story woven through serious social issues.
Inevitably as they get older they fall in love but when after a shocking tragedy Cathy gets taken into care her world is turned upside down and the pair are separated as Eamon after a brutal murder flees to New York.
Meeting many years later they resume their love affair, both are now harder and worldly wise but when one is still a bad apple and the love is all one sided how can this possibly work?
Set against the backdrop of London's East end and the USA this is a gritty look into the world of child and adult prostitution, sexual abuse and the seedy underworld that links these lifestyles.
Graphic and harrowing this is still an excellent read with a great story woven through serious social issues.
October 20, 2020
What a book...a real rollercoaster of emotions is what you go through while reading this one..you live through the characters of the book almost as if watching a drama on tv... that's how it's been written with gritty twists and turns...go for this one if you are into a bit of drama tailored with thrills of gang wars, love , betrayal and much more to explore as you go on!
October 27, 2014
Wow what a book, at times it’s almost too hard to handle some of the raw and brutal scenes but overall it is quite an optimistic book that no matter how hard life gets if you have strength of character you can overcome it.
It follows the story of Cathy O Connor who was brought up by a mother on the game. After her live in partner Docherty leaves her (along with his son and Cathy’s lifelong friend Eamonn), she begins to bring her work home and they have designs on her daughter Cathy. In one scene where her mother is being attacked Cathy stabs a punter and kills him. The kindly detective Richard Gates ensures that her mother takes the blame for it but Cathy is packed off to an institution anyway at which she endures so much abuse she nearly dies and eventually goes on the run.
Always with her first love Eamonn in the front of her mind (although he actually took advantage of her and stole her virginity) she manages to keep enough hope to get through and ends up on the sleazy streets of Soho. Forced to give some random stranger fellatio she narrowly escapes rape as she is rescued by transvestite Desrae. With luck being on her side Desrae is one of the few genuine and honest characters in the book and takes her under his wing and nurses her both mentally and physically back to health. She then joins his/her venture and forges out a successful life for herself working in the Soho Clubs.
But she is never far from the criminal underworld and therefore vicious murder, detestable sex and brutal attacks. Eamonn in the meantime has fled a murder in London and has joined the criminal underworld in New York, working for gangsters like the mafia and eventually terrorist organisations like the IRA. He has also got himself a wife he doesn’t love and ten children!
Eventually their paths cross again and the love they felt for each other is still very apparent, but the selfish greedy streak is also still there in Eamonn where he thinks he can have exactly what he wants.
Cathy loses people close to her including her friend Joey (Desrae’s partner) and her husband, his son, Tommy through murder and almost loses the innocence of her daughter (who turns out to be Eamonn’s though Tommy always believed she was his) as she is kidnapped and nearly used in some brutal child sex rape video.
Eventually, Eamonn gets Cathy unknowingly involved in trafficking plutonium as he hides it in her case as she returns from one of her state-side visits to see him. Cathy is attacked and left for dead, unrecognisable from her injuries and in a coma for months.
The only person who sticks by her and shows his true love for her is Richard Gates, who despite being many years her senior has always harboured a love for her.
Meanwhile Eamonn is killed in America. At the end of the book Cathy wakes up – still with a long road for recovery ahead of her – but she has the love of Richard.
It is a pretty frightening book if this is really how brutal the criminal underworld was in the 60s – 80s. No one has an iota of loyalty and the gangs think they can throw away human life just like that. People are just disposed of if they get in the way, step out of line, or actually for no reason at all.
The love story itself shows how deep love can run, even when one side is not deserving of the love. It’s a heartbreaking book but also tinged with optimism, hope and strength of character.
It follows the story of Cathy O Connor who was brought up by a mother on the game. After her live in partner Docherty leaves her (along with his son and Cathy’s lifelong friend Eamonn), she begins to bring her work home and they have designs on her daughter Cathy. In one scene where her mother is being attacked Cathy stabs a punter and kills him. The kindly detective Richard Gates ensures that her mother takes the blame for it but Cathy is packed off to an institution anyway at which she endures so much abuse she nearly dies and eventually goes on the run.
Always with her first love Eamonn in the front of her mind (although he actually took advantage of her and stole her virginity) she manages to keep enough hope to get through and ends up on the sleazy streets of Soho. Forced to give some random stranger fellatio she narrowly escapes rape as she is rescued by transvestite Desrae. With luck being on her side Desrae is one of the few genuine and honest characters in the book and takes her under his wing and nurses her both mentally and physically back to health. She then joins his/her venture and forges out a successful life for herself working in the Soho Clubs.
But she is never far from the criminal underworld and therefore vicious murder, detestable sex and brutal attacks. Eamonn in the meantime has fled a murder in London and has joined the criminal underworld in New York, working for gangsters like the mafia and eventually terrorist organisations like the IRA. He has also got himself a wife he doesn’t love and ten children!
Eventually their paths cross again and the love they felt for each other is still very apparent, but the selfish greedy streak is also still there in Eamonn where he thinks he can have exactly what he wants.
Cathy loses people close to her including her friend Joey (Desrae’s partner) and her husband, his son, Tommy through murder and almost loses the innocence of her daughter (who turns out to be Eamonn’s though Tommy always believed she was his) as she is kidnapped and nearly used in some brutal child sex rape video.
Eventually, Eamonn gets Cathy unknowingly involved in trafficking plutonium as he hides it in her case as she returns from one of her state-side visits to see him. Cathy is attacked and left for dead, unrecognisable from her injuries and in a coma for months.
The only person who sticks by her and shows his true love for her is Richard Gates, who despite being many years her senior has always harboured a love for her.
Meanwhile Eamonn is killed in America. At the end of the book Cathy wakes up – still with a long road for recovery ahead of her – but she has the love of Richard.
It is a pretty frightening book if this is really how brutal the criminal underworld was in the 60s – 80s. No one has an iota of loyalty and the gangs think they can throw away human life just like that. People are just disposed of if they get in the way, step out of line, or actually for no reason at all.
The love story itself shows how deep love can run, even when one side is not deserving of the love. It’s a heartbreaking book but also tinged with optimism, hope and strength of character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2012
As children Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty only had each other to lean on while trying to survive the crime infested London East End. After living in constant threat and danger as a prostitute’s daughter, Cathy is soon put into the care system which she finds even more dangerous and has no choice but to runaway to Soho – the sex centre of the city. Meanwhile, Eamonn creates a name for himself as a heartless gangster and soon has to run away from his own crimes to New York where his reputation only gets worse. Their paths will soon cross again but this time there is no running away.
The sheer honesty and brutality of this story are what make it influential to me. Cole paints such a vivid picture of what it is like it live in the violent underworld of London in the sixties – a time when neither the care system nor the police could be trusted. It is a challenging story that forces you to be on the side of some of the worst villains and makes you question your own morals in the face of danger. The personal back story Cole tells of each character help you to really get inside of their heads and root for them even against your better judgement. “The Runaway” makes the reader see how important a good upbringing and a loving family are, and how some people can find the strength to overcome even the most horrific circumstances and still find it in them to love.
The sheer honesty and brutality of this story are what make it influential to me. Cole paints such a vivid picture of what it is like it live in the violent underworld of London in the sixties – a time when neither the care system nor the police could be trusted. It is a challenging story that forces you to be on the side of some of the worst villains and makes you question your own morals in the face of danger. The personal back story Cole tells of each character help you to really get inside of their heads and root for them even against your better judgement. “The Runaway” makes the reader see how important a good upbringing and a loving family are, and how some people can find the strength to overcome even the most horrific circumstances and still find it in them to love.
July 26, 2010
This is the fifth book by this author that I have read and I have enjoyed everyone of them. Her books are probably for the English audience unless you know a lot of English slang expressions but if you can get by these then they are a good, fast read. They can be quite graphic and the language is very raw. I enjoy them as they remind me of my childhood as I grew up in the areas described in the books.
Back Cover Blurb:
When Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty are thrown together as children in the sleazy streets of London's East End their fate is sealed.
Cathy's miserable life as a prostitute's child changes forever when she is forced into care. The terrifying ordeal that follows leaves her with no choice....Entering the twilight world of London's Soho as a runaway, she is rescued by Desrae, who teaches her how to survive in the violent heart of London's criminal underworld. Meanwhile, Eamonn, who fled to America with his father, has gained a reputation as one of the most ruthless villains in New York.
It's only a matter of time before their paths cross and, when they do, Cathy's an equal match for Eamonn. She's beautiful, clever and tough. And nothing's going to make her run away again....
Back Cover Blurb:
When Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty are thrown together as children in the sleazy streets of London's East End their fate is sealed.
Cathy's miserable life as a prostitute's child changes forever when she is forced into care. The terrifying ordeal that follows leaves her with no choice....Entering the twilight world of London's Soho as a runaway, she is rescued by Desrae, who teaches her how to survive in the violent heart of London's criminal underworld. Meanwhile, Eamonn, who fled to America with his father, has gained a reputation as one of the most ruthless villains in New York.
It's only a matter of time before their paths cross and, when they do, Cathy's an equal match for Eamonn. She's beautiful, clever and tough. And nothing's going to make her run away again....
January 26, 2010
My rating for this Martina Cole story went from a 4-star (at the beginning), down to a 3-star (because the middle felt very long-winded and the story wasn't moving quickly enough for me). I was pleasantly surprised when I found my former 4-star rating returning (for the last quarter of the book). before becoming a resounding 5-star by the end. Yes, it really was that much of a rollercoaster read!
This story is a difficult one to stomach at times - it includes horrific violence, and some startling statements concerning terrorist and gangster organisations which really got me thinking about some things in a different light. I agree with another reviewer who says that The Runaway isn't for the 'faint hearted', but then again I imagine that all of Martina Cole's books are gritty and hard-hitting.
The Runaway is the best Martina Cole story I have read thus far, and one of those library books that I now wish I owned.
This story is a difficult one to stomach at times - it includes horrific violence, and some startling statements concerning terrorist and gangster organisations which really got me thinking about some things in a different light. I agree with another reviewer who says that The Runaway isn't for the 'faint hearted', but then again I imagine that all of Martina Cole's books are gritty and hard-hitting.
The Runaway is the best Martina Cole story I have read thus far, and one of those library books that I now wish I owned.
June 2, 2011
Could not recommend this book enough, actually any book by this author. Once I started reading, I could not put this book down and it seemed to end far to quickly for me! Martina Cole is a world class author, and writes with such passion and manages to leave the reader emotional. I am only 14 years old so I originally thought this book would be to old for my age, but I loved every single minute of it. Another one to reccommed i 'Hard Girls.'
June 5, 2017
Very good read - found this book to be a major "page-turner". It is quite a long book, but it gives excellent background development on main player/characters. I found myself becoming attached to many of the characters, and it evoked many emotions throughout the entire book. Not a book for all, but definitely a book I would recommend for those who like a gritty read.
January 14, 2010
i couldn't put this book down...once you start it, the pages are constantly turning. it has it all..love, hate, violence, revenge, pathos...one of the best Martina Cole books.
October 7, 2013
Such an amazing book I love it. Couldn't put it Down recommend it to anyone!!!
August 4, 2020
3.5ish
It is such a guilty pleasure book. I have to commend the author for writing in such an engaging way. The story is gripping, the writing style is easy to suck you in, you want to what happens next... I mean, I read this 500+ page long novel in one sitting.
I also loved the drag queen representation. I am a huge fan of performing arts in general, and I support drag art 100%... and it is so nice to see such positive representation in an "older" novel (I know, older in this case is relative, but talking about drag culture has become hip and common in the past few years, as far as I know), and to see how gently and preciously Cole writes about the drag queens in the novel... also, I read a translation, so I could just guess about the original language, but when it came to the narration, I did not find any derogatory term for them, but only when it was said by someone probably less educated in a dialogue, and that makes so much sense. I would not have minded seeing more of the everyday life of the bar.
On the other hand, this one was such a soap opera. So over the top, so exaggerated, so tacky at times. It was a typical criminal / mafia love story, just done a little bit better on the writing front than all these cheap novels coming out these days. Too much blood, too much violence, and really problematic views on love, attraction, sex and loyalty... some of which were sort of questioned at the end, but too little, too late. There was this overarching notion that true love is this devouring, destructive, all-consuming feeling where you love the person just because of some attraction, no matter what they do and no matter how badly they treat you or who else they have a relationship with... which I don't agree with at all. I also found it strange how some of these characters were supposed to love each other to the moon and back, but they somehow "cheated" on them with hundreds of people and betrayed them or cut them off for the pettiest things. There was almost no character growth in any of the characters, but especially not in the male lead, even though the story covers 30 years.
Also, this novel had quite a few really bad tropes that are so common in this genre, like:
- almost everyone meeting the main heroine or the main hero either fall in love with them or want to have sex with instantly
- the main heroine felt like a wet dream rather than an actual realized person - like this wonder woman, who we supposed to see as angelic and virtuous and so much more elegant and classy than all the other women, but at the same time swears like a sailor... the whole characterization felt like a rouse to see the main heroine as unique rather than creating a believable personality... sort of like a "for men's magazine" take on a strong-willed woman, which was kind of offputting
- putting in every shocking thing under the planet just for the shock factor / when the author felt the plot was slowing down... you know "we have had rape, sex trafficking, homophobic attacks, pedophilia, mafia standoffs, drug abuse... how about we add non-consentual incest and mention zoophilia as a bonus?"... it did not feel shocking in the end, just so uninspired and self-serving.
I also felt that the plot got too convoluted for my taste towards the end.
It is such a guilty pleasure book. I have to commend the author for writing in such an engaging way. The story is gripping, the writing style is easy to suck you in, you want to what happens next... I mean, I read this 500+ page long novel in one sitting.
I also loved the drag queen representation. I am a huge fan of performing arts in general, and I support drag art 100%... and it is so nice to see such positive representation in an "older" novel (I know, older in this case is relative, but talking about drag culture has become hip and common in the past few years, as far as I know), and to see how gently and preciously Cole writes about the drag queens in the novel... also, I read a translation, so I could just guess about the original language, but when it came to the narration, I did not find any derogatory term for them, but only when it was said by someone probably less educated in a dialogue, and that makes so much sense. I would not have minded seeing more of the everyday life of the bar.
On the other hand, this one was such a soap opera. So over the top, so exaggerated, so tacky at times. It was a typical criminal / mafia love story, just done a little bit better on the writing front than all these cheap novels coming out these days. Too much blood, too much violence, and really problematic views on love, attraction, sex and loyalty... some of which were sort of questioned at the end, but too little, too late. There was this overarching notion that true love is this devouring, destructive, all-consuming feeling where you love the person just because of some attraction, no matter what they do and no matter how badly they treat you or who else they have a relationship with... which I don't agree with at all. I also found it strange how some of these characters were supposed to love each other to the moon and back, but they somehow "cheated" on them with hundreds of people and betrayed them or cut them off for the pettiest things. There was almost no character growth in any of the characters, but especially not in the male lead, even though the story covers 30 years.
Also, this novel had quite a few really bad tropes that are so common in this genre, like:
- almost everyone meeting the main heroine or the main hero either fall in love with them or want to have sex with instantly
- the main heroine felt like a wet dream rather than an actual realized person - like this wonder woman, who we supposed to see as angelic and virtuous and so much more elegant and classy than all the other women, but at the same time swears like a sailor... the whole characterization felt like a rouse to see the main heroine as unique rather than creating a believable personality... sort of like a "for men's magazine" take on a strong-willed woman, which was kind of offputting
- putting in every shocking thing under the planet just for the shock factor / when the author felt the plot was slowing down... you know "we have had rape, sex trafficking, homophobic attacks, pedophilia, mafia standoffs, drug abuse... how about we add non-consentual incest and mention zoophilia as a bonus?"... it did not feel shocking in the end, just so uninspired and self-serving.
I also felt that the plot got too convoluted for my taste towards the end.
November 22, 2020
This is the best Martina Cole book I've read yet! The characters are strong and unforgettable. The story line is a well woven tale. The language is often quite colourful. However, the events that occur between the covers are full of tragedy and happiness.
Cathy and Eamonn grow up together in London's Bethnal Green. Though not related by blood, they're related by circumstance. Cathy's mother Madge iunder the protection of s a dock dolly (prostitute) living with Eamonn's father, also called Eamonn. The two Eamonn's move out when the father finds himself somewhere better to live with a woman with money and a clean house. Madge has a succession of men in her life, which is par for the course. Her last long term partner is killed and Madge takes the blame, going to prison for many years. Cathy is taken into the "care" of the authorities and sent to a school, and eventually goes on the run.
Cathy ends up in Soho under the protection of Desrae, a transvestite, and her lover, Joey. They look after the young girl, who grows up and goes into business with Desrae and some other "girls".
Young Eamonn becomes a villain, eventually running part of gangland London. He then goes to New York on business and does very well for himself, going into business with the IRA, mafia, the Chinese and the Russians.
Cathy and Eamonn are like two halves of the same coin, not complete unless together. They both live their lives in London and New York, with their respective families, only meeting up again after several years apart. They realise that, despite their separation, they loved each other. Only, for Cathy, the love was true.
Cathy has another protector in the shape of policeman Richard Gates. He is always there for her, which is just as well, as Cathy is attacked for something she unknowingly smuggles back to London for Eamonn. She is beaten and left for dead, but Gates finds her and never leaves her side.
Will Cathy and Eamonn survive their separate yet similar lifestyles? It's touch and go, but they're both strong characters, backed up by other memorable people.
There's so much detail and so many twists and turns in this book between the covers. My review can't do them all justice. Find out more by reading the book. You won't be disappointed!
Cathy and Eamonn grow up together in London's Bethnal Green. Though not related by blood, they're related by circumstance. Cathy's mother Madge iunder the protection of s a dock dolly (prostitute) living with Eamonn's father, also called Eamonn. The two Eamonn's move out when the father finds himself somewhere better to live with a woman with money and a clean house. Madge has a succession of men in her life, which is par for the course. Her last long term partner is killed and Madge takes the blame, going to prison for many years. Cathy is taken into the "care" of the authorities and sent to a school, and eventually goes on the run.
Cathy ends up in Soho under the protection of Desrae, a transvestite, and her lover, Joey. They look after the young girl, who grows up and goes into business with Desrae and some other "girls".
Young Eamonn becomes a villain, eventually running part of gangland London. He then goes to New York on business and does very well for himself, going into business with the IRA, mafia, the Chinese and the Russians.
Cathy and Eamonn are like two halves of the same coin, not complete unless together. They both live their lives in London and New York, with their respective families, only meeting up again after several years apart. They realise that, despite their separation, they loved each other. Only, for Cathy, the love was true.
Cathy has another protector in the shape of policeman Richard Gates. He is always there for her, which is just as well, as Cathy is attacked for something she unknowingly smuggles back to London for Eamonn. She is beaten and left for dead, but Gates finds her and never leaves her side.
Will Cathy and Eamonn survive their separate yet similar lifestyles? It's touch and go, but they're both strong characters, backed up by other memorable people.
There's so much detail and so many twists and turns in this book between the covers. My review can't do them all justice. Find out more by reading the book. You won't be disappointed!
November 21, 2021
I went off Martina Cole for a little while, however I picked this one up and have been riveted.
This story, it’s so dark! And really the HEA isn’t all that happy if you ask me.
*spoilers* and *trigger warnings*
So it starts with Cathy. A little girl who lives with her mum, her mums fella, and his son who’s only a couple of years older than her.
Cathy and Eamonn are close, they have to be what with her mum being a dock-worker and his dad being a useless ‘ponce’. We follow poor Cathy on her journey of misery, which culminates in her murdering one of her mums clients as he’s beating her mum senseless.
She’s nine, I think. What a start to the book. Luckily a nice policeman makes her mum see sense and take the fall. Unluckily, a dodgy social worker sticks her in a horrendous house for wayward girls simply because she ‘doesn’t like the look of her’. Nice right?
She makes her escape and then thankfully things start looking up!
Regarding the plot, I found it really hard to understand why Cathy always kept going back to Eamonn. He did horrible things to her and yet she kept letting him back into her life over the years. At one point I was almost ‘well, you get what you deserve’ but Cathy is just too likeable to hate for her choice of bloke. And she did NOT get what she deserves, holy wow, traumatic reading. Eamonn really did tuck her up good and proper. His ending? Too tame. He needed to suffer more for his actions.
Moving on from that, the *trigger warning!* pedophile ring in the Childress home… where was the justice?! It played a major role in how Cathy got where she was, and it was just so disgusting! But we never hear if they get busted and go down for what they have been doing. For me, I want this to be resolved, and it’s a shame that it never was.
Every bit of this book is dark and traumatic, but it’s real, despite its fiction. If you can stomach that sort of content it’s definitely worth a read.
This story, it’s so dark! And really the HEA isn’t all that happy if you ask me.
*spoilers* and *trigger warnings*
So it starts with Cathy. A little girl who lives with her mum, her mums fella, and his son who’s only a couple of years older than her.
Cathy and Eamonn are close, they have to be what with her mum being a dock-worker and his dad being a useless ‘ponce’. We follow poor Cathy on her journey of misery, which culminates in her murdering one of her mums clients as he’s beating her mum senseless.
She’s nine, I think. What a start to the book. Luckily a nice policeman makes her mum see sense and take the fall. Unluckily, a dodgy social worker sticks her in a horrendous house for wayward girls simply because she ‘doesn’t like the look of her’. Nice right?
She makes her escape and then thankfully things start looking up!
Regarding the plot, I found it really hard to understand why Cathy always kept going back to Eamonn. He did horrible things to her and yet she kept letting him back into her life over the years. At one point I was almost ‘well, you get what you deserve’ but Cathy is just too likeable to hate for her choice of bloke. And she did NOT get what she deserves, holy wow, traumatic reading. Eamonn really did tuck her up good and proper. His ending? Too tame. He needed to suffer more for his actions.
Moving on from that, the *trigger warning!* pedophile ring in the Childress home… where was the justice?! It played a major role in how Cathy got where she was, and it was just so disgusting! But we never hear if they get busted and go down for what they have been doing. For me, I want this to be resolved, and it’s a shame that it never was.
Every bit of this book is dark and traumatic, but it’s real, despite its fiction. If you can stomach that sort of content it’s definitely worth a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2022
3.5 stars. Initially, I was very engaged in the plot, and invested in what happened to the main heroine, Cathy. It was easy to forgive her poor choices as as a result of youth. However as the book continued it lacked much further character development. I lost sympathy or interest in Cathy whose main quality seems to be her beauty. And I lost respect for the character based on her choice to devote herself to a narcissistic psychopath. Where are the strong female characters? And the books references to transgender characters will seem VERY outdated and there’s a fair amount of language by characters that is racist. Yes, it’s a book published over a decade old but a warning as this may offend some readers.
August 3, 2017
This is the Martina Cole I LOVE. Long books with incredibly well crafted narratives, with interesting lead characters. Not to say her recent work has been poor because it hasn't, but they don't have the spark that these books have (in my opinion of course).
Sex, abuse, love, betrayal, violence (a lot of violence!) and murder are huge themes in this story. This book kept me interested from the first word to the last.
Martina Cole at her best.
This is also NOTHING like the TV series a few years ago...I'm surprised how much is so different!
An incredible read but definitely not for the faint hearted.
I look forward to Martina's new book later this year.
Sex, abuse, love, betrayal, violence (a lot of violence!) and murder are huge themes in this story. This book kept me interested from the first word to the last.
Martina Cole at her best.
This is also NOTHING like the TV series a few years ago...I'm surprised how much is so different!
An incredible read but definitely not for the faint hearted.
I look forward to Martina's new book later this year.
July 16, 2022
I love Martina Cole’s epic books that span several decades. With this one being 700+ pages we see the character building of the main female protagonist Cathy from childhood through to her forties and I cared about her so much along with her saviour in life Desrae and her daughter later in the book. I remember reading Goodnight Lady years ago and this feels similar with it’s hard hitting, often difficult to read details about their broken childhood and rise from the ashes. I read a Martina Cole book about once or twice a year as I have to scratch my itch for gritty gangster novels about every 6 months and this one was truly great.
March 16, 2018
***SPOILERS***
When I started this book, I just couldn't put it down, I was so engrossed. Although, I simply had to when Cathy goes to that awful institution after the murder. This book is one tragedy after another and it honestly made me feel like my stomach was filled with ice water at some points.
The action was continuous and did not dawdle - which is decent as the book is set over a long timeline.
Definitely not for the faint-hearted readers - this novel certainly packs punches too real for the ignorant.
When I started this book, I just couldn't put it down, I was so engrossed. Although, I simply had to when Cathy goes to that awful institution after the murder. This book is one tragedy after another and it honestly made me feel like my stomach was filled with ice water at some points.
The action was continuous and did not dawdle - which is decent as the book is set over a long timeline.
Definitely not for the faint-hearted readers - this novel certainly packs punches too real for the ignorant.
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