He was tall, slim and good looking with jet-black hair, and she thought for the umpteenth time how lucky she was to be married to him. Another exciting read from this author… brilliant can't wait to see if there's another one in the series. As Beth smiled at his enthusiasm, he nodded at a table for two with plush chairs covered in a fawn-coloured fabric.

It’s Mediterranean style – sharing platters and little dishes of olives and almonds, that sort of thing.The Queen of Urban, Gritty Crime, Heather has written and published three series, The Riverhill, The Manchester and The Working Girls series, all available on ebook by Aria. I was familiar with the dialogue used (as I live in the UK) and felt that it fitted with the story well. As they passed an elderly lady walking an overenthusiastic Collie, Rex cowered behind Beth, whimpering. The sofa was also grey but darker and covered with scatter cushions in various shades of greys, blues and a mustard colour.

Although this is number two in the series, I do believe Gangster’s Grip would easily work as a separate story. I thought that the way that the book switched from present events to the memories of Julie was greatly effective and gave me the information I needed to piece the story together without being overwhelming or boring. Frantic now, Beth carried on battling her way towards Rex till she had almost reached the end of the clump of bushes. Heather Burnside spent her teenage years on one of the toughest estates in Manchester and she draws heavily on this background as the setting for many of her novels. I’ve read pretty much everything Burnside has written; her short stories collection Crime, Conflict and Consequences, and the first book in the trilogy Slur, and it’s safe to say I’m a fan.Blackmail is the new standalone gangland thriller from Heather Burnside, author of the Working Girls series, that's perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Martina Cole and Emma Tallon. Being a big fan of realism I also appreciate the way the book doesnt pull any punches; the ending leaves you reeling. The third part of the Riverhill Trilogy is rumoured to be out in June this year, so do yourself a favour and catch up with this series before then. But she was curious about the person whose eyes had never left her since she walked across the room.

His other hand was clasped around her middle, but it felt weighty, as though he was holding something, which was prodding her stomach. She turned her head to the side to get a better look and noticed a distinguished, good-looking man of about forty sitting on a stool at the end of the bar. When Beth meets wealthy crime boss Martin , he sets her up in business, dotes on her and gives her everything she wants. Set in 1996, a time when Manchester was dealing with a serious drug and gang problem, Gangster’s Grip is the story of a normal family, who through a mixture of love and intimidation, become too mixed up in that world.When they’d first met, she had been bowled over by the fact that he was so charming and couldn’t seem to do enough for her. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. In my honest opinion, Heather deserves to be as popular as Martina Cole, Kimberly Chambers and Mandsue Heller and Heather Burnside is definitely on my must read and favourite authors list.