9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Enjoyable Read about one Tough Cookie, February 13, 2004
The story starts with the birth of a baby girl, Maura Ryan, into the poverty that is South London in the 1950s. Marua is the first female born into a family that lives by its wits in the bomb sites of post war England. Her father is an alcoholic, her mother runs the show, her older brothers are violent. They are thieves.
Marua, who along with her unpleasant brothers, useless father and tough mother, becomes the queen of organized crime in London's gangland. The story take us from the cockroach infested family home of the 1950s to the phenomenal rise to a life of wealth and riches in the 1990s.
DANGEROUS LADY gives us a shocking insight into the life of London's underworld. The story is realistic, believable and an entertaining way to spend a weekend in the country and well worth the read.
Karen Holtz, New Jersey Book Girl
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow, January 22, 2006
Fantastic.
This book delves into the gang ridden underbelly of British society. Grittingly realistic, it follows one family who build from poverty to establish themselves as one of the most prominant gangs in London. Set in an era when the lifestyles followed by the family were rife throughout large portions of England, the book captures the internal struggles within and gives insight into the different minds at work behind gang warfare. A topic that would have been easy to over dramatise and even easier to glorify is treated with care, graphically detailing the torture and psychological problems born out of such a lifestyle.
A wonderful read, gripping from the start and never letting up in intensity throughout. This is a must read for anyone into crime novel, or gritty realism.
Look forward to reading the sequel.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome read!, April 24, 2011
Dangerous Lady introduces us to the last child for Sara Ryan who grows up to become a fearless leader in the English underworld. Everything she knows was taught to her by her brother Michael Ryan and Maura is an apt pupil. The story is a non-stop ride that takes you through decades of criminal activity with Maura staying on top of her game. Loved this book and the strong woman characters that Martina Cole describes.
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