Mallen Streak, The [Hardcover]

Catherine Cookson (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 469 pages
• Publisher: E.P. Dutton; BCE edition (1973)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000HEDCU4
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,121,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, whom she believed to be her older sister. She began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular of contemporary women novelists.

After receiving an OBE in 1985, Catherine Cookson was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993. She was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.

For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne. She died shortly before her ninety-second birthday, in June 1998.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Meet The Mallens, July 11, 2009

By 

Tara (Utah) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This is my first Catherine Cookson novel and it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is not deep, meaningful, or even thought evoking but is an entertaining family drama that had me on the edge of my seat from page 2. (Page one was scenery descriptions)

Meet the Mallens, a rich family in 1851. The head of the Mallens is Thomas, a very arrogant man who has sired numerous bastards across the surrounding farms. He has one legitimate son and one daughter (who really plays no role in the book whatsoever). The legitimate son commits a crime at the same time that Thomas loses his lands, house, and all his frivolous possesssions. A life of hard gambling and unpaid debts has caught up with both Mallen men. When his fugitive son disappears, Thomas Mallen is taken down a few pegs and becomes dependent on his mistress Anna, also his nieces' governess.

His nieces are Barbara and Constance. Readers will be charmed by the closeness of the sisters as they grow together and intrigued by their relationship with Anna. All these women, including the maid, Mary, form a strong bond and throughout many horrors, tragedies, and difficulties, the bond remains intact. And there is no small amount of difficulties as one of Thomas's bastard sons proceeds to enter their lives and upon taking one of the nieces to wife, attempts to exact his revenge on the entire family thru her, to hell with whoever gets harmed in the process.

A terrific family story. There is no end to the drama or surprises. There is scandal and shame and betrayal, but also love, affection, and trust. The ending is not necessarily happy for all, but does introduce babies Michael and Barbara which I feel we will be reading more of in the next book, The Mallen Girl.

This is the first of a trilogy and I am eager to begin the next book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Catherine cookson has done it again!, August 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mallen Streak (Hardcover)

Catherine cookson has written another delightful novel that travels through the generations of one family. The curse of the Mallen Streak is filled with tragedy and forbidden love, it takes you right to the heart of lifes trials and tribulations with all of its wanting to be accepted in a time when scandal was everything and could not be forgiven. I highly recommend this novel whether you are a Catherine Cookson fan or not!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read, September 20, 2011

By 

Nicky "Nicky" (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mallen Streak (The Mallen Trilogy) (Kindle Edition)

This book was surprisingly good. The narrative was very high paced and the story captivating. It is the first of three in this Catherine Cookson trilogy that centers on the offsprings of the Mallens; known for their cruel and disruptive behavior. Drama and shocking plots are rife in this first book, so be prepared to gasp out loud at times.