Product Description

George Markham has a nasty little hobby, one that erupts into an orgy of vicious sexual depravity. Patrick Kelly is a hard man. His one soft spot is his daughter, and when she falls victim to the Grantley Ripper, Kelly wants revenge. The DI in charge of the case is Kate Burrows. She feels for Kelly but her growing involvement with a known villain is putting her career at risk... As the forces of law and order and London’s underworld converge in a huge manhunt, Kate fears she’ll lose everything she’s ever cared about... to the ladykiller.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19725 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 640 pages

About the Author
Martina Cole was born and brought up in Essex. She is the bestselling author of eleven novels set in London's gangland, and her most recent three novels have gone straight to No. 1 in the Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Customer Reviews

Superb crime novel with a love story to boot
Many years ago I listened to the audio version of Dangerous Lady and quite liked it. Since then I hadn’t touched another Martina Cole novel but after reading an interview with the author I decided to give her books another go. I’m very happy that I started with The Ladykiller, as it is one of the best crime thrillers I’ve ever read. The book is about the criminal underworld in the East End where violence, prostitution, sex shops, massage parlours, hired thugs, bent coppers and paedophiles are a part of ordinary life. I know, it all sounds pretty heavy, and believe me the book is not what you would call light-hearted, but it is written with a such a down-to-earth style and with such realism and psychological insight that it is very enjoyable and exciting to read. Martina Cole is an amazing storyteller, and knows how to keep the reader hooked all the way through.

The novel starts by focussing on George Markham, an abused boy who has turned into an abusive man. George is heavily into sadomasochism and he has started to turn his violent fantasies into real-life crimes by raping and murdering women. One of these women is Mandy Kelly, the daughter of London hard man Patrick Kelly. Patrick will stop at nothing to track down her murderer and bring him to his kind of rough justice.

At the same time, the serial rapist / murderer is being hunted by DI Kate Burrows and her police team. Kate is a woman with a wayward daughter and an ex-husband who has breezed in and out of her life too many times. The emotional heart of the novel lies with Kate and Patrick, who are on opposite sides of the legal fence but who grow to love each other. Their relationship is rocky, passionate and controversial. I absolutely adored the fact that this book included such an interesting love story. In another author’s hands it could have come across as ridiculous but Martina Cole writes it perfectly.

As a female reader, I found myself absolutely falling for Patrick Kelly whilst at the same time aghast about his criminal activities and penchant for young women (but over eighteen years old!) when not in a relationship. You can see how Patrick is the result of his poverty-stricken upbringing – he did what he had to in order to survive. Everything that makes him attractive – his strength, confidence and power – is also what makes him such a successful villain. Kate is also a really strong and interesting character, and I liked the way she stood up to Patrick and didn’t give in to her principles in order to meet his, such as when she walked out of an illegal boxing match that Patrick wanted to see.

The book is also great because every scene seems so authentic. You become immersed in a world where women are ‘birds’ and ‘skirts’ (I know, I know, so chauvinistic – but it’s part of the culture) and police officers are the ‘Old Bill’ and ‘filth’. This book is certainly not politically correct, but it is better for it. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who like crime novels and aren’t offended easily by violence, bad language and sexploitation! This novel is a wonderful guilty pleasure.

JoAnne

A real page-turner
This is my second Martina Cole book, having read The Know. I was gripped from page one when I read The Know and was pretty sure The Ladykiller couldn't suck me in as well as The Know did. Boy was I wrong. The Ladykiller is another brilliant book from Martina Cole and it'll keep you turning pages until the early hours such is the mastery of the author at keeping you guessing what will happen next. I read it in 3 days straight and if I didn't have pesky work to distract me from my reading I would have finished it a lot sooner!

The story centers around 3 main characters; DI Kate Burrows, East-End Hardman Patrick Kelly and the Grantley Ripper himself, George Markham.

DI Kate Burrows is assigned to the case of the Grantley Ripper who has been abducting, raping and murdering young women. Kate is so thoroughly engrossed in her job that she doesn't see what's happening with her own daughter until it's almost too late. The Rippers second victim is the daughter of local hardman, Patrick Kelly. Kelly's daughter, Mandy, was his world and her death has propelled him on a quest to find her killer and exact revenge. This task becomes more complicated when he falls for DI Kate Burrows. The Grantley Ripper (aka George Markham) meanwhile is on a roll and nobody can stop him.

What I love about The Ladykiller is the down to earth realism that Martina Cole brings to the book with the characters explored in such depth that you feel you know them. It's also one of those rare books that really keeps you guessing how things will turn out right up until the last chapter.

I'm fast becoming an avid Martina Cole fan and will be snapping up a few more of her books very soon. If they're anything like my first two experiences I'll be very impressed!

An thriller your eyes will not want to leave
I have been reading thrillers for twenty years and this one rates amongst the best. The Ladykiller will have you hooked from page one. For story telling ability, Martina Cole rates with the finest. It is fast moving with characters that are lovable, nasty, scary and frustrating. The Markham family have a lot of problems which stem from their formidable mother. This leads to George Markham going off the rails, in order to achieve sexual gratification and murder. This quiet man with the smile that just shows his teeth, will have you shivering. D.I. Kate Burrows is on the case and when Patrick Kelly (a known but fair villain with no convictions) loses his daughter (his one weakness) to the Grantly Ripper, he wants revenge. Kate Burrows gets involved with him, against her better judgement. DI Burrows has her own problems with her daughter and her ex husband. Put this all together and you have a mix that will have you going everywhere with this book, in order to read a few more pages when you have a spare moment. I loved this book and although it is the first Martina Cole, I have read, it will not be the last!