Gangster Girl [Hardcover]

I have a large list of authors that I repeatedly pre-order books for and at least 70% of them I have read every one of their books. However, I enjoy adding new authors to that list and Dreda has just shot straight to the top of it.
Nearly all of my books are brought through Amazon and every time I pre-ordered a book by Mandasue Heller, Martina Cole or June Hampson this authors name kept popping up. What caught my attention was the reviewer rating for each of her 4 books. 2 of them had the maximum 5 star rating and the other 2 were a 4 star and 4.5 star. I decided to take a chance, ordered her latest release and hoped I wouldn't regret it.

TAs I opened the book and started to read I was transported back to the time when I read `The Ladykillers' by Martina Cole. The reason I say this is that when I read that first Martina book she had a raw energy which hooked you as a reader (it's just a shame it doesn't still happen with MC). There was the same feel with this book and I just knew I was onto a winner. Dreda Say Mitchell has a knack with her writing style which conveys an authentic feel to the story and characters. It took me no more than 3 chapters to be totally absorbed.

Daisy Sullivan is a brilliant character who I adored from the very beginning. Yes she is a gangster's daughter but this element of her was not overdone and the storyline that drags her past into the present is totally perfect. There is nothing about it that felt over the top and she was the perfect mix of bad girl turned out good. The other characters which appear are also written with equal skill. Ricky Smart is the opposite of Daisy but as soon as he comes into the story you can't help but want him to be the perfect match for her. The pace itself was quick from the outset with events spiralling the further into the story you get. I love a book that makes me want to read quicker to find out what happened and this book did exactly that.Lastly, I have to say that any author who can have as many plot twists as Dreda did is the best you can get. There are some major twists in this story which I didn't see coming at all and the author manages to reveal them in the last 4 chapters.

A soon as I finished this book I was determined to get her other three books and stick them in my to-read pile. This is possibly the best new crime author I have found this year. She is now a permanent fixture on my author pre-order list and I can't wait to get cracking on her other work. Dreda Say Mitchell is a rising star in my opinion. The likes of Martina Cole need to be fearful, because once this lady gets a following (if she keeps on writing like this) she will be a serious threat to all those who take their fans for granted. If you like authors such as Mandasue Heller, Martina Cole and Jessie Keane then do yourself a favour and pick up this book; I promise you won't regret it.

Again DSM produces a book full of surprising twists and turns. Every chapter brings in a new complex situation. Vived characters just leap out of the page and grab you by the throat. This really is writing at its very best. This book uncovers a part of London underlife that we know exists but we're all too pleased to ignore.

Read all Dreda's books and this is the best one so far! A lot of twists and turns along the way and great characterisation. More please Dreda.