The Locksmith: 'The bravest new voice in crime fiction' Martina Cole (The Ruby Murphy Series)

I wasn’t sure on reading this. Although it comes with high praise from Martina Cole, a woman who having been through some depths of hell in London myself I hold in the highest regard, I didn’t see how ANYONE coudl hold a match!I was clearly mistaken! - Linda Calvey holds her own, and whilst nothing removes my belief Martina is the top dog! Linda is CLEARLY up there by her right hand!The book unlike many “London crime” writers doesn’t have a false narrative of slang thrown in, in a bid to sound sincere! Nor does she go on about things unrelated to the book in order to sound convincing, because of that fact Linda’s book doesn’t have the pretence of ANYTHING! - it’s a realistic gritty fiction that could read as a biography or true story.You can’t help but feel for the main characters and you can’t help but feel gutted when the last page nears.I almost at times felt the taste of nostalgia. As if I’d experienced it myself!There’s not many authors left who impress me having been an avid compulsive reader all my life, from days of old such as Virgina Andrew’s, Helen Forrester and many more infamous authors, Linda has a clear capacity to make you FEEL the characters as real as the person sitting next to you!If you HAVEN’T read this type of fiction before, I’d truly recommend the likes of Linda.I’m a woman who’s hard to please, yet it’s 5am I haven’t been to sleep despite medication such as morphine as I have stage 4 cancer! I’m wide awake feeling strong, feeling capable and emboldened.JUST for reading her book!Imagine what a wonderfully strong woman she must be in “real life” to hold such imagination.If you ever read this, Martina, Linda? “Put the kettle on love, I’m gagging for a brew!

Bought as a gift for a Martina Cole fan. It was loved. The recipent has since bought more for her books

Powerful book and hard hitting, we have the East End of London and all that goes along with it. Gangsters, wanna bees, villains and the poor folk just trying to stay afloat and exist by any means they can. We also have poor honest straight as a die working folk and this story starts right there amongst some good folk. We have young Ruby with her stunning green eyes her brother Bobby her mum Cathy and her dad. After some tragedy Ruby was left to raise her young baby brother with Bobby, her world had collapsed and they turned to crime to survive. This is their story. I loved every minute of it and hope there is a follow up. I would definitely recommend this book for a good read that gets you from the first chapter.

If you like martina Cole books you’ll love Linda Calvey brilliant book

If you like Martina Cole, you'll love this book, found itvtotally unputdownable💯

I do think this was well written and had a decent enough storyline, but at times it seemed to drag a bit. Wasn’t bad but it wasn’t amazing either.

Well this is my 1st book I’ve read by Linda Calvey and I must say that was absolutely brilliant from start to finish. I take my hat off to this new Author I found. I can’t wait to read Game book 2 with Ruby Murphy. Please read for yourself, you won’t be able to but it down. Mind blowing. Plus I love the way she brings you into the story with the characters. That’s what I love the most.

. Easy to read and found it hard to put down. It isn't the best book of this genre I have read but it is way better than some attempts by other authors trying to emulate Martina Cole . I actually preferred it to Martina's recent books as I feel she went of the boil some time ago. This is the type of book you take to the beach and find yourself still reading when all around have packed up their towels and headed back to the hotel! My only criticism is there really needs to be a follow up as the ending was left a little open.