The Pact - Tapa dura

Well into Martina Cole territory, Roberta Kray's first novel gets under the skin of the London underworld with no problem

Action, intrigue and a character-driven plot are delivered in well-written style, sure to please any crime fiction fans

You might expect a crime novel written by the widow of Reg Kray would be tough... and it is. Recommend this to fans of Ian Rankin

The Debt convinces on every page - not only about the gangster world but also as a portrait of a woman whose life has been changed by forces beyond her control

Nothing has prepared her for the nightmare that is about to begin...

Eve, the 34 year old daughter of recently deceased conman Alexander Weston, knows a good deal when she sees it - and this one doesn't even come close. However, with vulnerable brother Terry being beaten in jail, she can't afford to be fussy. She needs to organise protection for him, and fast. The intimidating and powerful con Cavelli seems the perfect solution, but how high a price is he going to exact? She may as well be forming a pact with the Devil.

A break-in, followed by a vicious assault, soon makes Eve question the wisdom of her choice. Cavelli is leading her straight into Hell. Suddenly, her own life is in jeopardy; there's a psychopath lurking in the shadows and he's prepared to kill to get what he wants. With two men dead already Eve is forced to turn to the past to find the answers she so desperately needs.

There's only one problem. Time is running out.