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Dolly Rawlins #2
Widows' Revenge
DOLLY, LINDA, SHIRLEY AND BELLA ARE BACK. AND THIS TIME IT'S A FIGHT TO THE FINISH.
Against all the odds, Dolly Rawlins and her gangland widows managed the impossible: a heist their husbands had failed to pull off - at the cost of their lives.
But though they may be in the money, they're far from easy street.
Shocked by her husband's betrayal, Dolly discovers Harry Rawlins isn't dead. He knows where the four women are and he wants them to pay. And he doesn't just mean getting his hands on the money.
The women can't keep running. They have to get Harry out of their lives for good. But can they outwit a criminal mastermind who won't hesitate to kill?
Especially when one of them has a plan of her own . . . to kill or be killed.
The sequel to Lynda La Plante's groundbreaking thriller, Widows - now a major feature film.
Against all the odds, Dolly Rawlins and her gangland widows managed the impossible: a heist their husbands had failed to pull off - at the cost of their lives.
But though they may be in the money, they're far from easy street.
Shocked by her husband's betrayal, Dolly discovers Harry Rawlins isn't dead. He knows where the four women are and he wants them to pay. And he doesn't just mean getting his hands on the money.
The women can't keep running. They have to get Harry out of their lives for good. But can they outwit a criminal mastermind who won't hesitate to kill?
Especially when one of them has a plan of her own . . . to kill or be killed.
The sequel to Lynda La Plante's groundbreaking thriller, Widows - now a major feature film.
359 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 1994
583 people are currently reading
3205 people want to read
About the author
Lynda La Plante
124 books1,835 followersLynda La Plante, CBE (born Lynda Titchmarsh) is a British author, screenwriter, and erstwhile actress (her performances in Rentaghost and other programmes were under her stage name of Lynda Marchal), best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series.
Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands.
In 1991 ITV released Prime Suspect which has now run to seven series and stars Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. (In the United States Prime Suspect airs on PBS as part of the anthology program Mystery!) In 1993 La Plante won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her work on the series. In 1992 she wrote at TV movie called Seekers, starring Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon, produced by Sarah Lawson.
She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She's Out (ITV, 1995). The name "La Plante" comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.
Her output continued with The Governor (ITV 1995-96), a series focusing on the female governor of a high security prison, and was followed by a string of ratings pulling miniseries: the psycho killer nightmare events of Trial & Retribution (ITV 1997-), the widows' revenge of the murders of their husbands & children Bella Mafia (1997) (starring Vanessa Redgrave), the undercover police unit operations of Supply and Demand (ITV 1998), videogame/internet murder mystery Killer Net (Channel 4 1998) and the female criminal profiler cases of Mind Games (ITV 2001).
Two additions to the Trial and Retribution miniseries were broadcast during 2006.
Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands.
In 1991 ITV released Prime Suspect which has now run to seven series and stars Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. (In the United States Prime Suspect airs on PBS as part of the anthology program Mystery!) In 1993 La Plante won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her work on the series. In 1992 she wrote at TV movie called Seekers, starring Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon, produced by Sarah Lawson.
She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She's Out (ITV, 1995). The name "La Plante" comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.
Her output continued with The Governor (ITV 1995-96), a series focusing on the female governor of a high security prison, and was followed by a string of ratings pulling miniseries: the psycho killer nightmare events of Trial & Retribution (ITV 1997-), the widows' revenge of the murders of their husbands & children Bella Mafia (1997) (starring Vanessa Redgrave), the undercover police unit operations of Supply and Demand (ITV 1998), videogame/internet murder mystery Killer Net (Channel 4 1998) and the female criminal profiler cases of Mind Games (ITV 2001).
Two additions to the Trial and Retribution miniseries were broadcast during 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
March 23, 2019
Widows’ Revenge by Lynda La Plante is the sequel to Widows which I enjoyed. I would recommend they be read in order as this one won’t make a lot of sense without knowledge of what’s been before.
The four women – Dolly, Linda, Shirley and Bella – were in Rio while they decided what was best to do. Going their separate ways seemed the most sensible – until their discovery and the sudden scramble to stay one step ahead once again. Their arrival back in London found more criminal elements in their way and the danger kept accelerating. Was it possible to make a clean break – get away finally? Or would they never find that peace of mind? All that money wasn’t worth a cent if they couldn’t be free…
I was looking forward to Widows’ Revenge after my enjoyment of Widows but found this one not as good as the first. The women were pretty much an accident waiting to happen; the mistakes they made were silly and obvious and with Dolly the mastermind of the four, she should have handled things much better than she did. Consequently, what happened wasn’t surprising! Recommended to fans of the author.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
The four women – Dolly, Linda, Shirley and Bella – were in Rio while they decided what was best to do. Going their separate ways seemed the most sensible – until their discovery and the sudden scramble to stay one step ahead once again. Their arrival back in London found more criminal elements in their way and the danger kept accelerating. Was it possible to make a clean break – get away finally? Or would they never find that peace of mind? All that money wasn’t worth a cent if they couldn’t be free…
I was looking forward to Widows’ Revenge after my enjoyment of Widows but found this one not as good as the first. The women were pretty much an accident waiting to happen; the mistakes they made were silly and obvious and with Dolly the mastermind of the four, she should have handled things much better than she did. Consequently, what happened wasn’t surprising! Recommended to fans of the author.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2019
Having thoroughly enjoyed Widows I was eager to get my mitts on this, the follow-up. Lynda La Plante consistently shows exactly why she has graced bestsellers lists all around the world for the longest time, and in Widows' Revenge, she has indeed outdone herself once again. The excitement throughout the previous book is ramped up here, making it utterly riveting and another page-turning success. This is such an original premise, and as it's rather a rarity to come across a thriller that is wholly unique this series is one of my favourites. It has the perfect pace, a truly gripping plot, immersive writing and characters that you care about and cheer for after they pulled off the heist of the century.
One of the aspects I adore about these books is that the plot centres around strong, feisty women who pull no punches when it comes to kicking ass, figuratively not literally. These women are fascinating and beautifully developed, so much so that they feel like friends. There are a plethora of surprises throughout, and you know what they say about best-laid plans. The 1980s setting is immersive and intriguing given I was born at the end of that decade this was all new to me. However, it is a little cliche at times, and of course, the storyline requires a healthy suspension of disbelief to fully appreciate, but overall this is a great read.
Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.
One of the aspects I adore about these books is that the plot centres around strong, feisty women who pull no punches when it comes to kicking ass, figuratively not literally. These women are fascinating and beautifully developed, so much so that they feel like friends. There are a plethora of surprises throughout, and you know what they say about best-laid plans. The 1980s setting is immersive and intriguing given I was born at the end of that decade this was all new to me. However, it is a little cliche at times, and of course, the storyline requires a healthy suspension of disbelief to fully appreciate, but overall this is a great read.
Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.
September 26, 2019
When I read the first book ‘Widows’ I was thoroughly engrossed. I have not watched the recent film nor the TV series, so have only instalment #1 as a great read memory.
The first book ended with the four widows in Rio and this one picks-up from there.
Dolly returns to the UK, leaving Bella, Shirley and Linda behind. As with the first there are multiple storyline’s on the go at any one time but they are easy to follow. I did feel this one had a more ‘everyday’ feel to it and followed a realistic trajectory (well for four women hiding out after a heist).
A few new characters emerge and then, as the story progresses, many old ones too. The pace picks up and the misfortunes begin to befall the cast. In turn there are triumphs but they are few and far between.
I did not anticipate or ‘see’ some of the endings dealt to some of the main characters, but I did leave the series feeling like I’d had a conclusion to the many intricate aspects of the story, which often authors fail to provide. A satisfying ending to a good series.
The first book ended with the four widows in Rio and this one picks-up from there.
Dolly returns to the UK, leaving Bella, Shirley and Linda behind. As with the first there are multiple storyline’s on the go at any one time but they are easy to follow. I did feel this one had a more ‘everyday’ feel to it and followed a realistic trajectory (well for four women hiding out after a heist).
A few new characters emerge and then, as the story progresses, many old ones too. The pace picks up and the misfortunes begin to befall the cast. In turn there are triumphs but they are few and far between.
I did not anticipate or ‘see’ some of the endings dealt to some of the main characters, but I did leave the series feeling like I’d had a conclusion to the many intricate aspects of the story, which often authors fail to provide. A satisfying ending to a good series.
February 22, 2019
First off, you need to read Widows before you read this bc you need the whole back story. It also helps you see the evolution of these strong women and why they end up how they are in this follow up.
It seemed a bit slow to me at the beginning but warmed right up to a banger of an ending! I just love these badass women!
It seemed a bit slow to me at the beginning but warmed right up to a banger of an ending! I just love these badass women!
November 30, 2020
WIDOW'S REVENGE picks up where WIDOWS left off. Dolly, Linda, Shirley and Bella are back ... and this time things will be finished.
Three of the women lost their husbands when the guys tried to rob a bank. Dolly was the first to come across the mens' plans .. and she decided that they (the gals) could do this themselves. That's enough of a spoiler .. because the first book is a wowser.
Dolly discovers that her husband did not die, and he's been in hiding. He is not pleased that this wife and the wives of his friends have succeeded where they didn't and are now in possession of a lot of money that he believes is his.
He doesn't just want the money ... he wants them all to die.
The suspense and action starts at the very beginning and is nicely paced throughout. The characters are deftly drawn, warts and all. This all-female cast leads in all directions guaranteed to keep the reader riveted. The conclusion came fast and furious ... a real breath-taker.
Many thanks to the author / Bonnier Zaffre USA / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Three of the women lost their husbands when the guys tried to rob a bank. Dolly was the first to come across the mens' plans .. and she decided that they (the gals) could do this themselves. That's enough of a spoiler .. because the first book is a wowser.
Dolly discovers that her husband did not die, and he's been in hiding. He is not pleased that this wife and the wives of his friends have succeeded where they didn't and are now in possession of a lot of money that he believes is his.
He doesn't just want the money ... he wants them all to die.
The suspense and action starts at the very beginning and is nicely paced throughout. The characters are deftly drawn, warts and all. This all-female cast leads in all directions guaranteed to keep the reader riveted. The conclusion came fast and furious ... a real breath-taker.
Many thanks to the author / Bonnier Zaffre USA / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
February 7, 2019
Thanks to Bookishfirst.com for this ARC and also the publisher Zaffre.
I can barely give this book 2 stars since I didn't finish it.
I'm sorry to say I could not get into this book. I wanted to love it or even like it since I enjoyed the first one Widows which I also won on Bookishfirst. You definitely have to read the first one which really explained the characters of Linda, Dolly, Bella and Shirley. This one vaguely discussed the first book in the introduction. This didn't pan out to be the best sequels that I've read. I barely got to page 100 and skimmed through it and then finally gave up and read the epilogue and wasn't surprised to see that it ended exactly the way I thought it would.
I can barely give this book 2 stars since I didn't finish it.
I'm sorry to say I could not get into this book. I wanted to love it or even like it since I enjoyed the first one Widows which I also won on Bookishfirst. You definitely have to read the first one which really explained the characters of Linda, Dolly, Bella and Shirley. This one vaguely discussed the first book in the introduction. This didn't pan out to be the best sequels that I've read. I barely got to page 100 and skimmed through it and then finally gave up and read the epilogue and wasn't surprised to see that it ended exactly the way I thought it would.
February 20, 2019
So, I have never read anything by this author. I won this book, and it looked interesting. I did not realize that Widow's Revenge is a sequel to a book called Widows. I definitely recommend reading the first book before you read this one. The background information would have been very helpful and given me better understanding of the time and place and events. The story itself is thought provoking. How would you respond if your dead husband was actually not dead at all? He's alive and well with another woman and a child. Seriously? Take everything he has. Take his money. What if he finds out and decides to track you down and take his revenge? I would personally see him dead, for real this time.
July 21, 2019
Widows’ Revenge – A La Plante Comfort Blanket
Lynda La Plante was/is the queen of the English thriller and has been for more years than she would probably admit too. Once you remember that Lynda became known in the 80s for her cutting edge thrillers with women as the leading characters, which was rare back then. Widows Revenge, the follow up to the massive hit of the 80s Widows takes us back to an age when geezers were geezers, and women were the “weaker” sex. This was originally published as Widows.
Widows’ Revenge is definitely a comfort blanket for all of us that love La Plante’s storytelling. There have been plenty of critics that have dismissed her over the years, but she has out lasted them and some of those literary types that look down their impoverished snobbish noses at the genre.
Dolly, Bella, Shirley and Linda are out in Rio, lying low as they took over plans of Dolly’s late husband’s plan for heist. Which they took over and were successful at. Dolly Rawlins has been shocked by her husband’s betrayal and even more so that he is still alive. While Dolly is back in England visiting a plastic surgeon, and Shirley is out in LA, Harry flies out to Rio to find ‘his’ money.
Hearing that Harry is looking for his money and Dolly, she knows she has to do everything to protect the money and herself, while taking aim at Harry and hurting him. Things become more complicated when Harry plans a new heist this time for £8million of jewels. But he will not give up looking for his cash.
This is a good old fashioned heist thriller, with plenty of twists and turns, with a twist at the end, that ties the story up in a bow. Lynda La Plante’s writing has always engaged the reader and drawn them in and kept them reading. The only complaint, very snowflakey would be the 50 page chapters, if that were to be a complaint.
Lynda La Plante was/is the queen of the English thriller and has been for more years than she would probably admit too. Once you remember that Lynda became known in the 80s for her cutting edge thrillers with women as the leading characters, which was rare back then. Widows Revenge, the follow up to the massive hit of the 80s Widows takes us back to an age when geezers were geezers, and women were the “weaker” sex. This was originally published as Widows.
Widows’ Revenge is definitely a comfort blanket for all of us that love La Plante’s storytelling. There have been plenty of critics that have dismissed her over the years, but she has out lasted them and some of those literary types that look down their impoverished snobbish noses at the genre.
Dolly, Bella, Shirley and Linda are out in Rio, lying low as they took over plans of Dolly’s late husband’s plan for heist. Which they took over and were successful at. Dolly Rawlins has been shocked by her husband’s betrayal and even more so that he is still alive. While Dolly is back in England visiting a plastic surgeon, and Shirley is out in LA, Harry flies out to Rio to find ‘his’ money.
Hearing that Harry is looking for his money and Dolly, she knows she has to do everything to protect the money and herself, while taking aim at Harry and hurting him. Things become more complicated when Harry plans a new heist this time for £8million of jewels. But he will not give up looking for his cash.
This is a good old fashioned heist thriller, with plenty of twists and turns, with a twist at the end, that ties the story up in a bow. Lynda La Plante’s writing has always engaged the reader and drawn them in and kept them reading. The only complaint, very snowflakey would be the 50 page chapters, if that were to be a complaint.
August 28, 2019
It was an interesting read, and it so did not end the way I expected it too! There were so many things happening between all characters at times, that it was sometimes mind boggling, but other than that, it was good. Not something I would recommend, but was interesting enough for me to finish it.
June 3, 2019
Widow’s Revenge by author Lynda La Plante is another great book that will not disappoint!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2020
*received for free for netgalley for honest review* I as stated got this from netgalley so I haven't read the first book form this series BUT I really loved that for once there was a I blurb about what happened in the last book bringing you up to speed! I really liked that, would like if more books did that rather than trying to sprinkle it into the story, then you end up reading a 20 book series that tells you the same weird story fifteen times lol
This book did have some twists I wasn't expecting but not sure if the ending was really a surprise, satisfying though lol The characters weren't bad but were a tad annoying at times for just being plain dumb but overall its a pretty good thriller.
This book did have some twists I wasn't expecting but not sure if the ending was really a surprise, satisfying though lol The characters weren't bad but were a tad annoying at times for just being plain dumb but overall its a pretty good thriller.
April 26, 2019
Lynda La Plante is a writer with a proven pedigree of expertly crafted storylines, sharp dialogue and gripping endings. This book is no exception to that. Widow’s Revenge is the follow up to the excellent Widows, in which Dolly Rawlins picks up where her dead husband lift off after a heist goes tragically wrong. Dolly aims to finish the job her husband started and recruits a gang of fellow widows to help. I won’t spoil the ending of that book just yet but don’t read any further if you haven’t read Widows.
The story picks up where the first book left off. The women are in Rio, lying low and starting to make new lives and relationships for themselves. Dolly is back in London looking at getting some plastic surgery when by pure chance, Harry arrives in Rio looking to salvage what’s left of his fortune. It’s there he realises that Dolly has cleaned him out and it’s there that he sets out for revenge and one last job.
There’s a lot of threads holding this story together. In a role reversal of the first book, Harry is the one trying to pull a heist together with a less than ideal team while Dolly and the other women are in survival mode, desperately trying to hold their lives together while staying one step ahead of a vicious criminal. This book has a real human element to it. A sudden fortune doesn’t fix the women’s problems and they endure a lot of heartache as the book hurtles towards a conclusion.
The plot flies by at a breakneck speed. La Plante is an experienced and smart writer and knows just how to keep the reader on the hook. The dialogue feels real and the violence is pretty visceral, it’s not a book for the faint of heart! If you’re willing to buckle up then you’ll certainly enjoy the ride. Fantastic stuff.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
The story picks up where the first book left off. The women are in Rio, lying low and starting to make new lives and relationships for themselves. Dolly is back in London looking at getting some plastic surgery when by pure chance, Harry arrives in Rio looking to salvage what’s left of his fortune. It’s there he realises that Dolly has cleaned him out and it’s there that he sets out for revenge and one last job.
There’s a lot of threads holding this story together. In a role reversal of the first book, Harry is the one trying to pull a heist together with a less than ideal team while Dolly and the other women are in survival mode, desperately trying to hold their lives together while staying one step ahead of a vicious criminal. This book has a real human element to it. A sudden fortune doesn’t fix the women’s problems and they endure a lot of heartache as the book hurtles towards a conclusion.
The plot flies by at a breakneck speed. La Plante is an experienced and smart writer and knows just how to keep the reader on the hook. The dialogue feels real and the violence is pretty visceral, it’s not a book for the faint of heart! If you’re willing to buckle up then you’ll certainly enjoy the ride. Fantastic stuff.
I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
July 30, 2019
This was another great book in the series. Unfortunately I read them in the wrong order, 1, 3 and then 2. It didn't spoil my enjoyment of the books though. I remember watching the series on TV many years ago. I'm sure that I've also read at least the first book in the series and probably even the 2nd one.
This book continued from where the first one left off bringing the reader up to date on the characters. It starts out in Brazil where the widows went after pulling off the robbery and brings them back to London where new characters are introduced and the story picks up pace. If you love this author then you'll like this.
This book continued from where the first one left off bringing the reader up to date on the characters. It starts out in Brazil where the widows went after pulling off the robbery and brings them back to London where new characters are introduced and the story picks up pace. If you love this author then you'll like this.
May 11, 2019
Read all three of these books when they first came out it didn't stop me buying the newer versions even though I still got the originals widows is one of my all time fav TV shows loved reading the books and am so pleased they have been rewritten and revamped let's hope Lynda la plante rewrites she's out I will definitely pre order it and read it again
June 11, 2019
I’m stunned. After the first of the series I expected much the same quality in the sequel. Unfortunately, it came off as somewhat strained and very disjointed. The characters I had loved to hate in Widows were caricatures of their earlier personas. Perhaps La Plante was trying too hard. A shame, really.
June 5, 2019
I got this as a e book from Net Galley for my i pad. I enjoyed reading it. It had a good story to it. It is book 2 in a series. I liked book 1 too.
February 18, 2019
**I received a copy from BookishFirst and the author/publisher**
Imagine your husband was killed and later on after grieving, you discover he is actually still alive and has another woman. But wait, it gets worse! This other woman has had his child! This is what happened to the heroine in this book. But boy was she gutsy. After a heist in the first book in the series, the heroine sets out to clean her husband’s bank account out. I loved the moment he finds out.
The characters are all so wonderful in this series. She has some awesome friends. I was hanging on by the seat of my pants all through the book. I don’t know who I was more afraid for, the heroine getting caught by her husband or the husband getting what was coming to him.
Imagine your husband was killed and later on after grieving, you discover he is actually still alive and has another woman. But wait, it gets worse! This other woman has had his child! This is what happened to the heroine in this book. But boy was she gutsy. After a heist in the first book in the series, the heroine sets out to clean her husband’s bank account out. I loved the moment he finds out.
The characters are all so wonderful in this series. She has some awesome friends. I was hanging on by the seat of my pants all through the book. I don’t know who I was more afraid for, the heroine getting caught by her husband or the husband getting what was coming to him.
February 18, 2019
**I received a copy from BookishFirst and the author/publisher** Imagine your husband was killed and later on after grieving, you discover he is actually still alive and has another woman. But wait, it gets worse! This other woman has had his child! This is what happened to the heroine in this book. But boy was she gutsy. After a heist in the first book in the series, the heroine sets out to clean her husband’s bank account out. I loved the moment he finds out. The characters are all so wonderful in this series. She has some awesome friends. I was hanging on by the seat of my pants all through the book. I don’t know who I was more afraid for, the heroine getting caught by her husband or the husband getting what was coming to him.
July 28, 2022
having read the first and third books aes ago, I eventually go to read this one - well known characters and a complex. and twisting plot. Longer that it needed to be.
October 23, 2022
Amazing book! Not quite as good as Widows but pretty damn close! Huge shocks in store throughout and a massive surprise at the end, love a book that keeps me guessing!
August 27, 2024
Great sequel. Good holiday reading!
April 29, 2019
Wow! What a wonderfully written book - and ending - to a great story! The author has done a fantastic job of weaving a tale, with an excellent knack for details. I will admit - without giving any spoilers - that there were at least a few shockers, and I had wondered - very briefly - if I had maybe underestimated the main character, Dolly, and what her plans were, however the ending was semi-expected (after going back and forth a couple of times between "is she?" or "isn't she?") .... Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and it was a great continuation of the story in the first book.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a bit of police mechanics mixed in, then you may find you will really enjoy this.
In closing, I wish to say that I wish to thank the publisher and the author for granting me the opportunity to read this in the form of an ARC, in exchange for an *honest* review, which I have done.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a bit of police mechanics mixed in, then you may find you will really enjoy this.
In closing, I wish to say that I wish to thank the publisher and the author for granting me the opportunity to read this in the form of an ARC, in exchange for an *honest* review, which I have done.
October 6, 2019
I watched the television series some years ago and read the book when it as written shortly after. I loved both so when I saw this book in the charity shop I bought it.
It was a great reader I loved catching up with characters. I felt sorry for Dolly she had obviously loved Harry very much and he destroyed her. Quite a bit of violence in the book, but Lynda has a knack of taking you into the story.
I have read a lot of Lynda La Plante books and each one has been good, can’t wait to read the sequel.
I recent watched the film, but was not impressed, the American venue spoilt it for me
It was a great reader I loved catching up with characters. I felt sorry for Dolly she had obviously loved Harry very much and he destroyed her. Quite a bit of violence in the book, but Lynda has a knack of taking you into the story.
I have read a lot of Lynda La Plante books and each one has been good, can’t wait to read the sequel.
I recent watched the film, but was not impressed, the American venue spoilt it for me
February 16, 2020
Dolly Rawlins and the gangland widows pulled off a heist that their husbands failed to do. Now Dolly is shocked to find out her husband is not dead. He knows where the women are and wants revenge. The women want Harry out of their lives for good. There are some twists and turns in the story. This is book two of the Widows series. This series is best read in order. I received a copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are mine.
November 1, 2015
Amazing story-line by one of my favourite authors
April 9, 2019
Just as good as the first book. Can't wait for the conclusion.
June 30, 2019
Effortlessly plotted with clver twists. Throughly enjoyable.
October 3, 2019
Really good sequel to Widows a bit dated but I really enjoyed it
April 10, 2020
BOR-ING!!
April 1, 2019
Lynda La Plante’s gripping sequel to her gangland thriller ‘Widows’.
Originally published in 1985 as ‘Widows 2’, ‘Widows’ Revenge’ is a novelisation of the second series of La Plante’s hugely successful ‘Widows’, the first series and novelisation of which had been broadcast and published two years before. As she did last year with the original novel, La Plante has revised and updated the ‘Widows 2’ novel, now available in a stunning hardcover edition.
(Warning: contains spoilers for 'Widows')
Dolly, Bella, Linda and Shirley return, months after their escape to Rio following the successful robbery that had originally been planned by Dolly’s husband, Harry, assisted by Linda and Shirley’s husbands, Joe and Terry, who both died in their attempt at committing the robbery. Unbeknownst to Dolly and the others, Harry survived and has now followed them to Rio. Meanwhile, Dolly has returned to London, making preparations to move on with her life following Harry’s betrayal. Hunting the women down to their villa, Harry attacks Linda and she reveals to him where Dolly has hidden the money they stole.
Alerted to the danger they are in, Dolly hurries to move the money, and so begins a cat-and-mouse game between the women and Harry. Tragedy strikes as they enact their plan to have him arrested and framed for the robbery they committed, further fuelling their desire for revenge. As Harry plans a new robbery and the police begin to close in on them all, can the widows hold on to their freedom and their new lives?
Despite having seen the television series (multiple times) and previously read the novel in its incarnation as ‘Widows 2’, I was nevertheless hooked from the first to the final page, on tenterhooks throughout. Much like the first novel, the plot is engrossing and fast-paced; the characters well-written, their stories captivating. Dolly is without a doubt my favourite character, the first of the strong women La Plante became famous for creating. Her conflicting emotions for Harry are hidden beneath a steely exterior. She still drives the plot despite Bella taking a lead in their plans against Harry. The novel hurtles towards its conclusion, neatly tying the loose ends and concluding the story arcs of many of the characters that continued from the first novel.
Most of the cast of characters return in the sequel, which was also matched on screen, apart from Bella being recast after Eva Mottley left the production, tragically passing away shortly afterwards.
Coupled with La Plante’s writing, Ann Mitchell’s superb performance as Dolly and the performances of the rest of the cast continued to thrill audiences. It was no surprise that Dolly would return ten years later in ‘She’s Out’, nor that even thirty-five years later the novel would top bestseller lists and a brand-new movie adaptation be produced.
With ‘Widows’ Revenge’, Lynda La Plante once again proves why she is the Queen of modern crime fiction.
Originally published in 1985 as ‘Widows 2’, ‘Widows’ Revenge’ is a novelisation of the second series of La Plante’s hugely successful ‘Widows’, the first series and novelisation of which had been broadcast and published two years before. As she did last year with the original novel, La Plante has revised and updated the ‘Widows 2’ novel, now available in a stunning hardcover edition.
(Warning: contains spoilers for 'Widows')
Dolly, Bella, Linda and Shirley return, months after their escape to Rio following the successful robbery that had originally been planned by Dolly’s husband, Harry, assisted by Linda and Shirley’s husbands, Joe and Terry, who both died in their attempt at committing the robbery. Unbeknownst to Dolly and the others, Harry survived and has now followed them to Rio. Meanwhile, Dolly has returned to London, making preparations to move on with her life following Harry’s betrayal. Hunting the women down to their villa, Harry attacks Linda and she reveals to him where Dolly has hidden the money they stole.
Alerted to the danger they are in, Dolly hurries to move the money, and so begins a cat-and-mouse game between the women and Harry. Tragedy strikes as they enact their plan to have him arrested and framed for the robbery they committed, further fuelling their desire for revenge. As Harry plans a new robbery and the police begin to close in on them all, can the widows hold on to their freedom and their new lives?
Despite having seen the television series (multiple times) and previously read the novel in its incarnation as ‘Widows 2’, I was nevertheless hooked from the first to the final page, on tenterhooks throughout. Much like the first novel, the plot is engrossing and fast-paced; the characters well-written, their stories captivating. Dolly is without a doubt my favourite character, the first of the strong women La Plante became famous for creating. Her conflicting emotions for Harry are hidden beneath a steely exterior. She still drives the plot despite Bella taking a lead in their plans against Harry. The novel hurtles towards its conclusion, neatly tying the loose ends and concluding the story arcs of many of the characters that continued from the first novel.
Most of the cast of characters return in the sequel, which was also matched on screen, apart from Bella being recast after Eva Mottley left the production, tragically passing away shortly afterwards.
Coupled with La Plante’s writing, Ann Mitchell’s superb performance as Dolly and the performances of the rest of the cast continued to thrill audiences. It was no surprise that Dolly would return ten years later in ‘She’s Out’, nor that even thirty-five years later the novel would top bestseller lists and a brand-new movie adaptation be produced.
With ‘Widows’ Revenge’, Lynda La Plante once again proves why she is the Queen of modern crime fiction.
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