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DI Marnie Rome #6
Never Be Broken
Children are dying on London's streets. Frankie Reece, stabbed through the heart, outside a corner shop. Others recruited from care homes, picked up and exploited; passed like gifts between gangs. They are London's lost.
Then Raphaela Belsham is killed. She's thirteen years old, her father is a man of influence, from a smart part of town. And she's white. Suddenly, the establishment is taking notice.
DS Noah Jake is determined to handle Raphaela's case and Frankie's too. But he's facing his own turmoil, and it's becoming an obsession. DI Marnie Rome is worried, and she needs Noah on side. Because more children are disappearing, more are being killed by the day and the swelling tide of violence needs to be stemmed before it's too late.
NEVER BE BROKEN is a stunning, intelligent and gripping novel which explores how the act of witness alters us, and reveals what lies beneath the veneer of a glittering city.
Then Raphaela Belsham is killed. She's thirteen years old, her father is a man of influence, from a smart part of town. And she's white. Suddenly, the establishment is taking notice.
DS Noah Jake is determined to handle Raphaela's case and Frankie's too. But he's facing his own turmoil, and it's becoming an obsession. DI Marnie Rome is worried, and she needs Noah on side. Because more children are disappearing, more are being killed by the day and the swelling tide of violence needs to be stemmed before it's too late.
NEVER BE BROKEN is a stunning, intelligent and gripping novel which explores how the act of witness alters us, and reveals what lies beneath the veneer of a glittering city.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 16, 2019
23 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hilary
39 books583 followersSarah’s debut, Someone Else's Skin, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and was a World Book Night selection. The Observer's Book of the Month ("superbly disturbing”) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it was a Silver Falchion and Macavity Award finalist in the US. No Other Darkness, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award. Her DI Marnie Rome series continued with Tastes Like Fear (longlisted for Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2017) and Quieter Than Killing (Observer’s Thriller of the Month). Come and Find Me was published in 2018, with Never Be Broken to come in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
April 18, 2019
This is a shockingly bleak and disturbing addition to the DI Marnie Rome series, it crawls beneath the surface of the nightmare national tragedy that is the rise of knife crime, gang culture and the horrifying exploitation of vulnerable young girls. Carrying on the tradition of the series, Hilary delves in the social, economic and political aspects of communities and policing in London, covering themes that could have been ripped from today's news headlines in our troubled contemporary world. This novel has a markedly different vibe from others in the series as we are immersed in the process of grieving and mourning from events that occurred in the last book. DI Noah Jake has been left understandably reeling and haunted after the murder of his brother, Sol, as he comes to the forefront whilst DI Marnie Rome shifts to the background. Inevitably his state of mind affects his ability to do his job, raising the question whether he really should be working at all.
Children are dying on the streets of London, but the issue becomes significantly more high profile when 13 year old Raphaela 'Raffa' from Muswell Hill is shot dead in a drive by killing. Unlike other victims, Raffa is white, from a well off background with a family that has more influence. Raffa's family are unwilling to accept that there is any connection with Raffa and the other victims from the blue collar London tower blocks in the vicinity of the horrors of Grenfell, like the Erskine Tower block. Raffa though had been visiting the tower block. Noah is receiving counselling and seeing and talking to the ghost of Sol, all part of his process of coming terms to with his devastating loss, as he determines to do all that he can to prevent further deaths of young people.
Sarah Hilary continues to explore complex emotive themes and crimes with her difficult to read about storylines here. Her depiction of gang life is heartbreaking in its authenticity. She atmospherically evokes a great sense of location with the characters, communities and crime that she creates whilst framing it within the personal tragedy and loss that is tearing Noah apart. All in all, this is a highly emotional read, and one that makes this one of the more harder one's in this series in the toll it takes on the reader. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
Children are dying on the streets of London, but the issue becomes significantly more high profile when 13 year old Raphaela 'Raffa' from Muswell Hill is shot dead in a drive by killing. Unlike other victims, Raffa is white, from a well off background with a family that has more influence. Raffa's family are unwilling to accept that there is any connection with Raffa and the other victims from the blue collar London tower blocks in the vicinity of the horrors of Grenfell, like the Erskine Tower block. Raffa though had been visiting the tower block. Noah is receiving counselling and seeing and talking to the ghost of Sol, all part of his process of coming terms to with his devastating loss, as he determines to do all that he can to prevent further deaths of young people.
Sarah Hilary continues to explore complex emotive themes and crimes with her difficult to read about storylines here. Her depiction of gang life is heartbreaking in its authenticity. She atmospherically evokes a great sense of location with the characters, communities and crime that she creates whilst framing it within the personal tragedy and loss that is tearing Noah apart. All in all, this is a highly emotional read, and one that makes this one of the more harder one's in this series in the toll it takes on the reader. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
May 17, 2021
After recently finishing the very excellent standalone thriller by the author, Fragile, I realised I had not read the last DI Marnie Rome book (Never Be Broken) so I put my arcs aside to pick it up.
Wow! It’s not so much dark as grim. Maybe it is dark too. London in the grip of increasing knife crime and children as young as 8 and 9 are dying on the streets. In the disadvantaged area around the ugly 60s tower block, the Erskine Tower, kids have little chance of escaping the gang culture. And why would they want to when it is a rare opportunity for them to make some money. But when a 13 year old white girl, Raphaela Belsham, is gunned down in her nice upper middle class neighbourhood, the press and the powers that be sit up and take notice. DI Marnie Rome and her sidekick (black) DS Noah Jake go the home to interview the parents. The father’s extreme hostility, particularly towards Jake, seems suspicious. Guy Belsham is an odious man and a bully. But karma might just have the last word on him!
Noah is still struggling after the death of his brother, Sol, in prison 10 weeks ago. Since then he has been ‘seeing’ Sol everywhere and having conversations with him and it’s starting to freak him out and affect his judgement. The next day Noah is back at the Erskine Towers, not quite sure what he’s looking for, when on getting out of the car a body hurtles down from the 28th floor right where he is standing and lands on his vehicle. It is a young woman and Noah is really quite thrown by this. He now has 2 ghosts on his back and he almost resents the woman, Samantha, for ‘choosing’ him as her witness.
Yet, Noah is somehow convinced these two cases are connected and that it all comes back to what he sees as the vortex of evil - the Erskine tower. His mind is slipping and starts to make very bad decisions which keep dragging him back to the tower, even when he is officially off duty. The Russian mob is involved with running girls, guns and drugs in the area and people are starting to notice. Noah is in grave danger now but his scrambled brain is letting him down. The case is moving along and more and more people from the periphery, who are by all accounts ‘good blokes’ are turning out to be corrupt and greedy.
The ending is shocking and confronting. This book addressed an issue that is not often raised - the debilitating effect that witnessing a horrible event, like Samantha’s plunge to death, can have on people especially when compounded with an already grieving psyche. I do hope that Ms Hilary picks up this series again as it has been excellent to date although her latest book shows that she has the talent to write in other genres too.
Wow! It’s not so much dark as grim. Maybe it is dark too. London in the grip of increasing knife crime and children as young as 8 and 9 are dying on the streets. In the disadvantaged area around the ugly 60s tower block, the Erskine Tower, kids have little chance of escaping the gang culture. And why would they want to when it is a rare opportunity for them to make some money. But when a 13 year old white girl, Raphaela Belsham, is gunned down in her nice upper middle class neighbourhood, the press and the powers that be sit up and take notice. DI Marnie Rome and her sidekick (black) DS Noah Jake go the home to interview the parents. The father’s extreme hostility, particularly towards Jake, seems suspicious. Guy Belsham is an odious man and a bully. But karma might just have the last word on him!
Noah is still struggling after the death of his brother, Sol, in prison 10 weeks ago. Since then he has been ‘seeing’ Sol everywhere and having conversations with him and it’s starting to freak him out and affect his judgement. The next day Noah is back at the Erskine Towers, not quite sure what he’s looking for, when on getting out of the car a body hurtles down from the 28th floor right where he is standing and lands on his vehicle. It is a young woman and Noah is really quite thrown by this. He now has 2 ghosts on his back and he almost resents the woman, Samantha, for ‘choosing’ him as her witness.
Yet, Noah is somehow convinced these two cases are connected and that it all comes back to what he sees as the vortex of evil - the Erskine tower. His mind is slipping and starts to make very bad decisions which keep dragging him back to the tower, even when he is officially off duty. The Russian mob is involved with running girls, guns and drugs in the area and people are starting to notice. Noah is in grave danger now but his scrambled brain is letting him down. The case is moving along and more and more people from the periphery, who are by all accounts ‘good blokes’ are turning out to be corrupt and greedy.
The ending is shocking and confronting. This book addressed an issue that is not often raised - the debilitating effect that witnessing a horrible event, like Samantha’s plunge to death, can have on people especially when compounded with an already grieving psyche. I do hope that Ms Hilary picks up this series again as it has been excellent to date although her latest book shows that she has the talent to write in other genres too.
January 10, 2019
This is the first time in this series that the plot has been little more than a foil for the drama of the characters. Or more specifically, one character. It’s all about Noah. And that would be fine with me except it lacks the emotional realism this series has been so successful in portraying. Instead, it veers into sensationalism. There’s a lack of veracity or reality in character and narrative, it’s all just so damn unlikely. The lack of anything vital in the plot is showcased by the flash forward opener- a cheap attempt to add tension into a story which has none. And it doesn’t even work because, like so much in the book, it doesn’t come close to believable.
On top of that, where the hell is the Marnie we know? She’s like a void in this book, incidental even when on the page. She’s bland, unmemorable, and adds little to the story. And the thing with her step brother hinted at in the previous offering is destroyed here in a few paragraphs. So what was the point?? I don’t get it at all.
Honestly, this author would struggle to write a book worth less than 3 stars, but it was a close run thing.
ARC via Netgalley
On top of that, where the hell is the Marnie we know? She’s like a void in this book, incidental even when on the page. She’s bland, unmemorable, and adds little to the story. And the thing with her step brother hinted at in the previous offering is destroyed here in a few paragraphs. So what was the point?? I don’t get it at all.
Honestly, this author would struggle to write a book worth less than 3 stars, but it was a close run thing.
ARC via Netgalley
May 13, 2019
"Blessed are the hearts that bend; they shall never be broken."
I am broken though. Just … WOW!
Never Be Broken is sadly extremely realistic, believable and apt in this day and age. Children are dying on London’s streets and the whiteboard at DI Marnie Rome’s precinct is covered in photographs of young victims. Then, another teenager finds herself on the wrong side of a knife. Raphaela comes from a rich background and is white, and suddenly everyone sits up and takes notice. DS Noah Jake is determined to solve every single case on the whiteboard but he is struggling.
Never Be Broken shows the raw and harsh reality of living on the streets of London. Beyond the bright lights and the beautiful tourist spots, this is a city full of drugs, racism and violence. Police seem to be unable to make much of a difference, no matter how hard they want to. Yet throughout it all, the author’s love for the city manages to shine through.
This is at times quite a painful read. There’s no way the fate of the victims and the suffering of those they leave behind can leave you cold. But there’s also Noah, who’s having a hard time coming to terms with the death of his brother Sol. My heart was absolutely breaking for him. I just wanted to wrap him up in a tight hug. Despite his grief being hard to see, I thought Sarah Hilary handled that whole topic quite brilliantly.
There are some super tense chapters that almost brought tears to my eyes, that made my heart pound and my hands all clammy. This is a dark story, immensely gritty, compelling, captivating and gripping but also one of hope for better days and one of the toughest things to achieve : forgiveness. For those who’ve done you wrong but also for yourself.
Please tell me you are reading this series. It’s been absolutely outstanding from the very beginning and I don’t know how she does it, but Sarah Hilary manages to outdo herself time and time again, bringing each book in this series to whole other level. At the risk of repeating myself, because I’m pretty sure I say this every time, this is the best one in the series yet and Sarah Hilary is an author who deserves all the praise. She continues to impress me with her remarkable storylines, utterly brilliant character development and fantastic writing. There are so many lines I could quote but I won’t because I’d be here all day and obviously you just need to read this book (and the rest of the series) for yourself.
I’ve had a ridiculously hard time getting my thoughts in order. This is one of those books that managed to get completely under my skin, making me go through a whole range of emotions and writing this review seemed like an impossible task when all I really wanted to say was “WOW! Read this now!” and leave it at that. Do yourself a massive favour and pick this up, along with the rest of the series if you haven’t done so already. I promise you from the bottom of my heart, you will not regret it!
I am broken though. Just … WOW!
Never Be Broken is sadly extremely realistic, believable and apt in this day and age. Children are dying on London’s streets and the whiteboard at DI Marnie Rome’s precinct is covered in photographs of young victims. Then, another teenager finds herself on the wrong side of a knife. Raphaela comes from a rich background and is white, and suddenly everyone sits up and takes notice. DS Noah Jake is determined to solve every single case on the whiteboard but he is struggling.
Never Be Broken shows the raw and harsh reality of living on the streets of London. Beyond the bright lights and the beautiful tourist spots, this is a city full of drugs, racism and violence. Police seem to be unable to make much of a difference, no matter how hard they want to. Yet throughout it all, the author’s love for the city manages to shine through.
This is at times quite a painful read. There’s no way the fate of the victims and the suffering of those they leave behind can leave you cold. But there’s also Noah, who’s having a hard time coming to terms with the death of his brother Sol. My heart was absolutely breaking for him. I just wanted to wrap him up in a tight hug. Despite his grief being hard to see, I thought Sarah Hilary handled that whole topic quite brilliantly.
There are some super tense chapters that almost brought tears to my eyes, that made my heart pound and my hands all clammy. This is a dark story, immensely gritty, compelling, captivating and gripping but also one of hope for better days and one of the toughest things to achieve : forgiveness. For those who’ve done you wrong but also for yourself.
Please tell me you are reading this series. It’s been absolutely outstanding from the very beginning and I don’t know how she does it, but Sarah Hilary manages to outdo herself time and time again, bringing each book in this series to whole other level. At the risk of repeating myself, because I’m pretty sure I say this every time, this is the best one in the series yet and Sarah Hilary is an author who deserves all the praise. She continues to impress me with her remarkable storylines, utterly brilliant character development and fantastic writing. There are so many lines I could quote but I won’t because I’d be here all day and obviously you just need to read this book (and the rest of the series) for yourself.
I’ve had a ridiculously hard time getting my thoughts in order. This is one of those books that managed to get completely under my skin, making me go through a whole range of emotions and writing this review seemed like an impossible task when all I really wanted to say was “WOW! Read this now!” and leave it at that. Do yourself a massive favour and pick this up, along with the rest of the series if you haven’t done so already. I promise you from the bottom of my heart, you will not regret it!
July 24, 2023
As much as I've loved this series in the past, Never Be Broken just didn't hit the same notes for me as previous entries. It's still Sarah Hilary, so even then I was able to finish it; I just don't think I would have grown this attached to the series and characters if this had been the style from the beginning.
The intentions are clearly great - the author begins with a forward that addresses the tragedy of children dying as a result of gang activity. But the execution fell somewhat flatter than I'm used to from this author; Marnie didn't feel like the character I've come to really appreciate, and Noah's trauma didn't read authentically. It was late season Criminal Minds, rather than those golden early seasons. I'll absolutely still watch, or read in this case, but I won't love it the way I used to.
Still, from an author usually so consistent, I have hope this is a blip. And the bones are still strong; I just had high expectations. I'll absolutely still read more from Sarah Hilary.
The intentions are clearly great - the author begins with a forward that addresses the tragedy of children dying as a result of gang activity. But the execution fell somewhat flatter than I'm used to from this author; Marnie didn't feel like the character I've come to really appreciate, and Noah's trauma didn't read authentically. It was late season Criminal Minds, rather than those golden early seasons. I'll absolutely still watch, or read in this case, but I won't love it the way I used to.
Still, from an author usually so consistent, I have hope this is a blip. And the bones are still strong; I just had high expectations. I'll absolutely still read more from Sarah Hilary.
May 16, 2019
At its heart, Never Be Broken explores the devastating nature of violent crime, in particular knife crime, and touches on an issue that of late has reached crisis point especially in the city of London but also to a lesser extent elsewhere. This, the sixth novel in the DI Marnie Rome series, is probably the best so far and is a gripping, cleverly woven tale which will hold you in its grasp from start to finish but will also move you as it touches on prevalent real-world issues. The writing is as readable as ever, the twisty turny plot throws up surprise after surprise and the range of emotions you go through shows just how talented Ms Hilary is.
It explores the gang culture which exists in the larger cities and the dynamics between the different groups and the way that can lead to gun and knife crime. It also talks of the impact on those who bore witness to the crime and the family of both the victim and then later the family of the convict. This is a superb amalgamation of true crime, as the gangland environment has clearly been researched extensively, and fiction with regards to Noah, Raffa and the rest of the cast. What stood out to me was the reluctance of the residents to engage and talk to the police indicating police mistrust and the fact that when weighed up against the case of a white individual, the murder of a black character was given much less attention and resources.
A fantastic read which manages to be compassionate and sensitive but also both touching and illuminating. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
It explores the gang culture which exists in the larger cities and the dynamics between the different groups and the way that can lead to gun and knife crime. It also talks of the impact on those who bore witness to the crime and the family of both the victim and then later the family of the convict. This is a superb amalgamation of true crime, as the gangland environment has clearly been researched extensively, and fiction with regards to Noah, Raffa and the rest of the cast. What stood out to me was the reluctance of the residents to engage and talk to the police indicating police mistrust and the fact that when weighed up against the case of a white individual, the murder of a black character was given much less attention and resources.
A fantastic read which manages to be compassionate and sensitive but also both touching and illuminating. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
April 1, 2022
When this series started,I thought it was,by far,one of the best in recent years,and I loved the previous books.
Sadly,this one is awful.Thin plot,boring,too much focus on Jake's angst and,as another reviewer pointed out,where's the Marnie we know?
It almost seems written by another author.
Sadly,this one is awful.Thin plot,boring,too much focus on Jake's angst and,as another reviewer pointed out,where's the Marnie we know?
It almost seems written by another author.
May 15, 2019
Never Be Broken is the sensational sixth instalment of the audaciously talented Sarah Hilary’s exceptional London based police procedural series featuring DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake. After a heart-in-mouth fifth novel that was every bit as convincing, dark, topical and plausible as its predecessors, this novel once again raises the bar and is perhaps the most emotionally charged and timely to date.
With the fifth novel ending on a cliffhanger I was nervous to open the pages of Never Be Broken for fear of what would be thrown at the most well-realised team of lead detectives in current crime fiction. And with a searing prologue showing DI Marnie Rome at the scene of a wrecked car and DS Noah Jake’s bloodied shirt in the gutter, the tension pulsates from the off and no one gets an easy ride, least of all the guilt-ridden, grieving Noah Jake traumatised by his brother, Sol’s, death from gang violence ten weeks previously. Cutting back to forty-eight hours earlier, superlative Hilary opts for a change in central protagonist and after DI Marnie Rome’s previous ordeals, Never Be Broken sees DS Noah Jake unravelling and on the brink of self-destructing as their current case takes them into the midst of gang violence..
The team are under pressure to turn the tide into the murders of ‘London’s lost’ - the children recruited into gangs, exploited or simply killed as they run guns or drugs, all armed with knives, for the brutal bosses holding them to ransom. DS Noah Jake is under scrutiny from an occupational health therapist and the beady eye of his compassionate boss, DI Rome, and with London caught up in a wave of knife crime, the drive-by shooting of a thirteen-year-old girl from an affluent family in well-heeled Muswell Hill raises yet more questions. In contrast to the previous victims all living within the vicinity of council block, Erskine Tower, the sheltered victim, Raphaela “Raffa” Belsham, is white and appears to have no links to the gangs on Trident’s radar, marking an escalation in the current confrontation. Between the racist abuse of Raffa’s hostile businessman father, Guy, and his derision for the police force, DI Rome and DS Jake manage to elicit the information that Raffa was visiting Erskine Tower as part of a school project and when a search of her room recovers a shocking surprise, it takes the team into the west London tower block of Erskine Tower and begins a blistering investigation...
As Marnie struggles to keep Noah off work and begin to process his grief, the ghost of his brother making frequent appearances leads Noah to throw himself headlong into his work, takes him further away from his devoted partner, Dan, and sees him more closed off than ever. Running on empty and unable to sleep his state of mind leads him to take risks and he is more determined than ever before to get to the bottom of the rot in Erskine Tower. This case sees his character hauled over the coals, the sole witness to a death at close proximity and in real jeopardy, making for a real edge of the seat reading experience. Although taking a back seat, the glimpses the reader gets of DI Rome in action show her every bit at her perceptive and responsive best. DCS Lorna Ferguson ‘dazzles’ with the usual autocratic manner of the top brass rarely in the line of fire and it is a pleasure to become reacquainted with series stalwart, gruff but lovable DS Ron Carling, and Trident’s Harry Kennedy who jailed Sol Jake’s murderer.
The result is a powerful and comprehensive view of life in contemporary London that unpeels the layers that have factored into the situation whilst also presenting a realistic police procedural. At times an uncomfortable read, not only is the story powerful and thought-provoking, Sarah Hilary doesn’t shy away from tackling contentious topics head-on, giving her readers an authentic look at handling an escalating problem.
Sarah Hilary is the indisputable heavyweight of the contemporary police procedural and her novels are imbued with a level of psychological appreciation and a social conscience that makes them all the most powerful and realistic. Likewise the psychology isn’t just platitudes or theory, but is factored into a fluid investigation. Clever stuff indeed with more than a little food for thought. Hilary doesn’t just address the aftermath and mopping up of crime but gets to grips with the motivations, complications and drivers in a honest and realistic examination. Not only is her descriptive prose razor sharp but she never resorts to gratuitous violence and her words pack a far more significant punch. So whilst Never Be Broken is a bruising encounter and is guaranteed to have readers shaking their heads at the senseless betrayal of the youngsters who fall prey to gang culture, it is undoubtedly an essential novel (and series) not to be missed.
With the fifth novel ending on a cliffhanger I was nervous to open the pages of Never Be Broken for fear of what would be thrown at the most well-realised team of lead detectives in current crime fiction. And with a searing prologue showing DI Marnie Rome at the scene of a wrecked car and DS Noah Jake’s bloodied shirt in the gutter, the tension pulsates from the off and no one gets an easy ride, least of all the guilt-ridden, grieving Noah Jake traumatised by his brother, Sol’s, death from gang violence ten weeks previously. Cutting back to forty-eight hours earlier, superlative Hilary opts for a change in central protagonist and after DI Marnie Rome’s previous ordeals, Never Be Broken sees DS Noah Jake unravelling and on the brink of self-destructing as their current case takes them into the midst of gang violence..
The team are under pressure to turn the tide into the murders of ‘London’s lost’ - the children recruited into gangs, exploited or simply killed as they run guns or drugs, all armed with knives, for the brutal bosses holding them to ransom. DS Noah Jake is under scrutiny from an occupational health therapist and the beady eye of his compassionate boss, DI Rome, and with London caught up in a wave of knife crime, the drive-by shooting of a thirteen-year-old girl from an affluent family in well-heeled Muswell Hill raises yet more questions. In contrast to the previous victims all living within the vicinity of council block, Erskine Tower, the sheltered victim, Raphaela “Raffa” Belsham, is white and appears to have no links to the gangs on Trident’s radar, marking an escalation in the current confrontation. Between the racist abuse of Raffa’s hostile businessman father, Guy, and his derision for the police force, DI Rome and DS Jake manage to elicit the information that Raffa was visiting Erskine Tower as part of a school project and when a search of her room recovers a shocking surprise, it takes the team into the west London tower block of Erskine Tower and begins a blistering investigation...
As Marnie struggles to keep Noah off work and begin to process his grief, the ghost of his brother making frequent appearances leads Noah to throw himself headlong into his work, takes him further away from his devoted partner, Dan, and sees him more closed off than ever. Running on empty and unable to sleep his state of mind leads him to take risks and he is more determined than ever before to get to the bottom of the rot in Erskine Tower. This case sees his character hauled over the coals, the sole witness to a death at close proximity and in real jeopardy, making for a real edge of the seat reading experience. Although taking a back seat, the glimpses the reader gets of DI Rome in action show her every bit at her perceptive and responsive best. DCS Lorna Ferguson ‘dazzles’ with the usual autocratic manner of the top brass rarely in the line of fire and it is a pleasure to become reacquainted with series stalwart, gruff but lovable DS Ron Carling, and Trident’s Harry Kennedy who jailed Sol Jake’s murderer.
The result is a powerful and comprehensive view of life in contemporary London that unpeels the layers that have factored into the situation whilst also presenting a realistic police procedural. At times an uncomfortable read, not only is the story powerful and thought-provoking, Sarah Hilary doesn’t shy away from tackling contentious topics head-on, giving her readers an authentic look at handling an escalating problem.
Sarah Hilary is the indisputable heavyweight of the contemporary police procedural and her novels are imbued with a level of psychological appreciation and a social conscience that makes them all the most powerful and realistic. Likewise the psychology isn’t just platitudes or theory, but is factored into a fluid investigation. Clever stuff indeed with more than a little food for thought. Hilary doesn’t just address the aftermath and mopping up of crime but gets to grips with the motivations, complications and drivers in a honest and realistic examination. Not only is her descriptive prose razor sharp but she never resorts to gratuitous violence and her words pack a far more significant punch. So whilst Never Be Broken is a bruising encounter and is guaranteed to have readers shaking their heads at the senseless betrayal of the youngsters who fall prey to gang culture, it is undoubtedly an essential novel (and series) not to be missed.
May 26, 2019
Now this is the second book I have read by Sarah Hilary and even though this is the book after Come and Find Me which is book 6 in the series, I do feel that to fully understand some of the events in Never Be Broken you do need to read the previous book.
My thoughts on starting this book was no that can’t happen and why on earth has what happened happened in the opening chapter. Why would the author Sarah Hilary do that in the first few pages?
After that opening chapter, the book then continues and we are drawn into the world of knife crime, and the London high rise estates and streets where gangs seem to frequent. Now if you think this is going to be a book about London gangs you would be wrong. We are drawn into some of the ways in which the gangs deal with things. However this book is about the “rich kids” as they are sometimes known who are drawn into the estate on the premise of hearing stories and life tales from the residents that have lived in the tower blocks for a number of years if not all their lives. We are involved in Marnie and her team having to solve the unexplainable death of one of these kids.
I was thoroughly griped with this book and couldn’t wait to pick it up to continue reading.
Now to await the next book and whilst I am doing that hopefully start the other books to catch up.
My thoughts on starting this book was no that can’t happen and why on earth has what happened happened in the opening chapter. Why would the author Sarah Hilary do that in the first few pages?
After that opening chapter, the book then continues and we are drawn into the world of knife crime, and the London high rise estates and streets where gangs seem to frequent. Now if you think this is going to be a book about London gangs you would be wrong. We are drawn into some of the ways in which the gangs deal with things. However this book is about the “rich kids” as they are sometimes known who are drawn into the estate on the premise of hearing stories and life tales from the residents that have lived in the tower blocks for a number of years if not all their lives. We are involved in Marnie and her team having to solve the unexplainable death of one of these kids.
I was thoroughly griped with this book and couldn’t wait to pick it up to continue reading.
Now to await the next book and whilst I am doing that hopefully start the other books to catch up.
December 2, 2018
One sitting read, just brilliant
Insightful, authentic, emotionally charged and gorgeous writing. Marnie Rome, Noah Jake and their creator Sarah Hilary going from strength to strength.
Looking forward to reviewing this in full next year closer to the publication date.
Insightful, authentic, emotionally charged and gorgeous writing. Marnie Rome, Noah Jake and their creator Sarah Hilary going from strength to strength.
Looking forward to reviewing this in full next year closer to the publication date.
May 14, 2019
Never Be Broken is a tense and disturbing look at gang culture, manipulation and the exploitation and murder of children, very relevant and important issues in today’s world.
Beginning with a short prologue that hooked me in immediately, one that could be taken several different ways, we’re then taken back forty eight hours. DI Marnie Rome and the team are investigating the terrible victimisation of children, gangs and the associated knife crime. Several children have been murdered for no apparent reason and the case is proving difficult for the investigating team. Then teenager Raphaela Belsham is killed in a drive by shooting in the affluent area of Muswell Hill, raising the profile of the case significantly.
To Marnie it gave the impression that the death of a black boy in a poor area was somehow of less consequence than the death of a girl from a middle class family who lived in a more upmarket part of town. Surely both were as sad and pointless as each other? But people in run down areas are not given the same understanding or respect. Frankie Reece’s mother is the voice of reason and calls for an end to the violence and senseless killing, giving a sense of hope.
One of the main focuses in this instalment is on DS Noah Jake who, although he’s having counselling, is lost in grief following events from the previous story. Such powerfully mixed feelings of loss and guilt are manifesting in an unusual and fascinating way. Noah is aware his subconscious is creating scenarios and back and forth dialogue, which seem to bring a measure of comfort. They also allow him to voice thoughts and feelings he wouldn’t be able to under normal circumstances, if only to himself. This, combined with the children’s faces on the murder board, the links to his own struggle with grief and the racial antagonism directed towards him, makes it all so much more difficult to do the job he’s committed to, and dangerous risks are taken.
Marnie and Noah’s partnership is as strong as ever and it’s a struggle to know the best way to help him, her sympathy and concern is obvious and understandable.
Sarah Hilary has created an unsettling and grim picture—it’s an emotional and sometimes difficult read with young boys dying from gang related violence and knife crime which is on the increase in London, devastating families and communities. Never Be Broken doesn’t pull any punches with the reality of the situation, or the racism and the differing reactions of parents to the crimes. The fact that sensitive social issues are woven into the storylines of this series make them more realistic and current, atmospheric and powerful, always providing much food for thought. The writing and characterisation is as accomplished and insightful as ever.
This is another compelling read in a series that never fails to deliver.
I was lucky enough to win an advance copy in a competition on Mary Picken’s blog, Live and Deadly which I chose to read and review. Many thanks to Sarah Hilary.
Beginning with a short prologue that hooked me in immediately, one that could be taken several different ways, we’re then taken back forty eight hours. DI Marnie Rome and the team are investigating the terrible victimisation of children, gangs and the associated knife crime. Several children have been murdered for no apparent reason and the case is proving difficult for the investigating team. Then teenager Raphaela Belsham is killed in a drive by shooting in the affluent area of Muswell Hill, raising the profile of the case significantly.
To Marnie it gave the impression that the death of a black boy in a poor area was somehow of less consequence than the death of a girl from a middle class family who lived in a more upmarket part of town. Surely both were as sad and pointless as each other? But people in run down areas are not given the same understanding or respect. Frankie Reece’s mother is the voice of reason and calls for an end to the violence and senseless killing, giving a sense of hope.
One of the main focuses in this instalment is on DS Noah Jake who, although he’s having counselling, is lost in grief following events from the previous story. Such powerfully mixed feelings of loss and guilt are manifesting in an unusual and fascinating way. Noah is aware his subconscious is creating scenarios and back and forth dialogue, which seem to bring a measure of comfort. They also allow him to voice thoughts and feelings he wouldn’t be able to under normal circumstances, if only to himself. This, combined with the children’s faces on the murder board, the links to his own struggle with grief and the racial antagonism directed towards him, makes it all so much more difficult to do the job he’s committed to, and dangerous risks are taken.
Marnie and Noah’s partnership is as strong as ever and it’s a struggle to know the best way to help him, her sympathy and concern is obvious and understandable.
Sarah Hilary has created an unsettling and grim picture—it’s an emotional and sometimes difficult read with young boys dying from gang related violence and knife crime which is on the increase in London, devastating families and communities. Never Be Broken doesn’t pull any punches with the reality of the situation, or the racism and the differing reactions of parents to the crimes. The fact that sensitive social issues are woven into the storylines of this series make them more realistic and current, atmospheric and powerful, always providing much food for thought. The writing and characterisation is as accomplished and insightful as ever.
This is another compelling read in a series that never fails to deliver.
I was lucky enough to win an advance copy in a competition on Mary Picken’s blog, Live and Deadly which I chose to read and review. Many thanks to Sarah Hilary.
January 14, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of Nerver Be Broken, the sixth novel to feature Mer detectives DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake.
When teenager Raphaela Belsham is gunned down in a drive by shooting Marnie’s team are sent to investigate. There are other children’s deaths being investigated but Raffa as she is known is different, white with affluent well connected parents. Noah, still grieving for his brother, Sol, takes all the deaths to heart and is determined to make a difference.
I thoroughly enjoyed Never Be Broken which takes a tough, uncompromising look at the contemporary gang culture in London. It is an uncomfortable read both with the situation and the emotion involved in Noah’s grieving process but despite knowing little about either subject it all rings true with the writing strong enough to create that sense of discomfort.
The novel opens with a damaged car and Noah’s jacket then switches back to two days previously before becoming a more linear narrative. That opening had me hooked with its myriad potential outcomes and worry. It’s really well done. As I said I know nothing about gang culture and their actions so some of the novel passed me by - is it superficial to decry the violence without a full understanding of the causes? Ms Hillary does her best to explain but a novel can only give a glimpse. Again what she does is excellent but she chooses to concentrate more on the adults caught up in the periphery and their weaknesses. What does come over loud and clear is the public’s reluctance to talk to the police.
Noah Jakes’s grief is visceral in the novel. He talks to his dead brother all the time, imagining him with him and while he is clear that it is mind creating Sol it seems a bit supernatural in the authentic dialogue and attitude. I wish I were a bit smarter to really get to grips with this as it is fascinating. It seems to me that Sol is voicing what Noah really thinks while the logical Noah is trying to take a more PC line. The only thing a bit strange in this (apart from seeing your dead brother and telling no one) is that he is allowed to keep working when a blind man could see he’s not fit.
Never Be Broken is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When teenager Raphaela Belsham is gunned down in a drive by shooting Marnie’s team are sent to investigate. There are other children’s deaths being investigated but Raffa as she is known is different, white with affluent well connected parents. Noah, still grieving for his brother, Sol, takes all the deaths to heart and is determined to make a difference.
I thoroughly enjoyed Never Be Broken which takes a tough, uncompromising look at the contemporary gang culture in London. It is an uncomfortable read both with the situation and the emotion involved in Noah’s grieving process but despite knowing little about either subject it all rings true with the writing strong enough to create that sense of discomfort.
The novel opens with a damaged car and Noah’s jacket then switches back to two days previously before becoming a more linear narrative. That opening had me hooked with its myriad potential outcomes and worry. It’s really well done. As I said I know nothing about gang culture and their actions so some of the novel passed me by - is it superficial to decry the violence without a full understanding of the causes? Ms Hillary does her best to explain but a novel can only give a glimpse. Again what she does is excellent but she chooses to concentrate more on the adults caught up in the periphery and their weaknesses. What does come over loud and clear is the public’s reluctance to talk to the police.
Noah Jakes’s grief is visceral in the novel. He talks to his dead brother all the time, imagining him with him and while he is clear that it is mind creating Sol it seems a bit supernatural in the authentic dialogue and attitude. I wish I were a bit smarter to really get to grips with this as it is fascinating. It seems to me that Sol is voicing what Noah really thinks while the logical Noah is trying to take a more PC line. The only thing a bit strange in this (apart from seeing your dead brother and telling no one) is that he is allowed to keep working when a blind man could see he’s not fit.
Never Be Broken is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
September 22, 2019
Opening with a prologue that had me holding my breath and wondering what the heck had happened, Never Be Broken is the 6th book in the series featuring DI Marnie Rome and her DS Noah Jake. The main story then begins 48 hours earlier…..
I’ve followed this series from the beginning and it’s no secret that it’s one of my favourites. It’s not a wham bam full on action crime series but quietly thoughtful with a superbly constructed narrative and characterisation and this book is probably the most powerful of all in the series so far.
Its topical bearing in mind the awful current crime situation and focuses on gang culture and exploitation of children and young teenagers. A number of teenagers have been killed on London’s streets and it appears that the police are losing control. Too many faces on the whiteboard in the incident room. Now 13 year old Raphaela Belsham, a young white girl from an affluent area and a wealthy family has been gunned down in a drive by shooting and the pressure is on Marnie and her team to find those responsible for running the gangs and supplying the drugs and weapons.
And then there is DS Noah Jake. Oh my goodness. Sarah Hilary puts Noah through the wringer in this story. I think to say he is emotionally broken following events in the previous book is an understatement. Marnie is doing her best to keep an eye on him however she can’t watch him all the time and despite his determination to work on the cases she’s not sure that he can cope just yet.
Whilst regular characters all make return appearances, including DCI Lorna Ferguson, Harry Kennedy and other members of the team, it’s fair to say that the focus of the story is Noah with Marnie taking more of a back seat. This change of lead character, with Noah almost at breaking point does have a tremendous emotional impact.
Never Be Broken is an unsettling and thought provoking read. The storyline is grim but then so is real life and this has been sensitively and realistically reflected. A thoroughly gripping and at times shocking read, this is most definitely a series that shouldn’t be passed by.
I’ve followed this series from the beginning and it’s no secret that it’s one of my favourites. It’s not a wham bam full on action crime series but quietly thoughtful with a superbly constructed narrative and characterisation and this book is probably the most powerful of all in the series so far.
Its topical bearing in mind the awful current crime situation and focuses on gang culture and exploitation of children and young teenagers. A number of teenagers have been killed on London’s streets and it appears that the police are losing control. Too many faces on the whiteboard in the incident room. Now 13 year old Raphaela Belsham, a young white girl from an affluent area and a wealthy family has been gunned down in a drive by shooting and the pressure is on Marnie and her team to find those responsible for running the gangs and supplying the drugs and weapons.
And then there is DS Noah Jake. Oh my goodness. Sarah Hilary puts Noah through the wringer in this story. I think to say he is emotionally broken following events in the previous book is an understatement. Marnie is doing her best to keep an eye on him however she can’t watch him all the time and despite his determination to work on the cases she’s not sure that he can cope just yet.
Whilst regular characters all make return appearances, including DCI Lorna Ferguson, Harry Kennedy and other members of the team, it’s fair to say that the focus of the story is Noah with Marnie taking more of a back seat. This change of lead character, with Noah almost at breaking point does have a tremendous emotional impact.
Never Be Broken is an unsettling and thought provoking read. The storyline is grim but then so is real life and this has been sensitively and realistically reflected. A thoroughly gripping and at times shocking read, this is most definitely a series that shouldn’t be passed by.
March 26, 2019
Kicking off with a prologue that will instantly draw fans of the series straight into the pages, and make you wonder just what Sarah Hilary has come up with for us this time, , with such a clever opening that had me worried.
In fact I was worried about DS Noah Jake throughout the book, as he is not handling the events at the end of the previous one that well, although its hardly surprising.
I would say that this book can't be read as a standalone, and that if you are new to the series to pick it up from Book 5 at the very least, just so that this, book 6, will make that much more sense. The story lines that have been running through the series are incredibly apparent in this instalment. but we also have fresh crimes to turn our attention to.
This is where I struggled slightly initially as there were a bunch of names that kept cropping up, for deaths that we didn't fully learn about but seemed relevant somehow. And then there are two deaths within 24 hours, seemingly at first unconnected, but as crime readers know its very rare for their not to be a connection, the question was what and how.
And that is what stumped me and kept me reading, while I learnt along with the police just what was happening. Because the Marnie / Noah dynamic was different in this book, I felt less connected, as it was so hard seeing Noah like he was, yet there was still evidence at how great a policeman he his.
This is another solid book in the series, I just didn't feel it was the best, but still very enjoyable and had me wanting to continue reading even when real life intervened.
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
In fact I was worried about DS Noah Jake throughout the book, as he is not handling the events at the end of the previous one that well, although its hardly surprising.
I would say that this book can't be read as a standalone, and that if you are new to the series to pick it up from Book 5 at the very least, just so that this, book 6, will make that much more sense. The story lines that have been running through the series are incredibly apparent in this instalment. but we also have fresh crimes to turn our attention to.
This is where I struggled slightly initially as there were a bunch of names that kept cropping up, for deaths that we didn't fully learn about but seemed relevant somehow. And then there are two deaths within 24 hours, seemingly at first unconnected, but as crime readers know its very rare for their not to be a connection, the question was what and how.
And that is what stumped me and kept me reading, while I learnt along with the police just what was happening. Because the Marnie / Noah dynamic was different in this book, I felt less connected, as it was so hard seeing Noah like he was, yet there was still evidence at how great a policeman he his.
This is another solid book in the series, I just didn't feel it was the best, but still very enjoyable and had me wanting to continue reading even when real life intervened.
Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
July 14, 2019
I wasn’t all that keen on Never Be Broken. Sarah Hilary is a good writer, but the reservations I have about this series as a whole are rather greater for this episode.
Hilary is dealing with important issues of knife crime and the use of children as drugs couriers, but as a book this never really engaged me. Marnie Rome takes something of a back seat and the book is largely about Noah Jake – for me far too much about him personally at the expense of the plot and the issues at stake. I have had a sense of this imbalance in quite a few of the previous books, but here it really did spoil things for me, I’m afraid.
I’m plainly in a minority about this, but Never Be Broken didn’t really do it for me and I won’t be rushing to read the next in the series.
(My thanks to Headline for an ARC via NetGalley.)
Hilary is dealing with important issues of knife crime and the use of children as drugs couriers, but as a book this never really engaged me. Marnie Rome takes something of a back seat and the book is largely about Noah Jake – for me far too much about him personally at the expense of the plot and the issues at stake. I have had a sense of this imbalance in quite a few of the previous books, but here it really did spoil things for me, I’m afraid.
I’m plainly in a minority about this, but Never Be Broken didn’t really do it for me and I won’t be rushing to read the next in the series.
(My thanks to Headline for an ARC via NetGalley.)
May 17, 2019
I find it somewhat ironic that Sarah Hilary should choose to name this latest book in the Marnie Rome series Never Be Broken. Broken is exactly how her books leave me ... Every. Single. Time. As ironic as it is for me as a reader however, it is absolutely fitting when taken in the context of not only the story but when thinking about the resilience of her two lead characters, Marnie Rome and Noah Jake.
What I love about Sarah Hilary's work is how she always manages to capture a very relevant and topical story of modern life and weave it into a story which will captivate, shock, entertain but also educate the reader. It is not done in a way which comes across as preaching or overtly political, but she always manages to capture society at its most vulnerable, to capture the heart and soul of society and make it accessible to readers, engaging them in a series of what if's and there but for the grace of god kind of revelatory moments.
In this book she is exploring the current alarming trends of 'county lines' - the exploitation of young and vulnerable children to move drugs and other objectionable merchandise around the country without fear of detection for those in charge of the enterprise, and of the all too regular murder of London's teenagers, through gun deaths and knife crimes. These are situations that hit the headlines with frightening regularity, no longer confined to London, but certainly most prevalent there. And it is no longer just members of gangs who are targeted and fall victim to such brutality, and it is after the inexplicable murder of a young girl from an affluent part of the city that we join Marnie and her team who are tasked with getting to the root cause of all of the murders and putting a stop to them.
This is an emotionally charged novel, not just because of the nature of the crimes that the team are investigating, which are horrific and senseless enough. You are faced with grief from all angles, and the differing ways in which parents cope with loss. The gamut of emotions from anger, to resignation to a sense of determination and hope, are all represented in a sensitive and authentic way, the author tapping into all of the readers senses in creating that dramatic tension.
It makes for compelling, if occasionally difficult reading, especially when you factor in that at the heart of it all is poor Noah, a man who is coming to terms with his own recent loss in a surprising and yet understandable way. Noah is a well loved character and it breaks your heart to see the impact that loss is having on him, particularly when you consider the cause of his grief and how it links to the case he is now investigating. It leads to him taking chances, ones which put him in danger, sometimes in very unexpected ways.
This novel also taps into the post Brexit vote divisions which have sadly arisen across the country. Nothing new in the presentation of racism and intolerance perhaps - that has always existed - but the way in which certain factions feel that the vote validates their beliefs and gives them the right to express them more overtly than they ever dared before. And that sense of the disenfranchised people of the run down council estates who are being looked over and turfed out all in the name of gentrification is so beautifully expressed that you feel anger for them as you read.
The book is full of tension which drives the narrative beautifully. It is not always an easy read, if only because of the overwhelming sense of grief and sometimes despair that emanates from the pages. But look beyond that and you see the superb partnership of Marnie and Noah, tested to its limits as Marnie struggles to know how to help her Sergeant, but still a joy to read. Such compassion and determination from both of them, that real heart which drives this whole series compelling you to read onward.
And the ending - going from nerve-wracking action to a calm, heart warming moment in which one of the victims mothers calls for peace and an end to the violence which claimed her child's life - is pitch perfect. It sums up how senseless all of it is, and yet provides hope that there is still a chance for things to change. It brought a lump to my throat, no mean feat believe me.
Tense, emotional and heart-felt and extremely topical, this is another stunning offering from Sarah Hilary, one you would be a fool to miss. If you love Marnie and Noah, this book will captivate you and then break you, before slowly putting you back together again. Brilliant stuff.
What I love about Sarah Hilary's work is how she always manages to capture a very relevant and topical story of modern life and weave it into a story which will captivate, shock, entertain but also educate the reader. It is not done in a way which comes across as preaching or overtly political, but she always manages to capture society at its most vulnerable, to capture the heart and soul of society and make it accessible to readers, engaging them in a series of what if's and there but for the grace of god kind of revelatory moments.
In this book she is exploring the current alarming trends of 'county lines' - the exploitation of young and vulnerable children to move drugs and other objectionable merchandise around the country without fear of detection for those in charge of the enterprise, and of the all too regular murder of London's teenagers, through gun deaths and knife crimes. These are situations that hit the headlines with frightening regularity, no longer confined to London, but certainly most prevalent there. And it is no longer just members of gangs who are targeted and fall victim to such brutality, and it is after the inexplicable murder of a young girl from an affluent part of the city that we join Marnie and her team who are tasked with getting to the root cause of all of the murders and putting a stop to them.
This is an emotionally charged novel, not just because of the nature of the crimes that the team are investigating, which are horrific and senseless enough. You are faced with grief from all angles, and the differing ways in which parents cope with loss. The gamut of emotions from anger, to resignation to a sense of determination and hope, are all represented in a sensitive and authentic way, the author tapping into all of the readers senses in creating that dramatic tension.
It makes for compelling, if occasionally difficult reading, especially when you factor in that at the heart of it all is poor Noah, a man who is coming to terms with his own recent loss in a surprising and yet understandable way. Noah is a well loved character and it breaks your heart to see the impact that loss is having on him, particularly when you consider the cause of his grief and how it links to the case he is now investigating. It leads to him taking chances, ones which put him in danger, sometimes in very unexpected ways.
This novel also taps into the post Brexit vote divisions which have sadly arisen across the country. Nothing new in the presentation of racism and intolerance perhaps - that has always existed - but the way in which certain factions feel that the vote validates their beliefs and gives them the right to express them more overtly than they ever dared before. And that sense of the disenfranchised people of the run down council estates who are being looked over and turfed out all in the name of gentrification is so beautifully expressed that you feel anger for them as you read.
The book is full of tension which drives the narrative beautifully. It is not always an easy read, if only because of the overwhelming sense of grief and sometimes despair that emanates from the pages. But look beyond that and you see the superb partnership of Marnie and Noah, tested to its limits as Marnie struggles to know how to help her Sergeant, but still a joy to read. Such compassion and determination from both of them, that real heart which drives this whole series compelling you to read onward.
And the ending - going from nerve-wracking action to a calm, heart warming moment in which one of the victims mothers calls for peace and an end to the violence which claimed her child's life - is pitch perfect. It sums up how senseless all of it is, and yet provides hope that there is still a chance for things to change. It brought a lump to my throat, no mean feat believe me.
Tense, emotional and heart-felt and extremely topical, this is another stunning offering from Sarah Hilary, one you would be a fool to miss. If you love Marnie and Noah, this book will captivate you and then break you, before slowly putting you back together again. Brilliant stuff.
May 16, 2019
I genuinely think Sarah Hilary is one of the best contemporary crime writers around. Intelligent, and compassionate. she is a thoughtful and always fascinating author.
So to Never Be Broken, which feels like the culmination of a six year story involving Marnie and her step brother, Stephen. More of that later, because first I want to focus on the main plotline.
It’s really not possible to read one of Sarah Hilary’s books without being inextricably drawn into the political and socio-economic aspects of policing in London.
Hilary never flinches from taking social and political themes that have immediate relevance in our contemporary lives. In Never Be Broken Noah Jake has centre stage. Shocked, guilt stricken and grieving after the death of his brother, Sol, he has thrown himself into work, but his mind is still partially elsewhere as he confronts the teenage victims of crime that are the focus of this novel.
It is an all too deadly occurrence these days; children dying from the results of knife crime on the streets of our capital city. Used as drug mules, lookouts and even for sex trafficking, have we really reached the stage as a society that we can listen to reports of children dying from the results of crime on our streets and still think we live in a civilised society? If so,is it because these children are predominantly poor and of multi-ethnic heritage?
In Never Be Broken 13 year old ‘Raffa’ Belsham from Muswell Hill is shot dead in a drive-by killing. It is one of a number of killings that Marnie’s team are investigating, alongside that of Frankie Reece, stabbed outside a corner shop.
Raffa’s killing is different only insofar as she is white and from a ‘good’ area of the city. Her family are well spoken and well-connected and they are adamant that there is no way that Raffa’s death could have anything to do with the notorious Erskine Tower block where other supposed gang related child killings have occurred.
Noah finds it difficult to come to terms with the death of these children and feeling it ever more keenly because of Sol, he wants to ensure that he can bring the killers to justice.
This is all strong stuff as Hilary explores gang life, intimidation, societal breakdown and fragmented communities. Doing so in the context of Noah’s loss makes a deeply personal story resonate with a larger beat across these killings.
Hilary takes an everyday – and just listen to these words – *an every day* story about knife crime and child gang killings and shows us what it is to undergo mental anguish and to suffer the loss of a child. Still, the compassion shown by Frankie Reece’s mother is the true spirit of Erskine Tower block and she offers another way.
As for Marnie and Stephen, Hilary finds a way to close the vicious circle in which Marnie and her step brother have been doing an unsettling dance for the last 6 books. She does so in a way that gives Marnie closure and offers hope to the reader.
And it is hope that we take away from this book. Hope that both Marnie and Noah are on a healing path. Hope that society will recognise that our children are being needlessly sacrificed. Hope that we can begin to look at ways we can bring our fragmented selves together to fight for a better future. Hope that there will be more like Mrs Reece who can show us the way.
I don’t know whether there will be more Marnie Rome books. I certainly hope so, but with Never Be Broken, it feels like we have come to a suitable place to pause and reflect, before taking that tentative step forward again.
Verdict: Heartbreaking, tense, intelligent storytelling from a writer at the top of her game. You won’t get better writing than this.
So to Never Be Broken, which feels like the culmination of a six year story involving Marnie and her step brother, Stephen. More of that later, because first I want to focus on the main plotline.
It’s really not possible to read one of Sarah Hilary’s books without being inextricably drawn into the political and socio-economic aspects of policing in London.
Hilary never flinches from taking social and political themes that have immediate relevance in our contemporary lives. In Never Be Broken Noah Jake has centre stage. Shocked, guilt stricken and grieving after the death of his brother, Sol, he has thrown himself into work, but his mind is still partially elsewhere as he confronts the teenage victims of crime that are the focus of this novel.
It is an all too deadly occurrence these days; children dying from the results of knife crime on the streets of our capital city. Used as drug mules, lookouts and even for sex trafficking, have we really reached the stage as a society that we can listen to reports of children dying from the results of crime on our streets and still think we live in a civilised society? If so,is it because these children are predominantly poor and of multi-ethnic heritage?
In Never Be Broken 13 year old ‘Raffa’ Belsham from Muswell Hill is shot dead in a drive-by killing. It is one of a number of killings that Marnie’s team are investigating, alongside that of Frankie Reece, stabbed outside a corner shop.
Raffa’s killing is different only insofar as she is white and from a ‘good’ area of the city. Her family are well spoken and well-connected and they are adamant that there is no way that Raffa’s death could have anything to do with the notorious Erskine Tower block where other supposed gang related child killings have occurred.
Noah finds it difficult to come to terms with the death of these children and feeling it ever more keenly because of Sol, he wants to ensure that he can bring the killers to justice.
This is all strong stuff as Hilary explores gang life, intimidation, societal breakdown and fragmented communities. Doing so in the context of Noah’s loss makes a deeply personal story resonate with a larger beat across these killings.
Hilary takes an everyday – and just listen to these words – *an every day* story about knife crime and child gang killings and shows us what it is to undergo mental anguish and to suffer the loss of a child. Still, the compassion shown by Frankie Reece’s mother is the true spirit of Erskine Tower block and she offers another way.
As for Marnie and Stephen, Hilary finds a way to close the vicious circle in which Marnie and her step brother have been doing an unsettling dance for the last 6 books. She does so in a way that gives Marnie closure and offers hope to the reader.
And it is hope that we take away from this book. Hope that both Marnie and Noah are on a healing path. Hope that society will recognise that our children are being needlessly sacrificed. Hope that we can begin to look at ways we can bring our fragmented selves together to fight for a better future. Hope that there will be more like Mrs Reece who can show us the way.
I don’t know whether there will be more Marnie Rome books. I certainly hope so, but with Never Be Broken, it feels like we have come to a suitable place to pause and reflect, before taking that tentative step forward again.
Verdict: Heartbreaking, tense, intelligent storytelling from a writer at the top of her game. You won’t get better writing than this.
May 14, 2019
Ok, I don't know how this has happened but I appear to have missed one of the books in the series(unforgiveable!). 'Never Be Broken' starts with a gasp inducing act that throws you into the story, front and centre, before back tracking to 48 hours earlier and a gut punch of a revelation-not being spoilt here for anyone who hasn't got this far in the 'DI Marnie Rome series-that left me weak.
Having said that, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves great writing, tense and intense plotting as well as sublime characterisation. You do not need to have read up to this point to feel the swell of anger and rage at a senseless act which leaves a good man,Noah Jake, griefstricken. Here, DI Marnie Rome comes into her own, having made a full circle from her own refusal of help, to being the one to offer it to a colleague .
It is a very London centric novel, there is absolute sense of time and place which acutely emphasises the social issues that the police and the justice system currently face, versus those that the public do . The death of the 'wrong type of victim' , the daughter of a white man of influence is suddenly a matter of media clamouring for justice whereas the children killed with different colour skin were disposable and forgettable.
The sheer level of outrage I felt as a reader, as a mother, as a human being is incredible. All of these children deserved full and transparent investigations of their lives and deaths, the idea that one child's life is to be valued over another, is sickening. The challenges that Marnie has in making sure all of the investiagtions are correct and above board, whilst supporting her colleague and addressing the concerns of the public are a tightrope balancing act like no other. The public perception of the police, as well as her own professionalism is at stake like never before.
Sarah Hilary excels at creating pencil sketches of her characters, giving you enough room as a reader to shade them in and then take them to your heart and make them your own . These are people who you do not forget easily, 'Never Be Broken' absolutely has the power to break you, so real are these families who have lost their children. And the hunt for those who exploit and recruit the vulnerable, the forgotten ones, the ones who are looking for somewhere to belong...it's a cruel and devastating reality which is brough home to the reader with a quiet dignity, it is not forced in your face-the anger undulates as the facts are laid out before you. These missing children matter and their lives need to be recorded and marked, not brushed away and forgotten about. It's a compelling, hardhitting read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Having said that, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves great writing, tense and intense plotting as well as sublime characterisation. You do not need to have read up to this point to feel the swell of anger and rage at a senseless act which leaves a good man,Noah Jake, griefstricken. Here, DI Marnie Rome comes into her own, having made a full circle from her own refusal of help, to being the one to offer it to a colleague .
It is a very London centric novel, there is absolute sense of time and place which acutely emphasises the social issues that the police and the justice system currently face, versus those that the public do . The death of the 'wrong type of victim' , the daughter of a white man of influence is suddenly a matter of media clamouring for justice whereas the children killed with different colour skin were disposable and forgettable.
The sheer level of outrage I felt as a reader, as a mother, as a human being is incredible. All of these children deserved full and transparent investigations of their lives and deaths, the idea that one child's life is to be valued over another, is sickening. The challenges that Marnie has in making sure all of the investiagtions are correct and above board, whilst supporting her colleague and addressing the concerns of the public are a tightrope balancing act like no other. The public perception of the police, as well as her own professionalism is at stake like never before.
Sarah Hilary excels at creating pencil sketches of her characters, giving you enough room as a reader to shade them in and then take them to your heart and make them your own . These are people who you do not forget easily, 'Never Be Broken' absolutely has the power to break you, so real are these families who have lost their children. And the hunt for those who exploit and recruit the vulnerable, the forgotten ones, the ones who are looking for somewhere to belong...it's a cruel and devastating reality which is brough home to the reader with a quiet dignity, it is not forced in your face-the anger undulates as the facts are laid out before you. These missing children matter and their lives need to be recorded and marked, not brushed away and forgotten about. It's a compelling, hardhitting read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
May 16, 2019
Sarah Hilary has long been one of my favourite crime writers. Her Marnie Rome series is absolutely excellent and has gone from strength to strength with each instalment. I think I've said it about each book, but Never Be Broken really is the best so far.
Not only does this incredibly talented author bring a crime story with a bang up-to-date plot line to her readers, she does with with such elegance and style. There are phrases and paragraphs that are so beautifully put together that I could weep. Once more, my copy is full of turned-down corners, marking the many many passages that took my breath away.
Marnie and her DS; Noah Jake are investigating the murders of children. Children are being stabbed on the streets of London. These children are the poor and the disadvantaged; those whose lives appear to be worthless, unless they are running messages or hiding drugs for the gangs of the City. Then they are important; but only to themselves. Being part of a gang; being needed; probably for the first time in their lives. Until the day they are in the wrong place at the wrong time and they become just another face on the board in the police station incident room.
Raphaela Belsham was thirteen years old when she was killed during a drive-by shooting. However, Raffa is not just another gang kid; she's from a wealthy area of London, her Dad is a big shot in business, and she's not black. Suddenly Marnie and Noah find themselves embroiled in far more than teenage gang wars.
Noah is still grieving for his brother Sol who died in prison. Noah's guilt about his part in Sol being imprisoned overshadows everything that he does. He 'sees' Sol and talks to him; he knows it's his subconscious, but its as though he's punishing himself. Making himself suffer for what happened to his brother. He is determined that he will work on this case, but is he really ready?
I cant think of a crime novel that I've enjoyed more than this in a very very long time. Never Be Broken is captivating, ingenious and totally gripping. This author's ability to get into the mind of her characters and portray their innermost thoughts is truly spectacular. The drama of the tightly woven and highly complex murder cases along with the slow unravelling of Noah's mental state is expertly and compassionately handled.
Sarah Hilary is an extraordinarily good writer; head and shoulders above most of the competition in this genre. Never Be Broken is dark, thrilling and explosive. Nothing is predictable and every word is perfection.
Not only does this incredibly talented author bring a crime story with a bang up-to-date plot line to her readers, she does with with such elegance and style. There are phrases and paragraphs that are so beautifully put together that I could weep. Once more, my copy is full of turned-down corners, marking the many many passages that took my breath away.
Marnie and her DS; Noah Jake are investigating the murders of children. Children are being stabbed on the streets of London. These children are the poor and the disadvantaged; those whose lives appear to be worthless, unless they are running messages or hiding drugs for the gangs of the City. Then they are important; but only to themselves. Being part of a gang; being needed; probably for the first time in their lives. Until the day they are in the wrong place at the wrong time and they become just another face on the board in the police station incident room.
Raphaela Belsham was thirteen years old when she was killed during a drive-by shooting. However, Raffa is not just another gang kid; she's from a wealthy area of London, her Dad is a big shot in business, and she's not black. Suddenly Marnie and Noah find themselves embroiled in far more than teenage gang wars.
Noah is still grieving for his brother Sol who died in prison. Noah's guilt about his part in Sol being imprisoned overshadows everything that he does. He 'sees' Sol and talks to him; he knows it's his subconscious, but its as though he's punishing himself. Making himself suffer for what happened to his brother. He is determined that he will work on this case, but is he really ready?
I cant think of a crime novel that I've enjoyed more than this in a very very long time. Never Be Broken is captivating, ingenious and totally gripping. This author's ability to get into the mind of her characters and portray their innermost thoughts is truly spectacular. The drama of the tightly woven and highly complex murder cases along with the slow unravelling of Noah's mental state is expertly and compassionately handled.
Sarah Hilary is an extraordinarily good writer; head and shoulders above most of the competition in this genre. Never Be Broken is dark, thrilling and explosive. Nothing is predictable and every word is perfection.
January 10, 2020
Another great episode in this crime series featuring D.I. Marine Rome of the Met. Police. As her team are tasked with investigating a number of murders of children thought to be as a result of gang disputes, D.S. Noah Jake is still struggling to come to terms with his brother Sol's death, knifed in prison after Noah arrested him so feels responsible for what happened - in his on going trauma, he sees and converses with Sol's ghost. Whilst being aware that Noah is struggling (but not how much), Marnie and her boss allow him to continue working. Pressure on Marnie's team increases when the latest victim is a white girl from a well-to-do family, gunned down near her home in the expensive suburb of Muswell Hill. Her father, a property developer, does not take kindly to Noah as he is clearly a racist, and especially so when Noah finds a bullet hidden in her bedroom. Their investigation shows a link between the girl and a disreputable London tower block where gangs and drugs rule - visited by her as part of a school project interviewing elderly people about life in the 1950s. Great twists and turns in this one yet again and a totally gripping read - most of back story is about Noah's struggles but Marnie's long-running involvement with her foster brother Stephen also features. Can't wait for more in this series - 9/10.
June 14, 2020
5 Stars from me
Quite a topical subject matter ran throughout the storyline of Never Be Broken, that of assumptions made according to ethnicity.
An important issue to highlight, unfortunately, although it is heartbreaking to know that it is necessary, it is dealt with well in this book.
DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake, aren't they just the perfect pairing?
DI Marnie Rome seemed stronger in this book than ever before, as if she has finally made peace with a lot of her demons.
Poor Noah though is being visited regularly by his dead brother Sol - this was so brilliantly written, I genuinely didn't want Noah to get 'help' for this as it was obviously so (unhealthy but) comforting for him!
Never Be Broken by Sarah Hilary is an 'of the minute' read and a fantastic crime thriller to boot - highly recommended! Although, it is book 6 so go get yourself back to the beginning!
Quite a topical subject matter ran throughout the storyline of Never Be Broken, that of assumptions made according to ethnicity.
An important issue to highlight, unfortunately, although it is heartbreaking to know that it is necessary, it is dealt with well in this book.
DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake, aren't they just the perfect pairing?
DI Marnie Rome seemed stronger in this book than ever before, as if she has finally made peace with a lot of her demons.
Poor Noah though is being visited regularly by his dead brother Sol - this was so brilliantly written, I genuinely didn't want Noah to get 'help' for this as it was obviously so (unhealthy but) comforting for him!
Never Be Broken by Sarah Hilary is an 'of the minute' read and a fantastic crime thriller to boot - highly recommended! Although, it is book 6 so go get yourself back to the beginning!
October 6, 2019
The novel begins with DI Marnie Rome at the scene of a smashed up car that was being driven by DS Noah Jake. We're then taken back to how this incident came to be. Hilary takes inspiration from the increase in knife and gang related crime in contemporary London to create a novel with that setting as the police attempt to hold back the tides of violence crashing across the city. As always, I loved the writing and the characters. I love that there is no will they/won't they between Marnie and Noah since they're both attracted to men. Sometimes I don't want a romantic entanglement between the leads in a crime series as I feel it can take away from the stories. Looking forward to Hilary's next instalment.
January 31, 2020
DS Noah Jake recently lost his brother to an instance of prison yard violence, and his investigation into who gunned down 13-year-old Raffa - a young girl trying to do her best to help others, takes a sinister turn when Jake sees a young woman fall from the window of a tower block. Was she pushed or did she jump to avoid the fire in her flat?
The author tackles some weighty and politically sensitive topics in the UK such as knife crime, and the safety of tower blocks after Grenfell. All the ingredients are there to make a memorable book, but I didn't feel emotionally engaged by it at all. I felt as if I were viewing it all at arms length. Overall it unfortunately felt like a bit of a slog to get through it.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Headline, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The author tackles some weighty and politically sensitive topics in the UK such as knife crime, and the safety of tower blocks after Grenfell. All the ingredients are there to make a memorable book, but I didn't feel emotionally engaged by it at all. I felt as if I were viewing it all at arms length. Overall it unfortunately felt like a bit of a slog to get through it.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Headline, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
January 8, 2019
I have read all the previous DI Marnie Rome series and enjoyed them. This was no different and I loved the story particularly the setting of London city council estates. You could read this as a stand-alone but it would be better understood as the follow on in the series.
There are children dying on the streets of London and no one seems to care until a girl on the upper class side is murdered. How is her death linked to the occupants of a working class tower block?
The story unfolded at a fast pace and you are carried along with it.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for an ARC
#NeverBeBrokenDiMarnieRome6 #NetGalley
There are children dying on the streets of London and no one seems to care until a girl on the upper class side is murdered. How is her death linked to the occupants of a working class tower block?
The story unfolded at a fast pace and you are carried along with it.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for an ARC
#NeverBeBrokenDiMarnieRome6 #NetGalley
June 23, 2019
Another great read in a great series. Never be broken is different from the other books in the series, this one is more darker than the others. But nevertheless, still a great read. Noah Jake is still reeling from the incidents that occurred in the previous novel while Marnie Rome, worried about him, tries to stem the growing violence and murders in London. Cracking read. 4 stars
May 25, 2020
Oof. Not a good book.
I love the first books in the series,but the last two are just bad. This is a thin story about crime which has a literal ghost in it, for no reason whosoever.
Comic book bad guys. a main character who is meant to be a great detective but doesn't uncover a single clue they're are all handed to her. A secondary character who speaks to a ghost who talks with a horrendous accent like something him Davidson would do in the seventies.
Avoid.
I love the first books in the series,but the last two are just bad. This is a thin story about crime which has a literal ghost in it, for no reason whosoever.
Comic book bad guys. a main character who is meant to be a great detective but doesn't uncover a single clue they're are all handed to her. A secondary character who speaks to a ghost who talks with a horrendous accent like something him Davidson would do in the seventies.
Avoid.
April 5, 2019
[GIFTED by Netgallery and Headline in return for a review].
Never be Broken is the sixth novel to feature Mer detectives DI Marine Rome and DS Noah Jake. It takes on the tough and uncompromising look at gang culture in London and touches on the sensitivity of the topic that we hear a lot about in mainstream media these days.
When teenager Raphael Belsham is gunned down in a drive by shooting Marine's team are sent to investigate the murder. There are other children’s deaths being investigated but Raffa as she is known is different, white with affluent well connected parents. Noah, still grieving for his brother, Sol, takes all the deaths to heart and is determined to make a difference.
At times it is an uncomfortable read both with the situation and the emotion involved in Noah’s grieving process, but it makes for a powerful read. The book is very fast paced and we are introduced to a whole can of different characters. I did find it quite hard to stick with at times but it was a story that stuck with me during the times I wasn't able to read it. I really liked how Sarah Hilary brought the character's story to a close at the end too, it was very clever!
I would highly recommend it.
Never be Broken is the sixth novel to feature Mer detectives DI Marine Rome and DS Noah Jake. It takes on the tough and uncompromising look at gang culture in London and touches on the sensitivity of the topic that we hear a lot about in mainstream media these days.
When teenager Raphael Belsham is gunned down in a drive by shooting Marine's team are sent to investigate the murder. There are other children’s deaths being investigated but Raffa as she is known is different, white with affluent well connected parents. Noah, still grieving for his brother, Sol, takes all the deaths to heart and is determined to make a difference.
At times it is an uncomfortable read both with the situation and the emotion involved in Noah’s grieving process, but it makes for a powerful read. The book is very fast paced and we are introduced to a whole can of different characters. I did find it quite hard to stick with at times but it was a story that stuck with me during the times I wasn't able to read it. I really liked how Sarah Hilary brought the character's story to a close at the end too, it was very clever!
I would highly recommend it.
April 26, 2020
3.5 stars
June 13, 2019
If you haven’t read the Marnie Rome series by Sarah Hilary then you should do. And in order, mainly because the lead characters have ongoing personal problems that won’t mean as much if you are not aware of the back story.
This latest book differs slightly to the rest, with much of the storyline concerning Noah. He is trying and failing to accept the events that happened in the previous novel and it is affecting his judgment. And with the violent deaths which have devastated two families in their local area he is struggling.
There is too much about this novel that is real life news. When I first started to read it the city I live in was on lockdown and curfew controlled due to gun and knife crime. Something that is happening everywhere but especially in London. There is Grenfell which is visible from the area in which the book is set, one part of the novel is a chilling reminder of what happened there. There are unscrupulous landlords, untrustworthy people and drugs and how children are recruited into the drug culture. But the hardest part to read was the racial hatred and how people make assumptions because of skin colour. The way Noah coped with it was revealing, showing that it must be common.
It’s riveting, very realistic, heartbreaking and eye opening. I enjoyed knowing more about what Noah was feeling and seeing his conversations with his brother but I wish he could have a break.
Marnie does still feature, she is active in the case but is also aware that Noah is noticing more than her. She is feeling responsible for him and feels guilty over not being able to help. But she also has personal problems and I have a strong feeling that her decision won’t go the way she wants it to.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
This latest book differs slightly to the rest, with much of the storyline concerning Noah. He is trying and failing to accept the events that happened in the previous novel and it is affecting his judgment. And with the violent deaths which have devastated two families in their local area he is struggling.
There is too much about this novel that is real life news. When I first started to read it the city I live in was on lockdown and curfew controlled due to gun and knife crime. Something that is happening everywhere but especially in London. There is Grenfell which is visible from the area in which the book is set, one part of the novel is a chilling reminder of what happened there. There are unscrupulous landlords, untrustworthy people and drugs and how children are recruited into the drug culture. But the hardest part to read was the racial hatred and how people make assumptions because of skin colour. The way Noah coped with it was revealing, showing that it must be common.
It’s riveting, very realistic, heartbreaking and eye opening. I enjoyed knowing more about what Noah was feeling and seeing his conversations with his brother but I wish he could have a break.
Marnie does still feature, she is active in the case but is also aware that Noah is noticing more than her. She is feeling responsible for him and feels guilty over not being able to help. But she also has personal problems and I have a strong feeling that her decision won’t go the way she wants it to.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
January 11, 2019
Never Be Broken, by Sarah Hilary, is the sixth and possibly final instalment in the author’s Marnie Rome series of crime thrillers. It opens with DI Rome attending a crime scene – the wreckage of a car that is stained with the blood of her colleague, Noah Jake. The timeline then moves back forty-eight hours leaving the reader to ponder if a favourite character from the series has been killed.
DS Jake is receiving counselling following the murder in prison of his brother, Sol. Noah feels responsible for Sol’s incarceration. Despite knowing it must be his subconscious speaking, Noah is haunted by his brother’s ghost. He is reluctant to lose even this tenuous link and refuses to speak of it to anyone.
Marnie’s crime team are investigating the growing number of deaths of children from London’s less than salubrious estates. There are links to drug dealing, the supply of knives and guns, and perhaps even people trafficking. When the latest victim, a white girl named Raphaela Belsham, is gunned down in Muswell Hill close to her parent’s expensive home, questions are asked about possible links to the run-down high rises where the dark skinned victims lived. Raphaela’s father is furious at the suggestion that his privileged daughter could have been caught up in any form of criminal activity.
The police are widely regarded as either incompetent or the enemy. Belsham blames people of colour for the country’s ills. When Marnie takes Noah along to question the Belshams about Raphaela, her father’s anger and racism manifest. He accuses Noah of planting evidence.
Much of the action revolves around Erskine Tower, a block of flats within sight of the fire damaged Grenfell. The residents include the elderly who have lived there for decades and younger people caught up in the escalating violence. Raphaela had been a visitor to the tower as part of a supervised school project. Her level of supervision comes under scrutiny.
Although following the fast moving, tense and twisty structure of many compelling crime fiction novels, the author digs deeper into complex issues raised. This is skilfully done, never compromising effortless reader engagement. Her use of language is impressive conjuring the tastes, sounds, smells and feel of challenging locations. Shocking events are presented to the reader in high definition.
The denouement is violent and rendered without compromise whilst avoiding sensationalism. There are several heart palpating moments involving key characters. There is a nagging fear throughout that the author will kill her darlings – she has ensured that the reader cares.
This is a tenacious and troubling exploration of the many colours of life existing beneath the shiny veneer of our capital city. It is crime fiction at its best.
DS Jake is receiving counselling following the murder in prison of his brother, Sol. Noah feels responsible for Sol’s incarceration. Despite knowing it must be his subconscious speaking, Noah is haunted by his brother’s ghost. He is reluctant to lose even this tenuous link and refuses to speak of it to anyone.
Marnie’s crime team are investigating the growing number of deaths of children from London’s less than salubrious estates. There are links to drug dealing, the supply of knives and guns, and perhaps even people trafficking. When the latest victim, a white girl named Raphaela Belsham, is gunned down in Muswell Hill close to her parent’s expensive home, questions are asked about possible links to the run-down high rises where the dark skinned victims lived. Raphaela’s father is furious at the suggestion that his privileged daughter could have been caught up in any form of criminal activity.
The police are widely regarded as either incompetent or the enemy. Belsham blames people of colour for the country’s ills. When Marnie takes Noah along to question the Belshams about Raphaela, her father’s anger and racism manifest. He accuses Noah of planting evidence.
Much of the action revolves around Erskine Tower, a block of flats within sight of the fire damaged Grenfell. The residents include the elderly who have lived there for decades and younger people caught up in the escalating violence. Raphaela had been a visitor to the tower as part of a supervised school project. Her level of supervision comes under scrutiny.
Although following the fast moving, tense and twisty structure of many compelling crime fiction novels, the author digs deeper into complex issues raised. This is skilfully done, never compromising effortless reader engagement. Her use of language is impressive conjuring the tastes, sounds, smells and feel of challenging locations. Shocking events are presented to the reader in high definition.
The denouement is violent and rendered without compromise whilst avoiding sensationalism. There are several heart palpating moments involving key characters. There is a nagging fear throughout that the author will kill her darlings – she has ensured that the reader cares.
This is a tenacious and troubling exploration of the many colours of life existing beneath the shiny veneer of our capital city. It is crime fiction at its best.
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