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The Jump
The Jump Cole, Martina
664 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
229 people are currently reading
986 people want to read
About the author
Martina Cole
112 books1,729 followersMartina Cole was born and brought up in Essex. She is the bestselling author of fourteen novels set in London's gangland, and her most recent three paperbacks have gone straight to No. 1 in the Sunday Times on first publication. Total sales of Martina's novels stand at over eight million copies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
May 27, 2020
Donna Brunos is surprised to find her husband up on criminal charges. As things proceed Donna, begins to unearth more and more about her supposedly legit businessman husband. A rip roaring compelling Cole tale, it really got me hooked and invested in the outcome. This is how to create a drama! 8 out of 12
May 27, 2014
I have read a lot of books by Martina Cole and this happens to be my favourite.
September 24, 2019
Excellent
Damn I'm running out of words.
It's a great read.
It's a great story.
Grips you from the first word.
Read you'll love it
Damn I'm running out of words.
It's a great read.
It's a great story.
Grips you from the first word.
Read you'll love it
April 21, 2018
I like her writing style, very gritty, very coarse and very, very English. I enjoyed the plot, the twists and turns and the insight into prison life for the real hardened criminals but this one dragged on at times and occasionally was very repetitive. Had it been 200 pages shorter, I would have rated it 5*.
December 30, 2019
I do love a bit of trashy crime fiction to break up my reading list. Usually fast-paced, and peppered with mysteries and whodunnits, I tend to speed through them on an unerring quest to the end. Having never read any of Cole’s work before, I picked this up expecting all of the above. It’s taken me ten days of apathy and groaning to get through; I almost gave up the ghost midway, and I wish I had.
Our heroine, Donna, is rich as fuck and married to a beautiful wealthy man. He has multiple businesses, and Donna has no idea what they consist of. When he’s arrested and jailed for armed robbery, she is convinced he’s innocent. When he asks her to organise his escape from prison, she nods like a good little girl and gets to work summoning bad boys and having damsel in distress fainting fits at her subsequent discoveries about her husband’s secret life.
This book is almost seven hundred pages long, and most of these are filled with Donna’s angst and mourning. She is so blind to her husband’s obvious villainy, and we’re reminded of this constantly. She’s a passive, simpering idiot, and can’t even bear hearing anyone swear, which, in a book set in London’s seedy underworld, gets very tiresome very quickly. We’re supposed to see her transformation from dutiful wife to bad ass bitch, but I could not abide her in either of these forms.
The plot drags on mercilessly. Cole seems to have no talent for hooking a chapter cliffhanger, nor adeptly setting up a mystery. Amidst action, she likes to have her characters pontificate over their lives in incredibly dull inner monologues which last so long that we’re jarred when the plot starts back up again. Dialogue is rife with cliche, and Cole is obviously desperate to paint her characters as hard as nails.
And the characters! Holy fuck, how many characters does one woman need? Each criminal involved in executing the jump was described in detail - their pasts, their families, their crimes, their motivations and desires. I don’t care to count them, but they were fucking immeasurable and entirely superfluous. I couldn’t remember them all as they bled into each other, all just big bad guys who’d done things and been through some shit. Give me strength.
Finally, blessedly, the plot is wrapped up in what seems like a incredibly rushed and predictable finale. Of course, I welcomed this swift finish, but couldn’t help feeling some of the previous shite could have been condensed to make way for a more fulfilling end.
My final book of the year, and I’m blisteringly thankful to be sending Martina packing.
Our heroine, Donna, is rich as fuck and married to a beautiful wealthy man. He has multiple businesses, and Donna has no idea what they consist of. When he’s arrested and jailed for armed robbery, she is convinced he’s innocent. When he asks her to organise his escape from prison, she nods like a good little girl and gets to work summoning bad boys and having damsel in distress fainting fits at her subsequent discoveries about her husband’s secret life.
This book is almost seven hundred pages long, and most of these are filled with Donna’s angst and mourning. She is so blind to her husband’s obvious villainy, and we’re reminded of this constantly. She’s a passive, simpering idiot, and can’t even bear hearing anyone swear, which, in a book set in London’s seedy underworld, gets very tiresome very quickly. We’re supposed to see her transformation from dutiful wife to bad ass bitch, but I could not abide her in either of these forms.
The plot drags on mercilessly. Cole seems to have no talent for hooking a chapter cliffhanger, nor adeptly setting up a mystery. Amidst action, she likes to have her characters pontificate over their lives in incredibly dull inner monologues which last so long that we’re jarred when the plot starts back up again. Dialogue is rife with cliche, and Cole is obviously desperate to paint her characters as hard as nails.
And the characters! Holy fuck, how many characters does one woman need? Each criminal involved in executing the jump was described in detail - their pasts, their families, their crimes, their motivations and desires. I don’t care to count them, but they were fucking immeasurable and entirely superfluous. I couldn’t remember them all as they bled into each other, all just big bad guys who’d done things and been through some shit. Give me strength.
Finally, blessedly, the plot is wrapped up in what seems like a incredibly rushed and predictable finale. Of course, I welcomed this swift finish, but couldn’t help feeling some of the previous shite could have been condensed to make way for a more fulfilling end.
My final book of the year, and I’m blisteringly thankful to be sending Martina packing.
April 2, 2018
I read The jump when it first come out and now I.ve reread it. Enjoyed every page of it, Great book
August 29, 2016
Loved it, couldn't put it down.
February 9, 2021
When Georgio Brunos is sentenced to 18 years in prison for his part in a bank robbery, his wife Donna decides it's finally time to step out of her little cocoon and take over all of her husband's work. This includes working alongside some old friends of his to help him escape (or "jump", hence the title) from prison. However, as she starts to dig deeper into her husband's dealings, she realises there's a lot more to him than she ever realised in their 20 years of marriage.
I've only read one other Martina Cole book before this one (No Mercy), which I thought was just terrible so I went into this one with incredibly low expectations (especially as it was 800+ pages!). However, I admit that I was pleasantly surprised and I understand now why Martina Cole's books are so popular. I think the pacing was excellent, I really enjoyed going back and forth between Donna's and Georgio's perspectives as the truth gradually unravelled, which meant the book didn't feel anywhere near as long as it actually was. I also enjoyed watching Donna's transformation.
I still had a lot of the same issues with this book as I did with No Mercy, but because the plot was so intriguing and the tension was built really well, they didn't bother me as much. For example, I found the writing style, especially in dialogue, quite clunky, and there was a lot of homophobic/transphobic language used. Maybe because of the time and the environment the characters were in, I can understand why it was there, but it was still uncomfortable reading.
Overall, The Jump was a fun page-turner that I found myself more and more intrigued by the more I read. Would recommend.
I've only read one other Martina Cole book before this one (No Mercy), which I thought was just terrible so I went into this one with incredibly low expectations (especially as it was 800+ pages!). However, I admit that I was pleasantly surprised and I understand now why Martina Cole's books are so popular. I think the pacing was excellent, I really enjoyed going back and forth between Donna's and Georgio's perspectives as the truth gradually unravelled, which meant the book didn't feel anywhere near as long as it actually was. I also enjoyed watching Donna's transformation.
I still had a lot of the same issues with this book as I did with No Mercy, but because the plot was so intriguing and the tension was built really well, they didn't bother me as much. For example, I found the writing style, especially in dialogue, quite clunky, and there was a lot of homophobic/transphobic language used. Maybe because of the time and the environment the characters were in, I can understand why it was there, but it was still uncomfortable reading.
Overall, The Jump was a fun page-turner that I found myself more and more intrigued by the more I read. Would recommend.
March 11, 2025
Gripped from page 1. Such a great story. Every time I put I down I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again
June 23, 2017
I have long since been a Martina Cole fan but there are many books I still have not read - this is one of them.
This book is an example of Martina at her best! This book reminded me why I love her books - it is engaging, page-turning and the characters are interesting. I genuinely found myself turning the pages to find out what happens next. I definitely wasn't expecting the Sri Lanka aspect of the story.
I hope Martina's new book, due for release later this year, will be just as good as some of her earlier work, including this book.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a gritty, interesting crime thriller, encompassing the prison world and the lives of those affected the most - people's lives are quite literally changed forever. A web of deceit, greed, and power enshrines a story surrounding the attempted 'jump' of a violent and dangerous prisoner from prison - how far would you go to protect the one you love, even if you find that he is not all he seems?
'Same meat, Donna, different gravy'.
This book is an example of Martina at her best! This book reminded me why I love her books - it is engaging, page-turning and the characters are interesting. I genuinely found myself turning the pages to find out what happens next. I definitely wasn't expecting the Sri Lanka aspect of the story.
I hope Martina's new book, due for release later this year, will be just as good as some of her earlier work, including this book.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a gritty, interesting crime thriller, encompassing the prison world and the lives of those affected the most - people's lives are quite literally changed forever. A web of deceit, greed, and power enshrines a story surrounding the attempted 'jump' of a violent and dangerous prisoner from prison - how far would you go to protect the one you love, even if you find that he is not all he seems?
'Same meat, Donna, different gravy'.
January 25, 2010
Completed it in a hurry .... got to return the book right ?? anyways its a story of this dumb-blod prototype turning a new leaf and becoming worldly-wise..get wat i mean ? anyways the heroine is a babe and is married to this bad-guy who is running a porn-ring....... shes blissfully ignorant ... but then uncovers the truth abt the hubby ...obviously - hes bad, ugly, and uses 'flowery' lingo - a good image builder- stuck in prison .... then the whole story kind of went off track when there was a lil M&B mixed in it - meaning the gal falling for the bad mans best frnd[soo predictable:]...anyways the story is abt how she decides to free her hubby-when she knows nothign abt him, but finally decides against it - as she learns more abt the evil-him. She herself messes his breakout from prison for him finally (thats the best part)
My rating a 4.5 for the book...story is ok the finish is kind of bad ....romance - an unwanted element in it !
My rating a 4.5 for the book...story is ok the finish is kind of bad ....romance - an unwanted element in it !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2011
"did I ever tell you I was deaf until I turned 16? I can still lip read." OOOOoooohhhh! Don't you hate it when you come across a moment in a book that sticks out like a sore thumb? Something so out of place it can't be disguised? You will find that moment in this book around the 4th quarter. Doesn't ruin it entirely, but I saw the man behind the curtain. Otherwise I didn't guess the ending twist. Some of the relationships are too bizarre to believe and people too stupid but it's pretty good anyway. the audiobook has a terrific reader but I got impatient and finished it on the kindle.
July 31, 2013
My low star rating is obviously an anomaly. I thought the story was far fetched and the author constantly repeated the same points. I also felt she was constantly trying to shock the reader. Not my cup of tea.
June 10, 2015
I know that I've said this before... but I've got to say it again!!
THIS was my favorite Martina Cole book EVER!!
Absolutely fanfuckingtastic!!
20 years after it was written in 1995 it's STILL phenomenal - an absolutely terrific Audible book.
God I love Annie Aldington's narration : )
THIS was my favorite Martina Cole book EVER!!
Absolutely fanfuckingtastic!!
20 years after it was written in 1995 it's STILL phenomenal - an absolutely terrific Audible book.
God I love Annie Aldington's narration : )
Read
October 11, 2012NOT THE ENDING YOU EXPECT BUT WHAT A READ I HAVE READ IT MORE THAN ONCE IT IS SO GOOD
April 26, 2020
Fast paced story of love, betrayal and violent criminals.
Georgio Brunos is half Greek, half Irish and one of six siblings. He's married to Donna, who worships the ground he walks on. They've been married for twenty years when Georgio is arrested for robbery and is sentenced to eighteen years. He's sent to Parkhurst. When he's there, the man he's stolen a lot of money from on a business deal that went wrong, Donald Lewis, is on the same wing and is demanding his money back. Lewis is a cross between Mr Bridger in The Italian Job and Groutie in Porridge. He has a single cell, nice furniture, curtains, meals specially cooked for him and has most of the prison officers on his payroll. He's also a homosexual. All the prisoners have a healthy fear of Donald Lewis, but they also don't like two new inmates on the block, who are convicted paedophiles.
Brunos is a control freak and philanderer. Donna loves him to distraction and she's honest. She also cannot have children. Georgio persuades Donna to organise his escape from the island. She goes to Alan Cox, who'd rather have anyone but her as his partner.
Over several weeks of planning, Donna finds out more about her husband than she'd found out in the previous twenty years of marriage. Georgio is not the man she thought he was. He'd control what she wore, did, said and where she went. Donna runs Georgio's businesses and discovers that he's involved in a lot of dubious deals.
Donna travels to Sri Lanka, where she has the shock of her life about her husband and his brother Stephen.
The day of the escape dawns, but things don't go to plan. The distraction goes more or less to plan, but the escape doesn't go so well.
Donna ends up on her own and very rich. She's looking forward to being her own person in the future.
There's so much detail in this book. Martina Cole runs several parts of the story parallel to one another and this, for me, keeps the reader's interest in the book.
Georgio Brunos is half Greek, half Irish and one of six siblings. He's married to Donna, who worships the ground he walks on. They've been married for twenty years when Georgio is arrested for robbery and is sentenced to eighteen years. He's sent to Parkhurst. When he's there, the man he's stolen a lot of money from on a business deal that went wrong, Donald Lewis, is on the same wing and is demanding his money back. Lewis is a cross between Mr Bridger in The Italian Job and Groutie in Porridge. He has a single cell, nice furniture, curtains, meals specially cooked for him and has most of the prison officers on his payroll. He's also a homosexual. All the prisoners have a healthy fear of Donald Lewis, but they also don't like two new inmates on the block, who are convicted paedophiles.
Brunos is a control freak and philanderer. Donna loves him to distraction and she's honest. She also cannot have children. Georgio persuades Donna to organise his escape from the island. She goes to Alan Cox, who'd rather have anyone but her as his partner.
Over several weeks of planning, Donna finds out more about her husband than she'd found out in the previous twenty years of marriage. Georgio is not the man she thought he was. He'd control what she wore, did, said and where she went. Donna runs Georgio's businesses and discovers that he's involved in a lot of dubious deals.
Donna travels to Sri Lanka, where she has the shock of her life about her husband and his brother Stephen.
The day of the escape dawns, but things don't go to plan. The distraction goes more or less to plan, but the escape doesn't go so well.
Donna ends up on her own and very rich. She's looking forward to being her own person in the future.
There's so much detail in this book. Martina Cole runs several parts of the story parallel to one another and this, for me, keeps the reader's interest in the book.
April 27, 2024
A gritty read about the criminal underworld in Britain, particularly London. Donna Brunos is surprised when her businessman husband is arrested on charges associated with an armed robbery when a security guard is killed and he gets 18 years. She begins to run his businesses for him and begins to uncover a lot of things she did not know about him and the things he was involved him, the sex industry and brutal violence, and she begins to realise he was guilty after all. He then asks her to help him break out of prison, she is putting herself at risk to do this but she loves him so much she would do anything for him. I could not believe how naive she was about her scoundrel husband and even though the book was quite well written I thought it was too long.
July 6, 2021
This is getting frustrating. Every time I read a Martina Cole book, I become obsessed with her characters. I carry the book with me wherever I go and read as soon as I get an opportunity. Now here I am again and the end of another gripping novel with on thing on my mind. This is the best book I have read from Martina. I realise I can’t keep saying that, but unlike Martina, I’m lost for words. The Jump had me hooked right from the beginning and it was a page turner every step of the way. So much happens, it’s a joy to ride this rollercoaster. The final chapters were incredible, disturbing, shocking and heart racing as I hoped and prayed for the right outcome. Simply brilliant.
August 20, 2019
The main character in this book was so passive and annoying it made it difficult to read at times. All she does is look white faced and scared, and have long legs, that's pretty much her role throughout the novel, and it's repeatedly hammered in to you every couple of pages.
The actual story line is engaging though, you genuinely want to know what will happen. Things are too over the top to ever be fully believable, but if you let yourself be carried along without thinking too hard, it's pretty enjoyable.
The actual story line is engaging though, you genuinely want to know what will happen. Things are too over the top to ever be fully believable, but if you let yourself be carried along without thinking too hard, it's pretty enjoyable.
November 20, 2023
I absolutley loved 'The Jump' if there was an option to give 10 stars I would! I litreally could not put the Book down and when I was having a break from reading I could not stop thinking about it. The Storyline was able to come together in such an effortless way and if you are an avid Crime reader I could not recommend enough.
Martina Cole is my favorite Author and I could read the books she has written over and over again.
Martina Cole is my favorite Author and I could read the books she has written over and over again.
February 19, 2017
Another good reaf
It started off very slow or so I thought. It had to take it slow to explain a lot of the story. It was interesting to see the journey that Donna took. Enjoyed the twist in the story. Left you wanting to read to the end. Another Martina Cole book that didn't let you down.
It started off very slow or so I thought. It had to take it slow to explain a lot of the story. It was interesting to see the journey that Donna took. Enjoyed the twist in the story. Left you wanting to read to the end. Another Martina Cole book that didn't let you down.
April 2, 2021
I read this years ago and then forgot all about it. That was when there was quite a few gritty Martina Cole series on TV. I liked the books and the TV series but I ended up stopping reading and watching, because of what I perceived as a tendency to promote smoking. The story was quite powerful and well-written...but OMG, the smoking.
September 2, 2017
WOW!
The best book I have had the pleasure of in a long time! It had me hooked from the first chapter!
I plan on reading all the Marina Cole books as they are all so different, every book a page turner.
I can thoroughly recommend this book to all ADULTS!
The best book I have had the pleasure of in a long time! It had me hooked from the first chapter!
I plan on reading all the Marina Cole books as they are all so different, every book a page turner.
I can thoroughly recommend this book to all ADULTS!
May 14, 2018
The story was gripping from start to finish. I didn’t expect what happened in the end at all. I couldn’t connect with the main character at all. I found her irritating and unbelievable, otherwise I would probably have rated the book 4/5.
September 19, 2018
The story is far fetched and dogmatic. The good characters are good... the bad are bad... shallow book, shallow characters. And the author keeps repeating the same clichés. More than 600 pages of a tedious story . Can't see how it gained such grades...
February 3, 2020
Donna loves her husband but when he gets put in prison for a crime he says he did not do he wants Donna to help him break out ‘ the Jump’
Donna is now in a world she does not know about - can she do it - will she be safe
Donna is now in a world she does not know about - can she do it - will she be safe
June 10, 2020
loved every moment of reading this book, twist in plot very exciting read after finishing the jump made me want to read the rest of martina cole books would recommend if you love crime and thrillers you defiantly worth a read.
January 22, 2021
Fast paced, binding and roller-coaster like - yes.
But the style comes down to a typical contemporary American writer. Rather a 4 cent book enough to give you thrills but not the one to adorn your shelves.
But the style comes down to a typical contemporary American writer. Rather a 4 cent book enough to give you thrills but not the one to adorn your shelves.
December 6, 2024
I loved it couldn’t put it down just a bit disappointed in the ending. I wanted Brunos brought down and it dawning on him he was finished while having to face Donna I felt he got off lightly in the end!
April 18, 2025
The book is simple to read and engaging, especially in the beginning. But somewhere around the middle, it becomes a drag and you need to push yourself to reach the end. And the end, though brings in a great twist, leaves you wanting for more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews