The heir to Martina Cole’s crown with a story of murder, the underworld, violence and treachery. It’s 1983 and Stephanie Crouch’s life is dull. She is desperate to escape the run-down, pokey council house she shares with her overbearing family, but at fourteen years old she has nowhere to go.

Hard girls by Martina Cole. Martina Cole has long been a great favorite of my wife’s. With her rich characters taken from all walks of life-including of course mobsters gangsters and the police force her books are full of violent intrigue and passion. Martina Cole as an author is something of a force of nature. [...]

Andy McNab – Martina Cole – Tim Severin – Val McDermid