The Driver by Mandasue HellerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - 2 days
Publisher - Hodder
Pages - 320
Blurb from Goodreads
When you play with fire, everyone gets burned... Joe Weeks is new to the Grange Estate. Tolerant, doesn't mind a bit of weed, doesn't try to pull other men's women. Live and let live is his motto... Eddie Quinn is the hardest man on the estate. Everyone knows that it's a bad idea to cross him, or his pit bull. But everyone also knows he's honest, as drug dealers go. Joe's pleased when Eddie offers him a job. But then he meets Katya. A prostitute. A slave. And desperate to escape from Eddie.
My Review
Joe Weeks has just moved to the Grange Estate. It is rife with drugs, prostitution, violence and a tight leash on it all - held by Eddie Quinn. Joe just wants an easy life after breaking up with his girl. Eddie is hardcore, he will let loose his dog or his temper if pushed and Joe best watch his step. However, once he befriends some of the neighbours and is in need of a job, he finds himself working for Eddie and catching the eye of Katya. Katya works for Eddie, no one messes with Eddie or his business, Joe can't help himself and gets caught up in a tangled web that threatens not only him, but all involved.
Ooooh this was a good read, I love small estate style stories as there is always gossip, nosy neighbours and scandal. Throw in some thugs ruling a small empire, affairs and murder and you would have just some of the things covered in The Driver. This book draws you in fairly quickly, you meet the residents as the main character Joe does, how quickly he gets drawn in and follow him down a slippery slope. The story flows well as Heller always manages, nearing the end we are flung a curve ball which I did not see coming and even now I am finished I am not sure how I feel about it. There is also quite a brutal violent scene in this story and a few issues that reflect the reality of drug addiction, particularly in relation to a dependent child, just a heads up.
Well done, good charactisation and she really brings to life and lifts the estate from the page. 4/5 for me, if you follow my reviews you know I am a huge Heller fan so this won't be my last. I have another on my tbr and look forward to the one she is currently penning. If you haven't read Heller before, you don't mind swearing, gritty crime and some harsh issues then definitely give her a go.
Books like this can be such great fun.
ReplyDeleteI do think that the grittiness that you mention is almost a necessity in a book like this. Stories of this sort do not benefit from being watered down.
Great review as always Lainy.
Sounds like a good one. I like the sound of the residents in the estate, it gives it a more realistic feel.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book, probably one of my favourites from Mandasue. Always remember the ending, and coming up with my own in my head because the one we got wasn't the one I wanted! :-( Ha.
ReplyDelete- Book Addict Shaun