Dangerous Lady is the first in a series of best selling novels set in and around the East End. Maura Ryan is seventeen, blonde and as tough as nails and when she decides to take on London’s gangland many think she has bitten off more than she can chew. However, this is not the case and Maura sets out to show everyone that she a “dangerous lady”.
I have to admit that this is the first Martina Cole book that I have ever listened to on tape. I have nothing against the novel itself but I consider it to be more of a saga than a crime novel and often wonder why it is classed as such. One thing that does come across is the fact that Ms Cole certainly knows how to tell a story and keep the reader enthralled.
As a reader Annie Aldington does a good job, and her reading of Dangerous Lady
is competent enough. She manages to convey a sense of the atmosphere and the
way in which the story is told comes across more quite smoothly. However this
story, the novel and the reader failed to grab my attention. I found my mind
wandering all the time I was listening to it. Fans of Martina Cole will certainly
enjoy this reading of Dangerous Lady but sadly I didn’t and I don’t think I
would listen to another of these books on tape. It might be interesting however
to listen to Annie Aldington read something else.
------
Ayo Onatade