Jacqui Rose is one of my favourite authors and I devoured this book in no time, an absolutely brilliant gangland crime thriller that I just can’t get enough of.

I love East End crime fiction, and Ms Rose does it well. I just love her books, and the gritty way she describes the gangsters. Recommended.

My favourite gang-land author returns! I love the characters, each in their own way. They have really developed over the course of the series.

I couldn't put this book down

Thanks to Avon Books UK for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of this author and this did NOT disappoint! A fast paced and dramatic story, well written with great characters, exactly what I've come to expect, another great read!

Bree Dwyer is trapped in a violent relationship with husband Johnny, she is desperate to leave with her 2 children molly & Kieran. Every time time she tries to leave he always stops her. “Nobody leaves Johnny”

Alfie Jennings returns!! Without giving anything away, could he be the one to help Bree and knock Johnny off his perch!!

I was totally addicted to this book, it is action packed from start to finish with a few surprises thrown in. I haven’t read Jacqui Rose’s earlier books but will definitely be looking out for them now!!

What isn’t there to love, we have diamonds, believable characters, the sense of danger and suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat desperately hoping for a safe ending for Bree. It’s gritty without being over the top and the tension builds throughout the book like a pressure cooker about to explode.

Wow!! I need a lie down after finishing this book to digest that reveal at the end.

10 out of 10 from me.

Thank you to Net galley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Toxic – Jacqui Rose

Jacqui Rose is one of my very favourite authors, she writes Gangland crime novels and I always thoroughly enjoy them, the only disappointment I feel is when I get to the end.

Bree Dwyer lives a dogs life as the saying goes but in reality you wouldn’t treat a dog the way that her husband Johnny and his family treat her especially Ma Dwyer. All she wants is to somehow magically disappear with her two children. Johnny would never let that happen, once he owns you you’re his for life.

Alfie Jennings and Vaughn Sadler are back in town, home to take over Essex the good thing about that is the he has history with Johnny and its going to get interesting. I just didn’t realise how interesting and I loved every page of it.

I loved that there was a huge cast to this novel as once I’d figured out who was who and why they were there from previous novels but I really hope that some of them will be revisited in as yet unwritten books. It was so very obvious that not a one of them were trustworthy for they live by the rules it’s a different kind of rules from the rest of us.

For all that there were a couple of mistakes it was still a bloody good book and I highly recommend it especially if you like Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Jessie Keane you’ll love it.

Read for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books

Jacqui Rose is finally back! It has been far too long since we had a book from Jacqui and Toxic was well worth the wait, she is one of my favourite gangland authors. Sometimes in this genre I think it’s more about popularity than the standard of a book because Jacqui can easily hold her own against some of the bigger authors in this genre and I am ecstatic to see her back and with a book as brilliant as Toxic.

Toxic sees the return of Alfie Jennings and Vaughn Sadler. Soho has been left behind now that it’s a different place and the duo are returning to take over Essex, little do they know it’s not going to be the walk in the park they were expecting. Toxic is the perfect title for this book because that’s exactly what the majority of the characters are. Toxic and absolutely twisted. And I loved every single page of it. There’s a lot of characters in the story, far too many to talk about however there’s characters I absolutely despised (namely Ma and Johnny) and then there’s characters I rooted for the whole way through (namely Bree). I got so involved in this story that I shared every emotion Bree felt, and felt genuine disgust, anger and at times disbelief at what I was reading. An author has done their job when a reader feels genuine emotion towards their characters.

The plot itself whilst pretty much centring around just one element had a lot going for it and moved at a brilliant pace that meant I struggled to put my Kindle down at times and I was constantly thinking about the story when I wasn’t reading it. Jacqui is not afraid to push the boundaries to shock her readers (and oh my God does she shock at times in this story). The story is at times dark and extremely brutal, and utterly addictive at the same time. I am already counting down the days until the next one. If you are a fan of the usual gangland authors and you are yet to meet Jacqui Rose, then you’ve got a whole host of fantastic books ready to pick up. If you’ve read one of her books before, then pick up Toxic and enjoy it and then join me in saying welcome back Jacqui Rose.

My adrenaline is pumping, and I'm sitting here utterly enthralled with how this book ended. I'm normally one that stays away from gangsters, as they really aren't my thing, but this particular group of lowlifes didn't half cause some drama.

When I wasn't reading Toxic, my mind was on it, until I ended up curling up with most of the second half of the book to read and couldn't tear myself away.

Yet for all of its compulsiveness, I only having read it just about know who all the characters are and how they were properly connected. On the whole I hated them all and Bree, well I felt a bit sorry for her, but still wasn't that keen on her.

Normally I hate books where I don't like the characters but I can't put my finger on it but something kept me reading, and I had to know how it finished. This is one fast paced book which is certainly what helped hold my interest with relatively short chapters, meaning I kept thinking, well one more chapter won't hurt!!

There are many many characters in this and being from Essex gangland culture they are all intertwined, all know of each other, but no one really trusts anyone.

From just how its been making me feel I can tell that Jacqui Rose is clearly a fabulous writer, anyone that grips me like this and has me riled up, has definitely got under my skin. I just hope I don't have a sleepless night now as a result of all the violence in the book.

I would love for there to be another book featuring these characters, as I can't help but feel their stories could go on for quite a while.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

This is a modern thriller and was ok. I wouldn't recommend it as I found that there were too many character's. Even for a seasoned reader like me. I did however discover that all this author's previous books seem to be connected. Probably why there were so many character's.

This was an extremely fast paced novel which at times I felt hit hard to keep up but II did and I love love it.
I loved the story it was Gritty ,thrilling violent all the things you would expect from the genre.

And welcome to Essex, all human life is here. In Toxic we have a range of characters who are NOT the most law abiding in the county. We have a gypsy lifestyle with their mobile home site, some criminals involved in drugs and theft, plus an ex-prostitute and ex-wifes thrown into the mix. What we have is one violent but very exciting thriller about people who live on the wrong side of the law.

I found Toxic to be a refreshing change from your average British crime thriller. In Toxic you only read about the bad guys. There are no good guys in this story AND the police do not get involved as these people look after their own.

Toxic is a violent novel and Jacqui has chosen her title well. She sets the scene straight off and the torture will make your eyes water. There is no please or thank you in these conversations, they are vulgar as the characters believe actions are stronger than words.

The dialogue used in Toxic is local which adds to it’s realism. How Jacqui managed to write paragraph after paragraph of conversation between characters with the same poor grammar, is a wonder. Each character says “me” instead of “my” when they speak! I also loved the Cockney slang sprinkled throughout this novel, my favourite being…

“Ten per cent is just a sniff of a cockerel’s arse.”

...I also loved the attitude of this book, my favourite comment from one of the characters was…

He didn’t impress anyone. Women wanted real men. Flash cars and a bit of bling not a gutless muppet and a pub lunch with a ten-year-old Ford Focus parked outside.

...Although Toxic is written by a woman, Jacqui tells a great misogynistic tale from a man’s point of view. Henpecked husbands are going to love Toxic, where the male characters are strong and put their women firmly in their place. I liked the humour of the man’s world and could engage with the resentment many of the men felt towards women.

Toxic was a refreshing and thrilling read. There were many shocks as the nitty gritty of gypsy life was revealed. Toxic created a big impression with me as the characters lived a life far away from the mainstream. Toxic was violent but in your own private pleasure, simply a joy to read. I thought this book was a great escape into another world and it gets the top score of 5 stars from me. I have NOT read a Jacqui Rose novel before but after reading Toxic, count me in!

I’ve read this authors other books and really liked them but to be honest I struggled with this one a bit. There were so many characters just thrown in and it was difficult keeping track of who was who. I also felt there was something missing as it didn’t keep me hooked like her previous books have. I did however like it and it was a fast paced gritty novel.

Having read books by this author in the past I was expecting a lot from this book and it certainly didn't disappoint. Fast paced and easy to read. Great characters, some from previous books and some completely new, with plenty of background and detail making them easy to understand. A complicated plot which leads you through plenty of twists and turns all the way through to the end. An enjoyable and engaging read which outshone my expectations, I can't wait for the next one.

Jacqui Rose has delivered an exciting yet somewhat disturbing novel full of characters and their ,toxic, lives..
I was quickly drawn in to this gritty gangland thriller but I found it difficult at first to keep up with all the different characters. Bee Dwyer is a downtrodden mother of two who lives in mobile home site with her overbearing and violent husband, his mother who is equally nasty and his twin brother who is mentally impaired
I'm not going to list the full cast but story is based on a hijack on a lorry which was carrying an illegal load. Various players believed the cargo to be their own enlightenment but who will outsmart and end up on top .............
Enjoyed reading.this and am looking forward to reading more of her work. A well deserved 4 stars.

Although I was confused with the number of characters at the start of the story, this book turned out to be a good read. It took time for me to not think of the people depicted as being the old "wild west" types (rather than gangsters of today).

Alfie and Vaughn had returned to their original "hunting grounds" in a big way - by storming their past nemesis-Johnny Dwyer. A torturing soul, Johnny is the real villain of the two gangs. He beats and tortures anyone he can bully (except Ma Dwyer - who is a story in herself). Beatings are also rendered to Johnny's wife, Bree. Bree is constantly looking to leave Johnny with their two children. Molly is 6 and a sweet girl. Kiernan is 9 and is already following in his father's footsteps. Or is Ryan - Johnny's identical twin brother - really the father? Early on, Ryan and Bree were in love until Ma fixed that...

Alfie was married to Franny. She has conned him (and Vaughn and others) out of 2 million dollars - and from what we see, she has no plan to return to any of them. Eddie Styler, Alfie's brother-in-law, has learned to hate Alfie for not giving him a loan. So Eddie imprisons Sandy (his wife and Alfie's sister) in his basement. Then Eddie teams up with Johnny.

Johnny sends Bree to pump Alfie to find out when and where a planned diamond exchange of Alfie's will be.

After quite a bit of turbulence among the "gangland" members, Bree and Alfie fall in love, Sandy is found, and most of all the collision between warring gangs for possession of the 3 million dollars comes to its' climax.

So as not to give away any spoilers: Alfie promises Bree that he will save her, Ryan and the kids; Ryan is missing; Ma locks Bree in a bedroom; and SURPRISE! Johnny has a dozen 4X4 SUV's and manpower with them in order to go against Alfie, Vaughn and Frank, who are selling the diamonds.

The story revs up a little late but my suggestion is to hang in there!

Many thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a great read and a cliffhanger !
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The gangster life isn't something to be involved in. Even if the gangster is your husband. Bree is trapped in a loveless marriage wich comes with a bulldog of a mother in law Terror follows her every waking moment with no hopes of escape. Than another man enters her life, Alfie someone she's known since early childhood. His kindness and willingness to help her, makes her realize that she's always loved him. There is just a few things in the way of pure happiness. Her violent gangster husband and the trade-off of three million dollars in diamonds. Paths cross between Alfie, Johnny and a slew of other gangsters. The fight is on who will come out ahead in this cross, double cross, triple cross of a thriller. Who gets the diamonds, and a chance of a new life.

Toxic by Jacqui Rose is your typical Essex gangster tale which if you enjoy this genre of book is an excellent read.Alfie and Vaughn are back in town to seal a big deal which will set them up for life,but along the way things do not go as smoothly as they thought it would.Throw in Alfie's ex wife Janine his sister Sandra and childhood friend Bree and Alfie really does have trouble on his hands as every gangster in Essex wants in on his deal and will stop at nothing to get it.This is fast paced book with a good ending which obviously leaves you wanting to know more about the characters who survive !! An excellent 4 star read of this genre.

Toxic immediately intrigued me even though the premise isn't new. It's the pace and characters who really make this book stand out in my mind. I felt for Bree and her situation and the story moved quickly with plenty of twists and turns I didn't see coming. Recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and give my honest opinion.

The blurb starts out that the relationship was toxic... I think the book in its entirety was toxic. There was no good relationship in this book, none....none....none. Ma Dwyer would have been the first I'd have put out of her misery. This is a mafia type book with a peculiar back and forth between past and present that didn't really appeal to me. Between the abuse, incest, mafia vengeance, and criminal behavior...the book was a hard read.

What did I like about the book? Bree, and her daughter Molly seemed to be the only innocent things in this book. Bree finally standing up for herself was a pinnacle moment.

Would I buy this book? No, I wasn't made a fan even though this is a popular author and the style of writing put me out.

What would I tell the author? It's probably not the author's fault but the copy I received was not clearly marked with chapters and such...so it wasn't until something didn't go with a previous paragraph that I realized the author had moved on...if that makes sense. Which may or may not have reduced my reading entertainment. Three stars for entertainment.

Yes! Jacqui Rose is back. Its been too long since her last book and the waiting is finally over. Toxic by Jacqui Rose was just Brilliant. It was Gritty, extremely brutal, but so addictive at the same time. I was hooked from the first page.
Bree Dwyer hasn't had it easy and is desperate to escape with their 2 children from her gangster husband Johnny Dwyer, and run to protect their children from their abusive father etc. But her husband is always watching.
She always gets caught.
Johnny owns people and he always says.....
'Nobody leaves Johnny'" and he means every word of it!!
Until another gangster Alfie Jennings, finally returns to Essex. Alfie and Johnny have History
Will Johnny's rein as top dog about to be blown apart!!

% ☆ A Compulsive Page Turner

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for letting me read Toxic by Jacqui Rose for an honest review.
Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon when published.