Cover Image: Sinner

Sinner

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Sinner is the third book in the Alfie Jennings and Franny Doyle series but can be read as a standalone without any issues if you are happy to skip some of the backstories from the previous novels. Once again each of the characters is brought alive on the page with Ms Rose's descriptive prose, and the plot is gritty and adequately pacey. When you are pulled into it so easily there seems to be no escape but to read to the end and discover how the plot resolves. Ultimately, it centres around a secret that Franny has been keeping from partner Alfie and explores themes such as drug abuse, prostitution, child exploitation and mental health as well as family loyalty.

There are plenty of surprises and a beautifully building tension that leads to a dramatic and shocking cliffhanger conclusion. It can get quite graphic so definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy hard-hitting, gritty gangland thrillers then this is a series not to be missed. The seedy backstreets of Soho are brought to life in such a vivid manner with characters you come to adore for their loyalty and some you come to despise due to their unscrupulous, shady nature. Dark, twisted and very, very satisfying. I look forward to the next instalment. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Another great book from Jacqui Rose.
Franny and Alfie are back together but they’re both keeping secrets from each other.
Vaughn suspects Franny is hiding something but as he knows they hate each other, Alfie doesn’t listen to him.
Franny is secretly visiting Bree and the baby but has told her she can’t go outside in case Alfie sees them. This is driving Bree mad and soon they come to blows.
Alfie is getting threats from someone and is becoming more and more worried about it but doesn’t share his concerns with Franny.
Soon events take a turn for the worst and Franny and Alfie work together to put things right - but it’s soon taken out of their control.
This is a gritty crime thriller which I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Was this review helpful?

I got this Advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Avon books UK for the ARC.


“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
Review

This is the first book I’m reading from Jacqui Rose and I found out it’s third book in the Alfie and Franny series but still it can be read as a stand-alone as well. The plot itself was dark and twisted. This book will shed light upon the shady lifestyle of high profile gangsters. The author has vividly brought the gangland to life with her words. The book was fast moving, unputdownable, thrilling, mysterious and has everything to keep the readers hooked up to it until the last page. Each and every chapter had something to unravel in the course of its journey. The cliffhangers at the end of the each chapters made it impossible to keep the book at bay. The character of the protagonist Franny Doyle was something very peculiar, the readers will be perplexed whether to love or hate her, her character gives a mixed kind of feelings to the readers. She is somebody who sees love as weakness but does anything to protect the people she love, ironic isn’t it ? She has plenty of ugly secrets that she hides even from her partner Alfie Jennings. He is the male protagonist of the book, who is a strong and dreaded gangster in the city but he turns into an exact opposite of that, naive and weak when he is faced by the demons of his past. There are lot of characters one would hate to the core, the family of Charlie Eton was disgusting and sickening. This book covers all the illegal activities like child and girl trafficking, drugs and everything that comes under the gangland. The characterization of Alfie was wonderfully developed, his nature towards the desire to save young kids from the miserable world was touching and heroic. The painful emotional breakdowns were marvelously written, certain characteristics he possess were extraordinary. Fight sequences were penned down in a stunning manner. The supporting characters played their villainous part perfectly. Towards the end the phase of the book was as high as a kite and unstoppable. Even though all the chapters were extremely good, last four to five chapters was the best among them all, it was racy, heroic, heart touching and heart wrenching. The climax was good and thoughtfully plotted and processed efficiently. As it is for any thriller novels I want to share a lot about this book but the fear of giving away spoilers is restricting me from saying more. So let me stop myself here.
On the whole I really liked this book though initially I had my set of doubts and uncertainty about the plot, I eventually dived into the gangland created by the author. It was different from all the other books I had read in this genre because always our protagonist will be ideal or innocent. But the protagonist of this book had their own flaws imperfections and moments of weakness. It made it more realistic, in spite of being a legendary gangster there are certain point in which one tends to make mistake that’s what make a person a human. Because at the end of the day we are all humans, good or bad is secondary. I totally loved Alfie, I had mixed feeling towards Franny who was full of lies which threatened her entire future with Alfie to which I was totally against but at the end I wanted her to be safe and sound. I’m looking forward to read the prequels as well as all the other books by this author. I really love her plot, twist and writing.
I recommend this book to all the thriller lovers, it was absolutely thrilling, dark and shady. Do try it and let me know how do you feel about it.

My rating for this book is 4/5
Happy Reading Folks!!!

~Meenu

Was this review helpful?

Where have I been living before reading this author???
I absolutely loved this book! Not only I love London but we get to read about it’s darker side, about night clubs and life that it’s another world and definitely not a tourism one.
I like a good dark read and this story definitely brings in me all the feelings that I was craving.
Now I really need to go back and read the other books in the series to get a bit more inside about the families and characters but this story definitely could be read as a stand-alone book.
There’s a lot happening, from drug use, physical violence and psychological abuse. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and went through a rollercoaster of emotions with every page turned.
I love the writing and looking forward for more from the author.


Thanks for the opportunity to read and review - NetGalley and the publisher.
#Sinner #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

This is the third in a series featuring Franny and Alfie. I had not read the two previous and didn’t have too much trouble following the characters and their story.
Franny and Alfie are not very likable but once in a while have you rooting for them just because they are up against people worse than they.
This was a very past paced book which kept your interest throughout. I will recommend this book and happily give it 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

Sinner had me hooked from the beginning and what a fast-paced and engrossing tale of the seedy and murky world of gangland London. Filled to the brim with secrets, lies, betrayal, and revenge it was one of those books that once you start reading it, it's hard to put down! I've since found out that it is the third in the series featuring Alfie and Franny, I hadn't read the other two and this did not detract from my enjoyment, I would definitely say that it can be read as a standalone.
I loved Alfie and Franny, what a couple! But, Franny, now there was one hard-hearted, cold and calculating woman! I found myself torn between loving her and hating her! Both Alfie and Franny are hiding secrets from each other and the tension was oozing out of the pages as the secrets were slowly uncovered.
A fabulous cast of characters came to life as I read, some of them stole my heart while others turned my stomach. I found myself completely caught up in their lives, wondering about them when I put the book down. Parts of the plot left me with a few questions but nothing that spoiled the read for me. The relationships between the characters were perfectly drawn out, deceit, mistrust, and fear forming the foundations that they were built on and what shaky foundations they were.
It’s an uncomfortable read at times, With hard-hitting themes of drugs, abuse and prostitution wrapped up in a cover of aggression and violence, Sinner, is never a cosy murder mystery but it is a banging good gangster thriller.
My review will be on my blog as part of the blog tour

Was this review helpful?

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Sinner’ by Jacqui Rose in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

East-End criminal Alfie Jennings is under a lot of stress as Barry Eton, the man he helped put away many years ago, is being released from prison. Adding to his anxiety, Alfie’s receiving messages about his long-term lover, Franny Doyle, but she can’t tell Alfie the secrets she’s keeping as she fears the repercussions if he finds out.

‘Sinner’ is the third in the series featuring Alfie and Franny and although the story carries on from ‘Toxic’ and ‘Fatal’, enough information is given in the early chapters to enable it to be read as a standalone novel. It has a strong plot which is shocking at times as it touches on the auction of children, it has some loathsome characters, is bloodthirsty and gruesome with twists and turns. Once started I couldn’t put it down and devoured the entire book in a day. It concludes with a dramatic and unexpected cliffhanger so I do hope there’s going to be another in the series.

Was this review helpful?

Jacqui Rose yet another fantastic book. Alfie Jennings and Franny Doyle, both have been bought up in the hardest of criminal back grounds. A person who Alfie got put away is now out and looking for revenge.

Was this review helpful?

How Jacqui Rose, a woman from South Yorkshire and also into horses can have such a in-depth knowledge of the criminal fraternity of Soho and surrounding areas is a mystery. A great read, a must for all readers of this genre.

Was this review helpful?

Gritty as always
Franny Doyle will always to protect anyone
Her partner Alfie Jennings is worried that Charlie Eton is so incensed that he went to prison
I had an ARC from Avon

Was this review helpful?

Sinner is the third book in the series featuring Alfie Jennings and Franny Doyle. Although this can be read as a standalone, reading the previous books will give you background to their story.

Alfie and Franny have been together for years but Franny is keeping secrets from Alfie. Meanwhile, Alfie is having a meltdown when he unexpectedly starts to receive notes from someone in his past. As Franny tries to keep one step in front of Alfie, she will need to keep her wits about her if she wants to stay alive.

I love reading jacquis books.
Always a different twist.
Full of dodgy deals
Another fantastic read.

Was this review helpful?

I have been a fan of Jacqui Rose for some years and have read all her books so when I had the opportunity to read & review her new book Sinner, I naturally jumped at it.

This book is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Once again it's well written, full of suspense , atmosphere, believable and a real page turner. The characters get under your skin, they are so well described. Jacqui writes in such a way that you can’t help but be drawn into the story and I couldn’t put it down. In fact I finished this book in a couple of sittings. Can't wait for the next in the series.

Thank you!

Was this review helpful?

This is now the third book I've read by Jacqui Rose, and I'm still not 100% positive I like them. I mean they have far too much violence, and unpleasant subject matter in them, the body counts seem very high, but yet every time I pick up one of these books I find I am racing through it completely hooked.

I'm completely and utterly addicted to this author's version of London, the dark seedy underbelly where the most notorious of crime and gangster families are working side by side, sometimes more peacefully than others. Where everyone seems to either know everyone else, or is related to them.

In fact I would love to see some sort of family tree for all these characters as it really is mind blowing to try to keep track of.

Sinner focuses on Alfie Jennings and Franny Doyle and continues on a few months later from Fatal. I found it really easy to get back into the story and the familiar characters and their stories came back to me reasonably fast.

The amount of action in this book is staggering, and we get to know so much more about Alfie and Franny and learning that they both have a slightly different side to them is very good to know.

Yet a large amount of the actual subject matter with the crimes is really uncomfortable to read. I'm not really sure I could ever say that I enjoyed a book that deals with horrific subject matters, but I can completely appreciate just how talented a writer Jacqui Rose is - for keeping me coming back for more and more, leaving me already knowing that the wait for the next one is too long.

I was completely hooked on this and I do love a fast quick paced thriller, and this did far more than just hold my attention throughout. Very impressive book.

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

Was this review helpful?

Sinner is the third book in the series featuring Alfie Jennings and Franny Doyle. Although this can be read as a standalone, reading the previous books will give you background to their story.

Alfie and Franny have been together for years but Franny is keeping secrets from Alfie. Meanwhile, Alfie is having a meltdown when he unexpectedly starts to receive notes from someone in his past. As Franny tries to keep one step in front of Alfie, she will need to keep her wits about her if she wants to stay alive.

Another great instalment in this series, a hard hitting story which was gripping until the end. I am looking forward to the next book by this author.

Was this review helpful?

I love reading jacquis books.
Always a different twist.
Full of dodgy deals
Another fantastic read.
Plenty of crime bit of romance

Was this review helpful?

Thanks Netgalley, Publisher and the Author. I like this ladies books and this one did not disappoint at all and was as good as the previous ones (if not better. A worthy 4 stars

Was this review helpful?

Sinner by Jacqui Rose is part of a series of books but can be read alone as a stand alone story. The book is fast paced and the storyline centres around a secret that Franny has been keeping from Alfie. This book touches on prostitution, drug abuse and mental health. I am a big fan of Jacqui Rose but I much prefer her earlier books to this one. There was just something lacking with this story and I found myself thinking at times would Franny really have done/said that! All in all an enjoyable read, and if you are a fan of this genre it is worth a read. I just don't think it is as good as her earlier work.

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Sinner - Jacqui Rose

Jacqui Rose I have to say that you have pulled it out the bag again for me, I flew through this book. I went into Glasgow city centre on the train to visit my nephew and was so engrossed in Sinner that I promptly missed my stop, not by one either I ended up on the other side of the city from where I was meant to be!

Brought up within a crime family Franny was never going to be a housecoat and slippers kind of gal, she was always going to be more emotionless and harder than most blokes we know. Following on from her dad she now part owns a club with Freddie, maybe the only person she loves. Sadly not on their own lets not forget Freddie’s best pal Vaughn and he makes it clear that he neither likes nor trust her with good reason if her past exploits are anything to go by.

The club is doing pretty well, they are running one much cleaner, less seedy and with no on the job extras and this hasn’t gone unnoticed by Charles Eton a local boy who has know Freddie since they were in school they have a secret between them that Freddie has shared with no-one not even Franny. Even if he had I think she would still have made the same choices, the same choices that sees everything change between them. .

This book takes you down some roads that aren’t pretty it touches on drug abuse, mental health and prostitution among others. It was so sad to see their lives imploding following one or two bad decisions by the ones they love and trust the most.

On a lighter note I had two or three ‘well I never expected that’ moments that I was pleasantly surprised with. It’s always nice to see the good bad boys get a win once in a while isn’t it? There were also parts in it that restored my faith in some of the characters. As always there are one or two characters that got right under my skin and that’s possibly because I had invested in one or two only to be completely wrong about them.


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

Was this review helpful?

Another excellent book from this author. She never fails to disappoint.
This book is part of a series but can certainly be read as a stand-alone

Was this review helpful?

Franny Doyle has a secret and she can't let her partner Alfie Jennings know at any cost. Bought up in the criminal fraternity with her dad being a major face and teaching her everything he knew, she has always been involved in the crime scene., making her hard and feeling no emotion. They part own a club with Vaughn, who doesn't trust or like Franny and vice versa.

Much to the anger and wrath of Charlie Eton, a notorious and dangerous pervert who's nightclub uses young girls to entertain rich men. They open up their club in Soho next door to his. Charlie and Alfie knew each other as children and helped put Charlie's dad Barry away testifying to him being a pedophile after he abuses both Charlie, his siblings, and Alfie.
Barry has recently been released from prison and is up to his old tricks again, abusing and selling children to the highest bidder to be abused.

Alfie and Franny are set to become embroiled in the sordid ordeal, with Alfie knowing not a lot and Franny with her many secrets she needs to conceal from Alfie at all costs.
I really enjoyed this story and it kept me gripped. The only negative was that it continually rained throughout the book and it was off-putting a bit. But saying that I would definitely recommend it if you like crime.
Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity x

Was this review helpful?