Tuesday 7 March 2017

JAIME RAVEN - THE MADAM (2016)


Synopsis/blurb….

Women always uncover the truth....

Three years and 11 months. That's how long Lizzie Wells has been banged up inside Holloway prison, serving time for a crime she didn't commit. Six months. That's how long it's taken Lizzie to fall in love with her fellow inmate, Scar.

Now they are both finally free, and together they are about to embark on a vengeful search to find those who framed Lizzie...and to make them pay.

The Business Man. The Copper. The Madam.

An enjoyable fast-paced read without being the best book ever.

Lizzie Wells was framed for murder and whilst away lost her young son to illness. Now she’s out, she’s embittered and she wants some answers and a lot of payback.

We have a tough female with attitude, a bit of romance and support from her old cellmate, a fractured family – her mum can’t get past Lizzie’s former lifestyle – escorting, drug use, general fecklessness and blames her for the loss of her grandson, surmising that if Lizzie had been around he would still be alive, a damaged brother – one who’s just had another beating, a brothel madam who told lies, and an untouchable businessman-cum- gangster in charge of prostitution in cahoots with some crooked police officers.

The man Lizzie allegedly killed was a journalist investigating our successful businessman. One of the investigating officers in Lizzie’s case committed suicide. She’s been out of clink 24 hours and she’s already being warned off. It all stinks.

I’m not usually a massive fan of the amateur sleuth bumbling around, but on this occasion it worked well for me. Lizzie is nothing if not determined. The police are dismissive and disinterested, what choices does she have?

Prostitution, prison, sex, nightclubs, family, investigative journalism, corruption, police, cover-ups and frame-ups, beatings, a disappeared foreign escort, a bit of violence and plenty of grit.

In the end we get a satisfying but in truth fairly predictable outcome, though there were a few twists in the leading up to it. Who exactly was the rogue in uniform? Who could be trusted if anyone?

4 from 5



Jaime Raven has written a couple of other novels – The Alibi and The Punishment which is due out later this year. As James Raven he has penned about a dozen novels. His websites are here and here.   

Read in January, 2017
Published - 2016
Page count - 330
Source - review copy received from author
Format - new paperback

12 comments:

  1. Interesting, hard-hitting premise, Col. And I do like the idea of strong characters. Glad you enjoyed this one.

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    1. Strong characters definitely make for interesting reading, Margot.

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  2. This does sound like my kind of novel, but you still make it sound interesting and readable.

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    1. I would tend to agree, maybe not your thing, which is what I think you meant.

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    2. You are right, Col, I left out the "not". I try to read outside of my comfort level, but there are only so many books I can read in a year, so...

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    3. :-) That's the pity for us all.....only so many books we can read!

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  3. Don’t know this author. You got me with “fast-paced.” Worth a try. Thanks.

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    1. Not exceptional, but it has a lot going for it.

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  4. I quite like a strong vengeful woman with a past, especially one who is armed and dangerous. I'm tempted...

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    1. Could it be a book about you Moira? Strong, vengeful with a past....haha.....careful how I tread!

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    2. Quite right, you may need to watch your step.

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