The Family- Martina Cole
ISBN:978-0-7553-7550-9
Reviewed by: Cecilia Jansink
To Phillip Murphy family is everything. He dotes on his two young sons and beautiful wife giving them their hearts desires. He even looks out for his Mum and has ensured his siblings have a place in his somewhat shady business empire. On the outside he appears the perfect catch, a wholesome family man – but Phillip is well adept at hiding the cold, vicious monster within.
Christine thought all her birthdays had come at once when Phillip made her his. After all, it’s a way to escape her overbearing mothers’ expectations and Phillip offers a solid future. Unfortunately for Christine, she sees the man behind the mask all too late and as far as Phillip is concerned -once you’re in the family there is only one way out.
In some respects The Family is unlike any of Cole’s other work to date. It isn’t as gritty or hard hitting and, although there is still a glimpse into the seedy underbelly of London that keeps her fans coming back, it takes a back seat to the complex relationships that make up the Murphy crew. By no means is this a negative, it actually gives us a closer bond and understanding of the key players rather than focusing on their nefarious activities. You will find yourself wrapped up in the family drama and taking sides in the conflict and scheming, and the pages will still speed by.
The characters are all well developed and the plot holds enough hidden surprises to make you gasp. The character of Christine grated on my nerves for the best part of the book; annoyingly she allowed herself to wallow in her circumstances and make them worse. She comes across as spineless and a victim of her own choosing. Thankfully there’s a catalyst that forces her to pick herself up and show us the strength buried deep within. It almost makes you want to apologise for any inner grumbling you had sent in her direction. As for Phillip he will surprise you but not in a pleasant way. Frankly he’s downright nasty and although there are a few half redeeming moments, on the whole you will beg for him to finally cop his just desserts.
So although I would describe this as more family drama with a sprinkling of crime than hard hitting, it still holds the Cole character magic and is certainly a book to sink your teeth into. If you are new to Cole’s work or have been recommended giving her a try based on earlier novels, start with The Take or The Graft to get well and truly hooked, but add The Family to your must be read list. You’ll thank yourself for it.
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