I always seem to enjoy a book that little bit more when I know the area they are based in. In this book - the cover up Marnie Riches has created an outstanding read.
First class, enjoyable storyline and gripping.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

I've been reading this authors work for years and every single one grabs me from the fist page till the very last one. #TheCoverUp is the follow up to Born Bad and I thoroughly enjoyed it I'm always a little more invested in a book when there's a female gaffer.

After the death of her husband Paddy no-one expected Sheila, a mere female to take the over the reins of her husbands businesses . So when the leader of Birmingham decided that he was going to take the crown for himself he didn't expect to have any retaliation, bad move! Needless to say retribution for his attempts were swift and brutal, any more than that you need to read the book.

In my opinion Ms Riches is up there with Kimberly Chambers, Martina Cole and Kerry Kaya. If you read this genre, the criminal underworld etc and you've somehow missed her books I think you'll thoroughly enjoy them.

Thanks to the author Ms Riches, Netgalley and Avon Books for my copy. All opinions are mine and mine alone

I've always enjoyed reading bad ass women.. and Sheila O'Brien is good bad ass. I've not read the first book, so it took time to catch up with the characters. If you are a fan of mob/mafia books and are okay with violence (not over the top though), then you will like this one.

The plot was fast paced, with good and bad, with fear and peace, with humor and hurt.. all of it and more. And through all of it, the suspense was maintained.. and it kept me hooked till the end ! An end I was not exactly ready for.. because well, damn ! And Sheila and Gloria make this so much fun.. I can't wait to read more..

Interesting read. Gave some insights into a world of crime but was ok. Story line was alright and I did finish the book but it took me longer than normal. I am not sure I would look to read any more like this in the future, sorry.

Absolutely loved it from start to finish. Having just had quite a stressful time at work, I needed a way to switch off and unwind - this book did that!

This was a story about gangland crime in Manchester. The leader dies and his wife takes over and the story is about the results and implications of this occurrence. I struggled a bit with this story and found it difficult to relate to the characters. It was a follow up to a previous book and I was missing a lot of the history.

Not my cup of tea to be honest, it sounded really good when I requested it but when I started reading it I just couldn’t get into it.

Sheila is now “in charge” of Manchester after the death of her gangland husband but then along comes an upstart from Birmingham who has other ideas. We meet and laugh with some of the colourful characters from Born Bad. Although I read and enjoyed that book, this one didn’t grab me in the same way and I didn’t really care who got control. It’s gritty and comical and you definitely see the seamy underbelly of Manchester, but I wasn’t feverishly rushing through the pages this time. I loved the style of writing and am a sucker for down to earth novels in this genre!

Another excellent read by a brilliant author. I thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series and didn't know what to expect from this book. I loved it. I picked it up at every opportunity. Gloria is coming into her own as a character and Sheila gets better and better. I really hope there's more of this series coming

I do not usually read this genre but decided to give it a chance.
Unfortunately I did not realise that this was part of a series so was unfamiliar with the characters and at times found it hard going.
I found the story line at times a little disjointed.
My advice is read the other books in the series before your read this

Continuing on from the first book, Born Bad, this is another awesome read from the extremely talented Marnie Riches. The characters are back (mostly) and once again they are very well written and believable.
This book is a worth successor to Born Bad and one that I will highly recommend. The twists, turns, violence and occasional hilarity and sadness make this book a must read.

I found the characters very bland and the story line struggled to hold me.
Maybe if I had read the previous book then it would have been better.

Months after Paddy's death, Sheila is trying hard to keep on top of the O'Brien South Manchester gangland empire but it's not easy. With a Birmingham Crime Boss keen to move into the area, an secret informant dropping Sheila and Conky in it with Detective Ellis James, a mystery figure following their every move, and the war with the Boddlingtons still simmering in the background she's done well to keep things going without issue. Until now. And wouldn't it be dull if things were just plain sailing? Just as well Marnie Riches has a wonderfully colourful imagination and more than a few tricks up her sleeve as this book is anything but dull.

Oh it was so much fun being back in Manchester with this lot. I really love the characters that have developed in the two books of this series. From Sheila, a wife beaten but not broken, Conky, once her husbands trusted right hand man and now all that and more to Sheila, and even Gloria, Sheila's 'legitimate' partner in the cleaning business, they are such a wonderfully funny and yet strong group that its very hard not to love them. When Sheila pulls Gloria into the less legitimate side of the O'Brien empire it is with hilarious results. Can you imagine Gloria demanding protection money armed with a shotgun and a shopping trolley? Well imagine no longer. This leads to one of the funniest comparisons in the whole book and it probably shouldn't work and yet it just does.

As always, this is a gangland novel so it is not without its darker side. There is violence, although none of it gratuitous or over the top. In fact some of the scenes are quite funny, the darker moments more quickly dealt with and in much less detail. And there are moments of intrigue and tension, when Boddlington boss Tariq's father, Youssuf, is first nearly abducted and then goes missing. I have to admit I developed quite a soft spot for old Youssuf. He didn't stand for his son's nonsense, bitterly disappointed by his career path and determined to find his own kind of justice, if only for his missing pharmacist. That man has quite the determination.

There is so much going on in this book that the pages literally fly by. And it's not only the action that you do see, the things which we know about, it is the unknown threat which keeps you on the hook as much as the obvious onset of the Brummie invasion. You certainly know that Sheila has her hands full and scenes towards the end of the book will make your eyebrows raise, in both surprise and intrigue as I know I am desperate to know now hat happens next. Sheila takes some very unusual steps to protect her kingdom and is left in a very difficult position to say the least. So much so that it is time to draft in the next generation of strong O'Brien women. I'm not sure Manchester is going to know what has hit it.

I will admit, I was left a little bottom lip pouty sad by events towards the end of the book, conflicted between my feelings towards one character and the impact of their actions upon another. Sad times but probably ones which set us up for one heck of a ride when this crew returns in book three.

Action and laughs are guaranteed from first page to last as Sheila and Gloria kick girl power up a notch. How far the boys will let themselves be kicked ... well that remains to be seen. I cannot wait.

I read Born Bad and really enjoyed it. This is not as good. It seems to have lost some of the grittiness and pace that was in the first book. It is still a good read. There are plenty of characters and plenty of action. I would definitely read a third book in this series.

I read Born Bad and I enjoyed that. This sequel seemed a bit flat to me. I found it hard to get into the plot, it was slow and I failed to connect with the characters at any level. I think it was the dialogue and rapport that was out of kilter but I couldn't seem to feel comfortable with any of them. Sheila O'Brien, now a widow and seemingly an entrepreneur with all her ideas about making the super-club legally and illegally prosperous. It's such a rare, poor review that it's hardly fair to influence others as they may enjoy it more than me. It just wasn't to my personal taste. Thank you NetGalley and Avon for letting me read it.

How far would you go to protect your empire? Manchesters criminal world is reeling from the loss of its leader, Paddy O'Brien. Sheila O'Brien takes charge of the city, and for once, she's doing things her way. But she hasn't reckoned with the fearsome Nigel Bancroft, a threat from Birmingham who is determined to conquer Manchester next. Sheila is determined to keep control of the empire she has won.

This is the sequel to Born Bad and I do recommend that you read it before reading The Cover up. The first half of this book is a bit of a slow burner but the second half makes up for it. Though this book is quite dark, it also has som humor in it as well. The story is told from many points of view. A story about gang life in Manchester. Once I got into this story I could not put it down.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books and the author Marnie Riches for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good solid crime book - it does what it's supposed to. Well written with compelling characters and you want it all to work out in the end - but does it?

An ok read but not enough depth to either the characters or storyline to keep me hooked.

A dark setting, but funny too.
It’s a follow-on from Born Bad, and I think you’d need to read that first to fully understand who everyone is.
A story told from many points of view.
From the North and South side gangs of Manchester, and their families and employees.
From the glitzy to the downright grubby.
This time we have a bit of Birmingham thrown into the mix, as Nigel Bancroft wants to take a slice of Manchester’s south-side.

Despite the violence I loved it, and the way they all interacted. There were some lovely parts, and some frankly disturbing parts!!
The characters had a really good depth and I got to know everyone.
I visualised the whole book really well. I felt I was there with them which wasn’t always a good thing.
There were many places I recognised. And that ride on The Wild Mouse at Blackpool Pleasure Beach had my heart racing, as I know how fast it feels when you’re on it!
The writing is excellent, well-paced and kept me hooked.
Conky McFadden is still the best name ever!
Thanks to the publishers Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.