Frank is a widower after recently losing his wife he is feeling lonely & vulnerable, then his daughter announces her, her husband and granddaughter are emigrating to Australia. He feels his world falling apart. His son Evan is loud and stupid, his marriage is a shambles and Frank feels he is a fool Frank lives alone on his once working farm.
One evening a disturbance in the back yard causes him to investigate only to find a terrified young woman named Irena badly beaten and in need of care. Frank takes her inside, feeds her, tends her injuries and helps her to feel safe. She explains to him that she was bought into this country by traffickers and forced into prostitution.
She has a brother who she needs to send money to, to keep him safe and help with his well being. She is terrified that the men who she is running from will find her. A bad snowfall means that the one night Frank offers her shelter runs into many more, with dire, life-threatening consequences.
What a gritty story, and a real page-turner
I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to review it. xx.

Frank Peters' lives on a farm in the isolated Yorkshire Moors. His beloved wife, Maureen has passed away. He's depressed when his daughter emigrates to Australia just two weeks after the funeral and his son rarely visits or calls. One night, he is disturbed by a noise outside the back of his house. He finds a badly beaten young woman called Irena. He is shocked when Irena tells him that she was brought to this country by a ma who then imprisoned her and forced her into prostitution. Frank says she can stay the night but then a heavy snowfall prevents her from leaving the next day.

I get so excited when I get my hands on a of one of Mandasue's new books, I'm a big fan. In this storyline there is a lot going on. Franks daughter has emigrated to Australia, his son and daughter - in - law are not getting along and he finds Irena hiding in a barn. This is only the tip of the iceberg on what else happens in the book. I don't want to spoil it for potential readers as I would give away too many spoilers if I was to continue writing about the book. Do yourself a favour, pick up a copy of this fabulous book. I highly recommend it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and the author Mandasue Heller for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book by Mandasue! It features a man who recently lost his wife, leaving him with two grown up children, one who is having problems with his marriage and the other is emigrating to Australia. He helps a woman who he finds hiding in the grounds of his house, takes her in for the night but after heavy snowfalls she remains longer. She was forced into prostitution as were other young women brought in from abroad. Then all hell breaks loose! This book is enthralling and the reader can't put it down. Would recommend it to anyone!

Wow I absolutely loved this book, I'd say my favourite book of the year so far. Mandasue Heller gets better and better with each book and I can't wait for the next one.

Another brilliant book by Mandasue Heller. The book certainly lived up to its title as it was brutal in places but also a book I didn't want to put down. A fast paced explosive storyline that grabs you from the first page. Her books never.disappoint, being on the next one!!

Another great read from Mandasue Heller. BRUTAL certainly lives up to its name!

Recently widowed Frank discovers a young woman by the name of Irena hiding in his barn one night. She is badly injured and tells Frank that she has run away from a man who has brought her into the country and is trying to force her into prostitution. Frank believes her and takes her in. She stays with Frank and they get close to each other. We soon discover all is not what it seems. A cruel and brutal chain of events take place which will keep you turning the pages well into the night.

I read this book over two days picking it up at every opportunity I could. Mandasue Heller is on top form with this book. Highly recommended - you will not be disappointed.

This was not the normal East End crime story that we've come to love and respect by Mandasue.
This one has a little more personal touch to it, but wow, was it gripping!!! The book was very well written and I couldn't wait to finish it.
Very well done and highly recommended.

A fantastic read.
Full of believable characters and a plot that keeps you guessing and has,the shock factor.
Highly recommended.

I admit that that I have only read one other book from Mandasue Heller but, after reading Brutal, I will make sure I will read other books from her. Because this is a five-star read. I loved it.
Frank Peters lived with his wife on a farm in the Yorkshire Moors until his rewife Maureen died. He wants to be left alone but, his neighbour Yvonne comes with food with he later bins. He is then enjoying his peaceful life. When one night he hears a sound outside. A woman badly bruised woman is hiding outside. Her name is Irena and she is hiding from a bad man. The gentleman that Frank is, invites her in and tell her she can stay the night, But, the with the bad weather of snow comes she extends her stay. Irena talks of a man who she says he loves her but beats her up and of her brother.
Frank comes home after buying few bits from the shop to find the man that Irena is being hiding from. He arrives with another two burly men in toe. Then a van brings young women that have come from abroad to start a new life in this country only they realise that it is not all that it seems.
I really enjoyed this. I couldn’t put it down. The story flowed easily but, also gripped it though out. It was realistic and It had great characters and a good plot. I highly recommend.
Thank you Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for a copy of this book

what a brilliant storyline and sadly this does go on it pulls you in from page 1 I don't want to spoil it for other readers so all I will say is you in for a treat and Mandasue heller I cried so highly recommend this author never disappoints her readers so highly recommend

This is Mandasue's best book yet and I have read and loved all her books. She is one of the top writers in this genre and this latest book Brutal is a dark gritty story and a roller coaster ride into the unknown.
This book had me gripped from the start, the characters are all so believable, I literally stayed up into the early hours of the night to finish as I just needed to know what happened.
This book is completely unpredictable and shocking, I cannot recommend it enough.
If you enjoy gritty true to life crime fiction and if you haven't tried a Mandasue Heller book before, please give this one a go. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed and will want to read more of her books.

Devoured this book in 2 sittings. Fantastic new novel from mandasue heller, very long awaited but certainly worth it, she never disappoints.

Yay, Mandasue Heller is back!!

Brutal was a nail biting, explosive read that had me captivated throughout, I was so excited to read Brutal a d enjoyed it very much, as always Mandasues writing never disappoints.

Wow ... this book definitely ticks all the boxes . The two characters frank and Irena certainly bring this story alive .
Frank is recently widowed and finds irena
In his garden . Looks like she's escaping from something.
Well it turns out it's all a scam and frank ends up in trouble , his children are extremely suspicious of irena and it causes endless trouble between them
Thank god for DNA ....... well written and I read it into the early hours
Highly recommended
Can wait for the next book

What a FANTASTIC book Brutal is and i am so happy Mandasue Heller is back on form.I was drawn in from the start the story is believable as these things do happen,poor Frank having just lost his wife finds a strange young woman hiding by his barn but when he see's her he is shocked at the state of her.Having taken the woman inside to get warm Frank studies her and she tells him how she got to the farm.I won't spoil it by saying what happens but i can highly recommend you read BRUTAL worth far more than 5*.

I have read every one of Mandasue’s books and can honestly say you never know what to expect...yes the elements of crime, gangs are there but every book is so different and unlike you sometimes find yourself thinking with prolific and successful authors books ‘mmmmm this seems familiar’, I never have with this author
Brutal is, again, very different....it is a very apt title for the book as the story deals with subjects that are dark and the story is at times gruesome!!
As always ( some things you dont mind being unchanged, this is one ) the story is littered with characters that are instant, instant to love AND instant to hate and of course the odd one like Big Shirl that you cant help but want to see ( even though shes vile!! )
The story revolves around newly widowed Frank and what happens when he gets involved with a woman he really shouldn’t....more than that I am not going to give anything away but the consequences for Frank and his family are far fetching, cruel and BRUTAL
Difficult subjects are handled as they are in reality, raw and to the mark, bad things happen in life and they are not shied away from in this book BUT also approached quite touchingly at times ( Franks neighbour and her illness ) and this book made me stop and think about the subject matter and how horrendous the characters involved life’s must be and how easy shocking things happen to innocent people once a chain of events starts
The writing starts and finishes with you, the reader, in the centre of this story and holds you there through every line
Mandasue holds no punches, thats why her books are so so good, she remains with this book at the top of her game and an author that writes an outstanding book every time
So yes I loved it 😎
10/10 5 Stars