Unfortunately I would not recommend this book to friends or family. I persevered to the end but found the swapping of characters more frustrating than engrossing. I personally found the story line didn't really develop and this made reading a little monotonous.

Two Manchester families. One runs the North one runs the South.
​Tensions are high, when Paddy O'Brien is stabbed in his brothers night club. It isn't long before Paddy decides its time for out, and his long Suffering wife is expected to go along with anything he says.
​"you say jump, we say how high"
​But things are never straight forward and there will be a few spanners thrown into the works through out the story.
​An interesting read with a few twists you really didn't expect. It keeps engrossed and wanting more.
Some brilliant character throughout this book, some are more likeable than others, but certainly interesting.
​I seem to have has a phase of reading books in and around Manchester and I find they really add to a story for me, as I can really visualise a lot of the places.
​This book certainly kept my interest and I was surprised, ok more than surprised on the way it ended. It all seemed to come together brilliantly. It's a gritty read. It's certainly different from the last book I read by Marnie Riches and different in a very good way.
​I will certainly be reading book 2 when that come out, It will be interesting to see where things go.

This is about the rough, dreg-end of Manchester. The author is gifted in the way she captures the mood and swing of the community. The characters are living in the fast and dangerous lane ending up forever looking over their shoulders, dead or in prison. Life is cheap. The characters are raw and earthy. The men thrive on an overdose of testosterone and somehow the women get a bad deal as they are used, abused or unhappy. I was reminded of Golding's "Lord Of The Flies" except with adults who are forced to create their own rules and codes in order to survive. There is plenty of humour especially in the dialogue; some memorable characters too. I shall post this review on Amazon, Facebook and my blog.

The bad guys come out to play in this gripping Manchester based tale of gangland war at its very worst, and it's not pretty. When gangs, money, and power become the motivators in life, then violence and crime become your bed mates.

When gang leader Paddy O'Brien is stabbed in his brother's nightclub, it heralds the beginning of a fierce battle for control of the city's drugs and sex trade, with the Boddlington gang going up against the O'Brien's, with terrible consequences for all concerned.


Two gangs competing for dominance of this Northern city, makes for a dark and gritty read, as the story reveals some very nasty, morally bankrupt individuals, and as the war escalates and the body count begins to grow, there are lots of twists and turns, some of them genius.

Marnie Riches has written a cracking tale of Manchester's underworld, devoting each chapter to a different character, thereby ensuring that we really get to know them intimately, all their dirty, nasty little secrets.

This was a compelling read with some great twists, not least the ending! That was a great ending Ms Riches!

Born Bad

A gritty novel set in Manchester's criminal underworld. A new crime series from Marnie Riches promises great things.

This book has a great story, great characters, dark subject matters and is truly a gripping page turner. You cannot fail to be entertained by this gritty gangland tale and I highly recommend it. 5*

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

Not that I have personal knowledge of the criminal underworld,honest guv, but I imagine it to be as described in this book.This was to me anyway a realistic take on the dark side of a city, Manchester in this case, it went deep into the families running the criminal underworld.I liked the humour and the various characters there was a lot going on but it kept me interested and the pace of the book was good.The way everyone interacted and the fact it delved into their personalities was really interesting and believable.Cracking book,well worth a read,thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Fantastic gritty crime thriller. Highly recommend and can't wait to read more by this author.

Manchester’s criminal underworld is rocked when gang leader Paddy O’Brien is stabbed in his brother’s nightclub. There is soon a sense that the carefully managed gang boundaries are about to be breached in a turf war, unless someone manages to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. But, given the old adage “honour among thieves” does not apply, this is not going to be straightforward.
Born Bad begins with a fantastic description of the female lead character Sheila O’Brien, long suffering wife of Paddy. There is a terrific juxtaposition between the sophistication of her car, the hugely expensive designer footwear and the unwieldly leather case full of firearms which gradually strips her of her dignity as the effort of lugging it into the house ruins her immaculate appearance and poise.
There is great humour in this pantomime, but there is also pathos because this could be interpreted as a metaphor for her marriage. Marnie Riches makes good use of these vignettes amongst the believable dialogue to provide the reader with a ‘surround sound’ sense of being there.
Born Bad is a book so riddled with devious and nasty people Tywin Lannister would have trouble finding elbow room. The unpleasantness is very visceral, as is the language, so the book is not for the faint-hearted. What really adds layers to the storytelling is that none of the key players at the top of the food chain can rest on their laurels, because they have to constantly watch their backs. But this sense of discomfort is felt by everyone from the top to the bottom, and it is clear you do not want to be at the bottom of the pile.
Those at the top appear to have the most to lose in terms of power and wealth, particularly given that they must deal with an ever-present force as worrying as being wiped out by their criminal colleagues; the persistent representative of the H M Revenue and Customs. You almost begin to feel sympathy for these criminals, until you realise that those at the bottom have lost any scrap of dignity and at some point will lose their lives, after which they are tossed away like a used rag.
You certainly need to keep notes as you go along because you are really never quite sure what scheme has been cooked up or when it is going to come to fruition.
In other words this is a book that keeps you hanging on chapter by chapter just to see what happens next.

This is the first book in a new series and is set in Manchester. Plenty unlikeable characters to be found in the two crime gangs. This is a book of many layers with plenty twists and turns and a touch of humour to keep you interested. Gangs, violence, grit and gore make this a very good read from Marnie Riches. A great ending just rounds it all up nicely! I would recommend this book. many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

Born Bad by Marnie Riches.
Paddy O'brien a gang leader is stabbed in his brothers famous nightclub, Manchester's criminal underworld is shaken to the core. A war is on now the O'brien family must make a decision on what to do with their side of the city. Sell or risk losing their king. Who will survive?
OMG absolutely fantastic read. I loved the story. This is a gripping fast past book. With shocks and twists too. Definitely worth more than 5*. Thanks to avon books and netgalley.

Set in gangland Manchester this book is about the rivalry between two gangs. It is a gripping and compelling read with a fast pace. Everyone seems to be out for what they can get, money and power being a great motivator to inflict violence and pain. If you enjoy gritty crime thrillers then I can highly recommend this as a great read.

"It had been madness then. It was still madness now."

I was intrigued by the sound of this Manchester gangland book, I like a bit of gangster fiction. But, while there is a good story in there somewhere, it's hard to make it out from the rather untidy story telling. That sounds a bit odd, but it's the best way I can think of to describe it, Born Bad has so many story-lines and characters, but they're all a bit sloppily executed.

I picked this book up and put it down several times as it didn't really grip me until about the last 20%, but I'm glad I did read it as I actually liked the twist ending (which I did guess, but it was still good).

Born Bad is told from several characters' points of view, which is a technique I like, and it was interesting to see the different sides of the story.

I also liked some of the characters, mainly the smaller players, such as Gloria, who I thought was a good mix of devout, sanctimonious and mysterious.

However, while there were good characters I also felt that some of them were classic gangster stereotypes, especially the main character of Paddy who I think could have really been explored more. I also couldn't bring myself to feel for Lev at all, even though he's clearly supposed to be the crook with a heart, I found his sections quite boring, he just didn't connect.

Another major issue I had with the book was the dialogue. I felt like half of it needed to be cut out. There was a lot of characters talking to themselves, which I never find very believable, and also some of the words used just didn't sound realistic.

"How's my gorgeous hunk?"

Does anyone say hunk anymore? Really?

I really don't like being nasty about a book as I know from experience the hard work that goes into writing a novel, and there were elements of Born Bad that I enjoyed, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was a bit more streamlined. I feel like someone should have taken it in hand, cut out all the unnecessary dialogue and prose, tidied up the storytelling and given the pace a kick up the backside.

It's meant to be a pacy gangland drama but I found the timescale a bit stilted. There was a lot of running around and panicking, but the general pace of the story was a little slow.

I'm sure you can tell this is a very mixed review. I struggled with Born Bad but it was frustrating mainly because I think there was a good story to be told, and I liked reading about the dark side of Manchester's gang life, but I was distracted by clunky dialogue and tired by cliche characters.

My Rating: 2.5/5 (rounded up to 3 for NetGalley and Goodreads)

I received a digital copy of Born Bad via NetGalley in return for an honest review. My thanks to the author and publisher.

When an author has an incredibly popular series running, I should imagine that one of their biggest worries is over whether or not to take a gamble on a new one. Readers can be funny beggars (I should know, I am one) and when they pledge allegiance to a character, they want to read more and more about them. Now for me, George McKenzie was one such character. The series is fab and the characters of George and Van den Bergen are very likeable. It has developed a good following and very deservedly so. But in reading the series I have very much come to like Marnie Riches style; the honesty, humour and grittiness that she does not shy away from bringing to her writing. Although very, very, different from her previous series, I really do think that with Born Bad, Marnie Riches has brought us another real gem, and in an intriguing and undeniably sneaky way too.

Now you probably wonder what I mean by that, and I'm going to try my hardest to explain because this is a book which really, really made me smile. In one of those sneaky, appreciative and a bit knowing kind of ways.

From the very beginning I struggled to find a redeeming quality about any of the key players in this story. We are, in essence, reading about some very dark characters; kingpins of the Criminal gangs controlling the streets of Manchester. Their attitudes towards women are considerably less than politically correct; they engage in abuse, trafficking and prostitution amongst other things. Paddy O'Brien especially is vile to his long suffering wife Sheila. And his rivals over at the Boddlington Gang who run the North side of the city are not exactly much better. Of these gangland leaders, it is perhaps only Tariq who shows any element of kindness to his family, with a certain respect for his wife and his father, even though both hate what he does for a living. Don't get me wrong. The men don;t get it all their own way and there are strong female characters throughout. Tariq's wife in particular strikes me as a woman who will take no messing.

But generally this book is about bad men, doing very bad things. Men who specialise in cruel and unique ways of gaining retribution over people who cross them. The Boddlingtons use the services of a man who is known as 'Fish Man' for the unique way in which he dispatches his victims. And Paddy... Paddy has Conky. As loyal and supportive a right hand man as any nefarious Crime Lord could wish for, but one who has a secret crush on someone he really shouldn't have. Bless him. I think Conky was one of the few characters I actually liked. He was so level headed; the one semblance of sanity amongst the madness. And then there is Lev. Lev is just trying to make things right for his young son, a boy who is afflicted with a life threatening illness. You can almost forgive him his actions, or if not forgive, then understand what drove his choices.

This is fast action type of read. There is quite a lot of violence, but none necessarily gratuitously described. But then you'd have to expect that in a book about a gang war. They're hardly likely to be debating local politics over cream tea now are they? And with a rapidly escalating situation between the two gangs, one which costs both sides in the most painful and personal of ways, you have to wonder just how either party can really expect to come out on top.

So. If the characters are abhorrent and the situation, the gang culture, so objectionable, what was it that made me smile? Well, the quality of the writing for one thing. In spite of the fact I didn't like anyone, and for me character is as important as plot in drawing me into a book, Riches still managed to make me want to know what was going to happen to them. Why? Because... well you'll have to read the book for yourself because I don't want to give too much away. Put it this way, nothing is quite what it seems. While I kind of had a suspicion what was going on, I wasn't entirely sure and I was kept guessing to the end. And god, it was a definite twister of an ending.

While one outcome seemed an almost foregone conclusion from about 2/3 of the way through, Marnie Riches managed to create the perfect set up which gave promise of so much more to come. I will admit that I'd been reading the book as though it was going to be a standalone (even though I know it's part of a series) as that was how it felt. Until the end. The end was... it was fabulous. Sneaky, underhand, perfectly pitched and that, that is what made me smile.

You will find everything in this you would find in a George McKenzie book - stellar plotting, assured writing and great character development. And as for setting. Well, I've always felt this was one of Marnie Riches real skills as a writer; putting the reader into the location, setting the scene so well that you can almost taste, smell and touch the action as it happens. This was no different and it painted a picture of a much seedier side of Manchester, one the tourist board wouldn't be keen to promote. But the book drew me in and wouldn't let me go. It had me on the edge of my seat at times, broke my heart at others and totally left me wanting more. Can't wait for book two.

A brilliantly dark and humorous read with a very worthy five stars from me.

A dark setting, but funny too.

It’s a story told from many points of view.
From the North and South side gangs of Manchester, and their families.
From the glitzy to the downright grubby.

Despite the violence I loved the friendship aspect of it, and the way they 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, hehe. At the M1 Club I felt I was back at The Hacienda.
It touched on some sensitive subjects and tackled them brilliantly…people trafficking, prostitution, drug abuse, murder!!
I learned about different cultures too, which is always a bonus.
This is my first read by Marnie Riches and I’d definitely recommend it.
The writing is excellent, well-paced and kept me hooked.

Conky McFadden is the best name ever :)

Thanks to the publishers Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Born Bad is a brilliant book about gangland rivalry in Manchester .The descriptions are wonderful and occasionally amusing "her fascinator hat had Debenhams written all over it !! " The characters are so well written I felt I knew them .The story is violent, gory and gritty but I loved it .

This is my first book by this author although I do have a few of her series on my tbr. On the back of reading this book, these are definitely getting bumped up!
This was gritty to say the least. Starring a veritable menagerie of Manchester's finest underworld as they jostle for control of the city. I don't know what it is about Manchester but I have read a fair few crime novels set there and in every one, the city has almost been a character in its own right. here is no different as we also see the North South divide come into the limelight.
We follow two crime gangs, each with their own take on how to run the city. The O'Briens on one side and Khan and Margulies on the other. Each have their territory and their "ways of doing things". But Paddy O'Brien, leader of his clan is not a well man. He wants to retire, his wife notsomuch. She has fingers in her own pies. And the book takes us on a journey from the perspective of several of the characters as they all try to contend with the fall out over the violence that ensues.
Wow... what a book. I simply devoured it. I was completely caught up in all the shenanigans that the author threw at me. At times, it was sometimes like I was there in the midst of the action rather than just being a bystander, so graphically described it all was. One of the things I most liked about this was that in amongst all the crime and violence, we also had a snapshot into some of the characters lives outside it all. How some were born into the life and how others became embroiled in it all. Fascinating stuff indeed!
We had layers upon layers, double and triple crosses, all very high octane stuff. At times when I was reading I got spun around so much that I didn't know which way was up. I shouted at the characters - and the author on a few occasions when she took me where I didn't want to go - and got a little bit over emotionally involved with a few of the storylines and characters. Love it when that happens!
And the ending was simply brilliant. Perfect no less, I started wondering around 60% how on earth the author would be able to wrap all this up but I shouldn't have worried, it all came together pretty nicely at the end, finishing this episode very nicely but also leaving me wanting more from the characters. Exactly where I want to be after finishing a series opener.

My thanks go to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Cracking book, so so disappointed when it was finished. if you're a fan of Martina Cole and Jessie Keane you will love this book. I hadn't come across her before now and I will definitely be looking for her earlier books.
This is set in Manchester's gangland community their are the O'Briens, Conky his faithful lone adjuster, the Margulies amongst others all wanting a bigger slice of the pie. Dodgy deals, scams are all in abundance, the Paddy O'Brien has a near fatal heart attack. Things change for him and retirement is on his mind, but, is it really that easy to walk away?
There's deceit, lies and schemes and the lovely sting in the tail that makes you eagerly await the next chapter of the family saga.

When gang leader Paddy O'Brien is found bleeding at his poolside, a fierce battle for the South side of Manchester begins.

this is a gritty, fast paced book, set in Manchester's criminal underworld. It deals with the North-South devide in Manchester. This is the first book in a new series from the author. The book has a great character list and just enough going on to keep you turning the pages. it also has a great ending.

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

The sensational thing about this thoroughly engrossing story is that the criminals who people it are strangely (except for a few) sympathetic. A top Mancunian gangster decides to give it up and the repercussions are wide-ranging especially when a low level gang member from the enemy camp, throws a spanner in the works of the buy out Paddy, the gangster, has in mind by orchestrating a close personal loss. His sister, a nun, seems to attract everyone to do her bidding, including a self-loathing wife used to taking abuse, and a weak-willed brother..and a malevolent and persistent policeman. Thwarted, The family seem always to prevail. At the end, there's a sharp twist opening up the door for a sequel/

An action packed, violent drama about gangland Manchester. Where a war has broken out between the two sides of Manchester after the king of the north Paddy o'brien has been stabbed. Paddy has to decide wether he wants to go and sell his side of the business and live in Thailand or sell it to the Boddington gang on the south side.

I like Marnie's style of writing and how she managed to describe each different characters with their own stories but brought them all together to an excellent ending. That you didn't see coming. Cant wait for the next book.