Kimberley Chambers 3-Book Butler Collection: The Trap, Payback, The Wronged

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Vinny Butler only ever enjoyed shagging birds up the rear. Not only was the hole tighter, it saved him from having to look at their stupid faces. It was then that she received a phone-call from her friend Hazel, who asked if she wanted to take a hair dressing course. It was then that Chambers decided to try her hand at writing a novel. A few days later, she began writing her premiere novel Billie Jo. When she told her family about her new aspirations, they believed that it was a fad and that she would grow tired of this new venture as well. You know what you are getting with Kimberley Chambers and rarely does she disappoint. This time we begin in Summer 1939 when Hitler had just invaded Poland. The Wade family are a step above the East End slum-dwellers. They have a 2-bed house and a hot meal on the table every day. The family consists of mum, dad and two daughters. One of those daughters is 12-year-old Queenie.

I discovered Kimberley Chambers about two years ago when looking for similar books to Martina Cole. I read the synopsis for The Feud, started to read it and after a week of hardly any sleep I finished the trilogy and was telling anybody who would listen how fantastic it was. I then eagerly awaited the release of The Schemer. It was in January 2013 however when Kimberley wrote the book that would give the Mitchell/O'Hara trilogy a run for its money and that book was The Trap. I wrote a review for it where I said it would be the best book I'd read in 2013. Well I read 160+ books in 2013 and The Trap was the best one. Where do I start, fans of Kimberley Chambers will love this and I firmly believe this could be her best book yet. You do need to read the first 3 in this series in my opinion to fully experience this story..

If You Like Kimberley Chambers Books, You’ll Love…

Wedding's, Death, funerals, Births, Sex, Drugs.......... this book has it all, and mixed together makes a whole bit pot of Butler madness. I loved getting to know and understand Queenie better. Having a fairly normal upbringing until the war happened which then turned her and her families lives upside down. More so for her and her mother. Queenie finds a friend and mother figure in their new neighbour Mary, Mrs O’Leary. I loved the bond between them both. Romanas (mano supratimu) akivaizdžiai per ilgas. Nesutinku su knygos nugarėlėje pateikta nuomone, kad „jei mėgstate šiurkščius, nenušlifuotus detektyvus, šis romanas jums patiks“. Jei dar tik ruošiatės skaityti šią knygą ir tikitės detektyvinės istorijos, –detektyvo elementų šiame romane beveik nėra, bet knyga sukelia įdomų įspūdį: autorė sugeba suintriguoti skaitytoją, tiesa, kuo ilgiau skaitant, tuo labiau veiksmo įtikinamumas mažėja. Autorė labai nuvertina Anglijos policijos darbą: susidaro įspūdis, kad ši bejėgi ne tik tirdama smulkius nusikaltimus, bet ir nužudymus. And that's not a criticism of the author or anything that she was doing in this book. It's just not my genre. Chambers was an extremely smart and gifted student in primary and secondary school. Her best subject was English. For reasons unknown, Chambers grades began to plummet. When she was eleven, she states that “things began to deteriorate.” After a few years, her academic life became so stark that she decided to leave her secondary school.

Not for the faint hearted this, so put on your seatbelts and prepare for a rollercoaster. My name is Queenie and this is my story’ We have Albie, a cheating and drunk bastard of a father, Queenie, the head of this crazy bundle and 4 children: Vinny, Roy, Michael and Brenda. So when Kimberley Chambers decided to give us Queenie's story I just knew it was going to be a blinder of a read. Vinny oh Vinny ....... is over the moon to be working alongside Eddie. Vinny is now aged 56 and life is looking good and certainly on the up, new club and at last he has met the one woman who might just be someone he wants to settle down with.I will just say that I am glad I started this over the weekend because I have done nothing but "sat on me arse" all day long to finish this. I know it says that the book can be read as a stand-alone but, honestly, I think you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't read the other books by this author, especially the Butler and Mitchell books (where we are first introduced to Queenie). The great thing about Tainted Love that it is hard to write a review and not reveal the plot, hence why I am unwilling to even give a guide to what happens between 1986 and 2001. One thing I will say that it is completely gripping, realistic and believable, especially when dealing with Whitechapel and the changes that came to the East End in the 80s and 90s. Those changes are also part of the problem for the Butler’s. As you would expect the dialogue between the characters is as usual spot on full of humour, sadness, and sometimes anger, it gives the reader a wonderful insight into the Butler’s life, like many families they are protective of their own (most of the time anyway!) they argue, fall out, make up and fall out again! But it’s this that makes them credible characters. Another thing that’s amazing about this authors writing is her attention to the small details, whatever era she is writing about she brings it to life with descriptions of the fashions and music trends, they transport you bang into the East End. I'm worried about going into the storyline to much as I fear I will end up giving to much away, but I want to scream and shout about this book, I want you to read it and enjoy it as much as I have, so I'm not saying any more about it other than, Go and treat yourself. Buy the bloody book.

I probably could drop a star as it didn't have the intensity or the rollercoaster ride of the previous books but, as I did enjoy it and couldn't stop reading it, it gets the full FIVE STARS from me. Kimberly Chambers is one of those rare authors who has a gift for creating colourful characters, that are larger than life, you feel you know them inside out, and despite their flaws (they all have plenty of those), a small part of you can’t help but fall in love with everyone of the Butlers. it’s a testament to the authors writing that she is able to make you laugh and cry at their antics, love and hate them, all in the space of a few minutes!

The Future for Kimberley Chambers and Payback

As Tainted Love is the fourth book in this series, I had reservations KC would not be able to match the high caliber of her previous books, but bloody hell I was wrong, not only has she wrote another blinding book, but she has surpassed herself. This is a book stuffed with tension, violence,and treachery, which moves along like an express train, leaving you no time to catch your breath! Believe me when I say “you are in for a hell of a ride”. As the book reaches its climax I was left breathless, so much happens in Tainted Love I really felt I was on the worlds biggest roller coaster, my emotions were all over the place, as secrets are revealed that will change the Butlers life’s for ever. Vinny managed a smile for the first time that day. "We're hardly that family out of Little House on the Prairie, Mum, but I do know where you're coming from." For fans of Kimberly Chambers Butler family, we discover how Queenie became the woman she is today - the experiences that moulded her thoughts and actions, and most importantly, how she ended up being matriarch of this much feared (though respected) gangland family. This is a great book to immerse yourself in and for fans of the Butlers a must read that cant disappoint and brings a huge feel good factor to her fans and readers Is my daddy famous, Nan?’ Ava enquired innocently. Queenie couldn’t help but smile. ‘Yes, darlin’. Your daddy is a legend.’"

I can’t actually say that I ‘liked’ most of the characters as to be honest the majority scared the crap out of me but they certainly intrigued me enough to read on. I have to say that Vinny Butler Senior really made my skin crawl and was my least favourite character. I couldn’t help but keep my fingers crossed that he got what was coming to him in the end. The characters were really well written and I couldn’t help but read on to see what fate had in store for them. I am a bit of a nosy old bat in that sense. There were one or two scenes that were a bit too gratuitous, even for me! I suppose they are in there to fully portray what the character was really like, deep down. This series covers a span of just about 30 years. Throughout each book the lives of the Butlers were tainted with dark secrets and hatred coming from those who have felt the wrath of this family. Revenge and betrayal is known by all. Be it the wives, the children, the boys or the men in the business. There was no escaping it. I searched for that silver lining but just couldn’t find it. It was the nature of the beast I guess.She does recap on the other books throughout this book but I do believe you should read the series of the Butlers and the Mitchells to really enjoy the climax.