Run by Mandasue Heller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Pan MacMillan



Blurb from Goodreads

Run by Mandasue Heller is a gritty story of Manchester's criminal underworld, from the bestselling author of Afraid.

After being cheated on by her ex, Leanne Riley is trying her hardest to get her life back on track, which isn't easy without a job and living in a bedsit surrounded by a junkie and a mad woman.

On a night out with her best friend she meets Jake, a face from her past who has changed beyond all recognition. Jake is charming, handsome and loaded, a far cry from the gawky teenager he used to be. Weary of men, Leanne isn't easy to please, but Jake tries his best to break through that wall she's built around herself.

But good looks and money can hide a multitude of sins? Is that good-looking face just a mask? What's more, what will it take to make it slip, and who will die in the process...


My Review

Leanne is out with her best friend on a night out, trying to enjoy herself and forget her idiot ex who cheated on her. The last thing she expects is a face from the past and what a beautiful face it has become, enter Jake. Jake had been a scrawny kid but has now grown into a beautiful young man and appears successful, nice clothes, has money, he appears to have it all. Leanne takes a chance and Jake is everything she could have asked for, but is there more to Jake than meets the eye and harboring a secret that could threaten everything they have.

Oooh this is a good one, we have waited a while for Heller's newest release and it is worth the wait, Leanne lives in a pokey wee flat, life is a bit rubbish and then boom, hello Jake. Their relationship goes from strength to strength, he is charming, attentive and dishy. Leanna experiences problems with her neighbour, there is a dead body and things become dark and dangerous.

Run opens with a chapter that pulls you in, no clues to identities of the people in the scene and then opens with introductions to our characters. The story breaks down into relationships, person demons Leanne has to overcome after being hurt in her previous relationship and taking a leap of faith on this one. Sex, violence, friendship, love, betrayal, blackmail are just some of the topics covered. Heller creates characters the reader becomes vested in pretty much from page one, action packed with themes of grief and loss, some sexual content and violence hooks you quickly. Thanks so much to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this, 4/5 for me this time, if you haven't read Heller before you are in for a treat and I advise you to get her back catalogue which are all great reads too.