She was a madam in a brothel and a gangster’s moll, but now her protection is gone and her enemies are closing in.

1971, London gang boss Annie Carter Barolli is living the New York high life with the feared mafia godfather Constantine Barolli. Then family tragedy strikes, leaving only Annie, Constantine’s sister Gina and his three children alive, and now they’re in terrible danger. And what’s worse – it signals a major shift in mafia power.

Annie returns to London with her daughter Layla, pursued by a hit man. Someone wants her dead and the only way she can stay alive is to find out who’s paying for the contract and to strike first.

Then, the reappearance of an old East End face sparks a shocking suspicion – the possibility that Max Carter, Annie’s first and greatest love, didn’t die two years ago, as she had been led to believe.

Has he truly just been playing dead?

“This is the sort of competition Martina Cole could do without and if Keane does hit the No. 1 spot it could be handbags, or more likely knuckledusters, at dawn ” – The Northern Echo

‘This is a sensational return for Annie Carter… this book will keep you riveted with its twists and turns, its murders and maimings, its relationships and its cruelties…  she has got the formula for successful writing exactly right, and she deserves it’ http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/

‘Jessie Keane has yet again produced an outstanding book… Lots of twists and surprises all the way through, combined with brilliant writing made for a top notch read in my opinion’ http://www.bestcrimebooks.co.uk/