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Anne Brooke
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Maloney's Law: A dark London thriller about loss, intrigue and murder Kindle Edition

by Brooke Anne (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 80 ratings
Paul Maloney is about to make a decision he will live to regret ...

Paul Maloney, a small-time private investigator from London, reluctantly accepts a case from his married ex-lover, Dominic Allen.

Before he knows it, Paul finds himself embroiled in the dark dealings of big business and the sordid world of international crime. The deeper he pushes, the closer he comes to losing everything he holds dear.

Can he solve the mystery and protect those he loves before it's too late?

Maloney's Law was shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2006 (for novels set in London) and the Royal Literary Fund Mentoring Scheme, and longlisted for the Betty Bolingbroke-Kent Novel Award.

Reviews:

"Once again Anne Brooke has produced a book which is high in emotional intensity and yet never strays into hysteria. Her descriptions of setting, character and situation all combine to make Maloney's Law an unforgettable read." [Well Read Reviews]

"Maloney's Law by Anne Brooke is a gay romance and mystery. It's also a dark, deep and poetic gay romance and mystery. I confess I love novels written in the first person and present tense, but I also know it's quite difficult to write them well. But not, apparently, for Brooke. Her novel is exceptionally well-written." [Rainbow Reviews]

"This book grabbed me from the first page and held me until the very last, when I closed it, sniffling and crying. Readers, this is good stuff. But a romance it's not, though it's about love in all its forms, painful and beautiful. It's a hell of a trip. It's a story about loss, love, atonement and hope. It made me cry a number of times, but it leaves you with a sense of going forward." [Outlaw Reviews]
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Maloney
  2. Print length
    387 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 31, 2012
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AVJIJFI
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Anne Brooke Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 31, 2012
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 3rd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 387 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Maloney
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 80 ratings

About the author

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Anne Brooke

Anne Brooke

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Anne Brooke writes fiction about prime-time women & how they live their lives. She's also a poet. She loves gardens, swimming and the theatre.

Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize (for novels set in London) and the Royal Literary Fund Scheme.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
80 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book exceptionally well-written and appreciate its intriguing plot, with one review describing it as a mesmerizing narrative that grips readers from the first page. The characters receive positive feedback for being true to life.

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9 customers mention "Writing quality"9 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as exceptionally well-written, with one customer noting it's a beautifully crafted mystery.

"...But she does it so skillfully, so masterfully, writing so beautifully, that the reader will follow her into the darkness and then back out of in a..." Read more

"Plot was good. Some of the writing good. A little too much past reflection." Read more

"...But not, apparently, for Brooke. Her Maloney's Law is exceptionally well-written...." Read more

"While this book was beautifully written, extremely well-edited, and filled with suspense and mystery, I couldn't find much, if anything, to like..." Read more

8 customers mention "Suspenseful plot"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful plot of the book, with one describing it as a propulsive thriller that mesmerizes readers from the first page.

"...writes for children, writes comedy, short stories, novellas, and full-length novels...." Read more

"Plot was good. Some of the writing good. A little too much past reflection." Read more

"...It's also a dark, deep, and poetic gay romance and mystery...." Read more

"...book was beautifully written, extremely well-edited, and filled with suspense and mystery, I couldn't find much, if anything, to like about the two..." Read more

4 customers mention "Character depth"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the characters in the book, finding them true to life.

"...The characters have depth. They are real people, not cardboard cutouts moving about...." Read more

"...It's so well-written, the characters, the action, the settings, the emotions, that I was mesmerized by the sheer talent and skill of Ms. Brooke...." Read more

"...The author has created real people in ML . The characters are so true to life, flawed, not all bad, not all good, and not heroic or intelligent out..." Read more

"Love the characters and the plot. Well written and kept me interested. Not a love story and no HEA. Got murder and intrigue." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Gloriamarie Amalfitano
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, just brilliant
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    "Paul Maloney, a small-time private investigator from London, reluctantly accepts a case from his married ex-lover, Dominic Allen. Before he knows it, Paul finds himself embroiled in the dark dealings of big business and the sordid world of international crime. The deeper he pushes, the closer he comes to losing everything he holds dear.

    "Can he solve the mystery and protect those he loves before it's too late?

    "Maloney's Law was shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Prize 2006 (for novels set in London) and the Royal Literary Fund Scheme, and longlisted for the Betty Bolingbroke-Kent Novel Award. (less)"

    Anne Brooke is one of the most versatile and luminous writers I have ever read. She writes for children, writes comedy, short stories, novellas, and full-length novels. Every single thing I've read has challenged to think differently and stretched my comfort zones. No matter what genre she is writing, she shows us that all human beings share the same concerns, the same issues, the same problems.

    Maloney's Law is a beautifully written mystery. It grabbed me from the first word. It starts out with a seemingly straightforward investigation of a potential business deal. The characters have depth. They are real people, not cardboard cutouts moving about. She takes the time to give them personality, to show them in relationships in a believable manner.

    One of the things that Brooke excels at is making me interested in characters that I dislike. I intensely disliked Dominic. The more I knew of him, the more I couldn't stand him. The least offensive thing he did was cheat on his wife repeatedly. He had an affair with his administrative assistant and then fired her, with a large pay-off to keep silent. Brooke is a Britsh writer and I don't know British law from the back of my head, but here in the USA we have laws against sexual harassment and I really hate it when employers initiate a sexual relationship with an employee. What's worse, Dominic was planning to have sex with his new administrative assistant. And there is worse to be said of him but I'll keep it to myself because "spoilers, sweetie."

    Paul, our hero, is a complicated man with a childhood tragedy overshadowing his entire life. He and Dominic had an affair which Dominic ended because that's what he does. Dominic is a serial cheater, has short-terms affairs and ends them abruptly if he senses any sort of threat to his marriage. Paul is deeply in love with Dominic. Very deeply in love and I didn't and still don't understand it because even before I found out the worst about him, I couldn't stand Dominic and I wanted better for Paul. I was really invested in Paul. I see a lot of myself in Paul.

    Paul investigates, then investigates even more deeply. Something truly horrible happens which triggers bad symptoms of PTSD. It's hard to write because I don't want to give anything away. I want readers to make the same discoveries as did I.

    I won't kid you, in many ways, this is a dark book. Brooke will take the reader to places maybe the reader doesn't think the reader wants to go. But she does it so skillfully, so masterfully, writing so beautifully, that the reader will follow her into the darkness and then back out of in a redemptive kinda way.

    Made the happy discovery that there is a sequel. I am so delighted by that. I can't wait to see what happens to Paul and I very much want him to find some happiness.

    Brooke is not a well-known author. She deserves to be more widely known. Read her stuff, tell your friends.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Intense
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Plot was good. Some of the writing good. A little too much past reflection.
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  • Ron Fritsch
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dark, Deep, Poetic Mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Maloney's Law by Anne Brooke is a gay romance and mystery. It's also a dark, deep, and poetic gay romance and mystery.

    I confess I love novels written in the first person and present tense, but I also know it's quite difficult to write them well. But not, apparently, for Brooke. Her Maloney's Law is exceptionally well-written.

    Paul Maloney, a 30-year-old gay private investigator in London, takes on a lucrative assignment. It's from Dominic Allen, the physically desirable and wealthy investor, with a wife and two children, who abruptly and coldly terminated his and Paul's torrid 11-month affair three years and four months ago.

    Paul is precise like that with dates and times. His idiosyncrasy also makes it easy for readers to know where they are in the story, especially in the scenes set in the past. That's important in this novel. Paul suffered a horrifying game-changer when he was six, and he brought another one down upon himself when he was 19 and should've known better.

    But what begins for Paul as the possible revival of an affair with the man he's still in love with soon becomes a far more sinister matter.
    In that regard, I congratulate Anne Brooke for boldly creating a devastating development at the halfway mark in her novel.

    Nor does Brooke wish to leave us with the contentment of a tale in which good simply wins and evil loses. In Maloney's Law, as in life, it's a mix. Dominic might be the bad guy, but he's not all bad. We sympathize with Paul, but he's clearly no saint.

    The frosting on the cake of this novel is the writing. So Paul says, early on: "God alone knows what this man was ever doing with someone like me." Later he ventures to ask: "When will I be free of it, this rock-hard certainty that, even when the book between the two of us seems closed, somehow, somewhere there's another chapter not yet written?"

    I thank you, Anne Brooke, for writing this story.

    (As originally reviewed on Rainbow Book Reviews. Please visit [...]
    3 people found this helpful
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  • W. J. Kibler
    3.0 out of 5 stars Don't go looking for a HEA.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    While this book was beautifully written, extremely well-edited, and filled with suspense and mystery, I couldn't find much, if anything, to like about the two main characters. Both were amoral, selfish men. Paul lacked self-esteem and self-respect - traits that were consistently demonstrated by his self-serving actions. He pined over lost love, with most of his behavior dictated by his desire to still please this other man - Dominic, an arrogant adulterer (with two children at home) who happens to be even more amoral, sociopathic, and selfish than Paul. The character development made me stop reading for a while to determine if there was a reason to continue with this book. I did continue through until the end. I finished the book feeling heartbroken and saddened by the intense losses incurred by ALL of the characters. There are no winners here. There is no HEA. There is just a faint hope that Paul can find a small glimmer of happiness in his unpredictable future.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Harshinib
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
    Reviewed in Australia on August 18, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book made me cry, want to punch the ex and hug Paul. Its tightly written, with a fast paced plot & i couldn't put it down. loved the PI rules
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  • Dr Max
    4.0 out of 5 stars More than a murder mystery and less than a romance
    Reviewed in Canada on September 17, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    In Maloney's Law Anne Brooke has written a book I found somewhat difficult to categorize. I liked it, liked it a lot, in fact, but I also had mixed feelings about the way the characters were portrayed and the story was allowed to unfold. I was expecting the usual slash fiction with a happy ending and more explicit, repetetive sex than necessary but that's not what this book provides.

    There's a bit of a slow start as we meet Paul Maloney, his secretary and researcher Jade, and his ex lover Dominic Allen. Paul is a small time private investigator in London. He's been on his own since Dominic dumped him some years ago and now, out of the blue, Dominic is back, asking him to do some investigative work for him. From that springboard, the story takes off, with action in Cairo as well as London.

    We learn that Paul may have moved on in many ways but he's still attracted to Dominic and it's this attraction that entraps him in a very complex case of intrigue and murder. Sadly, one of the most liked characters is sacrificed and that tragedy brings Paul back to previous losses in his life. There's more than just industrial espionage going on, however. it turns out there's a complex plot of using and being used, of dominating and submitting, and, finally, of caring and not caring.

    I'm still not sure I liked the way the story unfolded. I think I might have liked a little bit more foreshadowing before the surprise explained everything. And I'm not sure I like my principal characters to be tortured, not when they're clearly troubled but fundamentally good. Still, at the very end, our hero makes the right choice but what a ride it was to get to that point!

    I'd like to give more information on the events in the story but since this is a mystery, I don't want to give any of it away ahead of time. I liked the story a great deal and would be delighted to read a sequel. In the meantime, this gets a solid 4 stars out of 5. Just be prepared to be shocked and dismayed when a character you've gotten to like is dealt with. It's a shock.
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  • Green
    5.0 out of 5 stars The book I was looking for.
    Reviewed in India on April 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The gripping emotions thredded by the words was the page turner for me. Paul was a complex man lying in the grey zone of life, a relatable character who makes not good choices sometimes, different from all good protagonists. The plot was excellent. Thank you, author.
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  • Peabody
    4.0 out of 5 stars Wirklich gut!
    Reviewed in Germany on January 18, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Anne Brooke schreibt keine Heile-Welt-Geschichten - aber interessant sind sie fast immer. Und besonders Maloney. Er kriegt kein glattes Happy End. Trotzdem (oder deshalb?) ist der Schluss ausgesprochen gut und schlüssig. Dabei mag ich eigentlich keine Geschichten ohne Happy End, die deprimieren mich normalerweise.

    Aber hier musste ich unbedingt die Fortsetzung lesen (Bones of Summer). Tja, was soll ich sagen: der 2. Band ist noch besser!

    Beide Bände funktionieren sowohl als Krimi und als auch als Beziehungsroman. Empfehlenswert!
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  • kindle reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Sometimes, when I download a Kindle book I get pleasantly surprised and can't stop thinking about the MC and their trials and tribulations. This was one of those times.
    Maloney's law was a very enjoyable, well-written thriller and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read.
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