“Never Be Broken” was a fascinating, poignant and very current novel that drew me in from the start. Although it is book six in the DI Marnie Rome’ series, it was my first one. This did not hinder my enjoyment of the story.

I found it completely captivating and I am delighted to have stumbled across another brilliant author and series.

I highly recommend it to readers who favour the thriller genre.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Headline via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

At its heart, Never Be Broken explores the devastating nature of violent crime, in particular knife crime, and touches on an issue that of late has reached crisis point especially in the city of London but also to a lesser extent elsewhere. This, the sixth novel in the DI Marnie Rome series, is probably the best so far and is a gripping, cleverly woven tale which will hold you in its grasp from start to finish but will also move you as it touches on prevalent real-world issues. The writing is as readable as ever, the twisty turny plot throws up surprise after surprise and the range of emotions you go through shows just how talented Ms Hilary is.

It explores the gang culture which exists in the larger cities and the dynamics between the different groups and the way that can lead to gun and knife crime. It also talks of the impact on those who bore witness to the crime and the family of both the victim and then later the family of the convict. This is a superb amalgamation of true crime, as the gangland environment has clearly been researched extensively, and fiction with regards to Noah, Raffa and the rest of the cast. What stood out to me was the reluctance of the residents to engage and talk to the police indicating police mistrust and the fact that when weighed up against the case of a white individual, the murder of a black character was given much less attention and resources.

A fantastic read which manages to be compassionate and sensitive but also both touching and illuminating. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.

Marnie Rome is a great heroine, and this book does not differ! A griping case, with some personal issues behind the scenes, Noah is having a few issues, great drama pays out within the novel.!

I found this to be a very dark and disturbing read, it was well written and had a captivating plot but the subject matter was somewhat difficult to digest at times. Having said that I wouldn’t want to take away how brilliantly Sarah Hillary writes. I was drawn into this absolute cracker of a book and felt almost traumatised by the end.

Overall a brilliant and terrifying read

Never Be Broken is the sixth book in the DI Marnie Rome series by Sarah Hilary and it is probably the best yet.

The story is very topical dealing with the deaths of teenager from knife and gun crime but the writing is far from standard as it draws you up into the story and then twists and turns you inside out.

The main characters are well fleshed out and both develop throughout. The other supporting cast are also well described and memorable.

The book is well paced and us one that you don't want to put down.

Whilst this story starts a few weeks after the ending of book 5 it can be read as a standalone without any issues although your TBR pile may well increase as you seek out he others in the series

Definitely recommended

I find it somewhat ironic that Sarah Hilary should choose to name this latest book in the Marnie Rome series Never Be Broken. Broken is exactly how her books leave me ... Every. Single. Time. As ironic as it is for me as a reader however, it is absolutely fitting when taken in the context of not only the story but when thinking about the resilience of her two lead characters, Marnie Rome and Noah Jake.

What I love about Sarah Hilary's work is how she always manages to capture a very relevant and topical story of modern life and weave it into a story which will captivate, shock, entertain but also educate the reader. It is not done in a way which comes across as preaching or overtly political, but she always manages to capture society at its most vulnerable, to capture the heart and soul of society and make it accessible to readers, engaging them in a series of what if's and there but for the grace of god kind of revelatory moments.

In this book she is exploring the current alarming trends of 'county lines' - the exploitation of young and vulnerable children to move drugs and other objectionable merchandise around the country without fear of detection for those in charge of the enterprise, and of the all too regular murder of London's teenagers, through gun deaths and knife crimes. These are situations that hit the headlines with frightening regularity, no longer confined to London, but certainly most prevalent there. And it is no longer just members of gangs who are targeted and fall victim to such brutality, and it is after the inexplicable murder of a young girl from an affluent part of the city that we join Marnie and her team who are tasked with getting to the root cause of all of the murders and putting a stop to them.

This is an emotionally charged novel, not just because of the nature of the crimes that the team are investigating, which are horrific and senseless enough. You are faced with grief from all angles, and the differing ways in which parents cope with loss. The gamut of emotions from anger, to resignation to a sense of determination and hope, are all represented in a sensitive and authentic way, the author tapping into all of the readers senses in creating that dramatic tension.

It makes for compelling, if occasionally difficult reading, especially when you factor in that at the heart of it all is poor Noah, a man who is coming to terms with his own recent loss in a surprising and yet understandable way. Noah is a well loved character and it breaks your heart to see the impact that loss is having on him, particularly when you consider the cause of his grief and how it links to the case he is now investigating. It leads to him taking chances, ones which put him in danger, sometimes in very unexpected ways.

This novel also taps into the post Brexit vote divisions which have sadly arisen across the country. Nothing new in the presentation of racism and intolerance perhaps - that has always existed - but the way in which certain factions feel that the vote validates their beliefs and gives them the right to express them more overtly than they ever dared before. And that sense of the disenfranchised people of the run down council estates who are being looked over and turfed out all in the name of gentrification is so beautifully expressed that you feel anger for them as you read.

The book is full of tension which drives the narrative beautifully. It is not always an easy read, if only because of the overwhelming sense of grief and sometimes despair that emanates from the pages. But look beyond that and you see the superb partnership of Marnie and Noah, tested to its limits as Marnie struggles to know how to help her Sergeant, but still a joy to read. Such compassion and determination from both of them, that real heart which drives this whole series compelling you to read onward.

And the ending - going from nerve-wracking action to a calm, heart warming moment in which one of the victims mothers calls for peace and an end to the violence which claimed her child's life - is pitch perfect. It sums up how senseless all of it is, and yet provides hope that there is still a chance for things to change. It brought a lump to my throat, no mean feat believe me.

Tense, emotional and heart-felt and extremely topical, this is another stunning offering from Sarah Hilary, one you would be a fool to miss. If you love Marnie and Noah, this book will captivate you and then break you, before slowly putting you back together again. Brilliant stuff.

I really struggled with this book and actually found it very hard to finish. I have read the plot so many times. It really held no surprises, was confusing and jumped about a lot. It did not hold my attention.
Not for me.
I would like to thank the author, Joffre Books and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review

4.5 stars

This sixth instalment deals with the major issues of knife crime, gang killings and the trafficking, drugs, intimidation and corruption associated with this. It also spotlights mental health issues within the force and the impact that personal bereavement can have on the ability to perform and deliver when consumed by grief and guilt. All brilliantly woven into a gripping mystery which, as always with these books, kept me riveted and turning those pages.

I love this series and praying that there's more to come! Whilst this could be read and enjoyed as a stand alone I'd recommend reading in order or you won't get the full benefit of the back story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Marnie Rome has long been one of my favourite detectives - I read the first four very close together after a recommendation and then have had to endure the wait between subsequent ones!

This book has a very relevant setting in the world of knife crime and gang killings that seem to have become an entrenched part of the London scene. The author doesn't hesitate in her handling of these very modern tragic themes.

Against this background, we catch up again with Marnie and her team, with the book focusing particularly on Noah, her DS, and how he is not coping well with the loss of his brother and his inability to do his job well because of this personal tragedy. Marnie almost fades into the background and the book is a little poorer for this.

I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the previous ones, but it is very well written and illustrates some very contemporary issues wrapped in the personal perspective of one of the main characters.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

Never Be Broken – Sarah Hilary

This is the sixth book in DI Marnie Rome series and I think they just get better and better. The author has been rather skilful weaving the back-story of DI Rome enticing us into her life, hers and the rest of the team especially DS Noah Jake. I loved the fact that in this book Marnie wasn’t the main character Noahs story was more prominent. I’m hoping that this series will run for a few more books, please thank you muchly as my great niece would say.

DS Jake is back at work following the death of Sol his younger brother in prison a prison that he put him in. Although Noah in his heart he knows that Sol is gone but to him his brother is still there talking to him (sometimes at inappropriate moments) but there’s some gallows humour to be smiled at. Sol is his subconscious trying to tell him that he is missing something. I felt for and worried about Noah, he seemed to be having an awful time moving forward.

Marnie attends an RTA near the Erskine Towers which when gets there is not at all what she was expecting. Sam a young woman had jumped out the window of the building landing dead on top a car. It initially appears as if Sam has jumped to escape a fire in her home. What makes this even more surreal is that Noah was involved but seems rather detached and emotionless, wouldn’t we all.

Two days earlier we have two more brutally senseless murders Frankie Reece stabbed through the heart outside a shop and Raphaela Belsham shot in a drive by. Raphaela or Raffi as she preferred to be know was a white thirteen year old girl shot near her fathers exclusive (read expensive) home. When they visit the Belshams to question them it soon becomes apparent that both parents have issues the most troubling being those of Mr Belsham. Blaming people of colour for all that is bad in the world the sight of Noah is like a red rag to a bull sending him off on a racist rant and he’s absolutely adamant that his daughter has no link to Erskine Towers or anyone in it.


The author has taken us to world and politics of gang culture and knife crime something that is especially relevant in today’s climate. Knife crime and violent death headlines in the UK news are becoming the norm. My heart goes out to all of the mothers and fathers out there who are grieving. I believe that there must be something done, there must be some way of making our future and that’s what they are realise that they are worth much much more.

Read for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Headline Publishers

This is a shockingly bleak and disturbing addition to the DI Marnie Rome series, it crawls beneath the surface of the nightmare national tragedy that is the rise of knife crime, gang culture and the horrifying exploitation of vulnerable young girls. Carrying on the tradition of the series, Hilary delves in the social, economic and political aspects of communities and policing in London, covering themes that could have been ripped from today's news headlines in our troubled contemporary world. This novel has a markedly different vibe from others in the series as we are immersed in the process of grieving and mourning from events that occurred in the last book. DI Noah Jake has been left understandably reeling and haunted after the murder of his brother, Sol, as he comes to the forefront whilst DI Marnie Rome shifts to the background. Inevitably his state of mind affects his ability to do his job, raising the question whether he really should be working at all.

Children are dying on the streets of London, but the issue becomes significantly more high profile when 13 year old Raphaela 'Raffa' from Muswell Hill is shot dead in a drive by killing. Unlike other victims, Raffa is white, from a well off background with a family that has more influence. Raffa's family are unwilling to accept that there is any connection with Raffa and the other victims from the blue collar London tower blocks in the vicinity of the horrors of Grenfell, like the Erskine Tower block. Raffa though had been visiting the tower block. Noah is receiving counselling and seeing and talking to the ghost of Sol, all part of his process of coming terms to with his devastating loss, as he determines to do all that he can to prevent further deaths of young people.

Sarah Hilary continues to explore complex emotive themes and crimes with her difficult to read about storylines here. Her depiction of gang life is heartbreaking in its authenticity. She atmospherically evokes a great sense of location with the characters, communities and crime that she creates whilst framing it within the personal tragedy and loss that is tearing Noah apart. All in all, this is a highly emotional read, and one that makes this one of the more harder one's in this series in the toll it takes on the reader. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.

Not my favourite book in the series to date. Struggled to get into it and did restart it. Noah is struggling after the death of his brother and the case he is working in us triggering issues. The team as a whole try and protect him but at the same time there is s case to solve where children are dying. The book deals with drugs gangs and knife crime so important topics just feel there was something missing in the character depth

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC of this book. This is already the 6th book in the DI Marie series, can you believe it. Times sure does fly when you're having fun!
This book, like all the others, draws you in from page one, and doesn't let go until the very end. It reads nicely as a standalone, but do treat yourself and read the previous books.
Recommended.

Another fantastic Marnie Rome book. She is becoming one of my favourite police characters. Gripping from the beginning and a storyline that keeps you wondering throughout.

Kicking off with a prologue that will instantly draw fans of the series straight into the pages, and make you wonder just what Sarah Hilary has come up with for us this time, , with such a clever opening that had me worried.

In fact I was worried about DS Noah Jake throughout the book, as he is not handling the events at the end of the previous one that well, although its hardly surprising.

I would say that this book can't be read as a standalone, and that if you are new to the series to pick it up from Book 5 at the very least, just so that this, book 6, will make that much more sense. The story lines that have been running through the series are incredibly apparent in this instalment. but we also have fresh crimes to turn our attention to.

This is where I struggled slightly initially as there were a bunch of names that kept cropping up, for deaths that we didn't fully learn about but seemed relevant somehow. And then there are two deaths within 24 hours, seemingly at first unconnected, but as crime readers know its very rare for their not to be a connection, the question was what and how.

And that is what stumped me and kept me reading, while I learnt along with the police just what was happening. Because the Marnie / Noah dynamic was different in this book, I felt less connected, as it was so hard seeing Noah like he was, yet there was still evidence at how great a policeman he his.

This is another solid book in the series, I just didn't feel it was the best, but still very enjoyable and had me wanting to continue reading even when real life intervened.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This story makes you think. It is up to date and poignant and dark. There is a lot of crime and a lot of characters all pulled together in a brilliant book that will stay in my thoughts for a while.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

[GIFTED by Netgallery and Headline in return for a review].

Never be Broken is the sixth novel to feature Mer detectives DI Marine Rome and DS Noah Jake. It takes on the tough and uncompromising look at gang culture in London and touches on the sensitivity of the topic that we hear a lot about in mainstream media these days.

When teenager Raphael Belsham is gunned down in a drive by shooting Marine's team are sent to investigate the murder. There are other children’s deaths being investigated but Raffa as she is known is different, white with affluent well connected parents. Noah, still grieving for his brother, Sol, takes all the deaths to heart and is determined to make a difference.

At times it is an uncomfortable read both with the situation and the emotion involved in Noah’s grieving process, but it makes for a powerful read. The book is very fast paced and we are introduced to a whole can of different characters. I did find it quite hard to stick with at times but it was a story that stuck with me during the times I wasn't able to read it. I really liked how Sarah Hilary brought the character's story to a close at the end too, it was very clever!

I would highly recommend it.

This book was a disappointment. I felt that it lacked depth and content which was a shock as I have previously enjoyed the rest of the books in the series.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of this.

I throughly enjoyed this, the characters are well written and likeable and the story is interesting and constantly engaging.

I thought Noah’s struggle with his grief and guilt over his brothers death was really well written and honest.

All in all a brilliant read and would highly recommend this.

Never to be Broken by Sarah Hilary. (A DI Marnie Book)
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

An easy read, great detective police procedure story with a little difference, when DS Noah Jake still sees and talks to his dead brother Sol. Having this quirk in the story allows the reader to connect with the main characters because you understand their weaknesses and vulnerability.
Their case brings them in contact with the lower spectrum on the social ladder as they hunt for the killers of young girls. The murders and deaths seem to be linked with a tower block known for drugs and knife crimes and other misdemeanours.
'DI Marnie Rome is also a 'real' person as we get to understand how her family are also her weakness.
I recommend this book to lovers of mysteries and police procedures and of course the paranormal genre.