A debut novel of an abusive marriage to an underworld gangster with the tables being turned and the wife raising up to take over the mob and seek revenge.

This is an enjoyable read with a good twist at the end.

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic gritty gangland thriller.
When Graces violent ex husband returns home from prison she realises that in order to live her life in peace she must go to extreme lengths. A story full of colourful characters, a brilliant storyline with many twists and turns. I will deffinatly be recommending this book and will be looking out for the next in the series. 5 stars from me!

I received an ARC of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grace and Nathan's story is one of twisted obsession and vengeance. In order to escape her abusive marriage, Grace framed her husband. He ended up imprisoned and she assumed his mantle of crimelord in order to build a safe and secure life for their son. When Nathan is released from prison he is determined to gain back all of the ground he has lost and begins a reign of terror.
It is up to Grace to ensure he is stopped.

I had several misgivings about this title that contributed to a lower rating: Grace's unwitting fascination with, and attraction for her brutal ex-husband was difficult to fathom. The secondary cast of characters lacked depth, and some of the plot twists were either too outlandish or too convenient.

The Boss follows the life of the main character, Grace. It goes back and forth between past and present. The past tells of the time when she was married to Nathan, an up and coming crime boss. She was his passive and often abused wife. The present tells who she is now. She, herself, became the crime boss when he went to jail. Unfortunately, now he's out and he wants control back of "everything" - including Grace. He has no idea that she has taken control of a portion of the criminal world. She manages it from behind the scenes and she is trying to keep her full reach a secret. Together, they have a college age son, Jake. He is the single most important thing to Grace and she will do absolutely anything to protect him. Knowing that, Nathan often threatens Jake's well being in order to manipulate her. However, Nathan would truly never do anything to hurt his son. Through the past and present viewpoints, insight is given into why Nathan is as messed up as he is. However, it doesn't excuse the callous way that he treats Grace and the horrendous things he does to her and to others. It definitely helps you to understand why she felt the need to take charge of her life in the way that she did once he'd gone to prison. She was determined to never be at anyone's mercy again.

The Boss is a gritty and realistic story that shows how one woman is empowered to take charge of her own destiny to protect herself and her son. Grace is a brilliant woman who is strategic in her business dealings, surrounds herself with loyal people and treats them well.

Caz Finlay is a name to watch! Kudos to her for an engrossing storyline with some twists that I didn't see coming. The Boss was an impressive debut!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The Boss is a crime syndicate novel which has a good story, strong characters and pace. The development & unveiling of Grace’s character through the novel is especially good.

Grace falls for Nathan, who runs a gang which does drugs and has other businesses. He is good looking and a charmer. Once married, however, there is a violent streak to Nathan which terrifies Grace. She learns later that Nathan has had a difficult childhood – adopted and also faces abuse. There is very little she can do, but she also knows she cannot survive her marriage. Nathan goes to prison and Grace has her freedom for a few years. She uses the period to fortify her position – divorces Nathan, builds - mental strength, contacts, friends and a business. She also has her son Jake who provides her purpose and determination. As Nathan comes out of prison though, and continues to meet her regularly, she is not sure how she is going to cope. Nathan knows her weaknesses, and is ruthless.

The story shuffles between past and present and converges very well towards the end. The build-up and the ending are very good as well. The development of Grace’s character, and her determination to cope with her position makes for excellent reading.

My rating: 4.5 / 5.

WOW! I love this book, Caz has excelled herslf with this, her debut novel within one of my favourite genres. A gritty tale of family treachery, bonds and the love that lies side by side with cruelty too. It will have you on the edge of your chair till you reach the end. It is a fantastically gripping story and then there is the end! If you are like me and Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller are your go to authors for gritty crime then Caz Finlay should most definitely be your next stop! Congratulations Caz, cannot wait for your next one!

There are good books and stories, there are great books and stories and there are amazing books and stories especially a debut one. Guess where this book fits? At least for me, this book was amazing, and the fact that is a debut it's even more alluring.
Grace is The Boss now, running her own business after her husband was imprisoned for murder, she will do everything to keep her and her son's life safe and away from all the cruelties and dangerous life situations of her ex-husband as he is back in their life. Nathan wants to go back to his previous life, to earn his wife back, her trust and his family.
Going back from the moments they met and how everything started in their life, Both Grace and Nathan are telling the story from their pov, and for me that is a big bonus because, although Nathan might be the villain in this story, it's a great thing to get into his head, with his thoughts and insecurities as well as his not so nice plans.
There are so many twists and turns in this story that will keep you glued throughout the pages to find out what happened and what will happen next. The last chapters and especially the ending as definitely not what i was expecting and i am so glad i choose to read this book.

Looking forward to more books from the author as I'm sure it's going to be a great ride with her next stories.

I am starting to love the books that turn between the past and the present; it makes the reader understand more fully the characters and the story.
This is the story of Grace and Nathan, their beginning and how the things start getting worse… till the present. They had something nice in the beginning, but Nathan is not a trustworthy man, and after serving his prison years, he is ready to win all of them over again; his gang, friends and of course Grace… But Grace hasn’t spend the last years waiting for him, she is ready to fight and has some hidden weapons to fight him, you simply have to wait and see!
I love the books where the main protagonist is a strong character that has no fear to protect her loved ones; the fire, the passion that was in their relation now is fire against each other, in a war that no one would love to be near!
This had been a twisted and addictive thriller, I don’t usually read about gangs, I feel like I don’t fully understand their motives or their way of acting, but this book has been different, it kept me glued on the story till the end. Original, well written and twisted, really what more can you want in a book?
I really can’t wait to read more about characters, fingers crossed we’ll know more about them soon!
Ready for The Boss?

Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.”
― André Malraux

I seem to be saying this a lot just recently, but what a terrific debut novel this is!


Nathan Conlon was a notorious Liverpool gangster before he was put behind bars for 12 years. Now he’s out, and he intends to take up where he left off, and that includes trying to win back his ex wife Grace, who divorced him while he was inside. Grace however has other ideas, she’s not the cowering complicit wife that she once was, she’s been running her own successful empire without any help from Nathan, in fact she’s determined to take revenge on him for the way he treated her in the past. She’s the boss now - the head of the ‘firm’ and there can only be one boss! Grace doesn’t intend to suffer his psychological cruelty or the physical beatings ever again. And so begins the war between the two of them, where secrets and betrayals are all part of the game!

Raw and gritty, ‘The Boss’ is a real page turner, with some truly frightening gangland characters, the storyline was compelling, and there was a great twist to come! Highly recommended.

Wow...what a brilliant debut from Caz Finlay. This book gripped me right from the start.

The book has two main characters - Nathan Conlon and Grace Sumner. Nathan is a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Grace and Nathan used to be married but after suffering much abuse from Nathan and whilst he was serving a long stretch in prison for murder she persuaded him to divorce her. Nathan is now out of jail and want's to win Grace back. However Grace has now made a life without him, she is a strong and independent woman. Nathan is making her life a misery....just how far will Grace go to get him out of her life!

This is a gripping, fast paced story gangland story with an explosive ending that you will not see coming.

If you are a fan of Kimberley Chambers, Jessie Keane & Jacqui Rose then you will love this story.

A well deserved 5 star rating.

5☆ A Gritty, Full of Twists, Spine Tingling Must Read!


WOW oh wow what a gripping start to a new Ganglit Series.
Right from the first chapter I was hooked and drawn in.
It's hard to believe this is Caz Finlay's Debut book!

Grace hasn't always been strong, she is the ex wife to Nathan a notorious gangster, manipulative and a Bully.
Nathan has just got out of prison and he's back on the scene wanting to have a better relationship with his Son Jake.
But Grace knows what Nathan is like and she has her guard up!

See Grace has changed alot since Nathan was inside!
She's become stronger and wiser with the help from a special friend!
Grace will stop at nothing to protect everything she has worked so hard to build, and she is determined to make sure Nathan doesn't lead their son astray or hurt him!

Wow I loved every minute of this Gritty, fast paced, dramatic, twisty Ganglit story.
It was everything you come to expect and more from this genre.
It had plenty of juicy twists, the characters were very well developed that evoked the right emotions for example I loved Grace but detested Nathan! Perfect!

I really appreciated the past and present storyline, as i really got to delve into why Grace was the way she was and I was rooting for her the whole way through.

There is enough suspense, tension, intrigue and drama to keep you turning the pages,
I for one devoured this book in just two days I was so caught up in the lives of Grace and Nathan!

So if you are looking for a gritty, fast paced, spine tingling, twisty Gangland Thriller then you need to read THE BOSS by Caz Finlay.

I am so excited to read more of this series, if this is just Caz's debut book.... then I am eager to see what's next!
Caz Finley is definitely an Author to put on your Watch Out for List!

Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Absolutely fantastic read.
Better than all the well established crime writers.
Can't believe this is the 1st book this author has written.
Can't wait for the next.
Thanks

Perfect psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend!

New Book and New Author.........and OMG what a fantastic read The Boss by Caz Finlay. I loved it!

This brilliant book is the first book in a brand new gangland crime series featuring Grace Sumner and its set in Liverpool,
It alternates from the past to the present. You read about the main characters - Grace and Nathan and learn about their lives and what happens to them, how they met and how they are connected to each other, It focused on their relationship between them and their only son Jake.
Nathan has a very dark nasty side to him and Grace thinks she can get one over on him!

But can she be free from him?

WoW...........I loved the twists and turns throughout especially the dynamite last few chapters!

Caz Finlay is an author to look out for in the future.............Her first book was an explosion to the gangland word of new books!

Highly recommend her new book.......Looking for the next book in this series.

If you love these authors Jessie Keane, Kimberly Chambers, Emma Tallon, Casey Kelleher and Jackie Rose, this is an author for you.

Big Thank you to Killer Reads and Netgalley for an ARC.

Set in Liverpool, the reader is pulled into the gritty gangland world where power/control; manipulation; fear; violence; drugs; revenge; intimidation; mind games; family; greed; loyalty; infidelity and hatred rule.

🤜🏻💥🤛🏻 BOOM! An absolutely brilliant opening that instantly intrigued me – I HAD to know more! How is this a debut novel? The story is told via a dual timeline and various third person POV’s – what I love about this is that you get to know more about what is happening from the different perspectives. The whole picture is delivered as a total tease until the revelations unfold and you are left picking your jaw up from the floor!

The novel is perfectly paced, with short, sharp chapters that leave you NEEDING to turn those pages! I love the setting and it’s clear the author has a compelling approach to bringing this genre into the present. And I can’t leave out the nail-biting, brilliant, OMFG moments – Caz Finlay has NAILED IT.

Character-wise we have Grace Sumner – a force of nature and not one you want to mess about, that’s for sure. She is strong, independent and fierce as f*ck. Grace would do anything to protect those she love – ANYTHING! But will she get her happily ever after?

Nathan Conlon – a law unto himself, I was both drawn and repulsed by him. Overall, he’s a nasty piece of work and absolutely underestimates Grace…BIG MISTAKE. Manipulative, cunning, selfish – this guy made my skin crawl. Will Karma get him?

#HesNasty

I’m desperate to talk about more of the fabulous cast of characters in this novel, but I think that would ruin it – as each one plays a role and it was fun to see who would succeed and who wouldn’t.
#ReadTheBook!

Do I recommend this read? You bet your sweet arse I would. Gritty, raw, fierce and addictive, The Boss is perfect for those who just LOVE a gangland thriller. I love when I come across a new author, and Caz Finlay is well on my radar now.

An explosive gangland thriller from a terrific debut novelist set to become Liverpool’s answer to Martina Cole: Caz Finlay. The Boss is a nerve-shredding and gut-wrenching tale of vengeance, deception and ruthless ambition that is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Grace Sumner had been madly in love with Nathan Conlon. Good-looking, charismatic and confident, Nathan was envied, admired and feared by friends, lovers and enemies in equal measure. Grace had thought that all her Christmases had come at once when she became Nate’s girlfriend and when they became husband and wife, she had hoped for a lifetime of wedded bliss and marital happiness. But then again, Nate Conlon was as far removed from Prince Charming as it was possible to get. A notorious gangster with a ruthless streak who thrived on danger and violence, Nate was a criminal who always got what he wanted and who controlled Liverpool’s criminal underworld. Nate thought that he would rule the gritty Mersey streets for the rest of his life – until he had been banged up. Imprisoned at Her Majesty’s Pleasure, his criminal empire was there for the taking and there was one person who filled Nate’s shoes with unflinching ease and alacrity: Grace.

Grace is no longer the infatuated girl who worshiped the ground Nate walked on. After he had been sent to prison, Grace has seized control of the family empire and is now the boss of the mean streets of Liverpool. Respected, feared and revered, Grace has worked hard to get where she is and she is not about to give up her claim on the streets without a fight. Nobody is going to take her place – not even Nate, who has just been released from prison and is keen to muscle in on what is now her territory.

Nate doesn’t take kindly to being replaced and discarded – especially by his ex-wife! Nate has never shied away from a fight and he intends to reclaim his position as the boss and he will do whatever it takes to make sure that Grace is no longer a problem. However, what Nate doesn’t realise is that his ex-wife is equally as ruthless and that he’d better watch his step because she is the boss now – and she intends to stay that way!

In this dangerous game for supremacy, there can only be one winner. But who will be emerge victorious? And who will end up with nothing?

A heart-thumpingly good thriller where the stakes are high, the action never flags and the suspense will leave you breathless, Caz Finlay’s The Boss is a mesmerizing read that will keep you on tenterhooks desperate to find out what is going to happen next. Shocking, thrilling and jaw-droppingly twisted, The Boss is a phenomenal tale of danger and revenge featuring a fabulous heroine who is more than a match for Dolly Rawlins and Lucky Santangelo: Grace Conlon.

A superb thriller from a writer to watch out for, The Boss is an exceptional debut novel by Caz Finlay!

This book is an absolute cracker! A seriously explosive book in what promises to be a fabulous series. So we'll written it's hard to believe it's a debut novel. Fantastically well developed characters and a story that keeps you turning pages. Excellent.

Holy Smoke….there is a new Gang land author in town guys who you are going to love because I certainly do! Wow Freaking Wow what a story it has totally blown me away. My head is actually spinning from all the tension. Crikey, what has this book done to me?!

For me it is all about the beginning and ending of a story. Well with this story I was gripped from the start, the author pulls you in slowly whilst getting to know the main characters Grace and Nathan. Who have plenty of history together, alternating between the past and present building up to one of the best endings I have ever read. Be prepared to have your socks blown off not only is the ending heart pounding it is simply electrifying. A proper OMFG moment.

I am in utter shock that this is the author’s debut novel it read like she has been writing for years. You can feel the tension and anxiety with the characters each page leaving you wanting more.

One of the things that I loved was that it only has a handful of characters which made it easy to keep up with. Grace is a brilliant head strong character and Nathan….well I just wanted to knock his block off!

Those of you that follow my reviews know that this is my favourite genre so I am always looking for that something special that makes them stand out from the crowd. Caz has definitely nailed it. I can not praise this book enough.The Boss is Grit Lit with a Capital G giving it all the stars.

Perfect for fans of Kimberly Chambers and Kerry Barnes. With such a fantastic ending I really do hope there is more to come.

Thank you to Killer Reads for a copy and to Sarah Hardy for inviting me to take part on this epic tour.

The Boss is the first book in a brand new gangland crime series by debut author Caz Finlay featuring Grace Sumner and set in Liverpool, and if this is anything to go by this is indeed an author to keep an eye on. As a qualified Probation Officer, Caz has always been fascinated by the psychology of human behaviour and the reasons people do the things they do, and this feeds beautifully into making a very readable and compulsive story. It has it all — a gripping well-executed plot, a thought through & thrilling backstory, palpable tension and concludes in a truly epic showdown in famous gangland stylee.

The writing flows superbly from one page to the next and once I started reading I was effectively held captive for the afternoon as it was so easy to fly through the short, snappy chapters. Grace is a feisty, strong female and I found myself cheering for her numerous times throughout. At its heart, this is her story and a family drama enriched by the gangland connections her father has. It alternates between past and present telling her story as she struggles to wriggle from her ex-husband Nathan's manipulative grasp. It's absolutely nail-biting and all-consuming with unexpected twists left, right and centre. A truly excellent, must-read thriller.

Recommended, especially to fans of Martina Cole, Jessie Keane, Kimberly Chambers, Casey Kelleher and Jackie Rose. Many thanks to Killer Reads for an ARC.

This is a great first book and I look forward to reading more from Caz Finlay.
Grace has been getting on with her life since her husband went to prison and she has made her own mark in the criminal world.
She’s learnt from Nathan’s mistakes and is making a success of things until he’s released from prison.
Now her ex husband, he still thinks he’s got a hold over her and starts to make her life a misery.
They have a teenage son together who is keen to get to know his Dad but Grace is very wary of this.
Grace has a good support network and any one of them would kill for her but she realises she’s got to be clever to get rid of Nathan once and for all.
The final few chapters will take your breath away and will have you racing to the end to see what happens.
I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this author.
Thanks to Harper Impulse Killer Reads and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.