Playing with Fire By Stephanie Harte
East End Crime Family Series
✔︎ 1. Playing with Fire (2022)
✔︎ 2. Burning Bridges (2023)

Having read this, the first book in The East End Crime Family series I dived right into the 2nd book. This book was so good I was actually glad I was a little behind in my reading so I could read them back to back.

A superb start to a series. Superb, believable characters and a fresh storyline to keep you gripped.

When the Sunders family loose the Man of the family his daughters decide they need to step into his shoes. His business is now theirs.
Its not going to be an easy task and we know there will be obstacles and hurdles along the way.
I really can't praise this book enough and it's been added to my Best reads this year. I was glued, exceptionally good and kept me hooked throughout.
The best book yet by Stephanie and that's some going as all her books have been good.

This is an addictive gangland crime thriller.
This is well written. A great page turner. As can be expected, some of the characters are unlikeable.

Didn't like this as much as some of her other books. I've read quite a few books by this author which have been great. Some of this one seemed very far fetched

The girls are in charge in Stephanie Harte’s exciting and electrifying new gangland thriller, Playing with Fire.

Mia’s wedding day was meant to be the happiest day of her life – until her father, underworld loan shark Davie Saunders, was gunned down and murdered in cold blood. Davie’s family are sure that a rival East End family is responsible for the hit – and it is up to his wife and three daughters to take control of the reins and ensure that his empire does not fall in to the wrong hands. However, Amanda and her three daughters quickly realise that they are in way over their heads…

Mia is shy, reserved and somebody who does not like to be the centre of attention. With no experience whatsoever of giving orders, Mia is going to have to learn fast and grow a very thick skin – because if she doesn’t, the consequences could be deadly. Her sister Kelsey is more concerned about her own personal problems and about keeping her shocking affair with bodyguard Trevor a closely guarded secret. Baby of the family Scarlett’s focus is on her education and is kept firmly out of the family business, but with her whole life having imploded, she is going to have no other choice but to get stuck into the murky world her family operates in. With former model mum Amanda determined to do whatever it takes to get what they are owed, the Saunders family cannot afford to put a foot wrong because the stakes have never been higher and their enemies are watching and waiting for just the right time to strike again…

Stephanie Harte’s Playing with Fire is a fast-paced, nerve-jangling and heart-pounding thriller Martina Cole fans are going to lap up. Stephanie Harte brilliantly evokes the danger, terror and jeopardy of the criminal underworld and in Playing with Fire, she has written a dark, exciting, chilling and jaw-dropping page-turner full of strong female characters stepping up to the plate determined to prove that they are just as capable as the men at calling the shots.

Gritty, gutsy and hard to put down, gangland thriller fans will not want to miss out on Stephanie Harte’s Playing with Fire.

If you're a fan of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers you'll love this latest book by Stephanie Harte!

This was a gripping family saga detailing the need for the Saunders girls to step into the breach when their Dad is gunned down at Mia's wedding. They do so surprisingly well despite the family business being debt recovery which involves the use of brute force and violence. Add into the mix vengeance, affairs, deceit and a stabbing and you'll be flying through this book in no time. There's definitely the potential for follow up books too so I'd love to see each of the daughters being the feature of their own novels.

Go out and buy this book, you won't regret it!

Oh my goodness what a book. I'm just getting my breath back. This kept me gripped to my seat from the first to the last page. Personally, this was Stephanie's best for me.

Davie Saunders runs a debt collection agency and is a part-time gangster, He keeps his wife and three adult girls in perfect princess mode they want for nothing.

His daughter Mia is planning her perfect wedding in a Scottish pink castle.

But on the day of her wedding tragedy strikes and the girls' lives change forever. Can they step up to the challenge?
With a lot of twists and turns, this fast pace book will definitely keep you guessing.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this excellent book. xx

This was a enjoyable read, lots of twists and turns, a great gangland book. This is the first book in the Saunders family saga and I hope there is more to come

Loved this book! Loved the unique story, loved the characters. It kept me suspenseful and hooked from the first page!

All debts must be paid in blood…. Love the author love the book absolutely outstanding! A perfectly paced and beautifully observed story...

Playing with Fire by Stephanie Harte was an enjoyable read and a great book to take on holiday. It was fast pace with lots of great twists and turns throughout. Davie Saunders is an underworld loan shark a hard man, he is married and has three beautiful daughters. Everything was perfect Mia his eldest, is getting married to a man of her dreams. Her father Davie and her mum Amanda are happy for her.
Mia's sisters Kelsey and Scarlett. are all excited for Mia's wedding in Scotland. Mia always wanted a winter wedding, what could go wrong?

Bang!!! A gun is fired and someone falls!!!

Everyone is shocked!

This day should be perfect and the best day of Mia's life! Someone has been shot!!!

Why? and who?

Mia, Kelsey and Scarlett want to step up and look after their father business, but they don't have a clue how to run it.
They have always been cared for by their father. If they wanted something their father gave it to them.

Will they succeed and carry on where he left off?

Or will they loose everything?

I highly recommend this latest book I loved it.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’d like to thank Head of Zeus and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Playing With Fire’ written by Stephanie Harte in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In Davie Saunder’s’ line of business in debt collection and money laundering it’s not surprising he has enemies but when tragedy strikes and he dies from a single gunshot wound to the forehead following his oldest daughter Mia’s wedding in Scotland, someone needs to be made to pay. Davie’s three daughters, Mia, Kelsey and Scarlett, know nothing about his business but together with Davie’s wife, ex-model Amanda and Rio his loyal friend and minder, they decide to take over control of his business.

‘Playing With Fire’ is the fourth novel I’ve read by this author and in my opinion is by far the best. The story is well-written and very gripping as the three sisters barely out of their teens and each with her own strengths and weaknesses, come face to face with their father’s enemies. It’s an outstanding gangland thriller that’s had me totally hooked from page one, through each hard-hitting disaster and every twist and turn, until the shocking and unexpected conclusion is reached. This is the first thriller featuring the Saunders family and is outstanding in the characterisations and narrative which has made it an easy and extremely enjoyable read. I’m hoping this is just the first part of a long and exciting series and am looking forward to reading more of this family.

The readers who might like this book are those who want fiction at its most frivolous. While frivolous fiction is useful at times, the rest of the time it is unreadable.

Amazing book. Keeps you wanting more. So many twists that keeps you captive. Brilliantly written. Next please.

A good book to read with a good plot and characters that go together it also has twists and turns and fans of the author will love it.5*

Loved this book but sorry about late review had internet . Would highly recommend this book and hope there is a second book to follow up this one .

The is the second title I have read of the above author, it doesn’t disappoint, the plot was brilliant and the build up was even better, I hope this author continues writing amazing books as she could become one of my favourite ones

Davie saunders is a loan shark and is gunned down at his daughters wedding. Amanda ,davies widow and his 3 daughters make the decision to run the underworld business with trusted rio.Are they biting off more than they can chew? Do they get their revenge for their father?? Its cracking. Highley recommend

A good twisty and quick read from Stephanie Harte. The plot centres around a gangster and his three daughters. Although it became a bit repetitive at times and unrealistic, I still enjoyed the read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Davie Saunders lives in London with his wife Amanda and his three daughters Kelsey, Mia, and Scarlett. He loves them dearly. He runs his own Debt Collection agency and part gangster but keeps most of his business details secret from his three girls. Who has never wanted for nothing, until the day of Mia’s wedding when he is shot dead at the ceremony?
When Mia and Kelsey find out the truth of their father’s business, at first their mother thinks that they will shy away from the truth, but they want to seek revenge for their father’s death. Who they think has something to do with the Colemans after the retaliation of their father killing and getting rid of one of them, they try and shield the youngest sister Scarlett and want her to carry on with her university course. But Scarlett is not happy with the situation. But is soon distracted by CJ who she meets while shopping. Who Killed Davie and why?
Thank you, Head of Zeus for a copy of Playing with Fire by Stephanie Harte. This is another addictive gripping, Gangland thriller the author she never disappoints. I loved it so much I read it in 24 hours. I really like the Saunders family. Each one of the girls are different with their strengths and weaknesses but all have the same goal. This had an ending that I wasn’t expecting. I hope that this story continues. I like to see how the story pans out. 5 stars from me.

Davie Saunders is an underworld loan shark a hard man but a loving husband and father to his wife Amanda and three daughters,Mia,Kelsey and Scarlett.
When his gunned down at Mia's wedding Amanda and the girls need to step up and take control of business.
Mia is shy and has no experience of the business but can she surprise everyone?
Kelsey is head strong and likes to get her own way,she's having a secret affair with the family bodyguard.
Scarlett is the baby and they want to keep her in the dark about what really goes on in the business.
They will stop at nothing to find out who killed Davie.
Another gripping story by the author.
Id like to read more about the Saunders women,I think there's more to tell especially about Mia's husband Jack I didn't trust him.
Thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the ARC