Bravo Heather Burnside. You've done it again. Got me gripped and invested in another brilliant read.
We follow the lives of a group of lads growing up. The things they get up to and the way their lives pan out.

The main Character being Macca is destined for a rough ride. This story takes you back in time and some of the issues mentioned in the book I can clearly remember.
The Strangeways riots.
Shell suits, (how can anyone forget those)
This book highlights how life change so quickly. How the wrong decisions can destroy lives. It also shows that with the right backing and sheer determination how you can change things around. But only if you really want to .
Another gripping yet easy to read story.

enjoyed this immensely

Heather has a way of making characters come to life. Such an exciting book that I didn't want to end

Another excellent read from Heather Burnside. The book had me gripped from start to finish.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Redemption by Heather Burnside was another excellent book that follows the story of Macca and the gang in Manchester. Their criminal activities escalate, he has a difficult decision to make but, will he make the right one? This latest book by Heather, was full of twists and turns from start to finish, especially as it can be read as a stand alone book and a great holiday read.

I highly recommend this book and all of Heathers books. They will not disappoint and always been a 5 star read

Big Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for my ARC.

This book hits you between the eyes from the first page and when you reach the end of the chapter you breathe out.

Set in Manchester a group of young boys hang around doing the odd shoplifting spree for devilment.
The main character in the book is "Macca".
A new lad Todd Brown joins the school with a reputation for being hard. He has been expelled from many former schools for his temper. He immediately joins up with the gang and befriends Macca. Todd has some ideas to escalate from small crimes to more intense ones.

The story is so easy to read. The characters are easy to follow and you come to love them, especially Macca.
It's quite an up-and-down story with sadness as well as smiles.
I loved this book and happily give it 5 stars.

I liked the sound of this book and thought I would give it a try. I found it a quick and easy read which I devoured in a day. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author

This is the first time I have read a book by Heather Burnside and a book of this genre. I had no idea what to expect going into this book but overall It was a book I will gladly over and over again.
I like the main character Macca. The first chapter is Interesting and sets up a good backstory for the main part of the story. It's interesting seeing a book come from this angle as I've never read a book quite like it. Macca has good motives however Todd appears to be very different. This becomes a lot more apparent as the story progresses.
At one point the pace started to slow but when Macca makes a split second decision everything chances. I like the inner thoughts of Macca when he realizes the consequences of his split second actions. . Things can change in a flash and sometimes you don't think of the consequences until it's too late. I was always rotting for Macca and Joanne and I hoped they would eventually get together. For me the ending of the story shows what is possible when people make the right choices. Overall a brilliant read, which I would definitely recommend to others who enjoy the genre. I am keen to read even more stories by this author.

A standalone book but following the theme of life in Manchester on the dodgy estates in Manchester. This is where you can still root for the 'wrong un's'. I always find these types of books to be a guilty pleasure. They are not high brow by any means but they are a great way to escape for a while. This book was somehwhat predictable but overall, an enjoyable read.

Redemption follows the story of Macca and the gang that he joins in Manchester. When their criminal activities escalate, he has a difficult decision to make.

I was instantly drawn into this gripping story.

Heather has perfectly captured a side to Manchester that a lot people might not know about. I really enjoyed the attention to detail on how life in Manchester in the 1980s would have been.

There were so many memorable parts in this book - from tense scenes that had me on the edge of my seat to jaw-dropping moments that I didn't see coming. It really got me thinking about how the choices we make in life can have lasting effects.

I found myself reading this addictive book late into the night, if I hadn't needed to go to sleep I would have got through it in one sitting!

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you netgallery for allowing me to read the book heather burnside is a brilliant author and this book is a stand alone blinding roller coaster had me gripped from the first page full review on amazon

Another fabulous read from this author. Honestly I've yet to read a bad book by her. This particular story once again centres on characters from disadvantaged backgrounds who do what they need to do in order to survive. This of course comes with many dangers. A fast paced story that flows seamlessly.

I’d like to thank Head of Zeus, Aries and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Redemption’ written by Heather Burnside in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Coming from a disadvantaged background in a rough area of Manchester, Macca’s only friends are Todd, Spinxy, Shay and Leroy. When they leave school at fifteen they don’t have jobs and the only way to make some money is by criminal means so they form a gang with Todd as their leader. Macca starts dating Joanne who has to keep their relationship a secret from her parents as she’s been brought up to be an honest girl but as Todd’s ideas become more audacious he expects his gang to take more risks and it isn’t long before Macca finds himself in trouble.

‘Redemption’ is an addictive standalone novel that begins in 1986 and tells of five boys whose lives take a downward spiral when they turn to crime. The story is well written with down-to-earth characters and a storyline that’s had me gripped from page one. The gritty plot is so exciting that with the drama, danger and suspense the tension has kept increasing and I had to keep reading until I’d reached the end. This is thoroughly enjoyable story that ends in 2011 as all the loose ends are tied up and we learn of the outcome of the gang of five but I must admit to having a tear or two in my eye when I read the final pages.

I absolutely LOVE the books by this author. I am always genuinely gripped by her writing and this book was no different.

You know when you find an author … and you KNOW you are just going to love the next book.

Mark (Macca) lives in a run down estate. This book is about the choices he makes, along with gang of friends. All they want is a decent life, but it doesn’t always work out like that. Sometimes you need to make bad choices to survive!

Book out 17th August

Who you hang around with can have a big reaction on the type of life you lead. Macca is a young boy at secondary school who meets Todd a slightly older boy who’d been expelled from another school and sent to the one Macca attended. Making friends from the off they soon have a little gang. Todd seems to be the natural leader and after a little bit of shop lifting they are soon on to bigger things. This book follows the gang and the paths they take. Some join the slippery slope of drug dealing and taking and are soon left behind by the rest of the gang. After prison time Macca has two paths one with his old friend Todd and the other with his cell mate JoJo. Will Macca finally pick the right path and turn into the type of person that his Gran always wanted him to be.

Very good story with characters to breath life into the book I have loved reading this book it had me gripped from start to finish 5*

Another good read from the author in the gangland genre. Set in Manchester, it's a steady read featuring a group of five friends and their life of criminal activities. I liked the characters, especially Macca, although Todd left me feeling irritated! The pace was steady throughout and I liked the ending, overall a good stand alone read in the genre. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Can she save him from himself?
Manchester Macca Mark McNeil and Spinxy Chris Spinx meet the new lad in school Todd Brown he's a right hard case coming from another school a year above him but Macca knows he wont get picked on any more.
After the ending of school Macca along with Todd and the gang do a lot of dodgy dealings to earn their crust to see their mum's alright at home, then Macca meets and falls for Joanne coming from a well to do family and training to be a hairdresser this is more than just a fling, and she gives him choices for their future till everything goes wrong and Macca finds himself doing time for manslaughter and makes a friend for life in JoJo a wise man that wants to make him a changed man on the outside world and include him in his dreams but will Macca take it?

I loved this story, Macca has lost a lot of people close to him throughout the years, It's such a good story right till the end, an easy heart warming read in places a perfect stand alone book to enjoy by readers.

Thanks to netgalley for this arc. This is written about a group of lads growin up on a run down housing estate. Macca and spinxy meet a lad named todd who is known to have a hatd man reputation.. Todd takes macca under his wing and its not long before macca is on the wrong side of the law, when he kills a man outside a nightclub after his friend leroy was killed. Macca is sent to prison and meets jojo who has a great impact on his life and encourages him to stay on the right side of the law when he gets out.. whilst i enjoyed this book, in my opinion i didnt think it was as explosive as some of the authors previous books.

Heather Burnside is one of my favourite authors, I love her ‘Working Girls’ series and have also enjoyed her ‘Manchester Stand Alones’
In ‘Redemption’ ( also a Manchester stand alone ) we follow a gang of friends as they negotiate the end of their life at School and go forward into their careers…of crime, the book then follows what happens to them all with the main character ‘Macca’ ( Mark ) being the focus
We meet some interesting folkon the way as ‘Macca’ and the others get into all kinds of strife and bad life choices
Well written as always the book keeps you involved and paints a realistic picture of what life was like for these friends, good and bad and everything inbetween and I enjoyed it being sent mainly in the 80’s ( although does move on in time as the story progresses )
Another enjoyable read from this author

Thank you to #NetGalley, Aria & Aires Publishers and Heather Burnside for the opportunity to read an advance copy of REDEMPTION, to be published 14 August 2023. Five young men in Manchester grow up and learn to live lives of crime, starting with petty stealing, which within several years turns into major crimes for which they are incarcerated. This crime-related novel would be enjoyed by people who like to read about relationships and how criminal behavior begins. 4/5 Stars #NetGalley. #Aria&Aires. #HeatherBurnside. #Redemption