Jail Bird

August 22, 2011
When Lily King, who was convicted in a London courtroom of murdering her unfaithful gangster husband, Leo, gets out of prison after serving 12 years, she has her plate full in this underwhelming crime thriller from Keane (Scarlet Women). Besides trying to identify the real killer, Lily wants to reconnect with her two grown daughters, all the while staying out of the way of Leo’s brother, Freddy, who has sworn to kill her. Lily is surprised to learn that Leo had multiple lovers, widening the field of suspects—and disappointed that elder daughter Saz, who still blames Lily for Leo’s death, isn’t delighted to have her mother show up on her wedding day. Predictable plot developments, including a love affair and numerous brushes with death, fail to engage. Readers interested in a more convincing view of the contemporary London underworld featuring a strong female lead should seek out Roberta Kray’s gangland novels (The Lost, etc.).