Martina Cole is one of the most successful crime writers in Britain. Known for her hard-hitting stories, unforgettable female characters, and gritty tales of the London underworld, she has become a household name among fans of crime fiction. Over the last three decades, Martina Cole has written bestselling novels, inspired television dramas, and built a reputation as the “queen of crime.”
From her breakthrough novel Dangerous Lady to her latest release No Regret, Martina Cole has remained one of the most popular and influential authors in modern British fiction. Readers often want to know who Martina Cole is, what her books are in order, her net worth, whether she has a husband or partner, and which of her novels have been turned into TV series.
Quick Bio of Martina Cole
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Eilidh Martina Cole |
| Date of Birth | 30 March 1959 |
| Birthplace | Essex, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Crime Novelist |
| Genre | Crime, Thriller, Gangland Fiction |
| Famous For | Dangerous Lady and other bestselling crime novels |
| Years Active | 1992 – Present |
| Children | 2 |
| Latest Book | No Regret |
| Estimated Net Worth | Around £20 million |
Who Is Martina Cole?
Martina Cole is a British novelist best known for writing crime and gangland fiction. She was born in Essex and grew up in a large Irish Catholic family. Before becoming a writer, she worked many different jobs including cleaning, nursing, and supermarket work. Her life changed when she began writing stories inspired by the world around her.
Cole always had an interest in books and storytelling. She wanted to create characters that were strong, flawed, and believable. Unlike many crime writers, Martina Cole focused heavily on women living in the criminal world. Her female leads are often powerful, fearless, and determined to survive no matter what challenges they face.
Her first novel, Dangerous Lady, was published in 1992 and became an instant success. The book introduced readers to Maura Ryan, a woman who rises through London’s criminal underworld. The novel sold extremely well and launched Martina Cole’s career.
Since then, she has written more than two dozen novels and sold over 14 million copies. Her books have been translated into many languages and remain popular with readers across the world.
Dangerous Lady Martina Cole: The Novel That Changed Everything
When people think of Martina Cole, the first title that often comes to mind is Dangerous Lady. This was her debut novel and remains one of her most famous works.
The story follows Maura Ryan, a young woman who becomes involved in London’s criminal underworld. Maura is not a traditional heroine. She is ambitious, ruthless, and determined to gain power in a dangerous world dominated by men.
What made Dangerous Lady different from other crime novels at the time was its focus on a strong female character. Martina Cole created a heroine who was tough and memorable, and readers immediately connected with her.
The success of Dangerous Lady transformed Martina Cole into a bestselling author almost overnight. The book later became a television drama and helped establish her reputation as one of Britain’s leading crime writers.
Martina Cole Books in Order
Many readers want to read Martina Cole books in order because some of her stories feature recurring themes and connected characters. Here is Martina Cole’s main book list in publication order:
- Dangerous Lady (1992)
- The Ladykiller (1993)
- Goodnight Lady (1994)
- The Jump (1995)
- The Runaway (1997)
- Two Women (1999)
- Broken (2000)
- Faceless (2001)
- Maura’s Game (2002)
- The Know (2003)
- The Graft (2004)
- The Take (2005)
- Close (2006)
- Faces (2007)
- Hard Girls (2009)
- The Family (2010)
- The Faithless (2011)
- The Life (2012)
- Revenge (2013)
- The Good Life (2014)
- Get Even (2015)
- Betrayal (2016)
- Damaged (2017)
- No Mercy (2019)
- Loyalty (2023)
- Guilty (2024)
- No Regret (2025)
Among these books, Dangerous Lady, The Take, The Runaway, and Maura’s Game are especially popular. New readers often start with Dangerous Lady because it is the novel that made Martina Cole famous.
Martina Cole Net Worth
Martina Cole has built a very successful career over the years. Although she has never publicly confirmed her exact wealth, her estimated net worth is believed to be around £20 million.
Her fortune comes mainly from book sales. Martina Cole’s novels have sold millions of copies in the United Kingdom and internationally. She has also earned money from television adaptations, speaking appearances, publishing deals, and documentary projects.
Because many of her books continue to sell year after year, Martina Cole remains one of the highest-earning crime writers in Britain. Her long-lasting popularity means her net worth has steadily increased over time.
Martina Cole Husband and Partner
Martina Cole has kept much of her personal life private, which is why many people search for information about Martina Cole’s husband or partner.
Cole married at a very young age. She was only 16 years old when she first married, but the marriage lasted for about a year before ending in divorce.
Later, she married again during the 1990s. However, this marriage also ended. Martina Cole has not publicly revealed many details about either husband, and she has rarely spoken about her relationships in interviews.
As for whether Martina Cole currently has a partner, there is no confirmed public information. She prefers to keep her private life away from the spotlight.
Despite this, Martina Cole has often spoken about the importance of family. She has two children and has balanced family life with her writing career.
Martina Cole Latest Book: No Regret
Martina Cole’s latest book is No Regret, published in 2025. The novel continues the themes that have made her famous: crime, betrayal, revenge, loyalty, and the struggle for power.
No Regret was written in collaboration with fellow crime writer Jacqui Rose. It follows the success of their previous books, Loyalty and Guilty.
The story explores the dark side of family loyalty and the consequences of decisions made in the criminal world. Like many Martina Cole novels, No Regret features strong characters, tense drama, and unexpected twists.
Readers who enjoy Martina Cole’s earlier books are likely to enjoy No Regret because it stays true to the style that made her famous. It combines emotional drama with gritty crime fiction and has already attracted attention from longtime fans.
Martina Cole TV Series and Screen Adaptations
Martina Cole’s novels have not only been successful as books but have also been adapted for television.
Dangerous Lady
Dangerous Lady was adapted into an ITV television drama in 1995. The series brought Maura Ryan’s story to life and introduced Martina Cole’s work to an even larger audience.
The Jump
Another of her novels, The Jump, was adapted into a television drama in 1998. Like her books, the series focused on crime, family, and power.
The Take
One of the best-known Martina Cole TV series is The Take. The drama starred Tom Hardy and became very popular. The story follows Freddie Jackson, a dangerous criminal who wants to control the underworld after leaving prison.
The performance of Tom Hardy received strong praise and helped make the series one of the most memorable adaptations of a Martina Cole book.
The Runaway
The Runaway was also turned into a television series. Based on her 1997 novel, it tells the story of Cathy Connor, a young woman trying to survive after running away from home.
The television adaptation was praised for staying close to the original novel while adding extra drama for viewers.
Documentary Series
Martina Cole has also appeared on television as a presenter. She hosted documentary-style series such as Martina Cole’s Lady Killers and Martina Cole: Girl Gangs – Los Angeles.
These shows reflected her fascination with crime and gave viewers a closer look at the real-life stories behind criminal behaviour.
Why Martina Cole Remains So Popular
Martina Cole has remained successful because she understands what readers want. Her novels are full of tension, emotion, and unforgettable characters. She writes about loyalty, betrayal, family, and survival in a way that feels realistic and exciting.
Another reason for her popularity is that her books are easy to read but impossible to forget. Readers often finish one Martina Cole novel and immediately want to start another.
Her female characters are especially important. Before Martina Cole, many crime novels focused mainly on male gangsters and detectives. Cole changed this by creating strong women who could survive and even dominate in dangerous situations.
Today, Martina Cole is still one of the leading names in British crime fiction. Whether readers are discovering Dangerous Lady for the first time or enjoying her latest novel No Regret, her books continue to entertain millions of people.
For readers who enjoy crime fiction, Martina Cole remains an essential author. Her books have left a major mark on British literature and television, and her popularity shows no sign of fading.
At Globe Gist, Martina Cole is recognised as one of the most influential modern crime writers. From her bestselling novels to her successful television adaptations, she has built a career that few authors can match.
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