Sandra Prior Books In Order

Publication Order of Taylor Family Books

About Sandra Prior
British novelist Sandra Prior is well known for her intriguing mysteries, as she casts a whole new exciting light upon the genre. Looking at the criminal underworld, many of her stories focus on the East End of London, as she features tough talking individuals throughout. This has proven to be enormously successful, with her stories being appreciated the world over, drawing in readers from far and wide. An inspired author, she knows how entertain, whilst also retaining a high degree of authenticity and realism throughout.

Capturing a darker side of life and human nature, Prior is also not afraid of some of the grittier aspects of the genre. She definitely knows what she’s writing about too, as it’s clear that she’s done her research as an author, with it feeling wholly real. From the dialogue to the situations, nothing has been left out, allowing the reader to feel as if they’re really there. This ensure that each of her books are difficult to put down as well, as they’re constant page turners, making for addictive and compelling reads.

There’s a filmic quality to her work that’s extremely addictive as well, as she writes novels that really feel grandiose in their approach. With heroes and villains, it’s almost operatic at times, which only makes it all the more compelling, something which is clearly evident with her many readers. Never quite knowing exactly who is thinking what, the audience is continually guessing, attempting to put the pieces together. This should continue for quite some time to come, as Prior has a lot more releases planned for the future in the years to follow.

Early and Personal Life:
Born and raised in Dagenham in the UK, Sandra Prior had a standard happy upbringing, brought up alongside a broth and four sisters. Interested in reading and writing from early on, she’d invest much of her time in literature, something which she would continue on into her adult life. Looking to dangerous individuals as her inspiration, she’d take a lot of time to create complex and intricate characters.

Moving into her adult career as a writer, she’d become a lot more adept at conveying the darker side of human nature. Studying at the Open University whilst raising her son from home, she’d gain English and maths qualifications, doing it through evening classes in her spare time. Later she’d also study Sociology, before going on to attend the University of East London, gaining a degree in Cultural Studies, and now continues to write from her home in Clacton with her partner and their youngest son.

Writing Career:
First publishing a novel back in 2012, Sandra Prior would come out with the book ‘Dangerous’, which was the first in her ‘Taylor Family’ series of titles. Later she’d follow this up with ‘Mickey’s War’ in 2014, and the third book ‘Diamond Geezer’ that very same year. A lot of her books would feature tough talking individuals from the East End of London, with a gritty portrayal of the criminal underbelly of the gangland life there. With the Taylor Family series being her primary focus, her writing career looks set to carry on too, with a lot more to follow.

Mickey’s War
This is the third book in the ‘Taylor Family’ franchise, and it would carry on directly from the last, whilst paving the way for the next. First brought out in 2014, it was initially released on the 31st of October through the JDD publishing house, not long after the previous title. All the books feature the same family living and working in the East End of London, as they deal with the criminal underworld and the gangland there.

Set around the 2012 London Olympics, this has a very defined point of time for the setting of the story, with it acting as the backdrop. It’s a blunt story that gets immediately to the point, and this is extremely effective for the type of novel that it is. Showing the East End in all its glory, it really gets behind what type of life that this is, allowing it to fully flourish on the page.

Mickey ‘Dangerous’ Taylor and his brother Martin are living off the profits of the criminal underground of the London East End. Fifteen years prior Mickey was in prison, now he seems to have finally made it, but it could be greed that disturbs his present contentment. Wanting to settle down in Stratford, he must first evict family friend Frankie from his plot of land there, along with Frankie’s scrap metal business. What happens when Frankie doesn’t want to go though? Can they come to some form of agreement? Who will win Mickey’s war?

The Kingmaker
Originally published through the JDD publishers imprint, this would be the fifth title in the ongoing ‘Taylor Family’ series of books. Featuring tough talking criminals coming from the East End of London, this was first released on the 30th of January in 2018. Continuing on from the previous novels, it would also feature another member of Taylor crime family, working and operating.

There’s a lot of twists and turns here that really keep the pace of the novel, and the series as a whole, running at full power. Not shying away from some of the more difficult elements of the criminal underworld, it definitely has something for everyone. With action and intrigue at the heart of it, the reader is never quite sure of who to trust, and what it is that people really want.

Now with Mickey ‘Dangerous’ Taylor out the picture, his son Tommy has taken over running the East End of London. Ruling over the gangland there, he’s fast shaping up to be the boss he’s always wanted to be, with drink, drugs and women, but there’s problems looming on the horizon. With issues arising in Ireland, along with his restless wife and mother’s scandals, he’s got his work cut out for him, and, on top of that Sharon appears to be manipulating from the sidelines. To what ends though? Does she have ulterior motives planned behind it all? Who really is the kingmaker?

2 Responses to “Sandra Prior”

1. Carole Shorey: 2 years ago

   Has Sandra Prior not written any books since The Kingmaker

   Reply
   • Graeme: 2 years ago

     Nope that was the last one she wrote.

     Reply