Ducking and diving is a way of life down Lancaster Road; all the Ryans are at it. But Michael, the eldest, has ambitions way beyond petty crime. At first, his little sister Maura, turns a blind eye to her beloved brother’s misdeeds. Then Maura decides to join the family ‘firm’. No one thinks a seventeen-year-old girl can take on the hard men of London’s gangland, but it’s a mistake to underestimate Maura Ryan: she’s tough, clever and beautiful – which makes her one very dangerous lady. Together, she and her brother Michael are unbeatable but notoriety has its price. The police are determined to put away Maura once and for all – and not everyone in the family think that’s such a bad idea. When it comes to the crunch, Maura has to face the pain of lost love in her past – and the dangerous lady discovers her heart is not make entirely of stone. DANGEROUS LADY was adapted for television in 1995, starring Susan Lynch, Jason Isaacs and Owen Teale.