A new character for us to get to know, DI Joel Norris. Always a pleasure to get to know Charlie Gallagher’s in depth, relatable characters. A stranger who appears to knows all about the tragedy that has struck and who is ‘to blame’. An offer of revenge....
This is a gripping read that will you keep you hooked. Look forward to more from the new DI.
I would recommend this book and the previous books from Charlie Gallagher.

Atmospheric thriller that builds to an edge of your seat roller coaster. Well written with complex character development. Dark and twisted, you'll be guessing to the very end. Engaging and entertaining.

After one in my view slow beginning it became an entertaining fast read. A father tries to find out why his daughter tried to kill herself. Somehow I can see this book being good movie material.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this thriller!

This is the first book I have read by Charlie Gallagher and after reading the book description I knew this storyline was right up my street.
I did enjoy this book. However, I am not as impressed as I thought I would have been. I felt the storyline was great, full of mystery and I had no clue who "The Friend" was but I did feel the story was a bit slow and I truly had to focus to follow the different storylines.
At the end I still had a few unanswered questions about what happened to a few of the characters who had prominent roles in the story. This was a bit frustrating as the majority of the book gave so much detail about the different characters and what was going on with each of them and then at the end it was just "bam" done.
Overall, this was a story full of mystery and I'm glad I read it but I don't feel like I will be recommending it to family or friends unfortunately.
Thank you to Charlie Gallagher, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another great book by Charlie Gallagher. I have read all of his previous books and am never disappointed. This book will keep you up into the small hours. The characters stories are sad and someone takes advantage of that to manipulate them into committing acts that they wouldn’t normally do. I look forward to seeing how the new detectives evolve in what I hope is a new series of books.

I am a huge fan of Charlie Gallagher’s other series, so was excited to try this.

Slower to start than most of the others - I think while we’re being introduced to the new DI Joel Norris.

I didn’t feel particularly attached to any of the characters, but I did enjoy the dynamic between Joel and his reluctant DS Lucy.

As usual full of twists and turns I wasn’t expecting but I did get a little lost at some points. Once it got going it’s a real page turner that have me thinking about it even away from the pages.

If you’re a crime lover then definitely give this a go!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC

Amazing! Loved this book, loved the characters and the plot, A well written dark thriller, I’m hoping this is the start of a new series and look forward to learning more about D.I Joel Norris and D.S Lucy Rose in the subsequent books to follow

The Friend starts with a distressed young girl taking an overdose. The story quickly moves on to several other characters and their storylines. One suited man is a constant in all of their lives. He appears and shares some information that he claims that the police know about but do not want to do anything about. He says he is sharing the information out of the goodness of his heart. These games he is starting will turn out to be deadly and turn others lives upside down. Enter DI Joel Norris who is the senior investing officer on several murders that happen in quick succession. Having been off sick for a month does he have what it takes to solve these murders?
This book I found slow going but good storyline but would have been better if it moved on quicker. Still worth a read though.

With a friend like this who needs enemies?
Great read from Charlie Gallagher and reading wondering how it was all going to end.
Great plot that goes full circle and has you guessing.

This is my first read of Charlie Gallagher and will not be my last. A hugely entertaining thriller which kept me turning page after page; unable to stop.

D I Joel Norris is coming back from an illness and is paired with D S Lucy Rose who seems to have little faith in her superior officer.

Danny and Sharon Evans are desperate for answers as to why their teenage daughter tried to take her own life, leaving her in hospital fighting to survive. Danny, somewhat of a local hero is approached in a bar by a stranger who tells him he knows the reason and the people responsible. For his daughter’s attempted suicide. A chain of events starts and Danny finds himself in right the middle of it.

The body count rises, including an undercover police officer, and initially there appears to be no connection.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books and Charlie Gallagher for my ARC of The Friend in return for my honest review.

Thrilling, face paced and cleverly plotted. Highly recommended.

Just finished this book last last night, found it hard to put down! It is a long read but a very good one. A few unexpected twists in this but really enjoyed the plot turns. I do hope there will be a series as im interested in seeing how the working relationship between DCI Joel & DS Rose develops. Very well written book and I enjoyed it very much.

This was better than I thought it was going to be and I enjoyed it was a thriller/suspense with some family issues. Well written. Creepy AF. Loved the multiple twists and turns throughout. PLUS, IT WAS NOT PREDICTABLE!! Predictable books are a huge turn off for me. I highly suggest this and would read another book by Charlie Gallagher in the future.

All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, Charlie Gallagher and Avon Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 4/1/21

Great new book From Charlie The Friend, I have read his previous books and miss Maddie and George however have a new character in Joel. The story is a slow burn with a good story development as people are hurting are manipulated. I literally couldn’t put the book down.

Another great book by Charlie Gallagher. I loved her previous series so was looking forward to reading this. I wasn’t disappointed, gripped from the beginning with twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. It makes you think how some people can be manipulated by some disturbed individuals. An excellent read and I would recommend this book and author.

ANOTHER FAST-PACED GRIPPING CRIME THRILLER
If you’re a Charlie Gallagher fan, you’ve met George Elms, and you’ll also be familiar with the Harry Blaker/Maddie Ives partnership. In the first in a new series The Friend introduces the unlikely pairing of D I Joel Norris and D S Lucy Rose.
An ex-sergeant in the Tactical Support Group, Joel has been thrown into an investigative D I role in a new setup in Major Crime by his superintendent. His first job is to investigate a headless corpse that has been washed up on the beach.
Who is the Friend who approaches strangers seemingly to do a good deed, but in fact just manipulating them to do his own dirty work? Why does he want to completely wipe out an entire family?
As the body count rises, including that of an undercover police officer, it looks as if Joel has been set up to fail. See how the initial animosity from his team (of one!!), Lucy Rose begins to thaw as the investigation races to a climax.
As ever the author skillfully brings the different threads of the plot together in a tense finale, whilst gradually introducing us to two new main characters, of whom I’m sure we are going to learn a lot more as the series progresses.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I think I should have been reading this in order and would have given this a higher rating. I actually enjoyed this like police procedural books and I am going to go back and order the previous books.

Another masterpiece by Charlie Gallagher!! Hooked right from the start, could not put this down!!!
Highly recommend!!!

Danny’s daughter is lying in a coma after attempting suicide and he has no idea who is to blame for getting her to that point. A mysterious man approaches him one night and offers him all the answers to his questions but is the price he will have to pay too high?

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. If I had of purchased this book I probably wouldn’t have made it through the first few chapters but I gave it my best shot so that I could give a proper review. It did pick up about a quarter of the way in but I really struggled up until then, it is really slow to start with. All in all the the last three quarters were ok, my reading definitely picked up pace and the ending was alright, a few twists and turns but I probably won’t be reading any more books by this author, a bit too slow and not enough character engagement for me.

Very well developed characters and an extremely engaging story. Well thought out and very suspenseful story line that keeps the reader guessing until the final twist! This is the book to read this year! Highly recommended!

Clever! Rather than get their own hands dirty the murderer expertly and deviously manipulates others to do the deeds under the misconception that they themselves have been terribly wronged by that person. Blackmailed and forced into a corner they have no choice and you really get a feel of their helplessness and anguish. Dark themes under the central theme of child abuse and grooming and the feelings this instilled in the families of victims. The plot unfolds slowly and tantalisingly and has plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes leading to an exhilarating conclusion.