A deep, dark, twisted thriller. It’s the type of book that makes one ask the question,”who comes up with this stuff?!” The first quarter of the book was a bit slow, but that was because it was laying the complicate ground work of what was to come. If you enjoy a great thriller this one is for you. Thanks to NetGalley for the early ARC.

Well written mystery thriller that took me way out of any comfort zone. Gruesome, gory, deceitful, manipulative and extremely violent. I enjoyed the investigation by DS Rose and DI Morris later in the book, as events began to make more sense. I did not like the shroud of evil presented here, nor any of the characters. All were unlikeable. Spoilers for child pornography, spousal abuse, suicide, mental health, addiction, and much more. There was nothing positive or uplifting about this story.
Thank you to Mr. Gallagher, Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Charlie Gallagher's new book, The Friend, is a stand-alone story and I'm pretty sure it will evolve into a series. His previous books, The Langthorne Series and Maddie Ives series were outstanding reading and it helped that I read them in order. Doing this makes you understand how the main character evolved. DI Joel Norris is his new character: funny, flawed, and on point!

The story begins with Callie, a young teenage girl who finds herself trapped in a situation that she's afraid to share with family. Without going into detail, let me share this quote from her: "Evil isn't shrouded in black, beckoning from the darkness under the bed. It doesn't make itself known. Evil is slow, quiet and patient. It is the shadow consuming a smoker's lung. It is the person who pretends to be your friend so they can silence you forever." This is a pretty powerful emotion and one that, I am sure, will draw you into reading this book. And, as you get further in to the story, you'll meet Danny (Callie's father) and you're going to feel every single emotion and desperation, every fear, helplessness to the point that he no longer feels human!

Honestly, once I was done reading, I felt as if I was in mourning. The storyline revolved around deception, manipulation, control, and rage. This was a totally new plotline for me. I could not put this book down! Charlie, thank you again for scaring the wits out of me!

And thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this AC! You rock!

This is a slick, pacy detective story with a complex, twisting plot that keeps you guessing for a satisfying amount of time. It's really clever because you are witness to the murderer and their methods but the why and who is elusive, so there is still a sufficient amount of tension to make this a thrilling read. The unpacking of the murderer's activities also gives you the race against time element which means that if, like me you are impatient, you zip through this in no time. It was a little graphic at times (violence, not sex), which made me think a bit of the granite noir genre, very much along the lines of Stuart MacBride's novels, but as I love those, this was a great comparison for me. I will definitely be looking into Gallagher's previous works.

I have never read a plot quite like this before. Its one amazing non stop action thriller, set against a backdrop of ordinary family life.
Not the usual police procedural. We know the crimes and we learn who committed them. However someone is out to get their own revenge rather than leaving it to the police and the judicial system. The mysterious investigator and does he speak the truth or is it all lies? Is he being a helpful friend?
Danny a minor football celebrity, is set up by a stranger, a private investigator, to get revenge for the people responsible for putting his fifteen year old daughter into a coma, from which she might not recover.
Original, intricately plotted with many surprises, twists and turns Highly recommended. I thoroughly enoyed it.

This is a new set of characters for Charlie and having read all his other books, I have to say it didn’t grip me like the previous books.

It’s a dark tale, and the beginning starts off with Danny meeting a stranger who seems to know the answers to his problems. He claims he’s “a friend” and knows the answers. Well with friends like that who needs enemies!

More murders occur and it’s up to him and DS Rose to find out who’s behind it.

Although I’m not a police officer, and Charlie is, I found it a bit strange that for such heinous crimes, there were only two officers doing all the work! Usually there is a plethora of officers, but there was just DS Rose and DI Joel Norris solving the crimes.

The characters themselves were likeable and I’m sure with a bigger team and more insight into them it will make a good new series.

My thanks to Charlie, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It won’t be the last.

When a headless body washes up on a Kent beach, Newly promoted DI Joel Norris is thrown in the deep end and asked to investigate his first murder case. As other bodies start to pile up and it seems that the murders could be linked to each other, DI Norris will have his work cut out for him as he tries to discover who is responsible.

A great thriller with plenty of twists which kept me guessing until the end.

Really enjoyable read kept me gripped throughout and guessing looking forward to more in the series! Highly recommended

Danny Evans is struggling with events in his life, his daughter is in a coma after attempting to take her own life after being sexually groomed, he's living in a hotel after his wife told him she couldn't cope with his excessive drinking. He is approached in the pub by a nan who states he knows who groomed his daughter. This sets up a chain of events that continues like a cat and mouse chase throughout the book. Di Morris us called in to solve the crimes, with a new colleague. This was a great book, a well written thriller.
I received this book from Netgalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review

Well done Charlie Gallagher! Another superb read! In my opinion, this book started differently to most of Charlie’s others in that it was a slower start - then 15% into the book - I was completely hooked!

The books starts with a young girl overdosing in a park. Then jumps a month to a ‘has been’ footballer being approached by a stranger in a bar who later tells him he knows why his daughter overdosed and who caused her to do so............and that starts a roller coaster ride for Danny Evans, the footballer and later Richard Maddox an older man in mourning for his wife who was knocked down and killed by a hit and run driver! That’s all I’m going to say about the plot, you can get more (if you need it!) from others or the book itself but suffice to say that there’s a lot more to the plot than you first believe!

This book pushes the boundaries for these men......how much and how far would you go to get revenge? That’s what these guys soon find out, thanks to that stranger in the bar! It’s a white-knuckle ride from then on right to the exciting end of the this book! I think it’s Charlie Gallagher’s forte and mission to test how long I (and doubtless other readers) can hold our breath at the end of his books!

I have read reviews by others who say this book is better suited to men but I, for one, don’t feel that at all. I absolutely loved it and I’m very grateful to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

Honestly - read it! You won’t regret it! And you’ll get better at holding your breath - great for underwater handstands in the summer!

Once again, well done Charlie Gallagher, you’ve done it again!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy of this gripping page turner. A totally unique storyline of manipulation and revenge. This is the first murder investigation DI Joel Norris has led on and what a case it is! Absolutely brilliantly written with twists and turns. My first taste of a Charlie Gallagher thriller definitely won't be my last. Highly recommended.

Wow!

What an addictive, totally engrossing book! I literally could not put this book down.

Wonderful storyline that keeps you guessing. So well written.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC

This is my first read by this author. I enjoyed the twists and turns. It was a great book and I will be looking for more by this author ASAP!

Excellent read, such a different plot and style from previous books. It had me totally engaged right from the start with twists and turns that kept me guessing right to the end. The concept of the plot was unique and so cleverly written I recommend you set aside time as you will not want to put it down.

A heart pounding thriller filled with so many unexpected twists that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

The Friend shows it’s readers that one would do anything for their loved ones, even if it means murder.

This thriller begins with the victim, Callie Evans, a young teenage girl who is riddled with so much trauma that taking her life is the only solution she thinks is available. Instead, she is hospitalized after her suicide attempt and is surrounded by her family rallying behind her. Callie’s father, Danny Evans, is hailed as a local celebrity. But Callie’s suicide attempt makes him spiral out of control as he seeks vengeance for those involved in the acts that led his daughter into this dark place. This father’s quest for vengeance is complicated and his life quickly becomes intertwined with many others who all share one common goal: Justice.

There are so many twists and turns that you really cannot piece the whole case together until the very end. I will definitely be reading more books from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book pre-publication.

If I had not previously read Charlie Gallagher's books I could have been a bit concerned that what he was trying to do would work. There were so many sub plots. In fact it takes a while to figure out what the actual plot is.
But I have read all of Charlie's books and I know that he is a master at this. He can take seemingly dangling threads and leave the reader with a denouement as tidy and awesome as a bride's French braid.
This, in my opinion, is his best book yet. We have the rough, tough ex TSG commander coming back from stress to take over a new 'flying squad' that will take a role above CID and MIT. Only he has no squad and no resources, just a bunch of new murders that cannot possibly be connected and he's billy no mates with colleagues.
Cyber bullying by paedophiles. Attempted suicide. Mental breakdowns. Washed up football players (well it is Dover). Old soldiers AND a six year old daughter who beats him at laser quest.
One thing I like about Charlie's books is he doesn't use red herrings. Evertthing you read has meaning.

I love this authors books and so I had great expectations of this latest one and it surpassed every one of them. Gritty and gripping with an intense and unusual storyline (you can read the description on the blurb of the book) it drew me in from the beginning and kept me guessing throughout. A must read for all crime lovers and a huge 5* from me. Thanks to the author, Netgalley and Avon books for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book. From doing sending out the mirror review well

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Danny and Sharon's daughter attempted suicide. Her parents were trying to figure out why. This book captured my attention from the beginning

I enjoyed this book for the twists and turns of the plot and the underlying theme about how vulnerable and flawed individuals can be manipulated by determined and motivated psychopaths. The reader is introduced to the victims first: a young girl whose shame at the hands of an online abuser leads her to want to take her own life and then her father, Danny Evans, a former local football legend, who is offered a tempting opportunity for vengeance and justice by a stranger. The detective investigating the outcome of these events is introduced later when things start getting deeper and darker and in many ways the investigation itself is much less interesting than the compelling account of how Danny and his family are pulled into a complex plot of revenge and subterfuge. This is the first time I have read this author and I will certainly seek him out again. Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read it pre-publication

The Friend was one of those books that had me hooked from page1. I was thoroughly invested in the characters and was constantly on the edge of my seat reading about what was happening to them. I read this in one sitting as I couldn't put it down, however I did find it a tough read in places.