This UK Police Procedural is number 8 in the series and was completely readable as a stand alone. It was unequaled in its storyline, believable characters and suspense. This is another great read from Charlie Gallagher

okay hear me out. i really wanted to like this book. truly, i did. but alas, it did not work for me. i'm so sorry! but i'm so thankful to netgalley for allowing me to read it early!!!

This is the eighth book in the series featuring Detective Maddie Ives. The book opens with the murder of a single mother and it was witnessed by her young daughter, Jade, who was hidden under the floorboards. Vince, Maddie’s partner and boyfriend, was the first on the scene and discovered Jade. Unfortunately she is so traumatised that she can’t remember anything. As Maddie and Vince investigate the case they are called out to another murder. A husband and wife are found after being brutally killed and their safe being robbed, Maddie is not sure that the motive was robbery and is finding it hard to find the connection between both cases. Vincent is struggling with his emotions and this impacts of the investigation and the protection of Jade. Ths is an exciting and fast paced read with great characters and filled with twists and turns. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Really enjoyable police procedural. I like these characters and although this reads as a standalone, reading the others first would be beneficial for character building and for your enjoyment.

I like the writing style of this author, heavy on the detail so if you don’t like that you might not enjoy. If you like Val McDairmid then you’ll like this.

The first book I’ve read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more! Suspense, twists and turns throughout completely unputdownable!

Definitely a bit of a disturbing read. Felt hard to read at times. Was a very sad story, but enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This was a fairly good read. I did not realize it was part of a series until after finishing the book. I didn't feel like I missed a beat through this book. It was a bit too slow for my usual taste.

I read the last two books in this series and enjoy catching up with what is happening with Acting Inspector Ives and her team. These books are also readable as standalones.
Some brutal actions by an unknown killer, will they be able to find the perpetrator before he kills agin. What was the link between these people that all seemed to have normal every day jobs and lives.
Great storyline that keeps you guessing quite a long way into the book.
Look forward to the next one....
Thank you to Joffe Books, Charlie Gallagher and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and Charlie Gallagher for allowing me to read this ARC.
I did not realise that this book was part of a series but i found myself still being able to follow the storyline but was a tad confused sometimes.
I still enjoyed this book.
I think the story was set out well, the characters were well developed.
I sometimes find the dual POV hard to follow.
It had some great twists and turns that you would expect from a crime/mystery thriller.
I think that might go and source the other books in this detective series.
Thankyou.
3/5 stars

This was a standalone read for me as I have never read anything by the author before, but I still really enjoyed it, I didn't feel like I missed anything and I want to read more.
Well written with a storyline that hooked me right from the start and didn't let go. There were a good number of twists and the pacing did increase slightly as tension increased, however, in some parts it felt to weighty, simply because the pacing was too slow in my opinion.
I still really enjoyed it though.

I had read none of the previous books in the series, but that didn’t impact my enjoyment, as it read just like a standalone. It had me turning the pages late into the night because I just needed to know what happened next. The characters were all well developed and leapt from the pages. My only complaint was I thought the book could have been shorter. It felt like it dragged on in some parts and I got bored, especially towards the end, but apart from that, a solid read. Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.
Description sounded good but on reading I found it rather slow in places. The story itself was good but felt the story cold have moved a little faster than it did. Lots of unnecessary description, sorry! Characters were OK and were believable.

I loved this book.

Truth be told, The Girl Under the Floor first caught my attention because of the author’s name. I though it might be a different Charlie Gallagher, one I knew from my reporter days. Not so. This Charlie Gallagher is a former UK police officer, now prolific British author and an amazing storyteller.

To quote Gallagher himself, “Coppers scare the best, because the ghost stories you hear, those myths and monsters that sound so ridiculous, we get to see that they’re real.”

The Girl Under the Floor, the eighth in the Detective Maddie Ives series, is no British cozy. It’s an emotional, suspense thriller from start to finish with interesting, well-drawn characters the reader cares about.

Now a temporary detective inspector, Maddie Ives’ and boyfriend Police Constable Vince Arnold’s plates are full with the job, with heartrending family illness and promises to children - some impossible to keep.

Tortuous murders by corkscrew, hiding cupboards and spaces because the murdered knew they were coming for them. Who and what connects the victims have Maddie, Vince and their boss Detective Inspector Harry Blaker and Eileen Holmans (a slipper-wearing, tea cozy-making intelligence analyst), at odds with how to proceed.

I highly recommend The Girl Under the Floor for unbeatable suspense that doesn’t forfeit rich characters for action. I can’t wait to read the seven other books in the Maddie Ives series and hope to watch the characters come to life one day on Acorn or Britbox streaming channels.

I received this advance reader copy from Joffe Books, courtesy of NetGalley. This review is fair and impartial.

THE GIRL UNDER THE FLOOR
by Charlie Gallagher
Pub Date 26 Jan 2023
Joffe Books
Mystery & Thrillers


I am reviewing a copy of The Girl Under The Floor through Joffe Books and Netgalley:


It's a rare Saturday Morning off for Detective Maddie Ives. She’s about to enjoy a relaxing shower with her boyfriend Vince when she gets the call: There’s been another one.



Ron and Sandy Blackman’s brutalised bodies are found in the hallway of their isolated rural home. They’ve been stabbed multiple times; Ron’s hands are tied tightly behind his back; Sandy has several fingernails ripped out. The safe has been forced open.


It's the second house of horrors that Maddie and her team have been called out to in a matter of days.



Four days earlier, single mother Maria was also stabbed to death in her own home – with the same murder weapon.



Maddie’s partner Vince was first on the scene. He finds Maria’s traumatised daughter trapped under the floorboards.


Jade saw everything but can remember nothing.



Maddie is convinced these aren’t robberies gone wrong. These two families were specifically targeted, tortured for information. But what secrets was the killer so desperate to find out?


The key to the mystery can be found with eleven year old Jade. Maddie and her team are in a race against time to find out the truth before Jade’s memories come back and the killer returns to silence her forever.



I give the Girl Under the Floor three out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Wow! Awesome book! Amazing characters! Love the writing style, the story, the in-depth history of the people involved! Crime adventure, with touching family moments. Cannot wait for the next book! Looking forward to reading about what happens next to PC Arnold’s family,

I feel like the people who have read this series from the beginning may enjoy this book more than myself. The character development was lacking which was a shame since I really didn't like the detective.

I found the story okay but the actual pacing a bit slow for my liking.

I didn't like the ending of this book, I felt like it ended too abruptly, but I enjoyed the characters and the plot

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

It's a pacey crime thriller and is written very well. I like the lead characters and there are some characters that you just aren't sure about, which keeps it interesting. A decent read.

I love police procedurals. This book was fantastic and engaging. I loved the heavy psychological element and the way the author interwove the characters personal lives into the story. Since this book is part of a series I will definitely be looking into the rest of the books. I would love to see more from Vince’s perspective.

The book felt a little long, but I was not bored at all. I do wish a little more connection was made between the families and the reason for the killings.

Lots of triggers for this book but they are all typical thriller triggers.

I didn't realize this was a series when I request to read it for a review from NetGalley. I haven't read anything from Charlie Gallagher before. Wish I would have started the series from the begin since I am confused on somethings. But over all it was a decent read.