Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In the sixth installment of the Detective Louise Blackwell series, Matt Brolly delivers a heart-pounding thriller that not only captivates with its intricate plot but also adds depth to its central character. "The Bridge" is a testament to Brolly's skill in weaving a narrative that is as emotionally engaging as it is suspenseful.

The story opens with a chilling discovery: a young woman's body is found in a shipping container in Bristol, setting off a complex investigation for DI Louise Blackwell. The case quickly spirals into a dark exploration of voyeurism and predation as more live feeds of trapped women are uncovered. Brolly masterfully ramps up the tension, creating a sense of urgency that propels the narrative forward at a relentless pace.

What sets this novel apart is the personal journey of Louise Blackwell. Ten weeks pregnant and grappling with the physical and emotional challenges that come with it, Blackwell's character is fleshed out with a vulnerability that is both relatable and compelling. Her determination to solve the case while navigating her personal life adds a rich layer to the story, making her one of the most human and endearing detectives in modern crime fiction.

Brolly's writing is sharp and evocative, with a keen eye for detail that brings the gritty reality of police work to life. The setting of Bristol's docks is rendered with such authenticity that it becomes a character in its own right, adding to the atmospheric tension that permeates the book.

"The Bridge" is a standout novel that not only offers a gripping mystery but also challenges the reader to consider the broader implications of crime and justice. It is a must-read for fans of police procedurals and British crime dramas, being a fan of both, I loved it!

With its complex characters and riveting plot, "The Bridge" is a worthy addition to the Detective Louise Blackwell series and a shining example of Matt Brolly's storytelling prowess.

Book 6 in the DI Louise Blackwell series. An ok read but I didn’t find it as gripping as others in the series , I think this was because a lot of the storyline was taken up with the main characters personal life rather than the main plot

The storyline is excellent and the characters are interesting and well described. This was a really good book. and I couldn’t put it down. I would definitely would recommend this book to others!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The sixth book in the series, as always plenty of twists, turns and suspense. A recommended read.

The Bridge by Matt Brolly is the 6th book in the Detective Louise Blackwell series.
In short, pregnant Detective Louise Blackwell faces her toughest case yet, a body of a young woman discovered in a shipping container along with a video camera live streaming her…it’s now a race against time to solve this disturbing voyeurism case to stop further crimes.
This is my second book by Matt but my first read in the Detective Louise Blackwell series and I loved it, I’m now on a mission to catch up on the previous books in the series. It’s tense, it’s a dark storyline which kept me hooked throughout…I was puzzled by the relevance of the book title though!
Big thanks to Matt Brolly, Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

DI Louise Blackwell is back in action in this slightly chilling thriller The Bridge. In the pervious book "The Pier" , we had seen that she was becoming closer to her partner and that she is helping her parents take care of her niece after the death of her sister.

It has been a couple of months since then and Blackwell finds that she is 10 weeks pregnant. This, in itself, makes her pretty apprehensive as this is her first pregnancy and she is about to enter into her 40s. Amidst her struggles with lethargy and morning sickness, Louise's team is called upon to investigate a strange case of an unattended death in a storage container, that was scheduled to be shipped out of the country. The cramped space in the container and the cameras present in it point to a much more sinister reason other than that of an illegal immigration.

As Louise and her team continue to doggedly pursue a case where there are little to no leads, they get information of two other people who have been kidnapped as well, leading onto a high pressure investigation by the team, who want to find the people alive by any and all means.

This is a fairly good follow-up to the previous book which I had enjoyed tremendously. The case is intriguing enough to hold the reader's attention and twisted enough to impart certain chilling moments. The way DI Blackwell 's character has been developed is commendable; she has come a long way since we saw her last. I particularly loved the way the struggles of a working woman has been depicted; this only makes the character more flesh and blood.

However, the book lacked that edge- of- the- seat, fast- paced mood the previous book had. There are places where the pace becomes slightly dull and the narrative gets slightly disjointed. So, I can't say I enjoyed this book as much as the previous one. I still would like to know what happens further in the detective's life though.

This latest book in the exciting Louise Blackwell series might not be the best read for anyone who is particularly claustrophobic. But if you aren't, grab it now and be prepared for a late night. Trust me, you won't regret it. Even if you haven't read the earlier books in the series because this can easily be read as a standalone but I guarantee you'll be searching for Matt Brolly's other work within ten minutes of putting this one down. This is probably the most stomach churning crime Louise has had to face and her recent pregnancy doesn't help. The search for the callous murderer of a young woman may just be the best book in the series so far. I went through a whole spectrum of emotions reading this and the stunning conclusion left me reeling. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

"When the body of a young woman is discovered in a shipping container in Bristol, the police suspect she was an illegal immigrant whose death was a tragic accident. But their theory is shot down by two pieces of evidence: the container was due to ship out, not in; and, even more sinister, a video camera with a live feed was filming her from a hidden compartment. Someone watched her die. Slowly. DI Louise Blackwell is ten weeks pregnant, a fact she has largely kept to herself, and between bouts of morning sickness she now has a murder to investigate. While the docks offer few other clues, the discovery of more live feeds convinces Blackwell that there are other trapped women…and that some of them are still alive. As she scours historic missing-persons cases looking for a pattern to the abductions, Blackwell finds herself in a race against time to uncover the voyeuristic killer’s motive and stop any more women becoming caught in the cruel and deadly game. But with every step being closely monitored, can she outwit a murderer whose method means staying hidden?".
What will happen with Louis Blackwell be able to figure it out, will something happen to her? Will have to read the book to find out. I started out reading book 6 I would recommend reading the others before this one to get to know the characters better. Lots of suspense, quick read.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, netgalley, and the author for an honest review.
Published August 8th 2023

WoW...... This series is Soo good! from the very first book called The Crossing I have been a fan. The Bridge by Matt Brolly is the sixth book in the excellent Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell series. This book was another 5 star read with lots of twists and turns throughout that will have you gripped from the beginning till the end.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in a shipping container in Bristol, the police suspect she was an illegal immigrant whose death was a tragic accident.
But their theory is shot down by two pieces of evidence:
The container was due to ship out, not in; and, even more sinister,
A video camera with a live feed was filming her from a hidden compartment. WoW..............

Someone watched her die. Slowly. Why would someone want to do that?

Was this a dangerous game gone wrong?

Or was it a murder?

DI Blackwell faces her toughest case yet, especially as she is ten
weeks pregnant, a fact she has largely kept to herself, and between bouts of morning sickness she now has a murder to investigate.
While the docks offer few other clues, the discovery of more live feeds convinces DI Blackwell that there are other trapped women…....and that some of them are still alive. She has to work with her team to find them before it's too late! But, the clock is ticking and time is running out......with every step being closely monitored, can she outwit a murderer whose method means staying hidden?

WoW this book is Sooo good I loved it. It will have you up to the early hours of the morning. I highly recommend this series!

When the body of a young woman is discovered in a shipping container in Bristol, the police suspect she was an illegal immigrant whose death was a tragic accident. But their theory is shot down by two pieces of evidence: the container was due to ship out, not in; and, even more sinister, a video camera with a live feed was filming her from a hidden compartment.

Someone watched her die. Slowly.

DI Louise Blackwell is ten weeks pregnant, a fact she has largely kept to herself, and between bouts of morning sickness she now has a murder to investigate. While the docks offer few other clues, the discovery of more live feeds convinces Blackwell that there are other trapped women…and that some of them are still alive.

As she scours historic missing-persons cases looking for a pattern to the abductions, Blackwell finds herself in a race against time to uncover the voyeuristic killer’s motive and stop any more women becoming caught in the cruel and deadly game. But with every step being closely monitored, can she outwit a murderer whose method means staying hidden?

I love a good strong female lead. DI Louise Blackwell did not disappoint at all. I really enjoyed this story. Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.

Having read the previous five books in this series, I pre-ordered "The Bridge" in April and it was definitely worth waiting. Deep , dark going ons in the new case for Louise and the team , a long twisted investigation around a murder and mystery abduction that almost defies belief
Excellent plotting and development of an idea by the author definitely has to be read to be appreciated

At the end of chapter seventeen, I realized I could not justify the expenditure of eyeblinks on this story any more. It isn't bad, or poorly written. It's just indistinguishable from many, many other women-in-sexual-jeopardy books and I don't like reading those all that much. This is #6 in a series but, I say this without a trace of malice, it's enough like so many books that it doesn't matter. The main character is newly pregnant and facing an uncertain future in the police...the boyfriend's a brick who wants more than she's interested in giving...her family's pretty crappy, but have hearts of gold...need I say more? It's okay.

I'm not okay with that anymore.

The storyline is excellent and the characters are interesting and well described.

Thank you to Matt Brolly, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK – Thomas & Mercer for the arc of this book.

This was a really good book. From the minute I started reading it, it drew me and I couldn’t put it down. And man that was definitely a plot twist! Definitely would recommend this book to others!

When a young woman is found dead in a shipping container it is first thought that this was a tragic case of a failed immigration attempt - except the container was due to be shipped out rather than have arrived into the port. Also evidence of a surveillance camera with a live feed makes Louse Blackwell think that this is not as it appears. Louise, struggling with the effects of her early pregnancy, has a murder to solve & she hunts through old case files to find a link to what is happening. This leads her & her team down some strange byways.

I have enjoyed this series from the start. It is a good police procedural series but what I have equally enjoyed is the development in the life of Louise & her story away from the police station. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in a shipping container in Bristol, the police suspect she was an illegal immigrant whose death was a tragic accident. However, the container was due to be shipped out! The other worrying aspect of this case is the fact that a video camera with live feed, filming her, was discovered in a hidden compartment within the container!

This is going to be the mother of all cases for DI Louise Blackwell and her team, but Louise in particular, as she is ten weeks pregnant, and has yet to inform anyone. The docks themselves offer little information, but the discovery of other live feeds convinces Louise that there are clearly other girls in the same horrifying situation, but this will not be an easy one to solve, and time may be running out for these unfortunate victims.

This is a cleverly constructed police procedural, with some terrific twists, and something I have no problem calling a real page turner. Very enjoyable and certainly recommended.

A good read, as was expected from this author.
Moves along well with a believable storyline which keeps you turning the pages.

The Bridge by Matt Brolly is a very highly recommended procedural and the sixth novel in the DI Louise Blackwell series.

Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell is called in to investigate when the body of a young woman is discovered in a shipping container in Bristol. Several theories are put forth, but they are all abandoned when a camera is discovered. Apparently someone was watching her trapped and slowly dying. The case may involve claustrophilia, someone who likes to watch people in very small, cramped spaces. It may also be tied to the case of two other missing persons. Complicating Blackwell's involvement in the investigation is that she is ten weeks pregnant and experiencing bad morning sickness.

The Bridge is a well-written, excellent, engaging procedural with a detailed complex plot. The opening scene will immediately grab your attention. Right from the start the suspense and tension keep increasing as the intricate plot unfolds. There are several twists along the way to keep you guessing and some heart-stopping moments. The narrative is mainly told through Blackwell's point-of-view with other voices included.

Louise Blackwell is a wonderful, fully realized character among a cast of great characters. Although this is the sixth novel in the series, The Bridge can certainly be read as a stand-alone, although you will subsequently want to read others in the series. Those who like procedurals are going to thoroughly enjoy The Bridge.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

This is the sixth in the DI Louise Blackwell series. A desiccated female body is found confined in a shipping container. Is it immigration smuggling or human trafficking? The presence of a live feed video camera suggests some other heinous crime. It is up to Louise and her associates to uncover the perpetrator before other lives are lost. All this while balancing the morning sickness of and worry about the first trimester of her pregnancy and personal issues involving building a life with her partner, Tom and providing a nurturing, supportive environment for her parentless niece, Emily.

Without revealing any spoilers, the crime/deviancy at the center of this book is dark and, despite the many mysteries and thrillers I have read, a new one for me. This book is a fast, engrossing read with a well crafted plot. Brolly’s descriptive writing is quite evocative; I could feel the discomfort and pain of the victims as I read.

I like the character of Louise, a strong female leader, with a capable, supportive team behind her. Although this would work as a standalone, there are frequent references to the case at the center of the prior book, The Pier. While Brolly does a good job of filling in some of the background information, it might be more satisfying to read that one as well.

Fans of British police procedurals will enjoy this book, as well as the entire series.

"These things were so often cyclical. The abused becoming the abuser."

Terrific read featuring DI Louise Blackwell, #TheBridge is sixth in this series. While it appears much has happened to Louise in the first 5, Brolly does an excellent job catching us up as necessary, with details to bring us up to date and explain who Louise is. This particular story takes many twists and turns, with a stunning ending that I did not see coming. Well plotted, well written and some ick factor, and I learned a thing or two about claustrophilia (of which, I must admit, I had never heard, and still can't quite wrap my head around). Also, Brolly creates quite a realistic picture of Louise's morning sickness, I almost felt nauseous a few times myself! Highly recommend!

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.