White Is the Coldest Colour

White is the Coldest Colour is one of the most disturbing psychological thrillers I have ever read.

Even though this story is a work of fiction the fact that the author has written this book drawing on his experiences as his time as a police officer and a child probation social worker, makes this book even more chilling.

The story itself will grab your attention from the very first chapter.

To start with the story focuses mainly on Dr David Galbraith and his latest obsession Anthony and his family. I think due to the nature of the storyline some parts of this book can be uncomfortable to read but to be honest the book itself doesn't go to much into detail with the abuse side itself. If anything it is the doctor himself that I find extremely disturbing. The author does a fantastic job of letting the reader see the inside of this truly disturbed character. I have read many books along the lines of serial killers, criminals and abusers but I don't think I have actually hated a fictional character more than I do with Dr Galbraith. You really do need to read this book to believe it, there is nothing about this character that I could ever have any sort of empathy for, he really is just evil inside and out.

The book also focuses on the police and social workers who are desperately trying to bring down these horrendous predators which gives the readers a great insight to how hard it is for the authorities in bringing these people to justice.

White is the Coldest Colour is a book that will stay with me for a very long time as Dr David Galbraith is not a character you can forget in a hurry! This book will grab you from the start and by the end will have you at the edge of your seat. I literally could not tap to the next page on my kindle quick enough towards the end of this story as it was so fast paced towards the end. There is also going to be a sequel to this book which I can not wait for.

White is the Coldest Colour is not a book for the faint hearted but if you are a big lover of dark psychological thrillers once you've started you will not be able to put it down.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this thought provoking book

not an easy book to read, but after the first chapter the story line gets a bit easy..though it isnt easy to read being that the subject matter is about the worst thing ever to happen to children...or anyone come to that...

this book is based around the early 1992, no mobile phones or facebook so things happened at a slower pace than they do now...
and though this story is fictional you can bet your bottom dollar that somewhere there is someone that has suffered from sexual abuse just like the characters in this book

a well written book and though i hate to say it i think this author is soon to be in my list of authors to keep an eye on

I found this a very true to life but disturbing story on a very emotive subject. It was hard to put down, the story a compelling read from start to finish, sympathetically written by an author with obvious experience in this field of work.. A fantastic book superbly written.

Oh my goodness!! White is The Coldest Colour is one dark, gripping thriller! I read this book so fast, I don’t even think I took a breath! It was horrifying creepy! It was so real, it could happen to any family.
This is a definite must read!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This book is dark. Very, very dark. But this book is so, so important because it really drives home a very overlooked point, which I'm sure the author knows all too well in his history as a police officer: Trust. Your. Instincts. The author drives that message home and really makes a compelling case.

That's why I think this book stayed with me so long after I finished reading it; it's one of those situations you hear about in the news time and time again: if one person had done something a little bit differently, if someone had pushed a little bit harder.....what if?

It's clear from this book that Nicholl that Nicholl is truly a gifted writer. You can feel the emotions just grabbing you from the pages. You can literally sense the doctor's breakdown as it is happening in the story. It's one of the few books that's done that to me.

This book is a good way to take a peak into a disturbing world that our police officers see all too often. We always ask "why?" but maybe the answer is just that some people are evil and are able to disguise it well. It also gives you hope, to see the officers in the novel that would not give up, that trusted the victims and wanted to do right by them.

To those officers out there in real life: Thank you

This book is seriously creepy and unnerving! What a detestable character the doctor is and your loathing for him just grows with every page.
This isn't a book for sensitive people as it deals with disturbing issues of child abuse and it can be quite graphic at points. Bravo to the author for tackling such a theme but still making an enjoyable read.

Hard subject to read about. What a great thriller though. Was gripping couldn't put it down.


Thanks to net galley and the publisher for an early release

Now you know a book is going to be good when the author has to pre warn readers a little about the content of the story and that it may not be to all readers tastes (peadophiles, abuse and children). It is a dark and uncomfortable story to read in parts but also a brilliant investigation/detective story alongside that!

I didn’t want to put this book down, it was so easy to devour. I despised Dr Galbraith from the start what a horrible man and character, his poor wife and kids. This book had my jaw dropping and I had to keep reminding myself to breathe.. Literally had me holding my breathe especially towards the end. This story does end with a cliffhanger and open to what the reader interprets, which I hope gets cleared up in the next book in this series.

Brilliant. Would highly recommend to you all, a well deserved five stars. I cannot wait to read more by this author in the future. A fast paced, easy to read thriller full of suspense. Very impressed.

A very chilling read about a predatory doctor called David Galbraith. We see his next victim lined up and how he is setting the scene for his evil purposes. Everyone around him is wary of him and we are aware of his thoughts and depravity. You are desperate for him to be unearthed and arrested but not sure that we will be in time. You can see the grooming process in progress and you really want to call the police and let them know!
I wasn’t sure what I would feel about this book- as the subject matter is so harrowing- but it is more about the workings of the evil doctor. I couldn’t put it down.

As soon as I saw the description for this book (which has been released with a new publisher) I knew that I wanted to read a copy, especially after seeing the cover - the cover is excellent and it works really well with the story.

I will admit that it took me a while to do my review for this book, I really enjoyed the book but at times I did find the subject matter quite hard to read - I'm not a fan of reading anything normally that involves child abuse or paedophiles but it is done here really well and what is included is needed for the story. I had also recently finished another of the author's books that I thought was excellent so knew that he had a writing style I would enjoy and this was very well suited here.

Dr David Galbraith is a brilliant character - dark, very twisted, sadistic and very, very clever. He is probably the most evil main character of any book I have read for a good while, at times he made my skin crawl and that is the sign for me of an excellent villain.

As soon as I finished the book I went straight online to look at the sequel and can't wait to read it to get another view of the story.

Five stars from me, an additive book that had me turning the pages at speed to get to the end in what is ultimately a race against time - I was completely immersed in the story and couldn't wait to see what happened.

"Was he mad or bad? It was hard to tell. Maybe a bit of both."

It's 1992 in Caerystwyth, Wales. Mike Mailer has left his wife, Molly, and is living with another woman. Anthony, his young son, is taking it especially hard and gets referred to a child psychiatrist, Dr. David Galbraith. Little does the family know how warped and dark the appetites of Galbraith run.

This was a tough book to read. Anything about child abuse is heart wrenching to me and this was a dark, disturbing tale of manipulation and abuse.

The author is a former police officer and child protection social worker and that past experience lends itself to the credibility of this story. I don't know how law enforcement and social services face these situations on a daily basis without being driven mad.

I received this book from Bloodhound Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

I was truly gripped by this book and enjoyed it all the way through. It was so nearly a 5 star review but the only thing that stopped that was ,for me, the ending felt a bit rushed and I was a teeny bit disappointed by that.
The Subject matter is not a pleasant one but its real issues and its written so well.

This book made me cringe at first as the abuse of children is not something I want to read about but once I got further into it I just wanted Galbraith to get his comeuppance.
Molly and Mike have separated and their son Anthony is struggling to cope so their Dr recommends some sessions with psychiatrist Dr Galbraith.
Never have I shouted at a book so much as I really didn’t want this to happen but the appointment goes ahead. The first appointment is fine as the whole family are there but it’s the second one that really made me worry.
A paeodophile ring has been identified though and Galbraith is part of it so again I was just hoping he would get caught.
Something shocking then happens to the family and it’s a real race against time to bring Anthony to safety.
This is a gruesome read and is uncomfortable at times but I would recommend it.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Holy crap, this book is incredible. It’s emotional, it’s raw and it’s disturbing. The writing is beautiful and it’s one of those books you have to keep reading to know what is going to happen. I will reiterate the warning that is written in the blurb above, due to the subject content it won’t be for everyone so do be warned, it is violent and disturbing.

I will have to start the review by saying the cover is stunning, I absolutely love it. It fits in well with the book and it’s one that I would notice on the shelf.

I won’t go into the plot as you can read the blurb above but it is gripping, thrilling and it feels so real. You will hate Dr David Galbraith with a passion and if you’re like me, you’ll think of many ways you would like him to die whilst reading. John has written the characters so brilliantly, you can feel the evil coming off the page.

I loved the fact that it was set in the early 1990s, it made it feel more real and at times it read like a true crime book. All the characters had depth and I really felt part of the story. I also loved the Welsh setting, again this made it feel more real and it also hit home the fact that these things happen anywhere. The monsters can be disguised as anyone who are brilliant at hiding their true nature and that is the scary thing for me.

Throughout the book I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, there are few books that affect me emotionally but this has made it to the top of that pile. The sad thing is that John has drawn on his own personal experiences in the child protection services and I dread to know the stories he’s heard and experienced over his years.

This is the first book I’ve read by John but I’ll definitely read more.

The book blurb says this. The author says this in the foreword. And I am also going to say it. This book is going to be an uncomfortable and upsetting read for many. It was for me, especially the first 30% of the book. Here’s why.

White is the Coldest Colour is the darkest and most disturbing psychological thrillers I have ever read. You thought Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train messed with your head, try this one out. This will turn your brain into paste.

I have read a few books where you are introduced to the antagonist from the start. But this was the first time I read a book where not only I knew who’s the antagonist but he was the protagonist too. He took up most of the book. And even when he didn’t make a presence in the scene, you’re worrying what he might be upto. In the first 30% of the book, you as a reader are literally sitting inside his head. You can see how much filth is in there. The way he thinks, the way he behaves, the face of a caring and dedicated psychiatrist he puts on for others and the actual he has that only his wife and children see. And don’t get me started over how he treats his wife Cynthia. It was absolutely disturbing and painful. All this was so disturbing that I didn’t want to read anymore. But I continued in the hopes that someone will stop this insane, lunatic monster. After the 30% mark, you could see a flicker of light and at 50% you can’t stop reading because you want this monster to be caught. The end is absolutely befitting, couldn’t have asked for a more better end. All through the read I was uncomfortable and pained but this book was worth the read as it made me realise that such sadistic people are there in this world and they need to be stopped. Hats off to the author for writing this novel!



Final Verdict:

White is the Coldest Colour by John Nicholl gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

I am reviewing White is the Coldest Colour by author John Nicholl. Here are my thoughts:

^^ Dr David Galbraith is a very good child psychologist and all sorts of children come his way for help. But immediately, within the first few pages, we discover that he is NOT to be trusted, and to say he is abusing his power is an understatement. It’s horrifying what he is able to get away with.

^^ Unfortunately, the Mailer family are going through some tough times due to marital breakdown, so in an effort to help their child Anthony, they take him to the well-known Dr Galbraith. Oh yes, you can see where this is going, right? This fact alone made me race through this book. One half of me is screaming at the pages, “Don’t take him to Dr Galbraith!” and the other half of me is going, “WOW! This is going to turn out bad, I can’t wait to see what happens!” 🙂 It’s both terrifying and intriguing at the same time. I loved it.

^^ It's clear the author also drew from his own experiences as a member of the police force with child protection social worker contacts, and this is also what made the book an outstanding and realistic read. It's all too terrifyingly real in some places, and that's what makes this plot so gripping.

^^ This totally exceeded all my expectations as a debut book by an author I have never actually heard of before. It’s well written, fast paced and totally unputdownable.

Overall: This is a stunning, psychological thriller, which really pulls you in deep to the dark side, and although the subject matter at times is very sad, and quite distressing, it’s very well done. I am totally looking forward to what this author has to offer next!

Thank you to the author John Nicholls, Bloodhound books and Netgalley, for my copy of this book, of which I was provided in exchange for my honest opinion.

The opening pages of this book are very hard to read but necessary so if you can get through them this is a great book.
Dr Galbraith is a child psychiatrist and when Molly and her husband split up their son Anthony is referred to him as he is taking the separation hard. What they don't know is that Dr Galbraith is not what he seems, he is a paedophile and a bully who preys on vulnerable children. John Nicholls has a wealth of experience into this subject through his previous jobs and once you get past the original shock you can't help but be glued to the book. I couldn't put it down until I had got to the last page as I wanted to see if justice would conquer but I am not going to tell you whether it does or not. You will have to read the book yourself.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound for the copy of the book.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book but I have to say it is really well written and although the subject matter is very hard to read at times the story is an addictive read.
What can I say about Dr Galbraith other than he absolutely gave me the creeps and I really wanted to punch his lights out. I think he is the definition of pure evil.
The book is so well written and really draws you in but at the same time it is so distressing to think that although the book is fiction it is based on experiences that actually happen and it makes you realise how vulnerable children are. The fact that the main character is a respected child psychiatrist makes the story even more distressing.
Despite the very delicate and traumatic subject matter the book is a really gripping thriller that really draws you in. I would highly recommend this book.

The mailer family has terrible danger with his family , so his G.P is Anthony Who is seven years old makes him go to a Dr David Galbraith . The Doctor Galbraith has had killed once more. Anthony is scared from him and he tries to get away .

White Is The Coldest Colour – John Nicholl

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.
Set in The UK’s Wales, this book is not for the faint at heart, as it’s subject matter deals with the all too dark behaviors of pedophiles and their sexual predation – while described scenes are fortunately bland, the subject matter is not.

Dr. David Galbraith is, by outward appearances, a very well respected and highly skilled pediatric psychiatrist. However, as the reader learns on page one, he is also a sadistic sexual predator – and his victims are very young boys.

Molly Mailer is a newly minted single Mom to her two children, as her husband has left her for another woman. Her teenaged daughter is a bot out of control, and her young 7-year-old son Anthony has developed some issues of his own – leading his pediatrician to make a referral to the local pediatric psych physician, Dr. Gilbraith.

Local social workers and police investigators have recently identified Dr. Gilbraith as a person of interest, but the investigation is in it’s beginning stages, as interviewing his young victims, and gaining useful information from their childish minds has been difficult and tedious work.

Dr. Gilbraith becomes fascinated by young Anthony Mailer on his first office visit and works to gently manipulate Anthony’s family into allowing unsupervised appointments – Molly, seemingly seeing positive changes in her son after a first visit, agrees, but later changes her mind and cancels later visits. But Dr. Gilbraith is not to be deterred and attempts to kidnap young Anthony, grievously injuring Molly in the process.

It becomes a race against time, as police and family services attempt to connect the dots, find the evidence to put Dr. Gilbraith away forever, but will they find young Anthony before it’s too late??

A fast-paced novel with edge-of-your-seat suspense as you cheer for good to prevail over evil! I was sucked in on page one, and I could not put it down!

Anthony Mailer is referred by his GP to see a child psychiatrist.  After the break up of his parents marriage, Anthony (7 years old) is having problems and feels guilty, thinking it is his fault that his mum and dad are no longer together.  Unfortunately he is referred to Dr Galbraith, a predatory paedophile who has gone under the radar for many years.  He uses his position and knowledge to undermine, manipulate and abuse the defenceless and the innocent.

Oh  wow! Oh dear god!  Bloody hell! How can you admit to loving a book so much when it has the most evil of subjects as its plot line, it feels so wrong to admit to it.  It is one of the most intensely twisted psychological reads I think I have read.  John has a background of being an ex police officer and child protection social worker and this experience gives such an extra dimension, edge and a truth to this story.  The way the agencies have to work, liaise and co-ordinate, the way protocols and working procedures are used adds extra factors. The plot is a mix of the Mailer Family, Police and Agency Workers, there is a paedophile ring and finally the character of Dr Galbraith.  I don't think I have ever hated a character in a story as much as I have hated this one, he is smug, self-righteous, loathsome, evil and abhorrent, credit to John for making this character so believable as to evoke such anger, hatred and disgust.

The start of the story is disturbing, it is not easy reading and given the subject it shouldn't be.  But John has crafted his writing in such a way that he has not glorified the details of events, he has used just enough words to give an indication.  It did not take long before I realised that this was a story I just could not put down. The way you are taken into the thoughts and lives of the characters is superb, and at times very scary.

It is a truth that this is based on things that happen a lot more than people realise.  It is often mentioned in the news that people are coming forward on a regular basis to report abuse to them, this may have happened in recent times but also a lot are now admitting what happened years and even decades ago.

Yes this is a shocking, disturbing, intense and shows the levels of psychological manipulation that are astounding.  It is also heartbreaking, at times frustrating and also verypowerful.  It shows how people can find the inner strength to change, challenge and stand up to atrocities.  This is a book that will stay in my thoughts for quite a long time, and I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to those who read very real psychological thrillers.

5☆ Gets Under You Skin!

White is the Coldest Colour is not a book for feint hearted. It contains child sex abuse, paedophiles, but it's extremely gripping and once again John Nicholl has created a book based on reality by drawing from his experiences in the child protection team.

This was a book that got under my skin and wouldn't let go.
It is one of these books you know you shouldn't enjoy because of the nature of the book but you couldn't help keep turning those pages and screaming at the detectives 'NOOOO don't look there' , 'Don't tell that person'

I can't go into detail about the story as it will give much away. You only have to read the blurb to understand what is going on.
But what I will say is....

I don't normally swear when writing reviews but I really feel that it's warranted!!
Dr David Galbraith  is a sadistic bastard, who is a machauvenist, paedophile who preys on young boys and despises women and manipulates them for his own entertainment and studies!
He uses his power for evil.
You will hate him!! You are meant to!

As I mentioned before White is the Coldest Colour seriously got under my skin.
It was meant to. John's writing provoked all the right emotions perfectly.
It was creepy, sickening, frustrating, emotional, elated, thrilling, intoxicating, suspenseful, yet you just had to keep turning those pages!

I do highly recommend this book don't be put off by the subject. John Nicholl has this way of making you feel uncomfortable but yet addicted, and wanting to read more!
John is fast becoming one of my favourite Authors.

I love a good psychological thriller and I especially love a good thriller with a twist. The books I generally read are quite 'tame' compared to 'White is the Coldest Colour' but I have to say the subject matter was massively intriguing for me- purely because it sounded like the kind of TV drama I would normally go for. A 7 year old boy is sent to a psychiatrist but it turns out the psychiatrist is a peadophile and a killer. Yes the content was pretty disturbing, so please do not read if you get easily upset or blur the lines between fiction and reality, but if you do like dark and creepy fiction (is like the right word?!) then the writing is brilliant and will suck you in. The scary thing is that fiction is often and extension and elaboration of real life and the evilness of human beings is portrayed so well that it was easy to feel the emotions surrounding the case. This had more than the usual psych thriller but I raced through it just as quickly. I would have given 5* but Dr Galbraith...well...

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is not the book for the faint hearted. It is a dark emotionally wringing portrayal of paedophilia. It is brutal and real. Obviously the author draws deep from his professional career to create such a sadistic and evil character. The abuse scenes whilst heart rending are not too graphic thank goodness. I think that is the sign of an intelligent writer, just giving enough information and leaving the rest to the readers imagination.

This was a disturbing and challenging read but I am very glad that I stuck with it. It tells the story of eminent child psychiatrist Dr David Galbraith who also happens to be a sadistic paedophile who has tortured and abused hundreds of children and murdered at least one.
Young Anthony Mailer is struggling with his emotions following the recent breakdown of his parents marriage and is referred to Dr Galbraith who becomes obsessed with making Anthony his latest victim.
A child abuse storyline is always going to be a tough read but I found it compelling and excellently written. It is clear to see that the author has experience in the field and although fictional it is based on real life events from his background in police and social work. As a parent I think this is a very important book as it reiterates the message that sometimes those that we trust the most are the ones we should trust the least and that we should always question what makes us uncomfortable particularly when it comes to our children and the most vulnerable in society.
Many, many thanks to the author for what must have been a very difficult book to write - a powerful and important read and I look forward to more from this author.
Thanks also to Netgalley UK and the publishers for the advance review copy.

Yet again, Bloodhound Books has unearthed a very promising author! Sometimes when an expert in a particular field decides to use their experience in writing novels, the result can be unnecessarily detailed and somewhat turgid; this is not the case with John Nichol! He uses his years of police work to tell this shocking tale of child exploitation and sexual abuse, and the resulting novel is highly readable. I look forward to more!

A very well written, dark and disturbing story. The charectors are well discribed and the plot draws you in from the beginning right to the explosive ending. I would have liked to find out what happens next..maybes there will be a sequel? I certainly hope so....
Will be checking out more from this writer.

So creepy yet so relevant and SO good. Completely depraved subject yet I could not put it down. Thanks so much for ARC.

Excellent! This is a scary, suspenseful thriller, full of taught, dark and disturbing moments. It is quite graphic in places, and the subject matter is obviously not a nice thing to read about, however don't be put off, this is a heck of a read!