Not my favourite read, I found it quite hard going which surprised me as i like premise and this is an author I’ve read before and enjoyed, I don’t know if the author being British but writing the story in an American Style player a part in that.

Not for. Me. Apologies

This book, The Controller has enough twists and turns to grab you from the beginning and not let go until the very end.

Here we find, Special Agent Sandra Rose investigating a house invasion gone wrong. The interesting twist is that she discovers that the assailant claims to know of a disappearance. It's the disappearance of retired Special Agent Samuel Lynch. His son went missing six years ago.

This story is very well written with well-crafted characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This book has stayed with me due to its originality and fantastic premise.

I really enjoyed the duo of main characters, both flawed, both stubborn. They work really well together and I can only hope this is the start of a series.

Another fast paced, memorable thriller from booth. Highly recommded

Part of the DCI Lambert series, The Controller, is a gripping serial killer thriller about a police officer looking for his missing kid and getting involved in an organized crime syndicate called the Railroad. The organizer of the Railroad is nicknamed the Controller, and the story revolves around the police officer being led on a trail to find the Controller and his missing kid. Well written and worth reading, and I will be reading the rest of the series.

This was my first book for this author. I really enjoyed this book. I felt like I went on a ride with the characters. It was a dark thriller and I think it was just want I needed for today to read. There was lots of action in this book and some scenes that may not be suitable for younger people. "This book was given to me for free at my request from Netgalley and I provided this voluntary review."

The Controller
By Matt Brolly
4 Stars
Thrilling read

Well written plot story that flows from the first page to the last.

Characters and plot are well developed.

The pain who main characters feel is made real on the pages,

Former special agent Samuel Lynch is drawn back into the only investigation he could never solve. An underground organisation known as The Railroad, that is responsible for murders across the nation.

Along side him, is Special Agent Sandra Rose whose own investigation of a house invasion gone wrong, reveals the assailant has the legendary, and infamous, Railroad tattoo carved onto his back. Together they become embroiled in an unparalleled world of violence and evil.

This title has been reviewed by https://books-reviewed.weebly.com/ This title was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an open and honest review.

#TheController #NetGalley

Wow! I daresay Matt Brolly has a new fan after this read!
This crime fiction novel was so well written it was seamless. I was hooked from the very beginning and finished it in one day! It almost seemed like I was reading a movie in the making - all the action, the twists, the characters I felt attached too in Lynch and Rose then throwing in the missing son Daniel. Nail biting!
The characters are well drawn out, and I loved the way they came together seamlessly. I look forward to reading more Lynch and Rose novels! Highly recommend for thriller fans, crime fiction, mystery.

This, unfortunately, was one of my less favorite books of late. While it did have some bright spots, overall, it was a miss for me.

I liked the overall premise of a secret organization disappearing people around train tracks. I found it plausible and scary and original. I enjoyed the character Samuel Lynch. I wanted him to win. His motivations and actions were realistic and he became a full-fledged person for me.

I did not like the torture scenes, the Rose character, the British slang coming out of Texans mouths, the lack of characterization outside of Lynch, and the innumerable "you don't want to know" comments that veiled the true motivations and perclivities of the Railroad. The torture scenes may have been benign by some standards, but they came early and were brutal enough. I never connected with Rose, even with her sub-plot, I just felt like she was a flat character. I am pretty sure there are no native Texans who use the word "whilst", ever. All of the FBI characters ran together in my head and there was never any reason to truly know which one was which. Thank goodness, because I couldn't. Finally, while trying to find the truth, the answer Lynch got most often was, "it's too terrible to name, so I am going to let you just wonder". This reader was frustrated by that response. Not that I want to know about the terrible things people can and will do to one another, but once in a while, it would have been nice to have a horrible act to attach to the character I am supposed to hate.

While I am not likely to recommend this one, I am intersted in reading other books by this author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review. Sorry this one was not quite up my alley.

The Controller by Matt Brolly is the first in the Samuel Lynch and Sandra Rose series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Oblong Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Six years ago, Daniel Lynch went missing. He was seven. His father was the head of the San Antonio FBI field office. Following up on his son’s case cost Samuel Lynch his job, his friends, his marriage… but his obsession to find his son never faltered.

Lynch had discovered an underground organization called The Railroad, who he believes is responsible for his son’s disappearance as well as many others. No one in the FBI believed him. He has continued his investigation on his own, and is now in search of the head of this group, called “The Controller”.

FBI Special Agent Sandra Rose is called to investigate a hostage situation. A man named Razinski is holding a family captive, and the only one he will talk to is Lynch. He wants immunity. He says he knows the location of Lynch's son.

Lynch and Rose begin to work together, neither totally trusting the other, or knowing who else they can trust. The case will lead them through treacherous betrayals and into unknown territory, where violence and evil go hand in hand.


My Opinions:
This is the first book I have read by Matt Brolly. It was a wild ride. The suspense and action was non-stop, and the plot sucked me in right from the start. Some of the scenes were a little gruesome, but that never bothers me. A couple of the twists really surprised me.

The characters are strong, driven, and likable. They have depth. I quickly became a fan of both Lynch and Rose (and McBride). None of them are perfect, which makes them more real.

I understand the author’s other series is based in England, and you can tell his nationality by some of the phrases. Since this book takes place in the States, perhaps the book should have been a little more “Americanized”, but overall, I didn’t care. The book was good!

I could definitely see a movie….or a television series….I just can’t wait for the next book.

An incredibly dark book about the evil that can exist in society. When one man loses his son nothing else matters to him. Nothing. His obsession, with what many believe is a group that does not exist, is all encompassing. He has lost his marriage and his job. When you have nothing left to lose there is very little you will not do.

Matt Brolly returns with a riveting new series featuring former FBI Special Agent Samuel Lynch and FBI Special Agent Sandra Rose. It's a seriously fast-paced, gritty thriller with more high-octane thrills than you can shake a stick at. However, be warned there is a lot of violence and brutality but if you like this sort of read it really is highly entertaining and once you pick it up you're guaranteed to find it difficult to put down. The tension is palpable throughout and there is never a dull moment with excitement around every corner.

Lynch and Rose are a dynamic and effective duo and their partnership often strays into sexual liaisons with one another which is a little cliche. The fact that they are both willing to bend the rules makes it very interesting. I always appreciate those type of character who rebels against the established police principles. Sam is a complex guy and his personality is crafted well. I look forward to learning much more about both of them in upcoming instalments.

Overall, a must-read page-turner for those who enjoy thrillers with a high body count and a very sick and twisted serial killer. Many thanks to Oblong Books for an ARC.

I really enjoyed the book. Kept me wanting more and couldn't wait to get back to it when I had to put it down. I will definitely read more of this author and can't wait for the next book in the series.

Now, what I didn't like. The book is set in the USA, primarily in Texas where I doubt you're going to find many people calling their mother Mum. I realize the author is British but much of the language just didn't match the setting of the book. Throughout the book he referred to the little boy's jumper, meaning sweater.

A few other ones that just kinda bugged me included metric measurements, car park instead of parking lot, floor when referring to the ground outside, torch light rather than flashlight. Minor, yes, but nonetheless, these words and many others, including alternate British English spellings through out the entire book simply didn't fit the location of the characters.

This is the first time that i have read any books by Matt Brolly and am now eager to read more. 'The Controller' was an excellent read and had me hooked from virtually the first page. I do prefer thrillers when they are fast paced which this book certainly was. Recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy.

The Controller by Matt Brolly is a fast-paced, gritty and fantastic piece of pure thrilling content. It hooks you in right from the get-go and the tension keeps mounting with every subsequent chapter. I found this book very difficult to put down!
Following the disappearance of his only child, 6 years ago, Samuel Lynch an ex-FBI agent has had only one goal - to find his son, Daniel. He's never stopped looking; Samuel believes that an organization called "The Railroad" is responsible for the disappearance of Daniel and hundreds of others. A home invasion gone wrong has brought together Special Agent Sandra Rose and Samuel Lynch together. Together they journey through to solve the most challenging cases of their lives encountering the darkest and most depraved individuals who stop at nothing.
This book has a seriously high body count. I wouldn't call it twisty but it's highly engrossing nonetheless. The dialogues are superb. All characters are well-drawn and the plot is simply one of the best I have read so far. Matt Brolly has been able to capture all scenes and emotions flawlessly. Since this was an arc I expected a few minor editorial oversights, but overall this book was just fabulous! I was anxious for Samuel & Sandra until the very end.
I was very impressed with the book and it seems like there will be more of Samuel Lynch. I can't wait!
Thank you, NetGalley, Oblong Books & Matt Brolley for an arc!

As I read The Controller, a theory developed about why the book disappointed me so: The author is clearly British, the prose is riddled with British usages and spellings, yet the characters, the setting, and the law enforcement agencies are all American. Perhaps this disconnect is what created the feeling of implausiblity and inauthenticity?

It seemed as if there was some such small, clashing detail that snagged my attention and made me lose my reader's focus on every. single. page. I haven't read any of Matt Brolly's books set in England, and now I'm curious.

Each year, I read and enjoy at least 50 British books, and *LOVE* to read well-done plots that feature a clear-thinking misfit who confronts a conspiracy that pervades the highest authorities. When I requested this advance readers copy from NetGalley, I hoped that was what I would get.

I liked the main character Lynch and hoped he might be one of my heroes, but alas.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Oblong Books for an advance copy of The Controller, the first novel to feature former FBI Special Agent Samuel Lynch and current Special Agent Sandra Rose, set in Texas.

When a home invasion goes wrong Agent Rose is put in charge of the hostage negotiation but the invader has his own agenda and insists on talking to Lynch. Lynch was investigating the disappearance of hundreds of people at various times but with one commonality, they all disappeared near railroad tracks and had identified a group known as The Railroad as the perpetrators when his seven year old son, Daniel, was taken. With his grief over his son and the FBI’s view that The Railroad is an urban myth he was forced out. When the invader is captured it becomes apparent that The Railroad is more than a legend so Rose co-opts Lynch Into her investigation.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Controller which is a high octane thriller with plenty of twists and turns. It is not for the faint hearted as the cruelty and violence are stomach churning in parts but if you have the stomach it is tense, exciting and highly addictive. I must admit that I had to put it down at times due to the tension so it is a measure of Mr Brolly’s skill that I got so invested. The plot is well done with action, tension and a mysterious organisation whose aims still seem a bit obscure to me but this will no doubt be explored more in further novels as it obviously isn’t all over in this one novel. I would suggest that there is virtually no realism in the novel but, given the genre, it doesn’t matter especially as it is gripping and highly entertaining.

I like the characters of Lynch and Rose, both of whom have the anti-authoritarian gene but use it in different ways. Lynch has a more scorched earth policy, willing to use any means to rescue his son. He is tough, uncompromising and task orientated. Rose is more idealistic, prepared to break the rules in search of justice and doing the right thing. They make a great team and I’m looking forward to their next outing.

The Controller is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

I enjoyed the author's DCI Lambert books but unfortunately this one wasn't one for me as it did not really interest me

Edge of the seat plot. From the minute it began I was enthralled and wanted more. Unique an interesting storyline that involves FBI scandals an wondering who can be trusted. The main character I really liked he was very real but even for an ex FBI agent he had no one to turn to. The other main character was very relatable but in a strange kind of way. In the middle of the action it reverts back to her personal life so shows a deeper side to her.
Only negative would be that important information isn’t explained. The storyline is such a good one but yet in the end I’m still left with no reasoning behind how it started or why or an insight into the sinister character behind it all. What certain aspects of it mean which is really annoying as it’s potential with this information could have been great an then it just ENDS... So many unanswered questions and people whose actions that lead to serious repercussions futures just left hanging with no explanations or why they acted in this way. But it does leave an opening for a follow on book which has huge potential.

Well, what a gripping read! I have to admit that having read some of Matt Brolly’s DCI Lambert books previously I couldn’t wait to start reading this as it downloaded to my Kindle.

In The Controller we are introduced to Samuel Lynch, an ex-FBI agent whose son went missing six years ago and Lynch believes a violent crime organisation called The Railroad and their leader, The Controller are responsible. Following an incident at a house invasion gone wrong, Lynch is brought in by Special Agent Sandra Rose to assist with enquiries. It is soon apparent that there is more than meets the eye and so begins our thrilling and suspense filled journey from start to finish.

Impossible to put down, tense page-turner to the end, this is an absolute must read!

Fast paced thriller,interesting characters and scary storyline.I liked the main characters and wondered if there will be more.