Danny's daughter is lying in a coma after an overdose. What Danny is about to discover is that she was encouraged to do it after being blackmailed. Danny wants revenge and will go to extraordinary lengths to try and get his family together again. But at what cost? And who is the private investigator and what does he stand to gain from encouraging people into vigilante justice? A gripping thriller that kept me guessing and wanting to know what would happen next

This was really intense and slow to start but I really loved how all the strands tied together in the end so it made sense. It made me really think about my teenage daughter which is a sign of a good story for me, that it encourages thought.

It took me a while to get into the story, but I had a quick look at the reviews and they reconfirmed my feelings regarding this author, so I just went back into it. By half way through I could not stop and had to know what happened.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

I ended up feeling disappointed with this book as it didn’t live up to the blurb. I have read The Chain and when I read about this book I thought it might have been a similar sort of plot but it was too slow for me. The ending was good though just getting there was too dull.

This is a gripping read. I was drawn in from the beginning. We begin with what seems like a young girl's suicide. Then meet Danny Evans, ex Dover Athletic captain and washed up ex footballer battling a drink addiction, and living apart from his family. We gradually find out what has driven Danny to this point and when a stranger appears who knows all about the situation and who claims to know who the paedophile targetting Danny's daughter and her friends is, Danny is compelled to follow his instructions. Leading to a domino effect that has devastating consequences. DI Joel Norris is newly promoted, and returning from sick leave following incident related stress, to head a brand new unit. With one DS. No team, no base, no resources. I really hope this is the start of a series as there is so much more to learn of Joel's back story. The working relationship between Joel and DS Lucy Rose is promising too. A great read. #netgalley #thefriend

I enjoyed this suspenseful book. This is a newer author for me and I look forward to seeing what is next for this author. This is a well developed story that pulled me in from the beginning. It is a fast paced story that I found to be engaging, fun and entertaining to read. The characters are relateable as well as made the story feel realistic. I enjoyed the growth of the story and the twists and turns that kept me turning pages to the end. This is a story about games where no one wins, the end result could just be death. A story of two murders who have no connection but the detective investating them. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next and if their is an ending to a game of murder.

A taut, compelling thriller that kept me turning the pages. Recommended! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC

An original take on a serial killer story and a twisted tale of revenge and justice. I enjoyed this book immensely and will be looking out for other novels by Charlie Gallagher. Being written by a former police officer added to the authenticity of the plot.

I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley for a review. Could not put it down, a read in one sitting. I'll be watching out for more Charlie Gallagher novels

As parents, Danny and Sharon are devastated with their daughter attempted to take her own life. She had always seemed to happy ... hr parents just don't understand.

A stranger accosts Danny telling him he knows who to blame. Their new friend offers them a chance of revenge. Danny is all for it ... Sharon has some reluctance.

But Danny really know who this new friend is. The friend has his own agenda ... and it just might be more dangerous than he thinks.

DI Joel Norris is called on to investigate when 2 murders are committed within days of each other. Seemingly unrelated.. but there is doubt. And Norris is known for following his gut .. no matter the danger.

This one is fraught with suspense beginning with the very first page. This may not be for everyone, as it explores child cruelty. Some scenes are a bit on the graphic side. The author spent several years as a UK police officer. As such, I expected a great deal of credibility .. and I was not disappointed.

Many thanks to the author / Avon Books UK / Netgalley for the digital copy of THE FRIEND. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This was a great read with many subplots to keep the reader on the edge. I found the different approach of such a black and white story with no red herrings a little strange but in fact I loved the straight forward way of the writing. The book covers many topics from mental illness, suicide and a washed up famous person who is the star throughout.
The book begins with the dilemma of how would any parent feel if their child had tried to commit suicide and durng the recovery period a person claiming to be a friend gives you the opportunity for the revenge that you seek.
The story develops at a suitable pace that keeps you on the edge throughout trying to work out what is going to happen next.
I will ceretainy read more from ths very talented author again.

A gripping and entertaining story that kept me hooked and on the edge.
It's well written, full of twists and turns, and I thoroughly enjoyed it
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was given the chance to read #TheFriend by #CharlieGallagher from #AvonBooksUK and #NetGalley. The opinions expressed below are mine and mine alone.

The plot for this book was an excellent idea. However, for me, the relay of the story fell a little short. We are introduced to several characters at a time and to me it just kept jumping around every time I started a new chapter. Maybe a chapter heading would have been helpful so you didn't have to go through the first couple of pages each chapter to figure out who I was reading about.

On the other side of that, the storyline was fresh and an excellent choice. The story opens with teenager Callie Evans in a coma in the hospital. Her parents, Danny and Sandy Evans are dealing with the aftermath of the trauma their daughter has been through. They are no longer living together and Danny has taken to drinking heavily. So, when a "private detective" shows up out of the blue and insists he has answers for them and knows who is responsible for Callie's overdose. You can use your imagination and see all kinds of places this can go. BUT, there's a huge twist coming and I didn't see it!

Can you see it? Can you figure this one out? If you can, you're a better detective than me. If you haven't read this one yet please put it in your TBR pile! #HappyReading

Wow that was a good read. At first I was a bit worried as it seemed to be a bit slow then wham you get hit with a massive twist and it speeds up fantastically! I have read all Charlie Gallaghers books and none have disappointed me and the same for this one! Brilliant #NetGalley#TheFriend

The first part of the book was a bit confusing, as a lot of seemingly unrelated things were happening. Then the book took off and was a roller coaster to the end. I enjoyed the characters who all seemed very real and the story kept my brain continually active. I liked the conclusion which was a satisfying end.

Thanks NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Charlie Gallagher for a copy to review.
A fast paced page turner that reminded me somehow with Harlan Coben's The Stranger. It is intense, heartbreaking and a bit hard to stomach sometimes.
Loved it.

Fully recommend this book had me gripped from the start, love the lay out and the writing, few twists and turns, would defo read more

Dark, twisted, and hard to put down. This is a sinister tale about revenge and murder.

Two men desperate for answers. The police can’t (or won’t?) provide them. A stranger, a new friend, miraculously appears. And he has those long sought answers. But everything comes with a price. And let’s not forget how emotion, especially deeply held emotion like heartbreak and anger, can taint perception. Truth and deception can look remarkably similar.

Gallagher puts his years of experience in the criminal justice system to good use in this intriguing yet menacing game of vigilante justice. The first half of the book sets the stage of the complexity of this mystery while the second half of the book takes on the procedural element of the investigation. The first half of the book moved at a rapid pace and was full of action and suspense. While the procedural side was sound and credible, I didn’t find it as fast paced and exciting. All of the pieces in the investigation fell into place easily without much surprise and no big reveal. In the end, that didn’t matter in regards to my overall enjoyment. The complex, original plot kept me engaged.

Using this intricately crafted tale about the desire for justice, Gallagher reminds us that emotion can often overtake reason and that people are both deeply complex and flawed. I’m not sure I’ll look at a new friend quite the same after reading this story.

Thank you Charlie Gallagher, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Charlie Gallagher is in my top three authors also lives in the same town as myself so I can picture all the places in his books. This new series in my opinion will be his best yet, he has grown and developed as a best-selling author and I am sure will go on to even better. His books should also be optioned as they would make great films. His books are not for everyone but if you like true gritty crime then these are for you, the descriptions are what make you keep turning the pages. Well done Charlie.

For the record, I didn't hate this book. Nor did I love it. Honestly? I was kind of "meh" about the majority of it. But I will say that for all the reasons I didn't enjoy it? Someone else definitely will, because this was not a badly written story by any means. It just... took too long getting to the point for me to be able to thoroughly enjoy it.

For one thing the bouncing POV made it difficult for me to stay invested because I was always having to go back and either figure out who was speaking, or exactly who they were to the overall plot. Honestly? I feel like it would have been more enjoyable if it was broken up into sections. Focus on one character and their arc, then another character and their arc, and then finally bring it all back together from the POV of the police officers trying to solve the case.

Perhaps if the author had chosen this way to go about it, I would have connected more with the cast of characters. As it was I felt they were very one-dimensional, lacking not only in depth, but anything that would really make me care about them (which considering the subject matter, the fact that I didn't care about any of them was really upsetting to me as a reader).

Don't get me wrong, the plot does pick up towards the last half of the book, but by then it was too little too late for me. I will however say that everything was wrapped up in a way that was satisfying (even if parts of it were a bit obvious). I would read more from this author.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Fans of Harlen Coben novels and Law and Order type plots will love this twisted story from Charlie Gallagher. I’d been searching for a fast-paced detective driven mystery, and The Friend fit that need perfectly. The overarching plot tells the story of heartbroken family members looking for justice. Naturally, they want answers for their pain, and this is where the twists begin.

I had a hard time putting this one down. I think the plot’s unpredictability is what I liked most about The Friend. I was left guessing until nearly the end of the novel. Likewise, the characters were easy to like or dislike depending upon the intent. I can easily see this detective duo showing up in a series, and I will be happy to pick up the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review

TW: suicide, online exploitation