Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.
The fifth book in the series. I was not disappointed-it kept me gripped till the explosive ending. Recommended.

The local primary school seems to be the target of a bomb threat but is it? or more chilling it's a threat against a police officer who spoke out.
A police officer DCI Finch is in prison not on remand awaiting trial is he bent or not?
It seems DI Blackwell and Finch did have a fling but not serious but is Finch organising these bombs from his prison cell?
It's a realistic story but not one I could warm to, the main protagonist seems as if she is distant, not amiable in fact quite a cold person.
This is my first read of this author I would read another one, as long as it is not a DI Blackwell as it ends as if there could be more.
I would like to thank Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC to read, it was not bad but as stated the protagonist is cold and not much of a description to any of the players.

Thank you to NetGalley, Matt Brolly and the publishers for allowing me to read The Pier for an honest review.

This is another book in the DI Louse Blackwell series. I have been fortunate to read a previous book in this series so I was aware of what was happening.. Having said that, this is a stand alone book and it is not dependent upon having read any previous books about Di Blackwell.

There are a series of bombs going off in town and it is at the same time as the trial for Tim Finch is happening in which Louse, among others, has to testify against the ex policeman. Is Finch organizing this from inside the jail to discredit Louse or is unrelated?

Louise has finally entered into a serious relationship with Thomas but it appears strained with the bombs and Thomas being suspected of drug running. Will Louise finally settle down or will previous relationship hurts harm another one? Keep reading and you will find out.

I enjoy the Di Blackwell series and this was another example of a great read.

The Pier by Matt Brolly is a highly recommended procedural and the fifth installment of the Louise Blackwell series.
DI Louise Blackwell of the Weston-super-Mare police force will do anything to keep her niece, Emily, safe, so when a bomber targets her school it is obviously a message to Blackwell, especially as there is a message specifically mentioning her. Then there is an explosion at a nearby caravan that is tied into the school bomb. A suspect is found, but he is not the perpetrator. Tania French, the reporter, is hanging around, ready to write incendiary stories about the threat. And the corrupt DCI Tom Finch, who is in jail awaiting trial, seems intent on taking Blackwell down before she can testify against him, but there is also another relative of a suspect who may want revenge against Blackwell.

In this fifth outing of DI Louise Blackwell, the complicated background information needed to completely comprehend the plot almost makes it a necessity to read the previous novels in the Blackwell series. There are recurring characters and many ties back to events found in previous novels, especially the fourth novel, The Mark. There is background information provided, but it would really behoove readers to know more information and background to fully appreciate the plot.

Blackwell continues to be a compelling character that readers will up hold. She is a determined, intelligent and interesting character. DCI Robertson now heads her section and he has always supported her. Blackwell's flaws are also presented in the plot, which makes her a realistic and sympathetic character who will elicit your support as she handles the current investigation. Along the way there is further character development as the novel progresses. Her relationship with Tom continues to evolve and grow.

This is a great series for those who enjoy police procedurals.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

Another in the series featuring DI Louise Blackwell but Mr Brolly makes it easily possible be read as a standalone.

I have had great trouble not being too familiar with all the places in any spoiler. as a Bristolian boy who has worked in Portishead (PortZ) and WSM.- so familiar but superb for this storyline

Plenty of brilliant characters, 'Taunting Tania' and 'Frightening Finch' and a storyline that keeps up a pretty frantic pace at times. If you like a good murder, dodgy policemen, serial criminals and a few bombs this is the book for you!!

I am already looking forward to Louise's next adventure - keep it up Mr Brolly you are doing a great job.

Thanks to Net Galley and Amazon Publishing UK for the chance to read and review.

DI Louise Blackwell is back...a local school is subject to a bomb threat, as Louise's niece goes to the school it's personal, even more so when a note is found next to the device "Next time you won't be so lucky D I Blackwell"
The race is on to find out who is behind this threat, with yet another note left, she is up against the clock. Such a good read, with engaging characters that are well observed and utterly believable, as are the situations. We are getting to know Louise better and the relationships between her family and friends. Really entertaining give it a go!!!

DI Louise Blackwell is glad that disgraced former DCI Finch, the sociopath that caused all of her trouble, has finally been caught and she looks forward to testifying against him. In the meantime, someone has placed what looks like a bomb in her niece’s school, accompanied by a threatening note referring specifically to Louise. An obnoxious tabloid reporter appears to be communicating with Finch, aiding in his attempt to throw the trial. But who is planting the IEDs, and why? Can the police stop him before it is too late? If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat thrillers, Matt Brolly’s novels are a good choice. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I am loving this series, it gets better with every new book. A great story which kept me guessing till the end.

The Pier, by Matt Brolly, is an interesting police suspense series that takes place in the United Kingdom. This book is all about the details and at times I felt like I could almost see the scenes. While I liked the premise and most of the characters, I struggled though the middle. Louise Blackwell is a dedicated DI and Aunt
After a bomb threat at DI Louise Blackwell's young niece's school she realizes that this case is much more personal than she and her team are comfortable with. So, now that her niece and the other students are terrified, she's determined to stop whoever is threatening her and her community.
After an explosion of a local caravan reveals a suspect he ends up hanging himself and leaves a warning.
Is former DCI, Tim Finch working from prison to be part of all this carnage? Maybe he's hoping to sabotage the case against him.
As the threats get more serious, the public and departmental pressure starts affecting Blackwell and her team. But they're all determined to bring down their deadly foe.

DI Louise Blackwell is back for the next in this series, and this time her nemesis DCI Finch is on remand for attempted murder. Unfortunately crime never stops and she finds herself embroiled in a tense investigation where time really is of the essence. It’s also closer to home as it initially involves the school that her niece Emily attends. Not only that, but she’s trying to work out her feelings for Thomas, now he’s no longer a police officer; could she actually start to have a proper relationship?

As I’d expect from this author, it’s tense, fast paced and has you on the edge of your seat. Louise is still tortured by the past few years, and although she knows it was justified, and saved Amiras life, killing someone should never be easy. The main characters all have well written backgrounds, and you do really get the feeling that this is the way police incidents could be investigated. Unfortunately characters like Max Walton and Tim Finch are all too believable. Another excellent read from Matt Brolly.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A solid mystery with a dash of romance may be found in The Pier. The plot was interesting and had a decent balance of believable situations, events, and info about the private lives of the individuals. The novel started out well but dragged a little towards the middle. Getting to know the characters was fun. The interactions between Louise and her family, friends, and coworkers were handled properly. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this copy.

Matt Brolly brings plenty of suspense and action, as well as an edginess, to the fifth book in the Detective Inspector (DI) Louise Blackwell series set in and near the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare in England. While the tale occasionally switches points of view, it is primarily that of Louise.
A local school is the target of a bomb threat and it gets personal for Louise. Her niece is one of the students and there’s a note directed at Louise hidden under the device. A nearby explosion with another note elevates the tension.
Louise is a hard-working, resilient, and fascinating individual who has trouble delegating. However, she is respected by many, and her fighting for what is right inspires loyalty in her co-workers. Despite this, networking is an aspect of her career that she has never been great at. Her flaws make her feel more realistic as does her struggle for work/life balance.

A strong, intriguing, and riveting opening scene will immediately pull most readers into the story. The narrative is suspenseful with a creative, absorbing, complex, and well-paced plot with some twists that will keep a reader guessing. The plot is multi-layered which keeps readers fully engaged. Brolly brings the layers together in this dynamic thriller. The high stakes kept me engaged throughout the story. As Louise and her team are working to find connections and work through the clues, there are also shocking action scenes. The people in the story came to life, and I was cheering on the police as they searched desperately for the criminals.

Overall, this was a gripping and chilling story with complex characters. It’s intense and dramatic and kept this reader turning the pages. While there is some background given in this book, the series is best read in order.

Amazon Publishing UK and Matt Brolly provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

The Pier is the fifth instalment in the Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell series. DI Blackwell is now leading her own team as the lead detective of Major Crimes in north Somerset, from Avon & Somerset’s headquarters at Portishead, with the closure of the CID unit at Weston-super-Mare. Louise attends a bomb threat situation, reported to her by her boss DCI Iain Robertson, at her niece, Emily’s school, Larkmead, and she finds it's a hoax but is perturbed as a threatening note is left for her attention along with the fake bomb.

This is another riveting and compulsive police procedural by Matt Brolly with enough drama and intensity to keep you gripped through to the end. I like Louise's character and she feels three-dimensional and very convincing. She's intelligent, has a great sense of humour, fights for what is right and inspires loyalty in her co-workers.

The personal lives of the characters, particularly Louise's are a fair chunk of Matt Brolly's tale, and his writing flows enjoyably making this a book I devoured easily. Whilst The Pier is a police procedural it is also an examination of relationships. The author also explores the atmospheric setting giving a real sense of place. Captivating and well crafted.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Love Matt Brollys work and this book is an excellent addition to his portfolio of works. A great continuation of the series, ring us up to date with the characters we have come to love (and hate). All this interspersed with an excellent who dun it. Eagerly awaiting the next instalment

DI Louise Blackwell is now working out of Portishead, the centre for Avon & Somerset police with her own team. Although she still lives in Weston super- Mare helping her parents with her niece she spends a lot of her free time with Thomas, an ex policeman now a Security chief. Her mind has been on the upcoming trial of DCI Tim Finch where she is due to give evidence when a bomb threat comes in for her niece's school. It is a hoax but the note warns the next might not be! When a mobile home burns down on a local site things seem to point at the school caretaker but there are hints that Louise is the one whose attention they want.

This is the fifth in this series & I have enjoyed them all from the first. The characters are engaging (or awful) as the author intended! The story is fast paced & holds the attention. My only complaint is- how long till the next one Matt?? Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- it was a cracker!

When a local school is the target of a bomb threat, DI Louise Blackwell finds herself embroiled in her most personal case to date. Not only is her niece among the terrified pupils—there’s also a chilling note hidden under the device: Next time you won’t be so lucky, DI Blackwell…

The explosion of a nearby caravan offers a connection…and a suspect. But when he hangs himself after interrogation, leaving another note promising more carnage, Blackwell fears there’s an accomplice.

Could Tim Finch, a former DCI on remand for attempted murder, be pulling strings from prison? He certainly seems set on bringing Blackwell down, if only to derail the case against him. Or could the devious nephew of Max Walton, the serial killer Blackwell shot and killed, be seeking revenge on behalf of his uncle?

As the threats escalate and pressure to solve the case mounts, Blackwell is sucked into a series of horrific events that reach a chaotic and terrifying crescendo on Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier. Can she stand firm against a rival hell-bent on destroying her—or will she fall into the killer’s deadly trap?

There were lots of twists and turns in this novel and I wasn’t really sure who to trust – everyone seemed to be keeping secrets and lying about what they were up to. There were several red herrings and some misdirection that had me suspecting all kinds of things! I was trying to guess what was happening and kept changing my mind. This was definitely an intriguing and absorbing read. I really enjoyed this book and it will appeal fans of mystery/thriller books!

Fantastic well paced thriller which delves into sensitive areas such as terrorism. I really felt the level of threat especially when directed at innocents such as a primary school.
The characters were well developed and the story followed on well from and linked back to previous books in the series, although there was also enough explanation so that you could plausibly read this as a stand-alone.
I read the book in one sitting as was motivated to quickly find out how it ended. A recommended read.

Another thrilling read from Matt Brolly. Louise Blackwell is trying to keep her professional and personal lives separate but they soon overlap when a bomb threat is called into her niece's school...and a note is found addressed to Louise. Then her boyfriend loses his job when he's implicated in a drug ring. Are these connected to the serial killer Max Walton or to the upcoming trial of Tim Finch? Lots of twists and turns will keep you hooked until the end!

Thanks to Amazon Publishing for access to a digital arc on NetGalley.

This is the fifth in the Detective Louise Blackwell series; It is the second one I have read.

With the upcoming trial of a dishonest policeman, Tim Finch, who Louise helped put behind bars, a bomb planted at her niece’s school and subsequent explosions elsewhere, notes are planted indicating the detective is the target and only she can prevent further carnage. Her lover, Thomas, former police officer turned private security specialist is caught up in a drugs caper at his new place of employment. Soon, Louise is scrambling to solve the bombing case, testify against Finch, over come bad publicity, and come to terms with her relationship with Thomas. Fortunately, she has a capable, supportive team to assist her.

I like the character of Louise, a strong female leader. This book is a fast engrossing read with a well crafted plot. Fans of British police procedurals will enjoy it and want to read some of the prior in the series

Although this is the fifth in the series, it works well as a standalone. I missed the fourth one of which this seems to be a closely aligned sequel, however, Brolly does a good job of filling in the background information.

This is the 5th book of the series, and it doesn't disappoint! In this books, points from the past (and previous books) are coming back into play all at once. Louise also has to juggle a new threat that she doesn't now is legitmate, or if being used a ruse by one of the other supsects from her past. She is being judged by too many people without all the information, but should they know the whole truths? Or will those truths cause more harm if they all come out? Much like a classic cat and mouse game, this book does a great job of tying up some loose ends and offering Louise a chance to move on from the shadows that haunt ehr. While it can be read alone, it is better to now the backstories, if possible.