Detective Lola Harris Mysteries.

Detective Lola Harris returns from a miserable solo holiday - an effort to get over and ex - only to find herself in charge of a high-stakes investigation. she rushes to a crime scene in the historic Gallowgate neighbourhood. The smell in the basement is thick and sweet, even through Lola's forensic mask. The old wooden chair and the rope hanging from its arms are stained red. The earth below is saturated with blood. Six candleholders, their lights burnt out, lend the scene an air of a completed ritual. And yet there's no sign of a body.

A man is missing. He has links to the upcoming exhibition which is linked to a death on a remote island. We are introduced to Detective Lola Harris who is investigating the case. This story has been cleverly crafted. With good twists. I didn't know what direction we would be heading next. This is a well written mystery that held my attention throughout. The characters were well rounded. I think I'm going to like Lola Harris. A great start to a new mystery series that's set in Scotland.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #DanielSellers for my ARC of #MurderInTheGallowGate in exchange for an honest review.

A fabulous debut mystery by Daniel Sellars. DI Lola Harris has just returned to Glasgow from a dismal singles holiday when she’s tagged by her boss to lead a high profile murder. A city councilman’s been found brutally murdered. He was last seen leaving a prestigious art gallery after a board meeting. The gallery is preparing to mount a restrospective of a controversial photographer dead some 30 years. Is the murder linked to modern grievances or does someone not want the show to go on?
This doesn’t read like a debut novel. It’s an excellent mix of modern and cold case mystery. The characters are well fleshed out DI Harris is ably supported by DC Kirstie Campbell but her second in command, DS Aiden Pierce is out to sabotage the case and her career with it. Will be reading the next for sure.
Thank you Net Galley and Joffe Books for the ARC copy

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. I just fell in love with this wonderful story and it’s wonderful characters. I just couldn’t get enough of it. I will most definitely be reading more books by this wonderful author.

I finished this book a few days ago and had to think about how to write this review. In looking, this is the author's 1st full length novel. This book is well written, but at times over written. But I can see as he writes more he is going to be an amazing author. The main plot was good, and very original, and the cold case sub plot was as well. The feud with her DS, to me, took time away from the storyline for no apparent real reason. But, all of that being said I enjoyed this book overall and would read the next in the series. I think that with more depth put behind the main characters we will grow to look at them as friends, which tends to happen in well written series. We all stand behind the good guys! I would recommend this book to anyone that likes British police procedural.

I would like to thank the author, publisher, and Net Galley for am advance review copy of this book. The views are honest, and all my own!

procedural, law enforcement, Glasgow, murder, investigation, abduction, due diligence, thriller, suspense, unputdownable, new series, Mental health, politics, friction, animosity, sociopathic colleague, art world, *****

This is really great! Even more so as it is first in series. The side stories are revealed later as important, then there are the plot twists and amazing red herrings. The publisher's blurb is better than most, so no need to repeat or do the spoiler thing. Wish it came in print.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

It took me a while to finish the book. I was a bit too busy so I couldn't really read on. Luckily, I found some time to finish it.

It's Murder in the Gallowgate by Daniel Sellers that I got from @joffebooks via Netgalley. It will be out on the 15th of November.

This book is a slow burn. I had to really get into it, but once that happened I liked it. The story itself is quite interesting with a link between a past case and the current case Detective Harris is investigating. It all comes together in the last part and that gives you all the answers you've been looking for.

That was also one of the things I didn't really care for. At times it was a bit too slow and too little happened. That's when you need to keep on going so you'd come to the parts that are interesting again. The author managed very well to describe the characters and you started to develop a real negative feeling towards certain characters.

In conclusion, a nice book with a decent story but at times a bit too slow.

3/5 ⭐

I usually find Glasgow or Edinburgh crime books an enjoyable read, but every now and again one will come along that doesn’t tick the right boxes. Unfortunately this was one of them., as I felt that there was something missing, that vital spark, be it in the characters or the actual story line. I would certainly not dismiss the author out of hand and will keep an eye open for his future titles and hope that they produce just that little bit more.

This is a convoluted page turner. Lots of action - not all to do with the case that DI Lola Harris is working on. Problems with her DS at work; and the loss of her lover in her personal life makes the job more fraught than ever. Being a born and bred Glaswegian means that she can handle anything - well almost.

Brilliant book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Decent police procedural with some good twists and turns (although I saw most of them a mile off). Fun setting and story. Found Lola (main detective) frustrating. And a lot of the HR stuff beyond belief. Infuriating ending (on the personal side).

Good, fun, worth a read. But missing some of the depth and grit that other Scottish crime writers have. I’d consider reading another, but I’m not desperate for a sequel.

I had never read this author before but boy what a great one to start out with.
I was so impressed by the glossary at the back of the book with commonly used English words for US readers. I referred to it frequently. Thank you!
Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed it and will highly recommend.

This is my first book by this author. It was a good mystery and I would recommend the read.

Detective Lola Harris is just returning from vacation when she is assigned to a new case. A prominent figure has disappeared and a potential crime scene has been found, but there is no body. Is there a chance he is still alive?

As she investigates, Lola discovers a connection to a suspicious death that occurred about thirty years prior. Is someone seeking revenge? Will Lola and her team find the killer before anyone else dies?

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
I loved this book, one of my favorites this year!
This is a fantastic read, couldn't put it down.
Detective Lola Harris (superb!) is getting over a long-term relationship and while trying to get over it, she
becomes the SIO of a big case: the disappearance of an important man in Glasgow. They find a bloody scene, but no body. She has a sergeant, Kirsty, who is a likeable character, and Pierce, another sergeant who is quite creepy who undermines her constantly. Another character, David Sinclair, is such a nice guy, I really liked him. The ending was very good, but I did go 'nooo' at the very end. Can't wait for the next in the series.
What is in the water in Scotland that produces such great authors?
Highly recommended!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Murder in the Gallowgate, the first novel to feature Glasgow based DI Lola Harris.

Lola returns from holiday to her first Senior Investigating Officer role. A prominent councillor has disappeared and the discovery of a blood soaked crime scene, but no body, raises the stakes. She soon discovers links to an accidental death in 1994 on a remote Scottish island. Then another body is found.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in the Gallowgate, which is a tense read with plenty of twists and an intricate plot. This enjoyment was enhanced by the Glasgow setting, which is my home town. There is a comfort in recognising familiar places and being able to navigate the geography and understanding the mindset. A bit more dark Glaswegian humour would have been welcome, but it’s only book one so the author gets a pass.

This Is a difficult novel to describe without spoilers as one of the central locations and events is not mentioned in the blurb. It is told from two points of view, Lola and Davey, who has links to both the present and the past. I liked the contrast in styles where Lola is all logic and Davey is all nerves as it gives the reader a wider perspective on events.

The novel is relatively long, but that allows the author to develop his plot fully. It is fast paced with plenty of developments and a few twists. The motive is standard as the reader discovers but the actual murders and the plotting involved are anything but, being complex and stylised. The whole thing is shrouded in doubt and misunderstandings and that adds an extra frisson to proceedings. I was captivated by the story and trying to work out who was behind it. I didn’t get very far as the perpetrator is well hidden.

I like Lola and will definitely read whatever comes next in her story. She’s 46 and her life is a bit of a mess. She’s recently split from her long term married lover and still pines for him. There is much more to be revealed about that situation and I want to know it. At the same time she is handling this high profile investigation and the sociopathic DS Pearse, who hates her and doesn’t hesitate to undermine her at every opportunity. I like her style in handling him and handing him a couple of defeats. Nobody messes with Lola.

Murder in the Gallowgate is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.