Very disappointing it started off really good then went downhill it was too tedious and too much explanation about everything I was screaming to the book get on with it wouldn’t recommend

This novel has authenticity written all over it. That isn’t so surprising given the author was an officer with the Metropolitan Police but I have read other novels by retired officers that don’t have the same gritty realism. What was really intriguing was the depiction of how different police investigations and priorities can trip all over each other.

The action is set against the background of drug dealing, knife and gun crime. A teenager is knifed to death whilst a two year undercover operation into gun running is just about to reach its conclusion. DI Kieran Shaw is adamant that the undercover operation must not be disrupted whilst DI Sarah Collins is anxious to catch the killer of a fifteen year old boy. It is soon apparent that the two situations are going to collide. A witness to the murder appears to be a low level member of the gang attempting to buy guns.

The narrative speeds along, it’s well written, and I was really drawn into the world of the main characters. These are not only Shaw and Sullivan but also DC Lizzie Griffiths, Shaw’s ex-lover and mother of his son. Her daily struggle to keep up with the demands of the job and being a mother are a good side story.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.
This is a somewhat contemporary story in respect of London gang culture centred around Ryan who witnesses his friend Sencer's stabbing and subsequent death. Three strands of story are interwoven: Spencer's death, Ryan's previous assault on another boy in the Mall, and a long-running investigation aimed at closing down a gun and drug trafficking route that is about to conclude, with help along the way of an undercover detective.
This was a decent-enough story in itself,; three different investigations gradually coming together in a dramatic conclusion and in the middle of it all a young lad who didn't know anything different to the life he found himself in.
However, I found the reading slow, there were far too many and lengthy passages of irrelevant reminiscences and environmental descriptions from the detectives to the extent they detracted from the storylines. Had I not felt obliged to give an honest review, I would not have continued reading. Not for me an enjoyable style of writing, but of course that is only my opinion. Sorry

Gripping detective thriller opens and ends with DI Sarah Collins attending the funeral of a colleague. In between is a chain of events which somehow swerve to avoid the happy outcome which might have been possible if politics didn’t prevent detectives from different teams working together and ruthless gangsters didn’t use and abuse the vulnerable in their pursuit of wealth and power at any cost. Ryan’s dad was murdered when Ryan was young and his death was “avenged” by his friend Shakiel who continues to keep an eye on Ryan as he grooms him to become one of his foot soldiers as he gets older. Now 15 Ryan and his friend Spence have gone to sell drugs to a prostitute but it’s a trap and Spence is murdered leaving Ryan distraught and vulnerable as 2 different detectives working 2 different but connected cases need to use him to get evidence on Shakiel without jeopardising a 2 year covert surveillance operation led by a 3rd detective. Entertaining, fast-paced thriller paints an accurate picture of life on the streets of many of our cities for disaffected young men.

At the heart of this book is a real current topical issue of gang culture within our youths and the devastating impact of knife crime,
This is the third book to feature DI Sarah Collins and DC Lizzie Griffiths and despite not having read the previous novels it's still an engaging and coherent read. I would be interested in the previous two novels to explore the character development to this point, as I'm sure it would have enriched the reading of 'Gallowstree Lane'.
The title of this book is engaging and mysterious, and fits the plot; the narrative is told via split perspectives of the two police officers aforementioned, also D.I. Kieran Shaw and a young boy caught up in the brutal world of gang crime; it's this narrative that's really engaging and how over the course of the book your perception of him really changes..
I certainly enjoyed this book and would recommend it - I'd definitely look out for the first two before though as I think I would have got much more out of it having more understanding of the relationships, but I haven't judged it overall with those thoughts..
Thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to review this upcoming novel.

If up to the minute gang warefare is your thing, this book is for you. There is also tons for police prceedure in it. The plot did keep you interesed, and the characters were good, with some back storey to them. I am giving it 3 stars as the it just wasn't for me.

I really enjoy police procedurals usually but I just couldn't get into his book at all. I found he story to be very slow and I couldn't connect with any of the characters and felt they lacked depth. This could be explained as the book is one of a series and their backstory has already been explored in previous books, but as a standalone novel I found the whole thing to be a bit dull. The ending was rushed and there was no real sense of closure. I also found it a bit jumbled and sometimes it was confusing as to which character we were reading about.

A young lad is stabbed and dies on the street. His best friend wants to get revenge and involves his ‘friend’ but with an undercover op in place who is safe on the streets.

This was a good read especially on today’s time with knife crime and gang culture but I think because I hadn’t read the previous ones I struggled with the characters.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review:

Super-gripping tale of modern (London) gang pressures, violence and obligations alongside the stories of those who try to keep the streets safe. There are so many twists and turns, building to such an exciting climax that I read this far into the night to finish it!

Especially descriptive, and empathetically so (but not bleeding-heart ‘social worker’ style) about young teens approaching adulthood and the choices/situations they have to deal with, with their lack of family role models/poverty/neglect, or simply peer pressure. The repercussions, never-ending cycle of revenge killings continue to wreak havoc, while the higher echelons of the gang culture are planning higher risk jobs –profits of which would enable them and their families to escape the gang areas and culture.

Loyalties and priorities are tested within the police force too – a youth murder needs to be solved, but is that at the cost of a 2 year undercover op to catch weapons dealers? What takes priority, what is the cost? (Tested moralities are always interesting!)

The characters are human, you sympathise, (or at least empathise) with some that you would not expect to. They are realistically portrayed and you care about them. Quite a depressing read overall (gang culture not being my first ‘go-to’ subject); but still enormously exciting, intelligently written and a book that has kept me reflecting on parts long after I’ve finished. I will now seek out this author’s other works - she has a new fan!

This isn’t the type of book I normally read but the plot line seemed so relevant for the times. Although the book is a little drawn out the story is great and does capture you until you can’t put the book down.

A really good read that is very in tune with what is happening in London at the moment. It can be a bit long winded with all the police procedures but it hooks you in so you so much want to carry on reading. #NetGalley #GallowstreeLane

This is a gritty read. Very apt for the times of gangs and stabbings in London but I did feel this was a bit too realistic at times. An excellent novel for investigation what goes on in the ganglife and amongst the police who have to work on these issues.

You can tell the author has been in the thick of things from investigations, police work, banter, looking at gang life and working at the top of her game. She's got the experience and know how and it did feel very raw as if reading a fictional account of a real investigation. Very well done.

It was just a bit too real for me. It didn't read as a novel in some places and I thought I was reading non fiction at times. I think it's because the knife crime and gang epidemic is just too real at the moment that I felt a bit too close for comfort as it were.

That's the mark of a good author I agree, but I didn't 'enjoy' the experience overall.
I do realise this is a mixed and somewhat vague review but I will still read what the author writes in the future as given her background and writing skill, there's going to be some good things!

Modern, fresh, authentic.. Gallowstree Lane gives a modern take on gang crime in London. Instead of the old style gangs with old style criminals in Gallowstree Lane you have an up to date novel incorporating the teens who are drawn into a life of crime, where stabbing someone can be just a rite of passage into the gang and a look at the older crime lords who hook them in through a kind word here and a gift there. On the other side of the coin are the police officers who are trying to prevent it all through the use of intelligence and undercover operations.

A great read which certainly had me hooked from the very start.

Gallowstree Lane Kate London

The Gallowstree Lane in the title refers to a Road in London where street kids on push bikes selling drugs, and of women selling their bodies because they are hooked on the same drugs.

The book is about a gangs and the Police, but it is so, so, much more than that.

It’s about two sets of politics.

When a young boy Spencer, a foot soldier in the Buds, a drug seller, is stabbed in front of his friend and dies before he can be got to hospital, it looks like the start off the usual tit-for-tat crimes.

For the Police this is a problem, politics and territory kick in.

DI Sarah Collins is the Senior Investigating Officer for the murder, and she is determined to catch the killer before the tit-for-tats start.

DI Kieran Shaw is the head of an undercover operation that is hours away from making its big arrest, which will take some heavy duty weapons off the street and take out the head of the Buds gang. He doesn’t want to jeopardise his operation by sharing information critical to Sarah’s case.

The bosses are on both their cases but have to consider whose crime trumps whose. Is the death of one more street seller worth compromising an investigation which is about to take death off the streets.

DC Lizzie Griffiths is caught between to camps. Stationed on Sarahs team at the start of the investigation, but seconded to Kierans’ almost immediately, her alligencies are torn.

Meanwhile gang politics kick in. Why was Spencer killed and who set him up. Gallowstree Lane is Buds territory and it looks like somebody new is trying to muscle in.

As much as the story focuses on the police investigations it also follows the gang members. Ryan, the in-too-deep teenager that was with Spencer when he was killed.

Lexi a £10 street whore who is full of good intentions, but whose life is controlled by the need for the next fix.

Shakiel, the head of the Buds, and somewhat of a father figure to Ryan.

The politics of the street kicks in. Shakiel doesn’t want to lose face, or territory, or trade. Ryan wants instant revenge but Shakiel sees the bigger plan.

This book is absolutely stunning in its authenticity and one look at Kate London’s bio will tell you why.
She did her time in the Met dealing with the crimes she writes about. That experience is what elevates this book to a whole other level above most of the people writing crime fiction.

Pages: 368

I enjoyed this book, lots of different, well-rounded characters and a realistic plot. However, I did struggle sometimes in working out which character each section of the book was focussing on! This could be because it's an ARC and the format will get sorted!

A solid police procedural which felt very modern and of the moment - I enjoyed this and would read more from the author.

would like to thank Netgalley and Atlantic Books for an advance copy of Gallowstree Lane, the third novel to feature DI Sarah Collins and DC Lizzie Griffiths of The Met.

The stabbing death of 15 year old Spencer Cardoso causes ripples far beyond the norm for the death of a low level drug dealer, much of it centred around Ryan Harris, his friend and witness to the killing. DI Sarah Collins is interested in Ryan as a witness to her murder investigation, DC Lizzie Griffiths is interested him for a previous assault case she is investigating and DI Kieran Shaw isn’t sure what his interest is but he has one in case the situation messes up Operation Perseus, his two year old investigation into gun running in the borough.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gallowstree Lane which examines the aftermath and ramifications of a straightforward crime, if murder can be regarded as straightforward. It is told from four points of view, Sarah, Lizzie, Kieran and Ryan and far from being distracting it is absorbing, giving the reader different takes on the same incident and a comprehensive overview. I loved the personality and priority clashes which give a good picture of modern policing in all its dysfunctional glory. I found the plot convincing and very relevant, given the current soaring level of knife crime in London. I don’t think there was a single moment that it didn’t ring true.

The novel is peopled by strong characters who are all very human and make mistakes (not always a given in fiction). It makes the novel very readable. My heart went out to the teenage Ryan who has been brought up in the gang culture and doesn’t know any different. His pain over the death of Spencer is raw and well expressed but it’s not the turning point this reader naively hoped it would be, instead it is the impetus for a series of poor decisions. I really enjoyed this portrayal of a troubled teen. Initially I didn’t take to Kieran, seeing him as selfish, task orientated and highly manipulative, the kind of person who seems plausible and you find yourself agreeing with until you analyse what has been said. It is not until much later in the book when he becomes reflective that I came close to liking him. Sarah is a fairly typical detective, dedicated with little life outside work and yet she has a strong sense of right and wrong which works against her this time. Lizzie is the smart detective trying to juggle single motherhood with a demanding career. Typically she’s feeling like a failure.

Gallowstree Lane is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Low-level gang warfare leaves a teenager dead. But his friend is a witness.

So what's the problem?

The overlap between the murder and the investigation into organised crime, two years in the making. Each SIO defends their territory. The murder investigation cannot jeopardise the other operation.

Conflicting interests, priorities, loyalties.....and personalities

Another great addition to the series