Another brilliant addition to the Maddie Ives series.

Harry is still reeling from the shock of the previous case and has transferred to training leaving Maddie trying to get used to the space left behind.  Although she does seem to have finally succumbed to the attentions of Vince (at last).

This is a very intriguing story and it did take me a little while to get into it but once a few more pieces of the jigsaw were revealed it all started to take shape and from there on it was all adrenaline pumping suspense.  I read a lot of crime fiction but I have never read anything like this one and I mean that in a very good way it made for a totally gripping page-turner 

Maddie and Harry continue to gain depth as we learn more about their characters and I absolutely love the way they work together and also the humour Vince brings to the series.

A serious heart-breaking case but again hats off to the brilliant Police and all they do to keep us safe.

Oh note for Charlie Gallagher - you haven't been forgiven for retiring George so don't get any ideas about Harry.

Absolutely brilliant read well worth the 5 stars

A man walks into a police station claiming ve brutally murdered a woman, with evidence to back up his story, including gruesome video tape of the victim.

Operation icicle saw abused women and children taken to secret safe locations to protect them from their abusing husband's. The police officer and cps officer suddenly find themselves kidnapped and beaten with tasks to do in order to protect their families.

This story sees Detective Maddie investigate the brutal murder where she does not believe a word the man is saying.

Although quite a complex plot initially, the story brilliantly brought all the story lines together to a terrifying climax. Fast paced with lots of twists. Highly recommend.

This book is number 6 in a series but it read very well as a stand a lone book.

I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few of Charlie Gallagher books.
I enjoyed this a lot - slow starter but really increased the tension as it takes quite a while to work out what is happening.
Many layers in this book and a few red herrings along the way to keep the reader engaged.
The main characters are well written and DS Maddie Ives finds herself working for a new boss who wants to close down a murder case immediately Adrian Hughes walks into the police station and admits to murdering a young jogger. Maddie is convinced something is not right and goes to see her old boss DI Harry Blaker who agrees to come back to help solve the murder.
Great procedural detail and a complicated, terrifying storyline that will keep you hooked until the end.

I didn't realize this book was part of a series.  Regardless, I enjoyed it very much.  Great writing, terrific story and great characters.  Quite a bit of action and a few good twists! Will read more by this author

# The Deadly House # Netgalley 

Started off really well,. However I thought I had missed something and I went back and read a chunk all over again. I hadn’t missed anything. When Karen found herself in a awkward situation.. that’s were I found myself confused. It was like suddenly reading a different book. Although it all became clear it just threw me of kilter at that point. Other than that it was a awesome read yes would recommend you read this book brilliant with enough twists and turns to send you dizzy. I knocking a star off because of the part where I was a little confused and reading a different book

Synopsis: 

'Eighteen months ago, a young boy is in fear as Police try to stop his father from violence against his mother. This man joins three other domestic violent offenders to get revenge on those they blame for breaking up their families. Detective Maggie must keep the families safe'

Adrian Hughes arrives in major crimes putting his hands up for a murder with photographic evidence to support his claims. 
Linda Morris is scared and chained to a floor having no idea how she got there. 
I love the character of Maddie and how she interacts with Harry Blaker to solve the mystery. 
I did guess some bits while others I was 'really' shocked. 
I so so love this series and would highly recommend this

The Deadly Houses is Book 6 in the Detective Maddie Ives series. Maddie is handed a case where a man has come in and admitted to committing murder. However, Maddie does not believe this man is telling the truth and her hunt to find it comes with twists and surprises. 
I enjoyed that this novel could be read and followed without reading the other books in the series. There is some mention of events that happened in the other books to help any new readers follow along and to remind those that have read the other books. The novel started out with a great hook that kept you reading to see how it tied into the story. However, the first half seemed drawn out and was hard to stay focused . The second half was fast paced and kept you turning pages. I enjoyed that the plot line was very interesting and different and the clues left kept you guessing the whole time. The ending was neatly wrapped and set up well for the next book. I will be looking more into the other books in the series in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Fantastic read! Fast paced, scary, emotional and thrilling, Charlie Gallagher has delivered a brilliant read once again! I love all his books and can’t wait for the next chapter for  DS Maddie Ives. #NetGalley#THEDEADLYHOUSES

The sixth book in the series and in my opinion the best one yet. I say this every time this author has a new book released but it is true. His books are that good. From the first page I was hooked, I was there in the story. This book had me constantly sat on the edge of my seat and tapping my kindle like a demented wood pecker. This book blew me away, the plot was original, terrifying and full of tension and suspense. As for the climax OMG my heart was in my mouth. This is why this author is a master of this genre. Loved loved IT!!!!
Thanks to Joffre Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the sixth in the Maddie Ives series but it can easily be read as a standalone, although I would recommend reading a few of the other books in the series just to get a fuller picture of the characters.
The deadly houses is a dark and at times quite scary read with plenty of pulse pounding moments.

A man shows up confessing to a murder which Maddie Ives isn’t convinced he committed. Her new boss won’t hear her out and wants the murder all wrapped up. In desperation she turns to her old boss and friend Harry Blaker. When they dig deeper, the case becomes a lot more sinister that it first appears.

As always with all of Charlie Gallagher’s books, it’s cleverly written with his experience as a police officer shines through, adding the air of authenticity to the novel.

I did feel the middle of the story lost a little bit of steam but the emotion and tense ending made up for it.

The Deadly Houses is both an emotional yet at times quite chilling read that had me thinking about it long after I’d finished it.

This is the sixth book in the series featuring DS Maddie Ives and DI Harry Blaker based in Canterbury, and it is the best yet! At the very start of the series DS Maddie Ives had been working undercover in Manchester for years until disobeying orders meant that she had to move right across the country to a Major Crimes posting in Langhorne in the south east, leaving behind a lover she wasn't even supposed to have due to his connections to a criminal gang. Then a nasty shoot out injured her boss DI Harry Blaker and put him out of action for months and her back into CID, and once reunited they have since worked some nasty cases. The last story ended in tragedy and left everything on a bit of a cliff hanger, and as soon as this book began I was already missing Harry and PC Vince Arnold with no news of their whereabouts. This story begins rather strangely. A man arrives at a disused building and films his discovery of a murder victim. It's no surprise for him though, as he has been told what he will find and what to do. The man then walks into Canterbury police station where Major Crimes are based and confesses to the murder. DC Rhiannon Davis is on night duty and takes his statement to hand on to Maddie in the morning when enquiries have to be made as to whether the man is telling the truth or winding them up. When the body of a woman, a local social worker, is indeed found where he claims it is, an arrest follows. Maddie's gut tells her something is off about the whole confession. Major Crimes has been landed with a new DI, a dreadful bitter man by the name of Tristan Stepney. He has recently been demoted, amidst much speculation, and is only interested in taking any glory that happens to be going. He is eager to sign off the case and with no help or support from her DI, Maddie turns to the only person she can rely on - Harry Blaker. After a wonderful moment where Stepney gets what he deserves, the status quo is restored, and Maddie and Harry can get on with doing what they do best. With hostages held in chains and all manner of threats being made, it looks like those people really responsible are deadly serious about achieving whatever plan they have made, and are ruthless enough to carry it out. After five previous books, the main characters have been very well described, and they get ever more likeable as the series moves on. Harry still growls a bit, Maddie is her usual tenacious self and a certain other officer is back on form. Once again the plot is clever and exciting with a nail biting ending that even then isn't truly over. I loved the last chapter! It is another excellent and enthralling read from a very knowledgeable author. Highly recommended and I can't wait to see what comes next for Maddie. 5*

I love books that grab you from the beginning. This was a crazy story of four families that were destroyed due to abuse. It was a page turner as there was a lot of action. One person involved in putting the men behind bars was found murdered. Three others were taken and given tasks with the guise that they would be murdered if they didn't follow through. Detective Maddie slowly unfolds what is going on when someone mysteriously shows up and confesses to the murder. She knows he isn't the killer. 

Overall great book, page turner!

I thank the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read this book before it was published.  This is my first book by this author and I look forward to reading more in the future.  I had no idea this was a book in the middle of a series, but it didn't feel like I was missing anything by not reading them in order.  I love to read any book that has the word dead in it.  You know there's going to be a good plot ahead with a sense of mystery wrapped in it.  Not often does someone come to the police station to confess to a murder.  I would be suspicious also if I were the police, as this is a rare occurrence.  I loved the twists and turns of this book and plan on reading many more by this author in the future.

Not my first time reading that author, I'm never disappointed.

Well written thriller, police thriller, well developed, interesting plot, many twists, it keeps you interested until the end. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.  This is my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

It was my first book by Charlie Gallagher but definitely not my last. I cannot understand why it is not translated into German yet.I've been looking for a captivating thriller for a long time and when I read the blurb from this book I was curious. In addition, this book is still in English. Unfortunately it has not been translated yet, I hope that will change soon.

Since it starts with a case, you're right in the middle of it. The police arrest a violent man who has abused his wife and son. 18 months later, Maddie investigates a case when a man turns up and admits the murder. The case is closed for everyone, but not for Maddie. She feels that something is wrong with it and embarks on a dangerous investigation. She wants to protect another family from abuse. The reader also gets to know Linda Morris, who is a victim of kidnapping.

It is exciting from the first page and I trembled together with Maddie. It was exciting until the last page. If you think the author can no longer surprise you, he can do it with a new twist. It is a pure and first class page gymnast.

However, it is not for the faint of heart because it is cruel and sick. The book and the subject shook me all the more because the author himself was a policeman. This makes the story incredibly real and believable.

(German)Ich habe schon lange nach einem fesselnden Thriller gesucht und als ich den Klappentext von diesem Buch gelesen habe, war ich neugierig. Darüberhinaus ist dieses Buch noch auf Englisch. Es ist leider noch nicht übersetzt worden, ich hoffe das ändert sich bald.

Da es gleich mit einem Fall anfängt, ist man mitten drin. Die Polizisten nehmen einen gewalttätigen Mann fest, der seine Frau und seinen Sohn missbraucht hat. 18 Monate später ermittelt Maddie an einem Fall, als sich ein Mann stellt und den Mord zugibt. Für alle ist der Fall abgeschlossen doch für Maddie nicht. Sie spürt das daran etwas faul ist und begibt sich auf eine gefährlich Ermittlung. Sie will weitere Familie vor Missbrauch beschützen. Der Leser lernt auch Linda Morris kennen, sie ist ein Opfer von kidnapping.

Es ist von der ersten Seite an spannend und ich habe mit Maddie gemeinsam gezittert. Es blieb spannend bis zur letzten Seite. Wenn man glaubt, der Autor kann einen nicht mehr überraschen, schafft er es doch ,durch eine neue Wendung. Es ist ein purer und erstklassiger Page Turner.

Allerdings ist es nichts für schwache Nerven, denn es ist grausam und krank. Mich hat das Buch und das Thema um so mehr erschüttert, denn der Autor selbst war Polizist. Dadurch wirkt die Geschichte wahnsinnig real und glaubhaft.

Deadly Houses by Charlie Gallagher 
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Deadly Houses opens with a disturbing domestic scene, with the abuser being taken away, the mother and son are free and safe.
18 months and Maddie Ives is faced with a bizzare case, a man enters the station and admits to a murder... Everyone thinks its all sorted and closed up but Maddie has her doubts and investigates further and untangles a large web of lies and it is down to Maddie to protect a number of families from their abusers and also her colleagues who protected them. There are tragedies but there are victories too.
•
I read this book via Netgalley. This book intrigued me from the beginning as I was eager to know how it was going to play out. There were many twists and turns to keep you turning the page, and the end scenes kept me at the edge of my seat, part of me wanted to jump in and help! Part of me wanted a slightly different ending but it all came together and ended well. I do recommend this read! 
My only mistake was reading via kindle, as me and electronic reading do not get on 😂 if it was the book then I probably would have read it in a day 😂

Police thriller with lots of twists. A very clever plot with a bit of everything thrown in. A good read which kept me guessing.

Men who have physically and mentally abused their partners or children , and lost their families because of it,  have banded together in this intricately woven plot to take revenge on the people they hold responsible.

They are working as a single entity against the police and against their families who dared to leave them and hide their identities and location.... and there's someone on the inside who is helping them.

Detective Maddie Ives and her team are working feverishly as this devilish plot comes to light. Bodies are piling up and no one seems to know anything. Until a man walks into the police department and confesses that killed a woman. He tells them how he did it and where he left the body. After verifying his story, she doesn't believe his story .... and her supervisor is ready to close the case.

Knowing that Charlie Gallagher was a serving police officer for many years as a front-line response line officer, then as a member of a specialist tactical team and as a serious offense detective investigator, I expected a lot of credibility ... I was not disappointed.

It's an action-packed page-turner amid a plot filled with twists and turns. The characters are deftly drawn. Although 6th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend starting from the beginning in order to see how these characters have grown over time and what they've had to deal with in order to be the investigator they are.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books 'n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This one was not for me. I found myself not connecting with the plot or being able to get interested in it. I was super hopeful based on all the good reviews I’ve seen.

I would like to thank NetGalley & Joffe books for the ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of The Deadly Houses, the sixth novel to feature DS Maddie Ives of them Canterbury Police.

Maddie is feeling a bit lost without her friend and mentor, DI Harry Blaker, who has transferred out of the Major Crimes Unit, when Adrian Hughes walks into the Canterbury station and confesses to murder. They find the body and confirm the details of what he has said but Maddie can’t shake the feeling that there is more to his story than he is disclosing, despite what her new boss says. She teams up again with Harry Blaker to investigate.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Deadly Houses which, as ever, is an exciting read with multiple twists and plenty of action. The narrative is essentially split between Maddie and Linda Morris, a kidnap victim. Personally I feel that the synopsis issues too many spoilers by mentioning the revenge motive as the set up of Adrian’s confession and Linda’s ordeal are enough to get any reader hooked and asking the who, what and why questions. Having said that, all it does is destroy a little of the early mystique and give the reader more information than Maddie has. It is still a densely plotted novel with Mr Gallagher’s trademark fast pace and action pieces. The tension is palpable throughout as Maddie rushes to save lives and solve the case. 

It should be noted that as the unnamed perpetrators are domestic abusers they are cruel men. I think the novel is excellent in its portrayal of their mindset and the effort and calculation they are prepared to expend for their revenge. It’s sickening but not unexpected.

I am a big fan of Mr Gallagher’s writing as I think he inserts enough realism into his novels to make them interesting and believable and still offer an enthralling read. The Deadly Houses is no different so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.