I said in my review of 'The Friend ' by Charlie Gallagher ':

I wonder if DI Joel Norris and his crime fighting partner may feature in a future story?

In answer to my own question, the answer is yes. Lethal Game, from the outset grabbed my attention. In this book DI Joel Norwich and DS Lucy Rose are traipsing around Kent on the tail of somebody who appears to have turned a board game into something much more sinister.

I won't go into detail about the storyline because I don't want to spoil the narrative. All I will say is that the author has managed to create a story with a multi layered plot which steadily ramps up the tension.

Just when you think you know where things are going, there are twists and turns to make the reader think again.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for a copy of this book in exchange for this review

There really are sick people in the world. I had my suspicions about the suspect about a quarter into the story and I was right. But it was a long, twisted way for the police to find the right person.

I’d not read the first instalment in this series but pleasingly Gallagher gives new readers just enough background to explain where the central characters are in the lives and careers that this was not an issue. The opening is terrifying watching two women we don’t know in a battle for their lives, and we can feel from the start an oppressive horror which the team of DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose need to stop before more harm is done. It an intriguing mystery and juxtaposed with the countryside of Kent made more unusual and disconcerting.

This is very much a procedural and you get a lot of explanations for procedures and team dynamics that support an investigation and these scenes plus the way witnesses and suspects are talked to is all very much with a feel of an author very much giving the tale a feel of reality. Norris is a maverick trying to be now a team leader and Rose is learning to trust him with her life and secrets. This very much felt a story where the two leads are now learning to settle and work with each other with still moments of tension.

For me it never really clicked aa read though and that was not the fault of the writing but just a story I found myself never clicking in its entirety. People placed in deadly traps felt a little closer to a type of horror I don’t enjoy and finding it in a thriller didn’t make that feeling any better. A solid police procedural those who enjoy action and twisting turns should enjoy.

Lethal Game is my fifth book by Charlie Gallagher as I've read books two to four from his series featuring Maddie Ives, as well as the first one in the DI Joel Norris series). This thriller has a fantastic plot, fascinating characters, and plenty of drama and twists.

The story opens with an intriguing prologue and from this point, I was totally engrossed in the story. This clever, emotive and dark tale crackles with tension and dysfunctional behaviour and the writing flows effortlessly with a well-structured narrative as it spirals its way towards a satisfying end that contains a great twist. I read Lethal Game with zeal and I recommend it highly. I look forward to reading book three.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Avon Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Suspend disbelief just a little and there’s so much to enjoy in this fast-paced, imaginative detective story set across parts of Kent I am familiar with. Two young women are pitted against each other in an apparent fight to the death but who is The Welder, pulling the strings in this macabre game? As the plot unfolds, the reader enjoys a succession of thrilling scenes across a seven day period and some excellent, well crafted twists.

I’d never read anything by this author before - it didn’t matter this was the second in a series of books. The references back to book one were unobtrusive but added to the back story of the main characters and left me keenly awaiting book three.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for a fair review.

A very good read. Great characters and well written. Suspenseful and thrilling, kept you turning pages.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Another brilliant page turner from Charlie Gallagher. Always keeps you on your toes right to the end. Charlie’s books never disappoint . Loved it

This was my first encounter with Charlie Gallagher and this book’s main character, Detective Inspector Joel Norris of the Maidstone Police Force; but I understand that there is an earlier book “The Friend” by the same author which introduces DI Norris and which I now want to read. I am sorry to start with a bit of a spoiler about this book but The Lethal Game of the title is based on a popular board game called “Escape” which pits pairs of game players against each other in a bid to escape from whatever zone of the game they have been imprisoned. In the game the loser of the escape bid loses a life! This is, of course, harmless fun, until someone decides to turn the game into a real life or death event and the book opens with Kelly and Shannon in a race to be the winner of who gets to a phone box first; Shannon wins and Kelly ends up dead! With Kelly’s body found near the phone box in an isolated village, the police are called and DI Norris and his team set to work to find the murderer. Gradually, with well described police work, the team start to pull together the threads of the mystery with Margaret, the murdered girl’s mother, and Billy Easton, her helpful next-door neighbour being at the centre. But, at this stage, not knowing about the game connection, or the fact that there had been a survivor (Shannon) the trail runs cold. From there on the plot has numerous twists and turns which kept me wanting to read “just another chapter”. Adding to the story line, we also learned a little about some of the other members of DI Norris’s team, particularly the interesting but dysfunctional relationship of Detective Sergeant Lucy Rose with her father. Then, on several occasions, just when I thought I had the solution, that story line took a sharp turn in another direction and I had to think again. Eventually the book comes to an exciting and rather tragic end about which I can say no more without giving away the whole plot. All in all, this was a really enjoyable read, with a most unusual story line, that I thoroughly recommend, and I now want to read more of ex-policeman Charlie Gallagher’s books, starting with The Friend, being the first story featuring DI Norris and the Kent police force. My thanks go to the Avon Division of Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing a copy of The Lethal Game for review.

I was given an ARC copy of Lethal Game in exchange for an honest review. Crime thrillers, police crime books, are not usually what I’d choose to read, however, I decided to give this one a go as a less taxing read to what I normally enjoy. I’m so pleased that I did as I could not put this book down! I was pulled in from the start. Written from a detective’s perspective, I was enthralled and horrified at the extent to which an individual would be prepared to go to in exacting revenge. Fast-paced and, for me, unforgettable, I bought the entire box series!

Synopsis
'When DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose begin investigating the death of a young woman, murdered on a quiet country lane, they can’t imagine what lies ahead.
This killer uses his victims like chess pieces in a life-sized contest, with the highest stakes imaginable.
Now Norris and Rose are pawns at the mercy of a twisted rulebook.
Can they beat him at his own game before the next round begins and more innocent lives are taken?'

It is good to see DI Norris settling into his job A new crime scene in Kent arrives to Joel Lucy Rose and analyst Eileen This second episode of the series is much more gripping in my opinion The investigation moves quickly Lucy's character is fleshed out a bit and the way the story developed kept me at the edge of the cliff
I would really recommend this I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and I am grateful

Inspector Joel Norris and Sergeant Lucy Rose get their first case, as part of the newly formed Serious Crime Investigation Team, in months. They are called out to investigate a murder, when a body is found on a country road in Kent. They find themselves racing against the clock when another body is discovered and they realise how high the stakes are for the other victims, in a sick game concocted by a psychopathic serial killer.

He knows your name. where you live. The car you drive. If you don’t play, your family will die. If you lose, you will!

I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller / police procedural, it has a complex plot with twists throughout, is well and cleverly written and seems impossible to solve as you read along. This book has strong characters and you really get to experience their emotions, making you feel a part of the book. Not having read the first book in the series – The Friend, I did wonder if I’d feel I was missing out, but this book does work well as a stand-alone. However, I think I might go back and read #1 now. The author did a great job with this book, you can tell by the accuracy and detail that he has first hand knowledge of the criminal justice system, so I wasn’t too surprised to learn that he was a serving UK police officer for thirteen years, working as a response officer, a member of a specialist tactical team, and a detective and in a regional counter terrorism unit. His vast experience shows in his writing. Can’t wait to read more of Charlie Gallagher’s books.

I was so happy to have the opportunity of getting an advance copy to read from NetGalley for an honest review!

Well written crime thriller with elements of a police procedural.

Suspenseful and thrilling with strong characters, a very good read.

As usual Charlie Gallagher never disappoints ! I love all of his unputdownable books and he always gives a thrill ride. Roll on the next book!!.#LethalGame#Netgalley

What a page turner! I couldn't leave it down. I was gripped by the originality of the plot and the unexpected twists.. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately downloaded the other books in the series.

What a brilliant story! The plot is very different and very very clever. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to all crime fans and lovers of a darn good yarn. To use cliches it was 'gripping' and 'unputdownable'.

Thank goodness Charlie Gallagher is on the side of the good guys, having been a policeman and all, because with his imagination and creativity he’d make an excellent criminal! This book grabs you from page 1 and doesn’t let go until it spits you out at the end. It was a non stop, relentlessly paced story and I loved every minute of it.

The newly established Major Crimes Unit has its hands full with its first case. DI Joel Norris, ably assisted by DS Lucy Rose have to learn fast to prevent more people from dying in what appears to be a deadly game. First a dead woman is found half in a phone box with her foot nearly shot off and nasty puncture marks all over her abdomen. A few days later a man is found also viciously killed. Little figurines found where the people were being held captive lead the detectives to a board game that seems to be playing out in real life. It’s a start but there is still a long way to go before solving this one but one thing is for sure - there will be more victims.

I don’t want to say any more about the plot but it gets very complex and twisted. The scenarios were so deliciously dark and the fear of the victims was palpable. The killer was masked and unidentifiable but the scary thing was his implacable relentlessness and complete lack of compassion. Why was this happening and why were these victims being selected? There are plenty of red herrings cleverly thrown in to keep the reader on their toes.

If this is the start of a new series I will be a happy camper. Although Joel has been with the police service for many years he hasn’t been an actual detective for long and therefore he brings a refreshing point of view, and difference, to the case. His team soon blend together and they’re a good bunch. My favourite character though is the prim and elderly civilian intelligence and analyst member, Eileen Holmass. She is so quick and thorough and precise that she is a huge asset to the team. Towards the end of the story she has even developed a nascent sense of humour. I think she will become the mother hen in future books.

I’ve enjoyed quite a few books by Gallagher but I think he has outdone himself with this one. Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books, UK for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

4-5 stars.

I’d like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Lethal Game’ by Charlie Gallagher in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The man knows his victims and organises a game based on ‘Escape!’ where one or both will die. DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose are called out when a young woman is found dead in a telephone box and another is seen is a poor condition fleeing from the scene. Can they identify the killer before he finds more victims to play his macabre game?

‘Lethal Game’ is the second thriller I’ve read in the DI Joel Norris series and is a vast improvement on ‘The Friend’ as it has lots of action, drama, suspense, and so many nail-biting twists and turns that at times I couldn’t believe what was happening. The storyline is perfectly executed, chilling, and so involving I couldn’t put it down until I’d read just another chapter. The partnership between DI Norris and DS Lucy Rose is coming together nicely and I can foresee lots more entertaining instalments in the series. This is an exciting thriller by an accomplished author and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

When Detective Inspector Joel Norris and Detective Sergeant Lucy Rose begin investigating the death of a young woman, murdered on a quiet country lane, they can’t imagine what lies ahead.
This killer uses his victims like chess pieces in a life-sized contest, with the highest stakes imaginable. Now Norris and Rose are pawns at the mercy of a twisted rulebook.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & I was hooked from the prologue & read well into the night to finish it. A very well written book with a well developed plot & strong believable characters. The pace was very good, there were twists & turns many of which I didn’t see coming. I also loved that the author had me experiencing the emotions of the characters. If you enjoy a good thriller then I’d recommend giving this a try. I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Well this hit the ground running and didn't let up until the very last page. We start with two women and a game that someone is playing with them. We then flick forward to the discovery of a body, found brutally murdered in the countryside. Enter DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose to investigate. They are completely flummoxed initially as, as well as trying to find out what happened to her, they can't even figure out who she is. Eventually they get a break but it doesn't pan out as the break they hoped for. Throwing up more questions than answers as it soon appears that the death of the woman is just the tip of the iceberg. And then there's another body and the stake ramp up. Can our duo cut through the noise, figure out the truth from the lies and bring the perpetrator to justice, before the body count rises further?
Oh my days, this was a veritable mind spinning and blowing romp, all the way through. Game playing at its very best. Including a whole host of rather interesting and intriguing characters and, well, definitely a very healthy slice of secrets, lies and dysfunctional behaviour. With twists and turns aplenty, by the time we eventually got to the crux of the matter, my head was spinning so much that I had to pause and take a breath before finding out what the truth was.
I liked the pairing of the two detectives. A bit chalk and cheese but they rub along together very well. I especially loved Joel and his gung-ho no nonsense attitude when pushed!
Plotting was good and well executed and, with no superfluous padding, the story got on with itself very well indeed.
This is my first book by this author who, looking at his back catalogue, has quite an impressive pedigree. This looks like it might be the start of a new series, in which case I will definitely be looking out for the next one. In the mean time I might have a dip into one of his other series.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.