After the best part of 5 years I have decided to give up reviewing books prior to publication. In that time I have reviewed over 300 books and I'm so pleased that my last review, Lethal Game, is up there with the best I have read,
The above is I guess of little interest to anyone scanning this review but during this time I have been very fortunate to read all of Charlie's books before they were published. I have to admit that, for me, the first series about George Elms will always be the best. It has lots of police team sarcasm and wit as well as lots and lots of twists.
For once the title, Lethal Game, actually summarises the book rather than a typically two word title that could have been concocted from a random page turn in the dictionary!
This book is superb, the characters are extremely well detailed - both goodies and baddies - and you do feel a part of the book.
So, thoroughly recommended, to any prospective reader who loves crime novels with a bit of bite and depth.
Thanks Charlie

With many thanks to Charlie Gallagher, NetGalley and Avon for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange my honest review.

Charlie Gallagher is my favorite author and I love this book very much. You won't put it down till the end. It's another excellent case for DI Joel Norris and his DS Lucy Jones. The plot and the characters are very well-developed and it just gave you feel you would there with the detectives. It's really fast paced with action-packed race, and tensed with lots of twists and turns. It kept you at the edge of your seat. You are hooked from the beginning. You couldn't predict what would happen next and this book is real dark, twisting and gripping thriller. The characters are intriguing and interesting. You definitely love those characters. If you are a fan of detective thrillers, I highly recommend to you. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DI Joel Norris and Sgt Lucy Rose are on the hunt for the murderer of a young woman and searching for a barefoot, dishevelled woman who has disappeared as quickly as she appeared.
A complex story with lots of twists and turns which shows just how evil someone can be and how revenge can ruin lives.
Right up until the end you are unsure who the culprit is.
Joel and Lucy are desperate to stop the murder of more victims and increasingly take chances to save them.
Complex and intense storyline- a little unbelievable at times but maybe I just want to believe no one is this evil.
3.5 ⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for a fair review.

What I enjoy best about Charlie Gallagher’s stories is the sense of realism that he creates and lines the plot with an element that I refer to as the believability factor.
LETHAL GAME is his latest gripping crime thriller, and to get straight to the point this is great stuff - I couldn’t put it down.
So, a deadly race against time is, in fact, a race in which two innocent victims are forced to run for their lives in a “winner lives” race. No one can afford to lose. Winning is a life-saver. Detectives Norris and Rose assigned to investigate the case find themselves being played in a twisted adaptation of a disturbing board game that has come to life with fatal consequences for the loser.
Sharp and engaging, LETHAL GAME lived up to my expectations and I am certain you too will find it to be a rewarding good read. I highly recommend it to fans of the suspenseful, spine-chilling good yarns.
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Gripping, dark and sinister. This is a unique crime thriller and police procedural that will leave you chilled by what people are capable of.

Lethal Game is the second book in this new series by Gallagher, and it picks up shortly after that of The Friend ends, with ramifications of the last case looming over Norris and Rose. I particularly liked the deeper dive we were able to get into Rose’s background. Both Norris and Rose continue to evolve as this series finds a comfortable footing.

A game is supposed to be fun. This one gets taken way too far and comes with dire consequences. And it’s a gritty, jaw clenching game. Just when the police think they are understanding the rules, they become pawns in this escapade. There are a lot of moving pieces that will keep you guessing.

The sense of foreboding is heavy in this new book. With years of experience in the criminal justice system, Gallagher lays out a complex yet believable, edge of your seat thriller. It’s well executed and obviously steeped in insider knowledge.

Thank you to Charlie Gallagher, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Another great book by Charlie Gallagher. A fast paced storyline with some twists and turns to keep you engrossed. The characters are very strong and you can’t help but like them. They are dragged into a game they most definitely don’t want to be a part of and all the action that comes with it. I highly recommend this book and author.

Charlie Gallagher creates some brilliant reads, characters that you become invested in and unique story-lines. This latest Joel Norris installment is no exception. A great, slightly disturbing, premise for this one. I am very much enjoying the developing characters and their growth, both individually and as a new team. The new DCI seems great and I love the formidable Eileen and her carpet slippers.
Looking forward to more from this team. Thank you Charlie.

This is the second book featuring DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose and it doesn’t disappoint.

A fast paced action packed thriller which keeps you gripped from start to finish. I am looking forward to more from this author.

This is the second book in the series, and Joel is given another case to solve with DS Rose. Once again, although a new DCI is introduced to the team, we don’t see hide nor hair of him much throughout the book, there is a new team member who is an analyst, Eileen, and various members in the background, but apart from learning a bit more about Joel and Lucy, we do get a little more insight at the end, and I, personally like descriptions of the characters and their lives outside police work. I think it adds dimension to the story, and gives you an insight into their behaviour. Noel can be a tad hot headed, but Lucy seems to sort him out!

However, this is a cleverly written tale, based on a gaming idea. Now, I for one, have never played computer games, so it was alien to me, but those who have will thoroughly enjoy this book. It’s a race against time as two opponents are pitted against each other, and it’s just nail biting tension as to who survives. The climax at the end is brilliant and I could feel for all those involved but won’t say anymore in case I give the game away, excuse the pun!

I think with a bit more detail to the characters and a few more police operatives that we could get to know, this will be an excellent series, as the stories are well thought out and descriptive.

I have to say though I did love Maddie Ives and I wish Charlie would bring her and her team back.

My thanks to Charlie, Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This book was fantastic, the second book in the Norris and Rose series, on the crime investigation team Joel and Lucy, that I so enjoyed, so much better than the first I just couldn't put this down, there's so much action, packed with oh my god moments this author has written a proper nail-biter, Reader's are going to love it, you wont be disappointed and the characters work so well together, well done and thank you to Charlie for this read that has left me a happy contented booklover. 5stars***** from me.

As an avid reader of Charlie Gallagher’s books I’ve been looking forward to this book and I wasn’t disappointed. It had me hooked from page 1. Lots of twists! A real thriller! I love the way Charlie makes you care about the characters too. I thought I’d miss Maddie and Harry from an earlier series but I’m really enjoying Joel and Lucy. Thank you Charlie and Net Galley for the ARC.

This is the second book in the DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose series and it is every bit as thrilling as the first installment.

In this book the detective's start by trying to solve the brutal murder of a young woman and unravel the secrets her mother is keeping. When another body is discovered it soon becomes clear the killer is living out a real life board game which results in gruesome murders. The team need to find the killer and save others victims before they encounter the same torture and suffering.

In this book we discover more about the team's home life, especially Lucy's which I particularly enjoyed. We also get introduced to new team members including DCI Kemp and police analyst Eileen, who I believe has the potential to be developed into quite a favourite character in this series.

This author has written some fantastic crime thriller series, and this is just as good, if not better. Be warned though, it's not for the faint hearted as he does not hold back in the gruesome details. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a definite 5* read and I highly recommend it.

Charlie Gallagher never let's you down. This fast paced, electric thriller races from page to page and keeps you guessing until the very end. Strong lead characters and a brilliant plot. Everything you could ask for in abook

Firstly a massive thank you to net galley for a chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second in the series and after reading the first i knew i had to read the second. I really enjoyed the first book, and i wasnt disappointed with the second. I spent the whole book wondering who was responsible and when i thought id got it, i was proved wrong, then i was proved wrong all over again . This definitely left me on the edge of my seat. A brilliant thriller, which did not disappoint at any time. If you are a fan of detective thrillers, then i definitely recommend this as it has it all, the suspense, the tension, and all the detective content of a great detective thriller. Another great 5 star from Charlie Gallagher. Roll on book number 3 as id love to see whats next for the joel and lucy. Great read, well done Charlie

I’ve only discovered Charlie Gallagher books this year and this one is another page turner.

To have a criminal so twisted to make people play out a survival board game in real life! I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I noticed a number of spelling errors but I’m sure these will be corrected before the book is finalised.

Imagine waking up in an unknown location, tied to the wall and told that you will be running for your life. Win the race and you win your freedom. If you lose? You die. If you refuse to play? Your family will die instead. This is the dilemma that faces the unlucky participants of a sick game - one in which they cannot afford to lose.

When the body of a young girl is found in a rural phone box, with signs of torture and multiple stab wounds, DI Joel Norris and DS Lucy Rose are sent to investigate. The one witness to the crime has disappeared, leaving them clueless but pawns in a game much bigger than they realise. Can they find and stop a killer who always seems to be one step ahead and just using them as pawns in their sick game?

This is a really good book - one I requested on a recommendation from a friend, and I'm very glad I did! The crack team of Joel, Lucy & Eileen are very warm and likeable and it was a very easy read. I did manage to work out who the perpetrator was around about halfway through the book, but the author cleverly subverted my expectations so that I was never 100% confident until the official reveal! An easy 5* choice for me.

I haven't read the first in Gallagher's series, but I was able to enjoy this great read despite that.

A fantastic gripping opening chapter that made me question what on earth was going on. Then slowly drip fed the answers through a very well researched police procedural. Norris and Rose have great energy between them, and I was kept guessing up until the final few chapters.

Fab.

Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

This certainly did not disappoint, second in the series following DI Joel Norris this was a fast moving thriller packed for of unexpected twists. Joel and his sergeant, Lucy, are sucked into a game they definitely don't want to be a part of. Cleverly written, I raced through this! If you're a fan of a thriller I would recommend, and definitely check out the previous series too!

Wowza, what a ride! This book starts fast and doesn't let up! I've always enjoyed Charlie's books and this was no exception. Charlie Gallagher is definitely an author to share time with! I did NOT read the first installment in this series but I was able to dig right in and follow the references to the first book. This book has great action, twists and some fright! I do wish however I cared more about the characters in this series. We get a glimpse but nothing really to hold onto or invest in. I gave it three for that but the story was pretty ingenious and interesting. Just a bit more care given with the characters and their development and more attention to the actual setting would have made this nearly perfect. Thanks so much to NetGalley and and Avon books for the chance to read this and provide my feedback.

A fabulous page-turner of a book! Full on action from the first chapter, and a fabulous thriller that kept me guessing right up to the very end. Really enjoyable read and thoroughly recommended.