This is one of the best thrillers I've read for a long time.

On the outside Mark Shady is handsome, charismatic, wealthy and an all round good guy!!!!! To begin with he wines and dines the ladies and makes them feel loved and cared for but after a while his mask slips and he shows his true co!ours. I've never hated a character as much as I hate Mark Shady. He's a wolf in sheeps clothing, a monster.

DS Ray Lewis is a great character, I can picture him in my mind because the author describes him brilliantly and he will nail Shady if it's the last thing he does.

A dark read that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout, it's fantastic. Oh, the ending ............ Wow. Huge 5 stars.

This was a brilliant psychological thriller that had me gripped from the first page. Shady is a manipulative guy that powers over woman to get what he wants. He’s a cunning person and deranged. When Carly brake up their relationship he steps up a gear in his torments. DI Lewis wants it all to stop, but at what extend. A nail biting thriller with great characters and a great plot line, it’s twisty and you’ll devour it in one sitting. A fantastic 5 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Well this was my first read by this author. I loved the sound of the description and was curious to introduce a new author into my library so thanks to NetGalley I was accepted to recieve an arc.
The story was very deep and very dark for me. I loved the narration through the story but I felt there were unnecessary scenes at times which didn’t enhance the book during my reading process.
Overall I stuck with it but it was a little too shocking for me to want to rush to read more from the author unfortunately.
The plot line and character development was good and I loved the scene setting so I haven’t marked my star rating based on the fact it was a little too gory for me but on the writing style etc as I can understand for many people this would be a highly rated book.

I have read and enjoyed John Nicholl’s full back catalogue and for me, this latest book is up there as his best work! The Boyfriend is a dark, and in places, uncomfortable and disturbing read, in which we enter the mind of Mark Shady – an absolute psychopath. I was thrilled by the return of the flawed but lovable cop, DS Ray Lewis. Ray really is tenacious in his approach to pursuing Mark Shady – he is someone I would want on my side if I had been wronged.

This tale really does have it all - macabre murders, rape, significant twists, obsession and manipulation, it is not for the faint hearted. I have to say I was pleased that the author was able to portray the sheer strength and bravery of Anna throughout – I went through the full range of emotions with her. All in all, this is an unsettling and heartrending tale about secrets and retribution – very highly recommended.

THE BOYFRIEND is a gripping psychological thriller by international bestseller author, John Nicholl. After having read all his novels, which include The Dr. David Galbraith series, The DI Gravel series and his standalone psychological thrillers…this novel is another winner! The author has written books, each dealing with different issues, drawing on his experience as police officer and child protection social worker. This is a dark tale of revenge.

His Standalone Novels Include:
The Cop (2019)
aka The Girl in Red
The Student (2019)
aka The Girl in White
Mr Nice (2020)
The Sisters (2020)
aka The Sisterhood
The Victim (2021)
aka Killing Evil
The Cellar (2022)
The Bride (2023)
The Holiday (2024)
The Boyfriend (2025)

This is my review of The Boyfriend.

Trigger Warning: This book deals with themes of abuse and obsession and is not for everyone.

When Anna first meets Mark, she thinks he’s the perfect boyfriend. She had fallen for what she thought was a kind, generous person…but that wasn’t true. He raped her even though she had said no. He had hurt her. And now he just kicked her to the curbside. He was a monster!

She went to the police station, to file a report…he deserved to be punished. She wanted justice.

DS Ray Lewis wants Mark in prison, but that wasn’t going to happen. He always could talk his way out of a bad situation. Ray’s boss and friend, DI Laura Kesey work well together and support each other. I liked Ray’s character, a kind soul, out for the good of the people.

Lewis wants this monster off the streets, and he soon realizes that Shady was more dangerous than they thought…a likely killer!

Shady was quite the actor, a successful businessman, generous with money, and knew how to make every girl feel special…and then when the timing was right and they were alone, he attacks his prey.

But how many more victims?

This was a well written dark gripping suspense/psychological thriller with likable and unlikeable well-developed characters and an intriguing plot. The brilliant ending blew me away, and one you won’t forget.

Many thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my digital copy.

Expected publication April 4, 2025

This was a good read! The narrator, Ray is fantastically written and I really appreciated his POV throughout the novel. However, the story is heavy and features themes of abuse and obsession. While it is dark, it is written well, it is twisty and interesting.

John’s books always sound really good, but seem to have that shock factor where the books just has unnecessary scenes. Too gory maybe. Didn’t finish it. Too much violence and rape and just not a good story.

I’m not sure why I keep requesting his books. They all seem to be very basic writing and kind of disturbing and crude. I couldn’t even finish it. Just didn’t have anything in the story to grab my attention.

Local businessman Mark Shady has the looks, a charming personality and money. He is perfect boyfriend material for Anna, showering her with gifts. Despite all of this, alarm bells start to ring for Anna as their love life takes a dark and disturbing turn and she dumps him.

But Mark isn’t the charismatic and charming person he portrays to the outside world. He is a psychopath who preys on woman, drawing them in before abusing them. Mark has managed to get away with it so far and was found not guilty when his latest victim reluctantly agreed to press charges and testify against him in court. DS Ray Lewis has worked very closely with the victim Anna, and is dumbfounded and incredibly frustrated when Mark is found not guilty by the court.

Having been found innocent, Mark Shady is riding high with misplaced confidence and is looking for his next victim. He is gloating and begins to mock DS Lewis and Anna on social media. DS Lewis knows it’s only a matter of time before the evil Mark is put behind bars and vows to ensure this happens as his final swansong before retirement.

What an absolutely gripping, fast paced story with some real page-turning twists. The subject of abuse is handled very sensitively and gives a real insight without providing too much unnecessary detail. I loved the stereo-typical character of DS Ray Lewis, who adds some genuine feel-good charm to the book, and I was so pleased with the way things ended for him personally. The character of Mark Shady is so well written, he is vile and conceited and his actions make for an uncomfortable yet compulsive read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.
This is the second John Nicholl and I’ve loved both! This was an intense thriller. I can’t imagine the fear the characters had to go through in this book. Spine tingling suspense!
Release date April 4, 2025.

Anna lavishes the attention Mark gives her .. he really is the most perfect boyfriend... BUT..

No spoliers from me but this is genuinely a good read.

It is pacy and filled with drama. There are plenty of moments where I questioned Anna's thoughts because I actually liked Mark..

What a great psychological thriller. John Nicholl knows how to get you to love and hate the characters, great twist. And the ending kinda made me emotional. I loved everything about this book

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
This was a gripping read! A perfect boyfriend is who Anna thinks she has found until he isn’t!! The horror and memories are tough to leave..
Mark loves control and each girl thrills him more until one bests him!

Just wow! Intense and pulsing - sometimes scary and creepy - read it in 3 hours, couldn't stop! Characters, both good and evil, so well written they feel real, you feel along with them - and a perfect balance between the bad guy's thoughts and deeds and the investigators as they pursue him. If you like intense investigative fiction, this is it.

This is another fantastic psychological thriller by John Nicholl. The start of the book quickly drew me in and I was surprised throughout with the various twists. I often don’t like detective thrillers, however really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it.

What a book this was and what a psychopath. He really was evil personified and I wouldn’t read this book unless you have a strong stomach . I loved the aging detective character and would,love another book to continue his story . The twists in this book were amazing and I’d definitely give it 5 stars and recommend this to my friends. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book

Mark Shady is a local wealthy businessman and Anna’s boyfriend. At first glance, he is charming and showers Anna with gifts and complements and a man that all a person could wish for but underneath it all he is a narcissistic psychopath who plays on women, controls them and abuses and rapes them. and seems to get away with it because of lack of evidence.
But one day DS Ray Lewis knows that one day his luck will run out and they will get him and put him behind bars.
I have read quite a few books from this author and like this one he never disappoints. This is a fast-paced tense, twisty thriller and its quite a grim read with regards to the character of Mark Shady and him trying to control women. But Ray s such a likeable character and adds a bit of light in the darkness of this story. This is a great read but like others have said its not for the faint hearted as some of it is uncomfortable the way Shady character belittles his victims. But regardless of that I couldn’t put this down a read in it in 24 hours. 5 stars from me.

It was an interesting and captivating story. It kept me reading and guessing what it is next.
I liked how the plot and the characters were described and written. You can see their evolution and thoughts clearly and you can understand better the why of everyones doing.
And even though some things are predictable, it still doen't take away from the mystery of the story and the ending was quite a surprise for me.
That I didn't see coming.

Really recommand this book !

Anna Edwards oh wow!!
You trust him with your life.
You shouldn't.
the Boyfriend
Mark Shady has for the last time raped and abused her,
And DS Raymond Lewis is going to get justice for Anna this time Shady has gone too far been now let off for the third time, with a not guilty verdict in court.
Shady thinks he's untouchable, he's a psycho using them.
The final straw for Ray is been mocked on social media.
He is going to bring this flash restaurant owner well and truly down and get him sent away for a very long time or be put in the ground.
And again, Oh Wow what a book,
It's so unputdownable right through to the ending that will chill your bones sending big goosebumps through you.
I love Ray Lewis as a character he deserves happiness in his life as well as been a clever detective.
What more can I say.
I loved it!!
Comment

This is a gripping thriller with a plot filled with unexpected twists and turns.
The writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
The setting is vividly described, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall reading experience.