This is the first in a series and I am not sure that I will be reading any subsequent books by this author, I found it quite disappointing despite a good start and I didn't like the ending.

Interesting look at how different the police forces are here and in England. There is corruption everywhere of course but the procedures are very different. George is a very proficient, seasoned officer who gets caught in a web of deceit larger than he could have initially imagined. The brutal conspiracy is willing to take down even an innocent child to keep the truth of the corruption from coming to light,

. On a roll at the moment, checking out new authors to me and really enjoying some of my finds. This one is another find, that means I've also added another must read author to my list.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. 
​Detective George Elms, a likeable and believable character. And learning about him and his family in this book was great. The ups and the downs, balancing home life and work life. There was times in this book I actually cried with or for George. A real likeable character. 

​I think in this book you can certainly tell it's written by someone who has been a serving officer. An interesting read full of suspense. Twists and turns but I found the ending a little strange, and had one or two questions that hadn't been answered. 
​Overall not a bad read.

A good read and a promising start to a new series. Lots of characters and at times it was hard to keep up with who was who but by the end it all came together very well.

Non stop action and descriptive police procedures. Shows the good and the bad of a police force and what people will do for status and money. Some really good characters and very lifelike descriptions and fast moving storyline. Good, fast read.

3.5 Stars

Detective George Elms is called to investigate the violent stabbing of a teenage girl and her boyfriend while on a city bus. The girl happens to be the mayor's daughter which puts this crime at the top of the list in priority.

Effingell Estate is where the thugs, the criminals, the drug suppliers and drug sellers live their violent lives. Law enforcement wants this whole area cleaned up ... and fast.

This leads to a dangerous plan of action that involves undercover civilians. The dangerous part is that only one or two senior police officials know what is going on and who is involved.

It's a gritty crime thriller pitting good against evil .... and not everyone is who they seem to be. Lies, secrets, ..... who will Detective Elms trust? And how many will die before he gets through all the layers to find the truth?

There is a ring of authenticity about this story. And I found out why ... "Charlie Gallagher has been a serving UK police officer for ten years. During that time he has had many roles, starting as a front-line response officer, then a member of a specialist tactical team and is currently a detective investigating serious offenses." (book blurb)

George Elms is a great character ... and this book gives the reader a great insight into not only his professional career but to his personal life, as well. He is a well-known officer of the law and well respected. He's a firm believer in not crossing that line, but when his family is threatened, to what limits will he go to protect them?

Action abounds on every page from start to finish. Secondary characters are well defined, fully fleshed. There are good guys and bad guys and then some very bad guys.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of BODILY HARM. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I enjoyed this book. It is set in a fictitious town on the south coast, where police have a massive problem with a deprived housing estate. They desperately need to do something, especially when 2 teenagers are attacked on a bus, and publicity is very critical of the police. An undercover operation is launched but who can be trusted, and are all police officers straight down the line? Some good characters and a fast moving story make this a good, if sometimes horrific read. The book is part 1 of the whole story, so I look forward to reading the next instalment. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

A gripping story with plenty of pace and action. I thought I saw where it was headed but the level of criminality of the undercover cops was something I hadn't considered. It would be rather refreshing in another novel for an undercover operation to reap the appropriate rewards without things going awry but that's for another day. I felt the book dealt rather callously with the car repair man and should have given him a final salute in the traditional AA manner!

This was the first book that I had read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was very well written with lots going on to hold my interest. The grittier aspects of the book, such as the run down crime riddled estate, police corruption etc were portrayed very well and felt very realistic to me. I do love a bit of police corruption in my books! I was a bit disappointed with the ending - it just seemed so abrupt and flat.....I can only hope that is setting us up for a sequel as I would love to read another instalment.

A strong 4 stars.

Fantastic book, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was well written and very easy to get interested in the characters. I will definitely buy any more books from this author/series and recommend to friends and family

An interesting twist on a police series, dealing with a troubled estate. Found a really interesting read and looking forward to the next work from this author

Nothing I love more than a crime book with British bobbies so I was looking forward to reading this one and it did not disappoint. The plot is original and with enough twists to keep you tense and characters to either love or hate in equal measure. Some side stories that really added to the story and an ending that left me sure there would be a sequel.

I am reviewing this via NetGalley. This is the best detective story I have read in a long time. It is a 'can't put down book'. The start grabs the reader's attention then there is more excitement as the story unfolds. We even at last have a detective with a settled domestic life, sort of! It is well written with an original story line and makes it hard to wait fort the he next in the series.

I really enjoyed this. It was gritty, dark, and authentic. I'm still reeling over some of the things Charlie Gallagher put me through! Some brave choices. Made the book bleak and even slightly depressing at times... but I won't forget it. When's the next one come out?! Count me in. There are A LOT of characters and things to keep track of, but it's worth it. I'm a big fan of the dictionary of slang and character list in the back of the book. I'm sure it's quite helpful for a lot of people.

The book begins with a flirty, cheerful walk to a bus stop. Two seventeen year olds are headed home. This was a trip they'll come to regret... when a robbery goes wrong, they're both badly injured. The female ends up having a politician in the family and what may have been dismissed as just another terrible crime becomes larger and puts a lot of pressure on the police department. Crime rates have been soaring in the area, thanks in large part to Epping Hill Estate. It's a haven for violent criminals and drug addicts, and has steadily been becoming a huge problem. Detective George Elms, a kind and bright man with a young daughter and pregnant wife tries to find the culprit as others in the force come up with alternate plans to infiltrate the estate, no matter the cost... maybe not exactly by the book.

A very absorbing story with memorable characters. I look forward to seeing more! I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Joffe Books, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. It was quite a good book, the storyline was good, great characters. I think it kind of went on a bit jumping from one story to another. But very enjoyable to read, definitely 5 star worthy and recommendable to anyone.

This is a police book with a different angle the main character is George Elms, his team and his family. The storyline shows how easy reputations can be built and lives destroyed. The road to hell is paved with good intentions is the phrase that springs to mind when reading this book. I enjoyed this book and would recommend this to friends.

A strange read: parts of the story feel very realistic yet other parts feel completely unbelievable. The writing style, detail and humour are really well written but the plot was quite underwhelming unfortunately. A promising new author hopefully

Excellent read, cannot wait for book 2!!!!
Could not put it down!

This is a great Police procedural story that grabbed me from the start.. It was fast paced and the characters were engaging .Bodily Harm is very well written with a few twists and turns .I was disappointed that the story ended so suddenly and without a definite closure. I hope this means there will be more books about George Elm and the Epping Hill Estate .

I am always attracted to novels written by actual detectives, so it is no surprise that I picked up a copy of Bodily Harm.  It wasn’t your run of the mill British police procedural.  Instead, Bodily Harm is a complex crime thriller that demonstrates just how much media can affect policing.  Readers can expect a number of surprises.  

The novel begins with an attack on two teens (ostensibly a robbery motivated by drugs), one of whom is the niece of the current mayor.  As a result of media and political pressure, the police are desperate to lower crime in the Effingell Estate.  Detective George Elms is in charge of investigating the attack, but his boss has other priorities.  Ambition and desperation lead Huntingdon to accept a risky plan for undercover infiltration of the Effingell Estate, an action that will have far reaching consequences.

The character development and pacing were both excellent.  Gallagher makes his characters believable, with individual strengths and weaknesses.  I also liked the distinctly different plot.  My only complaint is that Bodily Harm ends without a definite conclusion.  That in itself is realistic, but I would have liked a bit more of a resolution.  I look forward to reading Gallagher’s next novel featuring George Elms.

4/5

I received a copy of Bodily Harm from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

—Crittermom