Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a follower of Kerry's work right from the beginning. Kerry is a hard-working and ambitious writer who has gone from strength to strength. This book is proof of that-Well done Kerry.

My heart literally cannot tale any more! I read part one in practically a day and the same can be said for part 2. Once I had finished book 2 from this author in 2 days I almost went into a major sulk because I cannot read part 3 until its release in July and it seems like nothing in my long list of more than 500 books on my Kindle will be suitable right now! So I guess you can guess what I thought of this from that statement alone.

The Rules is part two of three and is an absolute MUST READ! Books one and two are some of the best books I have read in a while and I am so happy I finally got around to reading them. The book centers around Mike Regan who is currently in prison. However, he and other members of his Firm also serving at her Majesty s pleasure get offered a deal. They need to agree to come out of prison and find the people responsible for a new drug that is sweeping the streets and taking many lives with it.

When you see that kind of description it seems like a simple enough story line, but with the first book delving into many more aspects and characters it isn’t really as simple as it seems. I fear saying too much as people who haven’t read the first book will inevitable come across spoilers.

What I will say is that for two days straight nothing got done at home for me as this book took priority. Kerry Barnes has created a bunch of characters that I was compelled to read about, a story line that had me gripped from the very first page and a whole host of other things going on. I cannot praise the book, the writing and the sheer enjoyment I got from this, but what I would say is that these will without a doubt make my top ten list for 2019!

Brilliant, fast paced and bitten nails is the only way I can describe this book.
The twists and turns kept me hooked till the end.
Can't wait for the next installment.

Wow Kerry Barnes what a great plot the book has you wanting more really enjoyed reading this about mike and Zara can’t wait for the next instalment in this series the plots thicken and has me wanting to read the next one so bad thank you highly recommend

I don’t think Kerry Barnes can write a book I won’t like or enjoy and she certainly hits the mark with this one! I was hooked from beginning to end, and am really enjoying this series. Great return of characters from her previous book The Hunted which I would recommend be read first. Lots of action in the story, plenty of twists to hold my attention. In my opinion a must read.

Wow!! I haven’t been able to put this one down! I have devoured this one in just one sitting.
This is my first read by this author, but it definitely won’t be the last. Her writing has pulled me in and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I have loved this one, the characters are extremely diverse and I would say this is a book perfect for Martina Cole fans. It definitely gave me the vibes.
This is one which will keep the reader wanting more, I didn’t realise this was part of a series but it made little difference. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

I have been a huge fan of Kerry's work for a little while now. I love the way in which she writes about a world that fascinates me- the Underworld. I have found her books to be gritty, gripping and at times downright scary! When I read the synopsis for 'The Rules' I just knew that I was going to be in for another amazing read from the superbly talented Kerry Barnes. 'The Rules' is the second book in 'The Hunted' series. I must be psychic (or psychopathic) because 'The Rules' really is an amazing read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I have to say that I don't think that I particularly warmed to any of the characters- basically because they scared the crap out of me. I certainly wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw them, which given the state of my back wouldn't be very far at all. I did like the depth of loyalty that certain characters had towards certain people. I must admit that I was waiting for the betrayals, the scandals and the violence.
To say that 'The Rules' is an addictive read, has to be the understatement of the year. I was gripped by this book from the moment I clapped eyes on the cover and the synopsis sealed the deal. I would pick 'The Rules' up only intending to read for a little while but I would become so absorbed by the story that I read for upwards of two hours at a time. It became nigh on impossible to put this book down for any length of time. I think that I had a fear of missing out on some vital clue or some twist to the story. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book. If I had to put the book down for anything then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I was like an addict in desperate need of her next fix. I soon got to the end of the story which I had mixed feelings about. Don't get me wrong, I was pleased to finish because at least I knew how this instalment of the story concluded but I was enjoying the characters, the author's writing style and the storylines so much that I just wanted the book to continue.
'The Rules' is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of all of Kerry's books. She grabs your attention with an eye catching synopsis and then you are gradually drawn into the story. Once Kerry has your attention, she will not let you have it back until the moment you read the last word on the last page. Kerry writes with grit and she writes stories which have more twists and turns to them than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. For me, 'The Rules' really was a gripping read, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout. The other phrase I would use to describe 'The Rules' is an unputdownable pageturner of a read.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Rules' even if certain things scared the doo doo out of me. I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Kerry's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

If you like the gangsters are the heroes genre of thrillers, then you've probably already heard of Kerry Barnes.

Rather than a police procedural this book is on the other side of the tracks and the bad guys make the rules.

An enjoyable romp through a London that most people wouldn't recognise,of gangs and guns, is at heart about people. And people can be messy and complicated, even while trying to rise to the top and stay alive.

Review posted on my blog ramblingmads.com on the 27th May as part of the blog tour organised by the publisher.

An extremely gritty gangland book. I enjoyed the book but I feel I would've enjoyed it more if I had read the first book on the series. That said, I was still able to follow the story and really liked the plot. I'll definitely look out for the 3rd instalment.

Has to be the best and most gut gripping book I've read in a long time!!
This gangland thriller is what all thrillers should be!!
My heart was pumping from start to finish!
I would give it way more than 5 stars!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read it.

The second book in the hunted series this book leaves you gripped throughout the book. Zara, Mike and Ricky are up against it but you can’t help but will them on. At one point I thought I knew what was going on, but I got it wrong. Lots of twists along the way a great read.

Fast paced action packed edge of ur seat twists and turns I never seen comeing it got better and better as the book went on I literally sat up till 4oclock this morning and read it all in one go sometimes in series of book the spark and excitement goes not this series it gets better and better I love all the old faces and the new ones well done Kerry xx

What did I think?
Well where do you start, there is so, so much I want to say about this book, this series. It's absolutely brilliant, it's one of those books that once you start you get lost, lost in the pages, lost with the characters, nothing else in the world matters at the time of reading because you can't think of anything else other than the book. Epic, Just E P I C! This is a must read.
I loved the previous book 'The Hunted' and was so looking forward to this, now I've finished 'The Rules' I need 'The Choice' and I need it now. I know there are bigger problems in the world, but my biggest problem in my bookish world is waiting on book 3. July can't come quick enough.
This is one of those books, you want to scream and shout about, but have to be so careful as to not give anything away. What I can say is I love the characters, I love the story line, I have gotten to know a little more of each charcter as the book has gone on and feel like i've been on a journey with them. I really can't wait to find out what is in store next.
Kerry, keep these coming, keep these amazing characters and story lines you make up in your head, oming, becuase i need more.

Kerry Barnes is a master story teller of gangland thrillers. This book gripped me from the beginning and never let me go until the last page. I totally got it wrong! Well done Kerry and I have no hesitation in recommending this 5* read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Brilliant book again by Kerry. Love gangland books and love that it is part of a brilliant series roll on the next one

What a rollercoaster, Kerry Barnes has done it again, making her the undisputable crime queen. I loved the characters of gangsters and was willing for Zara and Mike to seek out the truth and get revenge. There were some right nasty villains in this book and even more lovable rogues.
It had laugh out loud moments and downright gore and shock.
This is the crime book of 2019 for me. I loved every page of it.
Well done on another cracker Kerry xx

Hmm imagine a world where the police force is so ill-equipped to deal with not only the rise in crime, but the types of crime being committed, that they try and rope in the older generation of criminals to help them.

There used to be an unwritten law, which was particularly evident on the streets and inside prison. Even criminals have rules about what they consider to breaching an unspoken rule of conduct, and breakers of said rules were treated accordingly. Even today criminals want a line to be drawn between themselves and deviants, especially any deviancy involving children. That’s still a big no-no.

The problem is the world has moved beyond those romanticised versions of the Kray twins and other old-school criminal types. Just to be clear the Krays were ruthless monsters, the world just likes to paint them as something akin to Hollywood or mob royalty.

The police of today are dealing with unimaginably cruel and inhumane crimes. There are no boundaries to what some people will do to make money or to cause pain. How do you fight people who are monsters when you, the police in this instance, are given no respect from the majority of the public and no appropriate way to combat said monsters. Perhaps turning to the old guard doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.

Barnes takes it up a notch in this book, which is violent, graphic and fast-paced. The reader needs to keep their eye on the ball in order to keep up with who the bad and the good guys are. To be fair I think those lines are well and truly skewed by the end of the book.

It’s perhaps a wee bit too fast in some places, which gives the plot a disjointed feel at times, but also in equal measures a way to represent the chaos of modern crime on our streets at the moment. It’s an eye for an eye kind of justice with no attempt to hide the brutality of that thought process. It’s a story with a criminal as the one in charge.

I’ve been looking forward to The Rules since I read my very first Kerry Barnes book The Hunted last year and got totally hooked on the characters and storyline that formed the foundations of her newest series. If you haven’t read The Hunted, it may be worth your while starting the series there so you can understand the connection between the characters and the history between them all. And then, like me, you are going to be completely hooked!

Mike Regan and his son are still locked up in prison at the start of The Rules but they are about to have a visit that will change all that. In a “send a crook to catch a crook” move by the local police force, Mike gains his freedom so that he can help them to solve a drug problem on his patch. There is a new drug thats being peddled on the streets and this means that the crime rate has hit an all time high. “Flakka” has created a different kind of criminal behaviour and the police want it off the frontlines of society. Mike is an “old fashioned” criminal and they have their own code which is never spoken out loud but is there to be followed, an honour amongst thieves that is collapsing in the wake of this new criminal wave that is washing over South East London.

My favourite character in this series is Zara. I love a strong minded woman especially one who is at odds with her environment-a woman in what is essentially a mans world. Her relationship with Mike didn’t quite follow the expectations I had for it and that added an extra dimension to the narrative for me. Their paths twisted in and out of each other’s worlds, bringing violence and extremism as both fought to maintain their positions within a world they are both fighting to survive in.

Kerry Barnes has written a gripping storyline that is fast moving and complex at times but it was completely worth every single minute that I spent engrossed in this violent thriller. There were many underlying themes of family, trust and relationships, to name just a few, that I found reading The Rules to be a fully rounded experience that became easy to escape into.

Another brilliant addition to this series….BRING ON THE NEXT ONE PLEASE!

The Rules by Kerry Barnes is a contemporary crime thriller that will draw the reader in from the start.
There is a fine line between the villains and the heroes, with plenty of anti-heroes in between. It is a line that becomes ever more blurred as the novel progresses. Trust is high on the agenda but with crosses and double crosses the reader wonders just exactly who are the ‘good guys’?
Within the novel there are themes of drug taking, supply and demand, gangland wars and violence. It is not a novel for the faint hearted but it is a complex and well thought out plot.
There is a moral code that old fashioned villains will not cross. As crime spirals out of control and lawlessness prevails, deals need to be done to protect the innocent.
The Rules would make a fabulous ITV drama series. I can picture Ray Winston in the role of Mike. It is a gripping novel that will keep the reader on their toes throughout.
A word of caution… there is a lot of four letter bad language throughout and themes and action that some readers may not like.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.