I’ve read all of the books in this series. I really enjoy the story lines and the characters. I like the relationship between Maddie & Harry. The author does a great job describing their personality throughout the book. It’s easy to build a picture of them in your mind.
I did feel this one was a little long. But still enjoyed it.
Looking forward to reading more from this author.

I think that I'm getting a bit jaded with so many detective stories focussing upon historic abuse these days. Whilst this was well-written with strong characters and plenty of twists and turns it didn't quite hit the button for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Abusive men do not like it when they are kept from the families they think they own and control. Some of them are so angry about it, they decide to take matters into their own hands.

Detective Sergeant Maddie Ives and her former partner, Harry Blaker, of Canterbury Major Crimes, have their hands full with a suspect who claims to have murdered a social worker found suffocated in an isolated warehouse. They don't believe his confession and soon find an even larger problem -- it seems that a protection program devised by the police and CPS has been breached. Families that have been hidden away from brutal partners may have been exposed by people who've been kidnapped and blackmailed into revealing their locations. Can they unravel this heinous plan and save those they've vowed to protect? NO SPOILERS.

Although this is the 6th in a series, I've only read one previous book -- the first -- but I didn't feel that I'd missed much coming in at this point. The plot of this reminded me a bit of THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty. It was fast-paced and full of action with the characters being similar to all of those in the detective/police procedural genre. The author is a police detective so has first hand experience with the methods and tactics in how Maddie and Harry approach this investigation. I enjoyed it and may be looking for the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this e-book ARC to read and review.

I loved The Deadly Houses, I thought it was like nothing I’d read before and coming from someone that reads 10+ crime / thriller books a week that’s quite the accomplishment!

Fantastic characters, I don’t normally go for a crime based thriller but this definitely was a good change for me! I thought Maddie was perfect. I love a copper with a good nose who refuses to accept the easy story as the real story! So many surprises, I was left gasping.

This isn’t fast paced, it isn’t action on every page but it’s worth the slow burn! I did find myself getting frustrated with how slowly the plot moves but it all comes together! Just stick with it!

If you’re looking for a unique thriller that ticks all the boxes then you need to read The Deadly Houses!

Wow what a book ! Best thriller of the year by a mile! Clever thought out plot that is unique and intriguing mixed with a believable theme of police work it left me spellbound. Had not read a Charlie Gallagher book before but I can’t wait to read another if they are half as good as this one. Don’t miss a chance to read this book if you do you will really regret it.

I read this book without realising it was part of a series. While it works well as a standalone, as with any series, there were parts where it would have been good to have read previous books. I've added them to my wish list. Storywise this book was a bit confusing at the start but it soon got going and captured my interest. Definitely recommended but probably after reading more of the earlier books in the series.

This book had me enamored from the first chapter. Intense reading does not even began to describe this book.
Detective Mattie Ives and her team have landed one of craziest cases I have ever had read in a book.
The story was intense, heart wrenching and so very disturbing.
The thought of this really happening keep me up for days.
So if your are looking for an intriguing, thought provoking this crime procedural is for you I feel weird saying I loved, but I really enjoyed this unique read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.
#netgalley
#deadlyhouses

The Deadly Houses by Charlie Gallagher is the sixth book in the Maddie Ives series. Charlie is a serving Police Detective and let me tell you, it shines through. Every book I read from Charlie is always the best and I never think he can top the particular book I amnreading at that time...then, BAM, out comes another corker!
This instalment begins with a flashback to eighteen months previously where the police are doing a house raid and all the while a small traumatised young boy is beating his drum to block out the noise of his dad battering his mum. Fastforward eighteen months and a man presents himself at the police station in order to confess to murdering a woman, he has all the details of where and when. DC Rhiannon Davis isn't certain this is a hoax or what and DS Maddie Ives, when she arrives the day after is the same. Maddie feels he may be covering for someone else, but that remains to be seen.
Charlie has chosen a topic that is still as rife as always and a very touchy subject, domestic violence and has dealt with it perfectly within the storyline.The authenticity with which he writes makes it feel so real and it gripped me from the prologue.I love Maddie anyway from previous books she has starred in but, boy this book has made he a shining star in my eyes! Another fab book, can't wait for her next outing. Thanks to Jill Burkinshaw and netgalley for the copy of The Deadly Houses for the blog tour today, it was my pleasure!

I have been a fan of Charlie's books for a little while now. I love the way in which he writes hard hitting, crime novels that have an added authenticity to them when you consider the fact that Charlie is actually a serving police officer himself. I have read, reviewed and loved every single book that he has written to date. I read the synopsis for 'The Deadly Houses' and it certainly sounded like another amazing read from Charlie. I was spot on because 'The Deadly Houses' was a fantastic book, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Detective Sergeant Maddie Ives and took to her from the start. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first couple of chapters I felt that I had reunited with an old friend in Maddie. Maddie is a feisty and tenacious young woman. She is also a dedicated police officer, who is a bit like a dog with a bone when she is allocated a case. By that I mean that she will not rest until she has investigated every clue, chased down every lead and apprehended the perpetrator. Maddie comes up against a new police officer, who needs a refund from whichever charm school he went to because he obviously failed the course. I ended up thinking that if Maddie didn't sort him out then I would. Maddie works closely with a small team, who seem to get on really well with each other and they each have the others' backs. The investigation as described in the synopsis is going to test Maddie and her team as they have never been tested before. Will Maddie and her team apprehend the perpetrator? Well for the answer to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my flipping word, 'The Deadly Houses' has to be my favourite book of Charlie's to date. As soon as I sat down and started to read, that was it. I was immediately drawn into the story and I found it impossible to put my Kindle down. There was that much going on that I feared missing out on something if I had put the book down. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. The more of the story I read, the quicker the pages seemed to be turning and the more desperate I became to find out how the story concluded. I soon worked my way through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to bid farewell to Maddie Ives and her team.
'The Deadly Houses' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Charlie Gallagher. As I indicated above the fact that Charlie is a serving police officer means he can draw on his own experiences and put some of them in his books. Charlie certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and he draws you into the story. For me , 'The Deadly Houses' started with a bang, hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. He takes you on one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride through a complex investigation. There were more twists and turns than you would find on a 'Snakes & Ladders' board. Just when I thought that I had figured out who was doing what and why then Charlie threw the odd curveball in to send me down another path entirely.
In short, I absolutely flipping well loved reading 'The Deadly Houses' and I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Charlie's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Another brilliant addition to the Maddie Ives series.

Harry is still reeling from the shock of the previous case and has transferred to training leaving Maddie trying to get used to the space left behind. Although she does seem to have finally succumbed to the attentions of Vince (at last).

This is a very intriguing story and it did take me a little while to get into it but once a few more pieces of the jigsaw were revealed it all started to take shape and from there on it was all adrenaline pumping suspense. I read a lot of crime fiction but I have never read anything like this one and I mean that in a very good way it made for a totally gripping page-turner

Maddie and Harry continue to gain depth as we learn more about their characters and I absolutely love the way they work together and also the humour Vince brings to the series.

A serious heart-breaking case but again hats off to the brilliant Police and all they do to keep us safe.

Oh note for Charlie Gallagher - you haven't been forgiven for retiring George so don't get any ideas about Harry.

Absolutely brilliant read well worth the 5 stars

A man walks into a police station claiming ve brutally murdered a woman, with evidence to back up his story, including gruesome video tape of the victim.

Operation icicle saw abused women and children taken to secret safe locations to protect them from their abusing husband's. The police officer and cps officer suddenly find themselves kidnapped and beaten with tasks to do in order to protect their families.

This story sees Detective Maddie investigate the brutal murder where she does not believe a word the man is saying.

Although quite a complex plot initially, the story brilliantly brought all the story lines together to a terrifying climax. Fast paced with lots of twists. Highly recommend.

This book is number 6 in a series but it read very well as a stand a lone book.

I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few of Charlie Gallagher books.
I enjoyed this a lot - slow starter but really increased the tension as it takes quite a while to work out what is happening.
Many layers in this book and a few red herrings along the way to keep the reader engaged.
The main characters are well written and DS Maddie Ives finds herself working for a new boss who wants to close down a murder case immediately Adrian Hughes walks into the police station and admits to murdering a young jogger. Maddie is convinced something is not right and goes to see her old boss DI Harry Blaker who agrees to come back to help solve the murder.
Great procedural detail and a complicated, terrifying storyline that will keep you hooked until the end.

I didn't realize this book was part of a series. Regardless, I enjoyed it very much. Great writing, terrific story and great characters. Quite a bit of action and a few good twists! Will read more by this author

# The Deadly House # Netgalley

Started off really well,. However I thought I had missed something and I went back and read a chunk all over again. I hadn’t missed anything. When Karen found herself in a awkward situation.. that’s were I found myself confused. It was like suddenly reading a different book. Although it all became clear it just threw me of kilter at that point. Other than that it was a awesome read yes would recommend you read this book brilliant with enough twists and turns to send you dizzy. I knocking a star off because of the part where I was a little confused and reading a different book

Synopsis:

'Eighteen months ago, a young boy is in fear as Police try to stop his father from violence against his mother. This man joins three other domestic violent offenders to get revenge on those they blame for breaking up their families. Detective Maggie must keep the families safe'

Adrian Hughes arrives in major crimes putting his hands up for a murder with photographic evidence to support his claims.
Linda Morris is scared and chained to a floor having no idea how she got there.
I love the character of Maddie and how she interacts with Harry Blaker to solve the mystery.
I did guess some bits while others I was 'really' shocked.
I so so love this series and would highly recommend this

The Deadly Houses is Book 6 in the Detective Maddie Ives series. Maddie is handed a case where a man has come in and admitted to committing murder. However, Maddie does not believe this man is telling the truth and her hunt to find it comes with twists and surprises.
I enjoyed that this novel could be read and followed without reading the other books in the series. There is some mention of events that happened in the other books to help any new readers follow along and to remind those that have read the other books. The novel started out with a great hook that kept you reading to see how it tied into the story. However, the first half seemed drawn out and was hard to stay focused . The second half was fast paced and kept you turning pages. I enjoyed that the plot line was very interesting and different and the clues left kept you guessing the whole time. The ending was neatly wrapped and set up well for the next book. I will be looking more into the other books in the series in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Fantastic read! Fast paced, scary, emotional and thrilling, Charlie Gallagher has delivered a brilliant read once again! I love all his books and can’t wait for the next chapter for DS Maddie Ives. #NetGalley#THEDEADLYHOUSES

The sixth book in the series and in my opinion the best one yet. I say this every time this author has a new book released but it is true. His books are that good. From the first page I was hooked, I was there in the story. This book had me constantly sat on the edge of my seat and tapping my kindle like a demented wood pecker. This book blew me away, the plot was original, terrifying and full of tension and suspense. As for the climax OMG my heart was in my mouth. This is why this author is a master of this genre. Loved loved IT!!!!
Thanks to Joffre Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the sixth in the Maddie Ives series but it can easily be read as a standalone, although I would recommend reading a few of the other books in the series just to get a fuller picture of the characters.
The deadly houses is a dark and at times quite scary read with plenty of pulse pounding moments.

A man shows up confessing to a murder which Maddie Ives isn’t convinced he committed. Her new boss won’t hear her out and wants the murder all wrapped up. In desperation she turns to her old boss and friend Harry Blaker. When they dig deeper, the case becomes a lot more sinister that it first appears.

As always with all of Charlie Gallagher’s books, it’s cleverly written with his experience as a police officer shines through, adding the air of authenticity to the novel.

I did feel the middle of the story lost a little bit of steam but the emotion and tense ending made up for it.

The Deadly Houses is both an emotional yet at times quite chilling read that had me thinking about it long after I’d finished it.

This is the sixth book in the series featuring DS Maddie Ives and DI Harry Blaker based in Canterbury, and it is the best yet! At the very start of the series DS Maddie Ives had been working undercover in Manchester for years until disobeying orders meant that she had to move right across the country to a Major Crimes posting in Langhorne in the south east, leaving behind a lover she wasn't even supposed to have due to his connections to a criminal gang. Then a nasty shoot out injured her boss DI Harry Blaker and put him out of action for months and her back into CID, and once reunited they have since worked some nasty cases. The last story ended in tragedy and left everything on a bit of a cliff hanger, and as soon as this book began I was already missing Harry and PC Vince Arnold with no news of their whereabouts. This story begins rather strangely. A man arrives at a disused building and films his discovery of a murder victim. It's no surprise for him though, as he has been told what he will find and what to do. The man then walks into Canterbury police station where Major Crimes are based and confesses to the murder. DC Rhiannon Davis is on night duty and takes his statement to hand on to Maddie in the morning when enquiries have to be made as to whether the man is telling the truth or winding them up. When the body of a woman, a local social worker, is indeed found where he claims it is, an arrest follows. Maddie's gut tells her something is off about the whole confession. Major Crimes has been landed with a new DI, a dreadful bitter man by the name of Tristan Stepney. He has recently been demoted, amidst much speculation, and is only interested in taking any glory that happens to be going. He is eager to sign off the case and with no help or support from her DI, Maddie turns to the only person she can rely on - Harry Blaker. After a wonderful moment where Stepney gets what he deserves, the status quo is restored, and Maddie and Harry can get on with doing what they do best. With hostages held in chains and all manner of threats being made, it looks like those people really responsible are deadly serious about achieving whatever plan they have made, and are ruthless enough to carry it out. After five previous books, the main characters have been very well described, and they get ever more likeable as the series moves on. Harry still growls a bit, Maddie is her usual tenacious self and a certain other officer is back on form. Once again the plot is clever and exciting with a nail biting ending that even then isn't truly over. I loved the last chapter! It is another excellent and enthralling read from a very knowledgeable author. Highly recommended and I can't wait to see what comes next for Maddie. 5*