"The Wronged" by Owen Mullen is a riveting and intricate tale that plunges readers into the gritty underworld of Glasgow, adding layers of suspense and danger to a compelling missing persons case. Private Investigator Charlie Cameron is the central figure in this noir-inspired narrative, and Mullen masterfully crafts a story that blurs the lines between routine investigations and the perilous depths of criminal intrigue.

The novel kicks off with a seemingly straightforward mission for Cameron – finding a man who disappeared following his son's tragic suicide. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when an unidentified body emerges at the morgue, throwing a wrench into Cameron's assumptions and propelling him into a perilous journey.

Mullen's writing style is both atmospheric and immersive, effectively transporting readers to the dark and gritty streets of Glasgow. The author skillfully blends a sense of urgency with a well-paced plot, ensuring that the suspense builds steadily throughout the narrative. The complexity of the case keeps readers guessing, and the unexpected twists add an extra layer of intrigue.

As Cameron delves deeper into the criminal underbelly of Glasgow, the tension escalates, and the stakes rise. The character of Jimmy Rafferty, a notorious gangster, adds a menacing presence to the story, turning what started as a routine investigation into a high-stakes game with life-or-death consequences.

One of the strengths of "The Wronged" is Mullen's ability to create multifaceted characters. Charlie Cameron is a compelling protagonist, and his descent into the dangerous world of Rafferty's criminal empire adds depth to his character. The moral dilemmas he faces and the impossible task he's given create a sense of empathy for his struggles.

The novel also excels in capturing the essence of the Glasgow setting, using it as a backdrop to enhance the gritty and atmospheric tone. The dialogue is sharp, and the interactions between characters feel authentic, contributing to the overall realism of the narrative.

While "The Wronged" delivers a thrilling and engaging reading experience, the complexity of the plot may require readers to stay attentive to fully appreciate the intricacies of the story. However, for those who enjoy a gritty, noir-inspired mystery with well-developed characters and a sense of danger, Owen Mullen's "The Wronged" is a four-star read that delivers on suspense and intrigue.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

PI Charlie Cameron specializes in locating missing persons. It's personal to him, his sister has been missing for many years. The book is part of a series but each can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. Each book in the series has been so good, you will want to read the others too.
As in real life, crimes don't happen one at a time. Multiple threads, small and large, weave together to give readers a look at provate investigator's life and keep the story moving quickly. Owen Mullen is well known for giving his readers a great story with enough clues to keep them guessing but enough twist and jumps to keep the end a secret.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A great read! I really enjoy the PI Charlie Cameron series, always fast paced and hursting with fabulous plots!

This book kept me turning the pages. Very fast paced and engaging and could not put down. Great thriller book!

Well written with good character development but very predictable to me. I just couldn’t get into it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Owen Mullen makes you care about his characters. I enjoyed this book. It had suspense and a real sense of danger. He really tugs on the heart strings!

What a great book would highly recommend this is well worth a read. This author is so good . Definitely try if you haven't read any of his books .

I hadn't read book one before reading this. Not a problem at all. Very well written. Made me want to visit Edinburgh! Would reccomend and will go and read book one now.

Cecelia McNeil's husband Stephen has vanished and she hires Private Detective Charlie Cameron to find him. He went missing two weeks ago, just before her son's funeral. Her son, Christopher's death was recorded as suicide and Cecelia believes Stephen blames himself for Christopher taking his own life and has run off, unable to bear the guilt. Private detective Cameron comes from a wealthy family but he and his father have been estranged for years. When Charlie is asked to identify a body he thinks the case is all sewn up but finds that the man is Ian Selkirk one of Cameron's close friends...

The Wronged is a taut mystery thriller with multiple plot lines that interweave throughout the story. Character development is a big focus throughout the novel but not to the detriment of the compelling plotlines. Set in Glasgow, private investigator Charlie specialises in finding missing persons, his interest shaped by his own experiences; his sister has been missing for thirty years. A bit of a loner, thirty-odd-year-old Charlie's office base is a room above a venue called New York Blue where he meets his close friends and acquaintances including DCI Andrew Geddes from Police Scotland, Patrick Logue, who sometimes assists Charlie.

Owen Mullen cleverly combines each of the story strands really well making this a fascinating read as well as showcasing the characters. In addition to a few neat twists, there is a pronounced overall noir feel to the narrative and all of the threads are tied off by the rather chilling ending. I'm now planning to read the third book in the series, Whistleblower.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Boldwood Books via NetGalley, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Another great read from Owen Mullen. The second book in the Charlie Cameron Series. In this book Charlie is assigned to trace a missing husband who disappeared the day before his sons funeral, and whose wife is desperate for him to be found. But Charlie finds himself embroiled in a series of events involving his two oldest friends that will literally put his life on the line..As well as that he is still trying to resolve the relationship with his Father, as well as worrying about his poorly Mother. Wow, a lot to cope with, and,
time is running out. This is certainly a terrific book. I enjoyed it so much , lots of action and surprises....love Charlie and Pat. Owen Mullen has this ability to switch genres, his gangland crime series is superb too. A very gifted author. The Wronged..... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. . I thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

THE WRONGED - NR
PI-Charlie Cameron-Scotland-Contemp
Mullen, Owen - 2nd in series
Boldwood Books, Jun 2021, 282 pp

First Sentence: They dragged him from the boot of the car, down an embankment to the shore; gagged, bound, and blindfolded.

PI Charlie Cameron is hired by Cecelia McNeil to find her missing husband. After their son committed suicide, the husband, Stephen simply left and she hasn't seen or heard from him since. When Charlie goes to view a body in the morgue, it's not Stephen, but Ian Selkirk, whom he has known since university, Ian isn't just dead but had been tortured. Last Charlie knew, Fiona Ramsey, with who he had long been in love, was living with Ian. Although they had separated, it's clear Ian had been involved with some very bad people, the Rafferty family. Charlie needs answers to both cases, while keeping both himself and Fiona alive.

The title is very apt. Props for that. Charlie, DS Andrew Geddes, DI Nigel Platt, and Patrick "Pat" Logue are very good, interesting characters. Fiona, however, is a character one just doesn't warm to.

The plot: Cecelia and searching for her husband would have made a very good short story, but they truly got lost in the plot here. The main function was only as a link getting Charlie to the morgue and finding Ian.

The main plot suffers from being a second book where the author assumes you've read the first. The NYB is constantly referenced without explaining what it is. Is it a bar, a restaurant, his office? We never really know.
And who is Jackie? Owner of the NYB, a worker there, his secretary? Who knows. The story does have scenes of excellent tension and a few good twists. The worst is that one doesn't care about some of the deaths.

"The Wronged" is dark, very dark. It's one of those books where, one by one, nearly everybody dies, and not gently. Some may be fine with this; others may find its way beyond their comfort level.

I love how unique and different the characters are, the attention to detail, and all of the twists and turns! The ending was a total surprise! I'm totally digging this author!

Would I recommend this, yup, absolutely! I came across this author whilst having a perusal on #Netgalley and the first I read was #Family and that was a cracker of a book. Back to #TheWronged, this is the 2nd in the Private Investigator Charlie Cameron series and I'm rather anxious to read the next instalment never mind the first book that I've missed #HappyBookworm.
#TheWronged has a plethora of characters we have the Rafferty family, Jimmy and his sons Kevin and Sean gangsters trying to track down a person who owes them money, a lot of money. I must admit that there were times I kind of felt sorry for the brothers, Jimmy has zero faith and no respect whatsoever for either of them. Then we have a couple of Police officers who use NYB (New York Blues Club), DS Geddes with a liking for pastries and DI Pratt (Pratt by name, Prat by nature}. Lastly in this rogues gallery we have Pat Logue, now Pat is having a hard time and dealing with it in completely the wrong way, trust me I’ve been there done that.
PI Charlie Cameron is based in Glasgow with an office above NYB it’s maybe not where you’d expect one but it’s the perfect place for him. There’s 2 sides to him being situated there, 1 is that Manager Jackie keeps a weather eye on him and believe me he needs it, but the flip side is the too easy access to a dram or three. At one point in the book, I thought he was going to be ‘sleeping with fishes’ as the saying goes.
When Charlie takes on a new case looking for Stephen Mitchell a man who went missing after his sons funeral, he struggled to cope with his sons suicide so took himself off leaving his wife grieving and alone. He thinks this is going to be a quick case when he’s called to identify a floater, when he’s shown the body it’s not the missing man, but it is someone he knows. The victim is a chap called Ian Selkirk and he’s a blast from Charlies past, a time when there was 3 of them, Charlie, Ian and Fiona who was his ‘one true love’ so to speak. Strangely he had seen him recently in NYB, Ian needed a loan, and he wasn’t exactly talking chump change if you know what I mean.
From the very beginning we are dragged kicking and screaming into some of the grittier and shadier aspects of the Glasgow underworld not to mention all the thrills and spills keep us turning the pages using my old favourite ‘just one more chapter’. In #TheWronged Charlie takes us all over the east and west of Glasgow I find that reading books based in and around areas that I’ve lived seem to be much more enjoyable as well as a touch more personal to me. If I enjoy books as much as I did this it makes it so very easy to recommend, honestly guys if you haven’t read any of this chaps work and like a bit of tartan noir then I’d give him a try.

Read for an honest review. Thanks to the author Owen Mullen, #Netgalley and Boldwood Books

This is the 2nd book in the Charlie Cameron series by Owen Mullen, gripping and totally addictive page-turner that will have you racing through the pages and reeling at the twists!

First of all thanks to NETGALLEY for giving me an ARC for this book.

It is the first book I have read by the author and sadly it didn't reach my expectations, the beginning was very misleading with lots of characters names and a fast paced narrative that was difficult to catch up with, I would have prefered a bit more of descriptions to slow it down, the mystery itslef wasn't plot shocking, and I felt that this book was centered a lot on personal relations, not that it is bad a thing, it's just that I was looking for something else.

Having read the first book in the series, I was looking forward to reading this one. Sadly for me I just did not enjoy this one as much as I loved the first book. It is a easy and quick read, just a little bit scattered in my opinion. Having said that I always suggest others read, because not everyone enjoys the same books.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions expressed here are my own.

We are back with cheeky chappy Charlie Cameron, PI by trade, much to his families dismay.

Things start well enough, a missing person’s case hits Charlie’s desk. A father has disappeared after his son’s death. First point of call is the morgue to check on any John Doe’s..now it gets interesting.. the man on the slab is not who he was expecting.. but it’s no stranger.

The blast from the past hits Charlie hard and the missing person’s case just doesn’t seem important any longer. Someone he knows got themselves mixed up in something they shouldn’t..and it’s only going to lead to trouble for Charlie… but why?

Theres tonnes of character development as we explore Charlie’s past but we also get some lovely moments in the present between his friends, DS Andrew Geddes and loveable rouge Pat Logue. I just loved Pat.. he’s a real character, you can’t help but like him.

Geddes and Logue try their best to help their friend with not only his personal issues but also the missing person’s case.. Cecelia McNeil needs to know what has happened to her husband. Charlie really does want to help but he’s just not in the best place at the time.. his thoughts are on his own troubles which we can all appreciate.

The story flows superbly as the two plot lines converge, competing for Charlie’s attention. This gave depth to Charlie as you can see his internal struggles.

What I really like about Owen’s writing is that it’s dark and gritty. It’s not going to be an easy ride for Charlie and the events will stay with him forever… and you will remember them to.

Every character feels real and each have their own space to develop. How the author managed to give each individual the page time without getting the plot muddled is beyond me.. he’s a wizard! This is why I’ll stick to reviews and let the experts like Owen write the masterpieces.

I really don’t want to give the end away so let’s just say it finishes with a bang.

A gripping, dark and intensely stratifying read. What more could you want?

This is the second book I read in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It's more gripping and well plotted that the first I read.
Solid mystery, tightly knitted plot and well thought characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine