This is book 3 in the Charlie Cameron series and having read the previous books I was very happy to read this one.

Charlie Cameron is a private investigator with a big heart. His character has grown throughout the books and I feel I really know him now. He has an extraordinary skill for finding lost people and has built a business out of it. Unfortunately trouble seems to follow Charlie where he goes and is probably very lucky to still be alive especially since he has got on the wrong side of a gangster.

He is helped in his searches by Pat who is a very unique character, a lovable rogue with exceptional people skills that enable him to extract information for Charlie that otherwise may not be possible.

DI Andrew Geddes also plays a big part in the books as a policeman he is able to provide Charlie with information and has been known to be in the right place at the right time. In this book Andrew is having problems with the new DCI and is considering retirement which means Charlie becomes a counsellor along with his other tasks.

There is a lot going on in this book so much that at times it gets a little confusing. A man going missing puts into motion a series of events that brings Charlie back under the Gangster's radar. He had a lucky escape once maybe he wont be so lucky this time. Pat and Andrew have problems of their own and Charlie has love life issues. As always everything comes together in a totally unexpected ending.

Another excellent book I am hoping to read more about Charlie in future books.

I was provided with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I received an advance copy of, Whistleblower, by Owen Mullen. I did not care for this book, it was boring, the characters were not good.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Charlie is asked to look into the disappearance of Dr Gavin Law. Charlie keeps hitting different road blocks on his attempts to find Gavin. This book kept me guessing until the end.

This is the third novel in the Charlie Cameron P.I. series. So now I've gotta get my hands on the first two.
Reading the third book without starting the first two, I don't think it took away from anything.
Still tho I have to read in order. LoL!
The plot is dark and gritty, twists come from nowhere and you really are kept on your toes.
The author brings the world of politicians, surgeons and gangsters to life very vividly and I read this book until the early hours of the morning, I just couldn't put it down.
Well written book with a good deal of underlying wit and give nothing away until the very end.
Highly recommend. Absolutely devoured it!

Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books for getting the chance to read this amazing book!.

I think I have vague memories of reading one of the previous books in this series but can say it does work as a standalone novel.
There are a lot of characters to keep track of and the changes between first and surnames doesn't help but once you have everyone straight this is a well written Scottish crime novel with interesting plotting and a good dose of humour

When a medical whistleblower goes missing, private investigator Charlie Cameron agrees to take on the case.
Gavin Law exposed a tragic case of medical malpractice but now he’s missing. It’s just another case for Glasgow PI, Charlie Cameron, until he comes to believe Law was murdered.

Did the disgraced surgeon abandon his sacred oath to become a killer? Or did the hospital itself have Law permanently silenced? As Charlie digs deeper, he discovers just how bad the world of medicine could be for his health.

Across the city, gangster Sean Rafferty is preparing to exploit the corrupt city council through a multi-million-pound leisure development known as Riverside. The project will be good for Glasgow. But not everybody is keen to work with Rafferty. With more than money at stake, Sean will do anything to get his way. So, when Charlie’s investigation gets tangled up with Sean’s business, someone’s going to need a doctor…or an undertaker.
I believe this is book 3 in the series and enjoyed it so much will have to go back and read books 1 & 2!

Fast paced crime thriller


This thriller opens, in typical Owen Mullen style, with action packed drama. Set in Glasgow, and surrounding area, the fast pace continues throughout the book, as the reader is drawn into the lives of those the action impacts upon.

This is the third (stand alone) thriller featuring the great character Private Investigator Charlie Cameron, as he struggles to solve and understand why a man has gone missing, and what is going on at the local hospital. Meanwhile a new development is being proposed, with the slogan "Good for Glasgow", however “good” might not be an apt word for anyone opposing the development!

Lending a hand to unravel what is going on, are characters from previous Owen Mullen thrillers in the series, including Pat Logue (when he's not busy drinking beer ) and of course DS Geddes. All the characters are very true to life, and are becoming more familiar as the series progresses. Indeed I feel that if I bump into Charlie Cameron in a pub I will know him immediately!

The time-line starts on New Year's Eve/Hogmanay and keeps up a brisk pace over a relatively short period. No to-ing and fro-ing between different time periods here!

A 4* rating from me, as there are quite a few characters in the book, and I did occasionally get confused as to who was who. Probably says more about me than the book! The story holds together well, the action keeps going, with some poignancy added, and insights into Charlie Cameron's private life gives even more interest.

Although this is a stand alone book, many of the characters appear (or are central) in previous books. Therefore I recommend starting earlier in the series, so that you know more about each character before meeting them in this book. I started reading the series at Book 2 The Wronged, and loved it, so that's a good place to start with if you don't want to go back to Book 1 Games People Play.

I believe there is a Book 4 in the series – can’t wait for that to be published.

This is a revised and re-edited version of the edition previously published as Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.