I liked the first book I read by John Nicholl so I requested this book. The first line on the blurb says "Dark, disturbing and gripping. This is not for the faint of heart." and I'm sold.

I understood what the author wants the reader to feel. It has to have some shocking factor. However; I felt he was just trying too hard - the unnecessary words and actions, similes that miss the mark, flowery language with no purpose, humour that lacks the wit. I can go on but you get the gist. I'm a big fan of Gory, Dark Thrillers, but this one just felt flat to me.

I still enjoyed reading it though. Hence, the 3 stars.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book.
TBP on 7th Nov.

Well this was definitely dark and some pages were really hard to read especially towards the ending. This is my first book by thus author but won't be the last . It just meant that I missed some of the back story.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Marcus Gove was a nurse in a mental health hospital and learnt a lot from a convicted killer. When he wins the lottery, he leaves the hospital and moves to Wales. There, he buys a large house, soundproofs the cellar and takes women there to kill.

When he sets his sights on local lady, Lucy, she’s not the easy target he thought she would be. Will he capture Lucy and train her to be his accomplice in his evil deeds?

This is a very difficult book to read, certain parts are grotesque and I felt sick at times. This is not a book for the faint hearted and there were times that I didn’t think I’d be able to finish the book.

Having said that, I did like the characters in the story - apart from Marcus! Lucy’s Mum pulled at my heartstrings and I liked the closeness of their family. I also liked DI Laura Kesey and DS Ray Lewis, they worked well together.

My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Another dark and disturbing read from one of my favourite authors. I thought Mr. Nice was bad but after meeting Grove I need a bath in bleach!!!!! Deeply disturbed ex psychiatric nurse was caring for the insane. His time working at the institution allowed him to befriend and learn from the most heinous killers in his care. His time working at the institution has greatly influenced his path and starts kidnapping and killing women. He is so deranged he thinks that he is a god until he meets the lovely Lucy. Definitely not for the squeamish but exactly what I expect from the Master of the Dark!!!!!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Another great read from John Nicholl. Some chapters are difficult to read due to the violence that comes from the pages but the story makes you want to read on to find out what will happen to Lucy. Enjoyable read.

We’ll what a book this was , totally gruesome and nightmare inducing but absolutely brilliant. This was a horrendous excuse for a man and hard reading at times . It was very well written and had so much tension and that ending , well it was just perfect . Go Lucy . I would definitely recommend this book as long as people have a strong stomach . This is my first from this author but it certainly won’t be my last . 5 star from me

What a dark, disturbing book this is from John Nicholl which I just couldn't stop reading, a brilliant page turner and great characters.

I have read all books from this author and never been disappointed he just grips you from the very first page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this brilliant ARC which I have no hesitation in recommending. Well done John I can't wait for your next masterpiece.

"Three people. Nineteen days. Who will live and who will die?"

This book had so much potential but unfortunately fell short for me .A psychopath by the likes of Dahmer but the entertainment factor of a quiet library. Quite possibly the most graphic novel I've ever read which goes to show you don't have to be obscene to be quality. So many unnecessary storylines and a weird happy ending for all the blood and gore.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, ad John Ncholl for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was probably the scariest thriller I've read! I was literally afraid to close my eyes. The tension built inexorably through each graphic chapter. I felt at times I was inside the killer's dark and twisted mind;at others I was cowering in a ball like his victims. I can't say it was an enjoyable read but it was certainly gripping, thrilling and addictive..and I loved the ending!

THE CELLAR is a dark, disturbing and gripping psychological thriller by international bestseller author, John Nicholl. This novel will chill you to the bone. After having read all his novels, which include The Dr. David Galbraith series, The DI Gravel Series and his standalone psychological thrillers… this novel is another winner! The author has written books, each dealing with different issues, drawing on his experience as a police officer and child protection social worker. This novel deals with the struggle over evil, and in this story a story of survival This novel is not for the faint of heart.

His Stand-alone Novels include:
The Girl in Red (2019)
The Girl in White (2019)
Mr Nice (2020)
The Sisters (2020)
aka The Sisterhood
Killing Evil (2021)
The Cellar (Nov 2022)
The Cop (Dec 2022)
The Student (Dec 2022)

This is my review of The Cellar.

Marcus Grove, a nurse. is under disciplinary process regarding his future employment working in a hospital for the criminally insane. Markus would be working with some dangerous patients, and there were serious doubts as far as his suitability for the position. Markus was alleged to have had a relationship with a patient, a paranoid schizophrenia, a predator who had killed seven women.

Grove had come from a dysfunctional family and abuse. His experience working in the hospital with dangerous killers allowed him to learn their skills and prepare for his future as an executioner.

Five years later, we see that Marcus had moved away and was on a killing spree for sexual gratification. He’d play a game to lure his victims in, but in a careful way.

Now when it was time for Marcus to take a protege… he chose Lucy Williams, a talented artist, a skilled painter and sculptor and the daughter of the local MP.

Marcus had lured Lucy away with a generous offering as his protégé on an artistic commission.

Now Lucy was at her psycho’s mercy and had to survive in hope of being rescued.

The Cellar is a dark story that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end. The characters are real and the author understands the psychological features of the criminal mind.

Many thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my digital copy.

First of all I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Boldwood Books, and author John Nicholl for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I have never read this author before, after this I will be looking at his other books. The Cellar - three people, nineteen days, who will live and who will die…..
We begin with Marcus Gove who wants to take on a protege, Lovely Lucy Williams will be perfect for the role, maybe… and Detective Ray Lewis who is determined to find Lucy no matter what.

The Cellar has some graphic scenes that may not be for everyone but I found it really well written. I definitely recommend it.

Wow. If you're looking for a dark and disturbing book, this is the one for you. The main character is unbelievably evil, a psychopath beyond belief. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out what the hell he was going to do next. A brilliant story and a must read in my opinion.

I absolutely loved this book! John is one of my very favourite authors, all of his books are amazing, and guarantee to be a dark, chilling and sometimes disturbing read – this book is no exception!

I loathed Gove with a passion, he is deeply disturbed and his previous career as a psychiatric nurse caring for a prolific serial killer had greatly influenced him, to the point where he starts kidnapping and killing young women himself – just because he can! I felt that Lewis was a good choice of detective for this tale, as he added some much-needed humour and general light-heartedness.

The plot is gripping, the story flows well, the ending blew me away, and the epilogue really touched me. All in all, a brilliant read, which gets 5 stars from me, but possibly not a tale for the faint-hearted reader.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

This is a fast paced thriller that was a great weekend read

Another psychological thriller by ex police officer and now author John Nicholls. I have read most of this authors books and quite often I feel that I have read it before, very similar plots with the identity of the killer already known. If this was one of the first John Nicholl novels I had read I would probably rate it higher but personally they feel a little repetitive. The books are certainly full of action and the writing can be very graphic at times and I fully understand how other readers will enjoy them.

Ex nurse Marcus Gove is a murderer who has decided that Lucy is going to be his next victim. Lucy Williams is an artist who is about to be reeled in by Gove and she will need to use all her powers of persuasion and ingenuity to survive.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Boldwood books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely gripping, I couldn't put it down and I read it in one sitting. Fast paced, twisty and unpredictable that kept me guessing, A really enjoyable read.

How pleased was I to see this on my shelf? Well, I’ll tell you…..this was my weekend read and I’ve just finished it!

I’ve been a fan of this author for a few years now and he never lets me down, not once. And I won’t leave you in suspense, I’ll tell you right now that this achieved all of my highest expectations and more besides.

Excellent storyline, that was realised by having such brilliant, fully fledged characters. Written well with a style that flows and when I say…you will be fully absorbed from beginning to end, I mean it.

I Highly recommend, not just this novel but all of his previous works. Not a bad one amongst them!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my arc.
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I thought this was in many ways a very dark, chilling and disturbing read and because of this may not be to everyone’s taste. I did enjoy it, although I would have liked the book to wow me more and it didn’t. This could be because I hated Gove’s character, I absolutely loathed him. If that was the author’s intention then, for me, the job was well done. I don’t normally feel this way about fictional characters and think the author portrayed him so hatefully that I detested him right from the beginning. I liked Lucy’s character and was willing her to survive. And I loved Lewis, his character bought in some much needed humour in this very dark read. I liked that the story was told through the different characters and their perspectives, and thought it was well written and easy to follow, it flowed really well and raced to an unexpected and nail biting conclusion. I did feel once or twice that the book was a little bit too long and descriptive at times and I found myself skimming pages. I loved the epilogue and thought it was a fitting ending for the book.

3.5 stars

The Cellar by John Nicholl ~ Book Review ~ (5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

"Three People. Nineteen days. Who will live and who will die?"
- John Nicholl

John Nicholls is my go-to author for scary books. The Cellar intricately plays on the readers fears to create an unforgettable novel. The story kept me glued to the pages until the very end. I must caution that it is not for the faint of heart. Told in alternating pov's, the characters feel real and create a sense of uneasiness that permeates deep within the psyche.

Synopsis:
Lucy Williams is a young up and coming artist. Although she has received recognition for her work, she struggles to pay her bills until she meets Marcus Gove. Marcus is a wealthy art connoisseur with unusual taste. He offers Lucy the chance of a lifetime as his protege. She is precisely what he is looking for....

Best-selling author John Nicholl is an ex-police officer who understands the psychological aspects of the criminal mind. His utterly gripping writing style is honest and gritty. The characters often represent the dark and emotional side of human behavior. This is my second book by the author and both are brilliant.

The Cellar by John Nicholl is available on November 7th.
(Book Tour November 7 - November 17th)

Thank you, John Nicholl, Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley, and Books & Tonic for sharing this book with me. It is an honor to represent John Nicholl in the Boldwood Blog Tour.

@RachelsRandomResources @JohnNichollauthor @BoldwoodBooks @BooksandTonic @NetGalleyReviewer @NetGalley #Blogtour #TheCellar

Marcus Grove is a murderer and his now decided its time to take on a protege and Lucy is just perfect for his needs.Shes a strong woman a teacher and an artist but soon she'll have to be a survivor
Ray Lewis is thrown into the case and no matter what his determined to find Lucy before it's to late.
Another dark and suspenseful book from one of my favourite authors keeps you absorbed till the very end.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.