This story revolves around a misogynistic, sadistic rapist and the attempts of the police, particularly DS Ray Lewis, to bring him to justice. Writing about rape is a delicate business for anyone, but perhaps especially for male authors. It's hard to get it right, and unfortunately I don't think John Nicholl has got anywhere near succeeding. The very beginning of the book opens with a painful scene - no warning, no build up, just shock value. And that's just the beginning. It gets worse, with some deeply unpleasant and gratuitous scenes which had I known, I wouldn't have started the book. The blurb doesn't really reflect the content.

The villain is called Mark Shady (seriously? Why not just call him Mark Predator and have done with it?) He's meant to be charming and convincing, but his taunting, childish social media posts after being found not guilty of rape would make it obvious to anyone with half a brain cell that he's a wrong 'un. (Also, I really don't think young people use Facebook much these days.) We see little evidence of his charm and ability to come across like the perfect boyfriend to numerous women, other than that he's good-looking.

(Also. Does any woman - any British woman - actually use the word "panties", as Anna does here?)

There's a lot of "telling" here - we know exactly what everyone is thinking and feeling all the time. There's also a lot of unnecessary detail, even of the harmless kind. I don't need to know the exact decor of the living room Lewis sits in to speak to a victim - it's not relevant, I don't care what colour their armchairs are.

Police officer Ray is a decent guy, though I wish he'd stop saying "the Edwards girl" - how hard is it to give her her actual name? He's overweight, which we know because it's constantly hammered home. (He can't be allowed to just pick up the phone. No, he has to do it with "fat sausage fingers".)

Overall I wish I hadn't read it. I know - we all know - there are sick bastards out there who want to harm and kill women. Doesn't mean I want to know all their thoughts about what they're going to do, how they're going to do it, and how much fun it's going to be. Let alone all their thoughts while they're actually doing it. That's not something I find entertaining. And there are some extremely nasty scenes here, particularly involving one young woman whose fate seems to have been forgotten about by the end.

I appreciate all advance copies and always try to read the whole book in order to give a fair and honest review. I struggled through this book, but I didn't enjoy it and honestly wished I hadn't bothered.

This book was very dark. It was well written and I loved the character of DS Ray Lewis who was an old school detective who relied on his gut instincts to solve crimes. The villain of the piece was Mark Shady and the name was a dead give away, a shady character indeed.
The blurb was a bit misleading, we know from the outset that Shady was a wrong un leaving a string of victims behind him.
I liked the revenge storyline but it was a disturbing read. Probably because it was all too realistic.

Anna thinks shes found the perfect guy. hes sweet and attentive. Showering her with gifts and affection, until one day he isn't. He turns and rapes her.
When it goes to court and he gets away with it for the third time, Mark Shady truly thinks hes untouchable. A more vile character in all of fiction you'll struggle to find. Arrogant, narcissistic, psycho.
The story rattles along quickly and there are some great moments that took me by surprise.
Ray is the detective trying to solve the case, and I thought he was a great character. Old school but with morals. I liked Anna as well.
This is well written and was difficult to put down. I loved the way it all came together at the end. A real creepy and engrossing thriller.

I was curious to see if this would be any different then the same old tropes with a boy friend who seems perfect and dreamy before the truth is found out….it wasn’t, same old same old. Meh

A thrilling story about revenge. I enjoyed this one as it was quite evil at times and I do enjoy a different style of book from time to time. I r ad this one very quickly and so pleased to give it a good r view. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I just finished The Boyfriend by John Nicholl and wow—what a wild ride. At first, it felt like a dreamy romance (hello, charming, rich boyfriend), but things took a dark turn fast. It honestly gave me chills how quickly perfect turned into terrifying.

It’s super fast-paced—I couldn’t put it down—and the twists kept me totally hooked. If you’re into dark thrillers with a creepy edge and strong female leads, this one is so worth it. Definitely had me double-checking my locks at night!

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Boyfriend.
This is a tough novel to read as it deals with sensitive subjects dealing with domestic violence and sexual assault.
This book starts when a horrible man who was so wonderful in the beginning of a relationship shows his true colors to a young woman.
Although she turns to the police she is not victorious in court. This man is free and able to speak badly of the victim.
A local police officer who is on the verge of retirement decides to take matters into his hands. He is sickened by this criminal and has his mind set to fight back against the man who seems to be Teflon to the law.
Good book but the subject matter may be difficult for some. Read with caution.
3 stars

The Boyfriend is a disturbing psychological thriller that explores the dark side of charm, control, and obsession. While the premise is chilling and definitely had the potential to be a page-turner, I found this one to be a bit of a mixed bag.
We follow Anna, who is swept off her feet by the seemingly perfect Mark—wealthy, attentive, and full of romantic gestures. But things take a sinister turn as the mask begins to slip, revealing a controlling, dangerous man with far more than emotional manipulation in his arsenal. The concept is gripping and sadly believable, making for a haunting read that reminds us how predators can hide in plain sight.
What worked for me was the raw, unsettling look into coercive control and psychological abuse. Nicholl doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of toxic relationships, and the theme of how trauma can follow victims long after the relationship ends is handled with sensitivity. Anna’s fear and emotional torment felt authentic, and there were moments when I genuinely rooted for her.
That said, I had a few issues that kept this from being a higher-rated read. First, the plot felt quite linear and predictable—I could see the major twists coming from early on. Mark is portrayed as such an over-the-top villain that he sometimes felt more like a caricature than a real person, which made it harder for me to stay immersed. I also wanted more depth from the side characters, especially the women who came after Anna—there was room to explore their stories, but the book stayed pretty surface-level.
All in all, The Boyfriend is a decent, dark thriller with a relevant theme and some truly chilling moments, but it lacks the complexity and emotional punch I was hoping for. A quick read.

The Boyfriend is a dark and gripping psychological thriller that wastes no time pulling you into its chilling narrative. John Nicholl masterfully builds tension through sharp pacing and unsettling twists, keeping you guessing right up to the end. The characters are flawed and believable, and the creeping sense of dread lingers long after you’ve turned the final page. While some moments feel a touch predictable, the overall suspense and emotional weight make this a compelling, edge-of-your-seat read.

The Boyfriend is the first book I’ve read by John Nicholl. This book was really hard to put down! It was very realistic and kinda creepy. I felt really sad for the victims in this story. I really liked this book, but it definitely has some sensitive topics.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

He is going to bring this flash restaurant owner well and truly down and get him sent away for a very long time or be put in the ground.
And again, Oh Wow what a book,
It's so unputdownable right through to the ending that will chill your bones sending big goosebumps through you.

I just finished this one, and wow it was intense. The story follows a woman who falls for a charming guy who, at first, seems like everything she’s ever wanted. But as their relationship deepens, the cracks start to show. He becomes controlling, possessive, and honestly, terrifying. Watching her slowly realize she’s in serious danger had me holding my breath more than once.

What really got me was how realistic the manipulation felt—it wasn’t over the top, it was subtle and believable, which made it even scarier. The pacing was great for most of the book; I couldn’t stop turning pages. I do wish the ending had a bit more time to unfold it felt a little rushed and I would've liked a bit more development from some of the side characters.

Still, it kept me fully engage A solid 4 stars

The Boyfriend by John Nicholl is a new thriller about a boyfriend who is too good to be true. Anna Edwards found out the hard way that Mark Shady is not the man she thought he was. They had a fairytale romance until one night when he assaults her. DS Ray Lewis is on the case and collects information to bring Mark Shady to trial to pay for his crime.

I really loved the character of Ray Lewis. He is passionate and down to earth and has a great camaraderie with his colleague Laura Kesey. Ray Lewis just reminds me of a big teddy bear who is hard working and cares about the victims of Mark’s crimes. He will do almost anything to get justice.

Later, Mark is found to have a new girlfriend/victim. Can Lewis talk sense into her before it’s too late?

Mark Shady is a despicable person in every area. When he’s not assaulting women, he is there to taunt Lewis even making up disparaging poetry about him. From the first chapter, the desire for Mark to get his comeuppance is real.

This book took a dark turn in the second half. I suggest to check the trigger warnings before proceeding. This second half was so fast paced, which I loved. Overall it was a page turning thriller with great characters minus Mark Shady.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for this advanced copy in return for my honest opinions.

Anna Edwards’ boyfriend, Mark Shady, has viciously raped her and kicked her out of his flat. She goes straight to the police to report him for rape. A trial was held and Mark was pronounced Not Guilty. Anna is beside herself and cannot believe that even though this is not the first time he has been tried for rape, each time he has gotten off. He is very cocky and on social media he is writing nasty things about her.

Detective Sergeant Raymond Lewis is furious at the verdict and how the defense attorney made Anna sound like a tramp. He so wants to see the man finally found guilty and thrown in prison. Lewis is overweight and does not eat properly even though he’s already had one heart attack. His supervisor, Detective Inspector Laura Kesey, is worried about him and knowing how much he hates Mark, she hopes he won’t do something stupid.

Mark has no problem laughing at and taunting Lewis saying that Lewis' own daughter looks good to him. But it’s Mark’s fantasy that he confesses to Lewis that has him truly scared so Lewis warns his daughter to stay away from him. When he learns that another detective’s daughter is under Mark’s spell his fear is heightened even more. When Mark’s pizza restaurant is fire bombed and he is hospitalized, Lewis wonders if someone is finally getting revenge on Mark.

This book infuriated me! The horrible descriptions of the thoughts of a sick woman-hating madman made me ill. I have read two other books by this author but I can honestly say that I will not be reading any more by him. Violence against women is disgusting. Nope. Not for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Having not come across this author before I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read something new and boy did this one keep me reading long after I should have stopped to do something else. From its graphic opening chapter, to the final pages, this gritty crime novel never lets up in terms of suspense and psychological terror.

Mark Shady appears to be the perfect boyfriend but he gets his sadistic pleasure by targeting young women, exploiting them in horrifying detail, only to walk free when repeatedly found not guilty of rape and sexual assault. He laughs at the police, keeping one step ahead of the law, confident in his ability to thwart every attempt to bring him to justice, but then on the side of the good guys there is DS Ray Lewis, an honourable detective, who is equally determined to bring Shady to justice.

Brilliantly written, dark and atmospheric, I flew through the book in the space of one terror filled sitting, heart in mouth as this chilling story progressed, ultimately moved by the fate of the victims, but heartened by the conclusion to the story, and a sense of rough justice having been achieved. The Boyfriend’s overall grittiness is perhaps not for the faint hearted, but it’s definitely a page turner.

Not for me.

Very bleak and the writing style was odd. So much tell and so little show. I also found that the way the characters spoke was really unnatural.

I did like how it ended and really hated our villain.

But, ultimately, just not my style.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I will definitely read more. The book starts at a slow pace, but this gets you invested into all the different characters. After this it gets gritty and there are lots of graphic details and twists and turns galore. I enjoyed meeting Detective Ray Lewis he definitely isn’t perfect but he takes his job very seriously. If you like this genre I recommend reading this book.

This book kept me engaged from the start. Certain parts were much darker then anticipated and i found myself sad for characters in the book. John writes the characters, with their wants, flaws and motivations flawlessly. It sometimes felt like watching a true crime episode and even if you had some idea what happens it still shocks you. The ending did feel kinda fast. This was my first book by john definitely wont be my last

The Boyfriend is a dark, psychological thriller. There is a lot of abuse, mentally, physically and sexually so it is definitely NOT a book for everyone.

i have not read other books by John Nihcoll before, but I will read more in the future. The book sucked me in from the very beginning and kept me up late reading to find out about Anna and Mark.

John Nicholl’s The Boyfriend is a gripping psychological thriller that takes readers on a dark, twisted ride from start to finish. With a chilling plot and relentless pacing, this novel grabs hold from the very first page and refuses to let go until the final, shocking revelation.

Nicholl masterfully builds suspense through a tightly woven narrative that keeps you guessing at every turn. Just when you think you have it figured out, the story shifts, pulling you deeper into its web of manipulation, secrets, and psychological tension. It’s the kind of book you simply can’t put down—you’ll find yourself racing through the chapters, desperate to uncover what happened and what’s still to come.

As a first-time reader of John Nicholl’s work, this novel is an unforgettable introduction. His writing is sharp, his characters disturbingly real, and his ability to create unease is impressive. It’s clear he understands how to keep readers on edge while delivering a well-structured, fast-paced thriller.

The Boyfriend is an absolute must-read for fans of dark psychological suspense. This won’t be my last John Nicholl novel—and if you enjoy thrillers that keep you guessing and gasping, it shouldn’t be yours either.