Margate, on England’s south coast. The hottest day of the year.
A derelict warehouse on an industrial estate. A woman claws desperately at the smooth, unbroken walls of a steel shipping container as it slowly fills with water.
She has six hours to live.
Her husband gets a chilling message on his phone: Drown The Rats. And a map. He races to the site. He sees his wife struggling for life . . .
Police Constable Abigail Morton is in her twenties, can’t find a man she wants to keep, and has just resigned after being passed over for promotion. Her special talent is getting people to talk to her, making her perfect for the role of source handler.
The one detective she really respects is DCI Paul Collier. And Abigail is the one person Collier needs in this case. When she gets the call from him, she’s back in.
Charlie Gallagher was a serving UK police officer for thirteen years where he performed many roles. Starting out as a front-line response officer, he was also a member of a specialist tactical team and worked as a detective in various areas, including elements of Counter Terrorism.
Charlie now writes full time. He lives on the south coast of England with his wife and two kids and, somehow, a spaniel, a tortoise and a two cats, one of which has far more twitter followers.
Title: Six Hours to Live Author: Charlie Gallagher Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Publication Date: February 26, 2026
This is my first Gallagher book, and it definitely won't be my last!
In the world of psychological thrillers, I can imagine that coming up with a unique storyline can be difficult. Somehow, this author managed to do just that! Being trapped in a shipping container that's filling up with water sounds TERRIFYING!!!
The book opened with a bang, and just never let up. Time is of the essence, making this book a stressful, adrenaline filled story that kept me guessing until the very end.
The only thing that could have made this a five star book would be a better conclusion. It felt slightly confusing and anticlimactic.
On a side note, I always appreciate it when British authors include a glossary of terms that Americans may not be familiar with.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.
Abigail Morton's stunning debut! I was delighted to see a new series from Charlie Gallagher, and it certainly didn't disappoint. On the verge of resigning, Detective Constable Abigail Morton is reluctantly drawn back into the fold after a chilling double abduction and murder. Driven by a lifelong desire to make a difference, Abigail’s plucky determination shines as she skillfully uses her unique talent of pulling information from known criminals. The plot is expertly woven with ego, emotional blackmail, and a high-stakes cat and mouse chase. With a claustrophobic atmosphere and an ending tied up as perfectly as a gift-wrapped box of candles, this is a must-read for fans of gritty police procedurals. I can't wait for the next instalment! My thanks to Joffe Books for the ARC. This is my own opinion. Expected publication date 26 February.
Wow, this was certainly an edge of your seat thriller, where Abigail Morton races to save...
There were plenty of twists and turns in this British detective story and a little different than the usual police dramas.
I liked Abigail, I think the only likeable character in this series so far. Her determination, grit and recognition of her weaknesses made her believable and realistic.
A fast-paced writing style and deceiving plot made this a compelling read.
I have read most of the books written by this author and they have all been excellent. He has a way of capturing you immediately and then you struggle to put the book down.
I really enjoyed the character of Abigal Morton, she reminded me of Maddie Ives (a previous series by this author which is fantastic). I hope this was the first in a new series as I think this was a really good opening book. The storyline was dark and thrilling which I loved and the characters were very well written. There is a great knowledge of police procedures which I always enjoy reading. Highly recommend.
Here is my review for Six Hours To Live by Charlie Gallagher
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this new addictive British crime thriller set in Margate. In a derelict warehouse on an industrial estate, there is a steel shipping container with unbroken walls so they can't be climbed. It slowly fills with water as a woman claws desperately to get out. She has six hours to live. Her husband gets a chilling message, Drown The Rats, with a map. He races to the site on the map and sees his wife struggling for life. Can he save her? This enthralling story grew on me so much that I just couldn’t put it down. The plotting was superb and extremely well thought out. I really liked the characters and I'm intrigued by Abigail being a source handler. That's an excellent opportunity and something I haven’t come across before. It’s full of twists and suspense which were excellently written. The synopsis drew me to read this story but I most certainly wasn’t disappointed and I would like to read another book in this series.
Blurb :
INTRODUCING A BRAND-NEW DETECTIVE FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR CHARLIE GALLAGHER. PAGE AFTER PAGE OF BREATH-TAKING SUSPENSE WITH ONE TWIST AFTER ANOTHER.
Margate, on England’s south coast. The hottest day of the year.
A derelict warehouse on an industrial estate. A woman claws desperately at the smooth, unbroken walls of a steel shipping container as it slowly fills with water.
She has six hours to live.
Her husband gets a chilling message on his phone: Drown The Rats. And a map. He races to the site. He sees his wife struggling for life . . .
Police Constable Abigail Morton is in her twenties, can’t find a man she wants to keep, and has just resigned after being passed over for promotion. Her special talent is getting people to talk to her, making her perfect for the role of source handler.
The one detective she really respects is DCI Paul Cotterill. And Abigail is the one person Cotterill needs in this case. When she gets the call from him, she’s back in.
Perfect for fans of Line of Duty, Angela Marsons, J.D. Kirk, Rachel Abbott, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.
DON’T MISS THE MOST UNPUTDOWNABLE THRILLER YOU’LL READ THIS YEAR!
THE DETECTIVE Police Constable Abigail Morton has a rare talent, a way with people. She can get them to talk to her, tell her things they shouldn’t — which makes her perfect for the role of source handler, one of the most secretive — and dangerous — areas of police work. But the manipulation required for the role, the dubious morality of exploiting people in return for information, sits uneasily with her. Abigail is not always a team player and is prepared to break a few rules to get results. Her love life is a disaster zone.
THE SETTING Margate, on England’s south coast, offers sandy beaches, bustling seaside promenades, and amusement arcades. But behind the cheerful façade of a holiday seaside town lies a dark underbelly. In the grim, forgotten corners are neglected industrial estates and abandoned buildings. Places where tourists never venture and crime runs rife.
THE AUTHOR Charlie Gallagher was a serving UK police officer for more than ten years, starting as a front-line response officer, then as a member of a specialist tactical team and as a detective investigating serious offences.
Six Hours to Live by Charlie Gallagher Abigail Morton #1
~ Five women woke up to the longest day of the year – the Solstice – not all would see it rise again ~
What I liked: * Abigail Morton: young, police constable, wants to make a difference, disillusioned, gifted interviewer, under pressure, difficult to get to know & connect with * Starting a new series with the first book * The plot, setting, and potential for the series * That some, if not all, potential murder victims were saved * The glimpse into what a “source handler” is, how difficult it might be, and deciding it would not be easy for the handler or the source * The police procedural aspects of the case and the tension felt as the clock was ticking * Wondering if DCI Paul Cotterill and Source Officer Nixon were as committed and caring as they should be * Feeling for the people who had to deal with the murder of a loved one * Being able to dislike the bad guys and hope that Karma would find them * Not seeing who was really pulling the strings till the end * Knowing that there will be another book in the series and wondering what Abi will do next
What I didn’t like: * Who and what I was meant not to like * The loss of innocent lives * Thinking about how warped a few of the characters were and what might have caused them to be as they were * That I had trouble getting into the story
Did I like this book? Yes Would I read more in this series? Probably
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC – This is my honest review. 3-4 Stars
BLURB
A derelict warehouse on an industrial estate. A woman claws desperately at the smooth, unbroken walls of a steel shipping container as it slowly fills with water.
She has six hours to live.
Her husband gets a chilling message on his phone: Drown The Rats. And a map. He races to the site. He sees his wife struggling for life . . .
Police Constable Abigail Morton is in her twenties, can’t find a man she wants to keep, and has just resigned after being passed over for promotion. Her special talent is getting people to talk to her, making her perfect for the role of source handler.
The one detective she really respects is DCI Paul Collier. And Abigail is the one person Collier needs in this case. When she gets the call from him, she’s back in.
Charlie Gallagher latest thriller "Six Hours To Live" detonates from its opening pages and never loosens its grip. What begins in Margate quickly spirals into a chilling claustrophobic nightmare. What elevates this novel above Gallagher’s previous work is the sheer depth of the plotting. The tension is relentless, the twists genuinely surprising, and the emotional stakes higher than anything the author has attempted before.
Gallagher paints the DSU, a covert unit as a world apart, isolated, secretive and home to source handlers who manage the most sensitive informants in the country. He captures its atmosphere with such precision that the reader feels the weight of every whispered conversation and the constant hum of danger that defines life inside its fortified walls.
As someone who has followed Gallagher’s writing from his debut, this book feels like a breakthrough. The storytelling is richer, the characters more layered, and the world he builds more immersive and dangerous. This is the novel that will push his name further up the ladder and cement him as a must read author for a whole new wave of crime fiction fans.
Abigail Morton, in particular is a character readers will latch onto, complex, flawed and utterly compelling. She is sharp, unconventional, and cuts through lies like a scalpel, one who understands from her background, that whatever is happening reaches deep into the vaults of protected intelligence. Brilliantly executed, I cannot wait to see what awaits in the next book in the series, to see how her character is developed further.
Gallagher has levelled up, and this book proves it.
The story introduces five women with very different lives. Soon two of them will die in a steel container with a metal grille fixed to the top as water is pumped in. Their partners are too late to save them and the reader knows that the killer is already planning something bigger. Meanwhile another woman, acting as a police informant, is desperate to get away from her controlling abusive partner, and the fourth is her handler Emma, terrified that something fatal will happen to Julia before they can get enough on her OCG boyfriend to put him away. The fifth is PC Abigail Morton who has dumped her cheating boyfriend and has just put in her notice after not getting into the Source Unit of informant handlers. Then that all changes when DCI Paul Cotterill has her arrested just to ask her to come back to the unit and watch a man obsessed with the Hope Project where rats were drowned in a bucket. He’s sure the man knows something about the recent murders and the rest of his unit have been suspended. Is there a leak? It’s a big no from Abigail but the pressure soon mounts on her to get involved and she finds she has no option but to try to save more lives in a shadowy world full of secrets and where nothing is as it seems. There are several threads, sometimes confusing, introduced at the start of this book but gradually they become expertly woven together by an author who really knows his stuff. I enjoyed this very twisty and complex story with many red herrings in this start to a new series with a likeable lead character. The ending leaves the way open for lots of possibilities in book 2.
Julia Goodsell is enjoying her aquacise class, which isn’t surprising as it’s the only activity her abusive boyfriend allows her to do. He’s always waiting for her after the class, so she only has seven minutes to dry off and dress. This is made even more tricky as this is also the time she meets with her police contact. She was asked to inform on her boyfriend’s activities. The police want to arrest him, but need more evidence. If this will get him out of Julia’s life, so much the better.
Then, Gavin Andrews gets an odd text message from his wife Lisa. She doesn’t reply when he asks for clarification. Eventually he’s sent an alarming photo which leads him to a warehouse where he and another man find their wives locked into shipping containers that are rapidly filling with water.
PC Abigail Morton is anxious to leave the police force after not getting a promotion. Once the killings begin, she’s asked to stay on and investigate. It seems as if the killings are targeting police informants. Abigail must put her resentment about the job to the side to track down the killer before there are more murders.
I like a gritty police thriller, but I just couldn't get into this one. The early chapters are all introducing new characters and there were just so many! I couldn’t keep track of who was who and what all was going on in their various lives. It was all so confusing. This is the first book in a new series so once the recurring characters become familiar, that might make things easier.
Six Hours to Live is the kind of thriller that grabs you by the throat from the opening scene and refuses to ease up. The premise alone is enough to spike your adrenaline — a woman trapped in a flooding shipping container on the hottest day of the year — but Charlie Gallagher layers the tension so well that every chapter feels like a countdown.
The pacing is sharp and urgent, but what really elevates the story is the emotional undercurrent. The husband’s frantic race against time adds a raw, human edge, and the chilling message he receives sets the tone for a cat‑and‑mouse game that only gets darker.
Abigail Morton is a standout character: smart, unconventional, and carrying just enough frustration and grit to make her return to the case feel both inevitable and satisfying. Watching her step back into the chaos after walking away from the force adds a great character‑driven thread to all the high‑stakes action.
The atmosphere is fantastic — Margate on a scorching day, an abandoned warehouse, a sadistic criminal pulling the strings. It all comes together in a way that feels cinematic and claustrophobic in the best possible way.
If you enjoy police thrillers with tight plotting, escalating danger, and twists that keep you guessing, this one delivers exactly what you’re hoping for.
A breathless, high‑octane read that’s impossible to put down.
With thanks to Charlie Gallagher, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Set in Margate in the summer, the lives of five women are about to change forever. The story centres on the lives of Julia, Debbie, Lisa, Abigail and, at a later point, Emma. I was misled at the beginning, which I think was the author's intention. The story revolves around a OSINT team; a 'Team Source' is the name given to a group within the police force that focuses on collecting, analysing and interpreting information from public and freely accessible sources, and is a key part of the story. Abigail was a member of this unit, but is currently no longer part of it. She does not want to return, even after repeated requests to reconsider her decision. Abigail reminded me a little of Abbey Scurio, from the US series NCIS, who is on the Major Crime Response Team. I found that part of the story a bit frustrating. Surely the police have better solutions? Why would they bring someone who no longer works for a Source team back in during her probationary period, only to force a solution before her actual dismissal? I think the writer should really have come up with a different solution. I am familiar with the experiment and find it original to incorporate it into a novel in this way. I also found the cat-and-mouse game between Peter and Abigail compelling. I hope this is the prelude to a new series starring Abigail and her new Source team.
4 star rating, thank you Joffe Books for the review copy. 🌷
Abigail Morton is not having a great day. She discovers her boyfriend is cheating on the last day of their holiday and then loses out on a promotion at work so quits when she returns. But she can't resist helping with one last murder case... Six Hours To Live is the first book in a new series centred around PC Abigail Morton in Margate. The book starts with different women waking up to very different days, Abigail is on holiday with her cheating boyfriend. Julia is a victim of abuse but has one trip out a week to go swimming and secretly meet a police contact. Lisa is also being cheated on and her husband Gavin is worried about her finding out but then she goes missing. The different plot strands come together alongside a thread about a homeless man shoplifting but he may hold the key to the case of 2 women drowned. Their deaths are based on the hope experiment which is rather unpleasant, and the tension and fear of their final moments is quite upsetting to read. The writing style is very dialogue driven which slows down the pace. The female characters are depicted vividly with their vulnerabilities and strengths. Abigail's character really shines through and she remains dedicated to her sense of integrity even when those in her personal and professional lives treat her poorly. There are some fab twists and I look forward to seeing what happens to Abigail next. Six Hours To Live is a tense and quite gritty police thriller.
After receiving a text message and video , a husband races to a deserted warehouse to rescue his wife. He's confronted with a steel shipping container rapidly filling with water, the lid has been removed and replaced by a steel grill Inside the steel box is partner and another women both fighting a losing battle against the rising icy cold water. Another man arrives and together they desperately try to free the two women. It's too late and the two men watch helplessly as the women die a gruesome death by drowning. The murders appear to be a vengeance killing of police informer and the Source Unit running Police informers has therefore been compromised and its operation suspended and powerless. Police Constable Abigail Moreton has recently been dumped by the unit and has resigned from the police force She is approached by the suspended head of the source unit who appeals for her help trace the leak and the killer. Reluctantly she is dragged into a desperate race against time to protect the other sources. The tension quickly ramps up when the handler of one of the murder victims herself goes missing. Is she the leak and on the run or is she a victim herself? Twists follows turns in this nailbiting suspense. Very clever writing from Charlie Gallagher.
I am a fan of this authors books so it’s always exciting to check out his latest offering. This time the start of a new series.
I sensed a slight shift in the writing style to a slightly more literary feel. That’s no criticism as SA Cosby brilliantly combines lit fit and street.
I loved this new to me aspect of police work that of a source handler. It’s fascinating stuff, and it adds in an action vibe too. I enjoyed how Maddie presents herself to the reader and how things develop. She’s a character who I took to immediately, an astute reader of people, a sensible analytical head in her shoulders, with a good bullsh*t radar.
The only reason this isn’t the full house of stars is there’s a section showing Abigail’s private life earlier on in the book which I felt let the pace slide, I thought I might have seen the link to it by the end of the book, but alas no! It might come further down the line in the series.
This is another winner from a favourite author of mine. The time is right to jump in, as it’s the start of an exciting new series. One for crime lovers, especially if you fancy something a little different.
This was a superb book with what, to me, was a unique storyline. I’ve long been a big fan of Charlie Gallagher’s books and, to date, haven’t read one that I haven’t loved. This one introduces a new protagonist - Abigail Morton. Abigail is disillusioned with the police force having been invited to train for the role of Source Handler in a covert intelligence unit, she is subsequently passed over for a permanent position, and has handed in her notice. Then two women are murdered and It would appear that there’s a leak from within that unit, so the whole unit is suspended. They need someone with source handling experience, and ask Abigail to come back to help them solve this unusual modus operandi.
The book, like most of Charlie Gallaghers books, hooks you straight in, which, as a reader, is exactly what I want. I haven’t had a lot of time for reading of late but it turns out what I needed was a really good book that I MADE time for! Already, in this ‘first of a series’, I’m invested in Abigail’s character. We know a bit about her feistiness but I find myself wanting to know more about her. I’m looking forward to the next book to see how her career progresses. .
Five stars for a beautifully written book that kept me page turning late into the night for the first time in ages.
My thanks to Charlie Gallagher, Joffe Books and to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.
A man is forced to watch while his wife fights for her life. She is fighting for her life because of a choice he made. Unable to help he watches her loose the fight. He knows its his fault. Police Constable Abigail Morton is asked to help in this case in a very unorthodox way. This is a complex case with a criminal who has sinister and sadistic ideas. This alone brings that something extra to the storyline. Its one of the reasons this book is a fantastic read. Figuring out who these victims are being selected will enable Abigail Morton to understand the motives and therefore lead her to the person they want. In order to protect the next potential victim she must understand why they are potential victims in the first place. Abigail Morton is not your typical officer in fact she is very reluctant to get involved as she is unsure whether she has made the right choices about her career and this makes her question her life in a professional sense. As well as facing some other personal issues in her personal life. There is nothing typical about this book. Its shocking exciting and quite frankly fascinating.
Would you believe me if I said I started this in the early hours of this morning and finished it on the very first day of the month! 👩🏼🏫 This completely hooked me, so it’s no wonder I finished it so quickly. 🙌🏼 Fast-paced tension, a real page-turner, and absolutely gripping… 📖👀
The story begins with a man who is sent a location and told he must rescue his wife. 📱📍 She’s trapped inside a sealed shipping container in an empty warehouse in Margate, slowly filling with freezing cold water. Would he reach her in time? 🤷🏼♀️
Meanwhile, the entire unit at Margate Police Station has been suspended due to a leak. 😳 PC Abigail Morton is called back to the case because of her extensive experience in source handling. Can she help solve the case and ensure the perpetrator faces justice… 🤔
This is my first book by Charlie, and I was surprised to learn that he previously served as a police officer for many years which really shows in his knowledge and portrayal of policing. 🤩I’m definitely looking forward to reading more in the Abigail Morton series. 🤪
A massive thank you to Charlie and Zooloo’s Book Tours for letting me be involved in this tour. ♥️
The weather is sweltering in Margate, the hottest day of the year making even the smallest of tasks much harder. Two women would give anything to feel that heat on their skin, they are trapped, cold and wet, in a race against time. Meanwhile PC Abigail Morton has the indignity of being arrested, and taken into the cells of the station where she is based.
There is a slight deviation from the well trodden police procedural path, as our officers are source handlers, responsible for gaining valuable intel from informants. Abigail isn’t your usual run of the mill police officer, she gives off a distinctly anti establishment feel. I really liked her gutsy, bold character.
The swift pacing of the book kept the story moving quickly, and held my interest well, there is never a dull a moment.
Six Hours to Live is the first book in a new series. The members of the team we have met, definitely have scope for further development, and to delve into their pasts, to help the reader understand their current selves. This is a solid start to the series, and I look forward to reading the next book, when it is published.
Not being familiar with Charlie Gallagher’s work, I decided to read reviews of his other works before diving in to “Six Hours to Live”. From what I gathered, he is known for his gritty writing and character work.
The concept for “Six Hours to Live” sounded like a heart-pounding novel that I just had to read. The concept is played out a little bit differently than I had imagined, but it was not a bad thing. This book is well written, and I loved the dynamics between the characters. There were a few moments that I wished Abigail didn’t repeat her reason for hating the police, but it served its purpose to introduce her as the main character going forward. I did find it interesting that the author mentioned she was not originally the focus, but she refused to stay in the background. You can definitely see that in how the novel plays out.
This is an excellent introduction to a series, and I look forward to continuing this series.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
I've not previously encountered this author but cannot wait for the next in what promises to be an excellent series featuring Abigail Morton. The theme running through is "Drown the rats" , what does it mean though?. The cast includes PC Morton ,disillusioned and on the point of quitting. An husband whose wife Lisa goes missing and gets that message by text. A DCI who runs the Source Handling Team, who deal with informants. "Missy" who is a Handler. Debbie a rehablitating drug addict and her partner Rolo. Julie Goodall a victim of domestic abuse and her husband David who is Kingpin of an Organised crime group. Last but not least Petey Samways a figure on the edge of society who sometimes informs on the criminal fraternity he plays a part in. The first few chapters for a non swimmer like me are horrifying but stick with it through all the twists and turns to the Finale which I was not expecting. Hats off to Charlie Gallagher and Joffes for the introduction to an author I shall certainly be watching out for.
The first I have read by this author, it won't be the last . Quite confusing to start off with but the plot intrigued me enough to keep going. As the different strands of the plot came together I was hooked and the book was a real pageturner. An unusual plot about source handlers within the police, informants. Abi is at the point of leaving the police, having handed in her notice, partly because having been seconded to the team, she was not given a job there. This was explained a couple of chapters into the book but then she was arrested . Perhaps the confusion is a hallmark of this author's writing? The book is gritty, not particularly action packed, though some of the descriptions of abuse do not make easy reading, they do come across as all too believable. There are deaths and the clues are fairly thin on the ground. The reasoning behind the crimes is quite cryptic, which I liked, definately a book to think about for a while after reading. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
You know when you see Charlie has written another book it’s going to be a good read. This one was no exception.
It starts off with a woman inside a locked shipping container which is slowly filling with water in an abandoned warehouse in Margate. Her husband gets a message and he goes to see her, she has six hours to live.
Well if that’s not enough to give you the heeby jeebies, it gets worse from there on in!
One police officer is tasked with finding who’s behind it and with the help of an old informant, who I thought was more of a hindrance, she puts the pieces together.
It’s a race against time for the police to find out where the people are and if they’re alive. Good job it wasn’t me, I couldn’t tread water!
Another enjoyable book by Charlie and a bit darker than normal. I always enjoy his books and this was no exception.
My thanks to Charlie and Joffe publishers for the ARC.
Six hours to save a life is such a stressful, compelling setup, and it made this story instantly bingeable for me.
This was my first read by Charlie Gallagher, and I honestly really enjoyed his writing style. It’s straightforward, fast-paced, and immediately pulls you into the story without feeling overly complicated. The premise hooked me right away — six hours to save a woman trapped in a shipping container is such a high-stakes setup, and the tension starts almost instantly.
I liked how the story balanced the frantic race against time with the police investigation, especially with Abigail Morton as the lead. She’s a great character: smart, a little unconventional, and easy to root for. Overall, this felt like a solid, entertaining thriller with a gripping concept and a writing style that kept me turning pages. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Sharp dialogue, high tension and a detective you will love
I have read several books by Charlie Gallagher and have enjoyed every one, and Six Hours to Live is no exception. I was hooked from the very first chapter and found it an immediately engaging read.
The story is tense and pacey throughout, making it hard to put down. I especially loved the main character, Angela. She is edgy, gritty and far from a typical police heroine, with her tattoos and steely attitude. She reminded me of characters like Robert Bryndza’s DI Helen Grace and Chris Mooney’s DCI Darby McCormick, so if you enjoy those authors, this will be right up your street.
Much of the book is driven by dialogue, which works really well and keeps the pace moving. One of the men Angela interviews (no spoilers!) gives off a real Silence of the Lambs vibe… chilling, unnerving and utterly compelling.
Overall, this is a gripping crime thriller with strong characters and plenty of tension. I would definitely recommend it to fans of fast-paced police procedurals.
Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Former Police Officer turned author Charlie Gallagher writes consistently great books across both his Psychological Thrillers and series Crime. I recently binged his excellent Maddie Ives series so was eager to dive into this, the first book in the Abigail Morton series.
A unique selling point is that series focuses on police source handlers and their informants, something I’ve not read before.
A double m*rder, elaborately staged so the victims’ loved ones will race to the scene, just in time - to witness the deaths…
It’s all there, the characters, the tension, the believable Police framework and the dramatic finale. I felt there was a little too long on Abigail deciding whether to get involved or not, it’s when she commits and gets stuck in that it really takes off.
Obviously setting up to be another involved and successful series from Charlie Gallagher, and I look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
Thanks to Charlie Gallagher, Netgalley and Joffe Books
You tend to know what you get from this author which is a well-written story that will have you hooked from beginning to end. This is the first in a new series that continues the trend. It features a disgruntled Abigail Morton who is trying to resign from the police but finds herself dragged into a mess involving a source handling team and some dead women, one of which is a police source and one of which is the wife of a source.
It was riveting all the way through. The concept of a specific source handling team was new to me. The character of Abigail was interesting, quite feisty and determined yet shrewd and resourceful and I felt for her being dropped into things by the DCI and then by a member of the source handling team. The tension was palpable throughout and I absolutely loved how the tables were turned at the end. Brilliant writing and I'm so glad we've now gotten another book from the author. It feels like it's been a while but this is well worth the wait.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Charlie Gallagher's books, right from the very first one. I always look forward to the next one and when I am able to pre-order it. It's seems ages from the last book, but having read this, it's been well worth the wait. Often, when enjoying a series , it can be difficult to first warm to a new series and characters.This is not so with this, the first book in the Abigail Morton series. From the very first page, I was captured into a well written, gripping , edge of seat storyline and plot with interesting and likeable characters. There are revelations and many a twist and turn leading to a twist of a conclusion. It's one of those books you are reluctant to put down until finished, and it kept me guessing, and I had my suspicions, but I never did guess right. This is a book that is well worth reading, and I look forward to the next in the series. My thanks to Joffe books for the advanced copy. This is my honest and unbiased review of this book.
**Read for a book tour, below is my honest review**
This is the first book in the Abigail Morton Thrillers series and my first read from this author but it won’t be my last.
It was intense and terrifying from start to finish and had my heart racing the entire time!
The story is told through multiple POVs including that of Abigail Morton who is thrown back into the police force unwillingly. I really enjoyed Abigail as a character, I think she is a force to be reckoned with and I’m excited to see her growth as the series goes on.
I found out recently that the author was in the police for many years and the experience shone through in this book.
Ps.. it’s never too early for Percy pigs (if you know, you know!)
If you have any content triggers, I advise you to read any trigger warnings beforehand.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a police procedural read!
Thank you zooloosbooktours and Charlie for letting me be a part of this tour!
Six Hours To Live by Charlie Gallagher was another excellent book by the author, Plus an extra bonus. . . . this is the start of a new series called Abigail Morton and WoW what a cracking start this was. I loved it . . . . Like all Charlie's books I have read in the past, they will have you hooked from the very beginning till the very end and this book was no different! I loved it and especially the new character Abigail Morton, and she reminded me of Maddie Ives in a previous series by this author which is I loved reading. So I know this is going to be another excellent series. Six Hours To Live was a fast paced read with great twists and turns throughout and very dark in some places.
I highly recommend this new book by Charlie. A 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ read.
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the ARC