The Enforcer

by Carol Hellier

Patrick O’Leary learned one lesson from the survive at any cost. After fleeing Ireland for England with his wife Bridie and daughter Nora, he’s drawn into the brutal world of enforcing, where survival soon turns into ambition – and ambition into a ruthless hunger for power.

As Patrick rises, his family pays the price. Nora grows up watching her father transform, and when his violence finally tears the family apart, she is forced to make a choice that will shape all their futures forever...

Spanning post-war Ireland and the gritty streets of 1960s London, Book 1 in The Legacy Series is a dark and gritty gangland thriller about ambition, loyalty, and the devastating legacy of one man’s choices.

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 28, 2026

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick O’Leary left Ireland behind and set sail for London, with his wife Bridie and daughter Nora.
This was the 1950’s and initially he was only able to get casual labor at the docks, where men gathered early in the morning, waiting to be chosen by the foremen for that day's or even half a day’s work. If a foreman didn’t select a worker, then that man went home unpaid for the day. That wasn’t good enough for O’Leary, he was looking to improve life for himself and his family, so when he got the chance to work for local gangster Eddie Turner as an enforcer, he had no hesitation in accepting.

This was a brutal world, especially for those unable to pay their debts, and O’Leary is front and foremost when it comes to dealing with those debtors. As he rises in the ranks, he becomes ever more violent, ruthless, and ambitious for power, but ultimately, his family paid the price for that power.

Haven’t read anything by Carol Hellier before, but this was a terrific gritty gangland thriller. Very impressed!

*My thanks to Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fantastic first book in the ‘Legacy’ series and I knew it would be a 5 ⭐️ rating from the first chapter. This violent, bloody, gangland thriller, had my attention from the first page until the very last. Extortion, murder, illegal fighting, revenge, and set in the 50’s/60’s, which is just perfect for one of my guilty pleasures. I’m not going to tell you anything about the storyline, as you can read that from the synopsis, and other reviews. Just know, that this book has it all, and I can’t freaking wait to read the next instalment…bring it on!!

5 ⭐️

Thanks to Carol Hellier, Boldwood, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

Available: 28 September 2026

[Lynsey Spedding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick O’Leary leaves Ireland behind with his wife Bridie and daughter Nora, hoping to build a better life in 1950s London. Initially forced to rely on casual work at the docks, Patrick soon gets the opportunity to work as an enforcer for local gangster Eddie Turner. He has no hesitation in accepting — determined to provide a better life for his family.

But this is a brutal world, and as Patrick becomes increasingly involved in dealing with debtors, he begins to rise through the ranks. His ambition for power grows alongside his violence and ruthlessness, and before long, his family will pay the ultimate price for his choices.

From post-war Ireland to the gritty streets of 1960s London, this was a gritty, brutal and utterly gripping gangland thriller. I loved it from beginning to end — an absolute page-turner that had me completely hooked.

Gangland Thrillers are one of my all time favourite genres to read and I’m over the moon that I’ve found Carol Hellier. I haven’t read anything by her before, but I was very impressed. The characters, the atmosphere and the sheer brutality of the world she created pulled me straight in, and I’m now eagerly awaiting more.

A fantastic read and one I’d highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and Carol Hellier for the chance to read this fabulous book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick O’Leary has fled Ireland, moving to England with his wife Bridie and daughter Nora. He struggles for employment and when he is selected to work its hard toil. Working long hours at the docks is backbreaking and his body is constantly punished. The family can barely manage on his meagre wage, sharing one room, their money not even covering essentials, let alone anything else.
An encounter with a local gangster turns Patrick’s fortune and he is taken on by him and employed as an enforcer. Patrick’s family see the benefits of his new employment and their circumstances slowly change as they move into their much-improved new home. But the impact of Patrick’s new job is not all good, his violence doesn’t stop when he finishes work for the day; as he moves up the ladder his family is torn apart. Nora cannot see remains of her old dad; he is a totally different person to the loving man she grew up with. Soon she has to make a choice that will have repercussions for the family forever.
This is a gritty, fast paced book which has a totally absorbing plot. I absolutely loved this book and found it difficult to put down. It’s rare to find a book that you enjoy so much that you are compelled to read it but don’t want it to end at the same time. I can’t wait forward to the second book in this new series. Without any doubt, a five-star read.

[Lovetoread2023 · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading my first book by Carol Hellier, The Stepney Feud, which I absolutely loved, I was really excited to pick up The Enforcer, the first book in the Legacy series and it certainly didn’t disappoint!

This is a brutal, gritty and gripping gangland read. Pat O’Leary arrives in London in the 1950s with his wife and daughter, looking for a new life, but before long he finds himself working for gangster Eddie. What starts as something he isn’t comfortable with soon becomes all he knows, and as Pat rises through the ranks, the man he once was slowly disappears. His rise to power comes at a huge cost to the family he once loved so much.

Lies, power, violence and bloodshed make for a fantastic gangland story, but I also really enjoyed the strong theme of family bonds and watching how Pat’s choices affect those closest to him. The whole storyline was fantastic and I was completely invested in what happened next.

I also loved the little nods to characters from The Stepney Feud it was great seeing those connections and makes me even more excited for what’s to come.

Carol Hellier is fast becoming a favourite of mine, and I’m already looking forward to book two in both series. A fantastic, brutal and thoroughly addictive gangland read.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick O'Leary learned one lesson from the survive at any cost. After fleeing Ireland for England with his wife Bridie and daughter Nora, he's drawn into the brutal world of enforcing, where survival soon turns into ambition - and ambition into a ruthless hunger for power. As Patrick rises, his family pays the price. Nora grows up watching her father transform, and when his violence finally tears the family apart, she's forced to make a choice that will shape all their futures forever....

This is the first book in the new "Legacy" series. When Patrick, Bridie and Nora leave Ireland for England, hoping to build a better life for the family, it's not long before he gets the chance to work as an enforcer. But being an enforcer is brutal, working for local gangland boss Freddie Turner.

This is a gripping, well-written and addictive read. The pace is fast, it's gritty and brutal with a great plot-line. I was pulled in before I finished the first chapter, knowing this was going to be a fantastic read. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Published 28th September 2026

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #CarolHellier for my ARC of #TheEnforcer in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick ( a main character ) needs to leave Ireland and a deed he wants to forget so moves to the East End and slowly starts to build a rep working in ‘enforcing’….

With his wife Bridie and daughter Nora he enjoys his growing status and the betterment of his life this brings

But he is covering, covering for the evil that lurks, but lurking turns to doing and he goes on a path of no return

A path that some want/need him to pay for

Once had settled into who was who and where and when this was a fast action gangland family drama, it had heart but also brutal justice, some scenes of retribution where graphic enough for me to wince but as say there was heart and loyalty and feeling, the mix was well done and kept you on your toes

Well written and a good set of characters, some dark, some rightly vengeful all more than readable

Look forward to Book 2

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by Carol Hellier and I wasn’t disappointed. Hooked from the very first page this gripping gangland thriller is a cracking read with plenty of twists and turns that kept me totally engaged throughout. If there was one thing that Patrick O’Leary learnt from the war it was how to survive at any cost. After moving to England with wife Bridie and daughter Nora he finds himself in the dark and dangerous world of protection and enforcing. What follows is how his life, and the lives of his family and those close to him, change as he lets violence and ambition take over his life. This is fast paced and gritty with some of the more unsavoury scenes alluded to but some were graphic. I’m very much looking forward to the next one!

[Tracy ann Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve read this author’s books before, you know it’s going to be good. If this is your first, you’ll quickly get hooked. Patrick O’Leary returns from war, determined to build a better life for his wife, Bridie, and their daughter, Nora. He decides to leave Ireland and move to Stepney, London. Life isn’t easy—just one cramped room for the three of them—and work at the docks is scarce. Nora adores her dad, and when Bridie takes her to her first day of school, she becomes best friends with Betty. One of Patrick’s workmates tells him about a fight at a warehouse, and that night sets him on a path to working for Eddie Turner. This book has it all—gangland drama, greed, and lies—and I can’t wait for the second in the series.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my word, what a cracking book.
Some legacies aren't inherited they're taken.
Patrick O'Leary is drawn into the brutal world of enforcing to survive,
Fleeing from Ireland to London with wife Bridie and daughter Nora,
As he rises into a ruthless hunger for power along working for dangerous man Eddie Turner, his family will pay the price.
From post war Ireland to the gritty streets of 1960s London, a powerful gritty gangland thriller.
I loved it all the whole way through certainly a unputdownable book that I now eagerly await to read on to more.
Fantastic read.

[Theweebarrell]

This book was the first I read by Carol Hellier. I really enjoyed it, based from the 1940s through to the 1960s. It was a gangland crime thriller with a good realistic storyline and plenty of action. It keeps me hooked and interested all the way through. I read it in 2 days

I will definitely be reading more of this authors books

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick o'leary has left ireland after the war to start a new life inengland with his wife and baby daughter.
Struggling to make ends meat he becomes an enforcer and soon he hungers for power and women.
His wife and daughter pay the price in more ways than one.
Very fast paced and different from the ward brothers but a blinding read

[Martha Brindley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by the author in the gangland genre. Set in the 1950s and 1960s, there is a lot of violence, as you would expect and some interesting characters. The pace is fast, with plenty action and the plotting centres round lies, greed and family. A good addition to the gangster genre.