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Mr Nice

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Your worst nightmare is about to come true...When Megan discovers that her young daughter is missing, she thinks that her ex-husband is to blame. But was it someone else entirely? Someone out for revenge? Someone with a grudge? As DI Laura Kesey begins her investigation, she discovers that the case is infinitely more wicked than she could ever have imagined. The clock is ticking. The search is on. But will Kesey find Lottie before it’s too late?It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. The greater the evil, the deadlier the game.

258 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2020

557 people are currently reading
553 people want to read

About the author

John Nicholl

26 books2,019 followers
John Nicholl is a Welsh author renowned for his gripping psychological thrillers and crime novels. Born and raised in West Wales, Nicholl draws upon his experiences as a former police officer, child protection social worker, and lecturer to craft compelling narratives that delve into the darkest corners of human nature. His work often explores themes of justice, psychological manipulation, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Nicholl's transition to writing began after leaving a career in law enforcement and social services, where he witnessed the harsh realities of crime and its impact on victims. These experiences lend authenticity and depth to his stories, which are known for their vivid characters, intricate plots, and emotionally charged storytelling.

He debuted with the bestselling novel The Doctor, a chilling psychological thriller that introduced readers to his distinctive style. This was followed by a string of successful novels, including The Wife and The Cop. Nicholl’s books have resonated with readers worldwide, earning him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base.

In addition to his novels, Nicholl is an advocate for raising awareness about abuse and mental health issues, using his platform to address societal challenges. When not writing, he enjoys the tranquil surroundings of West Wales, where he continues to draw inspiration for his work.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
Profile Image for ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔.
2,884 reviews432 followers
April 18, 2020
I’m always eager to read John Nicholl’s book as I know I’m in for a good read. A thriller that holds such sinister and creepy characters that you just can’t put the book down.

If it wasn’t for the pandemic and my anxiety over adjusting I’d have read this book by now. And my caring role to hubby has taken some time to help him adjust too.

I’ve got my reading mojo back and just devoured this thriller.

You get to know who is doing what very early on, but, not why. The craziness of this perpetrator was so uncouth it was hypnotic I couldn’t take my eyes away from the pages as I eagerly awaited by bated breath what was what.

The skill and talent that this author has to entice my reading juices is beyond no limits.
I love how he pushes the circumference using very complicated complex villains.

Mr Nice is aptly named. You will you see why once you’ve read this.

If you live thrillers with depth, character driven, sinister, atmospheric then you will love this.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,417 reviews5 followers
March 25, 2020
MR NICE is a dark and twisty psychological thriller by John Nicholl, the bestselling author of The DI Gravel and Dr David Galbraith series. This novel centers around a child abduction case, and one that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end! Another winner!

A five-year-old girl, Lottie was taken from her home in the early hours of the morning. She is the daughter of a local solicitor, Megan Weller. Megan suspects her ex-husband; Dale has abducted their daughter. She is concerned for her daughter’s safety.

Your worst nightmare is about to come true...

The girl lives with her mother, who had legal custody. There had been custody issues involving the father, an injunction, with him the likely suspect, but at the time of the adduction the husband was in custody on a drink-drive charge.

Megan was awakened in the early morning hours, to the banging at the front door, from her drunken ex-husband. Her five-year-old daughter, Lottie watched from her bedroom window. Megan goes to try to get rid of her ex-husband, but the loud commotion brings the police to the house. Megan wakes up in the morning to find a window open in the kitchen. Someone had broken into her house, and took Lottie from her bed, when Megan was sleeping right next to her.

Megan contacted the police and reports the details to DI Laura Kesey who takes over the case. I liked the reference to DI Gravel (Kesey’s mentor) and a psychiatrist Dr. David Galbraith from previous series.

Dale denies having anything to do with his daughter’s disappearance, and loves his daughter very much.

A missing person notification was issued and the clock starts ticking…

It had to be someone else…Where was Lottie? Why would anyone abduct a young child?

As DI Laura Kesey begins her investigation, she discovers that there is more to the case than she could ever have imagined.

The abductor leaves pictures for Megan of her daughter in a cage. Is it revenge?

Will Kesey find Lottie before it’s too late?

This is well written horrifying twisty psychological thriller with well-developed characters and engaging plot. Another winner like all his previous novels!

Many thanks to the author, and Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.
Profile Image for Matt.
4,814 reviews13.1k followers
March 22, 2020
First and foremost, a large thank you to John Nicholl and Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When I received the latest John Nicholl novel, I made sure to clear all other reading requirements to delve right in. His masterful use of police procedurals with a psychological twist allows John Nicholl to pull the reader into a piece they will not soon forget. When a young girl goes missing from her home, the father is the first suspect. Having stormed over in a drunken state the night before, his threats seem credible. However, that intoxication proved a strong alibi and he is soon struck from the list of possibles. DI Laura Kesey can tell this will be a troubling case, thinking back to the many stories her mentor shared before his passing. Kesey and her team take control of the case, though have few clues on which to build much of anything. The killer lurks in the shadows and has their own story, speaking of how young Lottie Weller may not have been a bad girl, but her mother was definitely in need of a lesson. While Kasey tries to juggle the increased panic of the parents with her own fear for a child at home around the same age, she must also keep a calm head, as the killer is goading her. A woman was apparently seen outside the house at the time of the abduction, but this seems a little too odd for Kesey to accept. Could there be a team working and how long do they have before the child is no longer a useful plaything? Chilling in its delivery, John Nicholl does not fail to impress yet again. Recommended to those who love a police procedural where the killer is known throughout, as well as those who have long enjoyed the work of John Nicholl.

There are few authors whose books I will stop in my tracks to fit into my reading schedule, but John Nicholl is one. I have long been lucky enough to read his work in an advanced capacity and devoured every piece before praising it to anyone who would listen. Nicholl has worked the ‘West Wales Police’ theme into most of his novels, and used a younger Laura Kesey before, but now hands her the baton. Kesey is well-suited to the role of protagonist, having learned a great deal as a cop from her mentor, whose demise left a great hole in her heart. Kesey balances work and home life, though some might wonder how effectively. She has her eye on the prize and seeks to get a handle on this most disturbing case. With a killer trying to make her look the fool, she is in no mood to have her team lose control of the case. Other characters help enrich the narrative throughout this piece, which has many twists and turns. Nicholl places all those who have a role in the story in their own spot, shaping dialogue and plot development with the varied personalities he chooses. The reader will surely enjoy all that he does throughout and the various perspectives that make the book all the better. The narrative and plot are strong throughout and keep the reader guessing how things will progress. This is surely harder in a piece where the solution has their own narrative perspective, but it is joining the two that makes things all the more exciting. Nicholl mixes shorter and long chapters together to create a forceful story that propels itself forward throughout. Those who have read some (or many) of John Nicholl’s work will see some repeating themes throughout, but this is a good thing, rather than being burdensome. I cannot wait to see what else John Nicholl has in store for his readers, but this one is not to be missed!

Kudos, Mr. Nicholl, for another winner. I know I am in for a great (and quick) read each time I receive one of your novels.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,815 reviews631 followers
March 24, 2020
John Nicholl knows how to bring a parent’s worst nightmare to life. Then he stretches it, twists it and makes it even more horrifying, because any number of scenarios you may have given yourself weak knees over are possibilities in his chilling tale, MR. NICE, too.

Who took little Lottie? Was it her drunken father, known for skulking the home she and her mother now share? All signs point to him, but, nothing is ever that simple and the clock keeps ticking. DI Laura Kesey is about to begin one of the most vile and heinous crime investigations of her career and it is slamming home in a very personal way.

Sinister clues, evil lurking in the shadows and my skin is crawling, but John Nicholl’s writing is so raw, so stark and so mesmerizing, I couldn’t’ turn away, kind of like being entranced by the bright light of the oncoming train…can’t move, can’t run, can’t look away.

If you are looking for an adult, dark, edgy and emotionally jarring tale that will have you grinding your teeth, if you dare to look into the black hole of life, and want to feel like you are there, I highly recommend all of John Nicholl’s works, especially MR. NICE, because we all know that one person we would never suspect, and yet…

I received a complimentary ARC edition from John Nicholl! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thriller and mystery (March 25, 2020)
Publication Date: March 25, 2020
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Nila (digitalcreativepages).
2,667 reviews223 followers
March 25, 2020
Holly F*ck!! Author John Nicholl is one scary dude!! Man, could he write the words wrapped in darkness!! I was still shaking post reading the book. The way a killer’s mind, thoughts, action was written, it was breathtaking. It really was the creepiest thriller of this year, barring the viral pandemic.

A child stolen from home, warring parents, and DI Kasey at the helm with a psycho killer… What more could I ask for? I was simply freaked out…out of my mind.

My first book by this author, it took me many deep breaths to calm my racing heart. My pulse felt thready, and sweat beaded on my brow. The story of a missing child always gets to me, and this one did in spades, especially when I knew what the killer thought.

Kesey and her team were brilliant especially partner Lewis. They provided support to each other as they sounded of their theories. The boss was one big SOB; I was quite amused when Kesey wanted to knee him on you know where. I was quite sedate, I wanted to bop him one on the head.

The urgency was felt uniformly down the pages, the writing was brilliant. The story was kept under a tight leash by the author so that the suspense could be felt in every page. I wanted to prod the cops to work faster. The race against time forced me to rush through the story. I had to know – was the child safe? Alive?

A deep sigh…and one more as I wrote the review. Gawd, this story would stay with me for a long time. It was dark. It was disturbing. It was creepy. IT WAS FUCKING BRILLIANT

P. S. After reading the book, I checked out the author’s pic. Who knew such dark thoughts were running beneath such a placid visage. Appearances surely are deceptive.
Profile Image for The Book Review Café.
870 reviews238 followers
March 25, 2020
Once again John Nicholls twisted imagination holds no bounds, and his latest offering Mr Nice is a chiller thriller with an evil presence that comes in the shape of a protagonist that will give you the heebie-jeebies, and a few sleepless nights! A child being abducted is every parents worse nightmare, it must be incredibly difficult for parents in this position not to think the worse, especially when the child isn’t found, and the days turn into weeks. I can’t even begin to imagine the heartbreak and pain parents go through when dealing with a child’s abduction. Mr Nice by John Nicholl tackles the difficult subject of child abduction and plays on the worse fears of parents. This book is definitely not one I would recommend to those of a nervous disposition, it’s a grim read at times, and some scenes are very dark.

The mystery of the person who abducted Lottie is known throughout the book. This means Mr Nice takes a very dark turn from the the start. By revealing their identity it gives the author plenty of time to get inside the mind of his protagonist, it’s not pretty view, it’s ugly, stomach churning, and repulsive. Here’s a person who enjoys inflicting pain and humiliation on his victims, as for the scenes with the abductor’s mother, they freaked me out, they are spine chillingly creepy to say the least!

I really felt for Lottie’s mother, Megan, she’s left vulnerable, broken and terrified following the abduction of her daughter. To add to her nightmare the abductor enjoys nothing more than taunting her, these are the scenes I found incredibly unsettling, as the abductor feeds on Megan’s vulnerability, by playing mind games that are cruel and beyond evil. Mr Nice is a relatively short read at 258 pages, but I thought it was the perfect length for the plot, as it doesn’t allow the tension of the plot to waiver. This book reminded me of one of the authors earlier books White Is The Coldest Colour, Dark, gritty and spine chilling.
Profile Image for Linda Strong.
3,878 reviews1,708 followers
March 22, 2020
It's every parents nightmare. She wakes up late morning, after spending the nighttime hours telling her separated husband to go away. He was drunk, as usual. When she wakes up, she finds her young daughter missing. A window is open ... how did she sleep through this, Her first thought ... her husband took her. He might have been a lousy husband, but he loved his daughter dearly.

Tracking him down he denies taking her ... and the police are notified.

But then the abductor has more plans in place for the girl's mother. He leaves her 'surprises' including pictures of her daughter in a cage.

So who is this person who wants nothing more than to kill, but holding back in order to torture the girl's mother? Was this a random abduction .. or is this a personal vendetta?

This is well written, as all this author's books have been. The plot is deliciously horrifying with skillfully crafted characters. It's a real nail biter!

Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this psychological crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Profile Image for Jayne.
1,029 reviews675 followers
November 16, 2022
This scintillating child abduction thriller portrays the darkest side of a criminal mind and is not for the faint-hearted.

Quite frankly, "Mr. Nice" was a little too dark and "not nice" for me and I was absolutely, positively elated when I finished the book's last chapter.

(Yes, it was one of those books!)

Author John Nicholl is an ex-police officer and social worker and his vast knowledge of police procedurals and horrific criminal minds are more than evident.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job with the narration.

This was my first John Nicholl book and I look forward to listening to future titles by this talented author.

Next time around, I'll be better prepared for the subject matter.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Philomena Callan Cheekypee.
4,007 reviews431 followers
March 23, 2020
I always look forward to a new release from this author. After reading his previous books my expectations are high each time he releases a book. I wasn’t disappointed with Mr Nice as this was another great read.

A mother’s worst nightmare comes true... her daughter is missing. DI Laura Kesey is fighting against the clock to find the little girl.

This is a must read. I cannot praise this story highly enough. Jump into this brilliant read. You won’t regret it. I hope John is busy writing more for us.
Profile Image for Gary.
3,030 reviews427 followers
March 29, 2020
Another dark thriller by author John Nicholl that I enjoyed but not completely convinced by. While reading it I was flitting from three to four stars in my rating and probably falls somewhere between.
A young girl is abducted from her home and suspicion automatically falls on the separated husband. DI Laura Kesey is asked to investigate the case and she tries to untangle the mystery and bring the evil person to justice.
I have read several books by John Nicholl and he is not afraid to write about the darker side of crime, many of which I am sure would not appeal to those who do not like such things. In this book the name of the abductor is known by the reader very early and we are drip fed the evil side of his character. The abductor gets his kicks by watching others suffer, inflicting pain and humiliation along the way.
A short novel, just over 250 pages but a decent read for people who are not faint-hearted.
Profile Image for Renita D'Silva.
Author 20 books410 followers
March 22, 2020
Another brilliant, dark, thought provoking masterpiece of a book by this versatile and very talented author. Just brilliant. I would recommend this chilling and stunning story to every one. Five stars are not near my enough for this amazingly executed, absolutely dark, breathtakingly, heartpoundingly perfect book.
Profile Image for Kay Oliver.
Author 11 books197 followers
January 2, 2023
A girl goes missing and the race is on to find her. The chapters of the psychopath were chilling. This story was suspenseful and full of tension. I read it on the edge of my seat. A dark shocking thriller.
Profile Image for Julie Lacey.
2,025 reviews131 followers
March 22, 2020
This is a creepy crime thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages.
Megan is beside herself when she wakes up and her daughter is missing and immediately suspects her ex.
Dale has a cast iron alibi though and is equally distressed that Lottie is missing.
We soon learn who has taken her and he’s not a pleasant man. Hearing the voice of his dead mother, he’s definitely not in his right mind.
He starts to taunt Megan by going into her house and the Police don’t know which way to turn.
Kesey and Lewis are doing all they can to find the abductor, but can’t seem to find any leads.
This book comes to a nail biting conclusion and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
Thanks to John Nicholl for sending me an advanced copy to read.
Profile Image for Sam.
143 reviews6 followers
May 16, 2020
Why have I not read John Nicholl before? This book had me gripped all the way through. A chilling psychological thriller.
Profile Image for John.
270 reviews21 followers
April 5, 2020
A dark disturbing tale that is bravely taken by John Nicholl. Five year old Lottie, Megan's daughter is abducted shortly after the police were called after Lottie's father Dale who is Megan's estranged husband, breached a restraining order when causing a late-night disturbance at the house.
Dale was initially the prime suspect, but the police and Megan believe that he wasn't the culprit, and the hunt is on for the kidnapper. He happens to be a complete psychopath who has committed atrocities against children abroad and got away with it. Having no criminal record has given him the confidence to continue his evil back home.
I read the book in two sittings and was totally gripped.
431 reviews6 followers
March 22, 2020
When Megan wakes up one morning her worst nightmare has come true..Her little girl Lottie is missing.Estranged from her husband..at first Megan believes he may have taken her..D.I.Laura Kesey is the woman tasked with finding Megan's child..But for Megan worse is to follow..The taunts and photographs begin to arrive.With a race against the clock..Megan though broken inside..is prepared to do whatever it takes to get her child back..An Intensely Dark Gripping Thriller ..Brilliant writing 🖤
Profile Image for Deborah Blanchard.
379 reviews110 followers
March 22, 2020
A pulse pounding thrill ride of a book! A mother's worst nightmare. Her five year old daughter is kidnapped as her mother lies sleeping next to her. Was it her ex-husband? Or was it a stranger abduction? I could feel this mother's fear emanating from the pages. The police are on the case but where is this child. Full of well developed characters, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. You will feel such emotions, fear, anxiety and so much more. This is very well written and the suspense just keeps on building from beginning to end. If you like suspense you will love this book. John Nichols has outdone himself with this one. Great read!
Profile Image for Dee Groocock.
1,405 reviews60 followers
March 25, 2020
DI Laura Kesey has to investigate when Megan’s daughter, Lottie goes missing during the night. Has Megan’s estranged husband taken their daughter? Where could she be? In a race against time, DI Kesey has to find Lottie with the little information she has.

This story did scare me, in that, as a parent, it truly is your worst nightmare. A well written and good paced psychological thriller that had my heart pounding. If this was a film, I would be watching through my fingers! A disturbing read but also a real page turner.
475 reviews19 followers
March 22, 2020
What a fabulous book from this author who I have followed since reading White is the Coldest Colour which is my all time favourite from John.

This chilling read is 'up there' too, so well written with well developed, brilliant characters, is very hard to put down and it held my interest throughout.

Can thoroughly recommend this book you will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Joyce Stewart Reviews.
566 reviews44 followers
June 9, 2020
Title: Mr Nice

Author : John Nicholl
260 pages

5 out of 5 ⭐

Description:
Your worst nightmare is about to come true...
When Megan discovers that her young daughter is missing, she thinks that her ex-husband is to blame.
But was it someone else entirely?Someone out for revenge? Someone with a grudge? As DI Laura Kesey begins her investigation, she discovers that the case is infinitely more wicked than she could ever have imagined.The clock is ticking.
The search is on.But will Kesey find Lottie before it’s too late?
🤯😱 MY REVIEW 😵😬

Wow, just Wow !!!!! What a heart-pounding , amazing,horrifying ,intense, disturbing story. I loved it so much that i honestly in some ways never wanted it to end, but in other ways I did. Once I started this book, I could not put it down and I knew I had to buddy read it with my bff . We were both on the edge of our seat sending messages back and forth to each other throughout the book .

This was my first read by this author and I can honestly say he is an amazing writer.
Mr. Nice caught my attention from page 1 and is every parents worst nightmare. I found myself holding my breath several times. It is wrote at the perfect pace and had me on the edge of my seat for most of the story. This is far different from the normal kidnapping stories you read. I loved this authors different spin on it.

I found it a very nice touch for the author to take us into the mind of the psychopath who had kidnapped Lottie. As a mother myself this made me so terrified for poor Lottie.
The story was so vivid and real. I got so drawn into it that I tuned out the whole world around me, and before I knew it I turned the last page. I can very easily see this made into a movie .
All of the characters were very well developed, and done in such a way you really care about most of them.

This is one story that i promise will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end! We enjoyed it so much that we plan to buddy read several other of Nicholl's books and plan to start reading them immediately !!!

I Highly recommend this story . If you would like to read this psychological suspense thriller you can read it for free through Kindle unlimited.

As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get ! I want to thank the author for a e copy of this book to read and review! Opinions are unbiased and entirely my own.
#MRNice
#JohnNicholl
Profile Image for Donna Maguire.
4,895 reviews120 followers
March 25, 2020
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I always look forward to new releases for this author and this one was no different!

This book was excellent, a proper psychological thriller that was fast paced and really kept me on my toes, the plot was well developed and there was plenty happening.

The characters were excellent, they were really well developed and I liked seeing their personalities develop and the changes in the dynamics of the different relationships as the book progressed too.

I love his writing style, it was dark, gritty and so twisted in places, he does have a wicked imagination and it works so well with this genre too – his books are certainly ones I can’t put down!!

I loved every page and it was really well developed, the characters were superb and I thought it was a gripping read – it is 5 stars from me – very highly recommended!!
Profile Image for Linzi Thornton.
17 reviews
April 18, 2020
I wanted to like this book as it had potential however this story has been done many times before and a lot more well written than this one.
I didn’t find the characters particularly likeable and there was no twist. You found out early on who the abductor was and that was it. I found the reason the abductor had for choosing the girl was very weak and seemed like it was thought of with 5 minutes to go before deadline.
The language was very repetitive too, the abductor constantly referring to the child as ‘the brat’ grated on me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Adele Shea.
722 reviews19 followers
March 30, 2020
John Nicholl is one of my favourite authors. I don’t think I will ever tire of his books.
This was yet another depraved, physiological thriller that keep you turning those pages.
880 reviews9 followers
March 22, 2020
A terrific nail biting read. Hopelessly glued throughout the book. A child of five years old is snatched from her home in the middle of the night. No clues, no suspects, no hope. DI Laura Kesey and her team are racing against time to find the child. No ransom note has been left, no demands made...just threatening, taunting threats and messages made by the abductor. Megan, mother of the missing child is going through a traumatic psychological meltdown. ...was that the plan all along?....Detective Lewis has gut feelings about a member of the community but nothing points a finger at the suspect and Kesey can not go by gut feelings alone , she is forced to go by the book until concrete evidence is found. But will it be to late...time is running out. A shocking, intense and incredibily addictive read. All the books I have read by this author have been great and I highly recommended this one. I thank the author and Bloodhound Books for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Profile Image for Martha Perez.
Author 143 books165 followers
June 22, 2021
John Nicholl is a talented author and made me a fan of his books. A sorrowful image of a parent's nightmare. Lottie is a little girl missing. The mystery of what happened to her and who committed this horrific crime is mind-boggling.

I couldn't put the book down. MR. NICE is a horrifying spine-chilling story with a twisted plot. A scary person is lurking behind the scenes in the dark? Leave the lights on while reading.

The storyline is raw with emotions that make you wonder what the author was thinking at that moment. I highly recommend this intriguing book.
Profile Image for Ellie Shepherd.
229 reviews14 followers
March 22, 2020
Another brilliant book by John Nicholl. The storyline and characters drew me in from the first page. A solicitors child goes missing, does it have something to do with her ex husband Dale or is there something more sinister about to unfold? Thule story leaves you second guessing your suspicions of who may be involved and why. I was gripped throughout and my suspicions were incorrect. John has a talent for drawing readers in, holding your attention and leaving you bereft at the end of the story when you realise that you have to wait for his next masterpiece.
Profile Image for Annette.
918 reviews1 follower
August 16, 2020
Very dark and perturbing read which was almost a bit too much for me, although that could be my frame of mind at the moment. I did however preserve to the end and thought it worthy of 4*
Profile Image for Misfits farm.
2,086 reviews86 followers
March 22, 2020
“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. The greater the evil, the deadlier the game…”
Maddy is a successful solicitor. She has split from her husband Dale after his drinking got worse and led to threats and violence. Maddy lives with Lottie, her young daughter. When Dale arrives late one night and causes a disturbance the neighbours yet again call the police. He yet again wants to see Lottie and “I'll go once I’ve given her a hug”. It’s the early hours of the morning. Maddie awakes the next morning to find an empty bed and Lottie missing. Only her husband could have taken her- couldn't he? I found Martin unsettling (I'm not giving anything away by saying he’s the perpetrator) and was very well written. We get alternating chapters from his perspective as well as from Maddy and DI Kesey. It was nice for DI Gravel to be mentioned a couple of times (I liked him in John’s other books ) and Kesey is fast growing on me. A tenacious woman who gives her misogynistic boss as good as he gives and gets the job done. A well written story that kept me between its pages
870 reviews25 followers
March 22, 2020
This is John Nicholl at his best, writing about monsters who hide in plain sight. I started the book at about 11pm and at 4 in the morning, when I was almost finished, sleep won out. I would not have intentionally put the book down! A tightly woven story of every parent's worst nightmare. It was a joy to reacquaint myself with DI Laura Kesey and see her progression in her chosen career. I thought the reminiscences about 'Grav', made for a lovely touch. This story doesn't give you a moment to catch your breath. You are hurled from one nightmare to another with barely a chance to think. Poor Megan, she had all my sympathy. I suggest you take a huge breath before you start with Mr Nice, and only start it late at night if it means you haven't got to get up the next day. Another hit from Mr Nicholl.
Profile Image for Kristin.
224 reviews5 followers
April 6, 2020
Here it is, another chilling book by the amazing John Nicholl. I’ve read most all of his books and in my opinion Mr. Nice is by far the most chilling and hair raising one to date.

Who took the little girl? Lottie was taken from her home in the middle of the night, while laying next to her sleeping mom. The hunt starts.

This book is so disturbing as we are taken inside the mind of the kidnapper. Mr. Nicholl has a knack of diving so deep into these deranged individuals. While I love reading about what makes them tick, it is also downright scary. Mr. Nice brings us to the boundary of insanity, and for the first time I found it a very difficult book to read. A couple of times I questioned myself as to whether I would be able to continue as it was so frightening. However, I pushed through and am so glad I did.

I usually do not add trigger warnings to my reviews, but I feel I must add one for this book. Please know that Mr. Nice focuses on crimes done to children, and as mentioned before the inner thoughts of the perpetrator are brought to the forefront.

As distressing as this was, I am still anticipating the next book by this author. For a true crime fan as myself, his books never disappoint!

A special thank you to Bloodhound Books for an advanced copy of Mr. Nice. The opinions expressed are entirely my own and unbiased.
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