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John Nicholl

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The Doctor: The start of a dark, gripping crime thriller series from bestseller John Nicholl (The Galbraith Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by John Nicholl (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.0 4,301 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Galbraith Series

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Be careful who you trust.

The Mailer family are oblivious to the terrible danger that enters their lives when seven-year-old Anthony is referred to the child guidance service by the family GP following the breakdown of his parents' marriage.

Fifty-eight year old Dr. David Galbraith, a sadistic, predatory paedophile employed as a consultant child psychiatrist, has already murdered one child in the soundproofed cellar below the South Wales Georgian townhouse he shares with his wife and two young daughters.

Anthony becomes Galbraith's latest obsession and he will stop at nothing to make his grotesque fantasies reality.

A note from the author: While fictional, this book was inspired by true events. It draws on the author’s experiences as a police officer and child protection social worker. The story contains content that some readers may find upsetting. It is dedicated to survivors everywhere.

*Previously published as White is the Coldest Colour*

From the Publisher

Thanks for looking at one of my books on Amazon.

I write fast-paced, gritty, and dark psychological suspense thrillers, which draw on my real-life experiences as a police officer and social worker. I began writing after leaving my job heading up child protection services in west Wales.

All my books work as standalone stories, but some are part of a series and others are connected.

I’m very grateful to all of my readers, and I very much hope you’ll discover more of my books. I’m always interested to receive your feedback and read your reviews.

John




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Review

Very cleverly plotted, well developed characters, and disturbingly believable. This is for the psychological thriller fan, especially if you like them on the dark side. A brilliant debut novel and available now. So what are you waiting for?' Maxine Groves, Goodreads reviewer and book blogger.

A powerful debut which deals with serious and topical issues. Very dark and intense, this story moves at a galloping pace, keeping you on tenterhooks throughout. The writing is fab, and the author does a brilliant job of getting into the characters' heads from the abominable Dr. Galbraith, to his abused wife and all of his victims. Intense and gripping. A hard hitting, eye opener of a book. A must read. Renita D'Silva, best selling author.

This book will grab you from the start and have you at the edge of your seat by the end. I could not tap to the next page on my kindle quickly enough. Sarah Hardy, Goodreads reviewer and book blogger.

One of the best debut novels I've read. Philomela Callan # 2 Goodreads reviewer and book blogger.

The writing is superb. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Sue Ward # 3 Goodreads reviewer and book blogger.

From the Author

White is the coldest colour is entirely fictional, but draws on my experiences as a police officer, child protection social worker, manager and trainer. During my career I was faced with case after case that left me incredulous as to the harm sexual predators chose to inflict on their victims. The book reflects that reality.

The story is set in 1992, a more naïve time when many found it extremely difficult to believe that a significant number of adults posed a serious risk to children.

The book includes content that some readers may find upsetting from the start.

It is dedicated to survivors everywhere.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09YXXYXY4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (July 27, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 27, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2755 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 340 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #138,403 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #251 in Family Conflict Resolution
- #560 in Professional & Technical
- #776 in Domestic Thrillers (Kindle Store)

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4.0 4,301 ratings

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John Nicholl

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John Nicholl, a former police officer, social worker and lecturer, is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of numerous darkly psychological suspense thrillers. He began writing after leaving his job heading up child protection services.

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Schizanthus Nerd

Confronting, Real and Brilliant!

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2018

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Trigger warnings for child abuse, paedophilia, domestic violence, torture, and murder of humans and animals.

I’ve never enjoyed thinking about how many tortuous, excruciating and imaginative ways I could kill off a book villain as much as I did when reading about the big bad in White is the Coldest Colour. This is not a villain that you love to hate. This is a villain you want to suffer as much as possible before his eventual bloody demise.

Dr David Galbraith is many things. He is a husband, a father, an esteemed colleague, a renowned child psychiatrist. He is also a master manipulator and sadistic predator. He terrorises his family and his child victims alike, and he consistently gets away with it because he’s so good at what he does. He uses his intelligence to come across as charismatic and charming when the situation calls for it and because of his position in the community and his chameleonic prowess, no one suspects him. His true colours are only on display when and to whom he chooses, and if his control slips for a moment and his true self is revealed, he can easily lay on the charm and regain control.

While there’s certainly no shortage of paperback villains, Dr David Galbraith stands apart from the usual big bad in the chilling authenticity of his portrayal. The way he interacts with his wife will be hauntingly familiar to readers who have experienced the brutality of domestic violence. The calculated measures undertaken to groom the child and family of a potential new victim will shine a light on the predatory nature of child molesters.

I can’t remember the last book that genuinely scared me before this one. Give me horror, blood and guts, serial killers or clowns and I’ll enjoy watching from the sidelines, but real life? Real life can offer the scariest plots of all and the events in this book will reflect portions of some readers’ reality - and that is scary as hell to think about.

This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s confronting, painful and real. Because of the author’s experience in police and child protection there’s an authenticity to the conversations and behaviours of the predators that gave me the creeps in a way I find lacking in most crime novels.

I stumbled upon this book when I found its sequel on NetGalley and needed to know what led to the events in When Evil Calls Your Name before I read Cynthia Galbraith’s story. Having never heard of this author before I’ve now found a new favourite. If John Nicholl’s other books have even echoes of the dark, gritty nature of White is the Coldest Colour then I know I need to read everything he’s ever written.

2 people found this helpful

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Cameron Wiggins

We all need to be more aware of this subject. These people walk among us.

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2015

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We had a little side bar buddy read on John Nicholl's first book, "White is the Coldest Colour." We had a great group and were well accommodated by the moderators to make this read a pleasure. Toss in on top of this that "White is the the Coldest Colour" is one fine write and read by Nicholl. John definitely took the time to think this book out very carefully and it definitely adds to the quality of the book. John's professional background include being a policeman and a social worker. These professions were invaluable to the subject matter of this book. Research and experience have helped to make Nicholl's debut novel the success that it is.
Now, let's get to the matter at hand - the subject of the book. Child sexual assault. Please don't dismiss this review at this point. It is a very tough subject matter that most people wish to avoid, frankly, including myself. Nevertheless, I am very glad that I took the time to read this very revealing book. It really opened up my eyes to subject matter and things happening and the process and detail that I shied away from. People need to be aware of these things. They happen right under our noses and we are none the better for turning the other way. One aspect of the novel that was indeed a surprise to me was the deep impact that it had on the law enforcement community and other professionals that were involved in the case. It was very profound.
Granted, there are some writers out there that write with the intention of presenting shock and gore to the reader. John Nicholl is not one of those authors. Nicoll does have to utilize some scenes to get his point across accurately, but he keeps these to an absolute minimum. They are pretty much limited to two chapters, however, one is in the very early stages of the book. Do not give up on the book at this point. This is an extremely good book about a child abuse ring with a definite leader.
Those of you whom are familiar with my reviews know that I do not believe in spoilers. There is a lot more that could be revealed about the book in this review to spark the readers interest, but trust me, I believe that it is in the readers best interest to discover these things on their own. The book holds together very well with plot and structure. Characterization is not a very important aspect of the book, perhaps for obvious reasons. The ending is quite a bit of a surprise and I must admit that I really do not know what to make of it. It definitely was not what I imagined coming down the pipeline. It appears from the ending that a sequel is definitely on the way. I cannot wait for this to come out. I do think that readers of thrillers and suspense should definitely consider "White is the Coldest Colour." I must admit that I even had to give it some consideration and it would have been my loss if I would have turned the other cheek and avoided this subject matter. 4 stars John.

2 people found this helpful

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Leanna Falconer

Disturbing

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2016

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How easily the wolf can hide among us and prey upon the psychologically injured with near impunity! Dr. Galbraith is the epitome of the diabolical, coldly calculating and cruel on a level with Hannibal Lector. His clear contempt for other humans comes through with every thought and his use of extreme control over other's behaviors.

The storyline was compelling and had enough moments of high suspense to keep pulling me through the pages. However, I felt the doctor's evil side was overplayed in comparison to his outer facade of goodness. I could not believe in that part which had fooled all those who surrounded him simply because it wasn't shown clearly or often enough. Perhaps if I'd been shown and had come to believe in his "goodness" from the start only to then discover his true nature, his evil side would have had more impact. The writing, while overall excellent, was pocked with abrupt and jolting shifts in point of view, and dialogue was a constant volley of the participants' names or pet endearments which tended to damage its authenticity.

All in all, this is not a bad read for those who appreciate dark fiction that imitates real life.

10 people found this helpful

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PeacockBookReviews

Incredible Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2022

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The Galbraith Series by Author - John Nicholl
A note from the author: While fictional, these books were inspired by actual events. They draw on the author's experiences as a police officer and child protection social worker. The story contains content that some readers may find upsetting. They are dedicated to survivors everywhere.
The Doctor - Book 1 of 3
The Mailer family are oblivious to the terrible danger that enters their lives when seven-year-old Anthony is referred to the child guidance service by the family GP following the breakdown of his parent's marriage.
Fifty-eight-year-old Dr David Galbraith, a sadistic, predatory paedophile employed as a consultant child psychiatrist, has already murdered one child in the soundproofed cellar below the South Wales Georgian townhouse he shares with his wife and two young daughters.
Anthony becomes Galbraith's latest obsession.
The Wife - Book 2 of 3
Twenty-nine-year-old Cynthia Galbraith is serving a life sentence for murder.
When the prison counsellor suggests Cynthia write a personal journal exploring the events that drove her to murder, she figures she has all the time in the world and minimal, if anything, to lose. So she begins to write, revealing the secrets that haunt her and the truths she's never dared tell.
The Father - Book 3 of 3
Thirty years ago, Anthony Mailer was a seven-year-old boy trapped in Dr Galbraith'sGalbraith's basement. Now he's a journalist, a husband and a father. But no matter how far he's come, he is still that scared little boy sometimes.
To save his marriage, he has to stop hiding from what happened and deal with it once and for all.
Review
I was asked if I would like to be on tour for The Father, Book 3 of the Galbraith series. Having not read anything by this author and liking the sound of the plot, I was happy to agree. However, as soon as I read the first page of The Father, I decided I needed to read the first two books in the series first. I was so glad I did; Wow, what an incredible series.
The author writes in a straightforward, no holds barred manner. As a result, the books are insightful, knowledgeable, absorbing, touching, intricate, sickening, incomprehensible, heartbreaking, and astonishing.
The characters are realistically portrayed so much, so I found myself getting emotionally entangled in the plot. It was discomforting to read how trauma undulates through every person's life it touches, even those not directly involved and with such varied consequences.
It is a challenging read but well worth finding the time to do so. I will certainly be catching up with past novels by this author.
I want to thank publishers Boldwood Books, author John Nicholl's and Rachel's Random Resources for a place on the tour and a copy to read and review.

3 people found this helpful

Mary

Loved it

Reviewed in Canada on April 22, 2018

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I loved this book. It kept me reading from beginning to end. The characters are so believable. The ending made my heart soar. I wouldn’t have guessed the end. It was sure a killer twist.

Ivy

Uncomfortable but such a good read!

Reviewed in Germany on October 30, 2018

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Disturbing, challenging, gripping.

We gain access to the darkest corners of the human mind.
Galbraith is a well-respected child psychiatrist. And he is a pedophile. And he uses his position and power to gain access to his victims.
This is the kind of news we come across sometimes. But in the 90ies people were a lot more naive.

This book is full of great characterization but especially Galbraith is disturbingly believable. The master of deception, his inner conflict and his way of sugarcoating really gave me all the chilly feels.
The very descriptive, almost analyzing styles adds to make this dark, suspenseful and intense.

barbic

Excellent start to a series

Reviewed in Australia on February 20, 2023

Verified Purchase

Reading this novel was heart sore as well as heartening. Child molesters finally targeted but a clever wiley culprit continues to outsmart. Gooid ending but being a series, I am wanting to continue.

Sam

NOn si può leggere

Reviewed in Italy on April 18, 2017

Verified Purchase

Un libro con una trama improbabile, con personaggi improbabili, e che non merita nemmeno i pochi soldi che costa. NOn lo consiglierei veramente a nessuno.

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The Doctor: The start of a dark, gripping crime thriller series from bestseller John Nicholl (The Galbraith Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

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Thanks for looking at one of my books on Amazon.

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