The Boyfriend by John Nicholl book review: A very dark but gripping thriller
You’ll have rarely read an antagonist as awful as Mark Shady.
The Boyfriend by John Nicholl: The key details
- Publish date: 4th April 2025
- Genre: Dark thriller
- Publisher: Boldwood Books
- Series/standalone: Standalone
- No. of pages: 266
Blurb: When Anna first meets Mark, she thinks he’s the perfect boyfriend. Wealthy and charming, he showers her with gifts, compliments, everything she has ever desired.
But Mark is less a prince than a man with a dangerous secret, and as their love life becomes ever darker, Anna flees him.
There is nowhere safe from him, though. Not for Anna. Nor for the girlfriends who follow her. Because this is a boyfriend who would kill to make sure he can continue to kiss sleeping princesses…
The Boyfriend by John Nicholl: The review
The Boyfriend by John Nicholl isn’t an easy read, despite its short length. Not in a bad way: this is a very dark thriller that isn’t afraid to show a nasty, inhumane side to society. Its antagonist, Mark Shady, is so well-written that the sections from his perspective really made my stomach churn. This isn’t for the faint of heart as it deals with abusive relationships, SA and even necroph*lia. Yikes. These sections really dig into his psyche, and some readers might find it a little too uncomfortable to read.
This is a very dark story, then, but if you’re a fan of thrillers that lean into human horror stories, you’re going to love The Boyfriend. Told from multiple perspectives, the story centres around Shady, his victims, and the police officers working to get him. You see, after abusing Anna, his ex-girlfriend, Shady was found not guilty — a verdict that doesn’t sit right with DS Lewis and his team. He’ll do anything to see him come to justice.
And likewise, Mark Shady will do anything to taunt the police and get his wicked way with as many victims as possible. It’s almost a cat-and-mouse game between Shady and the police, with The Boyfriend at times feeling like a police procedural, which was a welcome surprise. Along with Shady, you’ll read chapters from the perspective of DS Lewis, from Anna, from another of Shady’s girlfriends, and even from DS Lewis’ daughter.
Every character featured in The Boyfriend are all very well-written and fleshed out; even those who may only feature for a chapter or two make a big impact. I feel like some narrative strands could have been explored a little more — I won’t say too much to avoid spoilers, but one event in particular was left without giving us much closure.
It doesn’t spoil the story, though; overall this is a very strong thriller that leaves a lasting impression. If you’ve got the stomach for dark material, you’ll love this. Shady as a villain is so awful that you’ll keep turning the pages just to see if he gets his comeuppance!
It’s the first book by John Nicholl that I’ve read, but I’ll certainly be seeking out more of his in the future.
A digital copy of this book was provided by LoveBooksTours in exchange for an honest review.
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Thanks for reviewing The Boyfriend on your excellent blog, very much appreciated.
Hey John, you are more than welcome. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to read The Boyfriend – and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂