Title:	Murder in the Gallowgate
	Author:	Daniel Sellers
	Published:	November 15, 2022, Joffe Books
	No. of Pages:	408
	Cover Price:	$12.24 Paperback, $.99 Kindle

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The first installment in the Detective Lola Harris Mystery Series, Murder in the Gallowgate, by English author, Daniel Sellers, is a perfect introduction to a new series featuring protagonist DI Lola Harris. Lola is called to a crime scene in an abandoned warehouse basement where there is a chair covered in blood, strange candleholders, and a smashed mobile phone. Unfortunately, there is no body, but a well-known politician, is missing, and DNA from the blood says it’s his. This is a highly-visible investigation, and Lola doesn’t want to be in charge. This is partly due to one member of Lola’s team who is a narcissistic detective, Aiden Pierce, who happens to be the nephew of one of the higher-ups and feels that Lola got the promotion he was entitled to. Lola is determined to get rid of him, nepotism or not. Personally, Lola has just returned from holiday which was supposed to help her get over a painful breakup. Meanwhile, the missing politician had close ties to an art gallery and had financed an exhibit by a photographer who had drowned on an island almost 30 years prior. The PR man at the art gallery had been on the island as a child and had witnessed the drowning. For some reason, Lola thinks the murder and long-ago drowning are connected.

While there are a lot of different scenarios going on in this novel, there is plenty of building suspense. It is well-written, and easy to follow. The characters are well-developed, and the protagonist is one that readers will love because she is tough and doesn’t give up. The supporting characters are a mix – both good and bad, and make the story come alive. The characters seem like real people most of us are familiar with, and seem real.

The setting of the novel is in Glasgow which adds charm to the novel. Most readers will want to read more from Daniel Sellers, and will anticipate the next installment.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.