No Way Out by Cara Hunter (DI Adam Fawley #3)
Published by: Penguin UK/Viking
Publication Date: paperback 18 April 2019, ebook 22 March 2019
480 pages
Genre: Psychological/Mystery & Thriller
First of all can I express my sincere thanks to Penguin UK and NetGalley for their very kind offer to read one of my most favourite crime writers' books well ahead of publication in exchange for my unbiased review. It has probably been one of the books I have most nervously awaited approval for! Was it worth it? Here's all about the book, and my thoughts about it.
Book Description:
DID YOU SEE ANYTHING ON THE NIGHT THE ESMOND FAMILY WERE MURDERED?
From the author of CLOSE TO HOME and IN THE DARK comes the third pulse-pounding DI Fawley crime thriller.
It's one of the most disturbing cases DI Fawley has ever worked.
The Christmas holidays, and two children have just been pulled from the wreckage of their burning home in North Oxford. The toddler is dead, and his brother is soon fighting for his life.
Why were they left in the house alone? Where is their mother, and why is their father not answering his phone?
Then new evidence is discovered, and DI Fawley's worst nightmare comes true.
Because this fire wasn't an accident.
It was murder.
I have been waiting very (im)patiently for the next instalment of the DI Fawley series , desperate to know what Cara Hunter had in store next for Adam and his team.
The opening scenes throw the reader straight into the action with the team being called to a severe house fire where it is clear virtually from the off that at least one life has been lost. Initial thoughts are that the children of the family have been left home alone. DI Fawley and his officers Gislingham and Quinn want to know where they are and more importantly why they felt it okay to leave 2 youngsters on their own in the house.
This novel follows the author's signature style with plenty of red herrings to throw the reader off the true course of events. These twists take us on an emotional journey, feelings which are reflected in the detectives words and actions. The forensic evidence gradually mounts up and together with facts unearthed by the officers regarding the family's background, the events leading up to the night of the fire fall in to place and the full horror of what has happened is revealed. The pacing of the book is perfect and while I kind of suspected the end destination of the story, some of the discoveries along the way still managed to shock me.
Cara Hunter continues to impress, writing about scenarios which cannot fail to shock yet are dealt with sensitively and with clear background research. There are sufficient references in each book to link it with previous instalments yet there is plenty of content to make each book a strong standalone novel. This writer has very quickly made her way onto my personal list of top quality writers and once again I am waiting eagerly for her next book. No pressure, Cara...
About The Author:
I'm lucky enough to live in the city I write about. Oxford will be familiar to crime fans across the whole world because of the fabulous Morse novels and TV, but my version of the town is a long way from the beautiful ivy-clad colleges. A much edgier place where the crimes are darker and closer to home.
I've always been a voracious reader and viewer of crime - I've learned so much from the outstanding writing that we now see on crime TV like Line of Duty or Broadchurch, and I've tried to recreate the experience of watching series like that for my readers. I love true crime TV as well - my husband used to tease me about it but now just nods sagely and says 'research' !What else about me? I have pet cats who do their best to distract me whenever I get close to a keyboard (if you have cats, you'll know), I love travelling, spending time with friends, and I have never knowingly turned down a glass of champagne....
See my review of the DI Fawley series here: Close To Home (December 2017)
In The Dark (July 2018)
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