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DI Adam Fawley #6
Hope to Die
Self-defense or murder? In the continuation of one of Britain’s most popular crime series from Cara Hunter — the author of the instant New York Times bestseller Murder in the Family — DI Fawley returns to determine if someone has staged a crime scene in connection with another homicide from years past. Midnight. A grisly murder scene at isolated farm on the outskirts of Oxford. A man lies dead in the kitchen—shot point blank. The farm’s elderly owners claim the shooting was self-defense against a burglar. But something about the crime scene doesn’t sit right with DI Adam Fawley, whose gut tells him there’s more to their story. If the victim came to rob the house, why wasn’t he wearing gloves or carrying tools? Why didn’t the owner of the house call the police right after the shooting? Why did his wife wash his blood splattered clothes immediately? Digging deeper, the police realize this is no ordinary burglary gone wrong. There’s an unmistakable link to an infamous case from years earlier involving a child’s murder and an alleged miscarriage of justice. When the news leaks out, the press goes wild. Suddenly Fawley’s team are under tremendous pressure to crack the case—and to bring one formidable criminal to justice.
432 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2022
391 people are currently reading
13303 people want to read
About the author
Cara Hunter
19 books3,070 followersCara Hunter is a writer who lives in Oxford, in a street not unlike those featured in her series of crime books. Close to Home is her debut featuring DI Adam Fawley, and her second, In the Dark, is coming soon.
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April 28, 2022
Book # 6 in the DI Adam Fawley series, and if you enjoy police procedurals, you’ll love this one.
Reports come in of the sound of gunshot at a remote farmhouse late at night. Police arrive at the scene, and even with their past experience, they find the sight of a dead man, shot in the head at very close range, pretty hard to stomach. The crime scene is horrific.
D I Fawley and his team head up the investigation, but it’s not going to be an easy one to solve. The victim has no ID on him whatsoever, not even a mobile phone, and the elderly couple who live there claim they don’t know him, insist it was a burglary, but investigators discover that not everything is as it seems.
Long held secrets from the past are about to be revealed, cold cases will be re-examined, and tough as this case will be to crack, Fawley and his team pull out all the stops, to bring one cold, calculating individual to justice.
Well what can I say that hasn’t already been said about this wonderful series. Cara Hunter has pulled it off again, producing a real page turner, with revelations and twists galore, in this complex, but utterly absorbing police procedural. Another winner for this accomplished writer.
*I was invited to read ‘Hope To Die’ by the publisher, and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange*
Reports come in of the sound of gunshot at a remote farmhouse late at night. Police arrive at the scene, and even with their past experience, they find the sight of a dead man, shot in the head at very close range, pretty hard to stomach. The crime scene is horrific.
D I Fawley and his team head up the investigation, but it’s not going to be an easy one to solve. The victim has no ID on him whatsoever, not even a mobile phone, and the elderly couple who live there claim they don’t know him, insist it was a burglary, but investigators discover that not everything is as it seems.
Long held secrets from the past are about to be revealed, cold cases will be re-examined, and tough as this case will be to crack, Fawley and his team pull out all the stops, to bring one cold, calculating individual to justice.
Well what can I say that hasn’t already been said about this wonderful series. Cara Hunter has pulled it off again, producing a real page turner, with revelations and twists galore, in this complex, but utterly absorbing police procedural. Another winner for this accomplished writer.
*I was invited to read ‘Hope To Die’ by the publisher, and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange*
October 21, 2022
Shoutout to Cara Hunter for answering my questions via Instagram DMs because I was a big dummy and didn't read the acknowledgments section 😂
SYNOPSIS
A young man is found shot at point-blank range. The shooter and his wife claim self-defense, but when a connection is made to a decade's old case, DI Adam Fawley and his team are under immense pressure to discover the truth.
MY OPINION
Originally when I finished the book, two big ass "plot holes" stared back at me. For spoiler reasons, I'm not gonna get into the specifics. Thankfully Cara Hunter was kind enough to entertain me and answer my questions and tell me – politely – to read the acknowledgements section. After realizing I'm a certified dumb ass and getting the answers I needed, I can confidently rate this 4 stars.
The writing? On point as usual. Her writing technique and style is top notch. She's a true master of show vs. tell without run on sentences or overcooked prose. Yes, the no chapters thing is odd, but the scene breaks help and tbh 5 books deep, I barely notice it now. I LOVE Hunter's use of mixed media – but I know others are averse to this, so tread lightly. Unlike The Last Housewife which boasted a "podcast" element aka basic transcription formatting, Hunter goes above and beyond. Her news clips are truly written, and presented, like news clips. Her Netflix series scripts are professional and on-point. The effort she puts into the mixed media excerpts is incredible. Respect dawg.
Yet again Hunter serves up another thicc plot. She knows how to get a reader immersed in the story, even if it can lean to OTT near the end. And despite a large cast of characters, I feel connected with them after reading 5/6 books in this series. However, I can acknowledge it might be trickier for series newbies to get a grasp, which is why the "Fawley Files" within the cover are another great touch. What I really appreciate over the series is the consistency in the characters. Quinn is still punchable, Gis is Honda Civic Reliable, Fawley is mysterious but brilliant, and so forth.
As you can see, I haven't mentioned any niggles, so why 4 stars? Tbh there were just a bit too many filler scenes and I didn't feel the main baddie's motive was clear enough. The trade off didn't seem worth it. And yes, this is based on a true story, but since other creative liberties were taken, I think it would've been worth it to make the motive a bit clearer. I was left thinking: this h0e stoopid. LMAO.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written (show vs. tell, distinct technique and style), top notch use of mixed media, consistent characters, thicc ass plot
Cons: lack of clear motive for the baddie – didn't understand their thought process (even if I don't agree with a character's reasoning, it should still be clear for the reader)
SYNOPSIS
A young man is found shot at point-blank range. The shooter and his wife claim self-defense, but when a connection is made to a decade's old case, DI Adam Fawley and his team are under immense pressure to discover the truth.
MY OPINION
Originally when I finished the book, two big ass "plot holes" stared back at me. For spoiler reasons, I'm not gonna get into the specifics. Thankfully Cara Hunter was kind enough to entertain me and answer my questions and tell me – politely – to read the acknowledgements section. After realizing I'm a certified dumb ass and getting the answers I needed, I can confidently rate this 4 stars.
The writing? On point as usual. Her writing technique and style is top notch. She's a true master of show vs. tell without run on sentences or overcooked prose. Yes, the no chapters thing is odd, but the scene breaks help and tbh 5 books deep, I barely notice it now. I LOVE Hunter's use of mixed media – but I know others are averse to this, so tread lightly. Unlike The Last Housewife which boasted a "podcast" element aka basic transcription formatting, Hunter goes above and beyond. Her news clips are truly written, and presented, like news clips. Her Netflix series scripts are professional and on-point. The effort she puts into the mixed media excerpts is incredible. Respect dawg.
Yet again Hunter serves up another thicc plot. She knows how to get a reader immersed in the story, even if it can lean to OTT near the end. And despite a large cast of characters, I feel connected with them after reading 5/6 books in this series. However, I can acknowledge it might be trickier for series newbies to get a grasp, which is why the "Fawley Files" within the cover are another great touch. What I really appreciate over the series is the consistency in the characters. Quinn is still punchable, Gis is Honda Civic Reliable, Fawley is mysterious but brilliant, and so forth.
As you can see, I haven't mentioned any niggles, so why 4 stars? Tbh there were just a bit too many filler scenes and I didn't feel the main baddie's motive was clear enough. The trade off didn't seem worth it. And yes, this is based on a true story, but since other creative liberties were taken, I think it would've been worth it to make the motive a bit clearer. I was left thinking: this h0e stoopid. LMAO.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written (show vs. tell, distinct technique and style), top notch use of mixed media, consistent characters, thicc ass plot
Cons: lack of clear motive for the baddie – didn't understand their thought process (even if I don't agree with a character's reasoning, it should still be clear for the reader)
May 7, 2022
Cara Hunter's latest offering is a cracking addition to her Oxford based DI Adam Fawley series, it is packed with her trademark insertions in the narrative that include police interview transcripts, social media comments, psychiatric reports, details of a 2016 Netflix investigation, phone conversations, online media reports and Wikipedia entries. The police are called to a remote farmhouse in Wytham, after a report of a gunshot from a member of the public, where an elderly couple, Richard and Margaret Swann reside, a 'burglar', who cannot be identified, has been shot dead by Richard which he claims was an act of self defence. So begins a twisted and complex investigation where little is as it appears, as the police try to determine why the elderly couple failed to call the police.
Before long, it becomes clear that the Swanns changed their name by deed poll after a notorious court trial in which their daughter, Camilla aka 'the chameleon', was convicted of the murder of her baby on the basis of circumstantial evidence, no body was ever recovered. After 17 years, Camilla is still serving her life sentence at HMP Heathside. DNA evidence obtained from the victim proves that the dead man's mother is Camilla, clear evidence that she was not guilty of murdering her baby. As Adam and his hardworking team look into the past, at the previous police investigation and Camilla as a schoolgirl, her multiple pregnancies, her friends and family, and the present, who is the dead man and how did he come to make the fateful visit to the farmhouse to see the Swanns? There is surprise twist after twist in this dark and disturbing crime story.
After the previous book, Fawley's personal and professional life is far more settled, there is joy to be found in baby daughter, Lily Rose, for both him and his wife, Alex, and he is more focused on fulfilling his ambitions for his police career. His police team of DS Chris Gislingham, DS Gareth Quinn, DC Verity Everett, and DC Andrew Baxter are joined by DC Thomas Hansen, DC Chloe Sargent and DC Bradley Carter, mostly positive additions that are hardworking who prove to be assets in a tricky investigation. I defy any reader to not race through this fast paced crime read, the suspense and tension are sky high, and whenever you think you know what is happening, the ground shifts and the case heads in a completely different direction. A brilliant read that has me looking forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Before long, it becomes clear that the Swanns changed their name by deed poll after a notorious court trial in which their daughter, Camilla aka 'the chameleon', was convicted of the murder of her baby on the basis of circumstantial evidence, no body was ever recovered. After 17 years, Camilla is still serving her life sentence at HMP Heathside. DNA evidence obtained from the victim proves that the dead man's mother is Camilla, clear evidence that she was not guilty of murdering her baby. As Adam and his hardworking team look into the past, at the previous police investigation and Camilla as a schoolgirl, her multiple pregnancies, her friends and family, and the present, who is the dead man and how did he come to make the fateful visit to the farmhouse to see the Swanns? There is surprise twist after twist in this dark and disturbing crime story.
After the previous book, Fawley's personal and professional life is far more settled, there is joy to be found in baby daughter, Lily Rose, for both him and his wife, Alex, and he is more focused on fulfilling his ambitions for his police career. His police team of DS Chris Gislingham, DS Gareth Quinn, DC Verity Everett, and DC Andrew Baxter are joined by DC Thomas Hansen, DC Chloe Sargent and DC Bradley Carter, mostly positive additions that are hardworking who prove to be assets in a tricky investigation. I defy any reader to not race through this fast paced crime read, the suspense and tension are sky high, and whenever you think you know what is happening, the ground shifts and the case heads in a completely different direction. A brilliant read that has me looking forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
May 28, 2022
DI Adam Fawley #6
I love these characters so it’s a delight to be back in Oxford especially now that Adam and his wife Alex have the joy of baby Lily Rose; these cases are always just the right blend of police investigation and the personal. If you’ve never read the series then don’t worry as the author has included an excellent summary at the beginning.
An emergency call from a member of the public dispatches the police to an isolated farmhouse on Ock Lane, Wytham where a macabre scene is discovered. It seems an intruder is dead and he’s clutching a knife in his hand. The householder, elderly Mr Swann, is arrested. However, the case does not add up on several fronts and a major challenge is underway as the mystery deepens as Adam and his team enter a veritable minefield.
I always enjoy the way Cara Hunter tells a story using a variety of formats including Netflix extracts this time and, as always, Adam‘s perspective and with good injections of humour. She is now so adept at this the storyline flows well and this case is darned intriguing. The Swanns prove to be a shifty pair especially aggressive Peggy and her brand of motherhood contrasts sharply with that of Alex. Through dogged police work (including young DCs Hansen and Chloe Sargent who will both go far!) they make some shocking discoveries and my jaw literally drops on occasions and possibly the odd little naughty may be uttered at some of the explosive revelations. They sure have poked a bear, opened a can of worms et cetera et cetera and every other idiom involving hornets and so on. Talk about a mystifying mysterious case as this is the very epitome of one! The plot is complex and very clever, the pace rises and falls appropriately and it’s compelling and entertaining from the beginning to the end.
I don’t want to give too much away but at the centre of the puzzling conundrum is a character who is fascinating, who will make you recoil in horror and who is most definitely a chameleon who changes and lies with startling alacrity. That characterisation is superb as your emotions change as new evidence emerges. It’s full of very good twists and turns, it’s exciting and unpredictable and as yet another excellent addition to this outstanding series.
I hope number seven is underway as like every other reader who loves this series I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for Adam, by then I hope DC Erica Somer has recovered and back to work and that DC Bradley Carter gets his comeuppance, the snake.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
I love these characters so it’s a delight to be back in Oxford especially now that Adam and his wife Alex have the joy of baby Lily Rose; these cases are always just the right blend of police investigation and the personal. If you’ve never read the series then don’t worry as the author has included an excellent summary at the beginning.
An emergency call from a member of the public dispatches the police to an isolated farmhouse on Ock Lane, Wytham where a macabre scene is discovered. It seems an intruder is dead and he’s clutching a knife in his hand. The householder, elderly Mr Swann, is arrested. However, the case does not add up on several fronts and a major challenge is underway as the mystery deepens as Adam and his team enter a veritable minefield.
I always enjoy the way Cara Hunter tells a story using a variety of formats including Netflix extracts this time and, as always, Adam‘s perspective and with good injections of humour. She is now so adept at this the storyline flows well and this case is darned intriguing. The Swanns prove to be a shifty pair especially aggressive Peggy and her brand of motherhood contrasts sharply with that of Alex. Through dogged police work (including young DCs Hansen and Chloe Sargent who will both go far!) they make some shocking discoveries and my jaw literally drops on occasions and possibly the odd little naughty may be uttered at some of the explosive revelations. They sure have poked a bear, opened a can of worms et cetera et cetera and every other idiom involving hornets and so on. Talk about a mystifying mysterious case as this is the very epitome of one! The plot is complex and very clever, the pace rises and falls appropriately and it’s compelling and entertaining from the beginning to the end.
I don’t want to give too much away but at the centre of the puzzling conundrum is a character who is fascinating, who will make you recoil in horror and who is most definitely a chameleon who changes and lies with startling alacrity. That characterisation is superb as your emotions change as new evidence emerges. It’s full of very good twists and turns, it’s exciting and unpredictable and as yet another excellent addition to this outstanding series.
I hope number seven is underway as like every other reader who loves this series I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for Adam, by then I hope DC Erica Somer has recovered and back to work and that DC Bradley Carter gets his comeuppance, the snake.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin General UK for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
December 27, 2023
Cara Hunter’s DI Adam Fawley series is fast becoming one of my favourite series. Set in Oxford, with it’s now signature mix of narrative with police reports, social media comments, emails, online news and podcasts, the novels perfectly blend the ups and downs in the lives of Adam and his team with delivering intriguing crimes and mysteries.
In this sixth novel in the series, police are called out to a remote house in response to the report of a gunshot, heard by a man out photographing the stars. When they arrive, they find an elderly couple, Richard and Peggy Swann, with the body of a young man in their kitchen. The dead man, his face been destroyed by a blast from a shotgun, is holding a knife in his hand and the Swanns claim they woke to him breaking in and shot him in self-defence. However, they not only failed to call the police but some of the evidence also doesn’t add up to this being an attempted burglary for Adam.
Looking into the Swanns background, Adam later discovers that they are not the bland, innocuous couple they claim to be. They changed their name and moved to Oxford seventeen years ago after their daughter Camilla was convicted on circumstantial evidence of killing her baby. Her baby’s body was never found but, after keeping her pregnancy secret from her family and friends, he simply disappeared the day Camilla left hospital with him and her explanations of what happened to him were vague and inconsistent.
It’s good to see that Fawley is in a much better place than in the previous book, where he was being framed for a shocking crime. He’s enjoying his new baby daughter Lily with his wife Alex and his career is looking up. He has a dependable team who work hard to identify the mystery ‘burglar’ and his link to the Swanns. New members DC Hansen and DC Chloe Sargent are talented and I look forward to seeing more of them. However, DC Bradley Carter currently filling in for the missing DC Somer is surely heading for a fall after his underhand tactics at getting noticed by the boss. Hunter’s excellent outline of the characters at the start of the book is a wonderful memory refresher for fans of the books and would also be helpful to those new to the series.
In the acknowledgements, Hunter notes that Camilla’s history of multiple unplanned and secret pregnancies, resulting in two babies given up for adoption in addition to the missing baby, is based on the case of Australian Keli Lane. It’s truly a case of fact being stranger than fiction and worth looking up the reports or podcast made about her after finishing the novel.
(For example see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keli_Lane)
Hunter’s imagining of what happened to Camilla’s baby results in a fast paced, intricate plot, filled with suspense and some great twists. It really is an intriguing case. Fawley finds himself interviewing Camilla in prison and she truly is just as slippery and unhelpful as reported in her original interviews. A brilliant read, recommended for all fans of crime fiction. 4.5★
With thanks to Penguin via Netgalley for a copy to read.
In this sixth novel in the series, police are called out to a remote house in response to the report of a gunshot, heard by a man out photographing the stars. When they arrive, they find an elderly couple, Richard and Peggy Swann, with the body of a young man in their kitchen. The dead man, his face been destroyed by a blast from a shotgun, is holding a knife in his hand and the Swanns claim they woke to him breaking in and shot him in self-defence. However, they not only failed to call the police but some of the evidence also doesn’t add up to this being an attempted burglary for Adam.
Looking into the Swanns background, Adam later discovers that they are not the bland, innocuous couple they claim to be. They changed their name and moved to Oxford seventeen years ago after their daughter Camilla was convicted on circumstantial evidence of killing her baby. Her baby’s body was never found but, after keeping her pregnancy secret from her family and friends, he simply disappeared the day Camilla left hospital with him and her explanations of what happened to him were vague and inconsistent.
It’s good to see that Fawley is in a much better place than in the previous book, where he was being framed for a shocking crime. He’s enjoying his new baby daughter Lily with his wife Alex and his career is looking up. He has a dependable team who work hard to identify the mystery ‘burglar’ and his link to the Swanns. New members DC Hansen and DC Chloe Sargent are talented and I look forward to seeing more of them. However, DC Bradley Carter currently filling in for the missing DC Somer is surely heading for a fall after his underhand tactics at getting noticed by the boss. Hunter’s excellent outline of the characters at the start of the book is a wonderful memory refresher for fans of the books and would also be helpful to those new to the series.
In the acknowledgements, Hunter notes that Camilla’s history of multiple unplanned and secret pregnancies, resulting in two babies given up for adoption in addition to the missing baby, is based on the case of Australian Keli Lane. It’s truly a case of fact being stranger than fiction and worth looking up the reports or podcast made about her after finishing the novel.
(For example see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keli_Lane)
Hunter’s imagining of what happened to Camilla’s baby results in a fast paced, intricate plot, filled with suspense and some great twists. It really is an intriguing case. Fawley finds himself interviewing Camilla in prison and she truly is just as slippery and unhelpful as reported in her original interviews. A brilliant read, recommended for all fans of crime fiction. 4.5★
With thanks to Penguin via Netgalley for a copy to read.
April 28, 2022
Hope to Die sure kept me on my toes.
Police are dispatched to an isolated farmhouse, following a suspicious 999 call from a member of the public. Initially, there is no answer to their repeated knocking, even though there’s a light on upstairs. But, finally the door is opened by the homeowner, pensioner Richard Swann, who seems startled to see them. In the kitchen they discover the body of a young man – an intruder shot dead by Richard. Richard’s wife Margaret backs up his story – they had retired for the night when they heard someone breaking in downstairs. But, their version of events just doesn’t add up, the major flaw being that they didn’t phone the police neither prior nor after the incident. What are they hiding? And, what does it have to do with a shocking, sensational crime from the late 90’s, that’s recently been turned into a Netflix’s documentary series?
I was tickled pink to be invited by the publisher to read an advanced copy of no. six in the DI Adam Fawley series – Hope to Die – as I’ve been a big fan of Cara Hunter’s from book one, and never miss an instalment. In fact I was so delighted, that I couldn’t wait another minute, and dropped everything to read it straightaway. And, I’m thrilled to report that it was just as incredible as the previous books.
Even though I’ve rated them all 5 stars, I thought it would be fun to rank them in order from best to worse, so here goes:
1. No Way Out #3
2. In the Dark #2
3. Hope to Die #6
4. Close to Home #1
5. All the Rage #4
6. The Whole Truth #5
Whew, that was tougher than I thought as they were all so good. As you can see, Hope to Die was right up there. Creepy, disturbing, exciting, fast-paced, with a high level of suspense maintained throughout, culminating in an explosive, satisfying conclusion. POV’s included our regulars who appear in every book - Adam Fawley and his team as we follow their investigation, and those connected to the crime a.ka. victims, witnesses, and suspects. There are no chapters, aside from a prologue and epilogue, but there are frequent paragraph breaks every time there’s a scene/POV shift.
Hope to Die could be read as a standalone, as I thought this one was more crime than character focused when compared to the previous books. There’s also a handy ‘Previously … in the Fawley Files’ chart at the beginning, a dossier of the team members to help new readers, and old ones like me, who have short memories. Three new characters joined Adam’s team, and they were all great additions, even if they weren’t all particularly likeable. One of the main characters (and I won’t spoil why) was largely absent from this book, and they were missed. But, I did get a kick out of a character who had a major role in The Whole Truth, making a brief cameo in this one.
As per usual, I loved the various methods used to reveal snippets of information – emails, voicemails, texts, online news articles, phone calls, newspaper clippings and even house plans. There were also transcripts of the Netflix series, and transcripts of police interviews, which I really loved as it eliminated the need for body language descriptions and dialogue tags, yet conveyed pertinent points concisely and succinctly.
An all round winner, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book, and the entire series, to mystery, crime, thriller, psychological suspense, domestic drama, and police procedural fans. I buddy read this with Pat, and Ceecee (because they couldn’t wait to read it either 😊), and all three of us enjoyed it.
I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Lou Nyuar from Penguin UK, and Cara Hunter for the e-ARC.
Sorry for those that have to wait until the Publication Date: 18th August, 2022, but it will be well worth it.
Police are dispatched to an isolated farmhouse, following a suspicious 999 call from a member of the public. Initially, there is no answer to their repeated knocking, even though there’s a light on upstairs. But, finally the door is opened by the homeowner, pensioner Richard Swann, who seems startled to see them. In the kitchen they discover the body of a young man – an intruder shot dead by Richard. Richard’s wife Margaret backs up his story – they had retired for the night when they heard someone breaking in downstairs. But, their version of events just doesn’t add up, the major flaw being that they didn’t phone the police neither prior nor after the incident. What are they hiding? And, what does it have to do with a shocking, sensational crime from the late 90’s, that’s recently been turned into a Netflix’s documentary series?
I was tickled pink to be invited by the publisher to read an advanced copy of no. six in the DI Adam Fawley series – Hope to Die – as I’ve been a big fan of Cara Hunter’s from book one, and never miss an instalment. In fact I was so delighted, that I couldn’t wait another minute, and dropped everything to read it straightaway. And, I’m thrilled to report that it was just as incredible as the previous books.
Even though I’ve rated them all 5 stars, I thought it would be fun to rank them in order from best to worse, so here goes:
1. No Way Out #3
2. In the Dark #2
3. Hope to Die #6
4. Close to Home #1
5. All the Rage #4
6. The Whole Truth #5
Whew, that was tougher than I thought as they were all so good. As you can see, Hope to Die was right up there. Creepy, disturbing, exciting, fast-paced, with a high level of suspense maintained throughout, culminating in an explosive, satisfying conclusion. POV’s included our regulars who appear in every book - Adam Fawley and his team as we follow their investigation, and those connected to the crime a.ka. victims, witnesses, and suspects. There are no chapters, aside from a prologue and epilogue, but there are frequent paragraph breaks every time there’s a scene/POV shift.
Hope to Die could be read as a standalone, as I thought this one was more crime than character focused when compared to the previous books. There’s also a handy ‘Previously … in the Fawley Files’ chart at the beginning, a dossier of the team members to help new readers, and old ones like me, who have short memories. Three new characters joined Adam’s team, and they were all great additions, even if they weren’t all particularly likeable. One of the main characters (and I won’t spoil why) was largely absent from this book, and they were missed. But, I did get a kick out of a character who had a major role in The Whole Truth, making a brief cameo in this one.
As per usual, I loved the various methods used to reveal snippets of information – emails, voicemails, texts, online news articles, phone calls, newspaper clippings and even house plans. There were also transcripts of the Netflix series, and transcripts of police interviews, which I really loved as it eliminated the need for body language descriptions and dialogue tags, yet conveyed pertinent points concisely and succinctly.
An all round winner, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book, and the entire series, to mystery, crime, thriller, psychological suspense, domestic drama, and police procedural fans. I buddy read this with Pat, and Ceecee (because they couldn’t wait to read it either 😊), and all three of us enjoyed it.
I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Lou Nyuar from Penguin UK, and Cara Hunter for the e-ARC.
Sorry for those that have to wait until the Publication Date: 18th August, 2022, but it will be well worth it.
November 20, 2022
Rather than synopsize this book I'm going to recommend you read the blurb or just go in blind and don't read too many reviews ahead of time. If you've been following the series you'll have no trouble diving right in but if this is your first foray into the world of Adam Fawley, I think the book stands well on its own other than you miss out on the background of the characters. This is an excellent series and I highly recommend reading all the books. There's a chart of the characters at the beginning and it's a great refresher. There are some new characters in this book and some of the characters from the previous books play only a minor role but it's still a terrific read.
As in past books there are no chapters but lots of places to take a break. The book consists of police statements, a podcast transcript, texts, emails, newspaper clippings and some narrative detailing the current investigation. It's a rather complicated case but easy to follow if you pay attention. I really admire Cara Hunter's writing and I hope this series continues in the future. I just wish the books would come to Canada quicker.
If I may get up on my soapbox for a moment. Near the end of the book (p.404 in my paperback), there's a description of Fawley and Gis watching Gis's son throw bread to the ducks. As we should all be aware by now, feeding ducks bread is bad because the food has little nutritional value and can harm ducklings' growth, pollute waterways and attract rodents and other pests. I'd really like to see this removed or altered in future printings. End of sermon!
I pre-ordered this book from The Book Depository but right around the date of publication they sent me a message saying they were unable to fulfill the order so I ended up purchasing it through amazon.com and the order was fulfilled by Books etc. in the UK. I had to pay in US dollars but it was worth every penny!
As in past books there are no chapters but lots of places to take a break. The book consists of police statements, a podcast transcript, texts, emails, newspaper clippings and some narrative detailing the current investigation. It's a rather complicated case but easy to follow if you pay attention. I really admire Cara Hunter's writing and I hope this series continues in the future. I just wish the books would come to Canada quicker.
If I may get up on my soapbox for a moment. Near the end of the book (p.404 in my paperback), there's a description of Fawley and Gis watching Gis's son throw bread to the ducks. As we should all be aware by now, feeding ducks bread is bad because the food has little nutritional value and can harm ducklings' growth, pollute waterways and attract rodents and other pests. I'd really like to see this removed or altered in future printings. End of sermon!
I pre-ordered this book from The Book Depository but right around the date of publication they sent me a message saying they were unable to fulfill the order so I ended up purchasing it through amazon.com and the order was fulfilled by Books etc. in the UK. I had to pay in US dollars but it was worth every penny!
August 29, 2022
Another cracking police procedural from Cara Hunter, the sixth in the series. I'll say nowt about the plot as all you need to know is in the blurb, (some of the reviews I've read were a tad spoilery 😬), but I will say it was great to be back sleuthing with DI Fawley and the team (well that's what it felt like 😄). I think this one is my favourite so far, 5 fat shiny stars, bring on book 7!
April 26, 2022
That was great story! Chilling and sad but great. I was just not a fan of the format.
Police receive a call of a shooting at a remote cottage one night. When the uniforms arrive there is a man lying dead on the kitchen floor with his face blown off by a shotgun blast, pretty gross I know. The homeowners, elderly couple Richard and Margaret Swann claim he broke in and Richard shot him in self defence. There is a knife in his hand and Richard has a nasty cut on his own hand.
Unfortunately this account is not supported by the evidence. The man has no ID on him either, also strange. At first DI Adam Fawley’s team is pretty stumped, there is not much to go on but gradually through a lot of hard graft they learn that the couple had changed their names some years ago. They used to be Dick and Peggy Rowan and their daughter, Camilla, was convicted around 17 years ago of killing her baby 5 years before that when she was 17. Camilla has always claimed she was innocent, she handed her baby to the father, Tim Baker, at a roadside lay by on her way home from giving birth only hours before. There was never a body to support the conviction.
I don’t want to say more as this was a complex investigation and a complex story. Your allegiances are constantly changing. The characters were superbly drawn although, apart from the police and the odd other ones they were largely, eventually, unlikable. You will saddened and shocked as the truth is ever so slowly drawn out. It was way worse than I could have imagined!
The plot, while not action based was consistently moving at a good clip. It was the revelations that provided the wow factor in this story. Fawley’s team is a bit different as Somer is recovering from her cancer scare and most of the new members fit in well although Carter is a bit of a worry. Is he simply socially awkward or is he genuinely undermining his team mates? Time will tell.
Cara Hunter has hit this one out of the park and, if not for the format. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
4.5 rounded up.
Police receive a call of a shooting at a remote cottage one night. When the uniforms arrive there is a man lying dead on the kitchen floor with his face blown off by a shotgun blast, pretty gross I know. The homeowners, elderly couple Richard and Margaret Swann claim he broke in and Richard shot him in self defence. There is a knife in his hand and Richard has a nasty cut on his own hand.
Unfortunately this account is not supported by the evidence. The man has no ID on him either, also strange. At first DI Adam Fawley’s team is pretty stumped, there is not much to go on but gradually through a lot of hard graft they learn that the couple had changed their names some years ago. They used to be Dick and Peggy Rowan and their daughter, Camilla, was convicted around 17 years ago of killing her baby 5 years before that when she was 17. Camilla has always claimed she was innocent, she handed her baby to the father, Tim Baker, at a roadside lay by on her way home from giving birth only hours before. There was never a body to support the conviction.
I don’t want to say more as this was a complex investigation and a complex story. Your allegiances are constantly changing. The characters were superbly drawn although, apart from the police and the odd other ones they were largely, eventually, unlikable. You will saddened and shocked as the truth is ever so slowly drawn out. It was way worse than I could have imagined!
The plot, while not action based was consistently moving at a good clip. It was the revelations that provided the wow factor in this story. Fawley’s team is a bit different as Somer is recovering from her cancer scare and most of the new members fit in well although Carter is a bit of a worry. Is he simply socially awkward or is he genuinely undermining his team mates? Time will tell.
Cara Hunter has hit this one out of the park and, if not for the format. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
4.5 rounded up.
September 22, 2023
Another good instalment in the D.I. Adam Fawley series. I must say though the Keli Lane case aspects, which the author was inspired by, was just a bit too repetitive if you've watched docos or read up on it.
Really clever premise, great twists and would still recommend. This would absolutely be 5 stars if I hadn't been a bit bored from the Keli Lane inspired parts.
Really clever premise, great twists and would still recommend. This would absolutely be 5 stars if I hadn't been a bit bored from the Keli Lane inspired parts.
August 20, 2022
I am a massive fan of the DI Adam Fawley series and Cara Hunter. I know that I probably say this every time, but Hope to Die might just be my new favourite. I did not want to stop reading it. Book 6 and the series just keeps getting better and better all the time, I loved that this one was inspired by a true crime from Australia, the case of Keli Lane. This book is seriously addictive.
What at first seems like an easy case of an intruder being shot by an elderly man in his home, turns into a complex and twisty case that has links to a high profile case of convicted child killer, Camilla Rowan. There is something not adding up at the crime scene from the beginning, and the team struggle to identify the deceased man. DNA tests throw a huge curveball and the team suddenly have a massive task ahead of them.
We get the backstory of Camilla Rowen's case told through transcripts and a Netflix documentary. Every time you think you know what is going on, something else will be discovered and send you back to square one. I did have a few OMG moments - love it when a book gets to you like that. 5 stars all the way
Massive thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published August 18th.
What at first seems like an easy case of an intruder being shot by an elderly man in his home, turns into a complex and twisty case that has links to a high profile case of convicted child killer, Camilla Rowan. There is something not adding up at the crime scene from the beginning, and the team struggle to identify the deceased man. DNA tests throw a huge curveball and the team suddenly have a massive task ahead of them.
We get the backstory of Camilla Rowen's case told through transcripts and a Netflix documentary. Every time you think you know what is going on, something else will be discovered and send you back to square one. I did have a few OMG moments - love it when a book gets to you like that. 5 stars all the way
Massive thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published August 18th.
February 18, 2024
Cara Hunter. I love you. The end 😂
December 26, 2025
Another strong installment in the series, and I continue to love Hunter’s complex writing style and creative use of mixed media! I’m also still very invested in this core group of characters, and I appreciated the addition of a few new faces, which helped keep the character development feeling fresh while ultimately strengthening the group as a whole.
I enjoyed the story overall and found plenty of elements that kept me hooked, though there were a few stretches where the pacing slowed and I felt a little less interested. Still, the book delivered solid suspense and twists, and the ending felt satisfying and well-earned!
I can’t believe I only have one more book in the series (currently published) left to read—book 7—but I’m excited!
I enjoyed the story overall and found plenty of elements that kept me hooked, though there were a few stretches where the pacing slowed and I felt a little less interested. Still, the book delivered solid suspense and twists, and the ending felt satisfying and well-earned!
I can’t believe I only have one more book in the series (currently published) left to read—book 7—but I’m excited!
March 11, 2024
DI Adam Fawley and his team are called to a house where there has been a death. The elderly couple claim that the man shot an intruder, but the team finds many discrepancies. Who was the young man that was shot? The elderly couple are hiding something and, as the plot unfolds, we learn some horrifying secrets. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
September 14, 2022
A gunshot is heard at a farmhouse late one night and the police arrive only to find a young man dead on the floor and the owner of the house claiming self defense. But not everything points to a burglary gone wrong.
If the victim was a burglar, why wasn’t he wearing gloves?
Why didn’t the owner of the house call the police right after the incident?
Why did his wife wash his blood splattered clothes immediately?
If the victim was a burglar, why wasn’t he wearing gloves?
Why didn’t the owner of the house call the police right after the incident?
Why did his wife wash his blood splattered clothes immediately?
June 10, 2022
This is one of my favourite series currently out there. It probably helps that the setting is local to me so I can really see what's going on but also because the main characters, our well known group dynamic, are so brilliantly drawn and relatable.
Add to that some really clever mystery elements, Cara Hunter being one of the top plotters in the business in my opinion and you have a perfect storm of a read that is written with talent and confidence.
This story was particularly baffling and I devoured it in short order desperate to know what was happening.
Excellent stuff. Long may it continue. Highly Recommended.
Add to that some really clever mystery elements, Cara Hunter being one of the top plotters in the business in my opinion and you have a perfect storm of a read that is written with talent and confidence.
This story was particularly baffling and I devoured it in short order desperate to know what was happening.
Excellent stuff. Long may it continue. Highly Recommended.
October 15, 2022
No tan bueno como los anteriores pero la intriga por saber cómo pasó todo y la relación con el caso del pasado me mantuvo entretenida. 3,5 🌟
January 7, 2023
If you're "hoping" to read an exceptional 10-star police procedural, "Hope To Die" is a must-read.
Even though "Hope To Die" is number #6 in Cara Hunter's DI Adam Fawley series, it's an ultra-compelling and intriguing standalone read.
TRUE CONFESSION:
I am a HUGE Cara Hunter fan but I was disappointed with DI Adam Fawley #5. In Book #5, the author did a changeup in her style that simply did not work for me.
Therefore, when I began "Hope To Die", my expectations were guarded.
To say that Cara Hunter hit this book out of the park is an understatement.
I was personally awed by the high-level investigative police work and meticulous attention to detail involved in solving the mystery behind the murder of an alleged house intruder.
Quite frankly, I lost track of the number of "gasp-worthy" moments that this thriller delivered.
I listened to the audiobook read by Emma Cunniffe, Lee Ingleby, and Roy McMillan.
I always love full-cast audiobooks and all of the narrators did a superb job.
However, this book featured more characters than narrators and at times, it was momentarily difficult to discern who was saying what.
I will be eagerly awaiting DI Adam Fawley #7.
To date, this was my favorite book in the series.
Even though "Hope To Die" is number #6 in Cara Hunter's DI Adam Fawley series, it's an ultra-compelling and intriguing standalone read.
TRUE CONFESSION:
I am a HUGE Cara Hunter fan but I was disappointed with DI Adam Fawley #5. In Book #5, the author did a changeup in her style that simply did not work for me.
Therefore, when I began "Hope To Die", my expectations were guarded.
To say that Cara Hunter hit this book out of the park is an understatement.
I was personally awed by the high-level investigative police work and meticulous attention to detail involved in solving the mystery behind the murder of an alleged house intruder.
Quite frankly, I lost track of the number of "gasp-worthy" moments that this thriller delivered.
I listened to the audiobook read by Emma Cunniffe, Lee Ingleby, and Roy McMillan.
I always love full-cast audiobooks and all of the narrators did a superb job.
However, this book featured more characters than narrators and at times, it was momentarily difficult to discern who was saying what.
I will be eagerly awaiting DI Adam Fawley #7.
To date, this was my favorite book in the series.
September 7, 2024
Camila Rowan foi condenada em 2002 pelo assassinato do seu recém-nascido.
O caso foi reaberto em 2018 após um fotógrafo ouvir um disparo, levando a novas investigações.
Surgem novas personagens como Hansen e Chloe Sargent, enquanto Erica Somer quase desaparece.
Ficaram muitas pontas soltas.
Na minha adolescência a Porto Editora era conhecida pelos seus dicionários. Acho que devia providenciar alguns aos seus tradutores e revisores.
Creio que não é surpreendente haver um grande sururu por aqui, esta manhã.
Olho em volta da sala e aguardo que o sururu acalme.
Sururu é uma palavra de origem Tupi e em linguagem informal quer dizer: briga ou confusão entre várias pessoas. Só em português de Portugal encontro de memórias alguns sinónimos: confusão,
alvoroço, tumulto, agitação, burburinho e baderna.
#CrimeNaAreia
O caso foi reaberto em 2018 após um fotógrafo ouvir um disparo, levando a novas investigações.
Surgem novas personagens como Hansen e Chloe Sargent, enquanto Erica Somer quase desaparece.
Ficaram muitas pontas soltas.
Na minha adolescência a Porto Editora era conhecida pelos seus dicionários. Acho que devia providenciar alguns aos seus tradutores e revisores.
Creio que não é surpreendente haver um grande sururu por aqui, esta manhã.
Olho em volta da sala e aguardo que o sururu acalme.
Sururu é uma palavra de origem Tupi e em linguagem informal quer dizer: briga ou confusão entre várias pessoas. Só em português de Portugal encontro de memórias alguns sinónimos: confusão,
alvoroço, tumulto, agitação, burburinho e baderna.
#CrimeNaAreia
October 2, 2024
My Rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Cara Hunter is a Queen!!!
I refuse to let this be the end… I know that #7 is coming and I requested that bad boy quicker than I could take a breath on NetGalley earlier today… if I don’t get it I may legitimately sell some limbs… Overdramatic… Of course!!
Sooooo… the disclaimer stands - see my review of The Whole Truth… but if you are not a fan of anything other than a standard book this is not going to work for you. There is mixed media and no chapters and lots and lots of characters and stuff happening!!! Nuff said!
Well if my 5stars isn’t giving it away I love this book and I love this series. Is it perfect of course not… but I don’t care at all this is so entertaining and there is so much going on that you can never be bored.
There is so much procedural in the policing so that is done so well.. the mixed media is awesome and totally on point in this edition. I love the characters and honestly Quinn even grew on me a bit in this one… now please don’t throw tomatoes but seriously he has a little bit… he’s meant to be a douche and he is… but then so is the new guy Carter and I found their banter pretty funny.
I liked that Somer had a bit of a horrible story, not because I want something bad to happen to her but it shows that life still goes on outside of these cases so medical issues and work issues are still happening… I assume we will come back to her story in book 7… the book that I am definitely going to be getting through NetGalley (pleeeeease Cara … pleaseeee!!!)
I thought it was high time that Fawley caught a break in his personal life so it was good to see his new baby is doing well, his wife is happy and healthy and that poor bastard’s only issue was this nightmare of a case… but he signed up for that shit so I was ok with that. I also liked most of the new characters that were introduced and I also enjoyed the crossover to NYPD that was pretty cool too.
The case was a curly one and I honestly didn’t know where it was headed… it was wild how it started and it was wild how it finished… and I didn’t guess any of it along the way… I was desperate to finish it so I took a day off work…(not really because of the book *wink wink boss will never know*) and finished it in my time off… even though I knew it would be over and I would be mourning the lack of more books.
I won’t keep droning on as you’re already probably think for goodness sake Karly STFU we get it… we hear you… this book is great… the format is amazing… Cara Hunter is a Queen, we know!!! We gotta read it…
So yeah… do it, read it… love it and then wait with me for the next one to come out and get our arses all over again !!!
I refuse to let this be the end… I know that #7 is coming and I requested that bad boy quicker than I could take a breath on NetGalley earlier today… if I don’t get it I may legitimately sell some limbs… Overdramatic… Of course!!
Sooooo… the disclaimer stands - see my review of The Whole Truth… but if you are not a fan of anything other than a standard book this is not going to work for you. There is mixed media and no chapters and lots and lots of characters and stuff happening!!! Nuff said!
Well if my 5stars isn’t giving it away I love this book and I love this series. Is it perfect of course not… but I don’t care at all this is so entertaining and there is so much going on that you can never be bored.
There is so much procedural in the policing so that is done so well.. the mixed media is awesome and totally on point in this edition. I love the characters and honestly Quinn even grew on me a bit in this one… now please don’t throw tomatoes but seriously he has a little bit… he’s meant to be a douche and he is… but then so is the new guy Carter and I found their banter pretty funny.
I liked that Somer had a bit of a horrible story, not because I want something bad to happen to her but it shows that life still goes on outside of these cases so medical issues and work issues are still happening… I assume we will come back to her story in book 7… the book that I am definitely going to be getting through NetGalley (pleeeeease Cara … pleaseeee!!!)
I thought it was high time that Fawley caught a break in his personal life so it was good to see his new baby is doing well, his wife is happy and healthy and that poor bastard’s only issue was this nightmare of a case… but he signed up for that shit so I was ok with that. I also liked most of the new characters that were introduced and I also enjoyed the crossover to NYPD that was pretty cool too.
The case was a curly one and I honestly didn’t know where it was headed… it was wild how it started and it was wild how it finished… and I didn’t guess any of it along the way… I was desperate to finish it so I took a day off work…(not really because of the book *wink wink boss will never know*) and finished it in my time off… even though I knew it would be over and I would be mourning the lack of more books.
I won’t keep droning on as you’re already probably think for goodness sake Karly STFU we get it… we hear you… this book is great… the format is amazing… Cara Hunter is a Queen, we know!!! We gotta read it…
So yeah… do it, read it… love it and then wait with me for the next one to come out and get our arses all over again !!!
May 1, 2022
Cara Hunter is one of the few authors that I would literally drop everything to read and when I received an email from her publisher asking if I would like a copy of the latest Adam Hawley book Hope To Die I downloaded it and started it immediately.
If you haven’t yet read any of these brilliant books, I would definitely recommend starting at the beginning with book 1: Close to Home as, in my opinion, each book is fantastic and whilst they can all be read as standalones, DI Fawley and his team are such an integral part of each story that the reader can really understand and relate to their particular situations and personalities having followed the series in order.
Once again Cara has supplied the reader with a little “who’s who” at the beginning of the book, giving us a quick recap and enabling us to jump straight back into the world of crime in Oxford.
Hope To Die starts off with a gunshot in an isolated house in a secluded part of the countryside and when the police arrive at the scene the homeowners, an elderly couple, appear shocked to see the police and upon further investigation, the police find a young man dead in their kitchen killed by a gunshot to the face. Richard and Margaret Swann don’t appear to be murderers, but their stories don’t match up and the evidence contradicts what they say really happened.
Once again the book has clever little chapters from different points of view and I particulary enjoyed the “Netflix” series which ran alongside the narrative from the main characters.
Another gripping, page-turning, addictive crime thriller from one of my favourite authors. 5 huge stars.
If you haven’t yet read any of these brilliant books, I would definitely recommend starting at the beginning with book 1: Close to Home as, in my opinion, each book is fantastic and whilst they can all be read as standalones, DI Fawley and his team are such an integral part of each story that the reader can really understand and relate to their particular situations and personalities having followed the series in order.
Once again Cara has supplied the reader with a little “who’s who” at the beginning of the book, giving us a quick recap and enabling us to jump straight back into the world of crime in Oxford.
Hope To Die starts off with a gunshot in an isolated house in a secluded part of the countryside and when the police arrive at the scene the homeowners, an elderly couple, appear shocked to see the police and upon further investigation, the police find a young man dead in their kitchen killed by a gunshot to the face. Richard and Margaret Swann don’t appear to be murderers, but their stories don’t match up and the evidence contradicts what they say really happened.
Once again the book has clever little chapters from different points of view and I particulary enjoyed the “Netflix” series which ran alongside the narrative from the main characters.
Another gripping, page-turning, addictive crime thriller from one of my favourite authors. 5 huge stars.
July 28, 2023
7 de 10*
Opinião:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
Opinião:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
September 7, 2023
Police are dispatched to a remote farmhouse following an anonymous call from a member of the public who heard gunfire. Margaret and Richard Swann reside at the farmhouse.
When the police arrive and knock at the door,at first no one answers then the door is opened by pensioner Richard. In the kitchen they discover an intruder who has been shot dead by Richard.
Richard's wife backs up his story that an intruder had broken in downstairs and Richard shot him in self defence.
The story does not add up, why did the Swann's not call the police, the man has no I.D on him and how did he get to the remote farm? Was this a burglary gone wrong?
As the police investigate we discover the Swann's are indeed hiding a secret from their past and are not the bland couple they appear to be.
Another gripping and thrilling read by Cara Hunter.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
When the police arrive and knock at the door,at first no one answers then the door is opened by pensioner Richard. In the kitchen they discover an intruder who has been shot dead by Richard.
Richard's wife backs up his story that an intruder had broken in downstairs and Richard shot him in self defence.
The story does not add up, why did the Swann's not call the police, the man has no I.D on him and how did he get to the remote farm? Was this a burglary gone wrong?
As the police investigate we discover the Swann's are indeed hiding a secret from their past and are not the bland couple they appear to be.
Another gripping and thrilling read by Cara Hunter.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2022
I legit wait the whole year for every new book in this series! Getting early access to the ARC via Netgalley and publishers literally made my day. You can only understand my anticipation if you have been following this series. If you love police procedurals, this series should be on top of your list!
Like every book in the series, this was a wild joyride from start to finish, and the fact that this is based on a true crime is mind-blowing, guess I've got some more true-crime docs. on my list to watch lol! Crazy stuff - no doubt the truth is stranger than fiction.
But I gotta say, this book was quite a chunk with +900 pages, and then I was waiting for that punch in the jaw at the end of the story - Cara Hunter style, which was there but we've had stronger punches in the previous books. I kinda felt a bit unsatisfied at the end of it all but only if I'm comparing it with the previous books. But then again finding out that it is based on a true crime did it well for me. Like always, 5 brilliant stars, as I wait impatiently for the next one :).
Thanks so much, Netgalley, author, and publishers for the early access ARC :)).
Like every book in the series, this was a wild joyride from start to finish, and the fact that this is based on a true crime is mind-blowing, guess I've got some more true-crime docs. on my list to watch lol! Crazy stuff - no doubt the truth is stranger than fiction.
But I gotta say, this book was quite a chunk with +900 pages, and then I was waiting for that punch in the jaw at the end of the story - Cara Hunter style, which was there but we've had stronger punches in the previous books. I kinda felt a bit unsatisfied at the end of it all but only if I'm comparing it with the previous books. But then again finding out that it is based on a true crime did it well for me. Like always, 5 brilliant stars, as I wait impatiently for the next one :).
Thanks so much, Netgalley, author, and publishers for the early access ARC :)).
August 13, 2023
Love love loved the latest addition to the Adam Fawley series this is book six and I absolutely love the format how the author writes her books including newspaper articles , letters, interviews etc. I recommend reading the series from the beginning to get to know the characters who are all well established. Looking forward to the release of book seven in June 2024
November 21, 2024
Haaaaa... właśnie sobie uświadomiłam, że przeciągnęłam ją na ponad miesiąc... Absolutnie nie dlatego, żeby mi się nie podobała, bo uwielbiam tą serię i bardzo fajnie było wrócić, ale jest to może mój drugi albo trzeci kryminał przesłuchany po angielsku i no...nie mogę się przyzwyczaić. Podobała mi się fabuła, ale nie trafiła do mnie forma i męczyło mnie słuchanie niekończących się przesłuchać i transkrypcji (nie przypominam sobie, żeby w poprzednich tomach tak było). Miałam też wrażenie, że mało tu Fawleya było i trochę mnie to rozczarowało.
August 22, 2022
This is quite hard for me to review as this is my first Cara Hunter book and at the time of joining the blog tour I wasn’t aware this was book six of a series 😫 and only realised this once I started reading it and put it on goodreads as currently reading so I do think that sadly took away some of the reading experience as I felt like I had missed out on things from previous books.
What I did like was the character ‘recap’ as such at the start of the book, with specific things about them and what rank they were. Quite a unique addition to a book I think.
I was engrossed at the start of the book, I love a good murder and the whole trying to work out who had done it. Police procedurals are probably my favourite type of reads.
As I got further in the book I think I struggled with the format and the addition of newspaper articles, police interviews and similar information. I became a little distracted from what was actually going on.
Sadly this wasn’t enjoyed as much as I’d hoped. I think I need to start from the first book and then reread hope to die.
What I did like was the character ‘recap’ as such at the start of the book, with specific things about them and what rank they were. Quite a unique addition to a book I think.
I was engrossed at the start of the book, I love a good murder and the whole trying to work out who had done it. Police procedurals are probably my favourite type of reads.
As I got further in the book I think I struggled with the format and the addition of newspaper articles, police interviews and similar information. I became a little distracted from what was actually going on.
Sadly this wasn’t enjoyed as much as I’d hoped. I think I need to start from the first book and then reread hope to die.
April 13, 2023
3.5
I have really enjoyed the DI Fawley series and have admired Hunter's writing style, her use of reproduced documents and evidence that take the idea of show not tell to a new level, making the reader a part of the investigating team. Although I enjoyed this, number six in the series, I did find myself tiring of what felt like an excessive use of artifacts. Pages and pages of tiny writing that not only strained my eyes, but made me wish for more text, more story in the straightforward manner of a police procedural. There was also a slightly different feel to the text that was present, the first person narratives of a variety of voices.
Despite these slight misgivings I enjoyed Hope to Die and will certainly look for book seven when it comes out.
I have really enjoyed the DI Fawley series and have admired Hunter's writing style, her use of reproduced documents and evidence that take the idea of show not tell to a new level, making the reader a part of the investigating team. Although I enjoyed this, number six in the series, I did find myself tiring of what felt like an excessive use of artifacts. Pages and pages of tiny writing that not only strained my eyes, but made me wish for more text, more story in the straightforward manner of a police procedural. There was also a slightly different feel to the text that was present, the first person narratives of a variety of voices.
Despite these slight misgivings I enjoyed Hope to Die and will certainly look for book seven when it comes out.
July 15, 2022
Another in the series to feature DC Adam Fawley. It looks like a simple burglary gone wrong and burglar is shot dead but Adam smells a rat. While delving into the couple who were burglarized he finds they are a connected to a high profile case a few years ago. This book had me gripped, full of red herrings and more twisty than a corkscrew. Nothing is what it seems in this book. A real workout for the grey matter. Whittling my suspects down with very clever story telling, a very entertaining read and another hit from one of my favourite authors.
August 30, 2022
3.5 stars - this was a real page turner but it was more the format than the storyline that had me hooked. Written like others in the series, with lots of police interviews and TV scripts amongst other formats making up the bulk of the text. There are no chapters but most sections only around 2-4 pages which meant I wanted to keep reading.
I think the ending was supposed to be a shock so was a bit disappointed because it really wasn't at all. Overall though it was interesting and I was happy to be reunited with DI Fawley and his team.
I think the ending was supposed to be a shock so was a bit disappointed because it really wasn't at all. Overall though it was interesting and I was happy to be reunited with DI Fawley and his team.
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