A Burning Lie

Detective Jen Garner #3

by Claire Sheldon

A shrill ringing breaks into the early hours of Detective Jen Garner’s second day back on the force, yanking her out of sleep. Cursing, she gropes for her phone.

‘Sorry to disturb you this early. There’s been an incident.’

A devastating explosion has destroyed a popular nightclub and many lives along with it. The air is alarmingly thick with the smell of burning wood and sulphur.

But this was no accident. And the bomber slips through her fingers.

Everywhere Jen turns, there is someone with something to hide.

Left with no one to trust and everything to lose, Jen must use all she has at her disposal to untangle a web of dangerous lies in her toughest case yet.

But can she do it before time runs out and more innocent lives pay the price in this deadly game?

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 10, 2022

About the author

Claire lives in Nottingham with her family, a cat called Whiskers and a dog called Podrick.

She suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and as a result of the disease had to reduce her hours working in insurance for an Insolvency Insurer. This spare time enabled her to study a creative writing course which inspired her to write her debut, Perfect Lie.

When Claire isn't working she enjoys reading crime novels and listening to music – the band Jimmy Eat World is her biggest muse! Claire is also an avid reader and book blogger. The inspiration for her novels comes from the hours spent watching The Bill with her grandparents and auntie; then later, Spooks and other detective programmes like Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost and Midsomer Murders.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Carbon, the large music venue in Nottingham, resounded with the sounds of explosions while a band was on stage, DI Chris Jackson and Detective Jen Garner, along with the fire department, ambulance, police, all converged on the scene. Chaos reigned while trying to rescue survivors, put the fire out and make sure the venue was safe – the outcome was twenty two dead and many more injured. Chris, Jen and the team needed to find out who had planted bombs in Carbon, how they got in with the amount of security on the doors, and a motive…

Karl Jenkins, owner of Carbon, seemed more concerned about his insurance payout, and getting the club up and running again, than the people who'd died, even his staff who were injured. And the secrets he was hiding had Karl high on the suspect list. When another club experienced a disturbance, and another big venue had bombs discovered inside not long before an event, Chris, Jen and the team knew the clock was ticking and they still had a maniac on the loose. Would they find the solution and locate the bomber?

A Burning Lie is the 3rd in the Lisa Carter Files by Claire Sheldon and I enjoyed it very much. With Jen trying to shake her old life as Lisa Carter, and not even sure she wanted to, Chris’ illness and keeping it from his team and bosses, and the camaraderie of the team which saw them work well together, I’m looking forward to the next in the series. Easily read as a standalone, the thrills and chills, twists and turns, made A Burning Lie easy to recommend.

With thanks to ChocLit Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren Millar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, the first half were a bit slower than the last 2 books but still a great read.
Love the shorter chapters personally.
It took a long time to read this book but nothing on the book purely due to my free time.
Would highly recommend the series

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book three of the exciting thriller series featuring Detective Inspector Chris Jackson and Detective Jen Garner.

While hosting a popular band, a packed nightclub is targeting by a bomber resulting in tragic consequences. The search for the bomber is headed by DI Chris Jackson assisted by Jen Garner at her first week in Nottingham's police force. Chris is having health problems, there's a hostile police sergeant watching Chris for any mistakes and Jen is new to the team. The bomber won't stop with one attack, how many more premises will be targeting before he's caught.

A Burning Lie is a gripping thriller that's part of a series featuring familiar characters, each book concentrates on a different criminal investigation.

A real page turner and thoroughly recommended

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire Sheldon’s A Burning Lie is a chilling and compelling thriller full of twists and turns that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.

Detective Jen Garner wanted to make a fresh start for herself after the trauma of her past. She thought that local level policing would be just the thing to help her settle into her new life as she tries to build a future for herself, but if she was expecting her first week to be uneventful, then she was sadly mistaken as she immediately finds herself plunged into an investigation that will test her like never before. Can Jen solve this case? Or will she end up regretting her decision to start over?

The city is completely flabbergasted by a devastating fire in a well-known music venue that had shaken the entire community to its core. With a dangerous bomber still at large, Jen – working alongside DI Chris Jackson – needs to work hard and put the perpetrator behind bars before more lives are put in danger. However, Jen seems to be going down one dead end after another and coming up with more questions than answers. Why is the nightclub owner more concerned with how much money he’s lost rather than people’s lives? Why is nobody talking? And just what secrets are all the people in the frame hiding?

Jen vows to get to the bottom of this case and she has no time to lose because a ruthless criminal is biding their time waiting to strike again…

A heart-pounding and adrenaline-filled thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing until the very end, Claire Sheldon’s A Burning Lie is a cleverly plotted crime novel where the pages just turn themselves. Claire Sheldon brilliantly explores community tensions, dangerous secrets and twisted deceptions in a gripping procedural that I found very hard to put down.

Fast-paced, action-packed and full of shocks and surprises, Claire Sheldon’s A Burning Lie is a nail-biting crime thriller full of tension, suspense and intrigue.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 3rd in the Lisa Carter Files series, but easily read as a standalone and it's another pulsating thriller from Claire Sheldon, as we follow the very likeable and relatable characters she's created, as they struggle with a case that has left a music venue blown up and 22 victims.

DI Chris Jackson, and Detective Jen Garner team up again to solve the mystery in front of them, and all while dealing with their own personal issues. Chris Jackson has an illness hanging over him and he's really struggling to come to terms with it and the impact it will have on him both personally and professionally. And Jen is facing the battle between raising a family and wanting to carry on working and trying to get the balance right of not bringing work home with her - very difficult when she's involved in such time consuming cases.

And this case is a big mystery as initially there appear to be no motive so it's a big case of ruling people in and ruling people out, interviewing everyone there and delving into their pasts. Who has got something to hide?! I love how well they work together and the meticulous approach to the issues in front of them eventually proves to be successful and the conclusion was shocking and thrilling in equal measures!!

I love the mix of personal and work life in these books, they make it seem more real and showing the human side of the police! Their lives don't just go on hold because they're working a big case! Hoping there'll be more installments as I love keeping up with these characters!! A great read!!

[Isabelle D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Lisa Carter Files series and, once again, I really enjoyed following Jen Gardner, Chris Jackson and other now familiar characters in their investigations.
Jen is finding the slow aspects of her new job a little frustrating, Chris struggles with the symptoms of a not-officially-diagnosed-yet illness that threatens both his career and his personal life, and they have a suspect to catch before a home-made bomb explodes in another musical venue.
If you haven't read books 1 (Perfect Lie) and 2 (A Silent Child) yet, it shouldn't stop you from enjoying this one (which is a complete story working by itself), but it would still be best to read the series in order, as otherwise references to previous events could spoil the other plots (especially that of book 1) for you.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cleverly crafted story bringing together a suspected arson attack, the investigation into it, and the personal interactions of the people involved. The ill health of the hero Chris is a thread that runs throughout and how it affects his relationships adds to the story. Although it is a stand alone story there are references to the previous book and I think it would possibly help you understand some small details in this book if you had read the previous. That said, I found it a gripping crime novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. It had a touch of romance to lift it. The story line twisted and turned and the outcome was definitely not as I had expected. Enjoy.

[Anni Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I start? Book three in the Lisa Carter series and they just keep getting better and better.

I loved its plot, characterisation and how well it is written. We have met some of the characters in Claire’s previous books. However, it is not essential to have read the earlier novels, Claire provides snippets of information relating to Jen’s past life that help explain why she acts the way she does. A terrific novel - fast paced and well researched and I found it very hard to put down.

I look forward to reading more from Claire. Loved it!

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading A Perfect Lie I hoped for more featuring D.I. Chris Jackson. Well, I was not disappointed in this. A can't-put-downable thriller part accompanied by oh-no-what's-happening personal elements makes this story a gripping read. And the ending has you waiting with bated breath for the next case!

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 of the series and once again brilliant. I love Chris Jen and the rest of the team. Having only come across this author about 6 weeks ago she has fast become one of my favourites. Roll on book 4.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting

This is one of the best series I've read! The plots are well developed and progress,at an exciting pace; the characters are well defined and you get to know them more in each book.
I highly recommend this series -- be sure to read in order.
Really hoping for more books to come.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Burning Lie is fully deserving of all 5 stars. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the previous books in this series; I can honestly say this one was the best yet. It was packed full of drama and a mystery that had me guessing the culprit.
I also found Chris' health a good part of the storyline, as someone with health issues it is a rarity to find a central character's symptoms are similar to my own. And to have that character be treated with respect, not killed off and not to be used as an 'extra' that is used to make another caring character look better is such a refreshing change. Representation is important and this book did it well.
I would happily recommend this book to fellow readers, although I would encourage them to read the first two books in the series first.

[Kerry Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Lisa Carter Files series and a pretty good ending to the series.

This book was slightly slower paced but I found that it made it perfect for a last book. If this was a standalone book I would have rated it slightly lower with it being a slower paced book.

The twists and turns were slightly easier to guess in this book as well but I still didnt click onto them until quite far in the book.

This series has been a fast paced, edge of the seat, action packed and thrilling reads.
Really enjoyed them individually and gutted I didnt read them sooner.

[Sarah Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gritty, gripping crime drama set in the Midlands. I must read the others in the series! Thanks.