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DI Adam Fawley #5

by Cara Hunter, Олександр Руденко (translator)

Коли детективу Адаму Фоулі доручають справу про сексуальне насильство, порушену студентом Оксфорду проти викладача, він очікує побачити звичний сценарій. Але цього разу все інакше: жертва - чоловік-регбіст, а звинувачена - одна з найшанованіших професорок університету.

Детектив намагається розплутати клубок обставин, не підозрюючи, що за ним стежить незримий ворог, готовий вжити будь-яких заходів, щоб зупинити розслідування і замаскувати правду. Тож Фоулі змушений буде добратися до істини, перш ніж він сам та нові жертви опиняться в пастці…

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Procedural

448 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2021

About the author

Cara 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.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifth in the ever popular DI Adam Fawley series, and ‘The Whole Truth’ is as fresh and inventive as the first.

Two storylines this time around, the first being a student/professor sexual abuse claim - but what makes this one really stand out, is the fact that the accuser is a strapping six foot rugby playing Male, and the predator is his highly accomplished Female professor.

The second storyline is a murder case that brings very much to the fore an attack some 18 years previously on DI Fawley’s wife Alex. There appears to be a connection, with the victim being known to both Fawley and his wife. Additionally, Alex’s attacker has recently been released from prison. This particular case though, will have unexpected and frightening consequences for Fawley himself.

This crime thriller is very ambitious, but it succeeds on all levels. It has plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Hunter is an accomplished writer, creating tension that is palpable, and there’s a real poignancy and compassion at the heart of the plot, as she weaves a layer of sensitivity towards her characters, which makes them vulnerable and human. I remember reading the first in the series and saying that it had all the makings of a great series, and that has proven to be the case. Brilliant!

* I was invited to read ‘The Whole Truth’ by the publisher and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cara Hunter returns with her latest addition to her hugely popular Oxford based crime series featuring DI Adam Fawley. It proves to be a fast paced thrilling and twisted shocker of an adrenaline ride that continues with the completely unexpected revelations from the previous book. Once again, Hunter delivers with her trademark style of interspersing the narrative with press articles, voicemails, police interviews, podcasts, emails, phone calls, online local and national media, medical examiner forms and more. Adam's lawyer wife, Alex, is pregnant and isolated at home, and Adam is doing all that he can to support her, with the suicide of their son, Jake, hanging over them. There is additional pressure on the Fawleys as the man dubbed the roadside rapist, Garry Parrie, is now out of prison, tagged, his threats upon conviction, where he claimed he had been fitted up, not forgotten, particularly as Alex feels they are being watched.

In the meantime, in a turn up for the books, a young Oxford student with the strapping physique of a rugby player, Caleb Morgan, mentored by the famous and popular Professor Marina Fisher, is claiming Fisher sexually assaulted him when he was babysitting her son. With Gislingham away, demoted DC Gareth Quinn is in charge of this political hot potato of a case, Fisher is an academic media star, lauded by her Oxford College with her ability to attract huge levels of funding whilst Morgan's mother is a high profile MP. Despite knowing it's not good for her peace of mind and fragile health, Alex is doggedly following every episode of a podcast by Jocelyn Naismith, co-founder of The Whole Truth that campaigns on miscarriages of justice. Naismith is taking up and supporting Parrie's case and his claim that he is an innocent man, reviewing all aspects of the case in the podcast in detail. Then a woman falling from a railway bridge turns out to have been murdered, a case that sees Adam's life and career go into freefall.

One of the highlights of Hunter's smashing series is the time given to members of Adam's police team as they work their cases, you get insights into their characters, lives and issues. For example, Quinn surprisingly finds himself in a relationship that he is happy and challenged in with Maisie. DC Verity Everett tries to help and support DC Erica Somers who is struggling with the issues that arise for her, but she is refusing to let Everett know what is going on. DS Chris Gislingham is an absolute rock of support to Adam when he returns to work, willing to do whatever it takes for him, even if it endangers his career. As per usual with this superior crime series, this is riveting and compulsive reading, with Alex proving to be revelation when it comes to her forensic eye for details. An absolute rollicking page turner that will have you pushing the world away until you reach the final pages. Brilliant must read crime fiction! Many thanks to Penguin UK for an ARC.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evidence?
I have followed Cara Hunter from her debut for good reason – she’s brilliant. One of my favourite thriller writers does it again, and now her series is being adapted for TV. Cara delivers another police procedural with her police team that we grow a deeper and deeper connection with. The Whole Truth is captivating, full of mystery, tension, moral dilemma and outstanding in its observational power that urges you to think profoundly about various issues.

DI Adam Fawley and his team are investigating a rape charge where a male student has accused his female professor of rape, using her position of power to control submission. There are so many reversals of direction throughout the story that you never quite know the truth, but it does illustrate the challenging perceptions of rape when it’s just one word against another and the evidence appears consensual.

In stark contrast, in terms of brutality and an evil calculated psyche, the ‘Roadside Rapist’ – Gavin Parrie, is released from prison and vowed revenge on the main detective who hunted him down. Adam Fawley was the detective who built the case against him and used evidence from one of his victims to guarantee the conviction. That victim is now Adam’s wife, Alex, and the suspicion is that the evidence was planted, which is what Parrie has claimed. The twists and surprises in this revenge laden mystery create an atmosphere that is full of menace, drama, fatigue and fear, all while Alex is almost at full term with her pregnancy.

Once again Cara Hunter uses modern storytelling mechanics to deliver her story including the use of podcasts (which plays a big role in this novel), social media, text conversations, interview transcripts and voice recordings. I have wondered if this would get too much and start becoming a distraction but so far it hasn’t, however, I did feel the graphic image of a smartphone with the text conversation laid out started to go that direction. Maybe I’m too traditional but I would hate to see the overuse of graphics in a fictional thriller novel.

While major investigations are solved, other supporting plots and rivalries are not fully resolved and tied up in a pretty bow, which is a more realistic conclusion. There is always the next book to take these relationships further. I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the team members as their personal lives are drawn with greater depth and circumstance as they face difficulties and challenges with private issues that start creeping into their police work.

I think this was a challenging subject illustrating the horrendous crime of rape, but Cara presented a range of scenarios without being insensitive or graphic. I would like to thank Cara Hunter, Penguin UK and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded down

One sentence review: A smooth journey other than a wrong turn that added 30 mins to the trip if you know what I mean

SYNOPSIS

A male rugby players accuses a standout professor of sexual assault. Meanwhile a case from DI Adam Fawley's early days comes back to haunt him and his wife.

MY OPINION

Okay so I'm often unbothered when a book is marketed incorrectly – whether it's tagged as a thriller when the thrillz are akin to my dog sniffing his ass or the synopsis was overpromising/giving too much away. BUTTTTT I have to say... the fact the synopsis didn't mention the whole ass Adam Fawley vs. Gavin Parrie storyline did throw me off because it is a SIGNIFICANT portion of the book.

This is the "detour" I'm referring to in my one-sentence review. It popped up randomly and outta left field and I was confusion about whether it had to do with the he said/she said sexual assault case or...? And for a good chunk of the book the "marketed case" so to speak is yeeted to the side and not as much as whisper is said about it until much later. Although to be fair – upon reflection – the title applies to both cases. BUT AGAIN – if you think you're only getting a he said/she said plot... SURPRISE!

Anyways other than that, I really enjoyed this. Cara "bitch you thought" Hunter delivered yet again with a story that has you flip flopping like a fish on land... did she do it? Did HE actually do it? Sexual assault cases are notoriously hard to prosecute and Cara demonstrates why. I liked the twist of the roles being reversed; hate me if you want but the victHIM hashtag had me rolling. This ain't French, words aren't gendered. Victim applies to men too 😂

I appreciate Cara including character files at the beginning – there are a lot of POVs and they're rotating fast af. Scenes (no chapters as usual) don't last longer than a couple of pages. If you haven't read the earlier books, you might have whiplash tryna keep up. Ya'll know I'm a veteran at popping in and out of a series but I wouldn't recommend reading this as a standalone.

I'm ready for DC Quinn to get voted off the island – he's a smarmy lil one. And I really wanted to throat punch DS King. King vs Quinn choose your douchebag.

And then that epilogue... gawdamnnnnn. I really didn't see that coming. This was my fave book of the series and it all came down to the fact she didn't Sharon Bolton the ending. What do I mean by that? Well Sharon Bolton will have a six-pack solid book and then seems to chug a four loko before coming up with the most contrived, OTT, nonsensical shit ever. I found that Hunter can go a lil OD in her other books at the end, but this one was plausible. Sometimes less really is more.

I can't wait to get my lil grubby mitts on #6. And I hope Hunter already has #7 in the works. Oh and it's gonna be a tv show??? Say less!!!!

PROS AND CONS

Pros: juicy j cases (multiple – don't be fooled by the synopsis), fast-paced, funny, insightful, normal ending

Cons: synopsis doesn't include the Adam Fawley vs. Gavin Parrie storyline which is 50% of the book, other case is yeeted to the side and then revived – integration could've been better

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Adam Fawley and team are back! Yessss!!! In this one Gavin Parrie, The Roadside Rapist from a 1998 case, is out of prison and wants revenge, there’s a complicated she said/he said case brought to them by the Principal of Edith Launceleve College and stretching them even further is a missing woman case.

I think this series is among the best in current crime fiction because it’s exactly that - current, fresh and bang up to date with a superbly crafted police team at the core, who feel authentic and real. I love the use of the varying media platforms and in this one of particular importance are a series of podcasts although there’s always a good mixture interspersed with interviews as well as Fawley’s perspective. One of the investigations is a very relevant sex abuse case which is handled carefully and without being gratuitous. There is tension, menace, fear, secrets and lies and an ever deepening and twisty mystery. It’s fast paced, well plotted and extremely well written and very hard to put down. The end is breathtaking and so tense. That’s how you write a crime novel and this one is maybe the best yet???

Overall, another excellent addition to this terrific series, the Oxford setting is fantastic, I love the occasional use of humour to relive the build up of tension. A TV production in the offing? I’m not surprised .... and who will play the enigmatic Fawley?????

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin UK for the much appreciated arc.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: I wonder what she would have said if she knew the truth.

Gavin Parrie isn't stupid, she's right about that. And he'd have a hell of a lot to lose, she's right about that too. But he does have a reason. A reason that might - perhaps - be worth the risk.

Revenge.

Because he wasn't just venting, that day, in court.

He was guilty. He knows that and I know that. But there's something else we both know.

Gavin Parrie was convicted on a lie.

ABOUT 'THE WHOLE TRUTH': An attractive student. An older professor.

Think you know the story? Think again.

She has everything at stake; he has everything to lose. But one of them is lying, all the same.

When an Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, DI Adam Fawley's team think they've heard it all before. But they couldn't be more wrong.

Because this time, the predator is a woman and the shining star of the department, and the student a six-foot male rugby player.

Soon DI Fawley and his team are up against the clock to figure out the truth. What they don't realise is that someone is watching.

And they have a plan to put Fawley out of action for good.

MY THOUGHTS: The Whole Truth by Cara Hunter has two storylines involving DI Adam Fawley. There's a distinctly different and muddied case of sexual assault, and an old case of Adam's, which actively involves his very pregnant wife Alex, looks like it is coming back to haunt them.

This is a heart-in-the-mouth addition to an excellent series. I have become quite fond of Adam and his team, most of whom are loyal to their boss. But there's always one, isn't there, who wants to take him down.

There are plenty of twists and turns in both storylines and at times I felt like I was in a tumble dryer and didn't know which way was up. Cara Hunter has done a wonderful job of making this work. At no point was I in any way confused, just incredibly excited and invested in the outcome.

Hunter has seamlessly blended two intriguing storylines with a progression in the characters personal lives. Adam and Alex's is fraught with tension on several fronts, and we learn a bit more about Asante.

Another thing I really appreciated was the refresher on the series characters at the beginning of the book. Other authors, please take note.

The one fly in the ointment for me was the reproduction of Alex's notes. It was totally unreadable on the Kindle. 🤷‍♀️

The narration on the audiobook was excellent. It was provided by Lee Ingleby, Emma Cunnliffe and Roy McMillan.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheWholeTruth #NetGalley #carahunterauthor #penguinukbooks #penguinrandomhouse

@CaraHunterBooks @PenguinUKBooks @PenguinRandom

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #series

THE AUTHOR: Cara Hunter is a writer who lives in Oxford, in a street not unlike those featured in her series of crime books.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Penguin Random House UK audio and Penguin General UK via Netgalley for providing both a digital and audio ARC for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The truth certainly gets a work-out in this terrific new addition to Cara Hunter’s excellent crime series set in Oxford, featuring DI Adam Fawley.

First, there is the male postgrad student at an Oxford college who claims he was sexually assaulted by his academic mentor. He’s a six-foot rugby player so did she really try to force herself on him? She’s a professor and high flyer at her college with a lot to lose if the case goes to court, but is she also a predator who thinks she is powerful enough to get away with it?

Next there is the true crime podcast, ‘The Whole Truth,‘ sponsored by an organisation that campaigns to overturn miscarriages of justice. The current series features Gavin Parrie, aka ‘the Roadside Rapist’, arrested by Adam and jailed for rape of several women in 1998, despite maintaining his innocence. Now paroled after twenty years in jail and monitored with an ankle bracelet, the podcast aims to show that the original investigation was flawed and the real rapist never caught. Adam’s wife Alex was one of Parrie’s last victims and because her evidence helped to convict him, she finds herself addicted to listening to the podcast. After all he did threaten her in court and now she’s home alone and heavily pregnant.

And then there is Adam, caught in a nightmare situation where solid forensic evidence points at him as the perpetrator of a shocking crime. Not even his own team can believe he could be innocent; they all know forensic evidence couldn’t be wrong, could it?

This is a beautifully paced book with the parallel plots all being carefully set up, ready to explode into unexpected directions with twists and revelations later in the book. As with the previous books in this series, snippets of information are sprinkled throughout the text in the form of newspaper cuttings, email, social media, police reports and excerpts from the podcast. As well as giving a glimpse of what is happening behind the scenes, this makes for a lively and entertaining reading experience.

One of the strengths of this series is the development of the secondary characters and Adam’s colleagues are not forgotten amongst the drama as they progress with their lives and careers. The sexual abuse case was sensitively handled and raised interesting issues in the gender politics that occur in this type of case. This is the fifth book in the series and, is best read in sequence to really get to know the characters and their backstories. However, the author does give an excellent summary for each character before the start of the novel, making it possible to read it as a stand-alone.

Overall, this was a compelling, gripping read with plenty of suspense and tension as the stakes are raised high before the whole truth emerges.

With thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for a copy to read. Expected publication 29th April. Original review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a bit different. There are two plots running through it. The book starts with a sexual abuse complaint (rather than a murder) but in this case the victim is a strapping young man and the perp is an older (albeit rather attractive) professor. Fawley’s team gets the case because the young man’s mother is a VIP but it proves to be anything but simple. With this case - everyone is an unreliable narrator and the worst of them was the professor’s 7 year old son. I still don’t know if he was lying or not!

While the sexual abuse case turns on its head again and again, recently released serial rapist Gavin Parrie is quietly plotting his revenge against DI Adam Fawley who was a DS 18 years ago and was largely instrumental in getting Parrie convicted. Adam’s wife, Alex - one of Parrie’s former victims, is heavily pregnant with their second child. The first one having died in tragic circumstances some years ago. Alex is a bundle of nerves, she is 44, quite an age to be pregnant and she is convinced Parrie will want his revenge because his conviction was not as simple as it seems.

When Parrie finally strikes it is not in the direction the Fawley’s anticipated, its almost worse. The rug is well and truly pulled from under Fawley’s feet and he is truly in a bind that even he may not be able to escape from!

The first half of the book sets it all up - subtle clues and a slow ramping up of foreboding. Then WHAM, a sucker punch to the gut. I really don’t want want to spoil this excellent story for anyone so I’ll stop there. This is #5 in the series but can be read as a stand alone, although I do think it would be so much better to read them all. It is a truly excellent series. Cara Hunter writes so well and her characters are wonderful. In each book she adds more flesh to their bones. In this book we become concerned over Somer’s health and Fawley’s impending fatherhood. Quinn has almost redeemed himself and Everett shows her us her empathetic side again.Their loyalty to Fawley is laudable. This book will appeal to anyone who loves a good thriller or mystery or crime story. It is not gruesome and no animals were hurt or killed. Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Cara Hunter for providing a copy for me to review. My opinions are my own.

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Whole Truth, DI Fawley book number five, received stellar reviews from friends and readers whose tastes run similar to mine.

The premise of a female professor taking liberties with a male student intrigued me since it’s a reversal of the usual trope. However, for some reason it didn’t catch fire with me.

This was my first by the author and I appreciated the diagrams and character breakdowns provided assisting me in getting up to speed starting in the middle of a series. But I was underwhelmed and wished I could have viewed it like others before me.

I purchased it from the book depository and will possibly re-read at some point and hope that I’ll feel differently.

[Alan Cotterell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to author Cara Hunter, Penguin books and Netgalley, for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book in this series, for me I will have to go back and read the rest. I was pleasantly surprised to find a quick summary of the key members of the team at the start of the book. Which is a great idea, and every author with a series should do this. Especially if like me you read lots of different series and sometimes struggle to remember who is in which series. (Old age!).

My second reaction was why no chapters, this made for some long sections and in my opinion slowed the pace down a little. The podcast was interesting and broke up the dialogue. Might have just been me but the images of phone text and another notepad with jottings were almost unreadable in ebook form. Maybe need new glasses! I tried making the font larger, but this just made the format weird and still not readable!

A very good read, 2 different powerful stories running parallel, which kept me guessing with lots of twists along the way. The ending to one of the stories was a surprise, but the other one I had a pretty good idea very early on.

Overall, I found this book very original in its layout and it was a very entertaining read. I will now look out for the previous titles in the series

[NZLisaM · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Truth, and nothing but the truth … Well, not really, because it wouldn't be a thriller if characters weren't hiding a lot.

A male graduate student accuses his female professor of sexual assault.

Engineers discover a body below a bridge on the tracks, but manage to alert the approaching train in time.

A young woman is reported missing when she fails to show up for work. Police discover her flat empty, door wide open, and purse, wallet, and keys on the coffee table.

DI Adam Fawley, and the CID team are not only up to their ears in crime, in this – the fifth installment in the series, but their personal lives are about to collide and explode as well. Secrets that have been building and tantalizingly dangled in us readers face’s in the first four books come to a head, and things get very hairy and serious for Fawley and co. Loyalties are divided, resentments fester, anger rises to the surface, and there's a new antagonist in the police force, whom I constantly wanted to punch in the face. It doesn't help that the peacemaker of the group, DS Chris Gislington, is on holiday for the first half of the novel.

Once again Cara Hunter's inclusion of podcasts, texts, emails, voice-mails, social media group posts, notes, diagrams, and news articles added realism and variety to her writing. The sex crime storyline was an interesting twist on the usual he said/she said scenario, and highlighted the double standard, stigmatisation, and gender stereotypes that exist between male and female victims of sexual violence. I feel I should mention that there are several scenes that are fairly explicit, therefore may be too confronting for some readers – likely triggering for survivors of abuse, so approach with caution.

My recommendation is to read the series in order. And, believe me you won't be disappointed as all five books are 5-star quality. However, The Whole Truth could be read as a standalone, as there is a handy ‘Previously … in the Fawley files' guide at the start, and the plot itself does a fantastic job of explaining what's gone on before.

I'm beyond thrilled to report that the book series has been picked up for a TV series – yay! They’d better do it justice though, or they'll have me to answer to. Here's me settling in for a long wait until the release of no. 6.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business and Cara Hunter for the e-ARC.

Publication Date: 25th February, 2021.

[Emily May · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the mystery outlined in the blurb extremely interesting, gripping and hard to predict. I kept switching sides in my head, unsure who to believe.

However, what made this only three stars for me was that the book gets swamped by the addition of this whole second mystery which is a) uninteresting, and b) obvious. The author tries to build up some tension in this second mystery, but surely no one is buying that Adam Fawley murdered the woman. So I would read those chapters, impatiently waiting to get back to the story I came for.

[CarolG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow I've managed to stay on top of this series despite the fact that the library hasn't gotten any of the books since #2. I ordered 3, 4 and 5 from The Book Depository via Amazon and will probably do the same for #6 which is due to be published in July 2022. All the books have been 4 and 5 stars for me.

My enjoyment of this book was kind of erratic at first. The print seemed small in the paperback and it felt like there were too many words crammed on each page. As in the previous books, there are no chapter breaks and the narrative is peppered with copies of police reports, transcripts of interviews, diagrams, etc., even a podcast script, which I normally enjoy but some of the items in this one were so faint I had to use a magnifying glass to make them out. I think it must be time to visit my optometrist! The author was kind enough to include a chart at the beginning listing all the major players, their ages, marital status and personality traits. So helpful.

As far as the book itself, it was excellent with a couple of interesting storylines to follow, one involving a male student who has accused his female professor of sexual assault and one involving the murder of an adoption services worker who is also a friend of DI Adam Fawley's wife. The recurring characters feel like old friends and occasionally Adam Fawley would say something like, 'If you know me, you know I ...', and I really felt like I knew him. Once I got past some of the small print, it went pretty quickly and I'm already looking forward to the next book. This was such an engrossing well-written book that I'm giving it the full 5 stars in spite of my quibbles.

I was pretty excited to read in the author's acknowledgements that the novels have been picked up for a tv series adaptation but who knows when it'll get made or when it'll get to Canada.

[Bec (becbingesbooks) - sorry, behind with lots of catching up to do · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think if you've seen my reviews lately you'll see how much I'm loving this series.

There were parts in this that killed me. Nothing worse than bad things happening to your favourite characters.

Highly recommend this series

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This maybe the best book in the DI Adam Fawley series so far! And that is a big call as they are all fantastic books. I could not turn the pages quick enough, I had to know what was going to happen and how it would all play out....no spoilers but you don't want to miss this one.

There is so much going on in The Whole Truth. We have a claim from an Oxford student of sexual assault by a professor - a case like none you have seen before. At the same time Adam and his wife are dealing with their past coming back to haunt them. It is twisty and unpredictable and Adam certainly has his work cut out for him this time.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book to read.

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a police procedural centring around DI Adam Fawley, it’s the fifth book in the series and I do think it needs to be read in order or at least to have some experience of the previous books just for background.
I myself have read two of them so did have enough of an insight to follow along as there’s a lot of subtle nuances and internal dynamics that you may struggle with without this prior exposure to the series as a whole.
It’s also told from multiple POV’s which at times can get a bit confusing keeping them all straight.

So I’ve read a couple of this authors books previously and have always enjoyed them and rated them highly but this one for me didn’t measure up to anywhere near what I’ve come to expect from this author.

Unfortunately, it was a bit of a slog and I struggled to finish.
The first half was very slow and failed to capture my attention I also found all the extra personal dynamics contributed by all the different perspectives that veered away from the central story threw me out of my zone, I just wasn’t that interested in all the secondary fluff included.

I’m aware that this is a style this author adopts and usually it doesn’t bother me as it’s always been balanced fairly evenly in previous books.
But here it just seemed there was a lot going on more so than usual and it didn’t seem that relevant to me as a reader.
I was having to overthink to connect all the dots and this then made this hard work and not the easy read I was anticipating.

This did pick up in the second half and things became a lot more interesting from there, but without this, I think this would definitely have been a DNF from me.
I persevered with this mainly because I do usually rate this particular author very highly so I wanted to see if it would get any better.
On a side note that epilogue definitely threw a whole lot of shade on things that’s for sure.

Overall the writing itself was fine but I just didn’t really enjoy it I’m definitely not averse to reading other books by this author in the future as I have mentioned earlier I’ve liked past stuff of hers unfortunately this one for me was not up to her usual standard and I was largely disappointed.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Whole Truth.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment in the series! I continue to love Hunter’s use of mixed media and the way she structures her complex, layered storytelling—it’s such a standout element of these books.

While I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t my favorite in the series. I found it a bit more predictable than the others, especially when it came to Fawley’s storyline, and the pacing felt slightly slower overall. I didn’t feel like there was as much character development as others in the series either.

That said, it’s still a solid, engaging read with plenty of tension, suspense, and mystery woven throughout! I’m excited to give the next one a read!

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really strong outing in the DI Adam Fawley series.

I've enjoyed every entry in this latest police procedural series and whilst it's a welcome addition by Hunter to include a rough crash course for those who've just discovered the series, I felt some of the emotional impact that Fawley is delt with is far more effective having read the previous instalments.

The main case resolves around a sexual assort case with the unique twist that strapping rugby player Caleb accuses professor Marina Fisher of an attack.

Whilst the second plot line focuses on the release of Gavin Parrie (The Roadside Rapist) from prison and is adamant in seeking revenge.

The two strands weave seamlessly together especially as this series is brilliant for including various snippets of news reports, social media posts and podcast extracts to help tell the plot.
There's a real time feel to he narrative that help keeps the reader hooked, I was gripped especially through the final third.

[Keri Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Adam Fawley begins investigating a male Oxford student's sexual assault case against his female professor. She is well known in her field but not well liked by all... many of the men are attracted to her, and the women are suspicious of her. As the investigation continues, there is also a murdered woman discovered. All of this is going on as Fawley's wife is at the end of her pregnancy, and she begins to think that someone is watching the house... perhaps someone who has threatened her husband. Everything is revealed at the end, and they supply some good twists!

This is one where you don't want to say too much, but I am enjoying this series.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in a series featuring Oxford based Detective Inspector Adam Fawley and his team. I hadn’t read the earlier books but rather helpfully this one kicked off with a brief introduction to Fawley and his crew – I wish other series of this type would follow this lead, what a good idea.

We are introduced to two cases here, but I’ll only provide brief outlines so as not to spoil the fun for future readers:

1. A promising postgraduate student accuses a high profile female professor of sexual assault.
2. A friend of Fawley’s heavily pregnant wife is brutally raped and murdered as, coincidentally, a man known as the Roadside Rapist is released from jail.

There’s good and bad for me in this type of British police procedural: the plot is often tangled and intriguing and the lead policeman is usually a complex character with a few skeletons in the cupboard, but you also have to battle through the team politics and personal life stories of a multitude of colleagues. I’ve been on this journey a few times with series I’ve stuck with for quite a while but I always seem to eventually tire of secondary characters. I guess my preference is for American (or Spanish, or Italian…) crime fiction tales where by and large the cast of crime solvers is much smaller.

Anyway, that small gripe aside I do have to say that this story did, for the most part, retain my interest and I also developed a liking for the lead detective. There are twists aplenty here (maybe even too many in one of the cases) as Fawley finds himself up to his neck in complications and having to rely heavily on his colleagues to carry the heavy load of investigative work. But my old fear of a large support team and of getting tangled up in the personal lives of (what were to me were) fringe characters did raise its head and I fear it also interrupted the flow of the tale somewhat.

Fans of the series will probably take a different view but I feel that the ‘surprises’ in one case were somewhat undone and their impact usurped by yet another twist – at least one too many – and the other case was pretty much telegraphed from the start, with simply the ‘how’ being left to figure out.

I listened to an audio version of this book which was expertly narrated by a trio of readers. My thanks to Penguin Random House UK Audio and NetGalley for supplying a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Jayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A male Oxford student/rugby player accuses a well-respected female university professor of sexual assault.

Both sides deny guilt.

Who is telling the truth?

1) THE WHOLE TRUTH:
I am a huge Cara Hunter fan.

This book was the fifth book in the author's "Adam Fawley" series and all of the earlier books in this series earned very high ratings from me.

2) THE WHOLE TRUTH:
Unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.

First and foremost, I felt that Cara Hunter used a different writing style/tone/narrative voice for this book than her earlier books and this new style did not work for me.

The author's earlier books were fast-paced and exciting. This book was not.

3) THE WHOLE TRUTH:
Perhaps it was the book's extensive "Roadside Rapist" subplot that prevented me from becoming totally immersed/engaged in the storyline.

Or maybe it was the book's HUGE cast of characters.

(With the addition of a subplot, one needed a scorecard to keep track of everyone!)

The book's reliance on podcasts, Twitter feeds, and many irrelevant conversations in conveying the plotline certainly did not help.

4) THE WHOLE TRUTH:
I listened to the audiobook and the inclusion of so many different external sources of information was challenging to follow.

As a result, the book seemed very disjointed and all over the place.

(Maybe more narrators should have been used?)

5) THE WHOLE TRUTH:
I never thought that I would give a Cara Hunter book three stars, but I just did.

[Indieflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cracking police procedural in the Adam Fawley series, a quick read with some nice twists and turns and a satisfying ending. I appreciated the who's who list at the front, I'm somewhat late getting to this one so it was helpful to have a reminder of all the characters. I've enjoyed all of this series so far, bring on the next installment ☺️, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the DI Adam Fawley series by author Cara Hunter. I enjoyed the 1st book 'Close to Home' but somehow never got round to the other three books. Once I finished this novel I recalled how much I enjoyed the previous one and instantly ordered books 2,3 and 4 to get up to date.

The case is a little different to the normal. An Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, sounds a familiar plot but the difference is the predator is a woman and the student a six-foot male rugby player.
This is a very good police procedural crime novel with excellent characters and a twisty plot. I don't intend to leave the next Cara Hunter book in my to read pile so long.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The “Whole Truth” is the 5th book in the D.I Adam Fawley series. I have to say this is one of my favourite authors and I just love this series!!

D.I Adam Fawley and his team are investigating a sexual abuse case regarding a professor and student. I love how the police and myself presumed it was a man abusing a young lady and no it was the other way around!!

The second investigation is an old case from 1998. Gavin Parrie named the “Roadside Rapist” has been released from prison. He is adamant that he has been set up and wants revenge!! This is a personal case for Adam as he worked the original and Alex who is now his wife was the key witness.

A gripping read with characters that I’ve come to love through this wonderful series. The twists will keep you guessing!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and was delighted to be asked to review this for the blog tour. I have to admit there was some trepidation before starting this – Adam Fawley is one of my favourite book detectives after all and I had a feeling that things were not going to go well for him in this book. Also I have to say congratulations to Cara for The Whole Truth being one of Richard & Judy’s Book Club Spring 2021 picks.

The first thing you come to in the book are brief character summaries of the key members of the team – this is so useful, especially when there is a long gap between books and I do wish publishers would do this more often with a series.

It’s rather a shame that “safe pair of hands” DS Chris Gislingham is on holiday for much of the book and the demoted DC Gareth Quinn is Acting DS in his absence. Fawley describes him as “sharp suit and blunt razor” which I think sums him up perfectly. His general attitude doesn’t always serve him well, particularly in this case which calls for some sensitive handling and he is frequently called out on it.

Quinn and DC Verity Everett are called out to the Edith Launceleve College in Oxford, where it seems that a complaint has been made of sexual assault against a member of the teaching staff, a professor. However all is not quite what it seems and this is just one part of a story that has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster.

Another strand to the story is one that follows on from the end of the previous book ‘All The Rage‘. This concerns Fawley and his heavily pregnant wife Alex. A case from the past is casting shadows on what should be a happy time for them and there is plenty of tension and plot twists as they both navigate their way through this turbulent time.

I don’t want to give away detail or spoilers but I very much enjoyed this latest instalment and in my opinion it’s probably the best one yet. Nothing is as it first appears and the author cleverly weaves a tense narrative with plot twists and suspicion to form a gripping story of revenge and retribution. I particularly enjoy the character development within Fawley’s team which gets better with each book. It is possible to read this on its own although you would be missing out on a lot of back story and to be honest when its such a good series, why wouldn’t you start from the beginning.

As with previous books, the story is told with snippets of social media posts, police reports, newspaper articles and this time features podcast transcripts. Some of these are in a different font and occasionally can be rather hard to read, but they are a feature of this series and it does give a relevant feel to the story.

One final thing. Dave King, I hate you and I wish that coffee had been hotter!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got excited to receive a copy The Whole truth by Cara Hunter. I have been following the series from the start and loved them. The author never seems to disappoint. The Whole truth is the fifth book in the series.
This time Fawley and his team investigate a student claiming sexual harassment from his tutor. Not unusual but, the student is male, and the tutor is female. Whilst the investigation unfolds with the controversy it leads to this case Di Fawley is stressed not just because of this case but also his wife Alex is nearly the end of her labour. The baby is due any day and there are complications, and she needs total bed rest.
This is another compelling thriller from the author. The story at first though was a bit slow to come together but when it did, I was hooked. The author has a unique writing style. I like how she keeps it current with the inserts of social media and whatsapp messaging. And I was at the edge of my seat to see what pans out with DI Fawley at the end of the book. 4.5 stars from me.

[Helga]

DNF at 60%

I can't believe i'm DNF-ing a Cara Hunter!

I have given 5 stars to this author's previous 4 books but this one's plot was so complicated and confusing that i give up. There are 2 different cases and too many characters. After struggling for 11 days my brain couldn't take it anymore.

[Marta Campos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mais um excelente livro da Cara Hunter da saga do inspetor Adam Fawley repleto de mistério, surpresas, segredos e reviravoltas.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the previous books in the series, this is gripping and twisty with a contemporary and timely storyline of rape and non-consent, with a gender politics overlay. It is, though, very much a story of two halves as Fawley gets sidelined for acute troubles of his own, a development which I found barely credible, however interesting in a 'Line of Duty' way...

The format of podcasts, WhatsApp, reports etc. continues and can add to the disjointed feel with some very quick-switch cinematic moments, though undoubtedly a page of WhatsApp posts can tell a story far more swiftly than exposition. At times Fawley's 1st person narrative starts addressing the reader directly ('you') and so I was expecting to learn who that intended reader was at the end, maybe a letter or similar? but no, that gets dropped and remains unresolved. In fact, the ending is the least satisfying part as it is so rushed: Hunter has to resolve it with a sudden inset of flashbacks and then it just ends with many threads still in the air.

Despite some niggles, this is perfect switch-off reading. It's perhaps not quite as twisty and puzzling as some of the earlier entries, and veers more towards the soap opera of Fawley's life which I find problematic as he's such a dull characterless lead. But the initial non-consent story and the far more interesting police teams carry this - a page-turner for sure, but with more thought behind it than many in the genre.

Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the DI Adam Fawley series by author Cara Hunter. I enjoyed the 1st book 'Close to Home' but somehow never got round to the other three books. Once I finished this novel I recalled how much I enjoyed the previous one and instantly ordered books 2,3 and 4 to get up to date.

The case is a little different to the normal. An Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, sounds a familiar plot but the difference is the predator is a woman and the student a six-foot male rugby player.
This is a very good police procedural crime novel with excellent characters and a twisty plot. I don't intend to leave the next Cara Hunter book in my to read pile so long.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.