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Detective Caelan Small #1
Ask No Questions
Some secrets were meant to stay hidden… Trust no-one
After an operation goes badly wrong, undercover specialist Detective Caelan Small leaves the Metropolitan Police for good. Or so she thinks. Then the criminal responsible is seen back in the UK.
Soon Caelan is drawn back into a dangerous investigation. But when the main lead is suddenly murdered, all bets are off. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone is a suspect - even close colleagues.
Someone in the Met is involved and Caelan is being told to Ask No Questions.
That isn't an option: Caelan needs answers… whatever the cost.
The nerve-shredding new crime thriller from bestseller Lisa Hartley starts a must-read new series. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza, it will keep you guessing until the very end.
336 pages, ebook
First published July 10, 2017
804 people are currently reading
754 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Hartley
24 books57 followersLisa Hartley lives with her partner, son, two dogs and several cats.
She graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Studies, then had a variety of jobs but kept writing in her spare time.
She is currently working on the next DS Catherine Bishop novel, as well as a new series with Canelo.
She graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Studies, then had a variety of jobs but kept writing in her spare time.
She is currently working on the next DS Catherine Bishop novel, as well as a new series with Canelo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
April 24, 2019
Outstanding! I picked this one up as I needed a Q in the title for a challenge – and what a win!
Detective Caelan Small quit the Met after a disastrous operation left her shattered. When she was approached by one of her colleagues while she was holidaying overseas, urged to return to the fold, Caelan initially refused. Why put herself through that again? But she was persuaded by a name from the past…
It didn’t take long for Caelan to be deeply involved in the investigation. The top brass wanted her on board – but things kept going wrong. Bodies were appearing with everything pointing to Caelan as the murderer. She suddenly realized she had no idea who to trust. Close colleagues, those she’d worked with over the years – she started to suspect everyone. Was there corruption among those she worked with? Or was it something entirely different?
Ask No Questions is the 1st in the Detective Caelan Small series and it looks like I have another series to read! Gripping, intense, twists and turns – an excellent thriller which I loved. Caelan is a great character; hurt, bruised but stubborn and strong. I'll be downloading the 2nd - Tell No Lies soon :) I really enjoyed this one and liken it to Angela Marsons’ DI Kim Stone series. Highly recommended.
Detective Caelan Small quit the Met after a disastrous operation left her shattered. When she was approached by one of her colleagues while she was holidaying overseas, urged to return to the fold, Caelan initially refused. Why put herself through that again? But she was persuaded by a name from the past…
It didn’t take long for Caelan to be deeply involved in the investigation. The top brass wanted her on board – but things kept going wrong. Bodies were appearing with everything pointing to Caelan as the murderer. She suddenly realized she had no idea who to trust. Close colleagues, those she’d worked with over the years – she started to suspect everyone. Was there corruption among those she worked with? Or was it something entirely different?
Ask No Questions is the 1st in the Detective Caelan Small series and it looks like I have another series to read! Gripping, intense, twists and turns – an excellent thriller which I loved. Caelan is a great character; hurt, bruised but stubborn and strong. I'll be downloading the 2nd - Tell No Lies soon :) I really enjoyed this one and liken it to Angela Marsons’ DI Kim Stone series. Highly recommended.
July 19, 2017
thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for a copy of this book to read and review. i this book...a fast paced story that keeps you hanging on for what comes next
July 19, 2017
This is the first book in the Detective Caelen Small series and what a gripping and rather breathtaking start it is! And I guarantee you won’t see that ending coming! It will leave you gobsmacked, flicking back through the pages to see how you missed it but more importantly, you will want to read the next book in the series NOW!!
Now, Caelen Small isn’t the easiest of characters to like as when we meet her she has retreated into herself, away from others. It’s obvious that sometimes very distressing had happened to her but we have to wait to find out the full extent of the horrors she has seen as we are drip fed snippets throughout the book. There were a few major surprises along the way that I hadn’t been expecting but they added an edge to the storyline that worked really well! Once Caelen herself gradually opens up, I found I had to reexamine my initial reaction to her and felt I understood what made her tick so much better once the pieces started to fall into place. In fact the more I discovered about her, the more I liked her which is the exact opposite of how I felt about other characters. It’s probably best to mention here that it did take me a while to get used to the authors writing style as I felt there was so many characters to get to know very quickly and I had to concentrate quite heavily sometimes with much flicking back to check facts and who characters were. But once engrossed in the fast paced narrative, I found myself swept away by the action taking place right up until that jaw dropping conclusion.
This has the potential to be a great series with its intelligent and intricate plotting and darkly atmospheric settings. It has a convoluted storyline that means you have no idea who to trust because around every corner lurked another shocking development. I found myself thinking it would make one of those crime dramas that the BBC do so well. In fact, if you have enjoyed such dramas as Between the Lines and Line of Duty then this book should be right up your street.
Now, Caelen Small isn’t the easiest of characters to like as when we meet her she has retreated into herself, away from others. It’s obvious that sometimes very distressing had happened to her but we have to wait to find out the full extent of the horrors she has seen as we are drip fed snippets throughout the book. There were a few major surprises along the way that I hadn’t been expecting but they added an edge to the storyline that worked really well! Once Caelen herself gradually opens up, I found I had to reexamine my initial reaction to her and felt I understood what made her tick so much better once the pieces started to fall into place. In fact the more I discovered about her, the more I liked her which is the exact opposite of how I felt about other characters. It’s probably best to mention here that it did take me a while to get used to the authors writing style as I felt there was so many characters to get to know very quickly and I had to concentrate quite heavily sometimes with much flicking back to check facts and who characters were. But once engrossed in the fast paced narrative, I found myself swept away by the action taking place right up until that jaw dropping conclusion.
This has the potential to be a great series with its intelligent and intricate plotting and darkly atmospheric settings. It has a convoluted storyline that means you have no idea who to trust because around every corner lurked another shocking development. I found myself thinking it would make one of those crime dramas that the BBC do so well. In fact, if you have enjoyed such dramas as Between the Lines and Line of Duty then this book should be right up your street.
December 18, 2022
This was a biting police thriller from Hartley and an explosive start to a new series. It is definitely one I want to pursue!
At first I thought there may have been a prequel to Hartley’s novel because of the frequent references to a significant case that Caelan worked on. However, despite feeling quite discombobulated that I had entered a plot that was not the beginning, I am glad I persevered. Information is gradually revealed about a tragic case that left Caelan in retirement and not working for the police. Now, she is back in London and working with past colleagues as it would appear that old enemies have resurfaced.
At first I thought this would be a game of cat and mouse as Caelan is recruited to follow the son of a known criminal. During these scenes, I felt particularly tense because of how on edge Caelan is and the fear that her target would be lost. Turning a corner on a London street literally changes the direction of the plot completely, leaving me feeling that, like Caelan, no one can be trusted.
At every turn there are feelings of paranoia and betrayal. I felt as frustrated as the protagonist: not knowing who could be trusted and what information was secure. Hartley makes it evident that there are characters playing off one another but their identities remained hidden until the very end. Although I did foresee some of the conclusion, this did not lessen my enjoyment of the story, especially as it seemed that Caelan was mere moments away from being arrested several times in the book.
I liked the unpredictability of this story and Caelan’s strong character. The fact that her past is heavily emphasised meant I had such a strong understanding of her working as an undercover police officer. She is still haunted by the previous case and this is her driving factor in the present story. However, seeing the body count rises, I feared for Caelan’s safety and was convinced she would be threatened. I enjoyed how the writer was able to fuse the two cases together, showing how even a closed incident was still informing on the present one.
The Epilogue of the novel was mind-blowing and not one I could have seen coming. It was such a surprise and definitely gripped my interest for the follow-on story. Hartley does not seem to be a writer that likes to tie up a story neatly at the end and this is reflected in the novel as a whole: it is a chaotic plot of twists and turns that makes you feel dizzy from developments and the ending was no exception either. As a new writer I have discovered, I can’t wait to see what happens to Caelan next.
With thanks to Canelo for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
At first I thought there may have been a prequel to Hartley’s novel because of the frequent references to a significant case that Caelan worked on. However, despite feeling quite discombobulated that I had entered a plot that was not the beginning, I am glad I persevered. Information is gradually revealed about a tragic case that left Caelan in retirement and not working for the police. Now, she is back in London and working with past colleagues as it would appear that old enemies have resurfaced.
At first I thought this would be a game of cat and mouse as Caelan is recruited to follow the son of a known criminal. During these scenes, I felt particularly tense because of how on edge Caelan is and the fear that her target would be lost. Turning a corner on a London street literally changes the direction of the plot completely, leaving me feeling that, like Caelan, no one can be trusted.
At every turn there are feelings of paranoia and betrayal. I felt as frustrated as the protagonist: not knowing who could be trusted and what information was secure. Hartley makes it evident that there are characters playing off one another but their identities remained hidden until the very end. Although I did foresee some of the conclusion, this did not lessen my enjoyment of the story, especially as it seemed that Caelan was mere moments away from being arrested several times in the book.
I liked the unpredictability of this story and Caelan’s strong character. The fact that her past is heavily emphasised meant I had such a strong understanding of her working as an undercover police officer. She is still haunted by the previous case and this is her driving factor in the present story. However, seeing the body count rises, I feared for Caelan’s safety and was convinced she would be threatened. I enjoyed how the writer was able to fuse the two cases together, showing how even a closed incident was still informing on the present one.
The Epilogue of the novel was mind-blowing and not one I could have seen coming. It was such a surprise and definitely gripped my interest for the follow-on story. Hartley does not seem to be a writer that likes to tie up a story neatly at the end and this is reflected in the novel as a whole: it is a chaotic plot of twists and turns that makes you feel dizzy from developments and the ending was no exception either. As a new writer I have discovered, I can’t wait to see what happens to Caelan next.
With thanks to Canelo for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2022
OK , I will admit: I didn't finish this one. I was torn on if I should write a review or not, but listen, when you go through almost 300 pages (e-reader version), that's an entire book so damn it I am going to count it. I then skipped to the end, pretty certain I knew "whodunnit." And I was correct!
The things that were difficult for me and what dragged were how many characters it introduced, how unnecessarily long some of the scenes were, the erroneous details that didn't add any oomph to the plot. I kept putting this down and realizing I wasn't hooked, I wasn't really caring about the story. What I was caring about was MC Caelan.
Now, this series often links to "fans of Angela Marsons" and boy am I EVER one of those. But this isn't as strong, sadly. The writing itself is technically quite good, this author can write for sure. When I got to the end I was pretty pleased with one small surprise, and I could see myself trying another book to see if the author tightens things up a bit. So to sum up, I am not giving up, but not jumping to book 2 just yet.
The things that were difficult for me and what dragged were how many characters it introduced, how unnecessarily long some of the scenes were, the erroneous details that didn't add any oomph to the plot. I kept putting this down and realizing I wasn't hooked, I wasn't really caring about the story. What I was caring about was MC Caelan.
Now, this series often links to "fans of Angela Marsons" and boy am I EVER one of those. But this isn't as strong, sadly. The writing itself is technically quite good, this author can write for sure. When I got to the end I was pretty pleased with one small surprise, and I could see myself trying another book to see if the author tightens things up a bit. So to sum up, I am not giving up, but not jumping to book 2 just yet.
Read
December 23, 2020Loved it. The first thriller I've read all year (apart from the one's I've written obviously) that kept me gripped from the first page to the last.
Will certainly buy book 2.
Will certainly buy book 2.
July 23, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Have you ever finished reading a book and thought to yourself; ‘Hallelujah!! This is just the book I’ve been waiting for!’? I have..
Now even though I read a lot of books, I still expect each and every storyline to be unique. However, recently it feels like a lot of the thrillers/psychological thrillers I’ve read, whilst being a good enough read, haven’t made me go ‘wow!’. Until now.
Caelan Small resigned from her job in the Met after a police operation went from bad, to worse, in a matter of minutes. As far as Caelan was concerned, she had left her job permanently. However as far as the Met were concerned, Caelan was about to be reinstated and thrown in the deep end. If Caelan thought the operation last time was a mess, she has no idea what is about to come her way…
‘Ask No Questions’ is THE book I have been waiting for! Not only was the storyline extremely fast paced, it was also full of suspense and intrigue as I tried to work out what the hell was going on. In the simplest of terms, ‘Ask No Questions’ is an absolute mind-funk of a novel which, ironically enough, made me want to ask questions constantly. When each situation began to unfold I tried to piece everything together, attempting to come up with a name as to who was involved. Just when I had a name and a motive in mind, the entire plot changed tactic and everything was up in the air. Nobody was safe. Nothing was certain. There were a lot of characters with a ‘do not trust’ sign stuck to their heads and, because I was invested in each character throughout the book, I became quite shocked when a character who I believed to be trustworthy, ended up being ‘one to watch’.
From the very first page, ‘Ask No Questions’ held me hostage. My level of excitement for the novel itself was through the roof, I was eager to turn to the next page to find out what was going to happen next. Who was going to come out from the woodwork. Who might end up dead.
I cannot even begin to explain how much I absolutely LOVED Lisa Hartley’s novel. All I can say (once again), is how ‘Ask No Questions’ became THE book I have been waiting for. THE storyline I wanted to sink my teeth into and never let go. Being shocked by every turn of events the moment I turned the page. Lisa Hartley has written a phenomenal, intense, spine tingling and addictive read, I am already beyond excited about the next book in the series. ‘Ask No Questions’ ticked every single box for me, and then some.
For once the tag line at the end of the blurb is bang on; this book really will keep you guessing, and you will absolutely love that it does.
Thanks Canelo!
Have you ever finished reading a book and thought to yourself; ‘Hallelujah!! This is just the book I’ve been waiting for!’? I have..
Now even though I read a lot of books, I still expect each and every storyline to be unique. However, recently it feels like a lot of the thrillers/psychological thrillers I’ve read, whilst being a good enough read, haven’t made me go ‘wow!’. Until now.
Caelan Small resigned from her job in the Met after a police operation went from bad, to worse, in a matter of minutes. As far as Caelan was concerned, she had left her job permanently. However as far as the Met were concerned, Caelan was about to be reinstated and thrown in the deep end. If Caelan thought the operation last time was a mess, she has no idea what is about to come her way…
‘Ask No Questions’ is THE book I have been waiting for! Not only was the storyline extremely fast paced, it was also full of suspense and intrigue as I tried to work out what the hell was going on. In the simplest of terms, ‘Ask No Questions’ is an absolute mind-funk of a novel which, ironically enough, made me want to ask questions constantly. When each situation began to unfold I tried to piece everything together, attempting to come up with a name as to who was involved. Just when I had a name and a motive in mind, the entire plot changed tactic and everything was up in the air. Nobody was safe. Nothing was certain. There were a lot of characters with a ‘do not trust’ sign stuck to their heads and, because I was invested in each character throughout the book, I became quite shocked when a character who I believed to be trustworthy, ended up being ‘one to watch’.
From the very first page, ‘Ask No Questions’ held me hostage. My level of excitement for the novel itself was through the roof, I was eager to turn to the next page to find out what was going to happen next. Who was going to come out from the woodwork. Who might end up dead.
I cannot even begin to explain how much I absolutely LOVED Lisa Hartley’s novel. All I can say (once again), is how ‘Ask No Questions’ became THE book I have been waiting for. THE storyline I wanted to sink my teeth into and never let go. Being shocked by every turn of events the moment I turned the page. Lisa Hartley has written a phenomenal, intense, spine tingling and addictive read, I am already beyond excited about the next book in the series. ‘Ask No Questions’ ticked every single box for me, and then some.
For once the tag line at the end of the blurb is bang on; this book really will keep you guessing, and you will absolutely love that it does.
Thanks Canelo!
July 27, 2017
OMG! I hate authors that do this to me. You can not just stop there. It's unfair and cruel. All I can say is there had better be a sequel or I'm going to have to...... oh I don't know. See how do you like it?
This is the first book I have read by this author and wow what a start. The start of the book is best described as explosive and the ending well I didn't expect that. You just don't see it coming.
Caelan Small resigned from the Metropolitan Police when an operation went from bad to worse. She believed that she was done with her old life. Little did she know was that the Metropolitan Police decides to reinstate her and compared to this operation the one that caused her to resign was in fact a cake walk.
Ask No Questions is a thriller of a frantic pace. Once you pick it up I dare you to put it down. Seriously it's 100 miles an hour and that's on a slow page. You think you have worked it out then suddenly it changes direction and a whole new set of questions are asked.
Small is an extremely likable character. There are many characters in this book that give you the impression that they are good trustworthy people. Wow I was so wrong.
Would I recommend it? Ohh yes without a doubt. If you love a mystery and a thriller you will love this. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
PS Its on Amazon for 99p
This is the first book I have read by this author and wow what a start. The start of the book is best described as explosive and the ending well I didn't expect that. You just don't see it coming.
Caelan Small resigned from the Metropolitan Police when an operation went from bad to worse. She believed that she was done with her old life. Little did she know was that the Metropolitan Police decides to reinstate her and compared to this operation the one that caused her to resign was in fact a cake walk.
Ask No Questions is a thriller of a frantic pace. Once you pick it up I dare you to put it down. Seriously it's 100 miles an hour and that's on a slow page. You think you have worked it out then suddenly it changes direction and a whole new set of questions are asked.
Small is an extremely likable character. There are many characters in this book that give you the impression that they are good trustworthy people. Wow I was so wrong.
Would I recommend it? Ohh yes without a doubt. If you love a mystery and a thriller you will love this. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
PS Its on Amazon for 99p
July 23, 2017
I was hooked from this title’s evocative opening lines.
Ask No Questions
is the first of Lisa Hartley’s novels I have read, but it will not be my last. Her writing style is strong and confident… the tension and suspense often palpable.
Read full review >>
February 10, 2021
Hard going
This was hard work. So many characters that you forget who is who and in the end just stop caring. Unrealistic in terms of how the Police work and just too repetitive in that ‘she doesn’t know who she can trust’. Predictable epilogue as well. Doubt I’ll read anymore in this series.
This was hard work. So many characters that you forget who is who and in the end just stop caring. Unrealistic in terms of how the Police work and just too repetitive in that ‘she doesn’t know who she can trust’. Predictable epilogue as well. Doubt I’ll read anymore in this series.
November 12, 2018
Actual rating: 1.5 stars
This is the story of a cop, Caelan, who was involved in a kidnapping case which ended badly. Much much later, she's brought back in to investigate the kidnapper alleged reappearance in the UK. (Frankly, this should have been my first clue that logic was off the table when it came to this book.) As the kidnapping case is revealed to be SO MUCH MORE than what was first believe, shit hits the fan repeatedly and Caelan isn't sure who to trust anymore.Haven't I heard this before. Ugh.
Reading this book should have been a roller coaster. Instead, the constant back-and-forth's made the story murky at best, inconsistent at worse. The truth is, the chase, the hints, the lies... they all made zero sense. I won't say more because I would spoil the entire thing, but yeah. Zero sense. If you want to get rid of someone? Get a snipper, don't do drive through shootings because then I'm sitting there rolling my eyes and wondering how "convenient" it is that everyone is safe. C for effort, seriously.
The only positive thing I have to say about this book is that there's a lesbian cop AND SORRY BUT THIS IS GREAT. Except, you know, the whole story wasn't good.
This is the story of a cop, Caelan, who was involved in a kidnapping case which ended badly. Much much later, she's brought back in to investigate the kidnapper alleged reappearance in the UK. (Frankly, this should have been my first clue that logic was off the table when it came to this book.) As the kidnapping case is revealed to be SO MUCH MORE than what was first believe, shit hits the fan repeatedly and Caelan isn't sure who to trust anymore.
Reading this book should have been a roller coaster. Instead, the constant back-and-forth's made the story murky at best, inconsistent at worse. The truth is, the chase, the hints, the lies... they all made zero sense. I won't say more because I would spoil the entire thing, but yeah. Zero sense. If you want to get rid of someone? Get a snipper, don't do drive through shootings because then I'm sitting there rolling my eyes and wondering how "convenient" it is that everyone is safe. C for effort, seriously.
The only positive thing I have to say about this book is that there's a lesbian cop AND SORRY BUT THIS IS GREAT. Except, you know, the whole story wasn't good.
August 5, 2017
Wow fantastic thriller from Lisa Hartley a true page turner that will keep you burning the midnight oil.
Caelan is a retired undercover detective who comes out of retirement to help track down a known killer. Not knowing which of her fellow officers to trust she enlists the help of an ex army soldier now serving in the police security division.
As the story unfolds the twists and thrills mount steadily right to the very last page.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next in this new series.
Caelan is a retired undercover detective who comes out of retirement to help track down a known killer. Not knowing which of her fellow officers to trust she enlists the help of an ex army soldier now serving in the police security division.
As the story unfolds the twists and thrills mount steadily right to the very last page.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next in this new series.
December 28, 2023
This novel starts out promising but becomes so convoluted with unnecessary “twists” it was hard to follow the story. The MC is excellent and it’s a shame that the author wasn’t able to stick to a direction. One minute you can’t trust character A but then you can and character B (who she did trust) suddenly cannot be trusted. It gave me whiplash. And the ending? Complete BS.
March 1, 2019
This was my first Lisa Hartley book. I was drawn in from the first pages.A twisty turning thriller kept me racing through the pages.I will be reading the rest of her books love to discover a new to me author.Thanks to Net Galley.
November 17, 2017
Review to come Thank you to Lisa Hartley and Canelo for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2022
I'm not going to lie, I struggled with this one. I started reading it, then put it aside for ages, then started reading it again. I ended up liking it but I'm not going to rush to continue with the rest of the series.
There were so many twists and turns and not all of them felt necessary or well thought out and executed. Some of the characters just felt flat to me. But I liked Caelan. She's the one who carried the story for me.
Overall enjoyable but frustrating read.
There were so many twists and turns and not all of them felt necessary or well thought out and executed. Some of the characters just felt flat to me. But I liked Caelan. She's the one who carried the story for me.
Overall enjoyable but frustrating read.
September 27, 2022
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
October 7, 2025
Went around in circles a bit to the point the suspense got frustrating haha but was a easy holiday read
March 21, 2020
A child has been murdered and the murderer escaped. Has he returned to uk? Was the suspect actually the murderer.
September 28, 2025
Easy read, Nice plot twist. Bit of rambling going on toward the later chapters asking the SAME questions. Unsure if it needed the epilogue. 3.5 stars
October 3, 2017
Note: This book was received from the publisher in return for an honest review
I wasn't planning on or looking to take part in any blog tours when Faye asked if I would be interested in taking part in a blog tour for Ask No Questions, I was already behind in writing up my reviews and I knew I had an exam coming up that I needed to study for but I had a quick look at the blurb and decided it sounded like just my sort of book, and the date was far enough in the future that I'd be able to fit everything in, less than 48 hours later I'd requested, downloaded and finished the book!
Lisa Hartley is a completely new author to me and Ask No Questions is the first book in a series (although not the first book Lisa has published). Now I was in a bit of a slump when I first this on my Kindle app, I normally don't really like reading more than one book at once but I was struggling with my current read, something I really loved the idea of but wasn't quite connecting with me. I had no such problems with Ask No Questions, I started reading quite late on a Saturday night and by the time I finished the first chapter I was hooked!
The lead character in this new series is Detective Caelan Small Caelan works for the Metropolitan Police and specialises in undercover work, Ask No Questions takes place some time after an operation has gone badly wrong and Caelan has quit the force, suddenly there are reports that the main suspect from their previous case is back in the country and Caelan is convinced to come back and track him down.
Ask No Questions is most definitely a page turner! Looking back at the comments I put on Goodreads as I was reading I can see that by 22% I was completely hooked and full of questions I NEEDED answers to.
I really enjoyed the different characters throughout the book, obviously Caelan is the lead and we find out little bits of information about her as the book goes on but I definitely want to know more! She's obviously very good at her job, but she's still young and I'd love to explore in future books what spending so much time undercover, living as another person does to you as your own person, do you end up losing part of yourself?
Ewan Davies is an ex-soldier now working as part of the protection unit who is sent to collect Caelan at the beginning of the story - I really liked him, I think there's a lot of potential and I hope he sticks around!
Lisa introduces a number of other characters as well, from superior officers like DAC Nasenby, Commander Penrith, and Assistant Commissioner Elizabeth Beckett, to her former colleague Sam Clifton and other supporting characters. Lisa does a wonderful job of building suspense and making you question everyone and everything. The writing is fast paced, with twists and turns to keep you guessing and surprises right from the beginning. I have to admit that I didn't really see the ending coming, despite spending most of the book trying to guess, but I didn't feel cheated either which is the sign of a great book, enough clues, real and false, to keep you guessing but enough laid down that you don't feel the author's just randomly decided something right at the end and you never had a chance to work it out.
Would I Recommend?
Absolutely I would recommend this to any of my readers who love a good crime thriller! Lisa has written a wonderfully paced and clever novel that was full of things that kept be second guessing all that had gone before. I am so pleased Faye asked me to be part of this book tour and introduced me to this fabulous book - and that epilogue?! You'll know what I mean when you get to it! Can I have book two already please?
I wasn't planning on or looking to take part in any blog tours when Faye asked if I would be interested in taking part in a blog tour for Ask No Questions, I was already behind in writing up my reviews and I knew I had an exam coming up that I needed to study for but I had a quick look at the blurb and decided it sounded like just my sort of book, and the date was far enough in the future that I'd be able to fit everything in, less than 48 hours later I'd requested, downloaded and finished the book!
Lisa Hartley is a completely new author to me and Ask No Questions is the first book in a series (although not the first book Lisa has published). Now I was in a bit of a slump when I first this on my Kindle app, I normally don't really like reading more than one book at once but I was struggling with my current read, something I really loved the idea of but wasn't quite connecting with me. I had no such problems with Ask No Questions, I started reading quite late on a Saturday night and by the time I finished the first chapter I was hooked!
The lead character in this new series is Detective Caelan Small Caelan works for the Metropolitan Police and specialises in undercover work, Ask No Questions takes place some time after an operation has gone badly wrong and Caelan has quit the force, suddenly there are reports that the main suspect from their previous case is back in the country and Caelan is convinced to come back and track him down.
Ask No Questions is most definitely a page turner! Looking back at the comments I put on Goodreads as I was reading I can see that by 22% I was completely hooked and full of questions I NEEDED answers to.
I really enjoyed the different characters throughout the book, obviously Caelan is the lead and we find out little bits of information about her as the book goes on but I definitely want to know more! She's obviously very good at her job, but she's still young and I'd love to explore in future books what spending so much time undercover, living as another person does to you as your own person, do you end up losing part of yourself?
Ewan Davies is an ex-soldier now working as part of the protection unit who is sent to collect Caelan at the beginning of the story - I really liked him, I think there's a lot of potential and I hope he sticks around!
Lisa introduces a number of other characters as well, from superior officers like DAC Nasenby, Commander Penrith, and Assistant Commissioner Elizabeth Beckett, to her former colleague Sam Clifton and other supporting characters. Lisa does a wonderful job of building suspense and making you question everyone and everything. The writing is fast paced, with twists and turns to keep you guessing and surprises right from the beginning. I have to admit that I didn't really see the ending coming, despite spending most of the book trying to guess, but I didn't feel cheated either which is the sign of a great book, enough clues, real and false, to keep you guessing but enough laid down that you don't feel the author's just randomly decided something right at the end and you never had a chance to work it out.
Would I Recommend?
Absolutely I would recommend this to any of my readers who love a good crime thriller! Lisa has written a wonderfully paced and clever novel that was full of things that kept be second guessing all that had gone before. I am so pleased Faye asked me to be part of this book tour and introduced me to this fabulous book - and that epilogue?! You'll know what I mean when you get to it! Can I have book two already please?
January 30, 2019
Excellent
Lisa Hartley is a 10 star author. Ask No Questions is an example of her outstanding writing and storytelling. At no time, from page 1 on, does the reader loose interest. Caelan is a shrewd policewoman, but doesn't lack humanity. I love Lisa Hartley's books.
Lisa Hartley is a 10 star author. Ask No Questions is an example of her outstanding writing and storytelling. At no time, from page 1 on, does the reader loose interest. Caelan is a shrewd policewoman, but doesn't lack humanity. I love Lisa Hartley's books.
September 21, 2017
Some secrets were meant to stay hidden… Trust no-one
What an absolutely brilliant start to a new series by Lisa Hartley.
Meet Detective Caelan Small, an undercover policewoman with the Met police force. She is a very highly rated officer who is brilliant at her job, smart, intelligent and a little bit reckless in regards to her own safety.
Except at the moment she is no longer working in the police force and had vowed never to return to the job due to her previous case. It was a really bad case that went drastically wrong ending in a loss that still haunts her and the main suspect evading capture and disappearing into the wind.
But now it seems that the suspect is back and back with a vengeance. That is what brings her back to the force as she tries to hunt down the killer and maybe try to make right the wrongs from before.
You get a real feel for Caelan with her no-nonsense and tough attitude and her other side that is still reeling and being haunted from the case that made her walk away from the job, a case she keeps getting flashbacks to.
As the hunt for the killer heats up and with the body count growing the dramatic web of corruption, violence and lies brings her colleagues come under suspicion and even Caelan herself becomes a suspect!
Not knowing who she can trust, Ewan is brought in as her new partner, he is ex army and has been working security. He instantly becomes a lovable character and one of the lead characters in the book.
There are a lot of characters in this book and at times i found it a bit hard to keep track of them all.
This is an extremely fast paced book packed full of twists, turns and red herrings that will keep you guessing and then re guessing wanting to race ahead to find the answers to all the questions this book throws at you.
The flashbacks are really relevant to the story as they reveal the details of the case that made her walk away from the job. The ending of the book brings together the past and present with a final twist that I really did not see coming at all.
I loved this book and my only negative would be the wait for the second book!
This is 1 book that i will 100% recommend to friends and family as well as everyone else!
What an absolutely brilliant start to a new series by Lisa Hartley.
Meet Detective Caelan Small, an undercover policewoman with the Met police force. She is a very highly rated officer who is brilliant at her job, smart, intelligent and a little bit reckless in regards to her own safety.
Except at the moment she is no longer working in the police force and had vowed never to return to the job due to her previous case. It was a really bad case that went drastically wrong ending in a loss that still haunts her and the main suspect evading capture and disappearing into the wind.
But now it seems that the suspect is back and back with a vengeance. That is what brings her back to the force as she tries to hunt down the killer and maybe try to make right the wrongs from before.
You get a real feel for Caelan with her no-nonsense and tough attitude and her other side that is still reeling and being haunted from the case that made her walk away from the job, a case she keeps getting flashbacks to.
As the hunt for the killer heats up and with the body count growing the dramatic web of corruption, violence and lies brings her colleagues come under suspicion and even Caelan herself becomes a suspect!
Not knowing who she can trust, Ewan is brought in as her new partner, he is ex army and has been working security. He instantly becomes a lovable character and one of the lead characters in the book.
There are a lot of characters in this book and at times i found it a bit hard to keep track of them all.
This is an extremely fast paced book packed full of twists, turns and red herrings that will keep you guessing and then re guessing wanting to race ahead to find the answers to all the questions this book throws at you.
The flashbacks are really relevant to the story as they reveal the details of the case that made her walk away from the job. The ending of the book brings together the past and present with a final twist that I really did not see coming at all.
I loved this book and my only negative would be the wait for the second book!
This is 1 book that i will 100% recommend to friends and family as well as everyone else!
July 11, 2017
Caelan Small is an undercover specialist. She can be anyone, anytime, anywhere. Her last mission goes bad and she loses the boy she supposed to save and she loses the love of her life. So she decides to take a break. But her bosses do not leave her to grieve too long. They want her back to find a person who might be connected with her last mission. She isn’t very happy about it, but she agrees. And from the very beginning, everything goes wrong. People die everywhere, people she is connected with, people involved in her last mission. Where ever she appears, somebody dies. And her fingerprints are all over the place. Someone is setting her up. Someone she trusts.
But Caelan isn’t a puppet! She is not just a soldier who blindly follows orders and asks no questions. She feels responsible for the death of a missing child and the love of her life. And she won’t calm down until she finds who is responsible for the mission going wrong and who is setting her up for all those murders. There is someone corrupted in the agency and she is going to find out who!
If she survives!
This is my first book from this author and I must say I am impressed. The story is full of action and turnovers on every corner. Caelan’s fight for justice is full of fights, lies, adrenalin rushed chases, it has everything. I loved the rush and the main character. It is a good read for those who love action thrillers.
But Caelan isn’t a puppet! She is not just a soldier who blindly follows orders and asks no questions. She feels responsible for the death of a missing child and the love of her life. And she won’t calm down until she finds who is responsible for the mission going wrong and who is setting her up for all those murders. There is someone corrupted in the agency and she is going to find out who!
If she survives!
This is my first book from this author and I must say I am impressed. The story is full of action and turnovers on every corner. Caelan’s fight for justice is full of fights, lies, adrenalin rushed chases, it has everything. I loved the rush and the main character. It is a good read for those who love action thrillers.
March 6, 2018
"http://amzn.to/2th5SwP"
I actually started book 2 and felt i'd missed something, when I checked I realised there was a book 1. I put book 2 down and started this one.
I'm glad I did, I felt I had a better understanding of things for going forward to book 2.
The title of this book says it all. Is there really no one you can trust?
'After an operation goes badly wrong, undercover specialist Detective Caelan Small leaves the Metropolitan Police for good. Or so she thinks. Then the criminal responsible is seen back in the UK.'
It's been great getting to know Detective Caelan Small, what an interesting character she turned out to be.
She's a woman that wants answers and will go the extra mile, no matter what the consequences are, to get her answers.
This is one of those books that from the first page, you are totally intrigued, and you know you can't wait to turn those pages. That is exactly what I did with this book, It really did get me involved.
What a great storyline, a read well worth reading. Plenty of twists, and at times I really didn't know who could be trusted. I did occasionally get lost with some of the names, there does seem to be an awful lot of characters. Once i'd gotten into my head who was who, I was fine.
The ending of this book leaves you wanting to read the next one, luckily for me I can. Sometimes being behind on a series does have its advantages.
I actually started book 2 and felt i'd missed something, when I checked I realised there was a book 1. I put book 2 down and started this one.
I'm glad I did, I felt I had a better understanding of things for going forward to book 2.
The title of this book says it all. Is there really no one you can trust?
'After an operation goes badly wrong, undercover specialist Detective Caelan Small leaves the Metropolitan Police for good. Or so she thinks. Then the criminal responsible is seen back in the UK.'
It's been great getting to know Detective Caelan Small, what an interesting character she turned out to be.
She's a woman that wants answers and will go the extra mile, no matter what the consequences are, to get her answers.
This is one of those books that from the first page, you are totally intrigued, and you know you can't wait to turn those pages. That is exactly what I did with this book, It really did get me involved.
What a great storyline, a read well worth reading. Plenty of twists, and at times I really didn't know who could be trusted. I did occasionally get lost with some of the names, there does seem to be an awful lot of characters. Once i'd gotten into my head who was who, I was fine.
The ending of this book leaves you wanting to read the next one, luckily for me I can. Sometimes being behind on a series does have its advantages.
November 23, 2017
Ask No Questions is the first in a new crime series featuring Metropolitan Police Officer Caelan Small and, if this is the sort of situation she finds herself in then it should be a great addition to the crime genre.
The story is very narrative driven, the plot is unpredictable with lots of twists that I definitely didn't see coming.
Caelan Small is a very loyal person, she was the best undercover officer the Met Police had.
She kept going back in her mind to what happened the night a young boy was kidnapped, did she do everything she could to save him, she starts to doubt the circumstances of what happened and she starts to suspect even her closest colleagues are lying to her ...... but they also suspect her ..... which leads to an intriguing cat and mouse scenario.
This is about trust and betrayal and Caelan trusts nothing but her instincts, her training and her ability as an undercover specialist as she tries to find answers to the many questions scattered throughout the story, all of which kept me turning the pages eager to know!
Full of intrigue and suspense, with strong characters, Ask No Questions had me questioning all the time 'who do I believe and who do I trust'. The pace slackened occasionally while I caught my breath, the writing was never dull, this is one enjoyable read.
The story is very narrative driven, the plot is unpredictable with lots of twists that I definitely didn't see coming.
Caelan Small is a very loyal person, she was the best undercover officer the Met Police had.
She kept going back in her mind to what happened the night a young boy was kidnapped, did she do everything she could to save him, she starts to doubt the circumstances of what happened and she starts to suspect even her closest colleagues are lying to her ...... but they also suspect her ..... which leads to an intriguing cat and mouse scenario.
This is about trust and betrayal and Caelan trusts nothing but her instincts, her training and her ability as an undercover specialist as she tries to find answers to the many questions scattered throughout the story, all of which kept me turning the pages eager to know!
Full of intrigue and suspense, with strong characters, Ask No Questions had me questioning all the time 'who do I believe and who do I trust'. The pace slackened occasionally while I caught my breath, the writing was never dull, this is one enjoyable read.
July 18, 2017
Ask No Questions by Lisa Hartley is a crime thriller that follows Caelan Small as she returns to the police force to hunt a criminal from her past.
I love the characters in the book, especially Caelan. You only get to know about her and her past in little bits as the story develops which really fits with her character.
The story pulls you in quickly and is very gripping. As the story moves along you learn what happened to make Caelan leave the police force. I love the mystery and trying to guess who is behind it all now. (FYI I didn’t guess correctly!) It is very tense in parts and there is a great build up in to a very surprising ending.
The ending to the book is brilliant. The past and present all finally meet in a big reveal of who’s done it and a final plot twist that you won’t see coming.
Ask No Questions by Lisa Hartley is a tense crime novel full of mystery, murders, police politics and shocking plot twists.
I’m giving Ask No Questions by Lisa Hartley 4 / 5 stars ****
I love the characters in the book, especially Caelan. You only get to know about her and her past in little bits as the story develops which really fits with her character.
The story pulls you in quickly and is very gripping. As the story moves along you learn what happened to make Caelan leave the police force. I love the mystery and trying to guess who is behind it all now. (FYI I didn’t guess correctly!) It is very tense in parts and there is a great build up in to a very surprising ending.
The ending to the book is brilliant. The past and present all finally meet in a big reveal of who’s done it and a final plot twist that you won’t see coming.
Ask No Questions by Lisa Hartley is a tense crime novel full of mystery, murders, police politics and shocking plot twists.
I’m giving Ask No Questions by Lisa Hartley 4 / 5 stars ****
February 25, 2018
3.5 stars.
Although this was a FANTASTIC psychological thriller, it took me forever to get into the book and instead of it being suspenseful, it got a little irritating and frustrating. There was some amazing parts, some chapters better than others, and by the end (around 75%) I got hooked. I NEEDED to know and I found that then I couldn't put the book down.
I was disappointed with the majority but then really impressed with the ending and I liked Caelan though I think her character needs a bit of work. She's made out to be hard as nails, completely bad ass but then she's a completely wimp during the book? I didn't like most of the characters but I have to say I LOVE Ewan. I was probably the only character that was honest and good the whole way through.
Disappointed but I did end up liking the book, but the Caelan's character confused me. The writing style was great and does keep the reader hooked and visualising each scene and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
Although this was a FANTASTIC psychological thriller, it took me forever to get into the book and instead of it being suspenseful, it got a little irritating and frustrating. There was some amazing parts, some chapters better than others, and by the end (around 75%) I got hooked. I NEEDED to know and I found that then I couldn't put the book down.
I was disappointed with the majority but then really impressed with the ending and I liked Caelan though I think her character needs a bit of work. She's made out to be hard as nails, completely bad ass but then she's a completely wimp during the book? I didn't like most of the characters but I have to say I LOVE Ewan. I was probably the only character that was honest and good the whole way through.
Disappointed but I did end up liking the book, but the Caelan's character confused me. The writing style was great and does keep the reader hooked and visualising each scene and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
August 16, 2017
My Thoughts
The Cover: I like the cover of Ask No Questions. The shades used, the architecture in the back ground; all of it suits the nature of the story.
The Plot: I really enjoyed the story line of Ask No Questions. It was a great game of 'who dun it' that literally kept me guessing with every twist, turn, or murder.
The Characters: I loved all of the characters, especially Ewan and Ian Penrith. Ewan because he stepped in from seemingly out of nowhere and stepped up. Ian seemed at points to be almost comic relief and that is all I can say without giving anything away. All of our characters were very well written and added to the story in just the right way.
Was it Worth Reading?: Definitely! I really enjoyed every moment, except maybe the last couple pages! I have no idea what to make of them! Other than that, the story was so entertaining and kept me guessing as to who our villain was. I highly recommend Ask No Questions and give it 4 out of 5 crossbows.
The Cover: I like the cover of Ask No Questions. The shades used, the architecture in the back ground; all of it suits the nature of the story.
The Plot: I really enjoyed the story line of Ask No Questions. It was a great game of 'who dun it' that literally kept me guessing with every twist, turn, or murder.
The Characters: I loved all of the characters, especially Ewan and Ian Penrith. Ewan because he stepped in from seemingly out of nowhere and stepped up. Ian seemed at points to be almost comic relief and that is all I can say without giving anything away. All of our characters were very well written and added to the story in just the right way.
Was it Worth Reading?: Definitely! I really enjoyed every moment, except maybe the last couple pages! I have no idea what to make of them! Other than that, the story was so entertaining and kept me guessing as to who our villain was. I highly recommend Ask No Questions and give it 4 out of 5 crossbows.
February 5, 2018
3.5 stars
An interesting and original thriller, with quite a lot of characters and a multitude of twists (maybe even a little too many). I was quite disappointed with the ending in the epilogue as I thought the final twist was unnecessary. Overall, the story gripped me and I really liked the main protagonist Caelan, so will definitely read the next one in the series.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
An interesting and original thriller, with quite a lot of characters and a multitude of twists (maybe even a little too many). I was quite disappointed with the ending in the epilogue as I thought the final twist was unnecessary. Overall, the story gripped me and I really liked the main protagonist Caelan, so will definitely read the next one in the series.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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