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DC Charlotte Stafford #3

Lháři, lháři!

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Věrný pes leží poraněný vedle zohaveného těla svého majitele. Mrtvou ženu, svázanou s roubíkem v ústech, najdou v její vlastní posteli. Oba zavraždění jsou z řad policie a oba mají vedle sebe položenou rudou růži… Je jasné, že vraždám není konec.

Začíná hledání skutečného pachatele i jeho motivu, které je plné lží a falešných obvinění. Charlie, Hunter a jejich tým musí zabijáka dopadnout, než se obětí stane další z kolegů.

377 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2017

186 people are currently reading
285 people want to read

About the author

Sarah Flint

13 books93 followers
With a Metropolitan Police career spanning 35 years Sarah has spent her adulthood surrounded by victims, criminals and police officers. She continues to work and lives in London with her partner and has three older daughters.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
Profile Image for Dash fan .
1,515 reviews714 followers
December 9, 2017
4☆ Gripping Police Thriller, Race to solve the case!

Liar Liar is the third book in the series, however the first book for me.
I feel this can be read as a standalone and I didn't have problems getting to grips with the characters or storyline.
However there are some underlying storylines I would of liked to of known more about. For example, Charlie's friend Ben and his ptsd.

The Prologue to this book chilled me to the bone as we uncover a scene of domestic abuse.

The next scene we are treated too is a break in, at precisely 03.33
A mysterious intruder is sent in to kill a lady in bed!
He cuffs her then kills her!
Who is she?
Why do they want her killed?

Then we have another 2 brutal murders both police officers.
One that shocked me and nearly made me quit the book was when the killer stabbed the dog to get the officers attention....
ok the Dog survived..... Thank God!
Or it would of been game over!

However the police officer had acid thrown in his face and he had his wrists hacked off with a single red rose placed between him.
Making him untraceable!
It gave me the chills!

Who is this person brutally murdering officers?
Why a rose?

DC Charlie Stafford and Hunter (her boss) and the investigating team are trying very hard to uncover the pieces and find out who is targeting the Police Force and why!
I really liked Charlie she is fiesty and not affraid of a challange.

Liar Liar is a well written Police Procedural that has a well thought out storyline and has clearly been researched very well.
Which makes it all the more enjoyable and real as you can tell Sarah Flint really knows her police work! As you delve deeper into the case!

It has suspense, gruesome murders that luckily is not so graphic too make you cover your eyes,  a fantastic police team that gel together to help catch the cop killer, it's a book that keeps you on edge as you try to work out who the serial killer is and why they are doing it. it's a race against time to stop the killer before the next police member is killed!

A great Police Thriller, that had me thinking till the end.
It's not as fast paced as I usually read, but it definitely packed a punch!
I would recommend this book to those readers looking for a Police Thriller that has suspense as well as content!

I would like to thank Aria for my advanced copy in which I voluntarily reviewed.

My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
Profile Image for ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔.
2,884 reviews431 followers
November 18, 2017
This is book 3 in the series.
I think you can read these as standalones as these are different cased solved by the same DC. However there were some reference to previous books.

DC Charotte Stafford and her team [or DC Charlie as she is known]. Charlie is almost coming to the end of her nightshift, she gets a call from her boss DI Hunter, there is a murder and it needs her attention.

A man had been brutality attacked with acid and stabbed. It came as a shock that this body belonged to a serving officer.
Then another officer is fatally attacked, they soon see that they are dealing with a serial killer targeting Police Officers.

Although the plot was excellently thought out, research and writing superb, there is only so many like minded serial plots you can read which has similarity to them.
There isn't anything that stood out from the crowd for me. It was kinda 'here we go again'.

The pages turn snappy enough as I was also investigating who would want to kill off these officers and why, so it did keep me busy. I kind of guess part way through. I did enjoy it, its writing and happy to give 4 stars because of this, its well researched, but, there was nothing in here that made it stand out from other books with the same themes.

Good plot
Great characters
A satisfying read.

Negative
Just a bit slow in parts, wasn't on the edge of my seat with this and I guessed the ending.

My thanks to Aria via Net Galley for my copy
Profile Image for Linda Strong.
3,878 reviews1,709 followers
October 30, 2017
3.5 Stars

DC Charlie Stafford and her team are used to hunting serial killers. This time the police are the hunted.

Police Officers are not only being targeted, they are being brutally murdered. The first two bodies found have a thornless red rose beside them. But the killing doesn't stop there.

What connects these particular officers? Why are they being murdered? Who wants them dead in the most horrifying ways?

This is a crime thriller that follows a close investigation into the why and who. There are some areas that seem a little slower paced, but they aren't long stretches and the pace does pick up in a short time. I like the characters, well most of them. Charlie lives for her work and she's a feisty thing. Her supervisor is gruff, maybe close to retirement, maybe it's just his nature. Nick is new to the team,, and this is his last chance to show he's got the stuff it takes to be a detective.

The premise is a good one ... lots of twists and turns. Just when you think it's all over ..the author throws something else out there.

Many thanks to the author / Aria /Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Profile Image for Namita.
639 reviews38 followers
December 26, 2017
DC Charlie and her team are hunting a serial killer who is brutally mutilating and killing police officers and leaving a red rose on their bodies.The killer is getting bolder and the bodies keep lining up leaving Charlie and her team stupefied while dealing with an internal investigation.

This is the third book in DC Charlie’s series and is a solid police procedural thriller.The plot is good , a little slow paced but with some twists and turns to make it a satisfying 3 ½ stars read

I would like to thank Aria & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
3,216 reviews69 followers
October 31, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Aria for an advance copy of Liar Liar, the third novel to feature DC Charlie Stafford of the Met.

Charlie has hours to go on her mandatory night shift when her boss, DI Hunter, calls her out to a murder scene where a man has been attacked with acid and stabbed to death. When he is identified as a serving officer the pressure is on and when another officer is murdered the team suspect they have a serial killer on their hands.

I thoroughly enjoyed Liar Liar as it has a good plot, flows well so is easy to read and has engaging characters. It is a third person narrative, mostly from the very likeable Charlie's point of view with the occasional interjection from the killer's point of view.

The plot is very good. There is only so much an author can do with the serial killer genre as much of it has been done before but Ms Flint puts her own stamp on it with some good twists and serious tension towards the end. It held my interest throughout and I was loathe to put it down. It may be that the solution comes a little easily at the end but that doesn't detract from a pulse pounding hunt and is easy to overlook in the excitement.

Charlie is a very likeable protagonist, smart, hardworking, dedicated and compassionate when required. The contrast with lazy new boy Nick is stark and seems to be the only reason he is included in the novel. Otherwise the team is as close knit as ever with only Hunter struggling under the weight of an investigation into his actions on a past case.

Liar Liar is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Profile Image for Mandy White (mandylovestoread).
2,782 reviews851 followers
November 29, 2017
This is the 3rd book in the Charlie Stafford series and in my opinion the best one. Charlie is tough and loyal but not without her own demons.

Police officers are being murdered.. in the most gruesome ways. Whilst trying to stop the murder she is also trying to defend herself and her boss in an internal investigation as well as defining her relationship with Ben.

Definately a page turner for me. Thanks to Netgalley and Aria for a copy of this book to read and review
Profile Image for Philomena Callan Cheekypee.
4,012 reviews431 followers
December 3, 2017
This is the third book in this series. I’ve read book one but not book two. I do think these books can be read as standalones.

DC Charlie Stafford has a new case as a serial killer is killing police officers. Who’s killing them so horrifically? Can DC Charlie and the team find the serial killer before more are killed.

I though the plot was well thought out and the author certainly did her research. The suspense is very good and I liked most of the characters.
If you enjoy serial killer reads then I recommend this story.
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,831 reviews41 followers
November 4, 2017
3 and 1 / 2 stars

DI Geoffrey Hunter is called to the scene of a horrific murder. Lying by the man’s side is his dog, also injured. He calls his partner Charlie Stafford to the scene. They later discover that the man was a police officer named Brian Ashton. His wife goes into early labor when the officers show up at her door to do the death notice.

DI Hunter may be approaching retirement, but he’s got no flies on him. Charlie is several years his junior and very keen on her job. She loves it. She is often late for work, however, and her boss, DI Hunter is getting a little tired of it. She has chutzpah and works very hard and Hunter appreciates those facts.

Leonard Cookson is the second police officer who is found dead. He was burned alive at a building site. PC Jason Lloyd is next. All of the victims have had a red rose left next to their bodies.

The police are on the case interviewing relatives and acquaintances of the deceased. They are also looking at a list of possible complaints against the murdered officers. They are floundering, unable to come up with anything other than a weak suspect.

When DU Hunter goes missing, the plot ratchets up. The race is on. The identity of the murderer comes as a surprise.

This is a well written and plotted novel. I like the characters and the way in which the team gets along – with one exception. The suspense begins immediately and continues throughout the story. This is my first Sarah Flint novel and I immediately went to Amazon to have a look at her other books.

I want to thank NetGalley and Aria for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read and enjoy.
Profile Image for M T.
340 reviews6 followers
December 14, 2017
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy. 4.5 stars.

This is the third in this series but the first one I have read. This didn't spoil my enjoyment even though there were referrals to previous events from the first two books. I will go back and read them though because I am intrigued by the relationship between Charlie and Ben.

A police officer is found brutally murdered and his dog is seriously injured alongside him. DI Hunter and his crack team including DC Charlie Stafford are investigating this murder when another police officer is found slain in an equally gruesome and shocking way. A single red rose without thorns lies by each victim. What is the possible link and who is the cruel and merciless perpetrator?

This is an extremely well written police thriller, it is obvious from the meticulous detail that the author has a varied and long career in the police. I have read books by so called authors in their field of expertise and it does not make them good writers but Sarah Flint is definitely a very good writer. Her characters are well developed and her storylines flow. Even the unlikeable characters were thrilling.
Profile Image for Shell Baker.
631 reviews21 followers
December 18, 2017
Liar Liar is the third book in it he DC Charlotte Stafford Series.I am ashamed to say that it is also the first book that I have read by Sarah Flint and it certainly won't be my last. After reading this I really want to go and read the first two books purely because I enjoyed it so much. I am happy to say that this can be read has a standalone the author gives us plenty of background information so we really get a feel for the characters.

I loved Charlotte she hasn't had an easy life with her past and the author has done a brilliant job of making her so real to life and easy to relate to. She has a good team of people around her and in this gripping story we follow the hunt for a twisted killer when a dog is found wounded beside the mutilated body of its owner. And woman is discovered bound and gagged, dead in her own bed. Both are police officers. This is one brutal killer but can Charlotte and her team find the killer before another body is found?!

With a rather tense opening I was gripped and couldn't turn the pages fast enough I actually devoured this in one afternoon. Liar Liar will certainly have you on the edge of your sit. I actually found myself holding my breath with some of the descriptions in this story, they are rather gruesome so this isn't for the fainthearted. But those of you that follow my reviews will know that's right up my street. I love anything that will make me squirm. And this story did just that!

I have to say that I was very impressed with the police procedure in this story and the authors 35 years experience in the Metropolitan Police really shines though.

This is one gripping story with a brilliant plot that I highly recommend giving it 4 stars I am looking forward to reading more by Sarah Flint.





Profile Image for Pat.
2,310 reviews501 followers
February 9, 2018
This was really very good. I didn't realize it was the third in a series until I'd finished it but, clearly, you didn't need to have read the earlier books to enjoy this one.

DC Charlotte (Charlie) Stafford and her team find themselves investigating a series of really brutal murders. Only all the victims are police officers. Naturally everyone is on edge wondering who will be next. It becomes apparent that the method of punishment is being made to somehow fit a perceived 'crime' committed by the victims, only its not so clear cut. At the same time Charlie and her boss, DI Hunter, are being questioned in relation to an internal investigation. How these strands come together is quite suspenseful and dramatic. Definitely a page turner and the author might be one to watch.
Profile Image for Gemma.
219 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2017
This is the first book I've read in this detective series. I really enjoyed it and I'll be looking for the others in the series. I like Charlie as a character. This is about a serial killer who is going after police officers. It's really well written and once I'd started it I couldn't put it down. It's now 12.43am and I've finished! Full of twists and I didn't guess the outcome! Would highly recommend to anyone especially those who love a good detective series!
Profile Image for Lesley.
2,627 reviews
November 21, 2017
I thank netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of this book!
I gave it 3 stars because:
1-I always drop a point if there is animal abuse (don't want to read that, just my preference)
2-ugh, I had to start and then restart this book like 4 times in last month before I got into story to want to finish it.
3-Nothing special about this book just another serial killer book
4-I did not know this was a series, which explains why at times, I felt I was missing something
5-This book was satisfactory but did not leave me with any thing memorable that makes me want to read more.
Profile Image for Donna Maguire.
4,895 reviews120 followers
December 11, 2017
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the plot had me completely gripped and guessing right up to the end - I particularly liked the cover of this one, very atmospheric and an excellent choice for the book.  The characters were great and I loved Charlie and Hunter and the rest of the team and how they worked together - I can see this being a series I definitely want to follow!  

This is the third book in the DI Charlotte Stafford series and whilst I have the other two I haven't read them as yet so I would say that this one is fine to be read as a stand alone - I didn't feel that I missed out on anything from not having read the previous books. 

The writing style was excellent and you could tell the author knew her stuff writing a story such as this, the whole thing was believable, sadly I gave read a few books in this genre of late that have been a bit far fetched - I have given this book 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon!

Now I have read this one I will be reading the previous two books - Mummy's Favourite(book 1) and The Trophy Taker (book 2) very soon as I enjoyed this one so much - I do love it when I find a new author to me that covers one of my favourite genres!
Profile Image for Elite Group.
3,112 reviews53 followers
January 29, 2018
The police’s loss was readers’ gain. Sarah Flint is a brilliant author!

DI Geoffrey Hunter is head of the Community Support Unit at Lambeth HQ. His partner is DC Charlie Stafford. They spend most of their time in the field and are always the first called to a crime scene while the rest of the team, Bet, Paul, Naz and Sabira do often join them to collect evidence. They spend most of their working hours trawling through their computers to learn as much as possible about either their victims’ or perpetrators’ lives.

Charlie Stafford and Geoff Hunter are just finishing a week of working nights when a call comes through saying that a body has been found. The victim is PC Brian Ashton. The team immediately starts looking into his background and trying to establish why anyone would kill him in such a brutal fashion.

Unfortunately, he is not the only member of the police to meet a brutal death. Trying to link all the murders proves to be difficult.

While this investigation is still ongoing, the IPCC is still insistent on trying to prove that DI Hunter acted unlawfully in his last case by calling in the armed response unit. The investigation doesn’t make any sense, but the person in charge, Brenda Leach, in the opinion of both Hunter and Stafford, seems to be deliberately dragging her heels. This constant pressure and having to report to her at the most inconvenient times puts a huge strain on the investigation.

Once again Sarah Flint has used her police training to write the perfect murder serial. I think what makes Sarah Flint’s storylines flow (while investigating some awful murders) is the team she has captured to perfection – a stickler for detail, Geoff Hunter; dedicated, intuitive, Charlie - with people who understand perfectly how to work as one; Bet, Paul, Naz and Sabira. It’s a dream team who will not give up until they know that the perpetrator is finally behind bars.

Sarah Flint, you are a truly brilliant author. I think someone should suggest that your books would make the perfect TV series!

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Profile Image for Chanel Lindsay.
549 reviews8 followers
February 16, 2019
I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

A faithful dog lies wounded beside the mutilated body of it's owner. A woman is discovered bound and gagged, dead in her own bed. Both are police officers. Both have a red rose at their side... worryingly more will follow... lies and accusations abound but who is behind the murders and why are the victims being targeted? Charlie, Hunter and the team must find the killer targeting their own before another body is found.

While I did find the story a little slow in the middle, I still really enjoyed this one. Perhaps not as gripping as this author's first book but certainly a book I still definitely recommend.
Everyone that loves gritty murder mystery novels will love this one! The beginning started off strong, gripping you in immediately, not only to suspenseful murder mystery, but also to the excellent character development. I just love DC Charlie Stafford, she is a character that I have enjoyed reading about since the first book. Her passion and effective police work pour off the pages and I liked that Ben is still included in her life. Hoping for a happy ending for these two!! With a rather thrilling, heart-pounding conclusion, I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Cathy Geha.
4,340 reviews118 followers
December 1, 2017
Liar Liar by Sarah Flint
DC Charlotte Stafford #3

DC Charlotte “Charlie” Stafford and her team are in search of a police killing serial murderer. Each death is different and in keeping with the “crimes” the killer believes the person has committed. This story has some horrific deaths that thankfully are not explicitly narrated but are described with enough detail to allow the imagination to know what happened. Eventually the baddie is caught but only after more than one heinous murder is committed. The book is a well plotted and written police procedural that held my interest and introduced me to a new author. I would be interested in reading more about Charlie and would like to know more about her, her family, her team and her friend Ben.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars
Profile Image for Sharon.
951 reviews14 followers
November 14, 2017
Many thanks to net galley and Sarah Flint and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book, prior to it's release 1 December 2017.

This is a well researched, plotted thriller with a great 'hook' and strong characters.

The reason for my overall 3 stars is mainly due to the fact that this is the third book in a series and because of this, if you haven't read the previous books (and I haven't) there were times when I felt I was missing a thread. References are made that refer to the previous stories and although it didn't completely spoil the book I'd certainly recommend you read the first 2 books before embarking on this one.

In summary, it's a well researched police thriller (it's obvious that the author has a strong knowledge and feeling of the British police system) slow at times and with mixed quality of writing, but, that overall gives a satisfying read and outcome.

I'd have scored 3.5 if I could!
Profile Image for Gabriela.
111 reviews18 followers
January 4, 2021
Já tuhle sérii z celého srdce miluju a doporučuju všem. Přesto musím říct, že patřím k té menšině, které tento díl přišel zatím nejslabší. Nějak jsem se nemohla začíst.

Ale! Postavy se stále vyvíjí a přitom nevybočují z charakteru. Děj je zase zamotaný a zajímají od začátku do konce. Opět vidíme i do hlavy vraha. A za mě má tahle kniha zatím nejlepší zakončení ze všech.

Jinak velká výhoda celé této série je i v tom, že sama autorka pracovala 35 let u Metropolitní policie a proto si myslím, že to co čteme je velmi, ale opravdu velmi blízko tomu, co se reálně v takové práci děje.

Prostě a jednoduše - Tuhle knihu, a vlastně celou sérii, si určitě přečtěte. Nebudete litovat.
Profile Image for Sue Wallace .
7,399 reviews140 followers
August 10, 2022
Liar liar by Sarah Flint.
A faithful dog lies wounded beside the mutilated body of its owner.
A woman is discovered bound and gagged, dead in her own bed.
Both are police officers.
Both have a red rose at their side... worryingly more will follow.
A slow paced read bit I did enjoy it. Well written. Had no clue who it was. 4*.
Profile Image for Pat Simpson.
885 reviews12 followers
December 29, 2017
This is the third book in the series featuring DC Charlotte Stafford (Charlie). It can be read as a standalone but the book does refer to previous stories so I do think it is better to have read the previous two. Charlie, DI Hunter and her team are investigating the murders of police officers and trying to find the connection between them and who would want them dead. It becomes obvious that there must be a leak in the team but trying to guess who that can be is impossible.
This is a gripping book and one that keeps you guessing right until the end. A fantastic read, don’t miss it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,098 reviews19 followers
October 24, 2017
Thank you netgalley and Aria Publishers for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie Stafford is back on the case of a serial killer targeting police officers in the most horrible way. This is all going on while she is under review with the complaints commission and her boss, Hunter, is struggling emotionally and personally with her. To top it off, Ben, her ‘boyfriend/friend’ is not coping with his ptsd and alcoholism. Can Charlie save everyone around her?

As a huge fan of Sarah’s previous two books, reading this was an absolute pleasure. I love the characters and the evolution of their relationships and friendships is getting deeper. Please keep writing about Charlie as I want her to get her own happy ever after! Thank you for the arc which was top on my to be read pile!
Profile Image for Debbie.
1,751 reviews109 followers
March 2, 2018
I had lots of random thoughts while reading this book. Mostly because the author allowed me to have time for them. She keeps swaying away from the action and, yep, I'm swaying away from being entertained.

There are many, many unneeded descriptions. Some really took me away from the whole premise of the book. I mean, seriously, can your fingertips really get raw from pounding a keyboard? I can understand using the old IBM typewriters before electric ones, but tablets?

The detail on the missing thorns? It wasn't made public after the first murder because even the police didn't notice the detail.

There is like EVERY cliche ever used in the history of the world regarding cops and detectives is put into this book. Why??? Let's get to the action.

This book started with a 1, 2 punch . . . then as I read on, my eyes glazed over with all the descriptions of the mundane. I lost that punch. I missed it. Such a great start to a great idea of a serial killer after cops.

You had me at page 2, you lost me at page 7.

Thanks to Aria and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Profile Image for Lynda Kelly.
2,206 reviews106 followers
January 15, 2018
She's done it again......an ace storyline but STILL too many mistakes peppered throughout costing that storyline stars in my reviews !! It makes me want to shake this author ! (Or better still, email me and I'll proofread the next one)....the characters are still terrific and once again my enjoyment of her book was spoilt only by bloody nitpicky errors that drive me to utter distraction. Such a shame....
But oh, my, I was sobbing at the end.....a pathetic mess.....NOT the image you'd expect after getting through all the murderation and torture, I'm sure, but you'll know why if you've also read it. It was an intriguing back story in this one and some inventive killings occurred and the rhyme and reason behind them was interesting. Really a great story. It's nice she's created police personnel who work with their clients and don't always follow to the letter the Jobsworth code. I like that in them.
Annoyingly, despite looking on Google, I can't find out what CARMS stands for. I can visit the website, see posts mentioning it in forums but nowhere can I find what it IS !! Perhaps someone reading this may know, I'm hoping. I looked up the Wandsworth roundabout sculpture and that exists and found a terrific nighttime overhead shot of it. I got a kick out of the name of the pub I think she made up as I couldn't see one on Google. Her dedication is a touching one and it was nice to see, as was the nod to the incident in the story itself.
Those mistakes, though...
Speechmarks were a problem here and there and so were commas-either plonked in the wrong places where there was no need of them or missed when there was. A question mark was missing post-question, on route is usually spelled en route and there are the usual apostrophe mistakes always seen in e-books. I think duty states was supposed to be stats and I don't understand this-"....suicidal, weapons, escaper and alleges, so be prepared...."-the alleges part is where I'm baffled ? Swotting is written as swatting, there were some missed fullstops, bare should be bear (ouch), consul should be console and foot well is usually the one word only. Also, in the letter from the author, the word I was missed from a sentence and victim's should have been victims'......I wasn't happy !!
I did say in my last review for this author that if the next one was full of errors I'd pack in with anymore by her but the ending to this one has saved the day. I'll try the NEXT one and see how that goes....
Profile Image for Sharon.
2,043 reviews
December 5, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, Aria for this review copy, given in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book #3 in the Charlotte Stafford series. Whilst you can do what I did and read it as a standalone book, it does make sense to read the books in order. There are parts of the book that obviously refer to previous stories and I did feel it would have been better to have read the other ones first.

Police officers are being brutally killed and it’s down to DI Geoffrey Hunter, DC Charlotte Stafford and the rest of the team to work out what the connections are between them and who would want them dead. Whilst doing all this, Charlotte and her boss Hunter, are undergoing an Internal Investigation from a previous case and are having to defend themselves against this.

This was my first book by this author. It started off right into the action with the first policeman being brutally murdered on his way home after finishing his shift. Whilst I’ve not encountered Charlotte and her team before, I felt that I fitted right in there with them and they all seemed likeable and worked well together. Although I have to admit I did struggle to see the significance of introducing the new member of the team, Nick, and especially more so by the end. There were obviously some longstanding storylines in this book from previous ones which again, as I had not read the previous books, I did struggle with understanding what was going on.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. The story flowed well and the plot was well thought out. I liked Charlotte, although I did initially feel that she was a higher rank than what she actually was because of her taking the lead so much. I also liked her relationship with DI Hunter, and there was obviously more of these two in previous books which I will definitely need to go back and read. The majority of the story was fast paced and action packed, but there were parts where the story seemed to slow up a bit and not flow as well as the rest. The killer was kept hidden until well into the book, and to be honest there was no way of working it out until it was given to you!

An enjoyable read and I will definitely go back and the read the rest of the series as it hopefully will answer all the questions that I had!

Three stars!



Profile Image for Sarah.
156 reviews4 followers
December 23, 2017
This book was received from the publisher in return for an honest review

Starting with a brief throwback chapter Liar, Liar promptly then throws the reader into the present day action with the bodies of three police officers found in quick succession. The plot is gripping and well paced as the author pulls the reader through the chapters, despite reading it into the late evening I frequently found myself thinking just one more chapter I need to know what happens… and I must admit I was kept guessing through most of the book.

Liar, Liar is not for the faint hearted, the killings are brutal and Sarah Flint doesn’t shy away from creating some vivid imagery. However for me that just added the the realism of the story, I felt the fact Sarah was a police officer herself really shone through, with characters working through rest days and doing overtime, certain forensic tests taking time to produce results unlike the immediate results TV shows like CSI have lead us to think happens.

I also really connected with the characters, with DC Charlotte Stafford in particular. Charlie came across as a dedicated conscientious police officer, and there’s enough of her history contained within this story for the reader to understand why she does the job she does.

However throughout the book there are references to a previous case that went wrong and I think I would have benefitted from reading the previous two books in the series first – at points I struggled to understand Hunter’s issues, and although it was explained by the end of the book I think if I’d read the previous book/s I would have understood where is actions were coming from. There is also clearly a back story with Charlie and the character Ben that I didn’t have and I think knowing it would have given me a better perspective on their relationship.

Would I Recommend?

Yes! I really enjoyed this one, I think I would recommend reading the two previous books in the series to get the most out of it, but it was a gripping read for me even without having the additional background information on the characters
55 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2018
As much as I enjoyed this book, I just couldn’t rate it higher than 3 stars.

If I had read it as a stand alone book, I probably would have enjoyed it so much more.

But there were several things that annoyed me so much that I wasn’t able to get past them. For one thing, how unlucky, in a team of only 6 people, 3 of them were abducted and almost murdered in just 3 books. It just became so predictable. From the minute you find out that the victims are targeted by ongoing official complaints, of course you know Hunter is going to be targeted.
Secondly, the author may as well have said from the prologue that the ‘child’ was a girl. Because so obviously not identifying the child’s (and therefore, Ice’s) gender, clearly made her a woman. It’s like the author wanted us to presume it was a man and blindside us when discovering it was actually a woman.

To be honest, I thought from the second that they mentioned Samson’s teacher that he idolised that she was going to be the killer, so I was wrong about that.

And finally, I truly fail to see the point of introducing the character of Nick Arrowsmith. I actually don’t understand. He contributed literally nothing to the storyline, he was annoying and arrogant, and he didn’t even prove himself to be of any value of the team. I’m not sure if we, as readers, were meant to think he was the killer or something? I really don’t know.

I actually am disappointed that I couldn’t give this book a better star rating because I really did enjoy the read. And I guess I’m judging this book as part of a series and not as a stand alone. And as a stand alone, I would recommend this book to my friends who enjoy crime fiction as much as i do.
But I have read so many outstanding crime series and as an actual series, this doesn’t compare unfortunately
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jirinka (sony08).
411 reviews16 followers
December 5, 2017
This is the third novel in the DC Charlie Stafford series and what a rollercoaster this was. The books just seem to get better and better. Sarah Flint doesn’t give anything away until the right time and the right place and this novel is a proof of that.

When a body of a police officer is found, it sends shock waves through the whole organisation. And when Charlie and her boss Hunter arrive at the scene and see the gruesome crime for themselves, it leaves them feeling angry and determined to catch whoever did this and to prevent any further officer deaths.

But with no witnesses, no DNA traces and no clear suspects, Charlie and her team hit a wall. That is until another two bodies are found. Someone has it in for the authority and they are not afraid to use some brutal force to let everyone know exactly what they think.

This one is personal and every member of the team is feeling the pressure. In this book I feel that Sarah Flint became even more of a master of investigations, there was more detail into the evidence and psychology of the killer. It was fab to read, a real page turner and I cannot wait to read the next book. The book also continues the complicated story of Charlie’s relationship with her friend Ben and I am intrigued as to where the next book takes them – I am rooting for them, but we’ll have to wait and see.

This is another excellent book for lovers of all things crime. Nothing is given away until the right time arrives and the reader is kept guessing until the last minute.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for access to this book in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Annie McDonnell.
Author 1 book116 followers
December 11, 2017
I often enjoy a criminal fiction novel that is written by an author with a background in the field, and Sarah Flint was no exception. She has a career spanning over 35 years serving with the Metropolitan Police in London.
She starts off with the suspense at the very first few pages, and does not let you go until the very end. This is definitely a gripping crime novel that will keep you guessing, and we all know that is what makes these novels so intriguing. It felt as though this story was very personal for Sarah Flint. Maybe it was because the story involved police officers being murdered. I am not quite sure; but, it definitely had a realness to it.
This being the 3rd in the DC Charlotte “Charlie” Stafford Series does not make it any less understandable, so it can definitely stand alone. However, it does make me want to add the other two to my To-Read shelf; which I have done.
I really enjoyed her characters DC Charlie and DI Hunter, which made it all the more exciting. I am hoping there is more for Charlie. We shall see…
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