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Butler & West #4
Seen to Be Believed
Nothing is as it seems, for Butler and West.
One spring evening, a mother and her children are brutally attacked in their home. The unprovoked and violent assault leaves DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West in the dark - the luxury items were left untouched and there is no apparent motive.
The investigation’s only lead is Andrew Grace, the husband who was not home at the time. He and his business partner have created unique virtual reality software – valuable and extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Robin and Freya are stonewalled by uncooperative witnesses at every turn but when a woman linked to the work of Andrew and his co-founder is kidnapped, the need for progress becomes critical.
Failure to solve the case will result in murder. Meanwhile, Robin and Freya’s unresolved feelings have come to the surface and they must finally face facts. But is it too late? In a case where nothing is as it seems, are Robin and Freya doomed to never find the truth?
One spring evening, a mother and her children are brutally attacked in their home. The unprovoked and violent assault leaves DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West in the dark - the luxury items were left untouched and there is no apparent motive.
The investigation’s only lead is Andrew Grace, the husband who was not home at the time. He and his business partner have created unique virtual reality software – valuable and extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Robin and Freya are stonewalled by uncooperative witnesses at every turn but when a woman linked to the work of Andrew and his co-founder is kidnapped, the need for progress becomes critical.
Failure to solve the case will result in murder. Meanwhile, Robin and Freya’s unresolved feelings have come to the surface and they must finally face facts. But is it too late? In a case where nothing is as it seems, are Robin and Freya doomed to never find the truth?
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2022
38 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Louisa Scarr
13 books207 followersLouisa Scarr studied psychology at the University of Southampton and has lived in and around the city ever since. She is a full time writer, and when she's not at her desk, she can be found pounding the streets in running shoes or swimming in muddy lakes.
She is the author of the Butler and West crime series, published by Canelo Crime, beginning with Last Place You Look and ending with Out of the Ashes. A new series, about a police dog handler, launched in July 2024 with Gallows Wood. The second and third books, Memorial Park and Broken House, are out now.
She also writes as Sam Holland and is the author of the award-winning Major Crimes series, following detectives as they investigate murders committed by brutal serial killers in the south of England. The latest, The Countdown Killer, is out now.
Her DS Kate Munro series, Ask Me No Questions and Nowhere to be Found, have been republished by Canelo Crime and are out now. (They were originally published as Louisa de Lange, under the same name.)
You can follow her on Twitter @paperclipgirl and on Instagram @louisascarrwriter.
She is the author of the Butler and West crime series, published by Canelo Crime, beginning with Last Place You Look and ending with Out of the Ashes. A new series, about a police dog handler, launched in July 2024 with Gallows Wood. The second and third books, Memorial Park and Broken House, are out now.
She also writes as Sam Holland and is the author of the award-winning Major Crimes series, following detectives as they investigate murders committed by brutal serial killers in the south of England. The latest, The Countdown Killer, is out now.
Her DS Kate Munro series, Ask Me No Questions and Nowhere to be Found, have been republished by Canelo Crime and are out now. (They were originally published as Louisa de Lange, under the same name.)
You can follow her on Twitter @paperclipgirl and on Instagram @louisascarrwriter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 24, 2022
HAPPY PUB DAY TO THIS FUN ROMANTIC POLICE PROCEDURAL
Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
One sentence review: 50% romance, 50% police procedural, 100% entertaining
SYNOPSIS
A mother and her children are brutally attacked in their home – but the lack of stolen goods leaves DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West thinking this was more than a burglary gone wrong.
MY OPINION
This was my first intro to Louisa Scarr and the Butler & West series. Although I'm a vet and starting a series wherever I please (because I live chaotically), I am confident this can be enjoyed as a standalone.
However, because I am unfamiliar with the series, I was a lil taken aback by how much romance was in this book. But I ain't gonna lie, I was here for it. The romantic tension between Butler and West is THICC AF and there were many times I was screaming JUST KISS ALREADY at my Kindle. Scarr's writing is also quite advance for the genre (no shade), so she was YANKING on my heart strings with her sparse but emotional prose in some of the scenes between Butler and West. Objectively speaking, the romance is a bit juvenile... They seem to be in the business of sabotaging any chance of love at any turn. And just when you think it's gonna work out... well, you'll have to find out yourself. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.
Besides the objectively juvenile yet enthralling romance storyline, the case was quite juicy. Scarr knew her stuff when it comes to software development and I felt like a big ole smarty pants for being able to follow along (I work in the cybersecurity industry). There were many twists and turns, none of which were over the top. She even got a lil deep with gambling addiction at one point. Everything stayed the course and was wrapped up neatly, but not TOO neatly, at the end. Stellar job.
One of my qualms with this book was flip flopping between different names for the characters; ie. Andrew Grace was sometimes called Andrew and sometimes called Grace in the same scene. And since my swiss cheese ass brain already struggles with remembering names, sometimes I picked this back up and went wait a minute who tf is Grace?? Oh.. yeah, Andrew Grace.
Other than that, this was a highly enjoyable and easy breezy read. Why yes I will be reading #5 and adding the rest of the series to my overwhelmingly long TBR because yolo. It's like when you're broke, what's another $10 spent???? Clearly I am a master of finances.
I will just say loud and clear for the Goodreaders in the back, THIS IS A ROMANTIC SUSPENSE POLICE PROCEDURAL. If you don't want to read about the does he like me, does he not like me drama between two grown ass adults, skip this. If you're like me who can got lost in some will she or won't she theatrics, you might enjoy it. But don't come at me saying this was childish. hoe I already said it!!!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written (showing vs. telling), juicy j case, great pacing, entertaining romance storyline
Cons: flip flopping between calling characters by first and last name or even nicknames made it a bit confusing at times (I'm also a dumbass though so take this was a grain of salt)
Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
One sentence review: 50% romance, 50% police procedural, 100% entertaining
SYNOPSIS
A mother and her children are brutally attacked in their home – but the lack of stolen goods leaves DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West thinking this was more than a burglary gone wrong.
MY OPINION
This was my first intro to Louisa Scarr and the Butler & West series. Although I'm a vet and starting a series wherever I please (because I live chaotically), I am confident this can be enjoyed as a standalone.
However, because I am unfamiliar with the series, I was a lil taken aback by how much romance was in this book. But I ain't gonna lie, I was here for it. The romantic tension between Butler and West is THICC AF and there were many times I was screaming JUST KISS ALREADY at my Kindle. Scarr's writing is also quite advance for the genre (no shade), so she was YANKING on my heart strings with her sparse but emotional prose in some of the scenes between Butler and West. Objectively speaking, the romance is a bit juvenile... They seem to be in the business of sabotaging any chance of love at any turn. And just when you think it's gonna work out... well, you'll have to find out yourself. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.
Besides the objectively juvenile yet enthralling romance storyline, the case was quite juicy. Scarr knew her stuff when it comes to software development and I felt like a big ole smarty pants for being able to follow along (I work in the cybersecurity industry). There were many twists and turns, none of which were over the top. She even got a lil deep with gambling addiction at one point. Everything stayed the course and was wrapped up neatly, but not TOO neatly, at the end. Stellar job.
One of my qualms with this book was flip flopping between different names for the characters; ie. Andrew Grace was sometimes called Andrew and sometimes called Grace in the same scene. And since my swiss cheese ass brain already struggles with remembering names, sometimes I picked this back up and went wait a minute who tf is Grace?? Oh.. yeah, Andrew Grace.
Other than that, this was a highly enjoyable and easy breezy read. Why yes I will be reading #5 and adding the rest of the series to my overwhelmingly long TBR because yolo. It's like when you're broke, what's another $10 spent???? Clearly I am a master of finances.
I will just say loud and clear for the Goodreaders in the back, THIS IS A ROMANTIC SUSPENSE POLICE PROCEDURAL. If you don't want to read about the does he like me, does he not like me drama between two grown ass adults, skip this. If you're like me who can got lost in some will she or won't she theatrics, you might enjoy it. But don't come at me saying this was childish. hoe I already said it!!!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written (showing vs. telling), juicy j case, great pacing, entertaining romance storyline
Cons: flip flopping between calling characters by first and last name or even nicknames made it a bit confusing at times (I'm also a dumbass though so take this was a grain of salt)
May 15, 2023
4.5 / 5
Ever since I’ve read the third book, Blink of an eye I’ve always been on the lookout for Louisa Scarr’s next book. And I was super disappointed to find out the next book after this IS the last one (in fact disappointed is the surface level to describe my initial thoughts). I just wish this series can go on forever.
I enjoyed the premise of the book, I did have my suspicions on who was responsible, but I wasn’t ready for the twists and turns this book had me on. The other side of the story that I was not ready on was the romance side of things between DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West. Everything clicked in this book, I feel as though you have to have read the other books to understand the level of depth of tension between the two characters. If you were to read this as a standalone it’s straight up heavy police procedure with heavy romance/ relationship vibes I don’t even know how to describe but I can understand how people will view this book if it’s the first book they’ve read of the series.
I found the writing compelling / easy to follow, but equally well written to pull on your emotional strings, that ending had me feeling some type of way I must say. The tension between the two characters isn’t cheesy or corny- which is a big plus because I’ve read some books that does something similar and it just ain’t it. I must say this was also quite a short read which I wasn’t expecting but everything was paced correctly, no random filler scenes no longing out/ over explaining scenes - the book had a good balance.
Having read this book in like under 12 hours I enjoyed every second. I was glued to my seat purely to live for Butler and West! I’m just so disappointed that the next book is the last of the series.
Ever since I’ve read the third book, Blink of an eye I’ve always been on the lookout for Louisa Scarr’s next book. And I was super disappointed to find out the next book after this IS the last one (in fact disappointed is the surface level to describe my initial thoughts). I just wish this series can go on forever.
I enjoyed the premise of the book, I did have my suspicions on who was responsible, but I wasn’t ready for the twists and turns this book had me on. The other side of the story that I was not ready on was the romance side of things between DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West. Everything clicked in this book, I feel as though you have to have read the other books to understand the level of depth of tension between the two characters. If you were to read this as a standalone it’s straight up heavy police procedure with heavy romance/ relationship vibes I don’t even know how to describe but I can understand how people will view this book if it’s the first book they’ve read of the series.
I found the writing compelling / easy to follow, but equally well written to pull on your emotional strings, that ending had me feeling some type of way I must say. The tension between the two characters isn’t cheesy or corny- which is a big plus because I’ve read some books that does something similar and it just ain’t it. I must say this was also quite a short read which I wasn’t expecting but everything was paced correctly, no random filler scenes no longing out/ over explaining scenes - the book had a good balance.
Having read this book in like under 12 hours I enjoyed every second. I was glued to my seat purely to live for Butler and West! I’m just so disappointed that the next book is the last of the series.
November 11, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
Butler and West #4
One spring morning, a mother and her children are brutally attacked in their home. The unprovoked and violent assault leaves DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West in the dark - the luxury items were left untouched and there is no apparent motive. The investigations only lead is Andrew Grace, the husband who was not at home at the time. He and his business partner have created unique virtual software - valuable and extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Robin and Freya are stonewalled by uncooperative witness at every turn, but when a woman linked to the work of Andrew and his co-founder is kidnapped, the need for progress becomes critical.
with so many twists and turns, my head was spinning. It's well written and I liked the authors writing style. The characters were well developed, likeable and frustrating. I enjoyed the personal stories. There's also a bit more romance in this book, but it could be a bit distracting from the main plots.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #Canelo and the author #LouisaScarr for my ARC of #SeenToBeBelieved in exchange for an honest review.
Butler and West #4
One spring morning, a mother and her children are brutally attacked in their home. The unprovoked and violent assault leaves DS Robin Butler and DC Freya West in the dark - the luxury items were left untouched and there is no apparent motive. The investigations only lead is Andrew Grace, the husband who was not at home at the time. He and his business partner have created unique virtual software - valuable and extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. Robin and Freya are stonewalled by uncooperative witness at every turn, but when a woman linked to the work of Andrew and his co-founder is kidnapped, the need for progress becomes critical.
with so many twists and turns, my head was spinning. It's well written and I liked the authors writing style. The characters were well developed, likeable and frustrating. I enjoyed the personal stories. There's also a bit more romance in this book, but it could be a bit distracting from the main plots.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #Canelo and the author #LouisaScarr for my ARC of #SeenToBeBelieved in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2024
My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ great, entertaining gimme more!!!
A mother and her children are terrorised and attacked in their home but nothing is as it really seems. Butler and West are investigating a crime that makes no sense and there is more to it at every turn.
Also, will their unresolved feelings ever get sorted out or are they doomed to never be together?
Well I love this series… I have read more this week than I have in the last month and I only had one to go after this one (devastated didn't even begin to cover it).
This series for me has become less about the cases and more about what is going to happen between Freya and Robin, which to the shock of my good friend Lit with Leigh will be a surprise however, I enjoyed the relationship and romantic nature of these books more than the actual policing.
It was bloody infuriating though when things would happen that would make it so they didn’t tell each other how they felt… I am showing my age with this… but its like when Joey and Pacy from Dawson’s Creek were are they aren’t they status and I screamed at the TV JUST GET TOGETHER NOW!!!! I understand why Scarr did it though… the suspense almost killed me… and kept me reading so I guess it worked but I could have punched my kindle when they sabotaged themselves hard with their relationship.
I did not want Josh in the picture and while I liked Jo… she could be gone as well… so I nearly lost my marbles when the two big relationship things that happened were… well lets just say opposite to what I would have liked to see… dun dun dunnnnn … who knows what happens no spoilers from me…
With regards to the case itself it was interesting and there were red herrings all along the way… Louisa Scarr does a great job of telling a story, her research is next level for a Police Procedural I really enjoy when authors do their due diligence and make the story as real as possible even though it’s fictional. I expect some liberties to be taken… and you want that its supposed to be a bit wild but the research really makes it great.
I was less than thrilled with the ending… mostly because it was a bit of a cliff hanger… but thank goodness I had the next one queued up ready to roll… and even though I finished this at 1am I immediately started the next one until my eyes were hanging out of my head and I had to go to bed…
Overall, its no surprise to anyone that I would recommend this book but the series in general. I do recommend reading from the start because for me the cases are good but the romance is great… if a bit childish at times…. But who doesn’t love a good love story that starts with a crime 🤭
A mother and her children are terrorised and attacked in their home but nothing is as it really seems. Butler and West are investigating a crime that makes no sense and there is more to it at every turn.
Also, will their unresolved feelings ever get sorted out or are they doomed to never be together?
Well I love this series… I have read more this week than I have in the last month and I only had one to go after this one (devastated didn't even begin to cover it).
This series for me has become less about the cases and more about what is going to happen between Freya and Robin, which to the shock of my good friend Lit with Leigh will be a surprise however, I enjoyed the relationship and romantic nature of these books more than the actual policing.
It was bloody infuriating though when things would happen that would make it so they didn’t tell each other how they felt… I am showing my age with this… but its like when Joey and Pacy from Dawson’s Creek were are they aren’t they status and I screamed at the TV JUST GET TOGETHER NOW!!!! I understand why Scarr did it though… the suspense almost killed me… and kept me reading so I guess it worked but I could have punched my kindle when they sabotaged themselves hard with their relationship.
I did not want Josh in the picture and while I liked Jo… she could be gone as well… so I nearly lost my marbles when the two big relationship things that happened were… well lets just say opposite to what I would have liked to see… dun dun dunnnnn … who knows what happens no spoilers from me…
With regards to the case itself it was interesting and there were red herrings all along the way… Louisa Scarr does a great job of telling a story, her research is next level for a Police Procedural I really enjoy when authors do their due diligence and make the story as real as possible even though it’s fictional. I expect some liberties to be taken… and you want that its supposed to be a bit wild but the research really makes it great.
I was less than thrilled with the ending… mostly because it was a bit of a cliff hanger… but thank goodness I had the next one queued up ready to roll… and even though I finished this at 1am I immediately started the next one until my eyes were hanging out of my head and I had to go to bed…
Overall, its no surprise to anyone that I would recommend this book but the series in general. I do recommend reading from the start because for me the cases are good but the romance is great… if a bit childish at times…. But who doesn’t love a good love story that starts with a crime 🤭
November 5, 2022
Seen to Be Believed by Louisa Scarr was my first introduction to the Butler & West series. While the crime/mystery story was interesting, there was a lot more romance in the book than I expected. It did affect my enjoyment of the story and it was distracting. If you are a fan of romantic suspense genre, you may enjoy this book more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2025
Another great addition to this series. Quite the emotional ending. Thanks to my library I can start book 5 right away.
October 23, 2022
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I have read all four instalments of this series this week, which is perhaps why the will they/won't they relationship between Robin and Freya is beginning to wear on me. It might be a bit more of a contest if the author had given Josh a personality. As it is, Freya keeps saying how she loves him and it seems to be because he is so cheerful...
As to the mystery bit of this instalment, it was excellent. It had plenty of twists and turns and kept me guessing.
I wholeheartedly recommend this series.
I have read all four instalments of this series this week, which is perhaps why the will they/won't they relationship between Robin and Freya is beginning to wear on me. It might be a bit more of a contest if the author had given Josh a personality. As it is, Freya keeps saying how she loves him and it seems to be because he is so cheerful...
As to the mystery bit of this instalment, it was excellent. It had plenty of twists and turns and kept me guessing.
I wholeheartedly recommend this series.
November 2, 2022
I quite enjoyed this but it was quite a world away from the other police proceedular/ thrillers I read. This felt like it had a fair amount of romance in it which wasn't what I was expecting. It does add more dimension to the story and will open up the book to a whole new genre of readers but for me, the romance angle took away from it for me. I have enough drama in my own love to start reading about someone else's lol. That said, it had a few good twists and turns and I liked the detail that was given for the police in estimation angle and it was just glossed over or everything solved in 2 mins with the same magic databases they have on TV shows so that was quite realistic and helped draw me in. And it also didn't go into too much police detail and bog it down an drake it boring so there is a fine balance and this book definitely found it! Be aware there is a fair bit of romance but other than that, I'd definitely recommend!
January 18, 2023
I liked this story very much. The tension is quickly palpable and I was very curious how this story would continue. The writing style is also pleasant and smooth.
July 11, 2023
dnf at 39%
June 29, 2024
2.5 Stars. Felt like this book has turned into more of a romance book.
January 29, 2023
This was my first Butler and West book. It started off really well I enjoyed the story but as it started taking more of a romantic turn that's when I started to lose interest in it. This night be because there are another 3 books before this one so I wasn't really routing for the romantic twist to it. It was definitely a different take on the police procedural and I will go back and read the others to see more of the story between the charecters.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
February 11, 2024
Spennende case med mange ulike hendelser å etterforske + spennende utvikling i privatlivet til etterforskerne.
July 13, 2024
A mother and son are attacked by an intruder. Is it linked to a proposed takeover of the father's business? The attacker is caught but who paid him to attack? Good tale interspersed with Butler and West opening up about their feelings towards each other. But is the timing wrong? 9/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2022
Seen to be Believed by Louisa Scarr is the first book I have read in this series. I do not feel I missed anything in not reading the other books other than to know the characters better. Nevertheless, I did not miss out on any storyline from not reading the previous books.
I liked the Freya and Robin dynamic and enjoyed the storyline, tension, and mystery.
I will look for the next book in the series and read more from this author. The writing style held my interest. The story started off tense, and Seen to be Believed definitely was a tense and thrilling installment to the Butler and West series.
I would rate this book 4.5 (rounded to 5) stars. I would recommend this author and this series and look forward to reading more.
#SeentobeBelieved #NetGalley
Merged review:
Seen to be Believed by Louisa Scarr is the first book I have read in this series. I do not feel I missed anything in not reading the other books other than to know the characters better. Nevertheless, I did not miss out on any storyline from not reading the previous books.
I liked the Freya and Robin dynamic and enjoyed the storyline, tension, and mystery.
I will look for the next book in the series and read more from this author. The writing style held my interest. The story started off tense, and Seen to be Believed definitely was a tense and thrilling installment to the Butler and West series.
I would rate this book 4.5 (rounded to 5) stars. I would recommend this author and this series and look forward to reading more.
#SeentobeBelieved #NetGalley
I liked the Freya and Robin dynamic and enjoyed the storyline, tension, and mystery.
I will look for the next book in the series and read more from this author. The writing style held my interest. The story started off tense, and Seen to be Believed definitely was a tense and thrilling installment to the Butler and West series.
I would rate this book 4.5 (rounded to 5) stars. I would recommend this author and this series and look forward to reading more.
#SeentobeBelieved #NetGalley
Merged review:
Seen to be Believed by Louisa Scarr is the first book I have read in this series. I do not feel I missed anything in not reading the other books other than to know the characters better. Nevertheless, I did not miss out on any storyline from not reading the previous books.
I liked the Freya and Robin dynamic and enjoyed the storyline, tension, and mystery.
I will look for the next book in the series and read more from this author. The writing style held my interest. The story started off tense, and Seen to be Believed definitely was a tense and thrilling installment to the Butler and West series.
I would rate this book 4.5 (rounded to 5) stars. I would recommend this author and this series and look forward to reading more.
#SeentobeBelieved #NetGalley
June 11, 2023
The Freya/Robin will they/won’t they tension is getting a little out of hand... I know there’s only one book left in the series and can only assume things will turn out well, but for two people who are so into each other to be so unable to express their feelings at all is getting frustrating and making me kind of cranky.
That said, I love their characters and the whole world Scarr has built here - the side characters are just as well-developed as the main - and she does a great job of switching between perspectives. I absolutely love her writing. The mystery in this one was fun, and I’m so happy I have an ARC of book five on my kindle so I can read straight through and find out once and for all what happens. Whew.
That said, I love their characters and the whole world Scarr has built here - the side characters are just as well-developed as the main - and she does a great job of switching between perspectives. I absolutely love her writing. The mystery in this one was fun, and I’m so happy I have an ARC of book five on my kindle so I can read straight through and find out once and for all what happens. Whew.
October 22, 2022
Love the Butler and West novels. Great writing and premise. Amazing characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing..Definitely looking forward to the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it
November 22, 2022
Warning - as well as a cracking crime to be solved, this book is a bit heavy on the interpersonal relationships between our trio. In fact, it goes above and beyond as it throws in another person just to make things even more lively! Which all means that, for that reason only, the main crime being wholly within this book, I would recommend you start from book one. I had to do just that, and I am really glad I did! This only other thing I am going to say about the relationship thing is that some of the curve balls - shocking!
So... the crime. This time it's just an assault. But a nasty one - shocking in the way it opens the book with a small child scared. Butler and West are called to investigate but there are so many things that just don't add up in the way it was executed and also, equally importantly, what didn't happen. Their only working theory is that it is to do with the husband, Andrew, who wasn't at home when his wife and children were harmed. He works, with his partner, in the development of VR software. So they start their investigation there. Soon coming up against brick wall after brick wall no matter who they talk to. Even knowing the man who did the initial assault gets them nowhere. And then Andrew is assaulted too and it all gets racked up a notch...
This was a bit convoluted but so very well plotted so I never got overwhelmed! We also have a lot of Butler/West/Smith love triangle going on, with the addition I mentioned earlier thrown in too... So there's lots going on personally which is probably why the case is all the more trickier to get to grips with.
I do like this series, even though I usually roll my eyes at the lovey dovey stuff. It seems to fit in well here and was initiated from the start so, if you don't like it, you have the choice to ditch early doors. I didn't and I am glad for that! It ramps the suspense up a notch to add to the intrigue surrounding the case being investigated which kinda works better than I am explaining!
All in all, Apart from being sad I have now all caught up and have to wait for the next book - I binged the four in just over a week - I was left, once again, wholly satisfied at the end. Apart from wondering how the author is going to start the next one with where she left the characters emotionally at the end of this one... (not a cliffhanger).
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for that chance to read this book.
So... the crime. This time it's just an assault. But a nasty one - shocking in the way it opens the book with a small child scared. Butler and West are called to investigate but there are so many things that just don't add up in the way it was executed and also, equally importantly, what didn't happen. Their only working theory is that it is to do with the husband, Andrew, who wasn't at home when his wife and children were harmed. He works, with his partner, in the development of VR software. So they start their investigation there. Soon coming up against brick wall after brick wall no matter who they talk to. Even knowing the man who did the initial assault gets them nowhere. And then Andrew is assaulted too and it all gets racked up a notch...
This was a bit convoluted but so very well plotted so I never got overwhelmed! We also have a lot of Butler/West/Smith love triangle going on, with the addition I mentioned earlier thrown in too... So there's lots going on personally which is probably why the case is all the more trickier to get to grips with.
I do like this series, even though I usually roll my eyes at the lovey dovey stuff. It seems to fit in well here and was initiated from the start so, if you don't like it, you have the choice to ditch early doors. I didn't and I am glad for that! It ramps the suspense up a notch to add to the intrigue surrounding the case being investigated which kinda works better than I am explaining!
All in all, Apart from being sad I have now all caught up and have to wait for the next book - I binged the four in just over a week - I was left, once again, wholly satisfied at the end. Apart from wondering how the author is going to start the next one with where she left the characters emotionally at the end of this one... (not a cliffhanger).
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for that chance to read this book.
December 14, 2023
You’ll enjoy this book if you like; will they, won’t they’s and engaging police procedurals.
About: A wife and her children suffer a brutal attack in their own home. The husband owns a lucrative and secretive business, alongside an eccentric business partner. As the case goes on instead of becoming clearer; it just gets muddier. This includes the relationship between the detectives.
Thoughts: This is the fourth book in the Butler & West series.
The dynamic between Robin and Freya is perfect, and it makes for a bit of a lighter read than some darker crime books. The will they, won’t they is subtly sprinkled throughout all of the books, although it picks up quite a bit of pace in this one. Part of me hopes that they don’t get together, they are a great detective team but I don’t think they would work well as a couple.
The investigation is wonderfully twisted, and although it is technologically based it isn’t too complicated. Although I managed to partially guess the ending, there was still a few surprises. Plus it was all wrapped up beautifully. This is definitely the kind of book you should read if you are looking for a lighter crime book.
About: A wife and her children suffer a brutal attack in their own home. The husband owns a lucrative and secretive business, alongside an eccentric business partner. As the case goes on instead of becoming clearer; it just gets muddier. This includes the relationship between the detectives.
Thoughts: This is the fourth book in the Butler & West series.
The dynamic between Robin and Freya is perfect, and it makes for a bit of a lighter read than some darker crime books. The will they, won’t they is subtly sprinkled throughout all of the books, although it picks up quite a bit of pace in this one. Part of me hopes that they don’t get together, they are a great detective team but I don’t think they would work well as a couple.
The investigation is wonderfully twisted, and although it is technologically based it isn’t too complicated. Although I managed to partially guess the ending, there was still a few surprises. Plus it was all wrapped up beautifully. This is definitely the kind of book you should read if you are looking for a lighter crime book.
December 12, 2022
This is the fourth title in the series of these books (Butler and West) but I read it as a standalone novel and it read really well.
We meet police characters Robin and Freya and I really thought that they were well rounded and interesting characters.
Robin and Freya are put on to an assault that has occurred on a mother and children, and it does not sit right with the police people. It's an unprovoked attack in their home and obviously it will not be as straightforward as it may seem. The story is quite dark in places and as a reader you do feel the intense situation that this family is put under and its quite emotional to read about.
As well as the main story, there is also a romantic tone involving the police people which I personally did not feel that it needed but obviously they are long standing characters and have to have some kind of back story.
A good novel that is easy to follow and interesting.
Thanks to Louisa Scarr, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
We meet police characters Robin and Freya and I really thought that they were well rounded and interesting characters.
Robin and Freya are put on to an assault that has occurred on a mother and children, and it does not sit right with the police people. It's an unprovoked attack in their home and obviously it will not be as straightforward as it may seem. The story is quite dark in places and as a reader you do feel the intense situation that this family is put under and its quite emotional to read about.
As well as the main story, there is also a romantic tone involving the police people which I personally did not feel that it needed but obviously they are long standing characters and have to have some kind of back story.
A good novel that is easy to follow and interesting.
Thanks to Louisa Scarr, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
October 20, 2025
Butler and West are back, and the good news; and the bad news; is that little has changed. Louisa Scarr’s writing style is fairly basic, but that’s not really a negative in this instance as it works well for this series. It is all very tried-and-tested; male cop, female cop; lots of baggage; sexual tension; ambiguous ends to chapters to keep the reader guessing; and some typical criminals, victims and witnesses to add to the mix. Despite all this, I’m still reading about the adventures of the pair, and enjoying the uncomplicated and fast pace of the novels. The investigations are a bit scattergun and the pair sometimes bring to mind a couple of teenagers with their contradictory talk and behaviour, but I always enjoy picking my Kindle up to read more and this deserves a healthy 7/10 for entertaining me, in this case rounded up.
October 19, 2023
Compelling. I'm loving this series. A lot more romance...or should I say relationships... than your standard police procedural book which is fair enough but because of this I'm not sure it would be a good stand alone read. You need to know the dynamics of what is going on between the main characters to get the full picture and how intense it is. No spoilers, the blurb tells enough. A great plot packed with suspense in every short sharp chapter. An emotional, gripping and twisty read with a fair share of 'oh no!' moments. Well written and easy to read as it flows well. The anticipation of how it will all end in book five.....crickey, I'm not sure I want to know....but I NEED to!
Here goes,, book five here I come.
Here goes,, book five here I come.
November 6, 2022
Having enjoyed the previous books in this series I couldn’t wait to read the latest offering.
Not only do we have yet another mystery for Butler and West to solve, but we also delve deeper into their private lives in this story. I love the way that the author explores more of the relationship between them, but constantly wondered if it would go the way I hoped it would.
I would love to see more from this series and can’t wait to see what may come next.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.
Not only do we have yet another mystery for Butler and West to solve, but we also delve deeper into their private lives in this story. I love the way that the author explores more of the relationship between them, but constantly wondered if it would go the way I hoped it would.
I would love to see more from this series and can’t wait to see what may come next.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.
December 10, 2022
Worth More Than 5 Stars
Book 4 in the series featuring detectives Butler and West. When a woman and her children are attacked on their doorstep but only their laptops stolen, the detectives have their work cut out to find out why. Then a young woman is kidnapped, who just happened to be an ex employee of the attacked women's husband and his business partner and it looks like the incidences are linked. Meanwhile Butler's new partner has some surprising news for him which could change his life for good. I have so enjoyed this series and I do hope there will be another book to come.
Book 4 in the series featuring detectives Butler and West. When a woman and her children are attacked on their doorstep but only their laptops stolen, the detectives have their work cut out to find out why. Then a young woman is kidnapped, who just happened to be an ex employee of the attacked women's husband and his business partner and it looks like the incidences are linked. Meanwhile Butler's new partner has some surprising news for him which could change his life for good. I have so enjoyed this series and I do hope there will be another book to come.
November 15, 2024
Well, never heard of the author before but such a good book, very good plot and worth a read. As with all crime novels I won't give away the plot because that would be telling.
But the basic premise is that mother and her child attacked in their home, they are rich and the husband owns a company worth millions. The company involves virtual reality software and of course is much needed but in the wrong hands, it is very dangerous. Throw in a love affair between two police officers and you have on belter of a book
But the basic premise is that mother and her child attacked in their home, they are rich and the husband owns a company worth millions. The company involves virtual reality software and of course is much needed but in the wrong hands, it is very dangerous. Throw in a love affair between two police officers and you have on belter of a book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2022
Book 4 in the Butler and West series is based around cybersecurity and software development. The plotting is clever and the characterisation is good. The romantic dynamics between the two lead characters slightly detracted from the plotting but that aside, I enjoyed the book. It's a good series which I always liked, but this is not my favourite, although I would recommend it and look forward to the next installment from the author. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
November 27, 2022
The 4th and for me the best in this instalment of Butler and West. As always in this series of books there are two stories running side by side - the police procedural and the Robin/Freya relationship. Both interesting and one never detracts from the other. Flawless writing, cracking storyline and the tension between the two detectives makes this another winner from the wonderful Louise Scarr. Love love love this book
January 17, 2024
I loved this book, but as a huge proponent of Louisa Scarrs books which have all easily rated beyond 5 stars for me, this one was a little more dry. I think it's just that it revolved around a tech company, which in itself can be a dry subject!
I still love the relationship between Freya and Robin, it leaves you shouting at the book at times!
If you've never read any by this author, maybe don't make this your first one, but definitely try her books - they are all a fantastic read!
I still love the relationship between Freya and Robin, it leaves you shouting at the book at times!
If you've never read any by this author, maybe don't make this your first one, but definitely try her books - they are all a fantastic read!
November 28, 2022
Honestly, they just keep getting better! I was able to read this in two sittings, over the space of five hours and I now wish I hadn't because i'll have to wait for the next one again..
This has been a brilliant crime series so far. The fantastic characterisation and complex twist & turns creates a truly gripping series that I highly encourage anyone to read.
This has been a brilliant crime series so far. The fantastic characterisation and complex twist & turns creates a truly gripping series that I highly encourage anyone to read.
December 20, 2022
Another well plotted, solid and gripping story in this series even if it's not my favorite
It kept hooked and guessing, was glad to catch up with the characters and the twists surprised me.
I can be read as a stand alone.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
It kept hooked and guessing, was glad to catch up with the characters and the twists surprised me.
I can be read as a stand alone.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
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