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Cat Kinsella #2
Corazón despiadado
From the beloved and internationally bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies comes the second novel featuring DC Cat Kinsella—an investigator “on par with Susie Steiner’s and Tana French’s female detectives” (Kirkus Reviews).
After a brief stint in the Mayor’s Office, Detective Constable Cat Kinsella is back at the London Metropolitan Police, wisecracking with her partner Luigi Parnell and trying to avoid the wrath of the boss, DI Kate Steele.
But for Cat and Parnell, it’s serious business when a young Australian woman turns up dead after a party thrown by her new boss. The initial investigation of Naomi Petrovic’s murder points to Joseph Madden, the owner of a coffee shop around the corner from police headquarters. Madden insists he’s innocent, that he was home with his wife Rosa at the time of the murder. When police question her, Rosa contradicts his alibi, swearing that she was home alone.
While the team builds its case against Joseph, Cat is tasked with getting to the heart of the Maddens’ marriage. Cat knows that one of them is lying—but the question of which one, and why, is far more complicated than she could have expected. As she tries to balance the demands of the investigation with a budding romance and unresolved family drama, Cat has to decide how far she’ll go to keep her own past mistakes buried.
With her trademark wit and brilliant plotting, Caz Frear ratchets up the tension and keeps you guessing as she explores the secrets we keep from our loved ones—and the ones we’d kill to keep safe in the dark.
After a brief stint in the Mayor’s Office, Detective Constable Cat Kinsella is back at the London Metropolitan Police, wisecracking with her partner Luigi Parnell and trying to avoid the wrath of the boss, DI Kate Steele.
But for Cat and Parnell, it’s serious business when a young Australian woman turns up dead after a party thrown by her new boss. The initial investigation of Naomi Petrovic’s murder points to Joseph Madden, the owner of a coffee shop around the corner from police headquarters. Madden insists he’s innocent, that he was home with his wife Rosa at the time of the murder. When police question her, Rosa contradicts his alibi, swearing that she was home alone.
While the team builds its case against Joseph, Cat is tasked with getting to the heart of the Maddens’ marriage. Cat knows that one of them is lying—but the question of which one, and why, is far more complicated than she could have expected. As she tries to balance the demands of the investigation with a budding romance and unresolved family drama, Cat has to decide how far she’ll go to keep her own past mistakes buried.
With her trademark wit and brilliant plotting, Caz Frear ratchets up the tension and keeps you guessing as she explores the secrets we keep from our loved ones—and the ones we’d kill to keep safe in the dark.
514 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2019
331 people are currently reading
5294 people want to read
About the author
Caz Frear
5 books705 followersCaz Frear grew up in Coventry, England, and spent her teenage years dreaming of moving to London and writing a novel. After fulfilling her first dream, it wasn’t until she moved back to Coventry thirteen years later that the second finally came true. She has a degree in History & Politics, and when she’s not agonizing over snappy dialogue or incisive prose, she can be found shouting at Arsenal football matches or holding court in the pub on topics she knows nothing about. Sweet Little Lies is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 531 reviews
September 4, 2019
Second in series and like the first it starts out slowly. Kinsella has such an interesting back story which is for me a major draw, and here it threatens to spill over into her personal life. A body of a young woman is discovered, there has to be a body, right? Kinsella and her partner are given the case and are soon embroiled in a maze of contradictory statements, and a family with much to hide.
A good solid series with some interesting characters and a p!of that twists and turns until I was quite lost. Everytime I thought I knew who done it, something else would be revealed that made it clear, I had no clue. Though there were clues, many of them, but which ones were real? As I said, a cat and mouse game with no idea who had the actual cheese. It ends with a provocative request, so I'm looking forward to how this will be after on, or not.
ARC from Edelweiss.
A good solid series with some interesting characters and a p!of that twists and turns until I was quite lost. Everytime I thought I knew who done it, something else would be revealed that made it clear, I had no clue. Though there were clues, many of them, but which ones were real? As I said, a cat and mouse game with no idea who had the actual cheese. It ends with a provocative request, so I'm looking forward to how this will be after on, or not.
ARC from Edelweiss.
July 2, 2019
This one, Boys and Girls, has teeth.
Sharp, jagged, incisors that sink to the bone and leave quite the gaping wound in its aftermath.
Caz Frear brings her quick-witted character of DC Cat Kinsella to the forefront once again in this second offering in the Cat Kinsella Series. Admittedly, I have not read the first one, Sweet Little Lies. Within seconds of finishing Stone Cold Heart, I ordered it with the knee jerk response of a kid with a bag of Halloween candy. Gotta have.
Cat and her partner, DS Luigi Parnell, are assigned to the London Metropolitan Police. They've been called to the scene of a murder in the old Coronation Gardens section of London.....cheap apartments with cheap rents. Kiernan Drake walked in and found his housemate, Naomi Lockhart, bleeding from a headwound on the floor of her bedroom. The young twenty-two year Aussie with lilac hair won't be taking to the streets of London any time soon.
As Cat and Parnell begin their investigation, we're gonna have a string of could-be's and maybe-not's to sort through. Caz Frear winds this one up and chases suspects around many corners. While being new in town, Naomi has gravitated toward a bevy of new friends. Not solid friends, but those who drift in and out of one's life. Could she have crossed someone at work? Or could she have been involved with the local Casanova, Joseph, who manages the local coffeehouse, The Grindhouse? A lot of footwork in this one.
Frear also adds a twisty thread involving Caz' new love interest, Aiden, from the west coast of Ireland. Be assured: Caz Frear does not inundate her mystery/thriller with a sappy off-key love story here. (I can't tolerate those.) They both have backstories that haven't fully come to the surface yet. And Caz has issues with her father who seems to be involved in some shady dealings himself.
Stone Cold Heart reads as a standalone. I loved the snarky dialogue between Cat and Luigi along with the deeply interesting layers of this storyline. Caz Frear writes with intelligence. She knows her craft and keeps it humming along at a quick pace. No dead zones here. Can't wait to snuggle up with Numero Uno, Sweet Little Lies.
I received a copy of Stone Cold Heart through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Harper Collins Publishing and to Caz Frear for the opportunity.
Sharp, jagged, incisors that sink to the bone and leave quite the gaping wound in its aftermath.
Caz Frear brings her quick-witted character of DC Cat Kinsella to the forefront once again in this second offering in the Cat Kinsella Series. Admittedly, I have not read the first one, Sweet Little Lies. Within seconds of finishing Stone Cold Heart, I ordered it with the knee jerk response of a kid with a bag of Halloween candy. Gotta have.
Cat and her partner, DS Luigi Parnell, are assigned to the London Metropolitan Police. They've been called to the scene of a murder in the old Coronation Gardens section of London.....cheap apartments with cheap rents. Kiernan Drake walked in and found his housemate, Naomi Lockhart, bleeding from a headwound on the floor of her bedroom. The young twenty-two year Aussie with lilac hair won't be taking to the streets of London any time soon.
As Cat and Parnell begin their investigation, we're gonna have a string of could-be's and maybe-not's to sort through. Caz Frear winds this one up and chases suspects around many corners. While being new in town, Naomi has gravitated toward a bevy of new friends. Not solid friends, but those who drift in and out of one's life. Could she have crossed someone at work? Or could she have been involved with the local Casanova, Joseph, who manages the local coffeehouse, The Grindhouse? A lot of footwork in this one.
Frear also adds a twisty thread involving Caz' new love interest, Aiden, from the west coast of Ireland. Be assured: Caz Frear does not inundate her mystery/thriller with a sappy off-key love story here. (I can't tolerate those.) They both have backstories that haven't fully come to the surface yet. And Caz has issues with her father who seems to be involved in some shady dealings himself.
Stone Cold Heart reads as a standalone. I loved the snarky dialogue between Cat and Luigi along with the deeply interesting layers of this storyline. Caz Frear writes with intelligence. She knows her craft and keeps it humming along at a quick pace. No dead zones here. Can't wait to snuggle up with Numero Uno, Sweet Little Lies.
I received a copy of Stone Cold Heart through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Harper Collins Publishing and to Caz Frear for the opportunity.
February 26, 2025
I absolutely loved the author’s debut, “Sweet Little Lies” which introduced us to DC Cat Kinsella. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
So…When I was able to get this copy from my local library, I was all in.
With this story, the author effectively combines a family drama with a captivating psychological mystery, while staying close to one of my favorite types of books... police procedurals.
It is also unpredictable with a witty storyline. Which when you think of it, using the word “witty” to describe a plot, is not a usual description for a police procedural mystery series.
But…I think that is what makes this story flow so nicely.
Our continuing character, Cat Kinsella is a strong and feisty woman, who is also portrayed as an excellent detective. She has a sarcastic sense of humor which goes along with her flawed imperfections and shortcomings. In many ways, it makes her character seem rather real as she struggles to balance a dysfunctional personal and family life with career.
Gratefully, though her personal life isn’t as much the focus in this book.
But…If you haven’t read “Sweet Little Lies” I highly recommend it, so that you can get a better sense of her. She is a rather multilayered character, and that is truly the appeal of this series.
So…It is the character, and plenty of mystery and suspense, and guessing all the way to the final pages, that makes this another winning book by this author.
So…When I was able to get this copy from my local library, I was all in.
With this story, the author effectively combines a family drama with a captivating psychological mystery, while staying close to one of my favorite types of books... police procedurals.
It is also unpredictable with a witty storyline. Which when you think of it, using the word “witty” to describe a plot, is not a usual description for a police procedural mystery series.
But…I think that is what makes this story flow so nicely.
Our continuing character, Cat Kinsella is a strong and feisty woman, who is also portrayed as an excellent detective. She has a sarcastic sense of humor which goes along with her flawed imperfections and shortcomings. In many ways, it makes her character seem rather real as she struggles to balance a dysfunctional personal and family life with career.
Gratefully, though her personal life isn’t as much the focus in this book.
But…If you haven’t read “Sweet Little Lies” I highly recommend it, so that you can get a better sense of her. She is a rather multilayered character, and that is truly the appeal of this series.
So…It is the character, and plenty of mystery and suspense, and guessing all the way to the final pages, that makes this another winning book by this author.
July 26, 2019
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Stone Cold Heart is a superbly written crime thriller featuring Cat Kinsella, a young strong police officer, as the lead character who is always determined to find the truth, no matter the cost.
The plot captivated me from the first page and took me into this thrilling tale full of family secrets and lies.
I just adored Cat Kinsella’s character, she’s not perfect but goes all out to solve the death/murder of Naomi Lockheart, a PA who was found dead after attending a party. I also had a soft spot for Cat’s working partner Luigi Parnell who is a seasoned police officer. He too wanted justice but he also added humour to this story. These two characters are so well described that they came to life in my mind and made me feel as if I knew them already. I also loved the connection between them as it had been written so well.
The book was utterly compelling, so much so it kept me reading late into the night unable to put it down! I enjoyed the chapter where all was finally revealed but the final chapter, that was just amazing even if it did finish on a cliff hanger. I now can’t wait to read more books featuring Cat Kinsella and also from author Caz Frear too.
A huge well done to the author for such a fabulous read, I will be recommending this book to all my family and friends.
Stone Cold Heart is a superbly written crime thriller featuring Cat Kinsella, a young strong police officer, as the lead character who is always determined to find the truth, no matter the cost.
The plot captivated me from the first page and took me into this thrilling tale full of family secrets and lies.
I just adored Cat Kinsella’s character, she’s not perfect but goes all out to solve the death/murder of Naomi Lockheart, a PA who was found dead after attending a party. I also had a soft spot for Cat’s working partner Luigi Parnell who is a seasoned police officer. He too wanted justice but he also added humour to this story. These two characters are so well described that they came to life in my mind and made me feel as if I knew them already. I also loved the connection between them as it had been written so well.
The book was utterly compelling, so much so it kept me reading late into the night unable to put it down! I enjoyed the chapter where all was finally revealed but the final chapter, that was just amazing even if it did finish on a cliff hanger. I now can’t wait to read more books featuring Cat Kinsella and also from author Caz Frear too.
A huge well done to the author for such a fabulous read, I will be recommending this book to all my family and friends.
April 29, 2020
3.5⭐️ rounded up to 4
DC Cat Kinsella #2
We first met Joseph Madden owns a coffee shop in the second book in this series. He believed his wife is threatening him and asks Cat Kinsella for help. Now, fast forward a bit and Joseph appears in Cat's life again. This time he's the suspect in the death of a young girl. The evidence all points to him, but he claims that he is innocent. But his wife does not corroborate his alibi. There is something not quite right, but Cat can't put her finger on it.
This story is told from Cat's point of view. I have not read the first book in this series but I think it can be read as a standalone. This has an extremely well written and thought out plot, and I liked the authors style in writing. The characters are true to life. It's a bit of a slow burner but with all the twists,the pace is set right. Cat's family are a bit dysfunctional. I will have to read the first book in the series now. A great read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author Caz Frear for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DC Cat Kinsella #2
We first met Joseph Madden owns a coffee shop in the second book in this series. He believed his wife is threatening him and asks Cat Kinsella for help. Now, fast forward a bit and Joseph appears in Cat's life again. This time he's the suspect in the death of a young girl. The evidence all points to him, but he claims that he is innocent. But his wife does not corroborate his alibi. There is something not quite right, but Cat can't put her finger on it.
This story is told from Cat's point of view. I have not read the first book in this series but I think it can be read as a standalone. This has an extremely well written and thought out plot, and I liked the authors style in writing. The characters are true to life. It's a bit of a slow burner but with all the twists,the pace is set right. Cat's family are a bit dysfunctional. I will have to read the first book in the series now. A great read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author Caz Frear for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2020
Man this is gonna be a GREAT series!! I enjoyed this 1 (the second book in the series) even more than the first! They’re that perfect mix of police procedural & domestic thriller.. But NO boredom- both aspects are equally as interesting. I liked this “case” better then the first, and I’m really enjoying following along with Kats “family stuff.” (Because of that I really recommend reading the first 1 before this. It doesn’t always matter- but in this case there’s quite a bit that will go over your head if you skip that.) Now back to this 1..😊 An exceptionally good mystery- I couldn’t figure it out & couldn’t wait to find out what was what, & great characters- even the secondary characters are really fleshed out. I’m excited- I hope we have quite a few more coming!
August 23, 2024
**4.5-stars**
After picking up the first book in this series, Sweet Little Lies, in early-September as part of my TBR-Haul Project, I could not stop thinking about DC Cat Kinsella.
That's a great sign when it comes to a mystery series. I knew I needed to go on another case with her ASAP. Luckily for me, there are currently 3-novels released in this series.
In this installment, a young Australian woman, Naomi Lockhart, is found dead after attending a party. As the investigation begins, Cat discovers that one of the other attendees was Joseph Madden, a man she tangentially knows.
Joseph, in all honestly, sort of gives Cat the creeps. He runs a coffee shop by the station and she's had a few run-ins with him. Including a time that he cornered her to ask for advice regarding his allegedly abusive wife.
It really wasn't that he was accusing his wife of abuse, it was just the whole way he went about it. The way he phrased it. The way his body language was towards Cat while doing so.
The whole interaction, and others before it, have stuck in her mind. That's why when Joseph's name comes up during the course of the investigation, she's intrigued and digs further.
It turns out the party was hosted by Joseph's sister-in-law, who is also Naomi's new boss.
Upon questioning, Joseph vows that his wife, Rachel, can attest to his whereabouts for that night at the time in question; he was home with her.
Rachel, however, disagrees, claiming she was home alone. The couple's behavior doubles Cat's earlier suspicions. Someone is lying and she's going to find out who.
As Cat and her partner, Luigi Parnell, get closer to the truth, they uncover layer upon layer of lies and deceit amongst the cast of people who were part of Naomi's life. With associates like these, this girl didn't stand a chance.
I really enjoyed my time with this one. In addition to the overriding mystery, we also got more backstory and insight into Cat's life. She's a super interesting main character, so I appreciate the content Frear included here in that regard.
Cat has a fairly new relationship with a man named, Aidan. Unbeknownst to him, it's slightly complicated. I had fun watching that evolve as well and can't wait to see where it goes in the future.
There's also Cat's complicated relationship with her family, particularly her Dad. I have enjoyed how Frear is keeping her family in the midst of these tales as an overarching storyline amongst the books.
Finally, I really enjoy Cat and Luigi's work life. As a Police Procedural, the team that the main characters are involved with can really change how engaging a story turns out to be. I love the banter between these two, and with their other colleagues. It's really well done.
I think it's safe to say at this point that I will pick up any book that is released in this series. I'm hooked!
If you love Police Procedurals and are sleeping on this series like I was, until very recently, stop what you're doing and pick them up now!!
After picking up the first book in this series, Sweet Little Lies, in early-September as part of my TBR-Haul Project, I could not stop thinking about DC Cat Kinsella.
That's a great sign when it comes to a mystery series. I knew I needed to go on another case with her ASAP. Luckily for me, there are currently 3-novels released in this series.
In this installment, a young Australian woman, Naomi Lockhart, is found dead after attending a party. As the investigation begins, Cat discovers that one of the other attendees was Joseph Madden, a man she tangentially knows.
Joseph, in all honestly, sort of gives Cat the creeps. He runs a coffee shop by the station and she's had a few run-ins with him. Including a time that he cornered her to ask for advice regarding his allegedly abusive wife.
It really wasn't that he was accusing his wife of abuse, it was just the whole way he went about it. The way he phrased it. The way his body language was towards Cat while doing so.
The whole interaction, and others before it, have stuck in her mind. That's why when Joseph's name comes up during the course of the investigation, she's intrigued and digs further.
It turns out the party was hosted by Joseph's sister-in-law, who is also Naomi's new boss.
Upon questioning, Joseph vows that his wife, Rachel, can attest to his whereabouts for that night at the time in question; he was home with her.
Rachel, however, disagrees, claiming she was home alone. The couple's behavior doubles Cat's earlier suspicions. Someone is lying and she's going to find out who.
As Cat and her partner, Luigi Parnell, get closer to the truth, they uncover layer upon layer of lies and deceit amongst the cast of people who were part of Naomi's life. With associates like these, this girl didn't stand a chance.
I really enjoyed my time with this one. In addition to the overriding mystery, we also got more backstory and insight into Cat's life. She's a super interesting main character, so I appreciate the content Frear included here in that regard.
Cat has a fairly new relationship with a man named, Aidan. Unbeknownst to him, it's slightly complicated. I had fun watching that evolve as well and can't wait to see where it goes in the future.
There's also Cat's complicated relationship with her family, particularly her Dad. I have enjoyed how Frear is keeping her family in the midst of these tales as an overarching storyline amongst the books.
Finally, I really enjoy Cat and Luigi's work life. As a Police Procedural, the team that the main characters are involved with can really change how engaging a story turns out to be. I love the banter between these two, and with their other colleagues. It's really well done.
I think it's safe to say at this point that I will pick up any book that is released in this series. I'm hooked!
If you love Police Procedurals and are sleeping on this series like I was, until very recently, stop what you're doing and pick them up now!!
November 2, 2020
I really enjoyed Caz Frear's debut novel 'Sweet Little Lies' and this second book in the series did not disappoint.
Knowing the back-story to the characters increased my enjoyment of the novel but I do think it works as a stand-alone read as well.
The highlight for me is the unusual aspects of the characters and the police procedures. Murder victim Naomi Lockhart, a young Australian draws two families into the twisted world of this plot. The author wrote a perfectly disturbing, highly unpleasant character in Joseph Madden, who soon becomes the main suspect but is he being set-up in an elaborate scheme or is he truly despicable?
Detective Cat Kinsella has her own seriously weird Irish family to deal with (and hide from), and partner Luigi Parnell adds the perfect amount of humour to the story.
This read felt really authentic and the highlight for me was the really unexpected ending!
Knowing the back-story to the characters increased my enjoyment of the novel but I do think it works as a stand-alone read as well.
The highlight for me is the unusual aspects of the characters and the police procedures. Murder victim Naomi Lockhart, a young Australian draws two families into the twisted world of this plot. The author wrote a perfectly disturbing, highly unpleasant character in Joseph Madden, who soon becomes the main suspect but is he being set-up in an elaborate scheme or is he truly despicable?
Detective Cat Kinsella has her own seriously weird Irish family to deal with (and hide from), and partner Luigi Parnell adds the perfect amount of humour to the story.
This read felt really authentic and the highlight for me was the really unexpected ending!
October 4, 2020
I listened to this one on audio as with the first installment of the series, and the narrator is fantastic. I think of her voice as Cat's voice.
The narrative moves along at a fairly quick pace and the ending definitely sets up the next installment of the series. I liked the mystery and the way it cleverly comes together in the end was surprising. The interplay between the different law enforcement officers is the best part of the story, because their snappy dialogue propels the mystery forward. I can see that it might not appeal to people who like a large amount of action in their police procedurals, but I enjoy the way they puzzle out the solutions.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
The narrative moves along at a fairly quick pace and the ending definitely sets up the next installment of the series. I liked the mystery and the way it cleverly comes together in the end was surprising. The interplay between the different law enforcement officers is the best part of the story, because their snappy dialogue propels the mystery forward. I can see that it might not appeal to people who like a large amount of action in their police procedurals, but I enjoy the way they puzzle out the solutions.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
June 30, 2019
After I read Caz Frear’s “Sweet Little Lies” I immediately wanted more from main protagonist Cat Kinsella so when Stone Cold Heart turned up I pretty much dropped everything and read it. Like the last novel this was so utterly gripping I think the zombie apocalypse could have started and I wouldn’t even notice..
Stone Cold Heart is Stone Cold Brilliant, encompassing not only an intensely intriguing background family drama but also a twisty mystery that has both psychological thriller elements and a strong anchor of police procedural. Mixing all this up into an intelligent plot with unpredictable outcomes makes this a perfect storm of a read, throw in a perfect last line and you have an absolute winner.
Caz Frear is a hugely talented writer and you know that’s still important to note in these days of mixed quality choices in reading- if like me you want depth of perception, words that come together in ways that tip your emotional balance and a damned good story to boot then look no further.
Cat Kinsella is engaging and more importantly realistic, flawed yes but not defined by it, the supporting cast all well drawn and important to the whole. In this particular instalment the mystery element is beautifully done I devoured every word.
If I could have the next one now please…
Highly Recommended.
Stone Cold Heart is Stone Cold Brilliant, encompassing not only an intensely intriguing background family drama but also a twisty mystery that has both psychological thriller elements and a strong anchor of police procedural. Mixing all this up into an intelligent plot with unpredictable outcomes makes this a perfect storm of a read, throw in a perfect last line and you have an absolute winner.
Caz Frear is a hugely talented writer and you know that’s still important to note in these days of mixed quality choices in reading- if like me you want depth of perception, words that come together in ways that tip your emotional balance and a damned good story to boot then look no further.
Cat Kinsella is engaging and more importantly realistic, flawed yes but not defined by it, the supporting cast all well drawn and important to the whole. In this particular instalment the mystery element is beautifully done I devoured every word.
If I could have the next one now please…
Highly Recommended.
May 4, 2019
A fractured marriage. A silent family. A secret that connects them all......
Having read and loved Caz Frear's first novel "Sweet Little Lies" I was very much looking forward to meeting DC Cat Kinsella again in "Stone Cold Heart".
"When DC Cat Kinsella is approached by Joseph Madden for help with his wife Rachel, there's not much she can do. He claims that Rachel has been threatening him, but can't - or won't - give Cat details as to why. Dismissing it as a marriage on the rocks, Cat forgets about it. That is until Naomi Lockhart is found dead after a party attended by both Joseph and Rachel and Joseph is arrested for the murder. Joseph says his wife is setting him up. His wife says he didn't do it.
Adulterer. Murderer. Victim. Who would you believe......?"
I just love Cat, she's such a likeable main protagonist. Although not flawed, she isn't perfect either and her whole tough demeanour is a refreshing change to the troubled and 'poor me' female characters you so frequently meet in other police procedurals.
In fact all the characters are convincingly portrayed and the storyline is knockout brilliant. The relationship between Cat and her Sergeant, Luigi Parnell was truly wonderful to read but even better was the relationship between DCI Kate Steele and her team, realistic humour, excellent leadership and a perfectly believable working scenario.
I enjoyed this fantastically plotted story from the very first page, with relevant twists and turns and with frequent forays into Cat's personal life, this made for very impressive reading and one that I found very hard to put down. All through the story I felt I was a part of the hard working team solving the murder, so good was the author in engaging the reader every step of the procedural way.
This is the second in the DCI Cat Kinsella series and by no means do you need to read the first one, as this works just as well as a standalone. Although for personal enjoyment and to fully engage with the superb characters, you may want to read "Sweet Little Lies" first. The last sentence leaves a fantastic opening for book three which I'm now eagerly anticipating for the future, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this seriously addictive series, the author Caz Frear, or DCI Cat Kinsella herself. If you're a crime fan you shouldn't be disappointed!
An amazing five stars for a read that kept me thoroughly entertained!
Having read and loved Caz Frear's first novel "Sweet Little Lies" I was very much looking forward to meeting DC Cat Kinsella again in "Stone Cold Heart".
"When DC Cat Kinsella is approached by Joseph Madden for help with his wife Rachel, there's not much she can do. He claims that Rachel has been threatening him, but can't - or won't - give Cat details as to why. Dismissing it as a marriage on the rocks, Cat forgets about it. That is until Naomi Lockhart is found dead after a party attended by both Joseph and Rachel and Joseph is arrested for the murder. Joseph says his wife is setting him up. His wife says he didn't do it.
Adulterer. Murderer. Victim. Who would you believe......?"
I just love Cat, she's such a likeable main protagonist. Although not flawed, she isn't perfect either and her whole tough demeanour is a refreshing change to the troubled and 'poor me' female characters you so frequently meet in other police procedurals.
In fact all the characters are convincingly portrayed and the storyline is knockout brilliant. The relationship between Cat and her Sergeant, Luigi Parnell was truly wonderful to read but even better was the relationship between DCI Kate Steele and her team, realistic humour, excellent leadership and a perfectly believable working scenario.
I enjoyed this fantastically plotted story from the very first page, with relevant twists and turns and with frequent forays into Cat's personal life, this made for very impressive reading and one that I found very hard to put down. All through the story I felt I was a part of the hard working team solving the murder, so good was the author in engaging the reader every step of the procedural way.
This is the second in the DCI Cat Kinsella series and by no means do you need to read the first one, as this works just as well as a standalone. Although for personal enjoyment and to fully engage with the superb characters, you may want to read "Sweet Little Lies" first. The last sentence leaves a fantastic opening for book three which I'm now eagerly anticipating for the future, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this seriously addictive series, the author Caz Frear, or DCI Cat Kinsella herself. If you're a crime fan you shouldn't be disappointed!
An amazing five stars for a read that kept me thoroughly entertained!
April 8, 2020
Me ha gustado también el 2º libro de la detective Cat Kinsella. Los personajes del primer libro siguen rayando a gran altura y la trama de esta segunda novela está muy bien trenzada manteniendo el interés en todo momento. Me gusta como lo cuenta Caz Fear y la buena noticia es que parece dar a entender que la detective Kinsella tendrá más entregas. Recomendable.
August 18, 2019
Tightly plotted with superb intercourse between a compelling trio of well characterised detectives.
Following on from Caz Frear’s cracking debut, Sweet Little Lies, her second police procedural is a brilliantly crafted and realistically handled investigation featuring one of the most likeable protagonists in crime fiction, twenty-six-year-old DC Cat Kinsella. After a stint at the Mayor’s Office, Cat is back where she belongs: Murder Investigation Team 4 at the Met with the fallout from her last case leaving her relations with her family messy, a new boyfriend who she can’t be totally honest with and a heck of a lot on her conscious. Still, she is relieved to be back with her ‘work dad’, DS Luigi Parnell and sharp-eyed boss, DCI Kate Steele and when a barista making eyes at her starts talking about his wife’s vague threats and instability during a quick coffee run she sends him down his local police station. Five years into her career and three months after originally meeting the barista, the murder of twenty-two-year-old Australian, Naomi Lockhart, rather uncannily throws Casanova - real name Joseph Madden - her way again.
It turns out that Naomi was temping for Madden’s sister-in-law, Kirstie Connor, who happens to have thrown a party that both attended prior to Naomi returning to her flat and being murdered. With Naomi’s body discovered by her ex-con roommate, Kieran Doyle, in whose direction she was pointed by way of Kirstie’s husband who runs a charity for reformed felons, the preliminaries are extensive. All the evidence points to Joseph Madden who quickly reveals himself to be an emotionally abusive and philandering narcissist and when his wife, Rachel, contradicts his alibi it starts to look like an open and shut case. However he claims that he is being framed and with the team building the case around him as the killer, Cat is sent in to buddy up with Rachel and get the low down on the Madden marriage. As numerous inconsistencies present new angles and subsequent insights give the team more food for thought they struggle to work out just what did go on. And with Rachel Madden a mix of weak-willed wife and an overly involved mother and a smart mouthed teenage daughter intent on studying criminology, Cat has her work cut out trying to detect just who is telling the truth and to what degree...
The narrative consists entirely of DC Cat Kinsella in the first person and combined with her lively inner monologue which is full of wit and warmth, her character practically compels the reader to vie for her. Not only is Cat relatable, hugely witty and very determined, but there is a real vulnerability about her after the first novel veered into her own family background and left her with a guilty conscious that is a clear sign of her humanity. Although there are references to Cat’s family dynamics and the storyline in Sweet Little Lies and readers will appreciate understanding her personal predicament, Stone Cold Heart is essentially a straightforward investigation into Naomi Lockhart’s murder. The team dynamic is at its best when acerbic DCI Kate Steele, DS Parnell and Cat are hammering the case out together and feel like a team that know each other inside out. Their banter, rapport and support for each other is a real positive with DCI Steele the role model that Cat aspires to.
Admittedly less pacier than the first novel, Stone Cold Heart is less of a thriller and more a realistic execution of a murder case with a whole load of he said/she said. As subsequent revelations cast new light on the situation, omissions, downright lies and blatant cover-ups further muddy the water, the end result is a satisfying tying up of all the loose ends. It is only then that reader will be able to appreciate just how cleverly plotted Stone Cold Heart really is. Expect false starts, frustrations aplenty and the gut punch of being none to wiser days into the investigation, but as the scenario plays out it makes for an engrossing mystery with a real sense of urgency about it.
A thoroughly well-worked investigation and a worthy follow-up to Sweet Little Lies making DC Cat Kinsella and author Caz Frear hot property. A definite series to follow for fans of British crime fiction everywhere and with slightly tighter editing and brisker pace this would have been a sure-five five star!
Following on from Caz Frear’s cracking debut, Sweet Little Lies, her second police procedural is a brilliantly crafted and realistically handled investigation featuring one of the most likeable protagonists in crime fiction, twenty-six-year-old DC Cat Kinsella. After a stint at the Mayor’s Office, Cat is back where she belongs: Murder Investigation Team 4 at the Met with the fallout from her last case leaving her relations with her family messy, a new boyfriend who she can’t be totally honest with and a heck of a lot on her conscious. Still, she is relieved to be back with her ‘work dad’, DS Luigi Parnell and sharp-eyed boss, DCI Kate Steele and when a barista making eyes at her starts talking about his wife’s vague threats and instability during a quick coffee run she sends him down his local police station. Five years into her career and three months after originally meeting the barista, the murder of twenty-two-year-old Australian, Naomi Lockhart, rather uncannily throws Casanova - real name Joseph Madden - her way again.
It turns out that Naomi was temping for Madden’s sister-in-law, Kirstie Connor, who happens to have thrown a party that both attended prior to Naomi returning to her flat and being murdered. With Naomi’s body discovered by her ex-con roommate, Kieran Doyle, in whose direction she was pointed by way of Kirstie’s husband who runs a charity for reformed felons, the preliminaries are extensive. All the evidence points to Joseph Madden who quickly reveals himself to be an emotionally abusive and philandering narcissist and when his wife, Rachel, contradicts his alibi it starts to look like an open and shut case. However he claims that he is being framed and with the team building the case around him as the killer, Cat is sent in to buddy up with Rachel and get the low down on the Madden marriage. As numerous inconsistencies present new angles and subsequent insights give the team more food for thought they struggle to work out just what did go on. And with Rachel Madden a mix of weak-willed wife and an overly involved mother and a smart mouthed teenage daughter intent on studying criminology, Cat has her work cut out trying to detect just who is telling the truth and to what degree...
The narrative consists entirely of DC Cat Kinsella in the first person and combined with her lively inner monologue which is full of wit and warmth, her character practically compels the reader to vie for her. Not only is Cat relatable, hugely witty and very determined, but there is a real vulnerability about her after the first novel veered into her own family background and left her with a guilty conscious that is a clear sign of her humanity. Although there are references to Cat’s family dynamics and the storyline in Sweet Little Lies and readers will appreciate understanding her personal predicament, Stone Cold Heart is essentially a straightforward investigation into Naomi Lockhart’s murder. The team dynamic is at its best when acerbic DCI Kate Steele, DS Parnell and Cat are hammering the case out together and feel like a team that know each other inside out. Their banter, rapport and support for each other is a real positive with DCI Steele the role model that Cat aspires to.
Admittedly less pacier than the first novel, Stone Cold Heart is less of a thriller and more a realistic execution of a murder case with a whole load of he said/she said. As subsequent revelations cast new light on the situation, omissions, downright lies and blatant cover-ups further muddy the water, the end result is a satisfying tying up of all the loose ends. It is only then that reader will be able to appreciate just how cleverly plotted Stone Cold Heart really is. Expect false starts, frustrations aplenty and the gut punch of being none to wiser days into the investigation, but as the scenario plays out it makes for an engrossing mystery with a real sense of urgency about it.
A thoroughly well-worked investigation and a worthy follow-up to Sweet Little Lies making DC Cat Kinsella and author Caz Frear hot property. A definite series to follow for fans of British crime fiction everywhere and with slightly tighter editing and brisker pace this would have been a sure-five five star!
March 27, 2021
4.5/5
Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear was a great debut, but Stone Cold Heart was an even better follow-up! This book is also a bit on the slower side, but there is still plenty going on to keep you going and once again the case was complex with multiple suspects. There are quite a few characters and at times I would find myself a little confused about who was who, so I do think I might have missed out a bit on the whole picture. However, I am just so impressed at Frear's ability to come up with such an intricate plot and be able to carry it out so well. There are moments of humor in the novel and one of the things I love about this series is how witty some of the characters are. Cat is a smart female lead as well as a great detective, and the more I read about her the more I love her!
The audiobook for Stone Cold Heart is narrated once again by Jane Collingwood and of course, she crushed it. Even after just 2 books, I can't picture anyone other than her voicing Cat and I really hope she ends up narrating all the books in this series. The audio is a bit less than 12.5 hours and once again went really quickly for me. I listened to it all in one day because I had to know how the book would end, and I LOVED the last sentence. I really can't wait to see where Frear is taking this series, and the sort of things Cat will get up to outside of her detective work. I think this is a great book to pick up if you like detective fiction and police procedurals without all the blood and gore. I do recommend reading them in order just so you can get more of the big picture with Cat, but it could also be read as a standalone. I can't wait for book 3!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear was a great debut, but Stone Cold Heart was an even better follow-up! This book is also a bit on the slower side, but there is still plenty going on to keep you going and once again the case was complex with multiple suspects. There are quite a few characters and at times I would find myself a little confused about who was who, so I do think I might have missed out a bit on the whole picture. However, I am just so impressed at Frear's ability to come up with such an intricate plot and be able to carry it out so well. There are moments of humor in the novel and one of the things I love about this series is how witty some of the characters are. Cat is a smart female lead as well as a great detective, and the more I read about her the more I love her!
The audiobook for Stone Cold Heart is narrated once again by Jane Collingwood and of course, she crushed it. Even after just 2 books, I can't picture anyone other than her voicing Cat and I really hope she ends up narrating all the books in this series. The audio is a bit less than 12.5 hours and once again went really quickly for me. I listened to it all in one day because I had to know how the book would end, and I LOVED the last sentence. I really can't wait to see where Frear is taking this series, and the sort of things Cat will get up to outside of her detective work. I think this is a great book to pick up if you like detective fiction and police procedurals without all the blood and gore. I do recommend reading them in order just so you can get more of the big picture with Cat, but it could also be read as a standalone. I can't wait for book 3!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 11, 2020
Segundo libro de una serie policíaca protagonizada por una detective de la policía de Londres, Cat Kinsella; marcada por las difíciles relaciones familiares que arrastra.
En esta ocasión, debe investigar el asesinato de una joven australiana después de asistir a una fiesta de la empresa en la que trabaja; siendo los principales implicados el matrimonio dueño de la empresa y sus familiares.
La historia está narrada en primera persona por parte de la propia Cat, y es por eso que es el personaje más desarrollado de la historia. Su compañero de trabajo, el maduro detective Parnell, es el siguiente en importancia. El resto se describen lo justo y necesario para mantener la coherencia.
La trama es embrollada, sobre todo por las relaciones entre los implicados.
Recomendable; pero no leer sin haber leído el primero de la serie, ya que está muy relacionado con la vida personal de Cat.
En esta ocasión, debe investigar el asesinato de una joven australiana después de asistir a una fiesta de la empresa en la que trabaja; siendo los principales implicados el matrimonio dueño de la empresa y sus familiares.
La historia está narrada en primera persona por parte de la propia Cat, y es por eso que es el personaje más desarrollado de la historia. Su compañero de trabajo, el maduro detective Parnell, es el siguiente en importancia. El resto se describen lo justo y necesario para mantener la coherencia.
La trama es embrollada, sobre todo por las relaciones entre los implicados.
Recomendable; pero no leer sin haber leído el primero de la serie, ya que está muy relacionado con la vida personal de Cat.
August 28, 2019
Unfortunately not as good as the first in the series...
2.5*
2.5*
March 8, 2024
Detective Constable Cat Kinsella works for the London Metropolitan Police but her work life hides a darker past with her family, covering up secrets and transgressions. Cat sees a lot of secrets at work too, especially when she and her partner Luigi Parnell investigate the death of a young Australian woman, Naomi, who is found murdered after attending a party at her boss Kate's home. The clearest suspect is Kate's brother-in-law, Joseph, who claims he was with his wife, Rachel, but Rachel refutes that claim. As Cat digs into the mess surrounding Kate, Joseph, and Rachel, she discovers deep tensions and lies.
This is a strong follow-up to the first book in Cat's series. Cat is a nuanced and complex character with her fair share of flaws, but she's also a great detective with excellent insight into people and their motives. This book will stand alone, but you will have much better insight into Cat's past, especially her history with her father, if you read the first.
The mystery surrounding Naomi's death is well-written, presented as a bit of a mind game to both the detectives and the reader. There are lots of twists and surprises and plenty to guess about as the book goes on. Just when I was convinced I had things figured out, Frear threw me for a new loop. The plot can feel a little long and overly-complicated at times, especially with Cat's family drama thrown in, but overall, this is a tightly written and enjoyable thriller. 4 stars.
This is a strong follow-up to the first book in Cat's series. Cat is a nuanced and complex character with her fair share of flaws, but she's also a great detective with excellent insight into people and their motives. This book will stand alone, but you will have much better insight into Cat's past, especially her history with her father, if you read the first.
The mystery surrounding Naomi's death is well-written, presented as a bit of a mind game to both the detectives and the reader. There are lots of twists and surprises and plenty to guess about as the book goes on. Just when I was convinced I had things figured out, Frear threw me for a new loop. The plot can feel a little long and overly-complicated at times, especially with Cat's family drama thrown in, but overall, this is a tightly written and enjoyable thriller. 4 stars.
March 6, 2020
I felt immediately drawn into the action of this unusual police procedural by the highly interesting cast of characters. Following the murder of young Australian PA, Naomi Lockhart, the police focus their attention on two related families: the Maddens and the Connors. The highly unpleasant Joseph Madden soon becomes their main suspect, but did he really kill Naomi or is he the victim of an elaborate frame-up?
We soon learn that the central character, the likeable detective Cat Kinsella, has her own guilty secrets which, if revealed, would put an end to her career and close relationships. I got the impression that more details of Cat’s criminal Irish family could be found in the previous novel Sweet Little Lies (which I haven’t read) but, on the whole, I found the intrigue of the partial details given here to be enough.
The action did occasionally flag in the middle section, although, I suspect, that does accurately reflect the pace of real police investigations, and the author was concerned about authenticity. The ending, however, was a real knockout blow, which I could never have seen coming.
We soon learn that the central character, the likeable detective Cat Kinsella, has her own guilty secrets which, if revealed, would put an end to her career and close relationships. I got the impression that more details of Cat’s criminal Irish family could be found in the previous novel Sweet Little Lies (which I haven’t read) but, on the whole, I found the intrigue of the partial details given here to be enough.
The action did occasionally flag in the middle section, although, I suspect, that does accurately reflect the pace of real police investigations, and the author was concerned about authenticity. The ending, however, was a real knockout blow, which I could never have seen coming.
October 5, 2019
This is exactly the type of police procedural I've been looking to read, dare I say almost Tana French-ish? Heinous crime is committed, detectives develop leads and interview suspects, lies are told and then discovered, all against the backdrop of Cat Kinsella's rocky personal life. Spot on.
May 8, 2022
Segunda entrega de las aventuras de la inspectora Cat Kinsella. En este nuevo caso la familia, aunque menos, pero sigue participando en sus desvelos y angustias. Un asesinato, un asesino al que apuntan muchas pistas y un caso que no está tan claro como parece. Me ha gustado la forma de resolverlo y como piensa y como actúa Cat, una policía humana con fallos y que le da muchas vueltas a la cabeza, jajaja, leeré el tercero pronto que, por ahora, es el último publicado.
August 30, 2019
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The brilliant DC Cat Kinsella is back, in the new release from Caz Frear which follows on from the hugely entertaining Sweet Little Lies.
Stone Cold Heart builds on the brilliant character of Cat, with her own issues (largely around her dad and his less-than-squeaky-clean history) and faults, but despite all this – or perhaps because of this – she’s a hugely likable character. I love her and the way she interacts with her colleague, Parnell, who is another brilliant character. There are lots of snarky comments and lines from Cat and her colleagues which made me laugh, as well as a satisfying lack of cheesiness or predictability in her relationship with boyfriend Aiden. We find out more about their relationship and Cat herself, on top of the information from book one, and although it’s not necessary to read the first book, I think it enhances the reading of this one.
Another great aspect of this novel is the tight, intriguing plot. Although focused on the investigation into Naomi's death, there's plenty more revealed as the team dig deeper, and a variety of people find themselves in the frame for her murder. There are multiple strands to the story which come together really well towards the end and left me feeling satisfied with the result, and excited to return again to this great cast of characters (whenever book three is released)!
The brilliant DC Cat Kinsella is back, in the new release from Caz Frear which follows on from the hugely entertaining Sweet Little Lies.
Stone Cold Heart builds on the brilliant character of Cat, with her own issues (largely around her dad and his less-than-squeaky-clean history) and faults, but despite all this – or perhaps because of this – she’s a hugely likable character. I love her and the way she interacts with her colleague, Parnell, who is another brilliant character. There are lots of snarky comments and lines from Cat and her colleagues which made me laugh, as well as a satisfying lack of cheesiness or predictability in her relationship with boyfriend Aiden. We find out more about their relationship and Cat herself, on top of the information from book one, and although it’s not necessary to read the first book, I think it enhances the reading of this one.
Another great aspect of this novel is the tight, intriguing plot. Although focused on the investigation into Naomi's death, there's plenty more revealed as the team dig deeper, and a variety of people find themselves in the frame for her murder. There are multiple strands to the story which come together really well towards the end and left me feeling satisfied with the result, and excited to return again to this great cast of characters (whenever book three is released)!
April 18, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advance copy of Stone Cold Heart, the second novel to feature DC Cat Kinsella of the Met.
When Joseph Madden approaches Cat in his coffee shop she thinks he’s being creepy but it turns out that he wants advice she’s unqualified to give, he thinks his wife Rachel is threatening him. Months later the team are investigating the murder of Naomi Lockhart, a young Australian working in London and discover that Joseph Madden may have had something to do with it.
On the whole I thoroughly enjoyed Stone Cold Heart. It is told in the first person by Cat Kinsella and she has a wonderful voice. There is nothing unfiltered about it so the reader gets her thoughts, editorials on events and decision making in an authentic tone which is warm and inviting. For that alone I would have given the novel five glorious stars but there is a downside. Something Cat did in the previous novel, which I have read but after so much time and so many books I can’t remember what, drives much of her current personal behaviour. As it is never spelled out it gets a bit annoying so I would recommend reading the books in chronological order and close together.
The plot is very clever. Mostly it is a case of he said/she said with some excellent characterisation thrown in to muddy the waters. Cat spends most of her time trying to unravel fact from fiction and deciding who to believe. As a result it is not a fast moving read but it is quietly compulsive as the lies are uncovered and the solid ground slowly becomes a quagmire.
None of the family the novel revolves around is particularly likeable but nobody really is under the microscope of a murder enquiry. They are all well drawn and I really liked the gradual unveiling of their true character. Nothing should be taken at face value.
Stone Cold Heart is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When Joseph Madden approaches Cat in his coffee shop she thinks he’s being creepy but it turns out that he wants advice she’s unqualified to give, he thinks his wife Rachel is threatening him. Months later the team are investigating the murder of Naomi Lockhart, a young Australian working in London and discover that Joseph Madden may have had something to do with it.
On the whole I thoroughly enjoyed Stone Cold Heart. It is told in the first person by Cat Kinsella and she has a wonderful voice. There is nothing unfiltered about it so the reader gets her thoughts, editorials on events and decision making in an authentic tone which is warm and inviting. For that alone I would have given the novel five glorious stars but there is a downside. Something Cat did in the previous novel, which I have read but after so much time and so many books I can’t remember what, drives much of her current personal behaviour. As it is never spelled out it gets a bit annoying so I would recommend reading the books in chronological order and close together.
The plot is very clever. Mostly it is a case of he said/she said with some excellent characterisation thrown in to muddy the waters. Cat spends most of her time trying to unravel fact from fiction and deciding who to believe. As a result it is not a fast moving read but it is quietly compulsive as the lies are uncovered and the solid ground slowly becomes a quagmire.
None of the family the novel revolves around is particularly likeable but nobody really is under the microscope of a murder enquiry. They are all well drawn and I really liked the gradual unveiling of their true character. Nothing should be taken at face value.
Stone Cold Heart is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
November 7, 2019
In London, Detective Constable Cat Kinsella and her partner DS Luigi Parnell investigate the death of a 22 year old woman with lilac hair. I read the first book in this series, Sweet Little Lies, a few months ago and I liked this second one better. Stone Cold Heart is a slow and steady British procedural. Takes Cat a while to sort out all the lies and omissions. I like the way Cat thinks outside the box. There are good twists toward the end which makes it my kind of book. The ending was strong and the killer was not on my list. That's always enjoyable too. Looking forward to the next book so I can find out what's going to happen between Cat and her dad, plus whether Cat and Aiden will survive.
July 7, 2019
Caz Frear has done it again with this cracker of a book. DI Cat Kinsella was back with her partner DS Luigi Parnell in this intelligent police procedural.
A murder of a young woman with her head bashed in caused the cops to rush to the investigation. And the Maddens and their extended family were all suspects. The investigation had just started when Cat remembered that one of the Maddens had complained about his wife. And now the same wife did not support his alibi for the murder, and Cat was stumped. What was she missing? Whom should she believe? Who had killed the girl?
The book was a bit slow at the beginning but soon picked up. A clever plot where Cat had to find out who was lying gave it a psychological twist. The turns in the story along with unlikable characters made it easy for me to suspect all of them. Cat and partner Parnell had a great work chemistry, their banter made me smile. Romantic interest with Aiden gave the book a softer edge.
Though it could be read as a standalone, the team would be more interesting if the first book was read. A good murder mystery with a clever plot line solved by hardworking cops made this an exciting read.
A murder of a young woman with her head bashed in caused the cops to rush to the investigation. And the Maddens and their extended family were all suspects. The investigation had just started when Cat remembered that one of the Maddens had complained about his wife. And now the same wife did not support his alibi for the murder, and Cat was stumped. What was she missing? Whom should she believe? Who had killed the girl?
The book was a bit slow at the beginning but soon picked up. A clever plot where Cat had to find out who was lying gave it a psychological twist. The turns in the story along with unlikable characters made it easy for me to suspect all of them. Cat and partner Parnell had a great work chemistry, their banter made me smile. Romantic interest with Aiden gave the book a softer edge.
Though it could be read as a standalone, the team would be more interesting if the first book was read. A good murder mystery with a clever plot line solved by hardworking cops made this an exciting read.
April 28, 2019
4.5 -5 stars! Another great read from Frear! Again we are following DC Cat Kinsella as she navigates the murder of a young woman and her own personal drama and family secrets. Although this one could be read without reading Sweet Little Lies (Frear's debut), I highly suggest you start with SLL. You get to know Cat and her questionable family. Cat is a good detective and a strong woman but she must toe the line between how to be a good sister/daughter and how to be a good cop.
I highly recommend this series if you are a fan of detective mysteries with great characters.
Thanks to Harper Collins for the ARC!
I highly recommend this series if you are a fan of detective mysteries with great characters.
Thanks to Harper Collins for the ARC!
August 21, 2019
Great little twisty mystery. Cat finds herself trying to unravel a murder that involves many family members. Also love that her dad makes a small appearance in this second story.
Dragged in the last 10-15 pages but that's okay. Still a good read
Dragged in the last 10-15 pages but that's okay. Still a good read
February 17, 2019
Caz Frear's debut novel, Sweet Little Lies, was a winner of 'the Richard and Judy Search for a best seller competition' and promptly went on to fulfil that particular prophecy. Given this level of success, it would be easy to imagine that the difficulties traditionally associated with 'second book syndrome' would be a little more acute for her but there are no signs of faltering in Stone Cold Heart. If anything, I preferred this to her impressive debut and am now well and truly settled in for a gripping and entertaining series.
What impressed me most here was the quality of the writing, particularly the dialogue which is pitch-perfect throughout and absolutely crackles in places. The central character, DC Cat Kinsella, is a feisty pitbull-cum-kitten, a survivor of a dysfunctional family upbringing, an impulsive child seemingly incapable of staying within the constraints of her professional responsibilities but driven on by a seething sense of injustice and a desperate need for approval. The relationship between her and her immediate superior Parnell, who provides the steadiness and loyalty she so desperately wants from her father, is beautifully observed and the first person narrative allows us to explore all of Cat's complexities from a privileged close-up vantage point. It might not have worked in less skilled hands but the author has a terrific ear for dialogue which is delivered with sharp humour and unerring accuracy.
The plotting is elaborate but controlled and anyone claiming (as so many readers like to do) that they'd worked it all out long before the halfway stage is surely being more than a little disingenuous. It's one thing to decide who killed Naomi (yes -I managed that!). It's quite another to untangle the threads which eventually explain why. Caz Frear releases everything we need to know at exactly the right time and it's all there if we know where to look for it - no remarkable coincidences, no implausible coup de theatre, just plain, old-fashioned attention to detail.
I have a list of authors whose next book I will buy at the earliest opportunity and Caz Frear has just joined it.
What impressed me most here was the quality of the writing, particularly the dialogue which is pitch-perfect throughout and absolutely crackles in places. The central character, DC Cat Kinsella, is a feisty pitbull-cum-kitten, a survivor of a dysfunctional family upbringing, an impulsive child seemingly incapable of staying within the constraints of her professional responsibilities but driven on by a seething sense of injustice and a desperate need for approval. The relationship between her and her immediate superior Parnell, who provides the steadiness and loyalty she so desperately wants from her father, is beautifully observed and the first person narrative allows us to explore all of Cat's complexities from a privileged close-up vantage point. It might not have worked in less skilled hands but the author has a terrific ear for dialogue which is delivered with sharp humour and unerring accuracy.
The plotting is elaborate but controlled and anyone claiming (as so many readers like to do) that they'd worked it all out long before the halfway stage is surely being more than a little disingenuous. It's one thing to decide who killed Naomi (yes -I managed that!). It's quite another to untangle the threads which eventually explain why. Caz Frear releases everything we need to know at exactly the right time and it's all there if we know where to look for it - no remarkable coincidences, no implausible coup de theatre, just plain, old-fashioned attention to detail.
I have a list of authors whose next book I will buy at the earliest opportunity and Caz Frear has just joined it.
June 10, 2019
This is the second book by Caz Fear featuring DC Cat Kinsella and whilst it can be read as a stand-alone - I would 100% recommend you start with book 1 Sweet Little Lies because 1) there is quite a bit of background you should know and 2) it's a bloody brilliant.
Stone Cold Heart is yet another fabulous story written with style, humour and great skill. Caz Frear has created a simply wonderful, believable, flawed character in Cat Kinsella. A young DC eager to escape her family background, hiding a secret which threatens to end her career before it's even taken off.
Cat narrates the story and her voice is loud and clear. When a young Australian women, Naomi, is found murdered in her flat Cat and the team start investigating and discover a connection to the local coffee shop manager Joseph Madden who had approached Cat several months earlier about his wife. This brings a whole host of characters into suspicion and Cat and DS Luigi Parnell find themselves in the midst of a dysfunctional and odd family who may or may not have murdered Naomi.
Once again Caz Frear has produced a gripping page-turner full of fascinating characters, a twisted tale of murder, cover ups, secrets and guilt with a dash of humour. A fabulous follow up and highly recommended.
Stone Cold Heart is yet another fabulous story written with style, humour and great skill. Caz Frear has created a simply wonderful, believable, flawed character in Cat Kinsella. A young DC eager to escape her family background, hiding a secret which threatens to end her career before it's even taken off.
Cat narrates the story and her voice is loud and clear. When a young Australian women, Naomi, is found murdered in her flat Cat and the team start investigating and discover a connection to the local coffee shop manager Joseph Madden who had approached Cat several months earlier about his wife. This brings a whole host of characters into suspicion and Cat and DS Luigi Parnell find themselves in the midst of a dysfunctional and odd family who may or may not have murdered Naomi.
Once again Caz Frear has produced a gripping page-turner full of fascinating characters, a twisted tale of murder, cover ups, secrets and guilt with a dash of humour. A fabulous follow up and highly recommended.
July 6, 2019
Caz Frear’s follow-up to Sweet Little Lies was everything I was hoping for and more.
Detective Cat Kinsella, our immensely likable and fascinatingly complex protagonist, takes on another confounding murder case, one that ultimately proves to be just as compelling and far, far more complex than the murder being investigated in the first book of the series.
This time around the case has no direct link to Cat’s own family, though there’s a side plot regarding her personal life developing that stems from the events of the first book and looks like it will ultimately become something much bigger as the series progresses.
The solve is not the greatest (this doesn’t seem to be Frear’s specialty...the meat of these books is in the characters and the procedural processes), but it does make sense and won’t make readers angry. And there’s plenty of complex strings attached to it and ancillary fallout from it that mitigates the meh of the whodunit a bit.
Eagerly awaiting the next installment.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Detective Cat Kinsella, our immensely likable and fascinatingly complex protagonist, takes on another confounding murder case, one that ultimately proves to be just as compelling and far, far more complex than the murder being investigated in the first book of the series.
This time around the case has no direct link to Cat’s own family, though there’s a side plot regarding her personal life developing that stems from the events of the first book and looks like it will ultimately become something much bigger as the series progresses.
The solve is not the greatest (this doesn’t seem to be Frear’s specialty...the meat of these books is in the characters and the procedural processes), but it does make sense and won’t make readers angry. And there’s plenty of complex strings attached to it and ancillary fallout from it that mitigates the meh of the whodunit a bit.
Eagerly awaiting the next installment.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 2, 2019
SHE DID IT AGAIN! Once again the story was slowburn. When it gets to the end its twist after twist that will leave your head spinning! I really LOVE this series! I can't wait to continue on! Reminds me of Tana French's writing a bit!
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