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Book review: Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter
Author: Cara Hunter
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication date: 19th September 2023
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.
Luke Ryder’s murder has never been solved. Guy Howard’s mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder–but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.
But some murder cases are simply too big to forget…
Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating–and perhaps cracking–this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited–on camera. The truth will come out.
My review:
By now mystery and thriller fans are aware of Cara Hunter’s series featuring DI Adam Fawley and may be pleasantly surprised to discover this standalone book. Unlike the Oxford based series, Murder in the Family does not have a strong focus on the crime and forensics investigation but rather interprets human emotion and relationships through the lens of a famous Netflix series, Infamous. There are, however, many similarities between this book and Cara Hunter’s series, including an increasingly complex web of deceit and camoflouge as most characters are revealed to be hiding secrets as new episodes of the series are aired.
The storyline takes place almost 20 years in the aftermath of the merciless murder of Luke Ryder, a somewhat ordinary character with a visibly uninteresting past. As the characters in the Infamous series are introduced, we soon discover that many of the characters played a pivotal role in the immediate discovery of the body, although the original reports did not focus on this in the beginning. Although it may seem as if the trail has gone cold, the story unfolds as each episode focuses on a key part of the small team’s investigation many years post dicovery of the crime. I thoroughly enjoyed this format and it is a fundamental characteristic of Cara Hunter’s writing style and a clever way to engage the reader.
As always, the character development for almost all of the characters is impressive and intricantly woven into the storyline from the beginning. I was most curious about the family dynamic between the three siblings and was unsure about how this would transpire. The secrets in this family were not only shocking but also deeply ingrained into the present day relationships between the siblings and a core part of the events surrounding Luke Ryder’s death.
The pacing in Murder in the Family is just right, with each twist driving the narrative into a different direction as the spotlight shifts to a different potential suspect. There were many key twists and turns that shocked me and I found myself unable to put the book down. At one point I could guess what had happened and who the killer was based on a specific subtle hint that was mentioned and this is the only downside for me in this otherwise clever and well written book.
I highly recommend Murder in the Family to anyone looking for their next masterfully crafted thriller. With a set of intriguing characters and meandering plot, Cara Hunter skilfully draws in the reader until the last page.
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Book review: Hope to Die by Cara Hunter
Title: Hope to Die
Author: Cara Hunter
Genre: Crime
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: 21st July 2022
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“It looks like a burglary gone wrong, but DI Adam Fawley suspects there’s something more to it.
When the police discover a connection to a high-profile case from years ago, involving a child’s murder and an alleged miscarriage of justice, the press go wild.
Suddenly Fawley’s team are under more scrutiny than ever before. And when you dig up the past, you’re sure to find a few skeletons…”
My review:
Similar to the past books in the series, the sixth addition to the DI Adam Fawley series promises to deliver from the very start. This time, the Oxfordshire Police struggle to put the pieces together when a strange case of what at first appears to be a burglary gone wrong reaches their department. DI Fawley and his team work to solve the puzzle and create a timeline that spans decades and involves a family tragedy and many red herrings.
While the storytelling and plot did not seem as clear cut as some of the past books in the series, the recurring protagonists continued to inspire with their impressive police work and fascinate with their deep and complex personalities. By now it truly feels like we as readers are part of the family as we follow each character through their highs and lows. I was delighted that after all the hardships, DI Adam Fawley is now more established in his career and personal life.
The plot of Hope to Die is riveting and intense with many twists and a steady pace as the team of investigators tries to understand how the victim and those around him are interconnected. Cara Hunter is an expert at keeping the reader on their toes, constantly building up the tension before each twist until the very end where all the questions are finally answered.
Hope to Die is a brilliant crime story from beginning to end. It boasts a solid set of characters, both past and new, and a steady-paced plot that delivers on all fronts. It is the perfect read for those who are new to the genre and want to try out a crime fiction book as well as avid fans of the genre who are looking for a reliable book that will not disappoint.
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Book review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Title: Rock Paper Scissors
Author: Alice Feeney
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: HQ
Publication date: 19th August 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.
Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.”My review:
If you are looking for a slow build and equally intense thriller, Alice Feeney’s books are for you and Rock Paper Scissors is no exception. Set in an eerie chapel in a small town in Scotland, it already seems promising before the main characters and background are introduced. Once Adam and Amelia’s relationship is revealed to be unstable, the mysterious setting seems even more fitting and I couldn’t wait to see how the plot would unravel.
The exchange of traditional gifts for the couple’s wedding anniversaries was unique and a nice touch that suited the storyline well. I enjoyed the flashbacks to the letters Amelia had written to Adam on each anniversary as this technique was a perfect way to show how their relationship developed and the reasons they chose to go on this trip. As characters they were both quite unlikeable and it was evident from the start that they were both hiding something important from each other. Although I don’t usually enjoy unlikeable characters in thrillers, I found that this trait made the plot even more intriguing and I was eager to discover why they no longer trusted each other.
Fans of Alice Feeney’s books will know how brilliant she is at incorporating unexpected plot twists to her books and I think that she left the best twists to Rock Paper Scissors. Without disclosing too much, I can only advise future readers to always keep the characters’ past in mind as all is not as it seems and the unexpected visitor they encounter is a true example of that.
Rock Paper Scissors is the type of thriller you can expect to dive into one evening and finish the same night. Although it starts off slowly, the first twist is enough to keep the reader hooked and wanting more. It delivers on both plot and setting and finishes with a huge revelation that explains everything that had happened at the chapel to date. I highly recommend this book to fans of the genre who crave a story told by an unreliable main character which takes place in a spooky setting.
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Book review: Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield
Title: Once Upon A River
Author: Diane Setterfield
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Transworld Digital
Publication date: 24th January 2019
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“A dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the Thames. The regulars are entertaining themselves by telling stories when the door bursts open on an injured stranger. In his arms is the drowned corpse of a little child.
Hours later the dead girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life.
Is it a miracle?
Is it magic?
Or can it be explained by science?“
My review:
“There are stories that may be told aloud, and stories that must be told in whispers, and there are stories that are never told at all.”
When a lost girl appears in a pub by the river, carried by a man who collapses as soon as he enters the building, the community is astounded by the situation but quickly come together to care for the girl. The mystery deepens when several people come forward, certain that the lost girl belongs to their family. This intriguing beginning was quick paced and well developed, already showing a lot of promise only a few chapters into the book.
Once Upon A River may be classed as Historical Fiction but often crosses the line into Fantasy with its folklore and fantastical elements. The author does this gradually by dipping into new realms with these writing mechanisms and slowly building up the setting and backstory with hints of possible magical elements that may explain the situation surrounding the lost girl. I found this to be one of the strongest aspects of the book and was pleased to see how well it was incorporated into the main storyline.
Another important factor which explains the richness of this book is the unique setting and the eloquent descriptions and language which worked incredibly well in bringing in the reader to the present moment. I was often completely lost into the book while I was reading which doesn’t often happen to me so I was pleasantly surprised at just how well the setting was mapped out.
Ultimately it is always the characters which make Historical Fiction books feel special and unique and I was happy to see a lot of character progression with most of the characters in the book. I was originally unable to foresee how their stories would overlap as several characters did not seem relevant to the plot until a long way into the book however each character ended up fitting well into the storyline without having a predictable outcome.
Once Upon A River is a vivid and enchanting tale told through the eyes of ordinary people in an extraordinary setting. It flows just like a river would and unfortunately the pace was lost somewhere towards the middle of the book however it quickly picked up speed and ultimately left me satisfied and even wishing for a sequel. The storytelling was exquisite and has left me eager to explore other books by this author.
“And now, dear reader, the story is over. It is time for you to cross the bridge once more and return to the world you came from. This river, which is and is not the Thames, must continue flowing without you. You have haunted here long enough, and besides, you surely have rivers of your own to attend to?”
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Book review: The Watchmaker of Dachau by Carly Schabowski
Title: The Watchmaker of Dachau
Author: Carly Schabowski
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication date: 20th January 2021
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Summary:
“‘Snow falls and a woman prepares for a funeral she has long expected, yet hoped would never come. As she pats her hair and straightens her skirt, she tells herself this isn’t the first time she’s lost someone. Lifting a delicate, battered wristwatch from a little box on her dresser, she presses it to her cheek. Suddenly, she’s lost in memory…
January 1945. Dachau, Germany. As the train rattles through the bright, snowy Bavarian countryside, the still beauty outside the window hides the terrible scenes inside the train, where men and women are packed together, cold and terrified. Jewish watchmaker Isaac Schüller can’t understand how he came to be here, and is certain he won’t be leaving alive.
When the prisoners arrive at Dachau concentration camp, Isaac is unexpectedly pulled from the crowd and installed in the nearby household of Senior Officer Becher and his young, pretty, spoiled wife. With his talent for watchmaking, Isaac can be of use to Becher, but he knows his life is only worth something here as long as Becher needs his skills.
Anna Reznick waits table and washes linens for the Bechers, who dine and socialise and carry on as if they don’t constantly have death all around them. When she meets Isaac she knows she’s found a true friend, and maybe more. But Dachau is a dangerous place where you can never take love for granted, and when Isaac discovers a heartbreaking secret hidden in the depths of Becher’s workshop, it will put Anna and Issac in terrible danger…“
My review:
In The Watchmaker of Dachau, we meet several characters who are captured in Dachau concentration camp and other characters forced to work in one of the commander’s homes. These mix of characters form the base of a poignant and somber story which is fascinating from the start and is based on a real life story in an attempt to bring more awareness to some of the tragedies during WWII.
Isaac is taken in by Becher, one of the commanders, as soon as he is brought to Dachau concentration camp once the guards discover that he fixes objects. Some of the events that occurred on his way to the camp as well as once he arrived were tragic and I found some parts difficult to read. However, the friendship he forms with Anna, one of Becher’s housekeepers, brings an air of hope and positivity when they find a series of mysterious letters. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this friendship develop despite the bleak contrast of their surroundings.
The most curious character is most certainly Friedrich, Becher’s young son who doesn’t understand much including why his family have hired staff or the events happening at the Dachau camp. Although his character is originally portrayed as juvenile and naive, this brings about an element of positivity as he tries to form a connection with both Isaac and Anna in various ways despite often being scolded with his parents whenever they found out. This bond transforms into something even more beautiful in the epilogue which is ultimately a celebration of life and a bittersweet way to connect these characters and highlight their differences and similarities.
The writing in The Watchmaker of Dachau flows beautifully and the short chapters kept me invested in the storyline until the very end. I would have preferred if the book was more lengthy and descriptive as there were certain parts which skimmed years. However, the connection which this characters formed was a beautiful symbol for the struggles many faced during the war and the story a necessary one to be told.
The Watchmaker of Dachau is out to buy today!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.