ExlibrisJessica

As a devoted fan of the Adam Fawley series, I approached this latest instalment with high expectations, but unfortunately, it fell short of its predecessors.

Book Synopsis:

DCI Adam Fawley and his team are thrust back into a case they thought was closed: the 2016 disappearance of eight-year-old Daisy Mason, where her mother was convicted of murder despite the body never being found. New forensic evidence in a current murder investigation casts doubt on the original conviction, forcing Fawley to reopen the case and uncover the truth. 

While I thoroughly enjoyed books two to six, the first book of the series, portraying an eight-year-old Daisy as a manipulative mastermind (who faked her own kidnapping), never fully resonated with me. Though I hoped a sixteen-year-old Daisy would provide a more compelling narrative, the constant references to her past ‘evil genius’ felt contrived and detracted from the series’ authenticity. Daisy’s ‘shadow journal’ entries, in particular, lacked a consistent voice, switching between childish immaturity and adult malevolence, which disrupted the narrative flow.

As always, the dynamic St Algate’s team- led by Adam Fawley- provided some redeeming moments, though the expanding cast is becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of (thankfully, the character summary at the beginning was a great help). I believe there were FIFTEEN detectives due to the team working in pairs with a second police station. After a while I ended up following a few of my favourites and letting the rest blur into the story. The six-year time jump also introduced a sense of change and distance among the team members, which, while realistic, slightly altered the familiar dynamic. Notably, Adam Fawley’s presence felt somewhat diminished compared to previous books, likely due to the expanding cast. While this shift altered the series’ flow, I still appreciated the glimpses into his home life with his wife Alex and daughter Lily, which offered a welcome sense of normalcy amidst the complexity of the investigation.

Most of the pacing was excellent, maintaining a steady momentum throughout. However, the ending proved deeply disappointing. The building tension dissipated in a mere six pages, ending with a ‘fade to black’ type of cliffhanger. Furthermore, a crucial piece of overlooked evidence undermined the investigation’s credibility, making the team appear uncharacteristically negligent.

The thing this book does well is the way it ties into Hunter’s standalone ‘murder in the family’ novel and the infamous Netflix series from that, also seen in the last book of this series. The parallels were enjoyable and, as always with Cara Hunter books, the multimedia additions to enhance the narrative were fun and well presented.

Despite this setback, I remain a fan of Cara Hunter’s work, with No Way Out being a personal favorite. I sincerely hope her next novel returns to the series’ strengths, featuring a more cohesive concept and a streamlined cast.

Thank you to Harper Fiction for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Have you read this series? Which of the stories has been your favourite?