Pages: 409
Published: 21st July 2022
Genre: Crime
Content warnings: Injury detail, baby death storyline
When a body is found in a farmhouse in a gruesome state, DI Adam Fawley is one of the first on the scene. The murder leads Fawley to a convoluted investigation from the past, and a family torn apart by a devastating crime involving the disappearance of a child.
Can Fawley piece together the facts of history with the clues in the present? Sometimes the truth is the hardest answer to face up to…
If you want to find a book that is the very definition of a page-turner, then look no further than this series. Of the six published so far, that statement is arguably most true of this most recent instalment, which possesses a fiendishly fascinating and multi-layered mystery that carries you into the depths of obsession and occupies your thoughts right from the very start.
Along with such a well crafted plotline that is made to flourish even more by the familiar multimedia format, the series arc moves along impressively too with good development of existing characters complemented by the arrival of several new faces, who are well fleshed out. An amazing ride for fans of the previous books; it will also be positively thrilling for many who are new to Cara Hunter’s writing.
Having recently cleared his name and become a father to a baby daughter, DI Adam Fawley is back at work and soon confronted by an extremely unusual case. One night at a country house, a young man is shot dead. In the time it takes for the police to arrive, all of his identification documents have been disposed of and the elderly homeowner is immediately taken into custody.
Under questioning, Richard Swann and his more evasive wife Margaret insist that the man was an intruder and they were defending their household, but the police believe the real story is much more complex than that. Further inquiries then reveal that Swann is not their real surname and that the couple changed their name by deed poll after their daughter Camilla Rowan was convicted in 2003 of killing her newborn son six years earlier.
The Camilla Rowan case is one of the most notorious of recent times and was even the subject of a Netflix documentary, with the whole affair causing her parents to live a secluded life. Having already had one baby adopted, she claimed to have left her son with his father after giving birth, but no trace of him was found and she was eventually found guilty of murder. But now, years later, a DNA test on the shooting victim at Gantry Manor puts everything in doubt.
It is an enthralling story told at a fast pace as the case unravels in tantalising style; addictive in the extreme. The shooting incident in the present day and the entire background relating to Camilla Rowan is so clever and intricate, not to mention endlessly interesting, as every piece of evidence, every breakthrough and every witness testimony, added a new perspective on things.
As a result, it leaves you with lots of competing theories and fuels doubt as to what really happened, both in terms of Camilla’s apparent guilt and how much her parents really knew. The case takes several very surprising turns and the plotting is impeccable, absolutely nailing the thrill factor even when some of the topics it covers are on the tragic side. It is therefore easy to forgive the fact that the pursuit near the end goes on a little too long.
The format is exactly the same as in the previous books, with short sections as opposed to chapters and mini-cliffhangers everywhere in sight. It almost makes it rude not to keep on reading. What continually sets it apart though is the multimedia, as the many different types that are used provide layer upon layer of intrigue. The most effective one here by a mile is the transcripts from the Netflix documentary, which are super authentic and leave you hungry for more information.
One noticeable aspect is that this time there is a higher amount told from DI Fawley’s perspective. This is a good story for Fawley, who comes across as having a new lease of life and it was fun getting an insight into his thoughts on this particular case and giving an interview about it, as well as the dynamic between the members of his team.
Speaking of which, Quinn has been reinstated as a DS and it was entertaining early on to see him to eager to set an example, but his egotistical ways are still very prevalent. The sub-plot about Somer is quite sad, but the three new additions to the team are all great and it does not take long to get to know them. Carter tries a bit too hard to earn praise from his superior officers, but Hansson and Sargent are both really likeable.
Camilla Rowan is easily the most interesting character to have appeared in this series thus far. She is wayward and manipulative, yet trying to pin her down is like catching smoke. In police interviews she is often one step ahead, and such is the way the case unfolds, you are seriously made to wonder if she is indeed evil or just tragically misunderstood. Either way, she is a serial liar and all manner of complex.
Her parents were a bit of a puzzle to solve, too. In the beginning before we discover the connection to Camilla, the Swanns come across as a somewhat quirky old-fashioned couple, but there was always going to be more to it than that. As the story goes on it is easy to actually feel kind of sorry for Richard, while Margaret was harder to read and definitely seemed to be holding something back.
The writing is often informal as it contains some light-hearted moments in a way that it is almost sharing a private joke with the reader, which is particularly enjoyable if you are familiar with all the books in the series. But that is matched by the meticulous care and attention to detail that goes into the plot, the twists, and each facet of the case. The multimedia is superbly realised as ever and just shows the author’s continued ability to captivate.
Overall, this a brilliant book that might just claim the honour of being the best DI Fawley novel to date, thanks to a case that proves impossible to get out of your head and impressive steps forward in character development. It is thrilling in its entirety and the storytelling still draws you in, so the signs are that this series is going from strength to strength.
I already loved this series, but this book honestly exceeded my expectations. I was hooked from start to finish.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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