Book 5 in the Fawley series. And what a corker of a novel.
SYNOPSIS:
An attractive student. An older professor.
Think you know the story? Think again.
THE NEW UP-ALL-NIGHT THRILLER FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER CARA HUNTER, PERFECT FOR FANS OF LINE OF DUTY
She has everything at stake; he has everything to lose. But one of them is lying, all the same.
When an Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, DI Adam Fawley's team think they've heard it all before. But they couldn't be more wrong.
Because this time, the predator is a woman and the shining star of the department, and the student a six-foot male rugby player.
Soon DI Fawley and his team are up against the clock to figure out the truth. What they don't realise is that someone is watching.
And they have a plan to put Fawley out of action for good...
MY THOUGHTS:
I love Hunter's novels. Although there is the familiarity with her writing style, the setting and the characters, which makes her books so appealing, you also know that this book will be completely unique from her previous DI Fawley novels and nothing is ever what you expect it to be.
From the opening pages you are given a quick guide to 'who's who' in the police and investigative team so even if this is your first novel from the series you can hit the ground running with a summary of the characters. As with all Hunter's books there are no chapters but instead feature different text types, such as, text messages, diary entries, voicemail, social media posts, police interview transcripts, to name a few, and unique to this novel we have the addition of a podcast! I find this feature of Hunter's books fascinating and very engaging. It also makes the whole storyline feel very authentic, which I love.
The Whole Truth starts off with a male student accusing his female lecturer of sexual assault. This #metoo investigation is a tricky one to get to the bottom of and the team work hard investigating all parties involved, deep diving into their lives. Just like all Hunter's books nothing is what you are expecting it to be and as a reader I had no clue as to who was telling the truth. The other story that weaves parallel to this one is based on Fawley's own personal life. His wife is heavily pregnant and Gavin Parrie has been released from prison! The threat that he could be seeking revenge on the people who put him behind bars is immense. Alongside this, Fawley faces a very terrifying situation of his own in this novel which makes for a thrilling but anxious read.
DI Fawley's team are so well developed that you feel like you know them; I was totally invested in all of them as the story unfolded and loved reading about their personal lives too. I think this is one of the strong hooks to Hunter's novels, once you've read one book you just want to continue reading, learning more about the individual characters. Of course her twisted plots are also another selling point. She has been described as The Queen of Oxford Crime and it is such a fitting title. If you are looking for a police procedural that will make you question every piece of evidence presented, that will shock and keep you up reading way past your bedtime then Cara Hunter is your girl. I can honestly say I have no idea how Hunter can keep coming up with such imaginative, but every bit as realistic, storylines, with a host of intriguing characters and multi-layered sub-plots and then weave them altogether to create such a powerful, comprehensive yet complex novel. She always blows me away with her writing which is pure genius.
Having thoroughly enjoyed this book I recommended it to another member of The BookCosy who wrote:
Maria's Thoughts:
A must read. So many possible suspects. Two stories running at the same time.
This book is packed with characters. None of them are irrelevant - all of them a stitch in the tapestry that weaves this superb book into a great read.
DI Adam Fawley has his hands full. He is working on a sexual assault case, his DC has recently been demoted after getting involved with a suspect. The summer is at its peak and his wife is near to giving birth. Both parents are anxious.
Adam Fawley is not expecting what happens next.
I particularly liked the way the texts are written and the book is logged by date and time, much like I imagine a police officer’s notebook would look.
5 stars from me, loved it.
It is very hard to write about this novel without giving any spoilers away. If you are new to Hunter's books then this can definitely be read as a standalone: two intriguing storylines where it is almost impossible to guess the outcome, a host of colourful characters, fast-paced, action-packed and extremely realistic. If you have read the other books in the series then this book has some shocking revelations for DI Adam Fawley and sees the return of Ruth Gallager. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to Ellie Hudson at Penguin Random House for inviting me to join the blog tour.
AUTHOR:
Cara Hunter is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling crime novels Close to Home, In the Dark, No Way Out and All the Rage, all featuring DI Adam Fawley and his Oxford-based police team.