Wowza! What a cracking debut novel "Sweet Little Lies" is! I defy anyone to start reading this and not be hooked after the first few pages.
Cat Kinsella was always a daddy's girl. When 17 year Maryanne Doyle goes missing in the summer of 1998 Cat's dad denies ever knowing her. However, Cat knows he's lying after seeing him flirting with Maryanne and giving her a lift while she was hitch hiking. Cat's relationship with her dad is never the same again. Whilst working as a DC in London eighteen years later, Cat is involved in the investigation of a murdered woman found near her father's pub. When evidence begins to link the death to Maryanne, Cat can't help but have doubts about her father again. Could he be a murderer?
Children are so trusting and believing of grown ups, so it's quite understandable that Cat felt the way she did after her father denied knowing Maryanne. But with unbreakable family bonds, can Cat come clean about what she knows about her father and will she ever forgive him for originally lying to the police? There's a tremendous storyline to this book that has quite a disturbing main plot to it but it's a superbly crafted police procedural with some interesting and well portrayed characters. Cat is particularly compelling, so natural and human you can't help but like her. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend "Sweet Little Lies", you'll be glued to the pages and won't be able to put it down.
I can see why this book won a Richard and Judy competition - it's a brilliant debut novel written by Caz Frear, a refreshing new author with boundless talents and excellent writing skills.
A well deserved 5 stars.
Cat Kinsella was always a daddy's girl. When 17 year Maryanne Doyle goes missing in the summer of 1998 Cat's dad denies ever knowing her. However, Cat knows he's lying after seeing him flirting with Maryanne and giving her a lift while she was hitch hiking. Cat's relationship with her dad is never the same again. Whilst working as a DC in London eighteen years later, Cat is involved in the investigation of a murdered woman found near her father's pub. When evidence begins to link the death to Maryanne, Cat can't help but have doubts about her father again. Could he be a murderer?
Children are so trusting and believing of grown ups, so it's quite understandable that Cat felt the way she did after her father denied knowing Maryanne. But with unbreakable family bonds, can Cat come clean about what she knows about her father and will she ever forgive him for originally lying to the police? There's a tremendous storyline to this book that has quite a disturbing main plot to it but it's a superbly crafted police procedural with some interesting and well portrayed characters. Cat is particularly compelling, so natural and human you can't help but like her. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend "Sweet Little Lies", you'll be glued to the pages and won't be able to put it down.
I can see why this book won a Richard and Judy competition - it's a brilliant debut novel written by Caz Frear, a refreshing new author with boundless talents and excellent writing skills.
A well deserved 5 stars.