Cover Image: Don't Turn Back

Don't Turn Back

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Member Reviews

DS Butler finds body that leads to involvement in human trafficking. It is also connected with the accident (or was it) that killed her husband and 5 year old daughter a few years back. She is dogged in her pursuit, especially when she thinks there may be crooked police as part of a much larger conspiracy. Classic British whodunit, with clues scattered about, a bunch of great characters, and several interlocking plots all coming together at the end. A terrific series.

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I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This is the first book of Butler that I have read, and I was not disappointed. The characters were well developed and I was easily drawn into their world.

A dead body, a threat from an old suspect, a deadly fire and some old questions. Detective Hart is determined to discover the truth: is there a connection? Startled, Detective Hart begins to wonder about the real circumstance surrounding the accident. Dealing with emotions from the loss of her family, the difficulties of solving a brutal murder and unsettling issues within the police force, she struggles to keep her sanity while performing her duties.

A psychological study of one woman’s sanity is measured against the backdrop of police work and corruption. Is there corruption, where is it, who can be trusted? Those are the questions that must be answered along with solving the murder of the mystery man, the arson that killed three people, and what is going on in the Red Lion? Hart’s struggles while doing her job take this police drama to a higher level of mystery and danger.

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I enjoyed reading this book and thought the author did a great job exposing the corruption in the British police dept. at the end. Bringing her past to the present along with other characters made you want to know the real story behind imported slavery. Well-developed story with several twists.
This book was given to me by Net Galley for an honest review.

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Nice lean writing. Interesting plot line. good character development. Looking forward to more from this author.

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This is the third novel in the series, but the first book I have read. There is enough background within this story that I don’t think there is a need to read the previous 2 books. Set in the small town of Lincolnshire, Detective Sargent Karen Hart is holding her life together 5 years after her husband and daughter died in a car accident. A violent, bludgeoning death brings Karen once again to face an old nemesis in the form of the Perry family. The Perry’s are a slimy group that are well known to Karen’s team since they have been investigated before for illegal payroll practices. This time around, Karen and her partner find 3 very dirty men living in squalid conditions in the Perry’s garage. With enough evidence to bring the Perry’s in for questions involving an illegal modern slavery trade, Karen looks to lock up the Perry’s for good this time. When the Perry’s bar The Red Lion is set alight in the middle of the night and witnesses start disappearing, it becomes clear that the Perry’s may have been a front for a much larger, more dangerous organization who’s purpose is to exploit vulnerable groups for cheap labor. A complex, layered story complete with murder, mayhem, and dirty cops. Karen is a sympathetic figure who is determined to do her job to the best of her ability, while also struggling with many demons from her past. While story doesn’t contain mind blowing shockers, story is well rounded and has many different facets. There was a bit of a lag in pacing in the middle, but it finished strong. Should appeal to fans of this series and police procedurals at large. Review posted to Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Amazon.

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This isn’t my usual type of read, but I was surprised that I enjoyed it. It was well written and kept me wanting to read more. It’s part of a series I believe, but you wouldn’t have known by reading this, it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the others.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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Great book with a lot of twists and turns! This is the first book I have read by this author and I am truly impressed! The story is very interesting and intriguing. The character development of the protagonist is very elegantly done. Overall, its a great police-thriller novel. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

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This was an engaging read with plenty of plot twists to keep me guessing, I couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to the next book from this author.

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Det. Karen is sent to investigate a horrific murder. As she begins her investigation, she has to return to a Bar that she has looked into before. she had only quit looking into that bar because her husband and daughter were killed in a car accident and she was obviously in a great bit of grief and that took a long time to come to terms with..
however she has never stopped being suspicious of the owners activities and has always thought they might somehow be involved in the car accident, although she has lately come to think she might be wrong about that.
the story unfolds like an investigation and is interesting to read. won't tell you anymore as to not take away how it all works out,
It is a pretty good read.

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Great read! Even though #dontturnback is number 3 in the DS Karen Hart series I didn’t feel at all out of sync or behind in the story line. This police procedural is tightly crafted and contains just enough twists to keep you guessing. I will definitely look for more in the series. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for this ebook to read and review.

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thanks netgalley. Karen is still haunted by the death of her husband and daughter, she believes it was a coverup within the police department.

While Karen is investigating a murder, she uncovers what she believes is a human trafficking ring. As she starts to figure things out she finds that she may not have been wrong about the death of her family

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DS Karen Hart is a seasoned detective with the Lincolnshire police force. She is a very determined individual with a very intuitive gut instinct but that is not how you solve cases. Karen has worked very hard to let go of her heartbreaking past but all that is about to change when she is forced to revisit the Perry's. This murder mystery has a lot going on but Karen will do everything she can to find the truth. What a great book. I love the setting, the characters and the story line. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to preview this book.

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I've heard good reports from this author and decided to give this one a go not disappointed, usual crime procedures and D S Hart has had a previous tragedy losing her husband and daughter in a car crash which she has always felt it was not an accident but has tried to put it to rest, and in this episode, her DI Scott Morgan calls for her to view a body where the face had been brutely bludgeoned to hide who he is. On investigating she comes into contact with Perry's the people who run The Red Lion pub nasty pieces of work, and Karen Hart always believed they were behind her husband and daughter's death. While trying to have a word with this couple D S Hart sees something untoward in the garage, and lo and behold 3 pitiful men were there in filthy condition, and Perry's excuse is they were putting a roof over their heads. Disappointingly they can't keep Perry's in jail on such minor charges as nobody is talking. Morgan and Scott always feel that the culprits are one step ahead, how can that be?. Few days in and Morgans' previous boss comes in on the action, and he brings along his DC they are from Thames Valley and looks like his case overlaps with theirs Morgan and Hart have a job on their hand their counterparts want to belittle them most of the time but can they get the upper hand, and will Hart get justice for her husband and daughter. good book writing is superb the characters well balanced and a joy to read. I would like to thank Netgalley and AmazonPublishing UK for a copy to review.

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A 5 star book I strongly recommend. The book is very well written. The characters are strong and well developed. The story is awesome and very intriguing. A must read!

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Don't Turn Back by D. S. Butler is the third book in her series featuring DS Karen Hart and set in Lincolnshire. This is the first I have read in this series and I really enjoyed it. Plus I will be going back to read the other 2 books. I enjoyed and reading about all the characters and looking forward to the next installment.

Big thank you to the publisher: Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

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I enjoyed this book as it kept me riveted and I didn’t want to put it down. Having read previous books by this author made it easy for me to pick up storyline, but as a stand-alone book it would be good also.

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Dectetive Karen Hart as she struggles to move on from personal loss picks up a case close to home that quickly intersects with her past.

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I received an advanced reader copy of Don't Turn back by DS Butler, from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. As I knew this was the third in the DS Karen Hart series, I deliberately didn't read it until I had read the first two books and reviewed them. That said, Don't Turn Back holds its own very well as a standalone book, although I am glad I did read the others first.

The brutal murder of an unidentified man leads DS Karen Hart back to a couple she has had dealings with before, and suspected of being involved in modern slavery. Still mourning the tragic loss of her husband and child in a car accident five years earlier, Karen begins to suspect there is a conspiracy which may even implicate police officers in her own force. A conspiracy which she begins to believe may be connected to the loss of her family. DI Scott Morgan has his own problems. His old boss from Thames Valley police is working on the investigation with them and seems determined to undermine his authority and reputation.
As Karen begins to doubt her own judgement, she realises the investigation is much more complicated than at first thought. As two investigations merge into one, she finds becomes more and more convinced there is a corrupt influence within the police holding them back.

I honestly believe this is the best book in the series so far. More complex than its predecessors and extremely well thought out. I like these characters and felt for Morgan when Rob Miller turned up, and took an instant dislike to DC Olivia Webster. I would have found it difficult to be so diplomatic around her. I did feel that Rick and Sophie could have been more involved in the early investigation but it was good to see them develop as investigators later on.
I am happy to recommend Don't Turn Back to anyone, whether they are new to the genre or a pro. Eagerly looking forward to book four...

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Another page turner by D S Butler; another gripping book; another great storyline with characters that you actually believe in and feel for; a story that must actually be sadly so true for so many that we just don't know about; another must read to add to your list. I'm sure each book by this author gets better and better. Loved it, sorry when I had finished it!

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I really enjoyed the mystery and crime solving in this one, but I definitely felt like it was lacking something - I don't know if it's just because it's a new author for me or if it was a little wordy at times with no plot development in the start - but I liked how it all came together at the end and overall enjoyed the story.

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