Oh, the excitement of having a new Adam Fawley book to read!

With this seventh book, we revisit a previous case as new information has changed things. It's been some time since we read about the disappearance of Daisy Mason and things have changed quite a bit both professionally and personally for Adam Fawley.

This is a series I've followed from the beginning and one I really love. The crimes, the team of police officers and everything else have just always gelled together. I feel I missed something in this one as the newspaper reports just don't seem to transfer to kindle and with my arthritic hands not coping with a 'real' book I'll just have to live with it. However, that is no fault of the author's and I wouldn't be so mean as to allow that to take away from the five stars that this novel easily merits. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

You can easily read this book as a stand-alone, but the whole series is so good, I’d certainly recommend starting from the beginning so that you can get to know the characters in this excellent contemporary police procedural series. If you are diving straight in though, Cara Hunter provides a very useful thumbnail sketch of all the main characters to bring you up to speed.

Making A Killing is a follow up to the first book in this series, Close to Home in which the then DI Fawley investigated the disappearance of 8 year old Daisy Mason from her family home. Although Daisy’s body was never found, the evidence that Fawley and his team gathered was sufficient to convict Daisy’s mother, Sharon and she is currently serving a minimum of 25 years for murdering her daughter. Fawley was more than satisfied; he had no doubts about Sharon Morgan’s guilt.

One of Cara Hunter’s trademarks is to make full use of newspaper clippings, texts, WhatsApp messages and other forms of communication such as X and Facebook to throw light on a case and its characters. This makes for a great sense of authenticity as well as drawing you into the action as you read these items contemporaneously with the Police team.

The story opens with a dog walker finding a dead body in the woods. Not just anywhere in the woods, but buried near an old witching tree and the body has something resembling a bridle scold in her mouth. Spooky huh? Well, you’d think so, until forensic pathology make their really spooky discovery. There’s a red hair stuck to a piece of tape on the victim’s body. It does not belong to the as yet unnamed victim, but it does match someone on the Police database. The hair belongs to Daisy Mason!

How can that be possible? And if it is possible, how can the hair have got there? Fawley’s boss calls him and asks him to get as many of the original team together as he can. Because of his prior involvement in the case, he’s best placed to see what he missed, but he and the team will be overseen by a senior policeman to avoid any conflicts of interest.

From there, the case takes a déjà vu turn, with Fawley bringing back his old team from points afar, going over the old case, re-interviewing the original witnesses and starting to sketch out theories as to what could have happened.

There’s nothing more serious for a policeman than a miscarriage of justice and Fawley is at a loss to understand how he could have got it to wrong – if indeed he did. As the team carefully retrace their steps on the case, the impact on the team is profound and none the more so than on Adam Fawley.

It’s absolutely fascinating and all the more so if you have read Close to Home. Cara Hunter has given her readers an intricately plotted, twisty and devilishly clever murder mystery which kept me riveted for hours.

Verdict: It’s great to have D.I. Fawley, Gis, Quinn and others back together again in this really gripping tale that turns on its head everything the Police (and readers) thought they knew. Punchy, with more than one twist in the tail, this book seized me by the throat and would not let go. I highly recommend it.

Cara Hunter is a fabulous writer and wholeheartedly recommend this book. I lost whole afternoon’s as I was so hooked by this book - brilliant!

Morning guys!

Making A Killing by Cara Hunter was a pretty big puzzle, as all the members of the original police enquiry team are brought back together from different stations and job titles, in order to go over an old case. The case is about a little girl who was found to be missing, and her mother sent to prison for her murder. It turns out Daisy may well be still alive after all….
This surrounds a woman’s body found in a shallow grave and physically silenced by a shelf bracket, similar to an old fashioned contraption used eons ago to metaphorically silence women in their death. A hair was found in the tape binding the woman, and this hair belonged to Daisy.
I loved getting to know the characters, and although i hadn’t read the original story, Cara very kindly puts a summary of what happened previously at the start of the book with short facts about each member of the team too, so it’s easy to go on and read this story.
As usual Cara Hunter manages to put intrigue and excitement into her stories and this had a great twist at the end!!
Many thanks to Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HarperCollins, -#CaraHunterAuthor

I was so excited to request an ARC of Making a Killing, and getting approved felt like winning the bookish lottery! Cara Hunter never misses... her writing is sharp, the twists are on point, and the pacing makes it impossible to put down. Adam Fawley remains one of my favorite detectives!!! balancing intelligence and heart in a way that keeps me invested. The case in this one was layered and full of surprises, and I loved how everything unfolded. Another fantastic addition to the series!

Another cracker from Cara Hunter and a welcome return for Adam Hawley called into reinvestigate a murder someone has already been convicted for… where did this eight year old disappear to and why has her hair been found eight years later on a murder victim?

Well... here we are... book 7 and still as fresh as the proverbial! I do love this series, and as per usual I am going to recommend you read from the start. For all the usual continuity/backstory reasons, but also, basically cos they are all cracking books in themselves!
So... this time we delve back into Fawley's past. When evidence on the body of a woman, just discovered dead, links back to one of his cases from 2016. The "death" of an 8 year old child. The mother of whom was arrested, convicted, and jailed, despite there being no actual body found. If her DNA is on this body, she can't be dead...
Coincidentally, a couple of months prior to this discovery, the producer of a true-crime show, Nick Vincent, hears about a new angle on the same old case, sending a researcher to verify it.
And so begins a rather juicy investigation. With Fawly again on the case, trying to figure out not only what happened to the woman, but also delve back in time to try and figure out what really happened to 8 year old Daisy Mason in 2016...
Those of you familiar with this series will recognise the Daisy Mason case from the series opener book - Close to Home. So, please, if you haven't already played catch-up, at least read that book first.
I am not going to say too much more as you really need to discover the rest at the author intended but I am going to say that I was completely floored and shocked when the whole truth came out. Talk about master manipulation... And, refreshingly different to anything I have read in this genre.
As with all the rest of the series, the author used multi mixed media inclusions to get information across in many different ways. I find this a very effective tool to impart a lot of information in a succinct and efficient way.
I absolutely love Adam Fawley as a character, he's everything I need from a lead character in a police procedural book. Put him together with the rest of his team, old hands and newbies, and you really have a force (pun intended) to be reckoned with. It's been a while since we last heard from them, and with the way the author left this book, I really hope it won't be that long before we reconnect to them all once again.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Daisy Mason was only 8 years old when she disappeared from the family home in Oxford amidst swirling rumours of a turbulent home life. Although DI Adam Fawley eventually arrested her mother, it now seems - shockingly enough - that he may have made a misstep.

But the true story of what happened is so complicated, who could blame the police for not getting it right the first time?

Crossing borders and behavioural boundaries, this is a complex yet believable story with multiple twists. And it is hugely entertaining. Cara Hunter does it again! Don't miss this one.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Making A Killing’ written by Cara Hunter in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

In 2016 Daisy Mason was eight when she was abducted from her home in North Oxford with her mother Sharon convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Now, eight years later, a body is found buried near to Hescombe Mere and evidence is uncovered that connects it to the disappearance of Daisy. As DCI Adam Fawley knows the case better than anyone, he’s brought back from counterterrorism to lead the investigation with the assistance of many of his old team.

‘Making A Killing’ leads on from ‘Close To Home’ where Adam Fawley who was then a DI was in charge of the investigation into the disappearance of Daisy Mason. It was this novel that introduced me to Cara Hunter who since then I’ve been an avid fan of. At the beginning of ‘Making A Killing’ there’s an introduction to Fawley and the members of his team, especially helpful for those who didn’t have the opportunity to read the first book.

This has been a thoroughly enjoyable fast-paced thriller with suspense and drama that’s kept me involved as I tried to work out what had happened to Daisy and who was responsible for the body in the grave. Included in the narrative are press cuttings, phone calls, emails, etc, a clever way of keeping the reader up-to-date with an investigation that’s being run by police officers in different districts and often different countries. Once started I found it near impossible to stop reading and although I’d have liked a conclusion that tied up all the loose ends, I’m hoping that the cliffhanger on the final pages means there’ll be a third book in the future. Thank you, Cara, for another amazing novel that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

The story begins with the discovery of a body, which quickly connects to the eight-year-old disappearance of Daisy Mason – a case Detective Inspector Adam Fawley first tackled in 'Close to Home'.

While I didn't read 'Close to Home', I could follow the story just fine with the information provided by the detectives.
However, I recommend reading the first book if you have it or planning to read it, as this one will spoil it for you.

The introduction of the detective team at the beginning was very helpful, though as a reader new to the series, I found the large cast of characters – including two detective teams, police officers, victims, and witnesses – a bit overwhelming and at times felt confused when I forgot one or two characters and their connection to the case.

I love epistolary novels because they offer a unique reading experience.
The inclusion of newspaper clippings, emails, forensic test results, and pictures made me feel like I was investigating alongside the detectives, trying to unravel the mystery of a seemingly dead girl being alive and possibly involved in another homicide.

The first half of the book moves at a slower pace, but it definitely picks up as the pieces of the puzzle start to come together, leading to a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase between the detectives and the culprit.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a suspenseful ending that leaves many questions unanswered, suggesting a possible continuation.
I’ll definitely wait for the next book to continue this series, meanwhile I think I’ll pick up 'Murder in the Family', as the TV series from that book makes an appearance in this novel.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: toxic relationship, murder

#MakingAKilling #NetGalley. I love Cara Hunter books and the Adam Fawley series. This one was fast paced with lots of drama and action and plot twists. The chapters are shirt and told from different points of view. Although part of a series I feel it is capable of being read as a standalone. The multimedia aspects of this book should have made it much more interesting but reading on a kindle was impossible and there were many occasions of paragraphs being repeated over and over. Hopefully this was because it was an ARC. The story ended abruptly and seemed a bit unfinished. I am not sure if there was something missing on my arc copy. This would not stop me reading more in this series but it did spoil my enjoyment somewhat.

This is book #7 in the DI Adam Fawley series. Can also be read as a standalone.
I really enjoyed this clever, twisted, immersive fast paced mystery/crime/police procedural. I couldn’t put it down. I was totally hooked.
I liked the character summary at the beginning, as this is my first book to read in this series it was really helpful to get to know the characters.
I love @carahunterauthor writing style. I enjoyed the multi media chapters with My Shadow Journal, articles, emails, phone interviews, photos plus so much more including the crime documentary series from the standalone book Murder in the Family. These all add depth to the story and make you feel part of the investigation.
The short chapters alternate between Adam Fawley, Hescombe, Oxford, Gloucester, Hampshire and Coventry with multiple POV’s which help the story flow well and makes it easy to follow all the different characters. I really liked Adam Fawley as the main protagonist. He’s a likeable and interesting character.
It’s detailed and cleverly written with lots of great believable characters. A real rollercoaster of a story that keeps you guessing till the end. Just brilliant.
I look forward to the next DCI Fawley instalment and going back to read book #1 Close to Home.
Definitely recommend this book if you enjoy this genre. It’s so worth the read.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUK @harperfiction for an arc of #MakingAKilling in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 13 February 2025

I’ve read other Cara Hunter thrillers but not the one that this leads on from. However, it certainly didn’t ruin it and Making a Killing can be read as a stand alone. It’s a great fast paced novel and I enjoyed getting to know all the members of DCI Fawley’s team. The multi media brought it to life once I started reading through the NetGalley shelf. It was impossible to read on a Kindle, hopefully this is just an arc issue.
I was a little disappointed by the ending, it was very open ended and not where I thought the book was heading.

This was such a great read; I was on the edge of my seat all the way through. I would definitely recommend reading , 'Close to home', before reading 'Making a killing', if your new to Cars Hunter's DI Fawley novels. The book continues the Mason family story and has many spoilers for the first book which is also a fantatsic read. I really enjoyed the multimedia elements of Cara's books, including emails, transcripts and even suspect photographs, they really enhance the reading experience and make you feel a part of the investigation.

There are lots of twists and turns as I tried to solve the mystery. Cara is one of my must-read thriller writers and this did not disappoint. Cleverly plotted and lots of great believable characters, I was left wanting more. I cannot wait for the next DI Fawley installment.

WOW! WOW! WOW! OMG. This book is effing PHENOMENAL.. DCI Fawley & his brilliant team are thrown in at the deep end, trying to solve the mysterious, cold case of Daisy Mason & where her body is. The plot grabs you in a choke hold & doesn't let you go until the final twist. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!.

I have enjoyed this whole series but this episode was spoiled for me by the poor editing. I know it’s an advance copy but mine was very difficult to read in parts. The idea of undermining the whole of book one was interesting. I found the character of Daisy a bit too much to credit. I like the detectives and felt very sorry for Leo/Gary. I didn’t like the ending as I feel the book is set up to resolve differently and it was frustrating, Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

In 2016, Daisy Mason at only 8 years old disappeared…

In a shock revelation, Daisy’s mother Sharon was arrested for her murder.

It’s now 2024 and DCI Adam Fawley is greeted by a case of his past and recalled to investigate Daisy’s disappearance once again. With the lack of a body for evidence, and Daisy’s DNA showing up unexpectedly, it is time to discover what really happened to Daisy.

@carahunterauthor is an exceptional author, who creates novels with exciting, dark twists and this is no exception. I love the format, with different locations being navigated while also showing email conversations, phone logs and newspaper clippings you really feel part of the investigation.

A clever, thrilling novel which will leave you begging for more!

3.75 stars rounded down. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Cara Hunters novels never fail to keep me on my toes, and this one wasn’t an exception. Although slightly slower in pace than Caras previous novels, the story was captivating and I was hooked from the get go! I wasn’t sure how I would get on without chapters but I actually found it enjoyable as it was split over the three locations.

<spoiler>The mixed media format and the numerous plot twists had me turning the page wanting to find out what the answers were… only this didn’t really provide them. This book ended very abruptly and very openly. It had me checking that I’d received the full file. Although I enjoyed the story, the ending brought it down for me - I spent so long wanting to find out what had happened, and didn’t get those answers. </spoiler>

That being said, I would still recommend this book to fans of Cara Hunter novels. It was a nice quick easy read.

Sometimes when you finish a book you need to just sit and absorb what you have just read. This is one of those books. Wow. I'm still reeling. I absolutely loved the dark, devious plot that had so many twists I could barely keep up. I flew through this as I didn't want to put it down. I will recommend this book to everyone. Bravo.

In 2016, eight-year-old Daisy Mason vanished from her Oxford home.

Her disappearance made the national press and the final culprit shocked everyone. DCI Adam Fawley remembers the case well, he arrested Daisy’s mother for murder himself.

But her body was never found.

Now, forensic evidence at a current murder scene calls the whole case into question. DCI Adam Fawley and the team are brought back in to investigate. And they all have one question on their minds.

What really happened to Daisy Mason?

I enjoyed this fast paced thriller, it held my attention throughout - I was racing to finish it! There are some fantastic surprises I didn’t see coming at all. I didn’t realise it was part of a series until I read other reviews once I’d finished reading the book, so while it can definitely be read as a stand alone, I think I missed out on the back stories of the police officers, which would have made the book even better (can you get better than 5 stars though?).