At a crime-writing festival, DS Kat Ballantyne stumbles into a real-life mystery when a famous novelist is found dead in a locked room. As she digs deeper, uncovering motives linked to literary rivalries and personal vendettas, Kat faces the challenge of distinguishing between right and wrong—ultimately questioning whether bringing the killer to justice is the right thing to do.

This is the fourth book in the DS Kat Ballantyne series, and it is best to read them in order, so you can fully understand Kat’s backstory, including her troubled relationship with her father and boss…

I really like Kat’s character, the author has successfully created a strong, multi-dimensional, and likeable female lead. The supporting cast are also well-crafted, with each one of them contributing to the sophisticated story line. The author also creates a great sense of atmosphere and suspense, with timely twists and a well-paced plot, and in this book, he gives no clues as to the identity of the offender, which made me want to read on. This book is so much more than a standard whodunit, and I am already looking forward to the next instalment.

4,5 stars.

The Lying Man by Andy Maslen is an outstanding fourth installment in the Detective Kat Ballantyne mystery series.

Detective Sergeant Kat Ballantyne and her husband, Ivan, are at a crime writers festival when popular author Mark Swift is found dead. Kat suspects foul play and her hunch is confirmed by pathologist Dr. Jack Beale. With her colleague, Detective Constable Tom Gray still in hospital, she teams up again with DC Leah Hooper.

The first thing Kat needs to figure out is how the killer entered and exited the room where Mark was murdered. As it stands, she is puzzled by this lock room mystery but she is quite tenacious as she goes back to the scene of the crime in hopes of solving this perplexing part of the case.

Kat, Leah, and newly assigned DC Faisal “Fez” Mohammed investigate all aspects of Mark’s life. He is a bestselling author and it appears he might have burned a few bridges on his way to the top of the crime writing sales list. No one is off the suspect list including his former and current wives.

Kat is also still trying to solve the mystery of who deposited a large sum of money into her bank account. She remains at odds with her direct supervisor, Detective Inspector Stuart Carver. While Kat manages to keep him at bay, she knows she needs to neutralize the threat he poses to her career.

The Lying Man is a riveting mystery with an interesting cast of characters. Kat is dedicated to her career and she has a strong moral compass. However, what she, Leah, and Fez uncover about the victim presents her with an ethical dilemma. The investigation into Mark’s death is sometimes frustrating as there are few leads to follow. The storyline is engaging and goes down a very dark path as new information about Mark comes to light. Andy Maslen brings this puzzling mystery to a satisfactory conclusion that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next mystery in the brilliant Detective Kat Ballantyne series.

I liked this novel because I think Kat is Andy Maslen’s best developed main character. She seems to be the most true to life to me. Some of the background characters are less so to me, but not enough to make me want to pass on the next story. Carver is probably the best example of a fairly stock character, though he’s an effective antagonist for Kat.

As an American reader, I also enjoy how British the stories are in terms of language choices. I’ve learned quite a few British slang words from reading Andy Maslen’s books.

The lying man by Andy Maslen is number 4 in the detective Kat Ballantyne series which is based around the mysterious death of a crime author.
The book starts with Kat attending a true crime event with her husband where the main speaker an author is found dead backstage.
Kat takes on the case and as she delves deep into the authors world she discovers shocking secrets and plenty of people who would want the author dead.
Kat uncovers plenty of secrets and lies and discovers the author has committed some very heinous crimes in the past which set off emotional and internal struggles for Kat.
I enjoyed this book and there was definitely lots of twists and turns to keep the plot interesting .
I found the character Kat to be particularly personable and likeable.
I would definitely read the other books in this series as I would like to see the development of the characters in this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this earc in exchange for my honest review.

A great thriller, so many twists. The writing was good. The story was great. Thankyou to netgalley for the opportunity to read this

I really enjoyed this book. I was so hooked that I read it in one sitting! As someone new to thrillers, I was impressed by how gripping and well-written it was. The plot flowed smoothly and was easy to follow, yet filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing all the way through. From the very first pages, it had my full attention as I tried to find out how the author was murdered. There’s plenty of suspense, and the mystery unfolds in a way that’s both clever and satisfying. It’s everything you could want in a mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

pretty well-done thriller with a side current about the nature of justice and heinous crimes. 4 stars. tysm for the arc, would recommend.

Another great book from Andy Maslen. The previous Kat Ballantyne book was my first Andy Maslen book, I liked it so much that I went back and read books 1 and 2 in the series. Lots of twists and turns and an almost impossible crime to solve. Well written and interesting, and the next one in the series out before the end of the year! Yay.

Kat is at a crime writer's festival when the main speaker is found dead in a locked room from the inside. At first it seems as it's a case of natural death, however, as the investigation proceeds they'll find he was drowned after being hit in the back of his head. It's not an easy case to work as there's a lot secrets surrounding Mark Swift's persona, how he dealt with women and also how he dealt with his wives. Kat and her team will uncover a deep well of crimes and an abhorrent way of life led by the deceased and some of his associates. The Lying Man has a great deal of mystery, humor, and action, and Kat is plagued with doubts regarding the outcome of the case. It also ends with a cliffhanger which opens another case of worms for the next book in the series.
I thank Mr. Maslen, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I found the plot flowing and easy to read.
It was interesting that caught my attention
from the first pages to the end of the book.
With twists and turns trying to figure
out how the author/ speaker was murdered.
I was given arc by Net Galley & Thomas & Mercer.

This is number four in the series, I feel this is better read in order so that you get the characters back stories and the references to previous events will be more meaningful. It's a great series, Kat is a great lead character, as she's likeable and doesn't do stupid things like some I've read. I enjoy the writing style and found myself whizz through the story which moves at a good pace.
My feelings about certain people's involvement were proved true but there were also some things that I didn't suspect, which is always good.
I enjoyed this more than the previous book as it dealt less with Kats contentious relationship with her father, which I preferred.

An outstanding investigative thriller with a well written storyline and outstanding well-developed characters. Very enjoyable page turning read with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns. An investigative that will keep you guessing to the very end. An end with a final twist and a satisfying decision for Kat. Highly recommended book and series by a great author.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Lying Man’ written by Andy Maslen in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DS Kat Ballantyne of the Middlehampton Police is accompanying her husband Van to a crime-writing festival when the guest speaker, Mark Swift, is found dead in the room reserved for visiting authors. Initially it looks like he died of natural causes but Kat isn’t sure and intends to find out.

‘The Lying Man’ is the fourth book in the series but as I haven’t read the previous three I feel somewhat at a disadvantage as I know nothing about the characters and their backgrounds. But putting that aside, I like the characters especially Kat who has a quirky sense of humour, and the crime taking place at a crime-writing festive is original and enough to keep me reading. With the addition of drama, suspense and twists and turns, I’ve enjoyed reading this thriller and will now look for the three books I’ve previously missed.

This is the 4th in the series and while I always suggest you read the books in order, I really believe you need to with this series. Otherwise, you will not understand what is going on. It's like picking up a tv show in season 4. You don't know the back stories or the cliffhanger from season 3. Same here! But, mostly, you will miss the great character development and continuing plot lines. While the whole bad boss trope is annoying, I love that Kat and her husband Ivan have a good solid relationship! How many detective series feature a divorced, detached main character? If nothing else, that sets this series apart. So although I am still antsy to get more movement on the multi-book plots, I am settled in for the series!

Det. Kat Ballantyne is at an author crime festival, which she is not a real fan of, but her husband is, trying to enjoy herself. When the key author is late getting on stage the crowd starts speculating he is pulling some sort of stunt, which is what is sounds like when an assistant to the festival runs up on stage and yells that the man is dead. Kat immediately goes into police mode. Over the next few days way too much disturbing information about the man is found, including women coming forward about attacks, abuse and payoffs. With way too many suspects and alibis, Kat wonders if the real murder will be found, and with what she learns she wonders if she can truly keep her oath to arrest and charge the guilty considering the true nature of the victim. Blurry lines indeed...

Another fantastic Kat Ballantyne novel. Great writing that hooks you in all the way from beginning to the end. Immersive characters with fulfilling back stories. Plenty of suspense to keep me enthralled. All you could possibly want from a mystery. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Great read! Great character development, very believable. Loved the camaraderie between the detectives! Suspenseful and twisting!

Another excellent book and well written. Brings you into the story. Included mystery and moral questions up until the last pages.

Well done.

In the fourth novel featuring DS Kat Ballantyne, the tables are turned when she goes to a crime-writing festival for relaxation but finds herself at the scene of the murder of a well known author.

Maslen is a master of crime thrillers. He delivers plenty of red herrings, realistic dialogue, pacey writing, a likeable police woman and relatable relationships. The Lying Man has a very contemporary theme, and Maslen has Kat pondering on the weight placed on upholding the law versus delivering justice.

The "MO" in the crime is particularly inventive, with no initial clues about the perpetrator, which compels you to read on.