3.5 stars! This one took me a little bit to get into but then once it picked up it kept me guessing. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I appreciated that it worked fine as a standalone, since I haven’t read any other books in the series.

***SPOILERS BELOW***

The biggest things that kept me from giving it five stars were the dialogue and some of the character choices. The dialogue felt stilted throughout in a way that kept taking me out of the story. I also was really confused by a lot of Karen’s choices in particular. I know a lot of it is explained by high emotions clouding judgment, but it still felt unrealistic in the way she kept charging full steam ahead at any cost. She knows how dangerous the people they’re dealing with are and repeatedly says she doesn’t want her fiancé to be in danger, but then leaves to go to the park by herself to clear her head? She thinks it’s suspicious that the house is dark and the police detail left, but still enters like all is normal? I don’t know, it just confused me.

I did love that this book kept me guessing though. I can genuinely say I didn’t suspect the murderer, and the last 20% or so especially had me on edge! I didn’t see the twists with Ruth or Naomi coming at all.

***END SPOILER

Overall, I enjoyed this! I would definitely read the next one in the series.

So, this is actually the 11th book, but it’s the first one I’ve read and honestly, you don’t need the others to enjoy it.
I’m planning to check out the rest of the series soon.
What I liked most were the constant surprises; it kept me hooked and was such a smooth read.

See No Evil is a solid, twisty police procedural with plenty of tension and just the right amount of grit. I enjoyed following the investigation and it kept me guessing, and the pacing made it easy to fly through. Some of the characters felt a little hard to connect with at times, but the mystery itself more than carried the story. A gripping read for fans of crime thrillers.

haven’t read a book in this series in a while and I’m not sure why. I love a good police procedural. Especially when the case is personal. And this one can’t get much more personal for Karen Hart. She finds her future MIL murdered.

With no shortage of suspects, all of them seemed to be hiding something. I really liked how the author mixed in Karen and her family all handling their grief differently and balanced that against solving the cases. This added a complexity to Karen and her team’s ultimate goal.

Definitely twisty but it was also nice to revisit with the characters. That’s part of what I like in police procedural series. The dynamics of the team and how they mix their personal and professional lives. This really exemplified that aspect.

Henrietta Meire is a new to me narrator and was easy to listen to. She did a good job of voicing Karen and all the other characters. It was a pleasant listen.

The 11th instalment in the Karen Hart series and possibly the best yet.
From the first page you're hooked. A brilliant main plot which is totally entwined with the subplot as the crime is so close to home that Karen isn't allowed to investigate it,
Lots of twists and unlikely villains appear, so much so that Karen doesn't know whom she can trust and indeed some help comes from the most unlikely sources. But when the chips are down she'll take any source she can to protect those she loves.
A brilliant read which would work as a standalone but knowledge of the past sub plots will definitely enhance your enjoyment.
As we leave Karen a lot of questions have been answered and I look forward to seeing where her journey takes her next.

I hadn't read the blurb for this before I started reading it so what happened was a true shock!

Being sidelined for obvious reasons is very hard. Karen just wants to be part of the team who catches the killer.

I was totally hooked and was up way past my bedtime. Loved it.

Every instinct is screaming at her that something is wrong. ‘Lorraine?’ The door stands open, the kettle cold, the house dark and silent. Behind an overturned chair, she sees a figure on the floor. Rushing forward, a gasp of fear escapes Karen’s chest: her future mother-in-law will never open her eyes again…

DS Karen Hart’s happy world is shattered the moment she finds her fiancé Mike’s mother murdered on what should have been a night of celebration. And even worse, someone has sewn the soft skin around Lorraine’s eyes shut…

Karen’s entire soul aches to uncover Lorraine’s killer. But her team cannot let her be a part of the investigation, and she is forced to watch from the sidelines. Every clue haunts her: the page mysteriously torn from Lorraine’s address book, the whispers about Lorraine’s troubled history. Then another of Mike’s relatives is found dead—eyes sewn shut in the same horrifying way.

Karen is sure the key to this case lies in Mike’s family, but as she gets closer to the truth, the killer’s attention turns to her. Now she must solve this case alone before someone else she loves becomes the next victim—and before the killer closes Karen’s own eyes forever…

Although its the 11th book in the series this is the first I've read and it definitely works as a stand alone,

I will definitely be looking to read the others in the series to.

I loved there was so many twists and turns throughout the book and it was overall an easy book to get into

This was my first Karen Hart book, and I appreciated that it worked well as a standalone. The writing style made it easy to get through, and the premise had potential.

That said, the story started off quite slow, and I struggled to connect with the main character. The mystery itself didn’t pull me in as much as I had hoped, and the final reveal lacked the impact I was looking for. At times, the pacing and writing could have been tighter to really build suspense and keep the tension high.

Still, despite those drawbacks, the book was very readable, and I can see why readers enjoy the series. might check out more books from the series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. This doesn't impact my opinion in any way.

I flew through this book and didn’t want it to end so soon.
The writing is just compelling and the characters wow simply intriguing.
I was glued to the pages as DS Karen Hart worked out the mystery. Her character and personality was great. Really enjoyed her.
This was an entertaining mystery with a likable main character and a great setting.
The writing was done so well here. D. S. Butler kept me glued to the pages.

DS Karen Hart’s happy world is shattered the moment she finds her fiancé Mike’s mother murdered on what should have been a night of celebration. And even worse, someone has sewn the soft skin around Lorraine’s eyes shut. Karen’s entire soul aches to uncover Lorraine’s killer. But her team cannot let her be a part of the investigation, and she is forced to watch from the sidelines.
The eleventh outing for Karen & another very well written mystery. It’s fast paced with twists & turns, the characters have depth. Whilst it could easily be read on its own I’ve loved getting to know Karen, her backstory & her team. This book was different to the others as the team were working individually & there was a lack of sharing. I was left guessing as to who the villain was. An intriguing book which I thoroughly enjoyed
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

My thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘See No Evil’, book 11 in the Detective Karen Hart series written by D S Butler, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DS Karen Hart and her fiancé Mike pull into the driveway at his parents’ house to tell them the news of their engagement but on finding the front door ajar and the house in silence Karen thinks something is wrong. On entering they’re both shocked to find his mother Lorraine’s dead body lying on the floor with both her eyes stitched shut. Two new police officers, DI Falkner and DS Cunnings, are brought in to take charge of the investigation and whilst Karen knows she won’t be allowed to take part she doesn’t expect to be sidelined and kept on desk duty.

‘See No Evil’ is an excellent addition to this very successful series that involves DS Karen Hart on a personal level as her future mother-in-law is the victim of a seemingly motiveless crime. It has an intriguing and well thought-out storyline with lots of drama and suspense, but as a connection is made to a murder carried out in 1981 and then another of Mike’s relatives falls victim to the same killer, Karen’s loyal team are working flat out to find the person responsible and ensure justice is served. This has been a thriller that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading that has plenty of twists and turns and a very surprising conclusion that I wasn’t expecting. I can recommend it.

See No Evil by D.S. Butler  is the 11th in the Detective Karen Hart series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DS Karen Hart lost her husband Josh and her daughter Tilly in a car accident. She later discovered it wasn't an accident, but it was covered up by some corrupt police officials.  She currently works with DI Scott Morgan,  DS Arnie Hodgson, DC Sophie Jones, and DC Rick Cooper.  Their boss is DCI Churchill.  She is dating Mike, who has also lost a child.




My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Karen and Mike recently became engaged, and are planning on telling Mike's parents at a family dinner.  But when they arrive, the door is ajar, and Lorraine is laying on the floor, dead, her eyes shown shut.

Trying to handle the death of his Mom, Mike is shutting himself down, fighting with his step-father James, and often silent when around Karen.  He is angry that now he may never know who is biological father is.  Everyone is struggling with their loss.

Karen wants to work the case, but knows she is not allowed.  Because her team also knows the family, DI Falkner and DS Cunnings are brought in to head the investigation.  Although her team can still work Lorraine's murder, Karen can not.  She is, however, kept somewhat up to date, and does get involved more than Falkner expects.

When another of Mike's relatives is found dead in a similar way,  the team step up their game.

Could this be tied to a murder 40 years ago?




My Opinions:
This was quite good, as the whole series has been.

There were a lot of potential suspects, so that made it interesting, and the actual killer did cross my mind early on, but so did a lot of the others.  Sophie and I were on the same page about one of them. 

All the characters had depth, and therefore felt believable.  I really disliked Falkner, and can't believe he didn't get more flack for his attitude, boss or not!   I continue to like Karen's team, and with every book, Arnie grows on me.

The book looked at grief, and how each person involved handled it a little differently, because they all had a different relationship to Louise (who had never been a favorite character of mine).  The book also looked at the whole concept of hiding things with the reason of protecting someone else.

Speaking of hiding things, a number of people hid behind different persona's,  and on one occasion, I couldn't see past it.  That was clever!

Overall, this was a fast and entertaining book, a good addition to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next in line!

BOOK: SEE NO EVIL
AUTHOR: D.S. BUTLER
PUB DATE: 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2025
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♂️
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
👮🏼‍♂️👮🏼‍♀️
This book was okay, fast and thrilling. I was even able to read it in just two days! The FMC, Karen's mother-in-law-to-be, was gruesomely murdered and what followed was a team of detectives dedicated to solving the case. We have detectives Arnie, Morgan, Falkner, Sophie, and of course, Katie, but she couldn't really do much because of her personal ties to the victim. I liked that the other detectives were able to share their POVs. It definitely made things much easier. I think they all did a good job in finding out what actually happened and the culprit. The author had us thinking it was one person while it was completely another person. The actual reason behind the murders actually made me sad.
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♂️
This is the second book I've read in the series, and they were not accordingly. It was okay, and I wasn't confused at the characters and whatever had happened before. However, I wished I had Mike's POV because of the difficult time he was having. Another thought was,did Mike's mom really have to die? But, I figured the author added it for character development or something.
👮🏼‍♂️👮🏼‍♀️
While I can't speak for other books in the series, this book was okay and fast-paced with a fitting ending. I would like to read more of Karen and her colleagues and their detecting.
👮🏼‍♀️👮🏼‍♂️

Another fantastic installment in the Detective Karen Hart series. 11th in series and just as good as the rest.
As a big fan of the Karen Hart series, I couldn't wait to dive in to this book and it didn't disappoint.

Detective Karen Hart is a brilliant lead character in this series, with an unmatched determination for her work even when the case strikes close to home.

This was a well paced, thrilling read with a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. If you're a fan of the series or just want a great standalone book to read, definitely give this one a try.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

D.S. Karen Hart has a crime hit close to home when she finds her mother in law murdered in her own home. Forced to stay away from the case, can Karen really sit back and watch her team investigate without her? Or will she feel the need to step in and find the answers she needs?

As a new reader of this series, I can say this book can definitely be read as a standalone (but I will definitely be looking at other books in the series now!). The history of the characters is introduced in the novel leaving little confusion. All characters are very well written and bounce so well off each other; such a fun

With so many twists in the story, Butler does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of crime and mysteries.

A gripping, twisty, thrilling police procedural. I was hooked from the start, following the constant developments in the investigation, and lots of complex links. I enjoyed the fast paced writing, with some slower paragraphs portraying character feelings. I did feel some elements were obvious deterrents as they were brief. Can be easily read without having read the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas&Mercer for the ARC.

As a long time reader of the series I was thrilled to receive an advance review copy from Netgalley. In book 11 the crimes are very close to home for Karen with the first victim the mother of her fiance Mike. Karen must sit out the official investigation but feels compelled to help solve the mystery. I recommend to series to readers of crime fiction who enjoy getting to know the protagonist over a series of books.

Wow!!! Is all I can say about this absolutely outstanding book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope there is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked! This was an outstanding novel from the cover to the last page!

On what should have been a night of celebrating Karen & Mike’s engagement, they arrive at Mike’s mothers house to find her murdered with her eyes sewn shut. Who could have done such a horrible thing? Karen can’t just sit back and watch her team investigate without her, she needs answers and she will get them even if it means pushing the buttons of her new DCI.

I couldn’t wait for this book to come out, so I had to grab an early copy when I saw it was available. I liked seeing a softer, more vulnerable side to Mike, leaning on Karen for her support. There were so many twists in this story, I thought I’d worked it out quite early on, but I was so very wrong. D.S. Butler is exceptional at writing fast paced thrillers that keep you turning the pages.

You could easily read this without reading the other books in the series, as the history of the characters is explained for new readers.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK | Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this early copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars for me. My first book by this author, and I enjoy it. DS Karen Hart find with her fiancé Mike mother Lorraine murdered. Dealing with Mike's grief and her own, she's determined to find Lorraine killer. The cold case from years before also getting involved with Lorraine murder, and Karen can't keep wondering did Mike's mother was keeping secrets?

Will Karen and her team resolve the murder?
What Lorraine was hiding?

Full of mystery it was a quick read, while is good as standalone I will need get other books in series, as it will explain more dynamics with her coworkers that I'm curious about. I didn't guess who was the killer, and was shocked when Karen figure it out, did not expect that.

Would recommend for crime and mystery fans.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for ARC.