Awesome story. Can’t wait to read more from this author!!!

What do you do if you think your father may have murdered a seventeen-year-old girl? For Cat Kinsella, the answer is to cut herself off from her family and join the police force.

At the tender age of eight Cat is on holiday with her family in Ireland when a local girl goes missing. Convinced her father had something to do with the disappearance she tries her best to destroy her relationship with him. Eighteen years later though, a body turns up in London a stone's throw away from the pub Cat and her family lived in. The body is initially identified as Alice Lapaine but after appeals to the public, it becomes apparent that it is actually Maryanne Doyle, the girl who vanished. Just how did she end up in London and where has she been all this time?

Cat, part of the team investigating the murder, knows she should come clean about knowing the victim but desperately wants to know if her father is capable of murder or if maybe she has misjudged him all these years. Still reeling from her involvement in a previous case Cat's boss wants her involvement to be minimal but naturally, she ends up in the thick of it, risking her relationship with her sister who won't hear a bad word about their father.

For a debut novel, Sweet Little Lies is superb. The story is told both in the present in London and in Ireland eighteen years ago. The difference between the two Cats is considerable, whilst the younger Cat is confident, outgoing and safe in her relationship with her father, adult Cat is rather bitter, secretive and struggling with the fact that she may have got everything wrong. Not wanting to admit this she plunges deeper into the case, risking her career for wanting to prove a point.

Cats Frears has written a fantastic first novel, the writing kept me hooked from start to finish and unable to put the book down until I'd read the last word. The majority of the plot takes place either in the police station or with her colleagues, apart from the chapters involving her family (their Christmas celebration was spot on for a family who obviously don't get on very well) but this adds to the story. It was great to see the connections between Cat and her fellow officers, especially Steele, her boss who was taking a greater interest in Cat's mental health than she would have liked, and Parnell, an older male officer who was the acting boss on the case as well. Given her troubles with her father it was interesting to see her closeness with Parnell, the almost father-daughter relationship they were developing.

The best thing about Sweet Little Lies though? The plot. I had no idea where the story was going or who the guilty party was or what the reason for the murder was. You think you've worked it out and then the story zoomed in another direction. Was it the husband who had no idea who she really was? Was it the 'moron' brother who has grown up to be anything but moronic? Is it connected to Ireland or has Maryanne somehow managed to get involved in something completely unconnected, something that got her killed? All I can say is you probably won't work it out, not until the last few pages when you'll suddenly realize what's going on and want to know how did you miss the clues pointing to the culprit? It's something that Parnell himself was trying to work out when someone's identity was revealed so you won't be alone!

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel, it's easy to see how it won the Search For A Bestseller competition and I really hope this isn't the last we're going to see of Cat and Parnell as I loved getting to know them. If you like police procedural stories with a twist then Sweet Little Lies is worth a read.

Solid police procedural with an interesting protagonist. DS Cat Kinsella is torn between wanting to protect her father from implication in a recent murder and finding it the truth. She suspects that her father was linked to the past disappearance of a young woman and it colors her whole relationship with him but when their relationship starts to interfere with her job as a police officer, things get messy. Good who-dun-it that will keep you turning pages far too late into the night.

3.5 ⭐️. This started off with a bang and was well on its way to being a 4 or even 5 star read until about 2/3 of the way through. It's a gripping premise and the characterization is strong but it just fizzled for me after such a build up. The protagonist is a young detective with father issues who is involved in solving a murder that has connections with her own troubled childhood. Unfortunately, I was able to solve the crime with about 35% of the book to go and I feel that the story could have been wrapped up in way less than 480 pages.

Cat Kinsella is a police detective at the Met and is investigating a case of a dead woman Alice whose body is found not far away from her dad’s pub .Cat and her dad have a difficult relationship as she believed he has something to do with her friend Maryanne ‘s disappearance in 1998. When a connection is found between Alice and Maryanne Cat is determined to get to the root of both the cases.

The story goes back and forth between the past and the present narrated by Cat’s perspective. The characters were flawed and the book did have some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming . A police procedural more than a suspense novel with lots of personal and professional conflict for the protagonist. My only complaint was the book seemed little too slow for me and so couldn’t get into it. 3 stars for me

Many thanks to Bonnier Zaffre& NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

This is one of the best books I've read in a while!

Cat Kinsella became a detective because she thought her dad had something to do with a girl disappearing when she was a child. Her whole life since is defined by this secret and now it looks like everything she thought she knew is not as it seemed.

Her whole life since she punished her father for something he didn't do (although there was a lot of shit he did do), she idolized her dead mother and has a very strained relationship with her elder sister. But know she is going to find out what really happened to Maryanne Doyle.

This book is very well written with believable characters and a nice cast of police personal who will hopefully get another showing up in a following book.

Terrific read, I loved every minute of it.

**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was great for a debut author. If this is the way Caz starts out, I can't wait to see what books come out in the future. In this one, we follow Cat who is a new inspector. Turns out her newest case will bring her closer to home than she's comfortable with. When she was a young girl, Maryanne Doyle went missing and she always thought maybe Cat's dad had been involved somehow. Years later another body turns up close to where her dad works. So Cat begins thinking about Maryanne and how involved her dad just might have been. This is definitely a police procedural at its finest. Cat is a character that is easy to follow. She has her faults--tells quite a few lies--, but you want to hope for the best for her. This is a great mystery that unravels slowly but has a satisfying end.

Sorry this book was not needed for read and review only a feature for my blog post. It would be at least another 10 weeks before I could read and review this book and post again as fully booked. I only do read and review on my blog not feature and q and a only.

i have to admit that i really struggled with this book. the story sounded great and the sort of thing that i usually get into. but i really couldn't with this one. thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffer for a copy of this book to read and review

Love the twists in the book and the struggle the main character has when the twists are revealed. Good gritty thriller.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The writing style was distracting. Frequently it was difficult to determine if the main character was saying something or just thinking it. The author would go back and forth between the characters thoughts and what she was truly says.

For me the story was slow building. The pace picked up in the end with several twists I didn’t see coming.

I enjoyed reading this book. I recommend reading it if you have the time. I would not say it was my favorite psychological thriller or mystery.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were likable, and the plot moved along at a good pace.

I always enjoy the Richard and Judy book club picks so I was excited to read this debut from the winner of the RICHARD AND JUDY SEARCH FOR A BESTSELLER competition. Among the many stoic male lead-detectives that tend to feature in police procdeurals , the young and morally ambiguous Cat Kinsella was a welcome reprieve. Caz Frear's depiction of her protagonist focused on Cat as a person rather than a detective. which allowed insight into the character beyond that usually found in police narratives. I would recommend the book as a well-executed crossover for fans of both psychological thrillers and police procedurals.

In terms of plot the central mystery was well-handled and the truth about why Alice Lapaine ended up dead, once revealed, was both satisfying and genuinely surprising. I would highly recommend - an enjoyable read.

This is one of those books…. Books that it is difficult to write a review for. While I found the story line interesting, the story itself couldn’t fully pull me in. There was a lot of talk about eating, the Spice Girls and bullying t ex spreading rumors about someone having AIDS. All of this had nothing to do with the story itself. When Maryanne Doyle disappeared in 1998, Cat knows, her dad is telling lies about knowing this girl. I liked the twist and turns and how Alice’s/Maryanne’s life and death is revealed. How Cat ’s dilemma is growing bigger with every new fact she finds out. But something did, that it wasn’t a page turner for me. I had to convince myself to keep reading through some parts of the book. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre!

This is one of those books that makes you lose sleep, I stayed up way too late for several nights in a row reading it, I kept thinking just one more chapter, it is a book that you get really involved with.
A very decent debut crime novel, intelligent and believable with plenty of tension and pace.

This debut story is part mystery and part police procedural. I admit I wasn't sure at first as it took me a while to warm to the lead character, Cat, but she definitely won me over and by the end I loved her! (Anyone who can "do a little Shirley Bassey" is fine by me.)

By the time you get to the middle of the book there are twists-a-go-go and by the end you can see how cleverly it has been written. There were many points in the second half where I gasped out loud and the ending is really good.

I don't know what's next for Cat, but I hope there is more to come from Caz Frear. Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the ARC of Sweet Little Lies.

I really enjoyed getting to know Cat she has her flaws but she was quite a compelling character especially as her past is revealed. With her dysfunctional family to worries in her career it's easy to be pulled into her life. Cat has a straight talking personality that was so entertaining and quite a few times I found myself smiling at her comments and observations. I thought that Cat's colleagues were a brilliant addition to the story especially Luigi Parnell they really made a great team. As events take place you can feel her indecision over whether to explain any connection that her family has with Maryanne. 

The plot unfolds at a steady pace which I didn't really mind as it meant that the characters were developed well and I got a better feel for them. This book is filled to the brim with secrets and lies which kept me on my toes waiting for the next revelation. The flashbacks to Cat's childhood are interesting and her 8 year old self is a complete contrast to who she grew up to be. Mainly down to trust issues, I guess in Cat's case once the trust has gone its hard to move on from and can affect your entire future. There are a few surprises along the way and this really helped to keep the momentum going right until the very end.

A good mix of crime, suspense and intrigue!

With thanks to Emily at Bonnier Zaffre for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

When I first read the back of the book I was intrigued and really looking forward to reading Sweet Little Lies. I’d planned on reading a few chapters one evening before bed, what I didn’t expect was to still be awake at 2am still reading. This is one of those books where you say “just one more chapter”.
8 year old Cat is on holiday with her family when Maryanne Doyle goes missing, disappearing after seemingly going out for a can of hairspray. When the police come round asking questions and Cat’s Dad lies, the bond between Cat and her Dad is ruined.
Skip forward 18 years and Cat is now working as a Detective Contestable with the Met, called in to investigate the murder of a woman who’s body has been dumped not far from her Dads pub Cat has to try and find out what happened to this woman while also facing her past when secrets and lies surface once again.
Cat Kinsella is a great character, she’s flawed but full of determination. Having been referred to a therapist after having a big wobble at a crime scene it’s clear that there’s more than just this that is bothering Cat and slowly through out the book we find out her story. Told in the first person Cat’s personality real comes through and you really can’t help but like her and want the best for her even when you know that the decisions she is making may be a bit risky.
Caz Frear has written a fantastic debut, the plot was excellent and I really didn’t see where it was going and was shocked at where it ended up. I’m not going to give any spoilers away but I will say it’s full of secrets, lies and revelations. Sweet Little Lies will take you on a journey and spit you out at the end, leaving you wanting more and I really hope we will get to read more about Cat Kinsella in the future. I think this would make a brilliant series

Sweet Little Lies is a sharp, intelligent novel which offers a more emotive side to the usual police investigation novels, because DC Cat Kinsella’s own family may be snarled up in their most recent case: the murder of Alice Lapaine, and an older case involved Maryanne Doyle.

We follow Cat and the team as they investigate a series of murders, some recent and some from years ago. Cat herself is a conflicted character with her own problems and issues, and she has various flaws which she’s well aware of, and is struggling with a troubled relationship with her own family which was interesting to read about. I look forward to future novels with her in as she seemed a likeable, smart character who I enjoyed reading about, as are her family members.

The case itself swings between fast paced and intriguing to a little slower; in fact the story in general did slow down at some points, and I found myself less gripped by the novel, but it soon picks up again. I was also aware that this made the book more realistic – police investigations can’t always be all go go go!

There are some humorous observations by Cat which kept me entertained throughout and made me laugh, and the fact that the novel really delves into Cat’s life adds an extra dimension to the story.

I really enjoyed Sweet Little Lies and feel that it's something a little different.