Really absorbing, and intriguing story of the disappearance of an 8 year old girl. Makes you question how people behave and who - and isn’t - is telling the truth.

Great cast of characters - the sullen brother, the abhorrent parents and the troubled detective.

I particularly enjoyed the use of social media to add pace and colour to the story - made it more real...

4* a fast paced and ‘easy’ read despite the subject matter.

'Close to Hone' is the 1st book in the Oxford detective DI Adam Fawley series by author Cara Hunter.
This fast paced novel is certainly a page turner and features some great characters. 8 year old Daisy disappears from her Oxford home and both her parents are quickly identified as possible suspects. Daisy's mother doesn't appear to be concerned and her father is more concerned in keeping a low profile than helping the police to uncover the truth regarding Daisy's whereabouts. The book reveals more information to the reader by featuring flashbacks that explain the family history and open up more possibilities to the crime.

This is an excellent novel that keeps the reader interested to know more and serves up twists and turns to keep you guessing to the very end.
I would like to thank Penguin Books UK and Net Galley for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Close to home is a book that kept me guessing all along and changing my mind all the time.
The book is based around Daisy Mason who is 8 years old and whilst her parents were hosting a bbq and party for other parents she went missing but no-one saw a thing either at the party or on the quiet street they live on.
There are so many twists and turns in this book, with each revelation it leaves you thinking well it can't of been them then so who could it be??? It is a fantastic start to what I hope will be a series of D.I Adam Fawley. D.I Adam Fawley is a great lead character in this detective read and found him to be a very believable character. The more information Adam finds out the more Daisy's family begin to look extremely dysfunctional and soon the finger starts to point at her parents but her brother Leo definitely knows something but is not willing to say anything. I liked the tweets that sporadically appeared throughout the book giving it a very current feel as in this day and age the general public usually have all the information given to them and this showed the general consensus of the general public ending in people making threats and trying to frighten the family. The reason I have knocked a star off is because some of the things that were said and happened with Daisy and her friends didn't ring true of what 8 year olds would say or do it was more along the line of young teenagers, especially using mobile phones in the playground but other than that this was a very realistic read that I enjoyed and the ending I never guessed

This book didn’t quite live up to hype (sooo many big names have reviewed this!), although I did really enjoy it. I have to begin by saying that when you are reading an arc you take it for granted there will be editing issues, but here I had more than that, I had text jumping into the middle of sentences and conversations moving paragraphs, and, actually, I’m almost sure that two things they said happened, hadn’t actually happened by that point, so I think that text had moved too and so it is some testament to the book that I kept going. (Please note this must have just been the copy I got, I haven’t seen anyone else having these issues and this book is so popular I’m sure someone would have said!)

Anyhoo. This is the story of the disappearance of Daisy Mason, an eight year old who was at a family party at 5 Barge Close, but suddenly disappeared. I enjoyed the setting from the start, and was right there, wondering how a little girl had disappeared with so many people about. We meet each of the family, a very ‘just-so’ mother (loved how they showed her to be when she thought no one was looking), the distraught father, who seemed to be hiding something and her brother, Leo, all with their own issues ( I felt so much for Leo and was very interested to see what he had to say when he spoke). I also loved the police procedure to begin with, although I found I couldn’t ‘see’ the investigating officer, as unusually the detective’s suppositions are relayed to us in the first person.

There is also a twitter feed in places, which I didn’t feel fit the genre, I would have preferred to have properly ‘heard’ the people talking about their opinions as they jumped to their conclusions on the family, how they were dealing with their disappearance and who had done it.

Another thing that didn’t click with me was that dialogue was given to us straight, with no inclinations as to how the people were reacting, so in the investigation room you wouldn’t see a person’s eyes darting back and forth, or someone nervously tucking their hair behind their ear, that sort of thing!

Saying that there were excellent descriptions for me, both at the scene and beyond, the pacing was brilliant and I really couldn’t wait to see what had happened to poor Daisy and what would happen to her brother Leo. Thanks to Penguin and Netgalley for this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

All I can say is amazing !!!!! I never imagined the ending of this book, it was fantastic, a true thriller from start to finish. I thought this was very well written and I will look for more from this author. I switched between hating Sharon and Barry to them having my sympathy. I was never sure about Leo all the way through and I am still not sure what to think about him. I will absolutely let friends and family know what a great read this was and advise them to give it a go.

I really enjoyed this thriller. An eight year old girl goes missing from her parents party- but no one can tell the police when they last saw her. Everyone seems to have something to hide and the parents aren't presented sympathetically at all.

It's every parents nightmare- but they don't seem to be living in a nightmare and are still more concerned about how they are perceived. There are obviously secrets in this family- but just what secrets we are left to discover.

We read real time updates on facebook and twitter revealing what the local people think. We also see the tv appeal where the parents are alway scrutinised closely. This always makes me feel great sympathy for the parents at the worst point in their life they are expected to appeal to the public whilst everything they do and say are watched by the police for clues to their guilt.

It's a real page turner making you second guess events along the way

Eight year-old Daisy Mason is missing.  The initial assumption is that she has vanished during the course of a summer barbecue given by her parents in their home near the Oxford canal.  However, it soon becomes apparent that she and a friend exchanged fancy dress costumes and it is the other child people have reported as attending the party. No one has seen Daisy since she left school that afternoon.  DI Adam Fawley is detailed to head up the enquiry.  The reader is soon aware that some type of tragedy has befallen Fawley's own child, Jake, and all eyes are on him to see how he will cope with this, his first child-centred case since his son's death.  

As the Press and social media watch on with more self-indulgent interest than concern, Fawley and his team begin to uncover a web of lies at the heart of the Mason family.  None of them is quite what they seem, not even ten year old Leo, Daisy's solitary and much bullied brother. Neither is the happy family unit that they would like the world to perceive anything more than surface dressing.  Layer after layer of deceit and mistrust is revealed as old family histories come to light and current tensions explode in the faces of all concerned.  It isn't so much a question of who could possibly be responsible for Daisy's disappearance as who can safely be ruled out.   The one person who apparently has been aware of much of this unease is Daisy herself.  In a series of flashbacks we see her not only unpicking elements of her family's own back story far more effectively than the police manage, but then reflecting the anger against her parents which her discoveries provoke in an anti-fairystory she writes for her teacher.  As someone who has spent four decades in primary education and three of those actively researching the stories that primary children write, I don't know what surprised me more, the story that this eight year old is supposed to have written or the response of the teacher who read it.  It is hard to say more without giving too much away, but that was the point at which even my well known ability to believe six impossible things before breakfast gave way and I read on simply to see what Cara Hunter would pull out of the hat next but not believing a word.

I have to say that I find it very hard to critique this novel.  In many ways it reminds me of a child's story itself.  There are so many twists and turns that in the end I viewed it simply as an exercise in cramming as many social and family deviances into a book as possible: an adult equivalent of how many dragons, witches and haunted castles can I squeeze into one tale.  It also has a final dénouement that would give the ubiquitous and then I woke up and it was all a dream a run for its money any day of the week.  These features alone would have been annoying enough, but the author compounds the irritant by doing the same thing with narrative devices.  Sometimes it is a first person narrative, sometimes third.  We are in the present, we are in flashback, although not a simple flashback, but one that goes further into the past each time.  Extensive stretches of dialogue vie for attention with transcripts of interviews and facsimiles of twitter streams and Facebook pages.  If I had been the editor I would have sent it back and said for goodness sake, just trust the story; let it tell itself. My initial thoughts were that I would begin by saying that I believed Cara Hunter had it in her to write a really good novel at some point because every now and again there is a quality in the writing that suggests someone who has a real feel for language.  It seemed to me that this was a young writer who had yet to find a measure of control; who needed to learn that very often less is more.  I was going to jump up and down again on the soapbox marked 'insufficient editorial input' and say how this hampered writers just setting out.  Then, checking on the Fantastic Fiction site to see if this was indeed a first novel, I read this:

Cara Hunter is the pen name of an established British novelist who lives and works in Oxford. She also studied for a degree and PhD in English literature at Oxford University.
Now I am floored.  Apparently we have another J K Rowling on our hands.  Except Rowling would never get in the way of a good story in this manner.  

I know that the book has attracted great interest and large sums have been paid for it and for the next two in the series.  I fully expect the book world in general to tell me that I am wrong and that this is a masterpiece, but as far as I am concerned this is a novice piece of writing and if it really is the work of an established novelist then I simply don't know what is going on here.

With thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. (Although whether they will thank me for the review is another matter!)

Another day, another new police procedural series to get my teeth into. This is my bread and butter genre so consequently I read a fair few per year and am always looking out for fresh blood to add to my list as, sadly, some do fall by the wayside along the way.
So, we meet DI Adam Fawley and his able team of detectives. They are called to the case of the disappearance of young Daisy Mason; missing from her family's barbeque. On the face of things, they are a loving and close family but soon the cracks start to show and their facade drops to give the real picture of dysfunction. The media put in their tuppence too along the way which doesn't really help alongside the secrets and lies that family and friends are all hiding behind.
I warmed to Adam quite early on. He has a kind of sadness about him for reasons which become evident as the story progresses which makes him a little vulnerable and consequently more human than some lead detectives in series of this genre.
Sprinkled throughout the story being told in the classic way are interview transcripts, news articles and the ever present these days impact on social media, complete with comments. You don't need me to spell out how these play out, we've all seen them! Some of this was a bit repetitive but, on the whole they added more colour to what was going on. We also had the usual flashbacks at appropriate times to flesh out and explain some of what was happening in the present day.
The story itself was very well plotted so the ending, when it came, wasn't quite as out of left field as it could have been; there were definitely hints and clues along the way. Something just tugged at my spider senses about one or two things although I was way out with most of it, I did however leave the book on the whole satisfied and that's enough for me! I guess it affected me enough to be still sort of pondering on the ending long after finishing the book. Can't explain further here but it definitely got me thinking.
All in all, a good, solid opener to a series I will be happy to add to my list. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Close to home is a gripping and shocking read. This is a police procedural set in Oxford and featuring D I Adam Fawley who is battling his own demons as he deals with the case of a missing child. The novel is excellently plotted and developed with a fast pace which keeps you on the edge of your seat. Cara Hunter has created an array of believable , if not always likeable, characters in a dysfunctional family and woven an addictive tale. The epilogue was perhaps an unnecessary addition but provides an alternative ending for those who prefer it a little less gruesome.
I look forward with great anticipation to book two.
My thanks to Net Galley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book, and what a pleasure it was. For a debut novel, ‘Close to Home’ is remarkably well executed, leading me to wonder quite what her description on publishers’ websites as a debut author means? This minor curiosity does not, however, detract from the enjoyment I experienced in reading her work. The writing is paced to entice the reader, whilst clues to the unexpected twist at the end are subtly planted within the natural flow of the book. The first person narrative is not always the easiest format to get right, with real risks of clumsy, disjointed descriptive passages. Ms Hunter, however, uses the technique well, revealing glimpses of the lead character’s own tragic back story that has difficult echoes for him in the case he is investigating. The possibly excessive and repetitive use of the Twitter storm aroused by the case was less convincing for me, but it could be that readers more accustomed to using social media would find it less intrusive. Potential readers can easily find a plot outline online so I won’t waste space here with that, it is sufficient to say that the book was read over two evenings - and if I’d started it earlier on the first day I probably would not have put it down unfinished. Highly recommended!

This is a debut and definately a writer to look out for in the future.
Eight year old Daisy Mason goes missing from the families firework party so DI Adam Fawley is sent in to investigate. From the beginning nothing is what it seems why are Daisy’s parents behaving strangely and what does her ten year old brother, Leo, know?
As the investigation progresses you read the social media comments about the case. This is an interesting addition to the story and seems realistic. Some people are blaming the parents, others think they are innocent, and as more details to the case are revealed the social media responses become more strident.
I was hooked from page one and, although I have read other missing children stories, I honestly didn’t know how it was going to end. It was fantastic and I will be looking for Cara Hunter’s next book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin, and Cara Hunter for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Up until the epilogue I really liked the story about Daisy going missing and the police trying to find her. There was the feeling of absolute disbelief and rage about Sharon, about the going back and forth in believing Barry could have done all the things the police and the media thought he did. The feeling, that Leo, the poor soul, had no chance to get out of this situation and of course the uncertain feeling about Daisy. Was she really an angel, the little princess her dad made her out to be. Or was she a spoiled brat, like her mum said. As the story progressed and more and more secrets where uncovered, but the picture of the Mason family didn't get any clearer it just became more fuzzy. And when I thought, there was an answer and it was a plausible end......there came the epilogue. And the story became a little unbelievable and farfetched. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books (UK)!

The first in a series featuring D I Adam Fawley, this is the story of young Daisy Mason, who goes missing during a family party. From the outset we realise that this isn't just a straightforward missing persons case and as the book progresses we uncover family secrets and lies. This is one of my favourite genres, domestic noir with some very unlikeable characters with no redeeming features! The adults are mostly all pretty horrible and have their own agendas that they are following. I also really liked how social media featured heavily, it was very true to life how keyboard warriors stated their opinions on the case from the safety of anonymity, also their opinions changing like the wind when it suited the narrative. Really enjoyed this one and I look forward to more in the series and getting to know Adam Hawley better.

This book delivers everything the blurb says and so much more! What an incredible read!!

When an eight year old girl goes missing from a family barbecue, DI Adam Fawley and his team begin investigating. This is a remarkable piece of writing, following not only what’s happening with the investigation squad but also the twitter feed #FindDaisy which gives the reader a whole new aspect of this case to consider. There’s obviously something in Adam Fawley’s past which is hinted at early on in the book and becomes clearer towards the end. There is excellent characterisation throughout this novel and this is a series which I will be making sure I don’t miss.

Missing child thrillers are never my first choice but this one is head and shoulders above the rest. It feels as if you are part of the police team as the reader doesn’t have any extra insight into what happened to Daisy. The twists and turns are so well written that you don’t actually realise they are happening. Each piece of evidence is weighed up and given due consideration and no matter how good your powers of deduction, believe me, you have no chance of working out where this one is going. The ending is gobsmackingly shocking!

My thanks to publishers VikingNetGalley for the opportunity to read this one. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

This is a gripping crime thriller which kept me hooked throughout.
The Police think Daisy has gone missing from a family party and start their investigations with the family and guests at the party.
It soon becomes apparent that this family is not as happy as it first seems and each person has their own secrets.
The story has some flashback chapters going back to the day Daisy was last seen and I really liked how this told the story and let it unravel gradually.
This is a great book and I will look to read more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending me a copy to read and review.

Last night, 8-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared from her parents summer party. No on saw anything- at least that's what they are saying. DI Fawley is trying to keep an open mind. But nine times out of ten, it's someone the victim knew. Someone is lying and Daisy's time is running out.

This fast paced well plotted novel kept me on the edge of my seat, urging DI Adam Fawley and his team to find Daisy. There are lots of twists in this intense psychological thriller. I was constantly changing my mind about who the guilty party was. Even better eas the books satisfying ending. I loved it.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Books UK and the author Cara Hunter for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest, this took me quite a long time to get into, and when I finally did get into it, it was for closure rather than enjoyment.

Our main character is DI Adam Fawley, who is a very competent but troubled police officer. We know that he’s struggling with losing his son, but we don’t know for the majority of the book what happened to his son until quite near the end where everything is revealed. This is one of the main problems: a large amount of the book feels useless. All of the juicy information is packed into the end of the book to keep you deliberately hanging.

Something that makes this book stand out is the frequent use of tweets. In the end, they revealed nothing that the reader didn’t already know - they were quite realistic though, they just didn’t add anything to the narrative aside from being something I had never seen done before. In the end, it felt very forced, much like the general writing style which tried to be conversational but came across as trying too hard.

The story is an interesting look at family dynamics, which I enjoyed. None of the characters, including the girl who goes missing, are particularly likeable but their relationships with each other are interesting/quite distressing. Towards the centre of the book, it does feel like the many threads are getting out of hand and are being explored for the sake of drawing out the book, and combined with the information-packed ending, it didn’t make for too much of a pleasant read.

Overall, I wasn’t much of a fan of this one and give it 2 out of 5 stars. I liked the dysfunctional family aspect, and it was certainly faster-paced towards the end, however the writing didn’t click with me and I wasn’t really into the tweets, which seemed to be only thing that made it stand out from every other police procedural.

Full review available at readabilitea.blogspot.com from 14th December

Not sure what to make of this book, I enjoyed the premise and the ending but wasn't really sure about the bits in between. I just don't get how it came to the conclusion it did, It didn't really explain how the person who was found guilty became charged in the first place. The ending which I think was meant to be a twist just became confusing, a readable book though.

I have definitely, definitely found a new favourite crime writer (and new crime series) in Cara Hunter! As soon as I read the first few pages of Close To Home I was hooked. It's a riveting read set in Oxford, which effectively combines elements of police procedurals with those of a gripping psychological thriller -this ticked all the boxes for a riveting read!

The characters in this novel are really complex and convincing, from the mysterious/ strange Mason family - do they have anything to hide? - to the smart Detective Inspector Fawley who has his own issues to deal with on top of trying to find out what's happened to little Daisy Mason! No character is completely 'good' or 'bad', they all have their own quirks and faults, and on the whole it does feel like you're reading about real people, something which isn't always applicable to other novels in this genre.

The pacing is just right, opening with a bang and warning the reader that these kind of child 'disappearances' are often linked to someone close to them (don't worry, it says that right at the start so I haven't spoilt anything) - which makes you think throughout that it must be someone in the family... or is it?  I love the sense of unease and doubt that comes with novels like this, and Close To Home hits it right on the head.

There's definitely some uncomfortable parts of the story, but that kind of goes with the territory and I didn't feel like any of the story was unnecessary. Like the police, I had various 'suspects' in mind and the tension of the story builds until... that ending!!

I won't say any more, just read this if you love your crime / police procedural novels (or even if you don't!) because it really is an entertaining, gripping and well-written read!

One thing I rather dislike when I’m reading crime or mystery novels is that I have usually guessed ‘who did it’ by the middle of the book…not this one! Close to Home kept me on my toes the entire time I was reading, and I 100% didn’t see the end coming!

This debut novel by Cara Hunter has truly set the bar high for the rest of the DI Fawley series. Full of interesting characters, plot twists galore and a few tear-inducing parts as well, Close to Home is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the very end.

**** stars from me!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

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*PLEASE NOTE (contains spoiler)*

While I highly recommend this novel, I will caution you that this is not a book for everyone, and if mentions of possible abuse & child abduction/murder is something you avoid, you might want to give this book a miss.