This is the second book in this series and as usual I would recommend reading book one, Sweet Little Lies, first. It's always good practice to do this as there is backstory and character development carried through series books but, in this case, I think is it more important as MC Cat Kinsella is a bit more on the complex side than most and there is a fair bit of fallout from book one in this, her second outing.
Cat first meets Joseph Madden in a coffee shop he owns. He knows she's police and, one day, takes her aside and asks for her help. believing that his wife is threatening him and he's worried. Not being one of her specialisms, she advises he reports his concerns to his local station. Fast forward a bit and he pops up in her life again, this time as a suspect in the death of a young Australian girl. All evidence points to him even though he insists he is innocent, claiming he was at home at the time, an alibi that his wife does not corroborate. The case builds up but something isn't quite adding up for Cat, there's just something she can't put her finger on, something not quite right with how it is all stacking up. But as she is juggling quite a bit in her personal life, can she really rely on her own gut?
The main crux of this book is a story of he said / she said. Actually it's also a bit she said, then she said something different. That feeling continues throughout the story, skirting the truth and trying to wheedle out the lies. No wonder Cat gets in a pickle with it all. This all spills over to the reader as it is told wholly by Cat, so we get her inner thoughts thrown into the mix too. She really has got a bit of a busy head but it's worth all that for some of her wonderful observation and a musings!
Plotting is tight, pacing is perfect. Ongoing series characters are developing well and those added for this book are well formed and easy to connect to. Cat's personal journey is still complicating and threatening her professional life but it just manages to stay beyond the line of overshadowing the main plot of the book. Her relationships both with peers and bosses add colour to the proceedings, especially with partner Luigi.
All in all, a cracking follow up book which held my attention throughout and left me satisfied at its conclusion, I'm now hanging for book three. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A fairly formulaic police procedural novel with flawed officers trying to rewrite their history while solving a murder. However, Ms Frear's writing and particularly her ear for dialogue elevated this to a book I really enjoyed reading and getting to know the characters. I hadn't realised this was the second book about Cat Kinsella so did struggle with the plot at times, but this is obviously my issue rather than the writer, and normally I really dislike cliffhanger endings but I feel invested enough in the characters to look out for the next book.
Thanks to netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book

Taut and dark with a wise and witty female cop protagonist, the only thing stopping me from awarding five stars was what I felt to be an ill-judged last sentence which felt entirely at odds with the character. Unless a sequel is being set-up, which still doesn’t help redeem it for me.
That said, there was some good, gritty drama here and I don’t usually like crime novels. I’d give the potential sequel a go though!

This is the second book by Caz Fear featuring DC Cat Kinsella that I read as a stand-alone. I had intended to start with book one - Sweet Little Lies - but even so, this was a fabulous read!

Stone Cold Heart was a superb story, written with great skill, cleverness and style. Caz Frear has created a simply wonderful, believable, though flawed character in Cat Kinsella. Cat was absolutely perfect as the narrator. This was a gripping page-turner full of fascinating individuals and an enthralling and twisted tale of murder, cover-ups, secrets and guilt with added snippets of humour. This thriller/ mystery was excellently paced thereby keeping my attention throughout. This novel is very highly recommended and should not be missed.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bonnier Zaffre via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

With thanks to Bonnier Zaffire & NetGalley for the ARC.

DC Cat Kinsella returns in this excellent, twisted and totally absorbing novel.

Kinsella is approached for advice by a coffee shop owner because he is concerned about his wife's behaviour. There's not much Cat can do so she quickly forgets about it.

Shortly after this encounter a girl is found murdered and as the investigation gets underway, the team quickly encounter the coffee shop owner again as he was at the same party as the murdered girl on the night she died.

The story twists and turns through the messed up lives of the people at the party.
The inter-relationships, the sex, the fights and of course, the secrets.

A brilliantly plotted book that kept me interested all the way through.

I haven't read the first book in the series yet, I will soon, because there is plenty of intriguing references to it sprinkled through here. It in no way detracts from this book but definitely makes me want to go back and read it.

Cat Kinsella is a brilliant and intriguing heroine. Her messed up family life and her back story are fascinating. The more we can read about her the better.

Highly recommended.

# Stone Cold Heart # Netgalley
Not a bad read although not has gripping as I thought it would be. The characters are good and believable. it’s a well written book. Quite a few twists and turns, with unexpected outcome. A few surprises on the way that really wasn’t expected. At one point I thought the ending was going to be very predictable. What a mistake I made, as I think everyone would. The ending was such a shocking surprise you genuinely do not see coming. It left me with my jaw dropped, also I kept thinking about the ending for a good few hours later because it was so cleverly done. When I said not a bad read, it definitely was a book I actually needed to finish, although it didn’t grip me on the way some books do. This one once you start it you actually need to know the outcome no matter what. I overall enjoyed the book and would recommend you read it.

Well done Caz Frear! Having loved ‘Sweet Little Lies’, the first Cat Kinsella book, I couldn’t wait to read the second in the series. I was not disappointed.
Cat remains as likeable as before, a good police officer, she is human, she has her flaws, she believes in justice but is by no means perfect at upholding the law in every situation....
When she is asked to interview a murder suspect she is afraid of the reaction she will get from her boss DCI Steele, when she has to admit that she knows him. Will she be taken off of the case?
A brilliant case, so well written and the plot is just so expertly developed.
It can be read as a stand alone novel, as there are enough reminders of important plot lines from book one for first time readers, but as ‘Sweet Little Lies’ is such a great book, I’d strongly advise you to read that as well!
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me enthralled from page one. While it is a police procedural, with the essential disturbed background for the main police officer, the book also has strong, credible characters, and a gripping plot. At times, I didn't know who to believe. I hadn't read the previous book in the series, which may make this book even more enjoyable. I will certainly look out for the next one.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

oh what a tangled web we weave when we practise to deceive

a young girl is found dead, murdered and joseph madden is arrested...though he claims he was set up and needs the police to do their job and find the real murderer

he is also a horrible man who treats his family and people around him badly...

but everyone is telling lies....can the police investigate...

a well written book that hooks you in and keeps you reading...very entertaining

Wow. What a fantastic book! I really enojoyed the author's debut novel but this raises the bar and then some! What a brilliant, twisty turny novel. Kept me guessing right until the end. Would highly recommend!

After reading the first book in the DC Cat Kinsella series Sweet Little Lies which was an easy five stars, I was hoping for more of the same. I am glad to say oh yes yes yes!!!!!
This read blew me away. A real murder mystery you can get your teeth into, as twisty as a corkscrew and packed to the rafters with tension and suspense. A maverick cop who is flawed, breaks rules and keeps secrets. I am in reading heaven. Read this book in one sitting finally turning the last page in the wee hours I could not put it down. This author has done it again and another author to add to my MUST READ list. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bonnier Zaffre and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

This is the first book i have read by Caz Frear and have to say i thoroughly enjoyed it. I wasn't aware that this was the second book in the series but this didn't take away how well written the book is but i will need to go back and read book one just to get more of the background story. A really enjoyable crime book with some great twists and some characters that you will really like or dislike. This book is written in first person and really kept me hooked. Thanks Caz for a very enjoyable book.

This is book two of the detective series featuring DC Cat Kinsella. I hadn't read book one but was able to enjoy this as a standalone book.A young girl is murdered and the investigation is stalled at every turn by a family that all seem to be lying .This story is told through Cat and is an enjoyable murder mystery police procedural.Many thanks to the Publisher,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

4.5 stars

When London officer DC Cat Kinsella is approached by Joseph Madden for help, there's not much she can recommend. Joseph claims that his wife Rachel has been threatening him, but doesn't give Cat details as to why. Dismissing it as an odd question, Cat forgets about all it.

That is until a young Personal Assistant, Naomi Lockhart, is found dead in her home after a party attended by both Joseph and Rachel. The evidence indicates that Joseph is the murderer. However, Joseph says his wife is setting him up when questioned. His wife is adamant he didn't do it even though he wasn't home at the time of the murder.

So who is telling the truth or are they covering for someone?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and kept reading until the small hours of the morning, with my guessing as to who had done it completely wrong! I like the links to the first story in the series involving Cat and her father (I've not read it but you dont need to before this) and love the way it ends with Cat and her father too.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

Joseph Madden corners D C Cat Kinsella to ask her what to do about threats being made by his wife but he doesn’t give her any details so Cat can’t do anything.
When Naomi Lockhart turns up dead in London. Joseph Madden is linked to the death and so is his family. Who killed Naomi and why? This book kept me guessing till the end.

Wow! Jaw-dropping and addictive, I absolutely loved this book and knew I was in for a great read as soon as I read the prologue. Ms Frear has a new fan in this reader after this tantilising thriller.

Twenty-two year old Naomi Lockhart is found dead by her housemate. She was last seen at a party at her boss’s house Saturday night and has been missing from work the last two days. DC Cat Kinsella and Murder Investigation Team 4 are called in to investigate and quickly learn that she died not long after the party. The evidence leads them to a suspect: Joseph Madden, the brother-in-law of Naomi’s boss. He’s not a stranger to Cat, he owns a local coffee house and even spoke to her a few months ago claiming his wife, Rachel, is threatening him and asking what he can do about it. At the time Cat viewed it as overblown marriage woes, but now he’s claiming Rachel is framing him for murder. Rachel is clearly terrified of her husband and does nothing but protest his innocence and Joseph's claims seem like nothing but a desperate way to put the blame elsewhere.

Information trickles slowly and reluctantly from their witnesses, frustrating the police but making for an electrifying read. Is Joseph capable of murder? Is he their man? As things are revealed Cat is reluctantly dubious and it seems their witnesses are all keeping more secrets that are yet to be told. Who killed Naomi?

Cat Kinsella is a unique protagonist. She, and this book, stands out in the sea of police procedurals because of her flawed and complex character. She breaks the rules, keeps secrets, has told many lies, she has a shady family, is dating someone she shouldn’t, and yet she is someone we love and can root for despite all her mistakes. I wanted her to win. I wanted her to conquer her shame of where she’s from and the toxic family she was raised in. I want her inappropriate relationship to work. She was wonderfully written and I enjoyed every minute I spent reading her.

One of the things I enjoyed about this novel was the array of unreliable and morally ambiguous characters, including almost every witness. I found myself both loving and hating so many of them and could never quite be sure what the truth was or what side they were on, other than their own, of course. Joseph Madden was a perfectly written narcissistic abuser. He made my blood run cold from his first appearance and I desperately wanted him to be guilty simply because he was such a vile person. With Rachel the author depicted the terror, shame and guilt of an abused partner in a realistic way. Your heart breaks for her over and again and you just want to make her see sense and get away from her destructive relationship.

I didn’t realise before starting that this was book two in a series. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of it though as the author not only gave enough information to catch you up on events as needed, but it all sounds so juicy that she sold the book to me while I was reading and I immediately bought it when I finished. I loved the author’s writing style, particularly the banter between Cat and her colleagues and the wit that had me laughing out loud on many occasions.

The final part of this fabulous, twisty thriller had me on tenterhooks wondering who did what and reeling from each bombshell. After the shocking concluding sentences, I am now impatiently waiting for book three and to find out what is next for Cat. I can’t recommend this book or this author highly enough.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and Caz Frear for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 27th.

Stone Cold Heart is the second book in Caz Frear's DC Cat Kinsella series which is about a young DC who has a secret.

The story itself was good just not excellent as it felt over complicated and slightly drawn out at the start however the ending was very good and promising for book three.

Overall I still enjoyed it & would recommend this book

DC Cat Kinsella just popped in to the coffee shop and was suddenly giving advice to Joseph about a abusive marriage. Little did she know that a few months later Joseph is being investigated for murder.
There's twists and turns all the through the book.
A bonfire party, and murdered young woman secrets and lies, who is telling the truth.
Slip in some shady family of Cat's and all hell comes crashing down

This is the second book by Caz Fear featuring DC Cat Kinsella and whilst it can be read as a stand-alone - I would 100% recommend you start with book 1 Sweet Little Lies because 1) there is quite a bit of background you should know and 2) it's a bloody brilliant.

Stone Cold Heart is yet another fabulous story written with style, humour and great skill.  Caz Frear has created a simply wonderful, believable, flawed character in Cat Kinsella.  A young DC eager to escape her family background, hiding a secret which threatens to end her career before it's even taken off.

Cat narrates the story and her voice is loud and clear.  When a young Australian women, Naomi, is found murdered in her flat Cat and the team start investigating and discover a connection to the local coffee shop manager Joseph Madden who had approached Cat several months earlier about his wife.  This brings a whole host of characters into suspicion and Cat and DS Luigi Parnell find themselves in the midst of a dysfunctional and odd family who may or may not have murdered Naomi.

Once again Caz Frear has produced a gripping page-turner full of fascinating characters, a twisted tale of murder, cover ups, secrets and guilt with a dash of humour.  A fabulous follow up and highly recommended.

I loved Caz Frear's first book 'Sweet Little Lies'. While I love thrillers I'm not usually a fan of the detective led novel, generally preferring a more domestic, psychological tale. However I found the lead character, Cat, a refreshing voice and I was so excited when I saw this follow up. Cat's own back story lent a constantly simmering threat to her career and relationships but I still found that the central element was the need to solve a crime, and fast. This sequel focused on a complicated crime, at the centre of which was Naomi Lockhart, a young Australian girl found dead in her flat on a London estate. I loved that the characters consistently thought not just about the suspects, but also about the impact on Naomi's family. There are quite a few different suspects who all seem quite plausible and, as most of them are in one family, there's plenty of dramatic and emotional ties to pick through there too. I sped through this book, eager to find out who the killer one. Unsurprisingly you're in for a twist!