Book 5 in the DI Adam Cawley series. I have read and loved all these books and can honestly say they just keep getting better and better., From the first chapter of The Whole Truth I was completely gripped and just wanted to keep on reading to find out what was going to happen.. An absolutely brilliant read full of twists and turns. I listened to this on audio and I throughly recommend the audio version.

My firstCara Hunter book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are looking for a new thriller author, try this!

I’ve read a few books by Cara and I absolutely love her style of writing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading led this book and once again it’s a 5 star rating from myself

This is the 5th installment in the series and the flow is fantastic. Enough twists and turns and once again she has knocked it out of the park

If you’ve been following the DI Adam Fawley series, you might know that it’s often hit or miss in terms of long-term memorability. Sure, each book is engaging enough in the moment, but I usually struggle to recall the plot details once I close the cover. (Was there a missing child? A woman and boy locked in a basement? A battered victim found walking along a lonely road? Honestly, it all blurs together after a while!)

But The Whole Truth? This one sticks with you and for all the right reasons. Hunter has taken her game to the next level here, delivering a story that’s as twisty as it is thought-provoking. The premise flips the typical narrative on its head: a male Oxford rugby player accuses a female professor of sexual assault, which sets DI Fawley and his team on a ticking clock to uncover the truth. Hunter navigates this with nuance and suspense, keeping you guessing until the very last page.

But what sets this instalment apart is how it delves into Fawley’s personal life, turning the spotlight on the detective himself. Out of nowhere, Fawley gets hit with his accusations, and the tables turn in the most thrilling way. Watching him go from investigator to suspect is a game-changer that adds layers to his character and ups the stakes tenfold.

That being said, not everything was perfect. Internal Affairs makes an appearance with an officer who seems to have an almost religious zeal for taking down Fawley. But the why behind this vendetta? It’s never explained, which left me scratching my head and feeling a bit frustrated. It’s one of those unresolved threads that nags at you long after finishing reading.

Another minor gripe: some of the angst and personal drama within the team starts to bog down the story. While I get that it’s meant to add emotional depth, it occasionally detracts from the main plot’s momentum. Still, these are minor bumps in a tightly woven, fast-paced thriller.

This is one of the best in the DI Adam Fawley series so far. If you’re a fan of twisty, character-driven mysteries, you’re going to want to pick this one up. Your time investment in this series is finally paying off, and it’s worth every minute.

Cara Hunter's latest Oxford-based crime novel featuring DI Adam Fawley is a gripping and fast-paced thriller filled with unexpected twists. The story picks up from previous revelations, weaving together a complex narrative through various media formats such as press clippings, voicemails, and police interviews.

DI Adam Fawley's life is turbulent as he juggles supporting his pregnant wife, Alex, and dealing with the release of Garry Parrie, the man who threatened them during his trial. Meanwhile, a high-profile case involving Oxford student Caleb Morgan and Professor Marina Fisher unfolds, drawing attention from the media and political figures.

Alex, despite her fragile health, obsessively follows a podcast supporting Parrie's claim of innocence, while a new murder case involving a woman falling from a bridge sends Adam's career into turmoil.

Hunter's novel continues to shine with detailed character development, exploring the lives and struggles of Adam's team. The book delivers a riveting and immersive experience, making it a compelling addition to the series. Highly recommended for fans of intense crime fiction.

Many thanks to Penguin UK for the ARC.

The Whole Truth by Cara Hunter is a fast-paced police procedural. It has plenty of twists and turns which create palpable tension and keep the reader guessing. There are two storylines going here both of them expertly handled by the author along with the integration of storytelling tools like podcasts, interview transcripts etc. I enjoyed reading this one.

This really wasnt my usual kind of read and it also easnt for me. Well written and a good storyline but i couldnt connect with the characters. I tried to dnf but unfortunately for me it just wasnt keeping my interested so 3/4 through i did actually dnf.
That said i would recommend anyone to try. The beauty of books is every read doesnt suit every reader.

I've read books by Cara before but I'd forgotten that she doesn't use traditional chapter breaks, and I'd forgotten how many characters are in her books! So many names to try and get my head around and remember! I enjoyed this book and was interested to know what the truth was. There are different story lines going on in this book and because there are no chapters, it makes it difficult to work out what timeline is being talked about sometimes.

This book had a really interesting plot that hooked me from page 1 and I devoured it. Twisty, gripping and unputdownable!!

I will say that this kept me riveted - I love watching procedural TV shows set in the UK police force, and it was my first time reading one such storyline. It was hard to follow who's who (much easier with visuals on a screen), but I did get into it after a moment. The plot moved and twisted, and I have to say the author knows how to build suspense and get you to keep turning the page.
However, getting to the end of this book - which felt super-rushed, btw - something just didn't sit right with me. I get it that it's supposed to be realistic, but there was a level of 'morally grey' in here that left me unsettled and not really able to keep backing/rooting for this team and the 'victim/s' of the tale. It's my first from this series, so maybe this is the tone of the whole thing, but this caught me unawares, and left me very uncomfortable with its sketchiness and 'par for the course' carefree manner.
There were also aspects that felt completely irrelevant throughout (the text threads, even the victim POVs because in a procedural, I expect it's only the cops who get to show the audience the POV aka what they're finding out), and the balance between both inquiries going on in this felt unbalanced many a time...
Still, I'm giving it 3 stars because it is utterly readable and binge-able, even.

This is part of a series which is set in Oxford
There are 2 crimes happening in this book.
The writing style makes this a page turner and very engaging
A very gripping book

When an Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, DI Adam Fawley's team think they've heard it all before. But they couldn't be more wrong.

The student is a six foot male rugby player, the accused, a highly respected member of her department and the university team.

Soon DI Fawley and his team are up against the clock to figure out the truth. What they don't realise is that someone is watching, and they want to put DI Fawley out of action.

I love the way that Cara Hunter intersperses her novels with newspaper articles and social media feeds, it makes the whole thing seems just a little bit more authentic.

This is another one you won't want to miss.

It's an extremely novel. A fab read with lots of suspense and twists throughout. I couldn’t wait to reach the end! But only to discover what had happened... I didn't actually want it to end!

I love this series, one of my favourites.
I particularly enjoy how involved the reader becomes with the characters and their lives.
Loads of twists and turns, I won’t add any spoilers but Fawley is in a very different storyline this time.
Now off to read the next one in the series

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

This is the first book I have read from this series and I really can't say whether I will be reading another one or not. There are 2 separate crimes taking place and I found the whole book disjointed because of this. Or at least I struggled to link them both in a way that would flow and keep the same level of interest throughout.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgally for an ecopy of this book in exchange for an impartial and honest review.

An excellent look at a thriller from the other side. DI Fawley must quickly decide if the harrassment complaint is valid or a case of revenge. It was refreshing to see the story zig zag through these character's responses.

Another great addition to the Adam fawley series. Tense and exciting sun parrie storyline that kept me searching for answers.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

To start with I disliked the chapterless style and Adam's diary entries lacked distinction. I could tell when they started due to the date/time stamp but the end transition could be better.

On to the story. We have two unconnected cases, one of a college professor accused of sexual assault by her male student. The other a murder of a woman that may or may not be connected to a historic rapist.

Apparently this is the 5th book in the series based around DI Adam Fawley and to be honest you need to read the others. There's a who's who cheat sheet at the beginning but I soon forgot and the parade of surnames was a little confusing, also there were discussions about relationships etc that lacked context. Not to mention the bio mention of Adam's young son taking his own life. The writing itself was good enough that I may check out the previous books and hope they come together a little tighter than this one.

The storylines were decent though the assault case became a little convoluted by the end and it was hard to work out what the actual truth was, especially with the epilogue. Also there was an unfortunate throwaway comment at the rape clinic where one of the cops wonders how often they need the clothes to change into (after their own have been taken for evidence) in an XXL which felt very heartless because as well as demeaning the few male victims - the exact plot point of this book - it also dismisses the idea that some of the female victims being larger bodied. Rape doesn't just affect the thin.

Anyway, as for the murder case and its related bits, there was no proper conclusion. Crucial evidence was discovered and then the book ended with no solid conclusion. No arrest, no setting free of the wrongly accused. Nothing. Very disappointing.

Love Cara Hunter books! Loved this series from the start. Love how each book develops the characters on more.