Detective Jo Shaw enjoys her work and is living a comfortable, if unfulfilling, life fifteen years after a hurtful, seemingly inexplicable, break-up with Isla Munro, who was Jo’s influencer and companion during a period of medical training they shared as young women. Isla has since become a successful trauma surgeon and has similarly settled into a comfortable but unfulfilled lifestyle. has it all worked out. An emergency call about the stabbing of a young mother leads Jo to take a first “calculated risk”, which could have severe repercussions to her career and which suddenly and unexpectedly reunites her with Isla, who is the treating physician when the stabbing victim is taken to the hospital.

Two of the victim’s children and her husband are missing and the husband is prime suspect, Jo and her colleagues’ investigation is significantly hampered by a fearful community whose members are reticent to speak up to help the investigators. Meanwhile, Jo and Isla’s reacquaintance gradually increases and they are forced to put their differences aside and work together. The case grows in magnitude and danger as Jo and Isla try to come to grips with their renewed feelings for each other.

The crime drama hits its stride after a few chapters and is well-told. The characters are realistic and believable, and stay true to themselves. I was not completely satisfied with the explanation of Isla’s break-up with Jo, however. At times, I got bogged down and discouraged with the medical jargon and, to a lesser extent, the police jargon, the acronyms, the local vernacular and the use of unfamiliar brand names. I might attribute that more to my point of view than to the author’s writing, but it did distract me from the storyline a few times.

NetGalley and publisher Bold Strokes Books were kind to provide me with an advance copy for an honest review.

Cari Hunter doesn’t churn out books by the dozen every year but they’re all well worth the wait. They’re extremely well-plotted, for one. And with A Calculated Risk, Hunter gives us, once again, the kind of characters I love most. I want to say they’re perfect, but I don’t mean they’re flawless. On the contrary, they’re wonderfully human, fallible, relatable. Fifteen years after Isla broke her heart, Jo bumps into her at the local hospital. Isla went on to become a cardiothoracic surgeon and a consultant with the Emergency Response Team. Jo dropped out of med school and joined the police instead. A DI with the Serious Crime Team, she still can’t resist an animal in need of a foster home and is at her best when she gets to do “all this detective stuff”. She’s never told anyone about Isla, not even her partner and friend Tully, and when a case involving a gruesome attempted murder and the kidnapping of teens puts her and Isla in unavoidable proximity, every feeling – the good and the bad – rushes back to the surface.

I love many many things about Cari Hunter’s books, as anyone who has read my reviews before knows. One of these things is the author’s ability to make me hear the characters. Don’t expect them to sound American. They aren’t and they won’t. You may have to google a word here and there or accept that you don’t need to understand exactly what they’re eating or what an idiom means precisely. That’s part of the fun, of travelling via reading. I’ll read a sentence and hear their voices. Now I can’t wait for the audiobook and Nicola Victoria Vincent’s narration so I can check whether I got them right.

I know police procedurals aren’t for everyone and I know readers who enjoy contemporary romance above all are not very likely to pick up this book. And I get it, I really do. I love romance too. These readers are missing out on some of the best characters in sapphic fiction, however. Some of the best in fiction, period. I know I say it every time but it’s true: I want to live in a world in which Cari Hunter’s characters exist. To get them though, to experience their emotions and crushes and angst, to fall in love with and alongside them, the reader also has to contend with criminals who feel just as real – terrifyingly so. There’s no escaping ordinary evil either in the real world or in the one Hunter writes but at least in hers, there are genuinely kind people fighting it, and with success to some extent. What I’m trying to say is that despite reading about the horrible things humans do to each other, my heart will be full and warm by the time I turn the last page. It’s true again with A Calculated Risk. It will be alright, it says. We will be alright. In this burning world, Jo and Isla, like Meg and Sanne before them, like Grace, Safia, Jem or Rosie, like the side characters in their lives too, are beacons of hope I very much want to believe in.

No other way to say it, Cari Hunter is a marvel with a mystery story. If you have already read her Dark Peak series, then you know.
I was surprised by a few turn of events and characters that were not what I expected. Nope, you know I never give spoilers. I’ll just tell you how I felt reading this story. I felt anticipation. For the next scene. For the next clue. For the next shoe to drop, if you get my drift. I felt frustration for what happened to Adina and her family. But for the story, I felt complete satisfaction as I read on. It’s what you want. A book that takes you into a puzzle. New pieces are revealed until the mystery is solved, and along the way two women reconnect after a long time and old wounds begin to heal.
The characters were well developed, and the pace of the story was so good. As an American, I appreciate the dialogue and narration in the voice of the area. Too often authors will lose authenticity to make it easier for American readers, which I think is happening less and less. And I love it. As much as I loved this story.
The author kept me engaged in the story from the beginning to the perfect ending for these characters and this book! Just sayin’. I can’t wait for more.

I just could not get into this at all. I was expecting a hard-nosed police procedural but instead got Monty Python. If I was British it would have been easier to read, but way too much slang for an American audience.

Faced paced, medic-focused crime fiction at its best!

This was my first Cari Hunter book and I loved it. It’s quick out of the gate and full of actions and adventure.

The characters are well plotted and feel familiar and have good banter between them.

I especially loved the medical focus that Hunter brings to her storyline. Whereas the majority of CF comes with a lot of forensic, technical and police protocol. This angle was so interesting to me that I didn’t mind that I didn’t understand half of it. It’s was just so interesting having the drama relayed through a medics eyes.

The one aspect of this book that I didn’t enjoy, and purely because it felt overdone and a bit cliche… was that nearly everyone was in a same gender relationship. No I know from research that the publisher specifically chooses books that come from authors who write along these lines. But it just felt like it was too much. It completely dominated the book to the point that I was surprised Tullys partner Sacha was a bloke also. I’m not adverse in any way to same gender partners but these characters felt a bit false and like the author was just trying to ensure a box was ticked to get her book out there rather than it being interesting or important to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story about police detective Jo Shaw who lives and works in northern England. She’s investigating a potential kidnapping and murder. Isla Munro is a trauma surgeon and is also required to go out on accident calls for some serious emergencies and operate on a victim on site.

Jo and Isla were a couple back in their university days. Fast forward 15 years and they meet up on this case.

I liked the mystery Jo is trying to solve and her police partners were great characters too. Isla is such a brilliant surgeon and super brave to do all she does while being injured herself.

Of course throughout the book I was rooting for them to get back together. And there is some romance and we will get to see more of them in the sequels coming up.

Cari Hunter knows her EMT stuff well and her British humor and fun slang and snacks made the story come to life.

I’ve enjoyed all of Hunters books that I’ve read and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

ARC received from NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review

"A Calculated Risk" by Cari Hunter is a thrilling mystery that had me hooked from the very beginning. Detective Jo Shaw is a compelling protagonist, and her character is flawlessly portrayed. Hunter expertly weaves together a gripping crime plot with a hint of romance, making it impossible to put the book down.

The story is a rollercoaster of emotions and suspense as Jo works to solve a complex case. The mystery is so well-crafted that I found myself racking my brains, trying to piece together the puzzle and identify the actual perpetrators. The detective work in the novel is a standout feature, and I enjoyed following Jo's journey as she unraveled the truth step by step.

While the romance between Jo and Dr. Isla Munro adds a delightful dimension to the story, it never overshadows the primary plot. It's a subtle and realistic portrayal of their rekindled connection, enhancing the depth of the characters without becoming the main focus.

Cari Hunter's writing is impeccable, with a perfectly paced narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The witty and engaging dialogue between the characters adds a touch of humor and authenticity to the story.

One can only hope that "A Calculated Risk" is the beginning of a series because the author has created such captivating characters in Detective Jo and Dr. Isla that readers, including myself, would eagerly welcome more of their adventures in the future. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a thrilling mystery with well-developed characters and a hint of romance.

Intense adventure mystery

Jo runs into an old flame, Isla after an emergency causes her to act on her previous but limited medical knowledge. When the event that brought them back into one another’s live, leads Jo to investigating quite the mystery, their lives naturally intertwine again and they must put their past to one side if they are to successfully discover the truth.

Quite the rush of a story. What I love about Cari’s stories is the pace. They always start on the dramatic, get the blood pumping and they only slow down just long enough for you to catch your breath before the next big event is starting. There were a few moments, because I am super squeamish, where my stomach churned but they all perfectly set the scene for the severity of Jo’s case, and what amazing and talented women both she and Isla were. They were exhausted because they were in demand but they still found time to enjoy the little things in life, including becoming reacquainted.

I admired Jo! How she did it all, I’ll never know. Such a brave, fierce, and determined woman. The situations she ended up in were scary and dangerous, yet nothing was going to stop her uncovering what had really happened that night, and catch the person responsible. In the end I was glad she’d found Isla, because only someone else who deals with trauma daily was going to really understand what Jo was going through. Together they never gave up, even when clues lead nowhere or added confusion to the situation.

A gripping and thrilling dark mystery, with adventure and a sense of hope.

I suppose most readers would say this is a 4 star story. It has all the elements of a detective story and a teeny slow burn romance but somehow it was missing something for me.
The beginning really grabs you with action and excitement. But then it sort of drags with bouts of action scenes but then drags again. The mystery wasn't interesting to me. And lots of silly dialog between Jo and her work mates that I sort of skimmed.
Jo is a bit over exuberant detective that gets involved in many exciting situations. Those were interesting.
The slow burn romance really bothered me. Isla's past was messy and never really explained. And after all the angst between them .....all is left up in the air. I don't like open endings.
Also, this was the first Cari Hunter book that I have read that was soooooo British. There are many british jokes, foods, terms.....that was lost on me.
Cari Hunter is one of my favorite authors. I have loved all her previous books and will continue to look forward to her books in the future.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This story centers around Detective Jo Shaw, who is assigned what looks like a straightforward assault, but there are more twists and turns than Zig Zag Hill.

Among the race to find missing kids and criminals with nothing more to say than 'no comment,' she's brought face to face with Doctor Isla Munro, the one that got away and left a shattered heart in the process. Both work to keep Jo's one witness safe and struggle not to let the feelings that never entirely disappeared from interfering.

The romance isn't necessarily front and center; it's more of a subplot, but it's still woven in a very satisfying way. Both women have their own jobs that are important to the bigger picture, but they still find themselves orbiting one another, even if it's just a phone call.

The mystery plot is exceptionally well written and kept me as invested as it did Shaw and Tully. Every time I thought I had it figured out, Hunter threw a curve ball, but ones that made sense. I loved this because I've read procedurals where twists were thrown in that were unnecessary to the plot and didn't add anything. Not so with this story.

The characters were diverse, entertaining, and flawed. I loved reading about Tully and Shaw's interactions. The camaraderie and inside jokes made it clear how much they cared for one another and how robust their partnership is.

Altogether, I loved this story and recommend it to anyone looking for a good mystery, interesting characters, and a romance that you'll root for the couple to reconcile; this is for you.

This is an outstanding riveting read. As per Hunter’s hallmark it is a tense thriller based on police procedures and investigation, and in this instance it follows Detective Jo Shaw and her side kick Tully as they investigate a shocking case.

The author’s own medical expertise adds kudos and authenticity to the story. It reintroduces Jo to a former lover in Dr Isla Munro, and their back story weaves through the storyline.

It’s also set in familiar territory for me. So I could readily identify all the Saddleworth and local landmarks which intensified the read and drama. The writing is sublime, the storyline gripping, shocks, drama and surprises a plenty and ooh's and ah's too. Did I mention the writing? Wonderful!

Highly recommended 5*

I am thrilled to see a new Cari Hunter release. If you’ve enjoyed her other books, this one will be up your alley, and if you haven’t read her back catalog yet, start immediately.

We meet Detective Jo Shaw chasing down a criminal and being so in the moment that she doesn’t even notice that her trousers have been split on a shard of glass on her way over a wall, requiring stitches. Did she apprehend the suspect? You bet she did. Ms. Isla Munro, an emergency and trauma surgeon, is called to a remote scene to deal with the aftermath of a terrible car crash and manages to intubate an unconscious patient stuck inside a very broken car from a footwell. Obviously both of these women are amazing and it was fun to get to know them (the beginning is a very excellent display of competence porn*). Naturally, they also have history.

As usual, Hunter drops us into this world and then propels us along a fast-paced mystery that is part police procedural, part thriller, part second chance potential romance, part found family. The story, which I have chosen not to summarize as I think it is best experienced going in blind, is extremely compelling and will have you on your toes the entire time. The chance meeting and coming to terms with being in close proximity for the first time in 15 years for Jo and Isla is realistic and makes sense (just don’t hold on for the HEA - you get what is appropriate for this story, and this reader is glad to hear that Hunter plans on making this a series). I also loved Tully, Jo’s partner on the squad. He’s a lovely character and I love his relationship with Jo.

For those of you who have read Unbreakable recently (if you haven’t read it yet, please also add that to your TBR), you may recognize Jo as a helpful local detective on that case as well. And Safia Faris makes a couple of appearances here too, which is very welcome.

*I don’t know if this term was coined by or just used by Lee Winter, but it really does capture one of my favorite things - I love to see smart women just kicking ass at their jobs.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Publishing via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

A Calculated Risk by Cari Hunter is the ultimate book to grab if you are into mystery, intrigue and thrillers. Of course, this author is known for her heart-stopping suspense novels, so I’m not surprised I enjoyed it so much.

This story reintroduces us to Detective Jody (Jo) Shaw, a character we met in a former book. When Jo and her partner Tully are dispatched to the brutal stabbing of a young woman, the two become part of a case that includes, assault, kidnapping, murder, and more. This case also leads to Jo reconnecting with (whether she wants to or not) the only woman she has ever loved; the woman who left her fifteen years ago…trauma surgeon Isla Munro.

The story is set in Northern England, an area the author is well acquainted with. Some words and phrases may be new to your vocabulary, unless you’re also from that region. Don’t worry though. You can usually figure the words out from how they are used. I find it more realistic and fun reading the tale in the dialect of the place it is set.

The characters are easy to connect with. You will see most of the story through Jo’s eyes, though occasionally the narrative hops over to Isla. The action and suspense of this tale will grab your interest and keep you reading.
This book does have a definite end to the plot, but I’m pleased to report that there will be more with these characters. The author has confirmed this is the first book in a series which I’m very happy to hear. I’m not ready to leave Jo and Isla just yet.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a sapphic crime book, this is for you. It’s very light on the romance and heavy on the crime and solving the case. Was really hoping for a good HEA between the two MCs, and while it wasn’t not happy, it left me wanting to know how their story ended after the crime was solved. Also, being American, I did struggle sometimes as there was a lot of British terminology that I had to glaze over or google when it warranted it.

A Calculated Risk, the highly anticipated new novel from Cari Hunter (Bold Stroke Books), award-winning author of the Dark Peaks Series, takes readers on an enthralling journey. This tale unfolds against the backdrop of Northern England, introducing us to the tenacious DI Jo Shaw, a scrappy but intuitive police detective known for her proclivity to court trouble.

When circumstances demand quick thinking and risking her own career to save a life, Jo finds herself plunged back into the world of Isla Munro. Isla, a trauma surgeon and Jo's first and only real love, disappeared without a trace fifteen years ago, leaving Jo with unanswered questions. Amidst the backdrop of the Moorside community living in fear, Jo must set aside her pride and work with Isla to unravel the mysteries behind a stabbing, an abduction, and the enigmatic layers beneath these unsettling crimes.

As with many of her previous novels, A Calculated Risk is set against a bleak backdrop of bad weather, morally ambiguous characters, crime, and psychological tension. The darker aspects of human nature are set off beautifully by the charismatic and quick-witted protagonist, Jo, and the entrancing Isla Munro.

What sets "A Calculated Risk" apart is not just its suspenseful, well-thought-out, and excellently paced plot but also the depth of emotion and vulnerability that Hunter brings to her characters. Consistently, within Hunter's books, the depictions of scenes stand out as exceptional, facilitating a vivid visualisation of the story. Medical scenes in novels can sometimes prove challenging. While I find them intriguing and exciting (please don't stop writing them), there's a risk of alienating certain readers with excessive technical terminology. However, in "A Calculated Risk" these scenes strike a remarkable balance—authentic, realistic, and with just the right touch of technicality to both engross and exhilarate, ensuring you remain on the edge of your seat.

Characters are well-crafted and realistic. Jo is fun and naughty, sweet and vulnerable, but also extremely capable and fearless, making her instantly endearing. You’ll find yourself rooting for her right from the first (very entertaining) scene. Isla is a strong and competent woman, with a gentleness behind her apparent strength. As layers of Jo and Isla’s personalities are peeled back, a raw and authentic connection is revealed that will tug at your heartstrings.

The supporting cast of characters adds richness to the narrative. Each character feels distinct and essential, contributing to the overall dynamics and providing both moments of levity and moments of gravitas.

I found myself marvelling at the excellent use of language while enjoying this beautifully written work. The utter Britishness of this thriller adds to its appeal, and the reader gets introduced to very interesting foods and ways of speaking that can only enrich your general knowledge if you give it a chance.

In conclusion, "A Calculated Risk" is a masterpiece of the thriller genre. Cari Hunter's impeccable writing, well-crafted characters, and complex and intriguing plot combine to create an unputdownable novel that will leave you breathless and craving for more. I cannot wait for the next book in this series and will miss Jo and Isla terribly until then. Cari Hunter remains firmly at the top of my favourite authors list! I highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily left my review.

It's not my preferred style, crime novel or suspense, but with Carl Hunter and the occasional case, ever since I read her first novel published by BSB I've tried to follow everything she's published. And since everything I have read to date has been excellent, I intend to continue doing so, so I hope that she has a prolific life and that her muses always accompany her.

In this novel, the protagonists are Jo, a very intuitive police inspector, and Isla, an emergency surgeon, I think, who, like most of them, is always willing to volunteer.

Circumstances make Jo have to face a life or death situation in a domestic dispute to which she and her partner have to go, applying a surgical technique in that situation, she a homicide detective applying a surgical technique? But at the hospital, Jo accompanying the assaulted woman, meets Isla, the hospital surgeon who is the only one not surprised by what Jo has done. Because Jo and Isla have a common past, which Jo has not made public and which she explains why she knew how to act to save the life of the assaulted woman. All this in itself is already interesting, discover the reason for this.

But there is more, much more. Because the assaulted woman cannot explain why her husband has allegedly assaulted her and taken her two eldest children. Nor do her relatives explain it to her. Neither the acquaintances nor her neighbors. And this is also interesting to discover little by little, the reason for the aggression against the woman.

And to create this interest, Cari only takes three or four chapters, so he gives us the remaining twenty-five to delight us with the intricacies and twists of the mysteries raised. No deception or subterfuge. And there's romance, a little, but it's enough.

Again, wonderful.

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

a stabbing
missing children
trauma surgeon
police officer

well whats not to like when you get a list like that within a book

when detective jo shaw turns up at a stabbing with her partner it all looks like a pretty normal night but things go pear shaped when they realise that the children are missing with their dad and nobody is talking, the police are being stonewalled ....

but her night is about to get worse when she arrives at the hospital with the victim and bumps into an old flame isla munro a trauma surgeon who just happens to be the one in charge of her victim

well this is the sort of book i love with plenty of action and threats galore and apart from some of the medical jargon being over my head i believe i have found another author to keep an eye out for.... this book had it all and i loved the interaction between the two detectives i am so looking forward to the next book in this series

If you enjoy gritty, police procedural stories with a bit of medical mixed in this is the book for you. It starts off immediately with officers running down a suspected drug runner and the pace never slows. Detective Inspector Jody Shaw is a hard working officer with an eidetic memory. While working her cases she ends up at the hospital running into her past love cardiothoracic surgeon Isla Munro. They haven’t seen each other for 15 years. The newest case involves a woman left with multiple stab wounds. Her two children are missing as is her husband, the presumed suspect. While Isla cares for the woman as her patient Jody is searching down any lead for the missing kids.

This is very British. I love all the different titles and acronyms. I knew some from watching British mysteries on BBC. Jo and her partner work the case following leads that can change their focus. There is no magical computer that solves things. It is extremely long days, interviewing suspects and piecing bits together. Along the way Jo and Isla’s path continue to cross. There is reconnection but not romance in this story. The potential is there for more, especially if this continues into another book for the pair. If this is the end of their story I will let my imagination give them a HEA.

I can’t recommend this enough if you enjoy police mysteries. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Detective Jo is doing well with her life she and her team is investigating a crime ring that’s ties to a young woman who gets stab and her children goes missing with her husband maybe the prime suspects. Jo life gets complicated when an old love comes back into her life when she sees her after getting injury. Isla is a trauma surgeon who gets entangle with the mystery who still has feelings for Jo who never understood why she left after everything they were planning together now they have a chance to clear the air and see if they can start again. I enjoy the mystery and Jo and Isla have great chemistry that you could feel through the book but this more about the mystery then a romance which I love because it’s balanced it out with both can’t wait to read more with Jo and Isla if this going to be a series and even better if crossover with Sanne and Meg


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

The first chapter is off at full speed, and is not graphic but is an evocative advert for wearing a seat belt. We meet both mains, and they re meet each other.
25% in, and I’ve got many questions about the mains shared past. I am however gripped by the main plot, and although medical terms abound, my lack of understanding of them is in no way hampering my enjoyment. Although I am developing a craving for sweet treats and of course a craving for a cuppa…… as any Cari Hunter novel is likely to do.
Well I have barely raised my head while reading this! The pace does not let up, and if anything cranks up on the final stretch.
Hunter writes in a really descriptive way. Not all flowery metaphors but gritty details that ping. I love a novel that feels I am somewhere different, I loved this novel.