Member Reviews

The Forrester Detective Agency is taking on more work and have appointed Carole to run the office.
A burglary leads to something more sinister and Matt and Steve will needs all their skills to solve i t assisted by Karen and Hermia, not forgetting Harry.

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The beginning was a bit confusing with many characters and it felt like I was supposed to be familiar with some of these characters before reading this book — but then by chapter 11 — I got everything straight with the characters and the story started to get interesting. This is what I would call a cozy mystery — The pace is fast, the plot and characters are engaging— and you could easily get invested in everyones lives. The ending was a bit abrupt for me — but it feels like more will happen in the next book of this series.


Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood for this ARC . This is my honest review.

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Fatal Lies is the second book in The Forrester Detective Agency Mystery series, following Fatal Secrets but I easily read it as a stand-alone.

The story is based in Sheffield, England, and includes heavy use of British slang. As a US-based reader, I had to use Google to look up specific words and phrases to better understand the context.

This is a crime thriller with the detectives as the protagonists working on several cases and multiple mysteries throughout the story. My favorite character is Carol, the receptionist for the detective agency. I love her darker side and found myself wanting to know more about her past. This ended with a cliffhanger, so I now must patiently wait for the next book in the series. I need to know what happens next!


Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my voluntary and honest review.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advance copy of Fatal Lies by Anita Waller.
I think this is one of the best books that Anita has written.
The pace is fast, the plot and characters are engaging. I raced through this book and then went back and read it slower to make sure I didn't miss anything.
Loved it.

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Part police procedural, part private investigation, Fatal Lies by Anita Waller kept me hooked on to the story till the end. I loved the characters and their side stories. The murder mystery kept me guessing till the end. Plenty of side stories to keep one hooked till the end. Excellent storytelling.

Coming to the murder mystery, we have lots of interesting developments, twists and turns. We also have a side story: another mystery; something to do with Matt's father. This particular side story took a shocking turn at the end. But thank god, it was put to an end. I wouldn't have liked this person to create more problems for Matt and Hermia.

I absolutely loved every bit of this fantabulous addition to Forrester Detective Agency Mystery series. I cannot wait to see what's next for Matt, Karen, Hermia, and Steve.

This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend you start from the beginning. If you are looking for an completely engrossing and interesting mystery, I highly recommend Fatal Lies by Anita Waller.

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Forrester Detective Agency #3

The Forrester Detective Agency is going from strength to strength, so they've expanded their office space and even hired a new manager - a qualified and astute woman named Carol. What starts as a simple burglary case soon turns into something darker. The victim of the said burglary soon turns up dead, after engaging in threats with local yobs she believed to be responsible. But it soon becomes clear that there's more at play here, and Matt - alongside sister Hermia, partner Steve, and life partner, Karen - will have to put all their skills to the test, even if it puts them in danger.

I thought the first book in this series was good, but this book is a bit better. Matt, a former police officer, inherited the detective agency from his father. This well written story pulled me in after reading a couple of pages. We get a new office manager, Carol, who slotted into the agency straight away. We get snippets of the main characters personal lives. A burglary soon turned into a murder investigation when the victim spoke out against the people she thought were responsible. The story is tod from multiple perspectives. There are few subplots going on. After reading the ending to this book, I can't wait to read book three.

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local-law-enforcement, private-investigators, family-business, family-drama, family-dynamics, divorce, working-partners, ex-cop, widow, office-manager, suspense, series, 2022, crime-fiction, psychological, unputdownable, grief, grieving*****

The only problem with this book is that it made me want to run right out and get the earlier book even though this one can clearly stand alone. There are more twists than a licorice stick, more red herrings than a fishmonger, and some really great characters who resonate so very well. The publisher's blurb is a decent hook, but the story is unputdownable. No spoilers here.
I requested and received an EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for my honest review.

I was very excited to be chosen to review this second installment of the Forrester Detective Agency books. I so enjoyed the first book and was not disappointed in the second. Matt, a former police officer, inherited the detective agency from his father. He, and his friend Steve, the other partner in the agency, are slowly getting the agency off the ground. This book starts with them hiring a new "girl friday." It's clear she's going to be a great asset in upcoming books. This book centres around an initial request to investigate petty theft and mischief that quickly accelerates into murder.

These excellent books are both private detective and police procedurals. Another excellent book from Anita Waller. I look forward to reading more of her work.

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Wow, Anita Waller does it again! She writes consistently great stories. The characters were fantastic. I was hooked from the very beginning and stayed up late into the night flipping pages. This one tugged at so many emotions and nerves.
Thank you NetGalley, Anita Waller and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and Boldwood books,and the great author Anita waller for an early copy of her book to read.

I didnt know this was book 2,started to read it and decided to download book one as really enjoying this read. This is a detective agency, the case starts with a woman being burgled and becomes a murder investigation,this was a enjoyable read with many great characters was hooked on the storyline. Looking forward to reading more of her books.

This book will be reviewed on goodreads and Amazon uk.

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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

This is the second book in the authors new series and I enjoyed reading Fatal Lies. I've really taken to the main character Matt, he is so likeable and down to earth. The side characters are just as likeable and really complement each other. The story flows effortlessly and is well written and drew me in quickly and held my interest and attention from start to finish. One of the things I like about this series is that it's part Detective Agency and part police procedural and the two really work well together. There are a lot of things going on here - a burglary and a murder that run alongside the private Investigations the Agency has taken on. I really liked the new character Carol who fit into the story straightaway. The story is told through different characters perspectives which I liked and I loved the glimpses into the characters home and personal lives. This read didn't quite wow me like the previous book although it is still a good, enjoyable read that I would recommend, and will be looking forward to the next book.

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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I've been waiting for this, the second in the Forrester Detective Agency series, for a while now and it doesn't disappoint.
One of Waller's best skills is drawing new characters into an existing series, giving them their spot in the spotlight and making them part of the family and this she has done with the new office manager, Carol, who proves herself to be a fabulous addition to the team.
With, what looks like an opportunist burglary gone out of hand, the Forrester team are soon thrwn into something a whole lot darker and with shadows from their previous investigation looimng over them things become very complicated.
In this series, Waller has created a tight knit, unorthodox (and ever expancing) family with distinct personalities, good instincts, loads of love and massive hearts of gold. A family that is always there for each other and has each others backs. This makes this series both heart-warming and addictive.
But what Waller brings to the table in abundance is the uncanny ability to offer accurate observations on human nature and motivations. That's why, when the web of lies is untangled and the villain (or villains) brought to account, there is a deep and lasting satisfaction of a wholly enjoyable read.
With a touch of the Miss Marples, a modern day grit and uncanny storytelling skills Waller has every angle covered.
I read this in one sitting and give it a resounding 5 *

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Another fantastic story from Anita Waller. This time book 2 in her new Forrester Detective Agency series. Dave and Matt, joined by their new PA Carol, help their police colleagues investigate a variety of crimes including the disappearance of Matt's son Harry. Anita's storytelling is so reader friendly picking up a new book of hers is like slipping into a warm bath. A delightful experience as always.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

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As always with this author a great action packed thriller. Great storyline with believable characters. I cannot wait for the next one. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy. Big five star read.

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The Forrester Detective Agency is entering a new phase, as Matt Forrester - a former police officer - takes over his father's business. Working alongside his partner Steve, and with support from his sister Hermia and his girlfriend Karen, a new incarnation of the agency is emerging. And in this endeavour, they have also been joined by Carol, their very competent Girl Friday.

But even as things start to come together, they quickly get quite complicated. After the victim of a burglary speaks out against those she believes responsible for the incident, her sudden death means that the burglary quite bizarrely morphs into a murder investigation.

In the midst all this, there is also quite a lot going on with the key characters' lives, and the reader is given the opportunity to get to know a number of rather likeable individuals.

As we follow the developments, including the disappearance of Matt's son Harry, events move quickly to a shocking finale...

And I have no doubt that most of those who read this book will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this saga, and the chance to revisit old friends like Carol, Matt and co. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

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Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, Action, intrigue, mystery, murder, great characters, a few crazy plot twist, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

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Love this author so was excited to read this one! What starts as a simple burglary case soon turns into something darker. The victim of said burglary soon turns up dead, after making threats to the local yobs she believed to have been responsible.
But it soon becomes clear that there’s more at play here, and Matt – alongside sister Hermia, partner Steve, and life partner Karen – will have to put all his skills to the test, even if it puts them all in danger…
DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AS YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!!!!…

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