Did Thomas Die in a horrible accident. Or was the father /grandfather murdered? I loved this book. The plot twist got me.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

I'm a big Faith Martin fan and this book didn't disappoint. A clever storyline and great characters will have you immersed in this whodunit! The book has great twists and turns and I'm looking forward to the next book.

So was it just a simple accident that killed Thomas Hughes? DI Jennings thinks that there is more to the case but who is lying in the family? So he passes the case onto WPC Loveday as she did solve the case not too long ago with the help of Dr Ryder and hopefully this will keep her busy.
Trudy knows why the case was passed onto her but she will do her best to solve it and that means going to see Dr Ryder but she isn't too sure what to expect as the last cases almost got them both killed. Clement knows that he should be wary of getting involved with any of Trudy's cases again as they last one almost ended badly for both of them but she is his young protege and he will do whatever he can do to help her. The more they learn about the victim the more they find that he wasn't a really nice man and that many people would want him dead. But did it as there are so many suspects
Will Trudy be able to find the answers with the help of Dr Ryder again to find out the truth? A good read. Love that Trudy gets to shine in book as she has the guts to continue on no what her personal feelings are.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

An excellent book that keeps you guessing right up the final chapter. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading a mystery detective story.

This was a masterfully crafted spellbinder. I must start at my the beginning of this series as I love the main characters and the era. Trudy is an excellent investigator especially for her time.
Many thanks to HQ Digital and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Further Detection With Likeable Duo.....
Book five in the Ryder and Loveday series of mysteries brings the likeable duo together once again when an apparent tragic accident needs further investigation. Enjoyable detection with credible characters and an engaging storyline.

Fatal Truth by Faith Martin is the fifth in the mystery series featuring Trudy Loveday and Dr. Ryder. The plot was slow moving and characters were one-dimensional so connecting with them was difficult. Trudy's detecting skills are sharpening and she is getting more recognition from her superiors. Dr Ryder's mystery illness seems to be progressing much to his dismay. An easy, light read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

If you enjoy the Ryder and Loveday connection then you should enjoy their latest collaboration in crime solving. They must delve into the relationships of the Hughes family to uncover who is responsible for the death of the patriarch Thomas. His death is initially ruled an unfortunate accident until a reporter starts publishing articles about a police cover-up, Trudy and Clement are instructed to take a second look. When they do reexamine the crime scene and interview witnesses, they discover Thomas was murdered. The path to finding the truth is a long and winding one as everyone seems to have something to hide and is quite willing to lie about events. Trudy and Clement diligently pursue the truth, a truth that in the end leaves them powerless to act. The ending will not satisfy every reader but is a very apt ending.

Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy another Faith Martin novel.

I'm loving the the Loveday and Ryder series by Faith Martin. A Fatal Truth is the fifth in the sequence and sees Trudy finally make it through her probation and begin to receive some recognition from her superiors. (At last!) In this novel Trudy is tasked with looking into the death of a businessman in a what appears to be a horrible accident. The local paper has accused the police of ignoring the evidence and to pacify the reporter Trudy has been asked to investigate. What I particularly enjoyed in this book was the evolving relationship between the two leads as well as Trudy's growing maturity. I'm looking forward to reading more about Trudy and her career.

You can always predict a satisfying ending to a great read when you pick up a Faith Martin book. This is the 5th in the Loveday and Ryder series, but can easily be read as a stand alone. Our characters have grown and matured, some for the good, some not so good. Tasked with investigating the accidental death of a very successful business man leads our intrepid duo to decide it may not have been accidental but the who and the why are not apparent at first. When the victim has more enemies than friends or family, it's very hard to pin point a suspect. The story is clearly written with well defined characters that have a depth of history that makes it easy to believe their success in the end. But the trip along the way is never what you'd expect and includes many surprises.

A man burns to death in his shed on Guy Fawkes night in 1961, victim of an errant firework. This pretty much happens on page one of “A Fatal Truth,” Faith Martin’s latest Ryder and Loveday Oxford historical mystery. Well, that would make for a mighty short book, wouldn’t it? So, we know that’s not all there is to it, no siree. Faith Martin has much more to tell us about in this, the fifth in the series.

So, when a “death by misadventure” verdict is brought in, that’s thought to be the end of it. But when one of the local newspaper reporters starts having “trouble with the verdict,” well, Trudy Loveday’s put on the case, because she’s “safe” and won’t cause much of a fuss when she won’t find anything. Well, we know that’s not happening. Because with Ryder’s help, there’s bound to be “something,” or the book WOULD really be short. So they’re going to work together again, even though Loveday is somewhat wary of it, for reasons carried over from the earlier book – no spoilers here, you need to read the earlier entries. Best to start from the beginning, anyway, it will help with character development and you’ll find out what’s going on with Clement Ryder – that’s important to know.

Come to find out the murdered man had a list of enemies – and most of them are in his family – handy, that. But they’re keeping quiet. Very quiet. And with the fire, there’s no evidence. The newspaper reporter – who’s cozying up to Trudy – is trying to cause trouble; he’s got a really good reason.

There’s not a great sense of time or place here, although one does feel that we are in a quieter time frame, not the modern era we’re used to. But we do get the idea that Trudy is being overlooked, as a female policewoman in the early days of such a position, and there is that degree of naivete that we’ve come to know. And with that newspaper reporter that’s introduced in this story – I hope he’s not going to cause any trouble in future books. At least Ryder’s been alerted.

Finally, it becomes obvious why the man had to die. Trudy and Clement figure it out. To give it even more credence, they take their findings to Trudy’s boss, explaining, in a nutshell, “a horrid man, who cared only about money.” Always a good idea to take it to a higher authority, whatever it is. “A Fatal Truth” will keep you engaged until the last pages, when it will be up to you to be that higher authority.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

A murder mystery/who done it set in the early 1960s. Trudie is a WPC and her male colleagues consider that her “place” is to type and make tea. When she joins forces with the local Coroner she shows them what proper policing is all about! Most enjoyable.

The fifth book in the 'Ryder and Loveday Mystery' series, 'A Fatal Truth' captures the 1960s perfectly. The mystery is a standalone but to appreciate the partnership between coroner Ryder and police officer Loveday read the previous books in the series.

Loveday's confidence needs a boost, at the beginning of this story, and she's apprehensive about working with Ryder again. The story portrays the misogyny prevalent in the 1960s' police force showing that intelligence and solving crimes aren't enough for women to succeed.

The story relies on observation and astute detection skills rather than forensics and technology. The clever plot has authentic characters and dialogue. The character development of Loveday is notable and contrasts with Ryder's ailing health. There is a feeling of the end drawing near for this enigmatic partnership.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Faith's work for a while now. I have read each and every book that she has released via Joffe Books and via HQ. 'A Fatal Truth' is her latest release and it is another fantastic addition to the series featuring WPC Trudy Loveday and the Coroner Clement Ryder. I absolutely loved reading 'A Fatal Truth' but more about that in a bit.
I love the detective partnership that is Trudy Loveday and Clement Ryder. Their friendship was placed under intense strain during a previous case when things didn't go as planned and Trudy nearly lost her life. Clement and Trudy have something like a father/ daughter type of relationship. He brings knowledge and wisdom to the table and she brings youthful enthusiasm and determination to the table. Each complements the other. Both are feisty characters, who have a strong determination to see a case through to its conclusion. They also seem to have a fairly reliable gut instinct- if something doesn't seem right then it usually means it isn't. Neither seems to be particularly bothered as to whether or not they upset people. To start with I don't think Trudy was taken that seriously as a police officer but she has proved her worth and with the help of Clement, she has solved cases that stumped her colleagues. 'A Fatal Truth' sees Trudy finding her feet and developing some more self confidence, whilst Clement has fears for his health.
As with all of Faith's books, I became addicted to 'A Fatal Truth' from the moment I picked the book up and started to read. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to fill in the odd half hour but I would become so involved in the story that I would still be sat there reading over half a dozen chapters later. At one point the pages were turning that quickly that the page numbers became a blur. Despite my best efforts as to ration how much I read in one go so I could prolong my enjoyment of the story, I ended up enjoying the story that much that I couldn't have put the book down even if I had wanted to. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story.
'A Fatal Truth' is superbly written but then I think that to be true of Faith's books in general. Faith's writing style is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. The Ryder and Loveday series is written in a slightly different style to the Hilary Greene series. The language is a bit more formal and typical of the time in which the book is set. Faith grabbed my attention from the start with an eye catching synopsis and she drew me into the story from the first word on the first page. For me, 'A Fatal Truth' was a gripping novel, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Faith certainly kept me guessing too.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'A Fatal Truth' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Faith's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

A gripping and entertaining mystery that reminded me of Golden Age stories.
The characters are well thought, the plot flows and kept me hook and the setting is interesting.
The solid mystery, full of twists and turns, kept me guessing.
It's a story I loved and strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I read this for a blog tour.

Families are strange things - a many headed beast made of people who may not like each other but have a connection regardless.

This family is full of secrets, hatred and anger. Patriarch Thomas is a cruel man and his death isn't exactly mourned.

The pairing of Loveday and Clement is an interesting one, the young PC and older coroner make a unique team, combining their skills and knowledge.

I enjoyed this book, in a way it reminded me of a Golden Age locked room mystery - there was only a few suspects and witnesses, it took place in one garden. A clever concept for a police procedural style novel.

Fatal Truth is the fifth instalment in the Oxford-based WPC Trudy Loveday and mentor Coroner Dr Clement Ryder series and although certainly preferable, it is by no means a necessity to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. The major part of the plot is self-contained and the cast’s backstory and evolution is succinctly provided in order to bring new readers up to speed regarding their personal lives.

Remember, remember the fifth of November, begins the nursery rhyme introducing Guy Fawkes’s deadly plot and one family who rest assured are not likely to forget ”Bonfire Night” anytime soon are the Hughes’s. The year is 1961 and Thomas, the patriarch of the affluent family is helping host their annual fireworks display at their home when he goes to retrieve them from their storage shed. But a split second after entering, the shed bursts into flames leading to Thomas’s untimely demise.

Now what looked like a devastating accident to many is being questioned thanks to a local journalist who appears to have insider information that eluded everyone else. Is there any truth to the foul play rumours and who would've stood to benefit the most from Thomas’s death? Rookie Trudy is assigned the unenviable task of investigating by DI Jennings and she manages to make many of her colleagues eat their words as she really shows her mettle.

This is a captivating, thrilling and well-plotted historical police procedural evoking memories of the leg work it took to investigate in a time when traditional policing was all they had and many of the game-changing technological advancements had not yet taken place. The cast of characters also very much reflects the time period and its highly un-PC ways of thinking, especially regarding sexism and the roles assigned to men and women. Many thanks to HQ Digital for an ARC.

The fifth in the Ryder and Loveday series, this one was worth the wait. The plotting is excellent, the storyline of Dr. Ryder’s struggle with Parkinson’s deepens in a logical way, and Trudy matures a bit. All these combine to make this an excellent addition to an interesting series that highlights policing in the 1960’s. The period is accurately depicted without rancor, so that the end result for many readers is more likely to be a thought that it’s good to see how we’ve progressed in terms of accepting women on the police force as well as allowing them more independence in general.
Trudy is assigned the task of re-investigating a death ruled a suicide when a reporter writes an article indicating the police got it wrong. DI Jennings, Trudy’s chauvinistic supervisor, decides this is a great case to assign Trudy as he is convinced there is nothing to the allegations and the necessary follow-up will be a waste of time. Trudy, who is still trying to recover from a near-disaster on her last case, reluctantly accepts the assignment and the prospect of once again working with Dr. Ryder.
As the case progresses, Trudy’s confidence and her skill as an investigator increase and she begins to rely more on herself and less on Dr. Ryder. The experience helps her conquer her fears associated with the previous case and develop a stronger self-confidence which is seen as a positive result by both Trudy and Dr. Ryder. Still, she has some stumbles and Dr. Ryder steps in to ensure she isn’t led astray by the reporter in his zeal to further his desires regarding the outcome of the case.
The pacing of the novel is excellent, as is the norm in most Faith Martin novels, and the ending is satisfying on both the case level and Trudy’s maturity level. There are still issues revolving around Dr. Ryder’s health. Martin does not fall into the trap of an annoying cliff-hanger here, but rather leaves it vague enough to satisfy most readers and not affect their enjoyment of this mystery. Most fans of the series can expect to be satisfied and at the same time waiting impatiently for the next book.
While this novel, as others in the series, is a stand-alone mystery; it is highly recommended the reader start with the first novel and progress in order through the series. Both primary characters, Trudy and Dr. Ryder grow throughout the series and being privy to this growth enhances the reader's enjoyment. The biggest frustration for most readers is likely to be having to wait for the next book. My thanks to H O Digital/Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As the Hughes family celebrate bonfire night, a terrible accident leaves the garden shed in flames – and father and grandfather Thomas trapped inside. Tragic though it is, Thomas’s death passes without suspicion – until a local journalist makes accusations of a police cover-up in the press. WPC Trudy Loveday is sent to investigate, and asks coroner Clement Ryder to help.
All Trudy and Clement know for sure is that everyone is lying – and that they must find the truth.
This is the fifth book in the series & is another well written entertaining book. The characters are well portrayed & have depth. I loved how Trudy grew in confidence throughout the novel, I also love how Ryder treats her like an equal unlike the rest of her colleagues. There were twists & turns & I especially loved that I didn’t work out the culprit. A thoroughly enjoyable read & I look forward to more in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read