This is the first time I've read this author but am now interested in others in the series. Karen Hart is investigating some serial killings after being the one to find the first dead body. Each victim, besides being strangled, has a cross carved into his forehead. Soon notes start arriving to different officers claiming to be from "The Cleanser".

Lots of action and bonus points for being clean!

I’ve received this book from NetGalley. Det Karen Hart is walking home from dinner with her boyfriend when she hears a bloodcurdling scream from the cathedral a few steps away. Detective Hart becomes embroiled in a mysterious series of deaths. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. I found so invested in the book that I could not stop reading it. The author caught my attention right from the beginning and did not disappoint. I will now be obsessed until I read everything this author has written. It’s that good.

4.75 stars

This is the fifth book in the DS Karen Hart detective series by D.S. Butler.

I’ll tell you one thing. I definitely found a new series to follow. As soon as I finished this I went out and bought the first three books of the series.

This was very well written. I could see myself in Karen’s place having to deal with all the nonsense that goes on in this book and found the entire experience fascinating. There is just so much to like her. I love Karen and her boss DI Morgan really resonated with me too. I can’t wait to read a book where they really get to work together. This one has Karen as sort of a lone woman getting the job done even though the new team that comes in is blocking her at every turn.

That DCI Churchill, dang, hate him. What a good foil for Karen! He is just a butt head in order to be a butt head and have control. I wouldn’t be surprised if he popped up in future books too.

The cast here is just stellar. I felt like I was watching a movie and just couldn’t get enough of it. Karen just felt real and I felt her pain just going through the normal every day things in life.

Just so much to love about this series I can’t get enough.

Highly recommended. Excellent book!

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Nice addition to the series, but a little difficult to follow for the uninitiated, and not really strong enough to make me want to go back and read them all. A little predictable.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book when Officer Karen Hart hears a scream, she goes into the church to find a dead body. When more individuals are found murdered, it will be up to Karen to find the connection. This book kept me guessing.

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘On Cold Ground’ book five in the DS Karen Hart series and written by D S Butler, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

As DS Karen Hart is walking around Lincoln Cathedral she comes across the body of Lloyd Nelson. DI Morgan is heading the investigation but is taken off the case when he receives a letter from a man who calls himself ‘The Cleanser’ describing why he’s killed Nelson. When ‘The Cleanser’ chooses more victims Karen has difficulty in finding the connection between them and having the unlikeable DCI Churchill take charge makes her job even more difficult.

‘On Cold Ground’ is another gripping police thriller in the DS Karen Hart series which I’m glad to say I’ve enjoyed more than the previous one. It has an interesting and complex plot with so much intrigue, suspense and twists and turns that I found it impossible to solve the identity of ‘The Cleanser’. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading more of Karen Hart as she works with DC Sophie Jones, and it’s good that her personal life is progressing so well following the loss of her husband and daughter. By the time I reached the conclusion I was so concerned with Karen and Sophie’s safety that I couldn’t stop reading and finished the book in twenty-four hours. This has been a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting thriller that I can definitely recommend and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.

This is the fifth book in a series. It was the first in the series that I read but I enjoyed book 5 so much I went back and downloaded the first four books. Karen Hart is a police officer, off duty, when she discovers a body in a cathedral. This is followed by a note to her boss signed "The Cleanser" and more murders. There is an internal investigation going on at the same time regarding police corruption and eventually it all comes together. I did not figure it out until close to the end which always makes an enjoyable mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK for my review copy.

I enjoyed On Cold Ground. This is the first Karen Hart book in the series that I have read, but I will look for more of them. It's an easy read and is a good police procedural as Karen and the other investigators try to find what appears to be a serial murderer. There are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing and the ending isn't too predictable. The characters are interesting and the relationship between them seems realistic.

"On Cold Ground" is a fitting addition to the series. A seemingly random murder strikes close to home when the killer leaves a note at the home of DI Morgan, addressed to Morgan and suggesting that there will be more victims. Morgan has to be removed from the case, but DS Hart, being the first officer on the scene, manages to keep herself and Sophie on the case. However, with Morgan off the case and the team facing a heavy workload, another group of investigators are brought in to assist. The new lead detective, DI Churchill, is an obnoxious, arrogant jerk. Even worse, Churchill may be one of the corrupt officers that DS Hart has been helping to investigate.

The author utilizes the behavior of Churchill and the tension caused by Hart's suspicion quite effectively to keep the reader guessing. It is made evident to the reader early on that someone in the police department or connected to the police is involved in the killings (though clearly not Churchill). There is a character whose behavior is suspicious and will make the reader wonder if he is involved, although the possible motive is unclear. The corruption investigation is involved, but not in the way that one might expect. The reason for the murders is sad and infuriating, and the story involves the death of a prominent character. The actions and ulterior motive of the killer are quite creative.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Amazon Publishing UK for the electronic copy.

This is Book#5 in the Karen Hart series, but reads well as a standalone as you soon catch up with the back-stories. It's well-written, with good, rounded characters and believable dialogue as a police procedural.

DS Karen Hart and her boyfriend Mike are enjoying the Lincoln Christmas market, unaware that they are being watched very closely. The watcher - "Sparrow" knows that Karen is the most dangerous of the pair - his boss, "Eagle", had told him so.
A scream from the Cathedral pulls Karen into a crime scene where the body of Lloyd Nelson, a member of the Cathedral choir, lies between the pews of a side chapel; he has ligature marks around his neck and a cross incised on his forehead. DI Morgan, together with Karen and PC Sophie Jones form the main investigative team. Is this a hanging gone wrong or a ritual killing?
When Morgan receives a note written by the killer, delivered to his home, there is no choice but to remove him from the enquiry.. "The Cleanser" knows his name and address and the note suggests that Lloyd had been punished for his "sins".
A new team is brought in headed by DCI Churchill - a name Karen is well aware of in connection with the major police corruption enquiry which is ongoing and to which she is privy because of her own personal tragedy.
Karen and Sophie are side-lined from the main investigative work.
The body of a 27yr-old woman is found by her sister bearing the same marks as Lloyd. Another note is delivered, this time to the home of the new team's DS.
Can Karen find any connection between these 2 victims - they appear to be random, but are they?

Lots of red-herrings and a major twist which I didn't see coming.

This is a really good story. I love the characters, especially their interactions - Sophie with her avid reading of American serial killers, the protective and caring nature of Karen's and Morgan's relationship.
The only downside I found was that there was a lot of narrative where Karen's thoughts are mused upon and, in my opinion, this also led to perhaps unwarranted assumptions which of course served to move the investigation forward but, well, not too believable.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is a newer author for me and I can't wait to see what is next. This is a well developed story that has twists and turns that kept me turning pages to the end. I had no problems relating to the characters as they brought the story to life. This is a story about a killer who will stop at nothing and a determined detective to find him. Will the detective figure out this case before it is too late? I really enjoyed this book and what the characters brought to the story. I am glad I picked up this book. I highly recommend it.

4.25 Stars
When Detective Karen Hart hears a scream echoing out of beautiful Lincoln Cathedral one snowy evening, she is the first officer on the scene. In the chapel a man lies murdered, a bloody cross carved into his forehead. The twisted killing sends this close-knit community into shock. And a note to the police from the murderer, signed by ‘The Cleanser’, confirms their worst fears: this sadistic slaying is the first of many. When early leads become dead ends, Karen starts to wonder if there’s a link to a rumoured conspiracy within police ranks—particularly when an abrasive new officer DCI Churchill, is assigned to the case. Meanwhile, she is battling her own demons as she struggles to come to terms with the deaths of her husband and daughter.
This is the fifth book in this enthralling series, it could be read on its own but with a series this good I’d recommend reading from the start. I was once again drawn in from the start & engrossed until the end. There were twists & turns, surprises & red herrings. Karen meets opposition from everywhere especially Churchill who I thoroughly disliked as he tries to belittle her. There is the ongoing thread of corruption which added another depth. I look forward to more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Enjoyed this one. I felt like there was something missing though, something I needed to love it. Well thought out plot and easy to read.

What a great mystery series. Both the author and the series is new to me but I will surely read all and any future books in which DS Karen Hart is on the case. The plot is well thought out, the dialog very realistic and the characters true to life. Because it is so well written, it is even possible to imagine the look on a character’s face as they are delivering a sarcastic or humorous comment, which is a testament to the author’s command of the King’s English. DS Hart is written as a very accomplished detective but when the occasion calls for it, shows her emotional side which enables the reader to see her flaws. This is a very engaging novel and is unreservedly recommended. My thanks to NetGalley for, again, introducing me to a enjoyable new author. Always something a voracious reader appreciates.

It's Christmas week but DCI Karen Hart is faced with one of the most challenging cases. of her career. Three victims, strangled with a cross carved into their foreheads. She and her team can find no connection between them and no apparent motive for the disturbing crimes. To further complicate the case, the "cleanser" is sending letters with false allegations. As Karen continues to dig she begins to suspect that the answer lies "closer than you think" This crime thriller focuses on methodical police work, following up leads and checking back story and alibis for suspects with no graphic violence or language as many readers prefer. The characters, not all of whom are likable are well developed and realistic. The plot held my interest until the unexpected reveal of the culprit and dramatic conclusion. A solid fifth entry into this ongoing series. If you enjoy police procedurals you should add this to your shelf.

This is the first book I've read in the Detective Karen Hart series, and I doubt it will be the last. D.S. Butler keeps the pace of the book moving quickly, and throws in enough twists to keep you guessing until the very end.
The story follows Detective Hart as she investigates seemingly unrelated murders, and eventually uncovers a serieal killer - 'the Cleanser'. As she follows the killers clues, she begins to suspect everyone around her - not sure who she can trust and who might be a corrupt officer working against her.
I'd recommend this series to anyone looking for an easy, interesting mystery that they won't be able to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of British mysteries and I liked this one a lot until the reveal. It was just unbelievable and a little absurd. Without giving away the plot, I felt the author’s explanation, and it was lengthy, lacked rationality. There was apparently another book which preceded this one with the same cast of characters, so not having read it, I felt lacking. Sorry for the negativity but this thriller did not thrill.

Did not like the story it was not interesting! Sorry! I received the book free from NetGalley. I thank you but the book didn't capture my interest!

If you have been following DS Karen Hart, this is truly the book you’ve been waiting for. Answers arrive at last! While I can’t say I was guessing until the very end, there were enough red herrings to keep things interesting! I love the characters! I am already looking forward to what waits DS Hart in her next case! If you haven’t read the series, start at the first and read as fast as you can!!!

This is the fifth in the Karen Hart detective series; it is the second one I have read. On a cold winter night, a body is discovered in Lincoln Cathedral. The victim has been strangled and a cross was etched into his forehead. After the murderer sends a note to Karen’s DI, her team is split up and a new DCI and team join Karen in the investigation. This new DCI seems to have it in for Karen. Could he be part of the corruption that has haunted the department? After a second body is found, it seems there may be a ritualistic serial killer at large. Is Karen in danger?

Told from two points of view, Karen’s and the killer’s, this book is fast paced, with tight writing and likable protagonists. Fans of British police procedurals will enjoy this story, as well as others in the series.