Their Cold Hearts by Carla Kovach.
Detective Gina Harte Book 13.
She shuts the door behind her, relieved to be in the safety of her own home. But tonight her house is the most dangerous place she could be. Someone has been waiting for her, and they know she’s home alone…
Sasha loves her job finding accommodation for homeless people, and she’s proud of the small but cosy apartment she rents on the good side of town. She’s worked hard to leave her dark past behind her and make amends for the accident that still haunts her memories. She knows she was innocent, though she’s still careful about who and what she tells of her old life. But not all secrets stay hidden forever…
Brilliant read. Shocking and gripping and twisty. Loved it. 5*.

This is a MUST READ in this popular series. The 13th book but don't worry, you can read it without being confused. I loved everything about this book, especially detective Gina Harte. I finished it one sitting. I was that anxious to know who our killer was. If you love suspense and being on the edge, this is the book.

Detective Gina Harte and her squad is back in book 13 of this series from author Carla Kovach. I am not new to this series, as it's one of my favorite. Kovach is such a phenomenal writer!



Like I have said in my previous reviews, you don't have to have read the previous books in the series to read this one. It works just fine as a stand alone book, and it's great to get you hooked on the series, then you can go back and read the first twelve you missed after finishing this one!

Gina is taking a few days off to be with her granddaughter while her daughter is on holiday. Of course, she gets asked to be lead in a murder case and simply cannot say no.

Sasha is a type of a social worker. She helps the unfortunate find temporary shelter until they can find more permanent placements. Sasha is also hiding a secret and someone who knows it just turned up dead.

Meanwhile Marcie is a 16 year old true crime enthusiast who has her own podcast and will go to any lengths to involve herself in the case.

Of course, this was a nail biting page-turner, like always. Kovach does a wonderful job expanding on regular characters and is perfection at introducing new ones to the story. Twists and turns left me on edge not knowing what to expect. The ending wasn't something I saw coming at all!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me an advanced digital copy to read and give my honest review! Another 5 star read!

"Their Cold Hearts" is out today, April 19, 2023 here in the U.S. so get your copy now!

Happy Reading!

Detective Gina Harte is very much looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with her granddaughter Gracie while her daughter Hannah is away. However, when she is called about a murder scene, she is torn. She already knows this will cause friction between her and Hannah, but she quickly decides to focus on the case, leaving Gracie in capable hand.

A homeless man has been found murdered. Sadly, he is not the only one and soon there is a second victim. Gina and her team work quickly to find the connection between the two. All while Gina and her team are working hard to try and determine who is preying on the homeless, she has other issues that are crowding her thinking. Meanwhile, there are other characters in this latest book in an exciting series that play a role as to what is happening. There is Sasha, a concerned social worker. Then there is a teen named Marcie, a true crime podcaster who will go to any lengths to be involved in the case.

What another exciting book Carla Kovach has gifted to her readers! The tension never lets up, especially when Gina works hard at juggling all the aspects of her life while the author shines a spotlight on the sad plight of the homeless. I couldn’t tap the screen on my Kindle fast enough as I was trying to guess the killer. Ms. Kovach has always snagged my attention with Gina and this series, while always leaving me more than eager for the next book in this stellar series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Another MUST READ in this gripping series!! I LOVE detective Gina Harte and her team!! This is book 13 in the series but it can be read as a stand alone! This one was intense and emotional as it gets. I was tapping my kindle and on the edge of my seat to get to the end to see who the killer one! Fantastic character development! I just love Hannah. And Gracie🥹 Twisty as it gets I need book 14 now!!! Also BIG FAN OF BRIGGS!!!

4.25⭐

DI Gina Harte is back taking some well earned time off to care for her granddaughter Gracie. When her boss and one time lover Briggs calls and begs her for help.

As there's been a murder at the Cleevesford Cleaver. A hostel for the homeless and this isn't just any old murder. As the body has been staged.

Which is why Briggs needs Gina to hunt the killer down. Even if that means having to palm Gracie off, something she knows her daughter Hannah would never approve of.

But with witnesses claiming the victim was being watched and had argued with another man. Gina is certain the killer will be caught quickly.

Only that's not the case, as the investigation becomes more complicated. With the harrasment of a homeless support officer and an eighteen-year-old YouTuber receiving messages possibly from the killer.

Not to mention there is a second victim. Who the team struggle to identify.

And as Gina's private life falls apart. Her quest for the killer ramps up. A killer who will stop at nothing to claim their victims.

And with great pacing, twists and turns. This was a story that kept me glued and guessing, and it's a story/series I would recommend. Especially as it's easy to pick up at any point as you'll never feel like you're missing out.

I have been a fan of this series from the beginning but this one was the worst I've read. The mystery itself is interesting and held my attention. The backsliding of all the growth of Gina's character over the series is where it lost the plot for me. The drama with Briggs is tired. As for Hannah I'm over both her and Gina. We are thirteen books in now and it's past time for Hannah to get hit with the truth. This plotline has dragged on so long the sympathy factor is gone. I honestly don't know if I will continue reading these because of Gina's personal life. The case got lost in the background for me.

Gina is one dedicated detective and investigator. But she sacrifices her family again and again for her job and this time May just be the last.
The mystery is fast paced, chock full of action and suspense. Kovach always weaves the story strands so well.
I may be too critical about Gina, but I knew Instantly when she made a decision early in the story that she would pay mightily for it. And she did. However, she made the choice and now she reaps the consequences,
The world is a harsh, very lonely place, and her career is her one sole companion. I hope she is able to mend the rifts she created with her choices.

Book 13 of the Detective Gina Harte series and it is easily read as a stand alone thriller. She is back with a bang! Gina’s personal life is still troubled and her emotions are torn between her job and her family. A brilliantly written and composed storyline told from multiple POV’s where the motive is clear fairly early on but not the killer.

Briefly, Sasha arranges accommodation for homeless people. She has worked hard to make amends for something bad that happened earlier in her life but now finds that her past is catching up with her. When the body of a homeless person is found Gina is called to the scene but then another body is found and whilst they seem to be connected the reason why is a mystery. However, Sasha believes she is next on the killer’s list. It becomes a race against time for Gina and her colleagues to solve the mystery; before Sasha becomes another victim.

A fast paced read with great mis directions that had me repeatedly guessing who the killer was, incorrectly, until the big reveal. A good solid police procedural with a great storyline and fabulous characters. Great read. 4.5⭐️

Book 13 in the brilliant Gina Harte series.

When the phone rings early one morning Gina is called to a horrible crime scene in a homeless hostel. Who would target this man who has nothing? Looking into his life Gina and the team can find no reason why he was targeted. And then another body is found.

I raced through this book as I usually do with this great series. This time I thought I'd finally worked out the "who" but no, I was wrong again.

If you like strong, realistic characters and a plot that keeps you guessing beginning to end then I highly recommend this series.

Their Cold Hearts is book 13 in a series, and even though I have not read the other 12 books, I've been able to read this as a standalone. However, I feel I would've cared more for our main detective and her personal struggles if I'd read the other books in the series.
I liked the setting and the murder investigation, it gave me CSI vibes, which I loved watching when I was younger.
Switching between multiple POVs was confusing, and sometimes it felt unnecessary or not timed well.
Overall, it was a solid police procedural story. Definitely check it out when you're in the mood for something like that.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️
Their Cold Hearts was a short read for me, but was also hard to get into at times. I enjoyed the plot, but felt like the plot could’ve been faster paced. It was a good book, but I’ve also read other thrillers that I like a lot more and don’t feel like it was memorable, so I am rating this one a 3.5⭐️.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Their Cold Hearts, the thirteenth novel to feature DI Gina Harte, set in the fictional midlands town of Cleevesford.

I understand that I am in a minority but I didn’t particularly enjoy Their Cold Hearts and really struggled to get through it. This will be the last time I read the series, because it’s getting impossible to reconcile the two halves of Gina’s personality, that of smart detective versus the unbelievably poor decision maker in her personal life. Yet again she has manufactured another personal crisis by not coming clean and breaking the trust of her daughter, who, to be fair, is a chip off the old block in her own decision making.

The murder investigation has an interesting setting, being based around the homeless community. These poor people are in no position to help themselves and the councils don’t have the resources to help everyone. I think that the author does a great job of showing the humanity on both sides, be it the homeless who need a small hand or the sorrow of the housing officials at not being able to do more, and how easily it could happen to anyone.

The murder investigation is nothing startling, although it has its moments of mayhem. Gina and the team are initially at a loss and try to figure out the motive. It doesn’t come together until the last few chapters of the novel, so it feels more random than focused. This randomness is reinforced by the regular switches of point of view to housing officer Sasha Kennedy, who is being targeted for some unknown reason and Macie Perrin, a young YouTuber who is contacted by the killer.

Their Cold Hearts is not for me.

Their Cold Hearts by Carla Kovach is the 13th in the Detective Gina Harte series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – Contains spoilers from previous books)
DI Gina Harte works homicides. Her team consists of: DS Jacob Driscoll, DC Harry O’Connor and DC Paula Wyre, with a lot of assistance from PC Smith and PC Kapoor. Gina is a stubborn lady, and a determined detective. She has had a rough life, which has led to an uneasy relationship with her daughter Hannah and grand-daughter Gracie.  It has also led to a lack of real friends.  She used to have a relationship with her boss, DCI Chris Briggs, but he found someone else. It is not common knowledge that Gina's husband was abusive, and only Briggs knows that she did not save him when he fell to his death many years ago.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Sasha Kennedy is a support worker for the homeless community.   One of the men that she just placed in an apartment has been murdered in his room.  When she eventually realizes who he is, and who the second victim is, it may be too late to save herself.  The past is coming back to make her pay.

Meanwhile, 18-year old Macie Perrin is doing a true-crime podcast, and finds herself working directly with the killer. She is so excited!

Gina and her team are trying to find the common denominator between the victims, but it's tricky. One of the few clues is a one pound coin found on or near the bodies.

Meanwhile, Gina is supposed to be looking after her grand-daughter while Hannah finally takes a vacation.  With this case, that is not going entirely to plan.


My Opinions:
I thought the last book was great.  This one is too!

This book really looked at issues facing the homeless as well as the overall lack of funding and availability of housing.  It also looked at the problems social workers face while trying to help them.

The book also dealt with Gina's troubled relationship with her daughter and how outside influences are jeopardizing it.

The plot and writing was really good with a few twists thrown in.  The chapters alternated between a few of the characters, and that worked really well.  The characters, as always were deep.

Can't wait for Book 14!

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

when you shut your front door you should feel safe but sasha doesnt....she already gets phone calls at night and now that feeling of safety is gone

her job should give her the feeling of satisfaction but it doesnt...everyday she has to face abuse from her clients who she tries to find homes for but sometimes she has to leave them in conditions that are unliveable...

and then her nightmares really start when the first body turn up....

🚨Crazed from heartbreak: great suspense with tragedy😢

4.5🌟 stars
A really good dive into the desperation of homelessness and the loss of a child, this latest Gina Harte police hunt for a killer got my emotions surfacing, especially for Gina and the parents.

Gina's rocky relationship with her daughter Hanna and the way her former mother-in-law Hetty can't stop the vitriol and scheming to hurt Gina really added to the story. I felt her helplessness at choosing between work and family and her desperate desire to do the right thing. Gina's got problems and Hetty certainly capitalizes on them.

As to the killer, no, I had no idea who it was until the big reveal and that's largely because the author teased with so many potential suspects and delayed establishing how the victims are connected. I like a mystery where I'm kept in the dark about either the criminal or their motive. In this instance, the motive shows early on but attaching it to a character is the real kicker.

Good suspense, with ambitious teen Macie reaching for social media fame as an interesting and unknowing catalyst to the tragic deaths that follow.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is book 13 in a series, even though i have not read the other 12 i was able to read this as a standalone and this was easy to follow.
But I do feel like I would have benefited reading the others before this one.
Thankyou
3/5 stars

Excellent as always! Cannot fault Carla Kovach, and the Gina series. Can't say much more than you need to read this!

Their Cold Hearts by Carla Kovach

She shuts the door behind her, relieved to be in the safety of her own home. But tonight her house is the most dangerous place she could be. Someone is waiting for her, and they know she’s home alone…

Sasha loves her job finding accommodation for homeless people, and she’s proud of the small but cosy apartment she rents on the good side of town. She’s worked hard to leave her dark past behind her. She’s careful about who and what she tells of her old life. But not all secrets stay hidden forever.

And so my relationship with Detective Gina Harte continues (13 books later) and my relationship with NetGalley begins. I was delighted to be granted free access to this book ahead of its release date next Wednesday 19 April.

Gina and her team feel like family, and I love joining them as they solve a wide range of devastating and terrifying murders. In this book, Gina is looking after her young granddaughter, Gracie, for a few days when her boss and ex-lover requests her expertise and leadership on another murder case. The murder has taken place inside a council building for homeless people, and Gina finds she can’t say no. Her relationship with her daughter has always been a bit shaky, so I immediately feared Hannah’s reaction and for Gracie’s safety, as Gina’s colleagues and spouses put their hands up to care for Gracie.

The case is hugely complex and delves deep within the homeless community. Reading this after ‘The Salt Path’ by Raynor Winn gave me a deeper appreciation for how most of us are closer to homelessness than we realise, and that governments and society in general are not doing enough to help those in need.

Thank you for another fantastic Detective Gina Harte installment Carla Kovach.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Their Cold Hearts’, book 13 in the Detective Gina Harte series written by Carla Kovach, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Just as Detective Inspector Gina Harte is on leave caring for her granddaughter Gracie, DCI Chris Briggs asks her to head up the hunt for the killer of Wesley Reid at the Cleevesford Cleaver Hostel. Gina knows she has no choice but doesn’t look forward to telling her daughter Hannah that she’s not personally looking after Gracie.

‘Their Cold Hearts’ is an action-packed police thriller that’s full of intrigue, suspense and twists and turns as Gina and her team struggle to identify a killer and the reasons behind the victims chosen. I’ve enjoyed reading more of Gina and her very capable team and have been gripped by the story as she juggles finding a killer and childcare while keeping a good relationship with her daughter. It has a cleverly written plot with nicely described characters that’s kept me gripped from page one and I have no hesitation in recommending it.