Where Secrets Lie

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was definitely a book that kept you thinking! I would definitely recommend this book to fellow readers. Thank you!

DS Karen Hart is back with her team on the case. An old man who appears to have fallen down the stairs. When a body is discovered in his house, Karen is called in to Investigate but not all is as it seems.

Welcome back to the main police characters from the first book and it’s a great read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review:

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for letting me have the chance to read this book it had me on the edge of my seat

It was great to see Karen Heart and her team investigating a cold case which had just come to light, a body found in a case opens up a mystery of how and why the person was murdered. The team come up against a number of obstacles but work Well together to solve the crime.
Not as fast paced as I'd have liked but a good read

This is an outstanding second book in the Detective Karen Hart series and in my opinion even better than the first. We catch up with all the main characters the last book and find out more of their background and lives which all adds to just what a good read this is. It’s a very well written book and a well thought out plot which deals with some uncomfortable issues and the lies and coverups unravel as the story progresses making it a book you don’t want to put down.
I look forward to the next in this excellent series and can well recommend the book if you enjoy a good mystery.
My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer / Amazon Publishing UK for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
This is the 2nd in the Detective Karen Hart series and even better than the 1st.
An old man is found at the bottom of the stairs of his home and rushed to the hospital. They make a shocking discovery in one of the rooms in the house and Karen are faced with a 30-year old mystery. It proves an almost impossible case to solve: the unsolved disappearance of a teacher and the body they are having analyzed, a daunting task after so much time. Meeting Karen and the team again and getting more of their backstories is one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much. The mystery is fascinating and the ending tense and exciting. Can't wait for the next book! I recommend this book highly.

This is the second in the Detective Karen Hart series but the first I have read. A concerned woman has called the police because her elderly neighbour is not following his normal routine. Upon investigation two policemen discover the old man, barely alive following a fall down the stairs. His odd behaviour leads the police to make a grisly discovery. Upon opening an old suitcase a body is discovered. No ordinary body but one that has all but mummified.

The investigation requires the best of the police: in terms of forensics, witness statements, checking and rechecking paperwork and the inevitable tussle between senior officers with their focus on media attention and the powers that be. Against this background we are witness to the normal to and fro of the police themselves: will she get a mortgage; is she in the right job, will I have to sit here for days on end in case the old man wakes up and how are my team doing?

I can’t make my mind up whether that detracted from the book or not. I was aware of these thoughts whilst reading but upon reflection I think it just anchored the plot and established the team (I was unaware at the time that this was a second book in a series). Clearly the aim is to build on the team and in that it was successful. I am nosey enough to want to meet them again.

A well-written, satisfying plot with good characters that I am sure I will warm to.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

This was the first book I’ve read by D.S. Butler. I love a good series. The fact that this was not the first book didn’t affect the story at all. I enjoyed the main Character Karen and her team.
It was an easy quick read. The story flowed well, I just found it to be lacking a little bit of excitement.

Detective Karen Hart #2

An elderly man, who a neighbour had shown concern for is found in his home. It looks like he has fallen down his stairs. He asks the policemen who attended the call out, not to go upstairs. Intrigued, they search upstairs only to find a decomposed body in a suitcase. It seems an easily solved case, that is until Detective Karen Hart finds a warning note: It's time to pay for your crime.

I'm really liking this new police procedural series. I know it's only the second book, but so far so good. We find out a little more about the main characters backgrounds. The story uncovers some sensitive issues. As the investigation turns into a cold case, the victim had went missing 30 years ago, and the list of potential suspects grows bigger. This is a well written book with many curve balls thrown at you. The pace is fast and the tension mounts. For me, this is the better of the two books. I can't wait to read the next instalment in this series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author D. S. Butler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like a murder mystery, this is a good one.

The writing is good, neither overblown nor facile. The characters are given depth through insights into their personal lives and the solution to the mystery isn't made clear until the closing pages, although parts can be guessed at - which we like, because it makes us feel clever when we're proven correct!

It's not tense and there's no sense of a building pressure to find the killer before he strikes again, but that's okay, sometimes all we want is a straight line novel, with a story that does what it ought.

I shall definitely read any further releases in this collection.

DS Karen Hart is back and the second book in the series is even better than the first, it has a great storyline and as the bags under my eyes will confirm I read it in one sitting until 2.30am this morning. It had me riveted and I couldn't read fast enough. I look forward to the next book in the series

Loved this. Being late to the party on the first of this series I was able to read them back to back and really enjoyed the binge read. Great character development in the sub plot and a really interesting main plot where again I didnt see the villain. Shaping up to be a great series

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and author for my ARC. I really enjoyed this second book in the new series featuring Detective Karen Hart. It was well written with plenty twists and surprises, a good story line as well as more details on the background of the main characters. I would rate this book better than the first in the series and well worth reading. I look forward to reading more in this series. Reviews on Goodreads and Facebook.

This is an excellent novel with well drawn characters and realistic emotions covering more than just the crimes themselves. It tied up almost all the loose ends in a most satisfying way and I wonder if the one unresolved issue will feature in a third outing for DS Hart and her colleagues.

The four main police officers work well, together but are also shown individually so as to include their private lives which creep into the case just enough to be a distraction to them getting the job done. Although this is the second book in the series and the first crime does get a mention there are no spoilers and nothing is lost by not having started at the beginning which was my situation.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased review thanks to Netgalley and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good police procedure which is well written and exciting without going over the top at any time although the body count was quite high! I will definitely be looking out for the next in the series.

Where secrets Lie is a good read! Karen and team work will together and keep things moving along. D. S, Butler thankfully did not go the typical way of over describing the gory details of the murder.

This is the second in the DS Butler series and i am loving it.
A body is found in a suitcase in the bedroom of an old man. The remains are over thirty years old. This thirty year old cold case is about to become very current. Some one is on the rampage and killing but WHY ? What have these new murders got to do with this cold case ?
My god there are so many suspects and red herrings in this book. A real page turner and the climax WOW!!! I had no idea who the killer was until they were revealed. I read this book in one sitting, i just had to keep on reading. This series is turning out to be very good. Can't wait to read the next in this exciting crime series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I would like to thank the author, Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC of this book in return for giving an honest review.

I found out after I began reading this that it is the second in the series. That didn't make it at all difficult to follow, I just really want to read the first book in the series now.

A man is thrown from his balcony and a body is found in a suitcase. We spend our time together finding out how those two things are connected. There are many kinds of police procedurals. They really are not all the same. Some are overly slow building and often have lulls in the middle. Some are just one thing after another. The former is far more realistic, the latter being ridiculous at times. This one falls in the middle. You do get the drudgery of police work, but it isn't drawn out. Everything that happens adds to the story, including character development. Sometimes the home lives of the characters feels completely separate from the actual mystery or crime being solved. This book also avoids the pitfalls of those stories that make huge jumps, have characters making stupid decisions that miraculously work out, or ending in an unbelievable coincidence.

The entire story was fresh and though-provoking. I look forward to reading the first book in the series and future books as the are released.

This book was a little hard to read at first. The characters felt flat or incomplete, not sure how to explain. The story seemed shaky in the beginning and for the first half of the book it was unable to keep me interested. The second half was much better. I found mysel quite intrigued. Oliver Fox, missing 30 years, turns up as a skeleton in a suitcase. There’s a sizable cast of suspects. Some are easy to rule out. The why of Oliver’s death is fairly simple to deduce but the who and how is the main mystery. I found myself amused with the comical actions of Albert in the hospital. He reminded me of someone but can’t recall who it is. As the suspects beganto dwindle and more secrets were revealed the main characters became more lifelike. In the end this book earned its fourth star for the different angle taken for the big reveal. Well done.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of Where Secrets Lie, the second novel to feature DS Karen Hart of the Lincolnshire police.

When Albert Johnson falls downstairs the police break in to rescue them but he isn’t happy to see them and forbids them from going upstairs. When they do they find a skeletonised corpse in a suitcase in a padlocked room but what seems like a straightforward case takes a few turns when the investigation gets underway.

I thoroughly enjoyed Where Secrets Lie which takes a simple premise and adds many layers, turning it into an exciting whodunnit. I was hooked from start to finish because the reader knows, although the police don’t that there are two killers to find, one from the thirty year old cold case and one from the present day. I didn’t have a clue in either, found myself slavishly following the crumbs Ms Butler provides and still couldn’t work it out. It’s good stuff although I find the writing style a touch tedious as the author tends to over explain and ram things home.

I like the main protagonist DS Karen Hart who has sorrow in her life but gradually seems to be coming to terms with it. It adds empathy to her strong investigative skills and clear thinking, making her almost the complete detective. The story of her blind date is amusing but I sense her interest may lie in her boss, DI Scott Morgan, with whom she is building a good rapport. He is another good detective with a strong streak of decency which comes to light in this novel.

Where Secrets Lie is a better book than its predecessor so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

I like Karen. She's flawed, but honest, and she knows her way around a mystery! This is book 2 in the series, and it's just as great as the first. it does pick up after it, but enough background is given, that the reader can read this book as a stand alone. you read enough police procedurals, you tend to pick up themes, and they can run together. But Butler does a good job in keeping this book fresh from the field by letting the tangled web of lies show itself, a la Agatha, and then show how each step of the way as she unravels a bit Hart stumbles upon an even deeper web. It's a quick read that will have you rapidly turning pages,and a great entry for the last mystery of the year!

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Where Secrets Lie’, second in the DS Karen Hart series written by D S Butler, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The police are called to check on the well-being of Albert Johnson and find him lying at the bottom of his stairs. They become suspicious when he says they’re not to go upstairs but curiosity gets the better of them. They enter a padlocked bedroom and discover a suitcase containing a decomposed human skeleton and a recent A4 sheet of paper on which is written ‘It’s time to pay for your crime’. DS Karen Hart and DI Scott Morgan are asked to investigate and evidence leads them to believe the body belongs to teacher Oliver Fox who disappeared in 1988 but what they consider to be a cold case becomes anything but when discover there were rumours about Oliver and his liking for young boys.

‘Where Secrets Lie’ is a worthy sequel to the first in the Karen Hart series and just as gripping. It has an interesting and complex storyline with a fast-paced plot, twists and turns, several suspects and likeable characters who I feel I’m getting to know better. We learn more about Karen’s private life, the reason for Scott Morgan’s relocation to Lincoln, Rick Cooper’s concern about his mother and Sophie Jones’ desire to buy her own home. It concludes with a final twist which kept me enthralled and although it’s a two-book series one can always hope that D S Butler decides to write a third.

Easily enjoyable book, good storyline, well written, I thoroughly enjoyed this, kept me guessing till the end, kept me awake as I couldn't put it down

Having never read any previous titles in the series I was a little worried I wouldn’t understand the main character, but it was needless; this book can easily be read as a stand alone, although I shall be looking out for the others. The characters were realistic, as were the relationships between them. The story had s9me great twists to it. I would highly recommend this book.

I have really enjoyed reading this book it certainly grips you with the plot and i was happy to read that i had the killer sussed.D S Butler certainly writes a brilliant book.When police are called to the home of an elderly man by a worried neighbour they are about to make a discovery that will have the team racing against time to stop a killer.If you want to read a good book then i can highly recommend this one.Well worth 5*

I haven’t read book 1 in this series so I can confirm that it reads perfectly well as a stand alone book. What appeared initially to be a cold case enquiry turned out more and more complex as the book progressed. The main character DS Karen Hart was easy company and I rather like that she follows up on her gut reaction to things. I have a minor gripe with the fact that she was referred to as Karen while her boss was always referred to as DI Morgan. That aside, it feels like there should be a few more books to come in this series.

Well written, good characters great plot.
When police attend a routine call to an elderly man who appears to have fallen down stairs they find a skeleton in a suitcase that has clearly been there years. DI Scott Morgan, DS Karen Hart and their team are given the task of finding out who he was and how and why he was killed. They discover it is the body of Oliver Fox a school teacher who has been missing for almost 30 years. As they start to dig onto his past they discover that not only he was having an affair with his wife's sister, he was also accused of abusing some of the boys he taught.
What is the connection between the elderly man and Oliver Fox and how far back does it really go?
When it transpires the old man was actually pushed and the team find he had previously received a threatening note Karen and the team must pull out all the stops find out before anyone else gets hurt.
Just when you think you guessed who did it something happens to quash that theory.

I enjoyed 1st book in series and 2nd book is brilliant very good story and I so enjoy the characters and I enjoy there lives and secrets and the murder enquiry in this is brilliant so recommend cant wait for book 3

A cold case suddenly becomes very hot...

An old man has fallen down the stairs and when the police arrive to check on him at the behest of a concerned neighbor, they are warned not to go upstairs. Intrigued, they investigate and discover a skeltonized body in a suitcase inside a padlocked room. It turns out that this is the body of Oliver Fox who went missing over 30 years previously. In addition, a note is found in the kitchen and reads: "it's time to pay for your crime." The old man, Albert Johnson, succumbs to his injuries before the police get a chance to question him about the body and the note, but he's the obvious suspect when a postmortem exam proves that Oliver Fox was probably murdered. So, the death of Fox is old but the note is new. Have DS Karen Hart and DI Morgan stumbled upon a case that is going to be more complicated than they first imagined? After some investigation, Hart and Morgan discover that Johnson and Fox worked together at Greenhill Secondary School. Was Johson's death an accident or was there foul play involved? Hart and Morgan, along with DCs Jones and Cooper, are pulled into a complex web with an unsolved crime that happened so long ago that it will be difficult to figure out.
NO SPOILERS.

This was an evenly-paced, if somewhat pedantic, police procedural that weaves the past into the present with a connection that presents them with many suspects and strong motives. I hadn't read the first book in the series so the characters were all new to me and I was able to enjoy this without having done so. I can see that Hart is a fairly genre-stereotypical female detective -- she's had a loss, she's on her own, and she's mentally tough. Hart, however, doesn't seem to have a dark side or engage in maverick behaviors at this point -- for which I am glad. I'm tired of damaged female police detectives! I'm a bit wary of a potential romantic development on the horizon as the signs are there. This was easy to read in one setting and though some red herrings are dangled, the revelations didn't come as a big surprise. I liked it well enough that I'm sure I'll try to read the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #WhereSecretsLie

This is the second book in the Karen Hart series and it reads well as a stand-alone. Butler does well to provide an adequate background to the characters, making the reader feel comfortable diving right into this novel without having any prior knowledge of the previous storyline.

The plot of this book is complex, weaving through the twists and turns of a murder mystery from the past and that of the present. The narrative is character driven, mainly by that of the book’s main protagonist, DS Karen Hart. Parts of the narrative do stall with time spent on unnecessary details that ultimately circumvent the primary plot. However, while the story is slow to build, and has a few trivial moments where the plot stalls , it does pick up midway through and concludes with that "shock-value" that so many readers of this genre crave. Overall, a good read. 3 stars

You did what you thought was best. A old man has fallen down his stairs and is seriously hurt should be a simple call for the police but everything changes when they find the body in the suitcase. Why does Albert Johnson have a body and did he kill them? DI Scott Morgan and DS Karen Hart have been given the case and this isn't going to be a easy case as the body has been there for many years. Albert the suspect is still in hospital and they have a man waiting to talk to him but he isn't been cooperative so they will just need to be patient. They have found out who the victim is Oliver Fox was 45 when he just disappeared and they will need to find out if Albert killed him. The family isn't too happy about the police poking around in their business but they need to find out who and why Oliver was killed. Things are just about to get harder for the team as the murdered man's brother is a former cop and he wants to be kept abreast of everything but that isn't going to happen. The wife is hiding her head in the sand, the sister in law doesn't believe that her ex lover did anything wrong and the sons have their own problems. Looking into Oliver's background they start putting the pieces together and realize that Oliver wasn't such a good man and that he deserved so much worse for his crimes but they still haven't found the killer. Will they be able to find the killer before they strike again? Can the team put their own problems aside and work this case and get it solved? Karen is missing her family, Scott is dealing with someone from his past that is blackmailing him, Sophie isn't too sure if she still wants to be a cop as she never gets to go out and Rick is dealing with his mother's slow decline.
Can DI Morgan pull them all together to solve this case and put the past to rest?
A good solid read. They are a good team that works well together. Scott is going to be the perfect leader for the group seems like a fair man that admits his mistakes. Hopefully Karen will be able to find someone to share her life with. Sophie might need to change her career as I don't think that she has the right attitude for being a cop. I hope that Rick's mom doesn't have to suffer. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

Another great book in this series. If these books keep being written like this, I'm going to have another new favorite series.

I tried to guess who the killer was numerous times but I honestly wasn't even close.

Well written and exciting. Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

I went into this book straight on from the first book and I'm really glad that I did as I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed the first book. I really like the characters in the book, especially the relationship between Karen, Rick and Sophie and also the rapport between Karen and DI Morgan. The writing is fluid and quick and enjoyable. I loved the way the entire investigation and trying to figure out the killer was written. Overall a really enjoyable book and a really good series so far. Looking forward to her next book. Would not hesitate to recommend this book. And a big thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
This is the 2nd in the Detective Karen Hart series.
An old man is found at the bottom of the stairs of his home and rushed to the hospital. They make a shocking discovery in one of the rooms in the house and Karen are faced with a 30-year old mystery. It proves an almost impossible case to solve: the unsolved disappearance of a teacher and the body they are having analyzed, a daunting task after so much time. Meeting Karen and the team again and getting more of their backstories is one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much. The mystery is fascinating and the ending tense and exciting. Can't wait for the next book! I recommend this book highly.

This book had me hooked from the first page, so much so that I hated having to put it down to do other things.

I loved the plot- the catalyst of which being the discovery of a 30 year old decomposed body in a suitcase within an elderly man’s house - and the twists and turns of a cold case becoming a very current one.

This is the second book in the series, but having not read the first I can say that Where Secrets Lie can be read as a stand-alone. I am, however, very much looking forward to reading the first instalment.

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended. This is the first of D.S. Butlers books that I have read but I will be reading more.

This is the second book if the series but can be easily read as a stand alone. The story was interesting and had many layers. The main characters definitely had their work cut out for them trying to solve this mystery. There was lots of different people involved and the twists and turns meant it was a guessing game throughout!

The discovery of a decomposed body in a suitcase leads Karen Hart and her team on a journey to understand how and when the victim died. Discovering the victim was a teacher who disappeared more than 30 years ago the team learn that sometimes some secrets need to be uncovered and justice brought to the fore

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It takes hold from the very beginning when a suitcase with a decomposed body in it is found in the upstairs home of an elderly man. As the investigation into this thirty year old murder begins many things come to light that brings more crime into play. This kept me guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this book. This is the first book I have read by this author but I will read more in the future.
Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy.

I really enjoyed his book. It is a fast paced drama with plenty of action in it. When a suitcase containing a dead body is found in an attic it leads to the solving of a 30 year old murder. I liked the characters in this book and their stories. I like being able to imagine peple and their surroundings and feel empathy for them.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

The first thing that called to this book was the cover it just looks amazing and calls it to be a good book. I thought I had the suspect figured out but as the story kept unfolding I realized I was far off. I like books like that!

When Detective Hart and DI Morgan are pulled into the case of a body being found in a suitcase they knows there is a case here but, who would put a person in a suitcase? When we discover who is in it we learn that there is a reason this person was put there. Yet, it will be a race against time as it seems those who may have answers to who this person is are dying. Could there be a connection or just bad luck headed these people's way. I really like how everyone who was involved in the case had a job to do, and I could relate to Sophie how she was building her dreams up and just would feel defeated. Even at her job she questioned her abilities and yet she stood though it and was able to help bring a killer to justice. Even though Sophie was a secondary character it was good I could relate to her in some way.

I haven't read the first book as I didn't realize this was book two but I will be looking into reading it as I am intrigued with Detective Hart.

The suspense was great and built up perfectly and I loved how there was some personal problems or issues going on with the characters but that it didn't deviate from the story.

Three schoolboys keep a terrible secret, as do two of their teachers. Years later, the secret comes out – and all hell breaks loose.
This book starts ominously with the callous murder of a drunk pushed to his death from his balcony. Soon the deaths mount and it’s up to Detective Karen Hart and her team to investigate.
I really liked Hart, who is wonderfully normal and gets on well with her team. There are just enough sneak peaks into the lives of her fellow police officers to make them familiar and likeable. There are also some deliciously awful characters, such as the retired policeman who continues to throw his weight around as he interferes with the investigation.
I enjoyed this well-written, quick read. In a strange way, despite lots of death, this is quite a cosy, homely and comfortable read. Or maybe that’s just me. This is the second in the Karen Hart series; I hadn’t read the first but this didn’t detract from this read at all.

An old man not going out for his paper as usual arouses his neighbour to call for help. What happens next spirals and lots of families are affected by something that happened 30 years ago. You won’t want to stop reading as this story unfolds. There are twists and turns with lots of lives about to be changed forever. Two teachers trying to help some troubled pupils unfortunately do something that will change everyone involved lives forever.

Reading this book was like riding a horse: first you go for a gentle stroll and you are enjoying the ride and wonder if your horse likes to go a little faster, then things ramp up a bit and you are trotting....and then next thing you know, you are going at a full gallop! My horse skipped the cantering completely ;)

Seriously though, this was one good read! DS Karen Hart is back in her second adventure and even though I read the first book, it absolutely doesn't need to be read first for this story to make sense.

Karen gets caught up in a case which is puzzling but it is a cold case and therefore that sense of urgency is not quite there, as there would be in a current case. That soon changes and Karen and her team find themselves running here, there and everywhere trying to figure out how everything fits together. Then the murders start....

There was so much going on in this story, but the author did a great job of keeping the threads going and then making sure all those threads made sense at the end. I enjoyed getting to know the various team members a little better, all those things make a big difference to my enjoyment of a book. It is not just about the case, but all the various people involved in the case and their personalities that makes for a well-rounded book.

I give this book 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.

First time reading this author but will definitely seek out her other books. I love British crime tv shows and this book is written as well as any of them. Lots of twists and turns and when you think you know 'who dunnit', you will be wrong! I don't give 5 stars often but this one definitely is a 5+! Jacket cover is adequate descriotion, no book report or spoilers from me!

This book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for allowing me to read this book!

I struggled to get into this book at first until I was about 20% in and I must say I'm pleased I stuck with it. Although it was based on a cold case I was really rooting for the team investigating it. I disliked the fox family immediately but the other characters were great. The end shocked me to be honest but in a good way. I'd definitely recommend it to others as I thoroughly enjoyed it

Good solid story, interesting characters. This is my first story by this author and the second in a series. It does work as a stand alone.

This story does have a decent amount of twists and red herrings. The key characters were fleshed out enough to give you a feel for them and their relationships as a team. They also evolve throughout the story and it appears that each sequence will build on that. The final reveal was satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy in exchange for a review.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Where Secrets Lie is the second book in the DS Karen Hart series.

The book began with the death of website designer James Hunter. James was a recovering alcoholic who fell off the wagon after two years. During a drinking binge James told a friend from his AA group a secret he had kept for hidden for years. Later James stood on the balcony of his luxury flat and he was thrown over the balcony by his companion.

SIx months later the police were contacted by the neighbour of retired headmaster Albert (Bert) Johnson. She had not seen Bert that morning and called the police when she heard groans coming from behind his front door.

Bert was angry the police were in his house and told them not to go upstairs. Intrigued the officers went to Bert`s bedroom and found a suitcase containing a dead body. In Bert`s home they find a recent letter saying its time to pay for your crime.

Kate and her boss DI Scott Morgan soon discovered the body was Oliver Fox who had gone missing thirty years earlier. Oliver was a teacher at Bert`s school.

Detective Constables Rick and Sophie discovered an allegation of child abuse was made against Oliver. However his older brother was a senior policeman who managed to bury the allegations.

Bert had a heart attack once he was admitted to hospital. Before he died he told Rick it was not an accident and he had been pushed downstairs.

When another colleague of Bert and Oliver is viciously murdered. Karen and the team have to solve a cold case with links to a more recent murder.

Meanwhile Karen is persuaded to go on a blind date which goes wrong. Scott is blackmailed by his ex boss and Sophie is not sure if policework is her true vocation.

Where Secrets Lie was a good solid police procedural. I read the first Karen Hart book and it was like meeting old friends.

I was intrigued by the plot from the beginning and found it hard to put down. As well as the crime I also enjoy reading about the teams home lives . I like Karen who is a good officer, but uses her job to hide her grief.

I recommend this book and can't wait to read Karen`s next investigation.

Old men, an old corpse, old secrets = a cold case for the Linconshire, England police detectives. Who is trying to expose old secrets and who is trying to hide them, and who is lying?

If you are a fan of UK police mysteries, this might be the new book you are looking for. After reading "Where Secrets Lie", you'll likely agree that hiding the truth never truly solves anything and actually makes life worse. Well written with a swift, easy yo read pace, this pre-pub release would have been on my "purchase" list. I'll look for more by this author.

Where Secrets Lie by DS Butler is the 2nd in the Detective Karen Hart Series

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, 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 – May contain spoilers from previous books):
DS Karen Hart lost her husband Josh and her daughter Tilly in a car accident. Years later, she struggles to move on, living in the same large house, afraid to move lest her memories of them weaken. She pours her energy into her work. Hart, who relies heavily on her instincts and hunches, has a new boss, DI Scott Morgan, who takes a very logical/fact-based approach to the job (and his life), leaving little room for emotional thoughts. Hart is trying to keep her own emotions in line, while also trying to keep her constables reigned in. DC Sophie Jones is fairly new, and ambitious. DC Rick Cooper is more experienced but dealing with an aging mother. The two constables are constantly bickering.

My Synopsis:
When elderly Albert Johnson takes a fall in his home, the police find, in an upstairs bedroom, the skeletal remains of a body in a suitcase. It is quickly determined that the bones belong to the missing Oliver Fox. He has not been seen for 30 years.

Fox’s family are not exactly forthcoming with information, and his brother is making things worse. Attempting to solve this cold case is further complicated by the fact that the witnesses the team try to interview keep turning up dead. This is no longer a cold case but an active murder investigation.

Meanwhile, Karen’s sister tries to set her up on a blind date, Sophie is thinking about a career change, Rick is trying to understand his mother’s dementia, and DI Morgan’s past is about to become public knowledge.

My Opinions:
This series is getting very good. These books are an easy read, and although I thought the last book moved slowly, this one did not. The pace was good, and there was enough going on that you were never bored.

The characters are getting deeper as we learn their pasts, and we see that they are now becoming a team. The author is slowly building a family of the four detectives, and she is doing a good job.

I m looking forward to the next book!

I really liked this story, even without reading the first book. It kept me guessing! I plan on going to read the first book now!

Where Secrets Lie, the second novel in the Detective Karen Hart series, is a fascinating, multi-layered whodunit, and right from the beginning I enjoyed the dual storyline; both the cold case that suddenly heats up again thirty years later and the present day crime means there are two different killers to identify, convict and imprison. Butler manages to fool this seasoned crime reader for the duration as it didn't matter how far I read into the story the killers were well hidden. This led to unpredictability when the conclusion arrived after the captivating twists, turns and tension. I enjoyed it more than the previous book and appreciated Ms Hart as an astute and intelligent investigator. She is empathetic and emotionally strong and a force to be reckoned with.

This is a fast-paced and gripping novel that is refreshingly real and the characters flawed and human. Although I had the pleasure to read the predecessor, this works perfectly as a standalone too. I am already looking forward to seeing how things evolve, so roll on the next instalment.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book Netgalley.

This is a story about DS Karen Hart, her and her team are investigating a body that has been found in a suitcase. It's been there for a long time, but someone knows who is responsible and they are going after the people involved.

I really enjoyed this, it's very well written and I read it quickly because I was desperate to find out who was responsible.

Fast paced, with great characters I would recommend this to anyone who likes crime and thrillers.

very enjoyable book to read. Storyline was easy to follow and kept you guessing to tge end. Never imagined how the book would end. Look forward to reading more from this author.

Now this is more like it! I was so disappointed in the first book in this series, Bring Them Home. In this installment, Detective Sergeant Karen Hart is much more believable as a seasoned member of a police force. She is methodical and professional as she and the other three detectives confront a 30-year-old cold case that generates quite a lot of current-day activity.

DS Hart works with Detective Inspector Scott Morgan and two detective constables in largely rural Lincolnshire. The author does a good job on the character studies of victims, suspects and police personnel, past and present. I appreciated the steady pacing, where I was puzzling out clues and making discoveries right along with Hart and Morgan.

It was interesting to see DS Hart taking such a mentorship role with the two DCs -- particularly since she herself had seemed in such need of mentoring in the earlier book.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy of this book.

Are you looking for an excellent police procedural whodunnit? If so, I highly recommend this book.

Police find an elderly man lying at the foot of his stairs while doing a welfare check. He tells them not to go into a certain room in the house. So what does police do? They go into the room and they discover a corpse in a suitcase. This opens up all sorts of questions...Who is the corpse? How did the old man drag the suitcase out of his attic? How did the corpse get there in the first place?

This captivating novel takes the reader step- by -step through a police investigation and how it is handled from beginning to end. . So many threads are open as clues are developed, but the author closes them expertly. I was impressed with the amount of research that went into the police process...it made it so realistic.

The main protagonist Karen has suffered great loss in her life but she proves to be an excellent investigator working along with her team. Secondary characters play a heavy part in this book. Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain who is actually speaking at times, but overall character development was good.

The story was fast paced and keeps the reader engaged until the unexpected ending. I did not read the first book of the series, but had no difficulty understanding what was going on.

I highly recommend this book.

An old man falls down the stairs and the first officers on the scene find a body in a suitcase in a bedroom. DS Hart, her boss DI Morgan and DCs Jones and Cooper have to investigate a 30 year old murder.

This is a well written police procedural. The book deals with the sensitive subject of historic child abuse, which is sensitively handled and doesn’t go into detail. Throughout the book I suspected one character after another but Ms Butler had me fooled till the end. The police characters were all likeable, especially DS Hart, and it will be great to see how things develop for them in further books. I feel that there may be some romantic involvement between Karen and her boss in the future!

Although this is the second book in the series, it is my first encounter with DS Karen Hart, and it reads well as a standalone, although I will now be reading Book 1.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

D.S. Butlers Where Secret Lie is a fantastic thriller which sucks you in from the very start. After finding a decades old corpse in the upstairs of an older mans home, the police force must figure out who it is and how it got there. Set in a town outside of London this story does a phenomenal job of hooking the reading and developing a linear story; with some twists and turns. The only con of this book is the character development. Character development is somewhat random and does not add to or advance this story. Overall I found this book to be sensational and felt this author did a great job of dealing with sensitive subject matter and development of suspense!

I really enjoyed this book. It is a fast paced and had plenty of action in it. When a suitcase containing a dead body is found in an attic it leads to the solving of a 30 year old murder. I liked the characters in this book and their stories. I like being able to imagine people and their surroundings and feel empathy for them.

An elderly man is found at the bottom of his stairs after a neighbour raised the alarm. Not something the would usually overly concern the police- unless they happen to find a very dead body in a suitcase in the man's bedroom! There is also what could be classed as a threatening note in the house.

The body was killed by a blow to the head forty years ago. He had been a teacher at a local high school where the old man was once Headmaster. He was also the brother of a retired high up policeman who instantly makes life difficult for DI Morgan & DS Karen Hart & their two DCs.

This is the second in a series. I missed the first one but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book. I really warmed to the police team. I liked the way the author gave insights into their characters & lives without making it seem contrived.

There were lots of twists. Early on I was quite convinced I knew the solution- I was wrong! This was a great read & I'm really looking forward to reading the next in the series, Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Secrets always have a way of coming to light, most times with unintended consequences. When an emergency call for a welfare check for elderly Bert Johnson comes in, no one expects it to lead to the discovery of a mummified body in a suitcase. Nor did anyone expect it would lead to a trail of murders and a tie to a crime from 30 years ago. This story involved many characters all with ties connected to this case and to other threads that affect the characters lives outside the story. I found this to be a well written mystery with thoughtful characters I want to learn more about.

A very enjoyable read! I was very interested in getting my hands on this one after I read the blurb and I am pleased to say that I was not let down.

The story is written very well and the characters are interesting and jump off the page. I would recommend this read!

An easy read as crime thrillers go but none the worse for that. The police team are engaging - you care more about them than the crime players - and again that's a good thing and has left me keen for book 3 and seeing how they develop. As a bonus, you get a good insight to how police work works and how following through on the mundane and the random can eventually turn up the small key they need.

Where Secrets Lie by DS Butler is a suspenseful thrill ride of a novel that pulls the reader in immediately and does not let go. This is a gripping police procedural that hits all of the right notes and will surely delight fans of the genre.

The novel's prologue introduces us to James, an alcoholic who is thrown off his own balcony by someone he is clearly well acquainted with, thereby setting the stage for the rest of the narrative. The surprises keep coming.

The novel opens as police are called to investigate a call from a concerned neighbour who suspects that the elderly man next door is in some type of distress. Upon finding the man conscious, presumably following a fall down the stairs, police are suspicious when the man tells them to not go upstairs. Further investigation leads the officers to the discovery of a body in an old suitcase. Immediately following this grisly find, police find a note, ominously stating, "It's time to pay for your crimes." The body is old, the note is not.

Once the remains are identified as Oliver Fox, a former teacher who was reported missing in 1988, the case takes on a duality of timelines. Are the police now looking for two killers?

This is a brilliant novel, and I was immediately drawn to the central character of DS Karen Hart. I was not aware that this was the second installment of a series featuring DS Hart. I am anxious to read the first novel of the series, and I am delighted to find a new author to follow in DS Butler.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer for this fabulous ARC.

Another great read that kept me guessing right to the end. Ms Butler has definitely got a new fan and I can't wait to read her next book meanwhile I will be checking out her other books. I was given this in exchange for my honest opinion and I would like to thank the publishers and netgalley.

I enjoyed this book and found it a very quick read. I haven't read the first in the series but that didn't matter – it is a fully self-contained story. The characters of Karen and her team were likeable and the story was an interesting one with plenty of twists and turns – I figured out the main ones before they happened, which is fine (readers like to feel smug), although there was one point regarding the timing of the letters with regard to a particular death that seemed very obvious and I was suprised the police didn't twig sooner. The writing is perhaps a little simplistic with a lot of telling rather than showing, meaning that the narrative felt flat at times and I didn't connect emotionally with the characters. But overall, a decent read.

The second book I have read with Karen Hart and I found this one just as enjoyable, and looking forward to more from this author. Love the setting in Lincolnshire, DS Butler brings the characters to life and the story unfolds in surprising ways. A good read, would recommend to everyone.

Where Secrets Lie is a Karen Hart mystery. The remains of a body from thirty years ago are discovered. This leads to more deaths. Who is the killer? I like the method of investigation in the story. It's different from the usual. The story moves at a good pace. There is enough mystery to keep your interest. Karen is a likeable character. She's clever and complex. The story is well written and engaging. Overall, I liked it. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Really 3.5 stars.

A series of deaths following the discovery of a 30 year old body makes for a great mystery and the method it is investigated by the police is really interesting. However, I felt there were other tangents in this book which were being used as fillers & which I didn’t find over interesting so therefore I deducted .5 of a star. The original story is good enough in itself to hold the readers imagination, the other stuff not so much

I enjoyed this book and found it to be engaging. The characters were well developed, and it was good to hear a bit about their backgrounds which adds to their personalities.
At times the story felt a bit slow as there was some repetition, a bit is fine and useful in a complex story, but sometimes there was a bit too much. There did seem to be a few too many police or school teachers with time on their hands... not quite true in real life!

As I know Lincoln it was entertaining to read about it - I'll look at Skellingthorpe in a different light now! Even though I hadn't read the first book in the series, this novel reads well as a stand alone, but I will now go and read book one.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I have a little bit of mixed feelings about Where Secrets Lie. On the one hand, the case, which starts out slow becomes more and more fascinating as the layers of truth are discovered. On the other hand, Butler’s depiction of his investigating team is somewhat lacking. For a good part of the novel they were bland cardboard cutouts. More effort was made further in, but I can’t say the characters were particularly compelling. You only got a little bit of what made them tick.

While I liked the plot, I think more could have been done to bring the central characters to life. That being said, I’m willing to try another of D.S. Butler’s novels.

3 / 5

I received a copy of Where Secrets Lie from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

-- Crittermom

A police procedural that actually manages to keep you engrossed through the length of the book.
When a helpful neighbour calls in for help with her neighbour a secret that is decades old is stumbled upon. A body in a suitcase. A cold case from 30 years ago. How does the investigating team unravel the mystery that is older than them?
The plot, the characters, the crime, the investigations all of it are excellent and kept me turning page after page. It may not be as fast paced as any other crime-solving novel, but it does keep you interested without having to skip pages.

Just fantastic, a true gripping British Policing novel, full of twists and turns and gruesome details to keep even the most hardened crime reader thoroughly entertained -LOVED it!

Where Secrets Lie is the second book in the Detective Karen Hart series. It is a well-crafted police procedural with many supporting and interesting characters. The mystery itself begins with the death of an elderly gentleman who, at first, appears to have died as the result of a fall in his home. Only when a decomposed body is found in a suitcase in an upstairs bedroom do the detectives begin to follow a trail of lies and deceit that goes back thirty years.

Throughout the story there are several glimpses into the personal lives of the characters. While some readers might find this distracting or unnecessary, I enjoyed the background information. The investigation of the unidentified body takes several unexpected turns and the process is methodical and well-written.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys police procedurals and a good mystery as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Read and reviewed thanks to a free copy from NetGalley. I really enjoyed this book. The plot was really intriguing, albeit predictable at times and I really liked the main characters. The balance between exploring individual characters and the main storyline was done well. I was reminded of the DI Helen Grace series by MJ Arlidge, and am definitely interested in reading more books by this author.

I received this title from netgalley in exchange for my honest review/opinion of the book. Where Secrets Lie was good overall. The storyline itself was a good read, and I enjoyed it. The beginning was a slow start, but i pushed through. Some parts I wondered why were included, and found myself skimming past. 3.5 stars.

I absolutely loved this little gem
It kept me up all night reading it
Guessing and gripping storyline
Absolutely would highly recommend this book
Another well written story by d s butler
Can't wait for the next one

Beneath a quiet village, dark crimes lie buried.

The latest in DS Butler’s Karen Hart series opens with a murder and swaps quickly to the mishap of an elderly man leading to the discovery of a decades-old body. What follows is a winding path back through time to discover exactly how the body ended up in a suitcase.

For a crime thriller with historical abuse, cold case murder and a current vengeance wreaked upon those involved, this novel fell a little flat for me. It started with so much potential, but relied too heavily on coincidence and shoehorned cliches. That’s not to say Butler isn’t able to weave an intriguing story, with a steady pace and flow of plot, but I could have done with the reveal being a little more ‘A ha!’ and less ‘oh.’

What a fantastic follow up to book 1! I loved this book it had me on the edge of my seat, I devoured it in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down. I’m looking forward to book three in the series, can I have it now? I was absolutely sucked into this book, hooked from page 1, I was totally invested in this book until it spat me out at the end. Loved the storyline there were plenty of twists to keep me guessing and that ending! Loved this book it was great, if I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Giving this a big fat 5 stars.

In this second book of the series, Detective Sergeant Karen Hart and her team are challenged to solve a 30-year-old cold case of a badly decayed body of leathery skin and bones hidden away in a suitcase found in the home of Albert Johnson, an elderly widow. In addition to the body, a note was found that read, “It’s time to pay for your crime.”

According to his neighbors, Mr. Johnson was a well-respected man, and had retired as headmaster of Greenhill Secondary School twenty years ago. Their investigation leads them to a missing persons report from 1988 of 45-year-old Oliver Fox, a former colleague of Albert Johnson. The team seeks to discover how Albert was involved. Did he murder him? Was it an accident? Why was the death not reported? As more murders take place, the team is pressed to dig deep to find a connection, if any.

This series is well written. The characters are well-developed, and the reader is provided with insights into the personal lives of the investigative team. I wish to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release of this story in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading the next book by this talented author.

I have to say that I am a massive fan of books written by both D S Butler and Dani Oakley. It’s an added bonus that she’s chosen to settle and write about somewhere close to my own heart, Lincolnshire.

In this the second book in the series we have a fast paced page-turner of a book. We are back with Detective Sergeant Karen Hart, Detective Inspector Scott Morgan along with Detective Constables Rick and Sophie. Learning more about their individual personal lives draws us in and makes them seem more human.

Wealthy James Hunter a website designer had been sober for two years when he slips and during a binge and in a drunken conversation he tells a friend a secret, a secret that gets him thrown off the balcony of his apartment.

After Bert Johnson’s neighbour discovers him in a heap at the bottom of the stairs she raises the alarm. DS Hart and her gaffer DI Morgan break in to help and become suspicious of him as he is too insistent that no one goes up the stairs, not that there would normally be any need in such a case as this. DI Morgan goes up and finds a locked room door a suitcase, inside is the skeletal body of Oliver Fox who went missing in 1988 and a note saying ‘Its time to pay for your Crime’.

From beginning DS Hart has two cases to solve as a cold case this soon becomes anything but, we have rumours about Oliver and his predilection for young boys and that his brother, a senior ranking police officer had managed to conceal this information. Every way they turn there seems to be something or rather someone obstructing them.

Read for an honest review. Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley

Great suspense that will keep you guessing! I am looking forward to reading other books by this author.

When the police discovers the literal skeleton in the closet, they are faced with solving a 30 year old crime where all traces of evidence are long gone. But suddenly this cold case turns into a hot pursuit.

It is the second part of the 'Detective Karen Hart' series, and I enjoyed it just as I did the first one. But while Karen Hart was really at the heart of the investigation in the first book (true to the name of the series), here all four main members of the police force are in equal focus and share their personal problems with the reader. I found these (really small) subplots interesting and they gave the characters some depth, although it did slow down the suspense on the main plot. This murder case they have to solve is nothing nail-biting, but it kept me guessing how it all happened right until the very end.

An interesting prologue followed by a brilliant first chapter.
An emergency call to the police by a concerned neighbour leads to the police finding an old man at the foot of his stairs, injured from a fall (or was he pushed?) He is very insistent that NO-ONE goes upstairs. Drawn by natural human curiosity the two officers naturally go upstairs and what they discover behind a locked door (the key was in the lock in their defense) sets the scene for the rest of the book.
I get the initial idea that this book must form part of a series with set characters. There is an immediate camaraderie between them. The four police officers featuring heavily in the story; DI Morgan, Karen, Rick and Sophie have well-developed backgrounds and personalities too. (Upon finishing the book, I discovered it was part of a series, but this didn't affect the reading - you didn't need any prior information for things to make sense.)
The story flows smoothly and as more is flecked open you get more and more intrigued.
A brilliant, fast-paced read that leaves you guessing as to the identity of the murderer right up until almost the very end, where another surprising event reveals a bit more of past events.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book

I quite enjoyed this book...it was fast paced with a believable storyline and characters that were real and relatable. There is a dual storyline going on in this book; what begins as a routine checkup call leads to a discovery related to a 30 year old cold case and while the police are trying to get this cold case solved, a series of current murders which could be connected to the said cold case, make things more tricky and difficult for DS Karen Hart and her team.

This is book two in the DS Karen Hart series and even though I haven't read the first book, I did not feel that I was missing out on much in terms of understanding the main characters background.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC.

This is the second book in the DS Karen Hart series, and boy, do they just get better or what.
Karen attends an innocent scene of an innocent old man who injured himself. Then just before he leaves the house in an ambulance, he insists that they don't go to the second floor....
Obviously, like in the movies where you tell the woman not to go after the weird sound she hears, she just HAS to go upstairs and see what's been hidden away....
This sets the tone for a really thrilling read, and I couldn't wait to see how it ended !!
Highly recommended!!!!!

Another great D.S.Butler book, would highly recommend
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

*4 Stars*

ARC kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good characters in this book. Makes you wonder how people keep secrets for so long. If things we're truthful from the start, such consequences may not have happened. Makes you wonder about the type of people in the world.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having read and enjoyed the first book in the series, I had high hopes for this second book. It didn't disappoint but it seemed to move at a slower pace and the characters didn't feel as though they developed at all. The story itself was good with some twists and a satisfying resolution.

Where Secrets Lie is a great thriller from D. S. Butler. I enjoyed this book and could not put it down. The writing was good and the characters are interesting.

A gripping read. Starting with a decomposed body being found in the home of a man who has apparently had a fall, who is the corpse, and why is it in the home of a well respected ex teacher. Brilliant!

I enjoyed the first book in this series, and I was excited to be able to read this one. While it was a decent mystery, it didn't hold me the way the first one did. I also found that I couldn't really connect with the characters. Worth the try, but not for me.

this book had me hooked from the very start. fantastic story line and lots of characters that you feel like you know and their personal lives are wound into the story. a real who done it that kept the pages turning and the reader guessing every step of the way.
this author writes brilliantly and knows how to captivate her audience. will be reading all of the karen hart series

Totally gripped by this book from the very beginning. Compelling and engaging writing style and plenty of twists and turns in the plot itself. I liked the fact that although this is a series around DS Hart, plenty of the police team were given fleshed out characters, which really added a different dimension to the plot. Looking forward to more from the author in the future!

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

This book, like the first one, did not disappoint. It has everything I look for in police procedurals. It was fast-paced, well-written, and takes us step-by-step through the investigation. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

I listened to the audiobook of this. It was pretty awesome! The British Accent took a bit to get used to but the language itself would have been harder to read I think!

I started this one instantly after finishing Bring Them Home. I just needed more of DS Hart. This one was wow, maybe the secrets should have stayed buried? I never would have guessed what really happened, but not to worry, you will find out at the end.

*Many thanks to DS Butler, Amazon Pubishing UK and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
My first book with DS Karen Hart was an interesting read, and although I have not read Book 1, id did not spoil the pleasure of reading Book 2.
DS Hart beins the investigation of what appears to be an accidental fall from the stairs in which an elderly man suffers and in whose house a suitcase with an unexpected content is found. These two incidents lead to a rather complicated cold case which is solved thanks to good team work under Hart's supervision.
A good police procedural that makes me want to follow this series.

I've grown fond of DS Karen Hart and think she's a good, down to earth police officer who'd be an asset to have on your side. The story is not particularly unique but gets good attention and should be resolved whatever the moral rights and wrongs may be. This all plays out briskly and for me, it is the relationships that Karen has with each member of the team that gives this book the edge over others of a similar nature. Certain situations are set up for our attention in future books, which is fine, as D S Butler has created a character in the police service that the average reader can actually relate to and invest in. I'll be reading more of this series.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas and Mercer and the author, D S Butler, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Where Secrets Lie in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I was hooked from the start. The storyline was well thought out and written with intriguing characters and a rollercoaster plot. Had to read this book in one sitting. 3.5 stars.
Worth a read.

I really enjoyed this book. The setting, the characters, well written. I will now read the first one in the series.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Another great addition to the series. Great storyline. Liked the way the threads were brought together throughout the storyline.

This is a fantastic book, I loved book1 but this is better. It kept me reading till the last page.
I look forward to reading more in this series