Ones to Watch in January – Tell Me A Lie C J Carver

Publication Date: January 12th from Bonnier Zaffre

Source:  Review Copy

A family in England is massacred, the father left holding the shotgun.
PC Lucy Davies is convinced he’s innocent
A sleeper agent in Moscow requests an urgent meeting with Dan Forrester, referencing their shared past.
His amnesia means he has no idea who he can trust.
An aging oligarch in Siberia gathers his henchmen to discuss an English accountant.
It’s Dan’s wife.

Having been a huge fan of the first in this series, Spare me the Truth, I was really looking forward to the follow up and boy was I not disappointed.

Loved this. Beautifully paced, occasionally breathtaking, always bang on the money, Tell Me A Lie is brilliant beginning middle and end. Although lock yourself away for the last bit as you definitely won’t be able to stop reading. Its ok – the kids didn’t actually kill each other while I polished this read off but it was a close run thing…

So we are back with Dan Forrester (a really excellent character) who still struggles with the gaps in his memory and is about to be thrown into a most dangerous situation that hits rather too close to home. Meanwhile Lucy (who it should be noted is fast becoming  one of my favourite female fictional characters) is investigating a family massacre that seems clear cut but is not. As the two situations collide we are in for a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

I love Lucy. Ha yes I did that but I really do. She is quirky, edgy and brings a dark humour to proceedings which sets the rest off nicely. She and Dan have a growing relationship which is compelling. When you are reading series fiction its always great if you have that slight edge of worry for the characters you get behind and CJ Carver does a great job of putting you on the cliffs edge hoping not to topple over – you never feel that any one person is safe from harm.

The plotting is tight and cohesive and absolutely gripping – a thriller with heart and soul whose resolution is not easy to grasp, I do like surprises and that feeling of uncertainty. I’m also a bit of a sucker for a good spy story and this has that plus mystery plus twisty goodness and a plethora of adrenalin inducing set pieces. Plus dog. Poppy gets an honourable mention here. Look we really don’t care if Ms Carver kills EVERYBODY but she had better leave Poppy alone..gulp.

Overall blinking fantastic. Loved loved. More please. Tomorrow? Oh look I’m REALLY not good at waiting..

Highly Recommended.

Find out MORE

 Follow the author on TWITTER

To Purchase Tell Me A Lie clickety click right HERE

Happy Reading!