Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear
The Blurb
WINNER OF THE RICHARD AND JUDY SEARCH FOR A BESTSELLER COMPETITION 'A blistering debut from a major new voice. I couldn't put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance' ERIN KELLY 'Debut novels don't come better than this one, which begs the question - Caz Frear, where have you been?' RICHARD MADELEY 'Taut, gripping, surprising and original - a fabulous read' JUDY FINNIGAN 'Caz Frear's ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut' LYNDA LA PLANTE 'BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended' MARIAN KEYES 'An astonishingly confident and individual voice' ANN CLEEVES WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW In 1998, Maryanne Doyle disappeared and Dad knew something about it? Maryanne Doyle was never seen again. WHAT I ACTUALLY KNOW In 1998, Dad lied about knowing Maryanne Doyle. Alice Lapaine has been found strangled near Dad's pub. Dad was in the local area for both Maryanne Doyle's disappearance and Alice Lapaine's murder - FACT Connection? Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it's gone? FOR FANS OF ERIN KELLY AND BELINDA BAUER, GET READY FOR THE SUSPENSE NOVEL OF THE YEAR. ----- 'A killer premise. An original voice. An utterly compelling story that will keep you up all night' FIONA CUMMINS, author of Rattle 'Impossible to put down' ALEX GRAY 'The best debut I've read in a very long time' WILLIAM RYAN 'An incredibly strong and confident voice that has hit the page fully-formed' CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD, author of Distress Signals 'A perfect storm of a crime novel . . . one of the best novels in this genre' LIZ LOVES BOOKS
About Caz Frear
Caz Frear grew up in Coventry and spent her teenage years dreaming of moving to London and writing a novel. After fulfilling her first dream, it wasn’t until she moved back to Coventry thirteen years later that the writing dream finally came true. She has a first-class degree in History & Politics, which she’s put to enormous use over the years by working as a waitress, shop assistant, retail merchandiser and, for the past twelve years, a headhunter. When she’s not agonising over snappy dialogue or incisive prose, she can be found shouting at the TV when Arsenal are playing or holding court in the pub on topics she knows nothing about.
My Review
I knew this debut novel by Caz Frear was going to be good right from the off. The main character Detective Constable Cat Kinsella, of the Murder Investigation Team, gelled with me immediately as the cynical humour in the narrative gave her a distinctive voice. Shadows of the past and suspicion against her own father come back to haunt her with the discovery of the murdered victim Alice Lapaine. There is a connection between this woman and a woman she had met back in 1998 in Ireland, known as Maryanne Doyle, who disappeared. Her father denied all knowledge of Maryanne, even though Cat knew he was lying. Now, it seems all of this is about to blow up in her face and destroy her career. At the same time, who killed Alice Lapaine? A Richard and Judy Bestsellers winner and it's easy to understand why.
