Cara Hunter

"When eight-year-old Daisy Mason vanishes from her family's Oxford home during a costume party, Detective Inspector Adam Fawley knows that nine times out of ten, the offender is someone close to home. And Daisy's family is certainly strange: her mother is obsessed with keeping up appearances while her father is cold and defensive under questioning. And then there's Daisy's little brother, so withdrawn and uncommunicative. DI Fawley works against the clock to find any trace of the little girl, but it's as if she disappeared into thin air--no one saw anything; no one knows anything. But everyone has an opinion, and everyone, it seems, has a secret to conceal"--

Close to Home

Briar's Reviews

Holy. Moly!

Close to Home by Cara Hunter is one wildly epic ride that mystery and thriller lovers will absolutely be OBSESSED with! I sure was!

Eight-year-old Daisy Mason suddenly vanishes during her parents party. When the investigation about her disappearance begins, things seem fishy. The family is strange, there's no clear leads and something just isn't right... There were tons of guests at this backyard barbecue - friends, family, school mates. Could one of them taken Daisy? The police force won't stop until they locate this youngling.

For my first point, I did NOT see this ending coming. There was an inkling there, but I was never fully convinced of which way this story was going to go. Cara set this story up so wonderfully that there was never a dull moment and my inner Detective was constantly at work. 

I also really appreciated how Cara slowly unwound the story behind this dysfunctional family. They aren't what they appear to be, and slowly but surely we see what's truly going on behind the scenes. Because of this, my theories about what happened were constantly being molded and changed, which was really fun! Throw in the fast-paced nature, the epic Tweets and News Reports and the character dynamics presented and you've got one amazing book.

My biggest negative about this book was that there was no chapters. This book was continuous which led to me being unsure of where to stop. There are breaks in the story, but I like having a full stop at a chapter. This doesn't affect the story at all, it's more of a personal pet peeve.

Another note: This book features child pornography, child kidnapping and abuse, and potential child murder. It's not for the light-hearted. Reader beware!

I can honestly say I'm surprised this book doesn't have more ratings, reviews and people talking about it. It's one of the best books I've read in a long time! This book needs to get in the hands of readers because Cara Hunter is marvelously talented! Cat and mouse tales like these are just splendid.

Overall, DI Adam Fawley should be among the top mystery books out there. I'm not kidding - it was one of the best I've read in a very long time, and I read a fair about of thriller, suspense and mystery books. I'd highly recommend this! 110% recommendation! I haven't had this much fun in a mystery in a very long time.

Five out of five stars.

I received an ARC version of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Will

This book starts fast and keeps going without slowing down. 

It’s broken up into different perspectives and timelines that make it all the more interesting. Every time there are three stars (***) signifying the end of a scene/the current timeline, you can expect there to be a punch or revealing clue that makes you want to continue reading. There are so many twists and pushes in different directions. You find yourself guessing at whodunnit, then second-guessing yourself, and then second-guessing again. All the characters make you wonder. It’s very well-written in that you want to know everyone’s secrets. 

I couldn’t put this book down, and when I reached the ending, it was not what I expected at all. It feels a bit out of the blue but it was a cool final twist to add in. Cara Hunter has a new fan.

How can a child vanish without a trace? Last night, 8-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared from a summer party at her home. No one at the party noticed her leave. Even her parents aren't sure of the last time they saw her. DS Adam Fawley is trying to keep an open mind. But he knows that in nine cases out of ten, it's someone close to the victim. When a pair of bloody tights is discovered, Fawley's worst suspicions are concerned. Someone knows where Daisy is. And her time is running out.

Amanda Wells

I'm a sucker for a good detective mystery. And this one is really quite good! I didn't see the twist/s coming, I felt most of the policing was as true to life as it gets in novels, and there weren't crazy leaps in assumptions chalked up to hunches. The parents could have been written with a touch more complexity, but that didn't put me off. 

I'll definitely keep a look out for the next in the series.

Victoria Grace

Gemma McCarthy

How can a child vanish without a trace? Last night, 8-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared from a summer party at her home. No one at the party noticed her leave. Even her parents aren't sure of the last time they saw her. DI Adam Fawley is trying to keep an open mind. But he knows that in nine cases out of ten, it's someone close to the victim. When a pair of bloody tights is discovered, Fawley's worst suspicions are concerned. Someone knows where Daisy is. And her time is running out.