Stone Cold Heart: the addictive new thriller from the author of Sweet Little Lies

Wow! I'm in awe of how the murder squad got to the bottom of 'whodunnit' in this one! A cracking read! When an assistant in the coffee shop asks DC Cat Kinsella for advice about a 'situation' she gives him the official line and then avoids him, thinking no more about it until the murder of a young girl following a party he - and many others - attended. The investigating team, including Cat, follow the evidence and what a winding, twisty path it leads them! Will they ever get to the truth? This is an absolutely gripping novel! Teasing and tantalising, there is plenty to be going on with; the interactions of the murder squad, the investigation itself, the slow unfurling of pertinent evidence, the statements given and the personal life of Cat Kinsella. Every page is packed with details and, yes, the clues are there! I love that everything is fully explained by the last page with no hanging threads. What a stunning read! Beautifully created with amazing structure, this is a story which will fill all the corners of your mind. The characters are creatively drawn from all walks of life and what you see isn't always what you get. What an absolutely stunning read! This is most definitely an author I want to keep up with from here on in. Fully worthy of five shining stars!

Joseph Madden is arrested for the murder of Naomi, a young PA in London. He claims that he was at home with his wife Rachel all night, but when questioned, she contradicts his alibi, maintaining she was home alone. Joseph claims Rachel is setting him up for a crime he didn't commit. DC Cat Kinsella investigates the Maddens' marriage. She knows one of them is lying, but which one? Cat will have to juggle the investigation with unresolved family matters, a past she doesn’t want coming out, and her budding romance with Aiden. This is the second Cat Kinsella book, and while it works very well as a standalone story, to fully understand Cat's family problems, and her relationship with Aiden, you should read the first book Sweet Little Lies. I was looking forward to reading Stone Cold Heart and it did not disappoint. The character development was just right, and the team working under DCI Steel have the right balance of professionalism and banter. I must admit I was initially suspicious of Joseph being outed as the killer so quickly, but I was definitely not prepared for the truth when it was eventually revealed. This well written book maintained a pace that made putting it down difficult. Every time I made the decision to do something else, there was a question I needed to find the answer for, or a situation that I needed to see resolved. The red herrings were plentiful, and they made the book even more compelling. Overall, I’m happy to recommend Stone Cold Heart to anyone who likes a good, well written piece of suspense, but I still recommend reading book one first for context. I gave this book five stars.