“Marina Fisher doesn’t just blow her own trumpet, she toots a whole brass section.”

I hadn't realised this was part of a series when I picked it up but I liked the brief fact sheet at the start, providing a history of the characters. This was an enjoyable whodunnit with plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged. Pet peeve: a British author, writing about British people, in Britain, using American spelling and words. It's about time authors fought back and said no to publishing houses demanding that everything is written to satisfy American audiences. ( )

I have read the previous four books of the Adam Fawley series and was really excited to read The Whole Truth which is the fifth book.
This was somewhat different from the previous ones in the way it was styled but it worked and really well too.

The storylines in this were great, a sexual assault case between a professor and her student, and ​the true-crime podcasts about the Roadside Rapist Gavin Parrie and how flawed the original investigation was, this was new to see in a book.
Like the other books in the series, we also get to know Adam Fawley in his personal life as well as his DI role.
I found myself getting so cross with some characters there were a lot of plot twists and it kept me guessing to the end.
The Whole Truth was a fantastic read and I am excited to read book 6 in the series now ( )

I'm assuming the overarching Parrie storyline has finally been put to bed now, thankfully. That thread of this instalment was more interesting than the case Fawley's team was meant to be investigating, which was one of sexual assault where every one even peripherally involved was lying to some extent. It got so twisty and tiresome that I gave up caring exactly who had done what to whom.

I wasn't sure why Somer was being so moody and secretive with every one, but I hope she cheers up and actually tells her boyfriend what is going on in the next book. ( )

The best yet in this fab series set in and around Oxford. There is an ongoing story arc, but a resume of main characters is included, and key facts from before are skilfully integrated into the text, so not such a jump to get into the story.

Cara Hunter always incorporates the latest issues and social media etc trends into her work - the main crime in this one focuses on #MeToo with a twist, and the whole book is peppered with tweets, whatsapp convos, police and news reports - and this time podcast transcripts.

Absolutely brilliant - read my full review on my blog https://annabookbel.net/the-whole-truth-by-cara-hunter ( )

A return to the DI Adam Fawley series is always a treat for me. This is the 5th instalment and they can be read as standalone stories but it's good to follow the characters through each book.

There are a few things that I'm always pleased to see in Cara Hunter's books. First of all, there are no chapters, just lots of short scenes, which keeps up the momentum so well. The TV rights have been sold and this series will translate so well onto the screen. Secondly, I love the varied formats made up of interviews, podcast transcriptions, newspaper, social media etc and which are slotted to great effect into the narrative. Thirdly, the little who's who at the start is so handy and I used it several times. All series should have one of these. I have, after all, had a sleep since I read the last book.

So to the story itself. The team are called upon to investigate a sexual assault between a female university professor and her male student but the tables are turned and this time it's the woman who is the aggressor. Maybe there is more to it than meets the eye but that is what Fawley's officers need to find out. However, there's another storyline that comes along and threatens everything that Fawley has. I'm keeping schtum about that but what was really nice was how the team stood by him, even (mostly) newly demoted and very cocky DC Gareth Quinn.

The Whole Truth is a book that I found very hard to put down. It's so fast-paced and exciting. I like Adam as much as his team do and I was thoroughly engrossed with what was happening to him, alongside the other ongoing investigation, and also with what was happening at home. It's a very twisty read, with the past coming back to haunt him. It was absolutely fascinating to see the team's enquiries come to fruition and some good old fashioned detective work going on.

This is a police procedural and some in the genre can be a bit dull for my liking. Not here, as Hunter's clever blend of intriguing and authentic characters and a truly thrilling plotline make this such a gripping read. Roll on book 6. ( )