‘Hope to Die’ by Cara Hunter

Published by Penguin, Random House,
18 August 2022.
ISBN: 978-0-241-99016-2(PBO)

Cara Hunter’s latest DI Adam Fawley book is based on a real-life crime similar to the one – the murder of her new baby – supposedly committed by Camilla Rowan in Hope to Die. In the original crime, an Australian woman was jailed for the murder of her newborn child, just as Camilla has been. Just like Camilla, the woman had hidden her pregnancy right up to the infant’s birth, and then, when the child vanished without trace, claimed, exactly as Camilla has done, that she had given the child to its biological father. Neither of the fathers have ever come forward to claim their child, and no infant bodies have ever been recovered.

When the call comes to investigate a fatal shooting at an isolated country house on the outskirts of Oxford, Fawley and his team - trustworthy DS Chris Gislingham, ambitious DS Gareth Quinn, dependable DC Verity Everett and bright youngsters DC Thomas Hanson and Chloe Sargent - swing into action. Nothing is straightforward. Why did the dead man come visiting on a dark night in April? Who was he? Were the elderly couple living in the house expecting him?  Did they know him? Why did they shoot him and hide his belongings?

To the consternation of colleagues in South Mercia, the force whose investigation resulted in Camilla Rowan being imprisoned fifteen years previously, Fawley finds himself reinvestigating Camilla’s case. Had the Mercia force followed all the leads they should have done? Was it possible that Camilla was innocent as she had always claimed?

Another unputdownable book from Cara Hunter. It has more twists and turns than a large panful of cooked spaghetti, and is graced by a great collection of totally believable characters who have the potential to make sparks fly within the team. It was especially good to find Adam Fawley and wife Alex on cloud nine with their new baby, Lily - they have had more than enough troubles for one couple. A super book from start to finish.
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Reviewer Angela Crowther.

Cara Hunter is the pen name of an established British novelist who lives and works in Oxford. She also studied for a degree and PhD in English literature at Oxford University. Hope to Die is the 6^th book in her DI Fawley series.

 

 Angela Crowther is a retired scientist.  She has published many scientific papers but, as yet no crime fiction.  In her spare time Angela belongs to a Handbell Ringing group, goes country dancing and enjoys listening to music, particularly the operas of Verdi and Wagner.