In my review of What He Did, the second book in the Detective Rachel Hart series, I said, “The subplot of Rachel’s personal life fit into the plot neatly, which isn’t always the case. Although, I do think that there is more to be revealed in future books if the ending is any clue.” I didn’t know the half of it!
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The book starts with a perfectly normal, albeit sad, investigation, and it doesn’t take long before Rachel and her coworkers are chasing down clues trying to find a murderer. The investigation is well-plotted and takes turns that are to be expected (i.e., suspects of interest). The author did a good job of making some of the characters’ motivations questionable so it wasn’t easy to figure who was telling the truth and who had something to hide.
As with the last book, Rachel’s personal life is intertwined with this case. In fact, it seemed like there was almost more focus on Rachel’s state of mind concerning her sister, which led to some scenes that seemed unprofessional and out of character for Rachel. I suppose they were necessary, given how it all turned out, though.
I did like how she seemed to be mentoring the younger members of her unit, reminding them not to assume things and coaching them on how to react to the behaviors of others. It’s all advice she could have taken herself as well. I also liked how Graham stepped up and took control. I hope to see more of that as Rachel sorts herself out.
And boy, does she have to do that. Even though everything seemed relatively routine, about ¾ of the way through, it all just kicks off. The last part of the book just flew by with revelations, confessions, and reveals that left my jaw on the floor. It took a turn and went gonzo (but in a really good way).
I’m not saying any more than that; you’ll have to read it for yourself. You really should check out this series while it’s still near the beginning. At this point, it is better to read the previous books so you have the full backstory. I think that’s going to be necessary going forward.
Oh, and (by the way), the title is awesome, because the answer is not exactly straightforward 😉
Author Bio:
Having signed with Bookouture in late 2018, my first book with them, Little Girl Missing, was published in June 2019 followed by the second in the Detective Rachel Hart series in October of the same year. The third book in the series, my seventh novel overall, is called Why She Died and is on pre-order prior to publication in May 2020.
I’m originally from Nottingham, where I have based a couple of my novels, but I am now resident in Berkshire and have used Reading and the surrounding area as the location for the DCI Rachel Hart series. From the age of ten I had wanted to write fiction but left it until I was fifty-seven before self-publishing my first novel, Life’s a Beach and Then, proving it’s never too late to start something new.
When I’m not writing, I am a full-time presenter on QVC, the UK’s most successful shopping channel where I have worked for over twenty-six years. I also enjoy cooking, watching football, in particular my team Crystal Palace, gardening, and Pilates which is helping with my rehabilitation following recent ankle surgery. I’m an animal lover and a committed vegetarian for the past thirty-five years.
