#allthebookreviews: Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear @harpercollins @cazzif
Sweet Little Lies
by Caz Frear
Thanks so much to HarperCollins for these review copies!
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: August 14, 2018
Hardcover
341 Pages
Standalone
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW
In 1998, Maryanne Doyle disappeared and Dad knew something about it?
Maryanne Doyle was never seen again.
WHAT I ACTUALLY KNOW
In 1998, Dad lied about knowing Maryanne Doyle.
Alice Lapaine has been found strangled near Dad's pub.
Dad was in the local area for both Maryanne Doyle's disappearance and Alice Lapaine's murder - FACT
Connection?
Trust cuts both ways . . . what do you do when it's gone?
My Review:
I always love the father/daughter dynamic in books since I have a very close relationship with mine. This one isn't as loving, but still the bond is there - even if Cat does know her father is lying about the disappearance of her friend and is now suspicious about the death of another woman.
This is slightly different than most police procedurals as we have a team that actually works well together without any misogynistic undertones and there are more dynamics in side stories as we switch from past to present timelines. I will say that at times it ran really slow for me and I would find myself putting it down without any real manic desire to read more. However, I am glad that I stuck with it as it did get better as I continued along.
There are a few revelations that come about as the story proceeds but nothing that makes you gasp or is all that surprising. I think the pacing has something to do with this as it slowly unravels for the reader. I did enjoy that this is told straight through Cat's eyes and there's no flipping of POVs.
An absolutely solid debut that divides it's story between family conflicts and the investigation in itself.
3.5 stars
Jessica's Review:
This is a police procedural that shows us a very different side of the detectives. In Caz Frear's SWEET LITTLE LIES, we get to see the more emotional side of things within the investigation because it strikes a personal chord with DC Cat Kinsella.
We are brought through the investigation of the murder of Alice Lapaine - as things begin to ramp up, Cat and her team think they have found a connection to a years old murder case. This is where things take a different tone than the usual procedurals - Cat and her team work incredibly well together (none of the constant butting of heads here), and then we see how Cat's complicated family life intertwines itself into the case.
This one did take me longer than I expected it to. The pacing is slower than I anticipated it to be, especially considering most procedurals are quick. There are times when it does pick up and grab your attention again, I just found myself being taken out of it a few times. I love Cat's character. She's well-developed and relatable.
I'm always fascinated to see how authors portray different relationships, especially when it comes to families. Everyone has a different relationship with their parents - each one incredibly unique. So the dynamic between Cat and her father was an intriguing one to read about and to see how one lie can change your entire view on a person.
Overall, if you're looking for a slower building police procedural, then this is the book for you! I can't wait to see what Frear has for us in the future.
I give this 3.5/5 stars!
I definitely agree with your opinions here! I'm planning to post my review tomorrow on feellearnwonder.com . There wasn't too much that was gripping me from the plot side, but I love a good police procedural so it was just what I wanted
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