DNF at 20%

I was surprised to learn that this is the author's fourth book and not her first. The story line was intriguing but not enough, for me at least, to override the clumsy writing. The flow was choppy and awkward between scenes, or even between paragraphs in the same scene. Phrases in the same sentence would contradict each other and there was a lot of needless repetition and explaining. This may just be the writer's style; I have not read anything else by her so I don't know for sure. If not, then this book is need of some major editing. It looks like I may be alone in my opinion, however, so I would suggest reading this and deciding for yourself!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Buried Secrets is the second novel in the East Rise Incident Room series, a gripping police procedural from start to finish. It is the first book by Lisa Cutts which I have read and I’ll definitely be reading more from her.

When DC Hazel Hamilton arrives at the scene of a car crash, she realises straight away that this investigation isn’t going to be straightforward. The victim is one of their own, DI Milton Bowman. Bowman is taken away from the scene with life threatening injuries and Hazel knows that there is little chance that he is going to make it. When DI Harry Powell goes to Milton’s address to break the news to his wife he stumbles across a horrific murder scene. Linda Bowman lies dead in her house. Could it be possible that Milton could have murdered his wife? What was really going on in their lives?

What I really liked about Buried Secrets was the authenticity. Lisa Cutts has spent nineteen years working in the police force and in this book she takes you into the heart of the police investigation. I really liked her character, Hazel, especially in the scenes in which she is acting as FLO to Linda and Milton’s son, Travis. I thought that Lisa wrote these scenes really well, you can clearly see the influence from her days spent working in the police force.

I also liked the relationship between Hazel and her colleague Harry which added to their characters. I’d like to see their relationship develop further.

A really good read, perfect for fans of Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read.

On the plus side Lisa Cutts knows what she is writing about and I know now that a family liaison officer don't just makes tea, but I'd rather she made procedural mistakes instead of writing a book where the people just don't feel right. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't relate to her characters and when I did a little in the end, she writes an ending I just hated. Nope, this one is not for me.

this is the first book ive read by this author and won't be the last. this crime novel is written by a serving police officer and takes you through a criminal investigation from the discovery of two deaths in suspicious circumstances through to subsequent court trial. there are twists and turns all the way through to keep you reading. many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced in exchange for an honest review.

Buried Secrets, the second in the East Rise series, starts with a tragic accident, closely followed by a murder, one that puts the police themselves at the heart of the investigation.  Front and centre of trying to find the murderer should be DI Harry Powell; unfortunately, he’s at best a witness, at worst a suspect, so off the case.
Instead it’s down to DI Doug Philbert and DCI Barbara Venice to head up what will prove to me a much more complicated case than any of them might have thought.  Amongst the team they are leading are some familiar faces, including DC Hazel Hamilton, who is appointed Family Liaison Officer and finds herself supporting the nineteen year old son of the victim.
I suppose one of the first things I would say about Buried Secrets, and one of things I liked about it, is exactly what drew me to the first in the series, Mercy Killing – the fact that this book really shows how the police work, and how team work is at the heart of what they do.  Whilst some characters here take front and centre, it is all the officers as a unit, working together, that solve the case.  No one is a lone wolf, so often the case nowadays in books.
What it does mean though is that it took me a while to get all the characters straight in my head, who they were, what their roles were and what type of personalities they had.  I did get it, but it was probably a good 10 chapters in before everything fell into place. The good new is, once I did, there wasn’t anyone I didn’t warm to or want to find out more about.
And this is something I am hoping I will get to as the series goes on because what Lisa Cutts did here is, I thought, quite clever.  Whilst Harry was one of the main characters in the first book, and is definitely present here, it was Hazel who dominated this novel (and not in a bad way).  I liked getting to know her here and understanding what made her tick
I also liked that she had the role of family liaison, something which I know exists but don’t really know what they do.  Hats of to them I would say now because it’s a hard, emotionally  draining, job by the sounds of it.  Focusing on this aspect of the case (though not to the detriment of the investigation, there was plenty of that), gave this book a different slant, which I liked.
Other things I liked? The twists and turns, which started to come thick and fast in the second half as you were left guessing who the guilty party was, and the sub-plot involving a local drug gang (which I’m hoping might be the subject of another novel because there are some nasty characters there that might make a good story).  Plus the fact that I got to see not just the investigation but the trial.
What I didn’t like? Not a lot, if I’m honest.  The getting my head round the large cast maybe but that’s a minor complaint and may just be down to my age and terrible memory for names.  Also, for me, it was just a little too long – not much, maybe fifty pages, but there were a few scenes of Hazel’s burgeoning relationship I could maybe have done without.
And that’s it really.  Overall, I found myself liking this book a lot and recommending it for fans of police procedurals…Enjoy!

Buried Secrets by lisa Cutts.
To most people, Detective Inspector Milton Bowman appears to have an ideal life. But some secrets aren’t buried deep enough.

After a tragic car accident, and a shocking murder, DI Milton's colleagues have to start digging into every aspect of his life.

Suspicion and disbelief creep into their lives as a web of deceit unfolds - the Bowman family, friends and even colleagues come under suspicion. No one is to be trusted.

Nothing is as it appears.
OMG what a tense and gripping read. Absolutely fantastic. I was hooked from page one. Really had me thinking who it was. 5*. Netgalley and Simon and schuster UK fiction.

This has to be one of my favourite novels that i have read in the past few months. It is the first time that i have read any novels by this author and am now keen to read more. Plenty of twists and turns and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Usually i can guess what happens at the end, but not this time. I also love stories that are set in Southern England, as it feels as if the crime has happened near my doorstep.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review.

firstly would like to thank netgalley and simon and schuster uk for letting me read and review this book, my first lisa cutts book and hopefully not my last book this author

this book takes you to a whole different level a murder mystery done from the police perspective, we have a car accident and then a murder, are these two linked or are they not what they seem...not wanting to give to much away with spoilers

the characters are well written and believeable and interact very well...a glimpse of the role of a family liaision officer and how they have to interact with families made for an interesting read

but on the whole as the story progressed and the investigation was under way it was amazing what they uncovered and the final outcome....what an ending

i can see lisa cutts being another author added to my ever growing list of authors to keep an eye out for

My first book by this author and it did not disappoint.An excellent read with twists and turns that kept me guessing right until the end. Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

This book has a good storyline with police procedures and every occupation has its bad apples. The victims in this book are not always who you think they are . There are a few twists and turns to show that even when you think you know it all you may not have it correct. Definitely worth a read.

I really enjoyed this very fast paced book. I had to re-read parts several times as there were so many names and things going on I was getting confused! I really like Hazel's character and liked the romance in the background of all the unravelling of the murder plot.

A great police procedural with lots of different aspects to the story. In places it's hard to fathom who is telling the truth and who the bad guys are. It's set in a quiet area of Southern England but there is plenty of action and twists and turns, it's certainly my kind of a book. Thank you for the ARC

A tense and cleverly plotted police procedural from Lisa Cutts here - whose writing I've always loved within the crime genre and Buried Secrets shows just why that is.

Great writing and one of those books that encourage rabid onset of page turning as you avidly make your way through it. One of the huge strength's of this and indeed of all of this authors novels is the pure authenticity she brings to proceedings, reality bites and in a very addictive way.

It was a compelling story - the police lose one of their own - he may or may not have killed his wife just before dying himself - the politics of the situation make solving the crime all the more difficult and Lisa Cutts brings great depth to the nuances involved in such a dilemma.

Overall a truly excellent read. If you like this genre then this is most definitely worth your time - I will look forward to the next book as I always do.

Recommended.

This is one of the most accurate police procedurals on the market today. Written by a serving Detective Constable with a depth of knowledge, Author Lisa Cutts brings you into the heart of a murder investigation. Telling the story from several viewpoints, she provides the reader with a fully rounded view of life behind the thin blue line. Her characters are down to earth and wholly believable. The story gallops along at a gripping pace and is filled with intrigue, particularly when one of their own officers may be involved. An enjoyable highly recommended read,

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK for an advance copy of Buried Secrets, a police procedural set in East Rise in the South of England.

When DI Milton Bowman is involved in a serious car accident his colleague and friend DI Harry Powell goes to tell Milton's wife, Linda, about the accident and finds her dead on the kitchen floor, bleeding from head wounds. To avoid conflict of interest Harry is sidelined and the investigation is led by DCI Barbara Venice and DI Doug Philbert, drafted in from another station. The main emphasis of the novel lies with Family liaison officer, DC Hazel Hamilton.

I enjoyed Buried Secrets as I like Ms Cutts' approach to writing. The first few chapters are intriguing and really drew me in. Was it murder/suicide or just a coincidence or something more nefarious at work with both attacked? As the investigation continues many of Milton and Linda's secrets come to light opening up more avenues of investigation. Hazel, as FLO to their son Travis, is at the centre of it all trying to get information from him and keeping him up to date. It is fascinating and informative to see the tightrope she walks. I haven't read a better novel on this role. It kept me reading and interested until the ending which I found a bit disappointing and trite. It is a twist but it's unsatisfying.

There are chapters where the point of view changes completely and feature a couple of thugs intimidating drug addicts. Initially I didn't see the point of them but assumed they would have some relevance later on. Maybe, but I think too much is made of them.

I really like the characterisation. It is not overly developed as befits a procedural but it is very pleasant to read about ordinary people doing their job well but being human too, like slapping down any rumours about Milton being corrupt because they know him and he's a friend. I think Ms Cutts does an excellent job with Travis and his oscillating emotions as grieves, assimilates the uncomfortable information he is given and still has to answer questions and provide information. I don't think I realised before what a bruising experience it is for the relatives of a murder victim.

Buried Secrets is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

DI Milton Bowman’s picture perfect life starts to crumble after a murder and a car accident, leaving his police colleagues to wonder if he was hiding some dark and disturbing secrets. Everyone is under suspicion and no question too personal. This is not an easy book to breeze through, the characters and their motivations are complex and multilayered, but the storyline is worth it

Excellent book. Great storyline and characters. A real page turner. I would recommend this book.