It will come as. surprise to absolutely no-one that, whilst this is book three in the series, this is the first Dan Forrester book I have read. The good news is that it really didn't impact my enjoyment of the read. This is a self contained read and, while there is obviously some loop back to what i assume has happened in the prior books, the author gives us just enough for context without giving away too much. that's good news, as is the fact that I have two other books to go back and devour now that I know I will fully enjoy, and a whole host of books to look forward to that came after this one (although in other series). CJ Carver is well and truly on my radar now having given me exactly my kind of read.

Know Me Now starts as it means to go on. Full of atmosphere and mystery and a slow building tension that doesn't really let up until the final few pages. We start out with young Connor Baird. His home life is troubled, his current mood, anxious. He is lost, he is unhappy and he is tired. Not a great combination. And it only goes down hill from there. The author really drew me in, intrigued as to what might happen and maybe even a little bit shocked by what comes to pass. Needless to say that nothing is as straightforward as it first appears, although as readers we already know that. And, sadly for the bad guys in this book, they probably didn't count on the arrival of Dan Forrester or, if they did, the underestimated just how much he was going to churn things up. Despite grieving the loss of his own father, the apparent suicide of his Godson, Connor, is something he just cannot get his head around, and neither can Connor's family. And there this twisted tale of deception, cover ups and conspiracy begins.

I really loved this book. It was just my kind of read, a brilliant blend of mystery, suspense, police investigations, subterfuge and action. From the outset you knew that there was something wrong in Duncaid but I can honestly say that I had no idea where the author was going to take us. She certainly leads readers on a merry dance, and whilst it was easy to get the measure of some of the characters - ever feared assassin of choice, Sirius, for one - some are very adept at hiding their true colours. I had my focus on one suspect, and whilst I wasn't a million miles from the truth, I wasn't bang on the money either. When the truth comes out it is both surprising and not, but there has been that building of suspicion and inference early in the novel. CJ Carver doesn't completely blindside us, but the clues that we are fed are subtle and the evidence as to who is doing exactly what, scant.

I loved the characters of Dan Forrester, DC Lucy Davies and Dr Grace Reavey and it was great spending time in their company, even if on occasion it was spent on the edge of my seat. The going gets tough for all of them at times, but for Lucy especially who finds herself well and truly in the brown sticky stuff at one point. It looks hopeless and there is a real sense of jeopardy and a ticking clock kind of vibe that pulses from the pages. As for Dan, his journey is an emotional one, hit from both sides with two bereavements and the impending birth of a new child which puts even more emotional pressure on top of him. But he doesn't falter. His focus on the case is absolute and whilst he's not superhuman, his determination and perseverance really did make me want him to succeed. We get a glimpse into his childhood as part of the story, and while I don't know how much, if any, of this has fed into earlier books, it did help me to understand him and the dynamic between his friends that he reconnects with as part of this book. Or at least that's what I thought ...

Tense, perfectly paced and with the kind of twists and turns that really grab your attention, as well as an emotional undercurrent that kept me completely invested in the story, I raced through this in around a day. It';s certainly made me hungry to read the other books and I'm looking forward to going back and doing just that. Definitely recommended for thriller fans.

Know me now by CJ Carver.
The Dan Forrester series Book 3.
A thirteen-year-old boy commits suicide.
A sixty-five-year old man dies of a heart attack.
Dan Forrester, ex-MI5 officer, is connected to them both.
And when he discovers that his godson and his father have been murdered, he teams up with his old friend, DC Lucy Davies, to find answers.
Brilliant read. Love this author. 5*.

This is the third book in the series and it does keep referring to things that happened in the other books. I found it fast moving but very convenient how things came ok in the end .

Zaffre Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Know Me Now. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Dan Forrester is back in Know Me Now, the third book in the series. Reeling from the death of his father, Dan gets a phone call that his thirteen year old godson has committed suicide. Convinced that both deaths are suspicious, Dan starts investigations that may put the life of everyone he loves in danger.

Know Me Know is a thrilling read in places, but gets bogged down in others. Danger lurks around every corner and, instead of using all of the tools that he has at his disposal, Dan mainly goes out on his own. Having not cut the ties entirely from MI5, I did not buy the premise that Dan needs to take the chances he does, especially with a hugely pregnant wife. The eventual reveal did nothing to improve my opinion of the book, as it seems very implausible that the events would have unfolded in that manner. For these reasons, I am hesitant to recommend Know Me Now to other readers.

As this book is second in the series you will find them mentioning something from the previous book but it didn’t bother me. The base of the book at the beginning was fast but then it slows down, I couldn’t connect with the main characters mainly Dan . Lucy was my favourite . I think maybe because there were two story line then I wasn’t concentrating. The murder of the teenager boy and finding the killer was the best part. I was not interested in the espionage!!


It took me longer time to finish this book , because it was taking place in two/ three locations and had a lot of important characters . but half way I started to rush through it got very intense. It was full of revelation , It interconnected every story to one shocking end.

I don’t seem to be the only one that didn’t realise this was the third book in an ongoing series!

Now I will have to go back and read the first two. More books to be added to my ever-increasing tbr pile!

However saying that this read to me perfectly as a standalone novel so if like me you have yet to read the others don’t let that deter you, it just means you will have more books on your own tbr pile as well!

Packed to the brim with murder, conspiracy, secrets and lies it is a full throttle read that is not at all beyond the realms of possibility!

It is one of those books that you find impossible to put down and end up reading long into the night forgoing sleep so you can reach the end and find out what happens next.

I may be slow in discovering this little gem of a book I am so glad I did and I cant wait to find out what the future has in store next for Dan Forrester.

CJ Carver is now on my favourite crime thriller authors on the merit of this book alone.
It really is one not to be missed for any fan of this genre, or in fact anyone!

A big thank you to the author CJ Carver, publishers Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.

https://debbiesbookreviews.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/know-me-now-dan-forrester-3-by-c-j-carver/

The suspense and drama happens from the go - Chapter One had me gripped and the pace never slowed throughout the whole book. The storyline was really believable and I love this type of book as it is all imaginable in todays world.

This is my first CJ Carver title but I look forward to going back and reading all of her previous books - there are so many, I had absolutely no idea! I am glad though as they will fill the gap until she writes and releases another. Her first novel 'Blood Junction' won the CWA Debut Dagger, usually a seal of approval given only to quality crime writers. I am certainly going to take pleasure in starting right back at her debut and reading them all in the order they were released.

I usually can't go wrong with a crime thriller read as I am a fan of many different types - I sometimes like a book that is straightforward and that I can enjoy without too much thought but I also, at other times, like a title that requires you to think and process throughout the story and is perhaps a tad more complex than others. So, due to this, most thrillers suit me. I would place this one in between the two types but maybe more towards the chilled out, relaxed read without the need for too much brainpower.

I learned after finishing it that it was in fact the third instalment in the series, I didn't feel lost at any point but I do think that I probably missed some of the character development that would've taken place in the previous books. Of course, that is my fault. The writing is excellent, as you would expect from a CWA DD winner. I was unable to tear myself away from it and the reviews of her other titles indicate that they are exactly the same in that respect.

The book itself is fast paced with an addictive quality to it and there are twists and turns galore! It's a mixture of the compelling writing and intriguing push and pull nature of the story that makes you read on and on... and then it's over! There is plenty of drama, danger, secrets and lies and the ending is unique and interesting.

This is a 5-star read for me and one worthy of the attention of all crime lovers. I hope that the series continues as I would definitely be up for reading the next one. Overall, a great read.

I would like to thank CJ Carver, Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a rip-snorting page-turner that grabs readers by the throat early on and doesn't let go. An 'airport thriller' read with a bit more. There's tonnes of action and we learn more about the characters we first met in last year's "Spare Me The Truth". Carver is a really good thriller writer, who tells tales with great pace and action.

I wasn't aware of it being a sequel. Felt a little lost with some of the main character development, but the writing and story was brilliant.

I haven’t heard of this series before so was surprised at this book being the third in the series!
Know Me Now is the third instalment in the Dan Forrester series. I quickly downloaded the first 2 books to keep me up to date and Wow! What a series! I found myself unable to put it down, it’s fast paced, it’s addictive and throws some spectacular twists in along the way!
A fantastic series that’s swiftly becoming a favourite. Thoroughly recommended!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my advance copy in return for an honest review.

This crime thriller had me hooked after four pages. It is the third in the Dan Forrester series. The first two were reviewed by two different members of my reviewing group and each received a 5-star rating. This attests to the wide appeal of the series and the consistency and quality of writing.

Dan Forrester, the ex-spook with amnesia, is called on by a childhood friend, Christopher Braid, to investigate the apparent suicide of his 12-year-old son Connor Braid. The police and Procurator Fiscal have determined there was no foul play but Braid remains unconvinced.

The investigation allows Dan to call on old friends, DC Lucy Davies and Dr Grace Reavey, for assistance. Dan is still recovering from the shock of his dying father suddenly while in Germany but without hesitation decides his old friend needs him more. To complicate things further, his wife’s pregnancy is almost at full-term.

The plot continues to develop and takes Dan to Scotland and Germany as well as various parts of England and can be read as a stand-alone so there is no need to have read the preceding two novels. The characters are well fleshed out and believable and act as excellent foils, one to the other. The pace varies which adds interest and light and shade and the dialogue is rich and realistic.

It’s the twists and turns through which make the book so attention-grabbing and interesting. This is partly due to the closeness of the relationships which is almost palpable. However, time changes people and relationships and the counterpoint between the past and the present adds to the tension.

Towards the denouement, the reader should prepare himself for not one but several surprises, none of which I was able to guess at. It’s a great read and worthy of the 5-star rating. Here’s to the next in the series…..

mr zorg

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

This is the third book in the Dan Forrester series and I would advise starting with book one. CJ Carver has written a very well thought out thriller with this book. The book begins with the death of a teenager in Scotland. Dan's father also dies, in Germany.The setting quickly moves to Germany and back to London. Are the deaths linked? We have murder, lies, conspiracy and enough secrets to keep you interested. I would recommend this book to lovers of thrillers. I have reviewed on Bookreads, Amazon and Facebook.

Hooked from the beginning - so full on with plenty of drama, danger, secrets and lies which unfolds at a great pace.
Love the characters and the relationships with each other, looking forward to the next instalment.
I'd not read any CJ Carver books prior this review, I have since downloaded all of them.

Thank you netgalley, Zaffrel and CJ Carved for allowing me to read and review this book.

This had the potential to be a real page turner, but the one thing that let it down for me was the number of people in it! I often lost track of who was who, who was good, who was bad, and who was where? It spans 3 countries, and if I had put it down and picked it up later, I genuinely forgot where I was, who was there and what was going on. Some likeable characters made me continue when I felt like giving up - but there was no twist, it was kind of clear what was going on quite early on. Disappointing as I felt a bit cheated.

The third book in the Dan Forrester series, Know Me Now makes for a gripping read. I haven't read the previous books in the series, but I certainly will be going back and reading them now as I became really attached to Dan, Grace and Lucy and I'd love to know more about them and their pasts. While not reading the previous books didn't affect my overall experience of this book, I think there were one or two references which I missed and would've enjoyed more if I'd read the others, so I'd definitely recommend getting the whole series!
I thought the balance between the personal lives of the characters and the mystery at hand was perfect and the plot was full of secrets, lies and danger.
The pace picked up in all of the right places and Carver had me hanging on to every word. I loved the ending, I didn't see any of it coming and I thought it was an ingenious and original solution which I found it fascinating. It really got me thinking.
Overall, I'm giving Know Me Now 5 out of 5 and adding it to my five star favourites shelf! It was riveting, original and full of surprises. I really enjoyed it and I think this could go on to become one of my favourite series!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this. I enjoyed this book, it’s well written and interesting. Lots of twists in the plot, I seriously didn’t have a clue what was going on most of the time! Definitely didn’t guess any of the outcome. The characters are investigating the death of one of their sons. I’m not big into history but I did find the German parts of the story interesting and think my husband will too! Definitely worth a read!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I loved this book and have downloaded the first 2 books in the series. Secretly in love with Dan Forrester

Time for a new installment of a great series! We’re back in Dan Forrester’s labyrinthine world of spies, murders and thrills, and CJ Carver definitely serves up a book that builds upon its predecessors, all while putting together a plot that kept me hooked until the end.

In Scotland, Connor Baird, a thirteen year old boy, commits suicide. In Germany, Dan Forrester’s father dies of a heart attack- and the two are connected by the catastrophically unlucky Dan (I think at least four close friends and family members he knows have died in suspicious circumstances by now), who soon gets swept up in a whirlwind of conspiracy, government-sanctioned killers and spies. Did Connor really commit suicide? Did Dan’s father really die of natural causes? With the help of Grace Reavey and DC Lucy Davies, he’s going to find out.

One of my favourite things about the Dan Forrester series is the effort that CJ Carver puts into developing her characters and taking them in fresh and exciting directions. Dan Forrester is a great central character: conflicted, amnesia-stricken, with a mysterious past but who manages to be warm and human at the same time. His love for Jenny, paired with his determination to track down the truth, at whatever cost, make him a compelling and engaging central character, and kept me hooked- as much to find out if he makes it out alive as to find out who the villain is. Likewise, Lucy and Grace remain equally great: Lucy as much of a wildcard as ever, and Grace wrestling both with having moved to the remote depths of Scotland with her partner, Ross, and with being the doctor for a town whose residents keep dying suspiciously young…

The chemistry between the characters, and the shared history that Dan has with his childhood friends- who pop up over the course of the novel- and his father’s friends make for a rich, detailed backstory that fleshes out even the secondary characters, makes them believable and adds extra spice to the plot. The ordinary- Jenny’s pregnancy, for instance- is mixed up with stalking, murder, and things like state-sanctioned killing- which grounds the characters and which makes for really enjoyable reading.

As a result, the plot romps along. Thanks to multiple viewpoints that we get from Dan, Mac, Lucy and Grace, we swing back from Germany to Scotland- and though Dan investigating his father’s death at the start of the book does come across as a bit disjointed, once the connection is made that ties it to Scotland the pace picks up and that part of the story becomes a whole lot more interesting. Also, kudos to Carver: with multiple plot threads to balance and tens of characters to include in her story, the novel could very easily get bogged down with details- but it doesn’t, and that makes for a great overall read, which slowly ramps up the tension and the stakes the closer it gets to the climax.

Overall, this is a great next installment in the Dan Forrester series, and one that I really enjoyed. Carver as a knack for balancing thrills with the minutiae of day-to-day life, and making both just as engaging. Bring on the next book!

Eeeeeek! To be reunited with Dan Forrester again was most amazing!! This is fast becoming one of my favourite series and I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment…I don’t ask for much, do I!?

The story takes place in three settings: London, Scotland and Germany. The reader is faced with suicide, loss; grief; greed; relationships; the past; conspiracies; ethics; secrets; betrayals and friendships.

BOOM! What an opening chapter! CJ Carver really knows how to grab her readers by the throat and she certainly had me gasping for air! The tension and suspense intertwined masterfully in this book and kept me racing through the pages until the very end. I thought the plot was so clever and scarily believable. I loved the way the reader was led to believe one thing and through the narrative, we learned the truth as it was unravelled before our eyes.

Character-wise, we of course get to reacquaint ourselves with the lovely Dan Forrester! *swoon* – sadly, he has just lost his father and while coming to terms with that, his wife is heavily pregnant and could deliver at any time. Dan’s memory has not returned, so he is still dealing with the amnesia that plagued him following the death of his first born and to top it off, he learns that his godson has killed himself….or has he? It is never easy sailing for poor Dan and he needs to solve a case that will once again leave him questioning everything. I have to say, I think he is a brilliant character. I admire his loyalty, his courage and his relentless desire to find justice for those who need it.

DC Lucy Davies is another one of my faves in this series. I just love her! Lucy has her own things to deal with but this does not prevent her from being her clever feisty self. What I like about Lucy…and Dan, things that others might view as disadvantages – these two use to their advantage. It makes them fight harder and be more determined to get the right result. For the reader, you fast become a huge champion as you just want this pair to succeed!

I really want to talk about the other characters that I really adore, but then I just want others to pick up this series and find out for themselves how so very awesome they are – so I am not going to mention the others…even though I am dying to! Instead, I will move on and say that the twist was SUPERB – I seriously thought I had it all sussed out and then BOOM! Nicely done, CJ!

Soooooo…do I recommend this book…erm….HELL YEAH – I recommend this series! A definite #TopRead2017 for me – you seriously need to be adding it to your TBR. Easily read as a stand-alone, the action-packed, compelling series is just so incredibly awesome, I urge you to treat yourself and grab them all. I cannot wait to see what is next in store for Dan and the gang!