This is the third book in the series and the second one in the series that I have read and reviewed.

The book starts of with a bang, literally, when Tom and his partner are walking towards the cathedral for a carol service when a bomb explodes in the church they are heading towards and Tom runs to it to help people.

The book deals with Tom’s issues regarding the explosion and how he can’t talk to his partner and get help.

The other stroylines in the book revolve around a body found in a sewer and an MP and his wife who were murdered. The MP has some very close links with Tom, which he hides in order to investigate the murder, bringing more intrigue and lies between Tom and his partner.

The story and the way it was written were brilliant and kept me enthralled and engaged throughout as I tried to work out who the killer was and how all the threads would be linked together at the end.

I really liked this book and can’t wait for the next one by Chris.

Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
This 4th in the D.I. Calladine series is an excellent read. I give it 4.5 stars. It would have been 5 were it not that I found the ending a bit over the top. But all in all I loved it, couldn't put it down.
With the discovery of a young girl's decomposed body, a bomb going off causing the death of 5 people and the brutal assassination of a popular politician, Sir Geoffrey Ryland, his wife and driver, Tom is also under pressure in his private life as well. His girlfriend Anna is broody and wants to start a family, something Tom is very uneasy about. Shell shocked after partaking in rescue efforts after the bombing, he's even more hesitant bringing a child into the world.
When he discovers Sir Geoffrey Ryland was his father, it tilts his world; he doesn't even tell Anna, but instead goes off on a quest to find out who was responsible for his father's death. The team investigating the assassination believes the driver was the target in a drug deal gone wrong, but Calladine is convinced Sir Geoffrey was the real target.
Calladine is a complex character, prone to depressive thoughts and not being communicative; a bit of a lone wolf. I must say I empathized with his hesitation regarding starting a family and moving to the country, but also understood Anna's point of view. Their final compromise was a good one, leaving me dying to read the next book.
This is a well written series which gets better with each book. The others in Calladine's team are also sympathetic characters and in the end we are introduced to his new boss, DCI Davina Sharp. Should be an interesting relationship!

Wow what a fantastic read it couldn't put it down. The story totally had me gripped it was a real page Turner. It was full of darkness and despair and a twist that kept me guessing. I felt it was really well written and I can't wait for the next one in the series.

3 and 1 / 2 stars

DI Tom Mariner is getting his life in order. With a new girlfriend and being happy for the first time in a very long while, all is going well for him.

But then there are the bodies that keep falling all over his patch. Three people are found dead on the side of a road. It is a retired MP and his wife and their driver. Jumping to conclusions, the police at first believe that it is the driver’s shady past that brings tragedy to this couple and the driver. Also, a badly decomposed body of a young woman is found in a sewer. Her identity remains unknown. The Birmingham police name her “Madeline.” The other investigators tell Tom there is no need to concern himself with this case, as they seem inordinately focused on the driver.

As the investigations into these crimes progress, an explosion occurs and five people are killed. All this busy-ness puts a damper on Tom’s good mood – with Christmas just days away.

Tom’s life is in danger when his car is tampered with and someone attempts to kill him a second time. His car is bugged so Tom knows someone is following him with malicious intent.

This book is full of surprises and interesting twists. It is well written and plotted. The suspense begins immediately and continues throughout the book. DI Mariner is still the almost off-putting individual. I really don’t believe I like him. He is too draining.

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.

Just when Mariner is getting his getting his life in order, he gets hit by one disaster after another. A woman's body is found and goes unidentified. A well-known politician, his wife, and driver are all shot and killed on the side of a lonely road. And finally, there's an explosion... just as Mariner and his girlfriend are about to enter a church. They were lucky .. others were not.

The only one of the crimes that the police seem interested in is the politician. They are saying that the driver was the target .. no need for Mariner and his team to get involved. But Mariner is nothing if not tenacious and does some investigating on his own.

The politician has been hoarding secrets for many years. The more Mariner investigates, the hotter it gets. His brake lines are cut. He is almost pushed onto train tracks. A tracking device is found on his car.

The one thing he knows for sure is that someone does not want his investigating and it may cost him his job ... and his life.

Although 3rd in a series, this is a terrific stand alone. There is just enough backstory to keep a reader from feeling like they are missing something. But as always ... I do recommend starting at the beginning.

Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. This is a gratifying crime fiction with memorable characters. I really enjoy how the author combines the professional lives with the personal, making characters credible. The suspects, as well as motives, are many and varied and full of riveting twists and turns. This is a series that is well worth following.

Many thanks to the author / Joffee Books / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of KILLER LIES. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.