I am going to be 100% honest about this and admit that it took me up to 15% of the book to understand what was going on, and at times I was a bit confused but I am glad that I carried on with the book as it does get a whole lot better and smoulders on to the gripping ending.

It is quite slow paced at the outset but it does pick up and as we get to meet the characters and unravel the past of the mysterious Nathan the book gets a whole lot better. I liked the main characters and The Cartoonist was great - a very complex killer.

3.5 stars from me rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon. Looking forward to the next in the series now we have met Katie and Nathan and started to get to know them, I just wish we had a bit more of their back story at the outset.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the premise for this book it felt really refreshing to have a different slant on a detective thriller. I do have to admit it took me a couple of chapters to get a proper feel for the story but once I did I really managed to settle into it. The way the characters back stories are revealed is in a slightly disjointed way so I guess this may have contributed to maybe not getting into this story from the very first page. However this way of telling the story also made me so curious about these two characters and how they ended up at this point in their lives. The connection between Katie and Nathan was one of the things that I enjoyed most about this story as their interactions made for some interesting reading. They have their flaws and that gave them an edge along with a more darker undertone to the whole atmosphere of the book. Then add in a twisted killer to the mix and you get a very gripping story. I for one like characters to be less than completely perfect and have their issues/flaws as it always makes them stand out more for me.

At times I found it hard to put down and I often kept saying to myself "just one more chapter" as I felt compelled to discover the truth. I really couldn't wait to see if Katie and Nathan could finally put the pieces together. There were surprises and shocks within this story but I'm desperately trying to be vague about the storyline as it is worth discovering all the details for yourself. I'm so glad that this is the start of a series and I can't wait to see what is in store for Katie and Nathan in the next book.

Dark Lies really lives up to it's name and sends the reader on quite a twisted journey before the truth is shockingly revealed.

With thanks to Noelle at Bookouture for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Dark Lies is the first book in Nick Hollin's new Detective Rhodes and Radley series and I can tell you right now that once I've finished this review I'll be tapping my fingers waiting for book two. I love books that have a complex storyline and Dark Lies had me completely bewildered for a while. Despite not really being sure what was going on for some time I was unable to tear my eyes from the page, this is a truly compelling thriller.
The prologue to the book immediately lets us know that this is one seriously messed up killer; obviously murdering somebody in cold blood is a pretty big clue but this individual then poses his victims to become gruesome canvases and uses some very odd props - Beans Meanz Psycho...
Although Dark Lies is about the race to find and stop the serial killer, it's as much about the relationship between, and the secrets of DI Kate Rhodes and Nick Radley. Kate is clearly not in a good place, she is drinking too much, promiscuous and a mess, both inside and out. Once a driven and capable officer, something has happened and Kate hasn't just lost her edge - she's at risk of losing her job if she doesn't deliver soon. Meanwhile, her old partner, criminal psychologist, Nathan has been living in isolation for almost a year, seemingly terrified of what he's capable of. It would appear that their last case together has seriously damaged them both but can they trust each other - and themselves - enough to work together again?
It's imperative they do because the killer, dubbed The Cartoonist by the media, is always one step ahead of them - and he seems to know their deepest, darkest secrets. Dark Lies is an unsettling book, made all the more creepy by the doubts Nick Hollin cleverly places in the mind of the reader. The race to find The Cartoonist becomes increasingly gripping but Nathan seems so psychologically damaged that it's hard to know whether Kate should rely on his insights at all. It is fascinating to see how he manages to get into the head of the killer but doing so feeds his own dark desires and could push him over the edge.
As I reached the thrilling conclusion of the book I was reminded of the sense of satisfaction I feel when untangling a particularly stubborn tangle of string or cables. At first I'm not sure how I'm ever going to straighten things out but then little by little the twists and turns reveal a path and eventually all makes sense. I absolutely loved this meandering approach to the book, as events from the past are at first hinted at then gradually exposed as the truth become clearer. Dark Lies is disturbing and macabre yet I never felt it was gratuitous. It examines the effect of criminal acts on victims, perpetrators and investigators and acknowledges that nobody escapes completely intact.
Dark Lies is a brilliant debut from Nick Hollin, the intricate plot is utterly engrossing and is complemented throughout by the superb depictions of the all the characters in the book, even the most minor. I was almost disappointed to reach the end because I'm desperate to read more of this addictive new series. Highly recommended.

*taps fingers*

A brilliant debut.
What an absolutely fantastic read. No way would you think that this is a debut novel - Nick Hollin writes like a pro. A roller coaster of a ride , gripping and thrilling and a story that wont let you put the book down, Nathan reminds me of Dexter and Jonnie Lee Miller's Sherlock rolled into one. I for one cant wait for the next story featuring Katie and Nathan and I have no hesitation in recommending it. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for the advanced copy.

I actually finished this book a couple of days ago but it’s taken me until now to write my review. That’s not meant in a negative way- far from it but ‘Dark Lies’ is a thriller with a difference. ‘Dark Lies’ is the debut novel from Nick Hollin. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
DI Katie Rhodes and Nathan Radley are a detective pairing with a difference. Katie is an ambitious, feisty, determined and sensitive young detective. She is also haunted by something that happened in her past. It’s during the investigation of the first murder that alarm bells start well and truly clanging for Katie. On the victim she sees a birthmark that she last saw on the body of her former colleague Nathan Radley. She thinks that the time is right to spring him from his self imposed exile. Radley has a brilliant mind, a cracking job as a criminal psychologist and the unique talent of being able to get right inside the heads of the criminals. Now this has its advantages but it also has its disadvantages as this ability of his can make his dark thoughts seem even worse. He has put himself into exile for a year because the last case he worked on, got to him so much that he was frightened of what he would be and could be capable of. Radley doesn’t take too kindly to being sprung out of his exile but it isn’t long until he becomes intrigued by the case and he wants to work with Rhodes again. This case is about to get personal. Who is the murderer? What is their motivation? Will DI Rhodes and Nathan Radley survive in one piece? Well for the answers to these questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
To say that reading ‘Dark Lies’ was addictive reading has to be the understatement of the year. As soon as I opened the book, I was hooked. The story hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. Nathan Radley was that much of an odd bod that I had to read on and on to see if his eccentricity/ oddness was explained later on. I was also intrigued by the relationship between Radley and Rhodes and I wanted to see how the relationship developed. It wasn’t long before I really got into the story. I binge read the book over the space of a few days and that worked in this case as it gave me an idea of the intensity and urgency of the police investigation. I loved the interaction between Radley and Rhodes and I did think that there was one heck of a chemistry there. I must say that I really enjoyed all of the psychology talk because psychology is one of my interests and especially criminal psychology. Reading ‘Dark Lies’ was one heck of a thriller of a rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns. There were several times when I thought that I had figured out who had done what to whom, only to be sent down another path entirely. ‘Dark Lies’ certainly kept me guessing.
In short I absolutely LOVED reading ‘Dark Lies’ and I would certainly recommend it to others and particularly to those who enjoy psychological thrillers. I can’t wait for the next book in the series featuring DI Katie Rhodes and Nathan Radley. Here’s hoping that there isn’t too long a wait in store. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This wasn’t the best book I have read recently, and I am not sure if that’s because I found the relationship between Katie and Nathan a bit cliche. There were some really good twists, but I felt like I was finishing it for finishing sake and not because I was enjoying it. I don’t think I will be purchasing the next instalment.

There is a serial killer loose on the streets of London targeting and killing mothers. He is a twisted and sick killer leaving chat bubbles next to each of his victims on display. DI Katie Katie Rhodes is dropped right in the middle of the case. She knows the only person who can help her solve the case is profiler Nathan Rhodes. Katie believes the killings are linked to both her and Nathan and she will do everything she can to stop this killer even if it means breaking the vow she made to leave Nathan alone.

Katie has been on a downward spiral due to a case she worked on a year ago. She hasn’t ever really recovered from it and you can see this in her actions. She is drinking more and taking solace with different men. Nathan on the other hand is a brilliant criminal profiler that can easily get into the minds of killers, but something in the past has left him in a dark, dark place. Nathan is now living in seclusion for the better part of a year. His seclusion is about to be upturned when Katie breaks her vow to leave him alone. Together, they both need to learn to trust one another again, while revealing secrets of their past, as they hunt to catch and stop a killer.

DARK LIES is the first book in the Rhodes and Radley crime series and it starts off with a bang. Right off the bat we are in the mind of the serial killer as he kills and positions the body of a mother he had targeted. The reasoning behind his killings are played out throughout the story in twists and turns I never saw coming. What ties does this killer have to Katie and Nathan? The little tidbits of information thrown our way really left me flipping the pages just to find the answers.

DARK LIES is a gripping psychological thriller with nail biting scenes and twists where you least expect it. I could not put this book down at all and wound up reading the entire story in one night. The story is brilliantly told and I just loved how suspenseful and dark the story is. It is gruesome in parts and the author left little to the imagination. Nick Hollin hits you hard with the facts down to the last detail. What a great start to a series! I am hooked and can not wait for the next installment and case.

Dark Lies Nick Hollin


Nick Hollin has produced two characters which have got me completely and utterly hooked.

DCI Katie Rhodes, once brilliant, smart and reliable; now a promiscuous heavy drinker seemingly bent on self-destruction.

Criminal Psychologist Nathan Radley, a very strange man who has been in self-imposed exile for a year. A man who can get into criminals minds, unfortunately, he also empathises with their dark feelings and lusts for violence.

Why has Rhodes started to self-destruct, and Radley placed himself in exile, because they were both badly affected by the last case they worked together.

When Rhodes is called to the scene of a murder she notices a mark on the body, a mark which is identical to a feature on her own, she starts to worry. Days earlier she had been to another scene where a body also had a mark left on it. A mark that resembled a birthmark that the exiled Radley has on his thigh. Coincidence? Of course not.

The murders are horrific but more than that, somebody is playing with Katie's head. A head that is full of booze and hasn't functioned properly for a year.

She can only turn to one person.

Radley has spent the last year living alone in a cottage in Scotland, reading children's literature because he is too scared to open the boxes in his brain that hold memories of past cases. Scared of the feelings that vicious crime provokes in him.

To say he is unwilling to help his ex-partner is an understatement, but she gets him back to London and they start working on the murders.

What follows is one of the best, and most original criminal psychological thrillers I have ever read.

There are twist and turns as suspects come and go. There are frustrations as the pair are branded mentally and physically unfit to carry on with the Police investigation. But they've got to find the killer before he destroys them.

The two main characters are complimented by a cast of fringe characters that bring a credibility to the story.

I loved this book. In fact I have a confession to make. It had been on my to-be-read pile for weeks now. It was only when I remembered, that I was taking part on the launch blog blitz for it, that I picked it up on Saturday morning and started reading it. I put my Kindle down late Saturday night when I finished it. I don't usually read a book in one day. I just could not put this one down.

Well it says on the cover Detective Rhodes and Radley Book 1. Well bring on book 2, and 3, and 4, in fact Mr Hollin, just keep them coming.


Pages: 275
Publishers: Bookouture
Publishing date: 26th March 2018

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour. As you may know crime thrillers have become a recent favourite of mine so when I saw this one I jut had to read it.

This story is about DI Katie Rhodes and her old partner Nathan Radley. Katie and Nathan haven't seen each other in almost a year but when 2 recent murders look to be personal to Katie and Nathan she knows she needs his help to solve them.

Katie's life has been spiralling in the last year. She's not the same person she was when Nathan last saw her. Katie has been doubting her instinct. Her work has slipped and she's on the verge of being fired. Katie is a likeable character and it's easy to feel for her when you start to learn about her past.

Nathan has spent the last year alone and following a routine that he thinks will help stave off his desires. Nathan is petrified of his own mind and what might happen if he gives into his own desires. Nathan is extremely clever and has a high attention to detail. I suspect he has a photographic memory but this wasn't specifically mentioned. I actually just felt really sorry for Nathan. I can't imagine feeling like you couldn't trust your own mind.

There is a lovely little prologue and then you are thrown right into the action. As the story unfolds you start to get more of a back story on the characters and their relationships.

This book is dark and twisty. There were many twists and turns that I didn't see coming. At some points I was covering my eyes because the tension was so high and I couldn't cope. Nick had me right on the edge of my seat in the final moments. I really felt like I was there watching all the action.

I thought this book was very clever and I look forward to seeing where the series goes.

Nick Hollin is one of my newest favorite writers! I really liked this book Dark Lies, it starts off good and just gets better and better as you read this book. So many twists and turns, I thought I had it figured out but it turns out I was wrong....
So buckle yourself in and sit back and see where Katie and Nathan take you on their hunt for the illusive serial killer, I promise you it won't be where you expected to go. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC book and give you the reader my honest opinion. Thank you also Nick Hollin for writing such a compelling read!

“Don’t trust your friends. Don’t trust your family. Don’t trust yourself…”
This is a great start to a new series.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Katie and Nathan and loved the way their background stories were told throughout the book.
Katie swears she will never trouble Nathan after a gruesome case leaves them both shaken but she has no choice when a victim seems to have links to Nathan.
They both try and work out who is playing games with them and it gets more and more dangerous.
Katie’s family life and Nathan’s is under the magnifying glass but are they both too close to see who the murderer is?
The final few chapters will take your breath away and you won’t want it to end.
I look forward to reading more books in this series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Bloody hell, Mr. Nick Hollin, sir! Where have you been hiding?!

A serial killer is targeting young mothers and leaving messages. But for whom and why? DI Katie Rhodes is on the case but she's been struggling for a while now due to another investigation she hasn't been able to solve. Katie calls in the help of her former colleague, Nathan Radley. Nathan used to be a criminal psychologist but has apparently gone right over the edge and has been living in isolation for almost a year. I don't know about you but they don't exactly sound like the people you put your faith in, do they? Will they be able to catch The Cartoonist?

Now, I must admit I found myself just a little bit lost in the beginning. There were a lot of references to events that happened in the past, which made me feel like I'd missed a book somewhere. However, the titbits that were slowly being revealed had me so intrigued that I couldn't stop reading. And I'm so glad I did because this one is an absolute corker!

I suppose you'd call this a more character driven crime thriller. Personally, I almost forgot about the hunt for the serial killer sometimes as we dig into the lives of Katie and Nathan and why they are the way they are. While this is a two person team, Nathan completely stole the show for me. He's an absolutely fascinating character, damaged beyond belief and his story had me totally engrossed.

The pace at the start might be a bit on the slow side for some but it picks up as the plot unfolds and I found myself so immersed that the outside world almost ceased to exist. This is one brilliantly written, cleverly plotted and totally addictive book. I found it gripping, compelling, utterly absorbing and quite frankly, it blew my mind. Highly recommend you give this one a go and I'll be sitting right here, waiting for book two in the series.

Detective Rhodes and Radley crime series - Book 1.

The people of London fear for their lives when a twisted serial killer called The Cartoonist starts targeting young mothers, leaving their bodies on display in their homes with a speech bubbles drawn from their lips.

A new series introducing us to DI Katie Rhodes and Nathan Radley who is a criminal psychologist. This story is full of dark and gruesome murders. Katie's lifestyle is one of alcohol and one night stands. Nathan is scared he will actually kill someone, which makes us wonder if he is involved some way in these killings. I did think this story lacked a little backstory., though we do get some, I was hoping for a little bit more. Perhaps we will learn this as the series progresses. There are a few surprises along the way to keep us guessing. I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see what happens next to the main characters.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Nick Hollin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 Wild Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

WOW! This book sure took me on a wild and crazy ride.... good thing I don’t have motion sickness or I would be sick from all the twists and turns (this is where you laugh😂) this isn’t a traditional psychological thriller.... maybe more of a hybrid between a psychological thriller and a police procedural? There is definitely psychology involved because one of the main protagonists is a profiler....

Our two main protagonists Katie and Nathan were not necessarily terribly likable or relatable, however they were very well-developed and interesting.... Katie is the daughter of a cop, a father she admires greatly, so of course she follows in his footsteps.... Katie feels as though she has some pretty big shoes to fill, but was Dad as perfect as she thinks.... Nathan is a profiler, able to get into the minds of killers.... but how far away from being a killer yourself are you, when you can think and feel like them?

Why are there not more books with profilers in them? I find this fascinating the psychology behind why people do the things they do.... The taking of a crime scene and piecing together the type of person that would commit such a crime.... this aspect of the book was truly fascinating and I really actually would’ve like even more of it....

Women are being murdered and clues are being left to let Katie and Nathan know that this is personal.... but what are the odds of this being tied to both of their pasts? The death of Nathan‘s mother and an act Katie‘s father committed, both of which happened long ago? So many twists in this... who was good and who was bad? Can Katie and Nathan ever trust each other again? Should they ever trust each other again?

The conclusion to this book was wild.... something I did not see coming, neither did Katie or Nathan.... so curious to see where the next book in the series goes.... this case was so personal... so what’s next?

Recommend to fans of psychological thrillers, crime thrillers, and all things crazy....

*** thank you so much too Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

Katie Rhodes is struggling with her personal life and her work life, so when she's handed a new murder case she decides to go and find her old partner, Nathan Radley, a criminal psychologist, and bring him out of seclusion where he's been for the last year, to help her crack the case.

Radley is struggling himself and is reluctant at first to help her until he realises he may have a vested interest in the outcome of this case so he agrees to go with her.

The murders that have been committed are harrowing for both them and for the families left behind, can they track the killer down before he strikes again?

There are many surprises along the way in this story and it keeps the reader guessing throughout. 
I enjoyed the book but struggled to make a connection with any of the characters or feel any empathy for them.  This is the first in a new series by this author and it will be interesting to see where he takes these characters in the next book.

I would like to thank Bookouture for the auto approval and will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

Thank you very much to netGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of Dark Lies my review is honest and unbiased in anyway.
Absolutely loved this and so glad it's part of a series already can't wait for no. 2! Lots of twists and turns kept me enthralled the whole way through. The concept of a cartoonist killer made me very excited to read the book and it definitely didn't disappoint. Highly recommend this debut novel and can't wait for more!

Excellent book with interesting characters. I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to read more from this author!

(previously titled In The Blood)
DI Katie Rhodes' life has been falling apart since her last big case, a year ago. Likewise, her partner profiler Nathan Radley, has sequestered himself away in the highlands of Scotland counting down the days until he is going to die. Then a murderer draws markings on his victims unique to Rhodes and Radley, pulling them into the case to hunt him down. But other than that, this story is like a bunch of strands of thread someone tries to make a sweater out of but none of the pieces fit and it is only intuition or something from a previous case that the reader knows nothing about to hold the sweater together. Too many pieces! Not enough connections! It felt like having a conversation with someone who thinks you know all the details so just skips parts. This book skipped parts and that made it a very difficult read.

I really loved this book! Excellent story with brilliant main characters. I would recommend this book.

Nick Hollin's book, "Dark Lies" (previously titled "In the Blood") was enjoyable to read! It was fast paced and his talent for character development was evident. Early in the story, we grew an attachment to the characters Katie and Nathan and read furiously to find out how their stories unraveled as well as how they are connected! 
Katie, a brave and strong willed detective, was determined to get to the bottom of an new murder case. Seeking the help of ex criminal psychologist, Nathan, who seemingly lost his marbles, was not the move that proved most popular with the rest of the department. Is she and Nathan on their own? What does Nathan know that might help solve this case? 
The most surprising connections between their pasts and their future will surprise you and keep you guessing until the very end! Will Katie be able to solve this mystery? Will Nathan aide in the capture of a crazy killer or is he the crazy killer? Read to find out!!!