I have to admit I’m a big fan of Ms Hunters work and after reading this offering I remain a loyal fan. Detective  Alis Clarke works for the  Manchester Metro Police in the Major Crime Team division. She goes undercover trying to get the evidence on a smuggling operation. She’s doing her job when she has an accident in the Welsh countryside that causes her to lose her memory. The woman with her at the time doesn’t survive and the only name the police can find for her  Alis is the fake name ‘Rebecca Elliott’. Welsh Detective Bronwen Pryce is one of the first at the scene of the accident and quickly becomes involved helping Alis find out what happened to her and who was behind it. This book grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let up until the last. Great read. Loved it.
eARC via NetGalley

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.





Cari Hunter has recently become a favourite of mine after I came across her Dark Peak series. She writes amazing crime fiction novels. So it was a no brainer for me to read this book. 



I love the fact that all her books are set in the countryside. There is something very charming about a countryside setting and it also there is the fact that it is a perfect setting for a crime novel. To be really honest this was the first book I have read with the first person narrative of a character suffering from amnesia. 



Synopsis: The story starts of in the aftermath of an accident. The lone survivor of the accident has Amnesia and cannot remember anything. The police discard it as a possible accident but then DS incharge of the accident, Bronwyn Pryce thinks there is more to it. 



Characters: The two main characters in the story were the amnesia victim, Alis Clarke and the DS Bronwyn Pryce. I cannot reveal much about the characters without revealing the story so I will not go into that. 

I'll just say these two are smart women and I loved reading about every single interaction of theirs. 

There are a lot of supporting characters whom you may or may not like. I was just happy to see a lot of different nationalities represented in the book. 



What I liked: Cari Hunter knows how to cook up a story. There was some very subtle hints throughout the book, and one of them was such a give away at least to me (Hint: Fruits). 

I was really pleased with myself for having picked that up. I also love the fact that the author did not dilute the action with romance. While I am a hard core fan of romance I don't wanted it to be unrealistically shoved down my throat. There were hints that the characters were going to get together but it did not happen till the second half of the book. 



What I didn't like: This maybe just me but in the beginning I felt like the story just dragged along so slowly. I understand that the author was trying to set the scene, but it was so slow in the beginning. At around the 25% mark I almost gave up on this book (Now I'm glad I didn't). What I mean to say yes if you are reading this book and if you find it slow please don't stop because it gets infinitely better.



The verdict: This is Cari Hunter at her best. Great plot lines, amazing dialogue and beautiful settings make this a really fun read. And add to it, good characterisation and you've got a treasure in your hand. This is a book I will surely revisit in the near future. 



Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

This was my first experience with a Cari Hunter book, but it won’t be the last! This book gripped me from start to finish. Fantastic story, exciting mystery, well-developed characters. Highly recommend!

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

This author just goes from strength to strength.  You are in for a thrilling ride when you read this.  It is a fantastic read from start to finish, you think you have worked out who done it then there is another twist added.  It is beautifully written with a great plot and great characters.  I loved Pryce (Bronwyn) and Alis (Rebecca).  I would definitely recommend you read this.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

Wow!  This book caught me by surprise.  What a great crime/romance.  Solid characters, great story line and a hot romance.  I was utterly engulfed with this book that I finished it within hours instead of days.  I just couldn't put it down.  I can't wait to read it again.  I highly recommend.

Rebecca wakes up in Wales, very injured, from a car wreck. The girl in the passenger seat passes away moments later.
Eventually, Rebecca wakes up in a hospital. Her memory is quite poor and she doesn't even remember if she has parents, let alone ANYONE the hospital may be able to get in touch with, for her. Rebecca can remember a few police directives; however, not who she is, where she is from, or what her real line of work is. She does know that she is gay; thinking maybe that is why she has no visitors.
Soon, she finds out that she is NOT Rebecca Elliott. Actually, she is Alis Clarke and she works for the MMPS, Major Crime Team. Detective Pryce, who was first on the accident scene, has a few concerns about Alis. Did Alis have dishonorable reasons for being in the accident? Or did Alis abandon her undercover assignment to abscond with a potential (the dead passenger in the car) witness?
After Alis is released from the hospital, she is robbed of her computer, and other related devices. BUT that person had a key. Perhaps someone entered using the house key she lost in the accident.
Alis needs to find out what really has been going on. She realizes that Krzys is a friend at her undercover assignment, goes to see him - has been missing 10 days. What now? 
Alis is "interviewed" by top brass and is suspended from her job. She decides to call Detective Pryce who tells Alis that a witness saw a 2nd car chasing(?) her car that night. Pryce asked Alis if it were possible that somehow the MMP were involved. Alis doesn't remember much.  Deciding to work together, Pryce and Alis get into Jo's flat. There, they find a card with phone #'s and an address. Pryce visits that address and has a suspicion that the woman who lives there is a prostitute, ALSO as is Jo. Possible, since both the woman and Jo were desperate for money. A while later, Pryce and alis find Krzys dead in a warehouse that belongs to the owner of the undercover job Alis had been on! The elusive USB that Alis swears would have all of the information about her mission is finally found in a jewelry store safe deposit box. What is found on the USB flash drive and the other secrets and events are still to be uncovered.  Please note; Alis does find on her  drive
that she wrote "...no long term vision on actions..." and to find corrupt officers involved (and have them) out". Many Twists and turns throughout this read! Just when you think that you've figured everything out, something else happens!!!  Many thanks to Bold Stroke Books and NetGalley for a great read.

Really really enjoyed this one, fantastic crime story and need I mention the super hot sex scene, she made it quite realistic compared to a lot I read, loved the characters , I don’t read many British books so it’s really nice when I get one in my clutches especially as good as this one, my only gripe is that I didn’t feel any chemistry between them but still this deserves positive praise, I’d definitely recommend this book.....
4.5 stars

‘Alias’ packs a punch from the get-go. A badly injured woman with no memory finds herself in a race to find out why she ended up next to a dead woman in a crashed car in Wales. Detective Bronwyn Pryce may be her only hope to find out. The story is full of suspense and mystery and never lets up. The first person narrative is perfect as we find out what is behind it all at the same time as the woman. Cari Hunter has the most impressive turn of phrase and her use of language adds to the reality of the story. It is funny and true and the characters are expertly imagined. There is also a tenderness and vulnerability that is pitched perfectly. It never wanders into sentimentality but feels real. This is yet another winner from Hunter and it deserves every publishing  industry accolade. 

I was given this ARC in return for an honest review.

Devoured in a day! Amnesia-driven mystery/thriller written in the first person POV. First impressions: loved the mystery, didn't love the romance (what romance???, lol), and not enough Det. Pryce (well, the blurb kinda led me on...so...)

The cover though....?!?!?!? might have worked on another author's book. But on Cari Hunter's trademark grimy, gritty, bloody thrillers? Totally inappropriate. And in sub-zero English (or in this case Welsh) weather that is such an integral part of the book? No way! (If I hadn't been squinting at the author names, I would have totally missed the book in the Netgalley line-up)

4.4 stars

I can't imagine waking up after a serious car accident and nit remembering anything. I don't even want to imagine it. Some injuries heal and you remember again.  
It went a tad slow for me. Nothing ever grabbed me and sucked me in. It was ok.

“Alias” is a wonderful new crime thriller from Cari Hunter, but one that I find doesn’t easily slot into a specific genre. It does have crime, and medical drama, and intrigue it’s true, but it also has a slow but real romantic storyline that is integral to the story.
Ms. Hunter’s books remained on our “to read” list for far too long I’m ashamed to say, but they have all become real favourites and each novel has brought her closer to the top of the favourites list. I found the story of “Rebecca” and Pryce to be entirely satisfying and entertaining, and after reading Alias I will have no hesitation in seeking out any of her books in the future.
There are so many good things I could say. I will praise the skilled use of character observation and the vivid location descriptions. There is a great contrast between the beautiful and wild country around Snowdonia, and the deprived post-industrial heartland of Manchester and its surroundings. I will praise the carefully crafted plotline and the way recovered memories are suddenly but carefully introduced, resolving one snippet of the mystery but revealing another. And as much as anything else I will praise Cari Hunter’s mastery of the vernacular! Being a Brit abroad and having spent some considerable time in both Manchester and Snowdonia, I truly enjoyed the use of language and I could hear the voices of the whole cast of characters clearly in my head. 
The only perhaps slight issue, and I really hate to even call it that, is that the vernacular may just be a shade too much for those who don’t have a native British English ear or familiarity. For any such reader, don’t let this put anyone off as the realism adds interest and really helps make this story.
On another note, the wife and I are relatively new to audiobooks but with the rich regional language I am certain sure this one will be worth one of our Audible credits.  
I have no hesitation in highly recommending this book.

Alias is a excellent story. This is my first Book of Hunters that I read and loved it.  I’ll definitely be checking out more of her books.  I loved  Rebecca and how she processes everything in regards to finding out who she really is and how she comes to trust Pryce.  I devoured this in a day and was shocked in at the ending.  I think it goes to show you that you may never know who to trust and those that you find yourself trusting the most in might backfire.

I like how Pryce helped Alis find the answers that she was looking for about herself even when she was unsure about her story.  How she struggles to do the “right” thing or be by the book.   
I highly recommend checking out Alias.

I have conflicting feelings towards Cari Hunter's books: sometimes her stories are a bit gruesome for my taste. The problem is she's a great writer, probably one of the best mystery authors, and her books are engaging, well written and exciting to read. So I always end up reading them. In the case of 'Alias' the gruesome scenes were almost absent so I'm really happy to have read it.

A woman wakes up in a car accident next to a dead body. She doesn't remember her name or how she got there. As she is recovering in hospital from her injuries, she discovers some facts about her identity which leaves her with more questions than answers. She realises that her life is in danger because she knows something that might implicate someone... but has no idea what or whom. The only person she trusts is Browen Pryce, the smart and beautiful detective who rescued her from the car wreck. Will they be able to solve the mystery before it's too late?

'Alias' is written in first person from the point of view of the amnesiac woman (I won't mention her name to avoid spoilers) which gives us perfect access to her headspace. Amnesia is quite a common occurrence in book plots sometimes to the verge of credibility. This is not the case as the events seem very realistic. Along with the characters, the readers slowly bring the pieces of the puzzle together. We suffer and get frustrated with the slow progress in reconstructing the events, the plot teasing us with incomplete memory flashbacks. Even though we know all that the character learns about herself, and without playing tricks on us, Ms. Hunter manages to deliver a twist at the end. This is mostly a mystery/thriller story, definitely not a romance but as usual in Ms. Hunter's books there is an intense emotional connection between the main characters. Even though the romance doesn't take too much space in the plot, it has a strong presence and the chemistry between the mains works very well.

This novel has a definite British feel and Ms. Hunter is unapologetic about her references to British popular culture, food and language. So much so that despite that I've been living in the UK for sixteen years, I was clueless about some of the regional words from the north of England and Wales. I'm glad that her latest books are less edited for the American market. It provides an authentic feel and aren't a burden to understand. For the most obscure words, there's always Google.

Overall, another excellent book by Ms. Hunter. A real treat for lesfic mystery fans. 5 stars.

ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com

An entertaining and engaging mystery. From the beginning, this read pulled me in with the car crash and a women that did not survive and another badly injured.  Detective Bronwen Pryce is articulated as a no nonsense police officer that is intriguing and someone the reader wants to know more about and Hunter does a good job of providing the information bit-by-bit. "Rebecca" does not know who she is and it was interesting to read how Hunter eases the reader in on who she is. the supporting characters were also nicely presented.

I have read and enjoyed many of this author's previous books and this is awesome like the others one.A woman wakes up in a car that has been in a horrible accident. She doesn’t know who she is or the dead passenger next to her. Detective Bronwen Pryce is called to the scene of an accident to find a woman barely conscience. Pryce can’t prove anything but something about this accident and this woman is telling her much more is going on. Can a woman with amnesia and the detective find out all the answers before it is too late?

Rebecca wakes up to find herself in a smashed up car with a dead woman. She’s not sure how it happened, where she is or who she is. Detective Bronwen Pryce is first on the scene and once she’s been taken to hospital, Rebecca has a sense she can trust her even though she has an uneasiness about everything else.

This is a riveting mystery and suspense novel set in Wales and Manchester. Rebecca’s journey of recovery, with her fragmented and intermittent memory, is hampered by the overriding feeling that she’s in danger. Romance took a backseat for most of the novel and I was okay with that because the rest of the story was engaging and powerful enough without it. In fact, for me, there was a much greater sense of realism in portraying someone who has just been in a crash, resulting in broken bones and stitches, as more interested in recovering their memories and staying alive than falling in love.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Wow, I'm still slightly baffled by this book but in a really good way. Let me put it this way; I got a free review copy but I've gone and bought it as well, that's how good it is and how many times I anticipate rereading this novel. There was just something about it that got under my skin and I was caught between wanting to go over sections again to make sure I hadn't missed any tiny but potentially crucial details and staying up all night to finish it! Whatever your reading style, it's excellent and well worth your time and money; well crafted characters with depth, very atmospheric setting (as always with Cari Hunter) and a plot to keep your mind and heart racing. 

So...when's the next book out Cari?

Hunter is really reliably good at what she does. Before the pace picked up one final time there was a brief period where I wished she’d get to the point already, but overall it was a well paced mystery, no complaints from me.

And I know I’m repeating myself, but I’m so glad that BSB is finally letting their English authors just run with their Englishness. Such a joy compared to novels where place and language often show a rather generic US.

This is the first title that I’ve read from this author and I am so hooked. Alias is one of those crime drama-mystery novels that you get sucked into almost immediately. It’s told through Alis’ first person POV, and if you’re not a fan of that type of storytelling I implore you to give this marvelous story its due chance. The intrigue and suspense begins from the first pages when Alis regains consciousness after a serious car accident. Her disorientation and memory loss  coupled with horror and tremendous physical pain are all blended expertly to immerse you in the terror of her abrupt circumstances. I truly enjoyed getting to know this character with her snark sense of humor, strength and determination, as well as her vulnerability as she slowly falls for Pryce. I appreciate the author immersing us in the local Welsh and Manchester,UK mannerisms and colloquialisms. I found myself Googling slang terms and locations multiple times and came away smiling with a greater knowledge of that delightful part of the world. The mystery itself paced itself in a way that was unpredictable, and there were moments I was so worried I was practically yelling at the pages. The romance tied in just right, but definitely plays a secondary role to the suspense and mystery. I would have loved more pages devoted to their attraction and there seemed to be valuable chunks of their love affair edited out in favor of the mystery. Overall, this is one of the best books I’ve read in 2018 to date, and I look forward to more of what this author has in store.

Alias in particular reads more like a crime novel with a romantic sub-plot, and I am all about that. The storyline, following the main character as she tries to work out who she is and why she came to in a crashed car on a mountain road, is incredibly engaging. The plot moves along quickly, but without feeling rushed, and the discovery of new pieces of information is spaced out well. As the main character is suffering from amnesia, she learns about herself at the same pace as the reader, which adds another interesting aspect to the story.

The romantic element of the story is very well done. The main character's relationship with Bronwen Pryce, the detective investigating her crash, develops slowly, and Pryce is a great foil for our main character - she knows exactly who she is and what she wants from life, but investigating this case makes her question her world and the people in it. Pryce also shows the main character what it means to be a dedicated officer, seeking justice using unconventional means when necessary. The background characters are great as well, helping the main character to understand her life, and sometimes turning out not to be exactly she people she thought.

This book has a great storyline with an excellent mystery to solve, and is well worth a read.