Detective Carrie Flynn has spent twenty years searching for her little sister, who was kidnapped and never found. Carrie was with Hattie on that hot summer day – she saw her sister’s abductor, but she was just a young girl herself, and remembers nothing. She’s never forgiven herself for letting Hattie down.
When the chance came to join the police force, Carrie didn’t hesitate, wanting to ensure that no more little girls grew up alone. Now she is facing her toughest case yet: Jordan Robinson, a quiet and bright young man, has disappeared by the canal on a cold winter’s night. Witnesses heard a splash, but Carrie hasn’t found his body. She knows the first days are vital to find a missing person, and time is running out.
The disappearance of Jordan Robinson takes center stage in the first DS Carrie Flynn series. Her own sister's disappearance, while discussed heavily in the description of the book, is mentioned only briefly in the novel itself. I had literally forgotten the past case while reading the novel, and only when looking back over the description did I see that it had been such an important factor for Carrie's development. The novel focused mainly on the myriad characters surrounding Jordan Robinson, rather than on Carrie herself, and it would have been a good stand-alone for that reason. I am curious how the next book or books will fall into the series, as we don't know that much more about Carrie than we did when the first novel started, and we don't have a lot invested into her story at this point.
Aside from that, I was really turned off by the sheer stupidity and inability to empathize with the characters that were central to this plot. The mother was unable to focus on reality and put herself in situations that were completely implausible. Grief works in different ways in different people but the character's actions were just not believable. The relationships between the different members of the group were similarly disconcerting.
I was able to discern the "whodunit" aspect of the novel within the first few chapters, as a result there were no plot twists that entertained the reader or led to the aha feeling later in the novel.
With all of that being said, I did enjoy the book for the most part, once I could get past certain characters' reactions and personalities. I wish we had focused more on Carrie Flynn and less on Jordan Robinson's family, as she will be carried on through the season and ostensibly, his arc is over. I will probably read the next entry in the series, and see if Carrie's character is given the attention she deserves. It's worth a read, but I'm hoping for some growth in the next book.
I was provided an ARC through Netgalley and the publisher and am submitting my honest review of this author's work.

If you like twisted minds and police procedurals, then this is a book for you because it has both elements.

But of course there is more. Hidden secrets, a mother's heartbroken story, a killer doing what he wants without leaving a trace, a murder that fits the pattern but not quite.

Normally when a new series starts, we get some background information about the main charcter. Here the author keeps everything very hidden and makes us long for more. I guess she reserves these juicy bits for the next parts, which keeps me wanting to read them as soon as possible.

The focus in this book is more on the murder case than on the investigation which makes us curious about the team surrounding the DS.

I really liked the way the author created Jordan. He wants to help but his methods might be a bit strange. ;)

A mother knows her child best, right ...?

Did I guess who the culprit was? Yes, this time I was smarter than the police, but I did not mind. The book is full of strange characters and this combined with the revelations made the story a very interesting one. 4 stars.

Thank you, J.M. Hewitt and Bookouture (via Netgalley)

This is the first instalment in the Detective Carrie Flynn series and it was enough of a teaser for me to want to read more in this series, however, I felt that the book, although an investigation into a serial killer who has been “pushing” people into the canal in Manchester, was more about the family involved with the latest “victim”. There was less of the police investigation and more of the family investigating and hiding secrets so I feel we have a lot more to learn about Carrie Flynn. We were given snippets into her past which seems quite dark and I look forward to hearing more about this once this character develops more throughout.

Overall it was a good solid read, a great mystery with a few twists to pique your interest. I look forward to more in this series.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was expecting a typical cop procedural thriller and after a little bit of a slow beginning I was hooked. I'm looking forward to the next instalments of the Detective Carrie Flynn stories.
Great hints are dropped into Carrie's dark past that still haunts her and I can't wait to read more and discover what these might be..The main story line is that of a disappearance of a single mother's grown up son in the canals of their town. Carrie believes this and previous similar disappearances are linked to a serial killer and she and her partner Paul are intent on finding this out. An enjoyable book once the story gets moving.

I found this to be a good mystery book and start to a series with lots of twists and turns that keeps you guessing till the end
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to have read a debut novel by a talented author.
This was a fantastic read, gripping until the end, and I can't wait to read some more of Detective Flynn in the future! Recommended.

A great crime thriller mystery. There was plenty of twists and turns throughout the book. Many different characters were introduced and I enjoyed reading about them all. I didn’t feel like I got to know the main character and her background but I’m hoping we will find out more in the next book.
I did have to go back a couple of times to see which character was speaking next but it was a very enjoyable book.
Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

An excellent read, very realistic with believable characters. The story linked back to the investigators Carries own history and issues. A dark figure she had spotted watching a recent crime scene was pivotal in finding the perpetrator of a number of murders. A group of well meaning vigilantes are trying to support the police investigation on the quite, leading to some dodgy situations.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early read of The Night Caller in exchange for an honest review!

The book has a good premise: A detective sergeant with her own troubled past has to solve the case of a serial killer in Manchester. He or she pushes people into the canals, and has hit about 12 victims over the course of a few years.

So....I think my main issue is with Carrie Flynn herself. IF she is supposed to be the main character in the series, I would have needed a lot more background to connect with her. What happened, what course her life took, and what happened to her mother and sister. Carrie didn't even do a lot of detective work other than to stir the pot among the victim's family, and they didn't help her out a whole lot. She came up with one piece of intuitive evidence about there being two pushers, but she really didn't do …. well... anything to solve the case.

There was some psychology involved to make it a psychological thriller, but it wasn't explored so much as just mentioned. The twist, also, was made REALLY obvious during the story which is rare because usually I can't see it coming. I think it was revealed on purpose about midway through the book. The rest of the book seemed like a lot of feather ruffling between the neighboring women.

There were also a lot of questions and possible plot points that seemed really interesting, but then the author never followed up on it. Why would The Pusher state that he was addicted to seeing the aftermath of his crimes, then only mention it the one time? I would have like to hear more of that view point. Some of the transitions seemed weird too, Also Martin was a huge loose end, a lot more could have been done with that whole situation and his personality and his … mood swings and whatnot.

My favorite character was a cranky old nurse who paid a minimal role in anything.

I guess I just really wasn't feeling this one. I would like to read the next one though so that's something. I might recommend for fans of dark fiction and mysteries more than thrillers

The Night Caller is an edge of your seat thriller. This is a series about Detective Carrie Flynn, but the book doesn't feel like she is the main character. She is important to the story, but the Pusher and his latest victim's family are the main focus in this book. There is very little info about Carrie's past - mostly innuendo.
A serial killer is roaming the canal area. For years, late at night, men are being disabled and pushed into the dark, cold waters to die. Police call him the Pusher. Is he real or a figment of their imagination.
Carrie believes she has seen the Pusher and is looking for him. New victims emerge. One whose disappearance devastates his family and neighbors. How could Jordan be a victim? He didn't seem to be the usual target.
Don't want to spoil anything, this one is a true mystery. Will Carrie catch the Pusher? Can she even prove he exists? I look forward to reading more stories about Detective Carrie Flynn.

A good read as thrillers go but I wouldn't call it gripping, interesting more like. All main characters seem to have secrets but gradually we are told some of them. By half/three quarters of the way through it seems easier enough to work out what is really happening and who 'the pusher' is. Worth reading.

A new author for me and a dark psychological thriller. I am in reading heaven. The first in the Detective Carrie Flynn series. The book is centred around the Pusher, someone who is going around and pushing people into the canals of Manchester. At first I thought this read was a bit mediocre but then I was hooked. Emma's son Jordan goes missing, someone heard a splash but no body has been found. Why is Emma not forthcoming with information about her son? What is she hiding ? Carrie is dealing with her own personal demons and why is her personal file sealed ?
The dynamics in this book are engrossing and very believable. Oh did I mention a very nasty serial killer to boot. I read this book in one sitting and finally turned the last page at 1.am I HAD TO KNOW. I can't wait to read the next in the series and find out more about the closed book that is Detective Carrie Flynn. Almost five stars and highly recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

The Night Caller, Dective Carrie Flynn #1, is a dark psychological thriller, and kept me engrossed from the beginning. Though the book is the first book in Dective Carrie Flynn series the story is told mainly from the perspective of the victims mother, allowing the reader to really get to know the victims family and the victim himself.
At first I wondered about this, but it built the drama as little by little, the story unfolded. A desperate mother, obsessed with finding her son’s body, wanting to find him, yet filled with dread. Will she be able to live without him, Her beloved son, her everything, yet there is an unspoken darkness lurking around him. Dark happenings, left unnoticed, left unspoken. Did she really know her son? Do wee er know our children?
This book raises the question, do we really know what is best for our children if we never ask them? How much can we assume?
The same darkness is around Detective Carrie Flynn, who like the victim, shares dark secrets. What has happened in her past to make her files viewable by only the highest authorities? This I hope will be made clear as the series unfolds. I will cetainly look forward to reading more books in this series.
I gave the book four stars.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

A fast paced thriller that kept me turning the pages! It was a twisted sort of book! I enjoyed it ! Looking forward to more by this author! Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy

A good start to a series. The story was mostly gripping. Jordan was an interesting character. I felt though that the story was not the same as the synopsis. There was hardly any mention of Hattie.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I know so many people loved this, but I'm just not that enthusiastic. I guessed the two central mysteries well ahead of the reveal. We can't all love "all the books" and this one was just not my cup of tea. Thank you to NetGalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Night Caller’ by J M Hewitt in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

A serial killer nicknamed ‘The Pusher’ is stalking young men and pushing them into the canals of Manchester. DS Carrie Flynn and DC Paul Harper are spending every minute going over the files relating to ‘The Pusher’ who they believe has claimed a dozen victims over the past six years. Then another young man, Jordan Robinson, goes missing, bystanders hear a splash but nobody sees him go into the canal and his body hasn’t been found. Could it be that the Manchester serial killer has struck again?

‘The Night Caller’, the first in the Detective Carrie Flynn series, had a promising start but unfortunately I didn’t find it gripping, more predictable and lacking in excitement. I thought more should have come across of Carrie Flynn’s character but there was nothing except that she professed to have no interest in the private life of Paul who she’d worked with for some years. There was little about her missing sister or her mother but perhaps that’ll be rectified in book two. I didn’t warm to Carrie and felt sorry for Paul who she spoke to sharply on a number of occasions. I hope that in the next one we’ll find out what makes Carrie tick and will look out for it.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

On the whole I did enjoy the book, but did think some characters weren't developed enough.

The book centres around an urban myth (hopefully) of someone going around Manchester canals pushing people in.

The lead character is Detective Carrie Flynn, she has a background which is touched upon, but not fully acknowledged, but I am sure this will change with the development of the series.

I found the opening few chapters, quite bitty, didn't think they flowed and then it just improved or maybe I concentrated more?

Emma's son Jordan disappears on a night out, people heard the splash but nothing else and no sign of the body. We meet other characters who seem to be on the periphery but then get drawn in. Martin is one character that I think should have been rounded more, he gets angry in a couple of scenes but no explanation?

A good solid start, and looking forward to seeing how the series develops, especially as somehow I ended up having more sympathy for someone I shouldn't have liked.

Carrie Flynn became a detective after her own sister was kidnapped, and never found, and twenty years later is still helping other families deal with the grief and loss of a loved one. So, now she is tracking a nasty serial killer and the latest victims family is different, not helping Carrie with info she needs - what are they hiding? Told from different perspectives this is more of a psychological character study than a police procedural. Some of the twists are forseen but the big one at the end was unexpected!