Story of murder intrigue, two girls 17yrs old are at an education retreat along with a few students all with rich parents and its taking place at Chidlow House said to be haunted very old and bleak with grounds and lake to match, and comes with a lot of history. The lord of the manor is not happy that his home is being used but penny-pinching needs the income it brings. First one of the teachers falls to her death is it suspicious? then the two girls decided to sneak off out to the local pub only one comes back, where did the other girl go,? and can Cressida the one to return shed some light on Natasha's whereabouts. DI Scot Morgan and DS Karen Hart are investigating and Karen also has baggage as she lost her husband and child in a car accident or was it? and is still looking for answers, so these young adults are a priority for her to find the truth. Good procedure although I did think it strange that Karen was asked by the Chief Inspector how the case was moving, usually the SIO does that, and that being DI Morgan, and did get a bit slow at times but none the less good read have read this author before and always found her a satisfying read.
Would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy to read and review

House of Lies by D.S. Butler is the 4th in the Detective Karen Hunt series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DS Karen Hart lost her husband Josh and her daughter Tilly in a car accident. Years later, she can't move on, especially since she discovered that their "accident" had been covered up by the police.  She is determined to find the corruption in the force.  She works with DI Scott Morgan,  DC Sophie Jones, and DC Rick Cooper.

My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Two teenage girls disappear while on an educational trip to Chidlow House, a reportedly haunted mansion.  It seems odd that their teacher had just fallen to her death from the roof a few days ago.

Karen and her team search the many rooms, and the vast grounds, calling in underwater specialists to search the lake.  Meanwhile, they have a lot of people to interview.  Between the other students, the program manager, the owner and the caretaker, there are definitely some interesting characters.  They also have some interesting stories, but Karen isn't sure everyone is telling the truth.  She's also not sure the missing girls were too reliable.

Meanwhile, Karen is still rather concerned with the lack of progress being made in the corruption case against DI Freeman and associates.

My Opinions:   

These books are a fast read, and I think this was the best in the series thus far.

I like the characters surrounding Karen Hart, and wish for more information about them.  The author is slowly allowing Karen to trust her co-workers again, and the pace for this feels right.

There were a number of suspects, and although I had an early idea of the identity of the perpetrator, and even the reasons behind the crime, the method of discovery was interesting.  As well,  the pace and plot flowed smoothly, and everything was fully explained.

Although these books are not "deep", they are interesting and I find them an entertaining light read.  I am enjoying the series, and will continue to read them.

I really enjoyed this. I found the story to be intriguing and it kept me reading on. Looking forward to reading more.

A course for privileged young ladies is taking place at a local country house, to get them up to speed for their A levels. Stories about the house abound - previous owners' wives drowned in the lake and ghosts walk the halls, dripping water and whispering.

One of the teachers dies, falling from the roof, but somehow this is glossed over and accepted as a suicide very quickly, which didn't feel terribly authentic. Then two of the girls go missing and Karen Hart is drawn in to find out what has happened.

The story bowls along happily, with suspects and false trails, but there is no real sense of tension or drama. In the background there was some corruption in the force leading to the death of Karen's family, which rumbles along but if you haven't read the previous books, it doesn't really mean too much to the reader.

The final denouement is well handled and the main villain appears to be really evil. There are clues along the way, but plenty of red herrings to mislead the reader.

Overall I enjoyed it, but wasn't totally gripped. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A teacher falls from the roof of Chidlow House an educational retreat in Lincolnshire, did he jump, did he fall or was he pushed? Then two teenage girls vanish from the same retreat. One is the daughter of a policeman so Detective Karen Hart is called in to investigate. Stories of Chidlow House being haunted abound.
This is the fourth book in the series & it could be read as a stand alone. This is another well written paging turning read with plenty of twists & turns before things are solved. Strong characters add to the enjoyment. I really like Karen & the banter between her & her team she seems to be moving on from tragic earlier events, I also like that the reader has to guess who the killer is alongside Karen. I look forward to many more books in the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the fourth book in the DS Harte series but can be read as a stand-alone. Veteran fans of the series are offered a deeper delve into Harte’s character as she evolves and searches for answers. The police procedural/crime solving aspects are pretty straightforward with no big surprises. In some aspects, it feels a bit too familiar and predictive. The narrative primarily focuses on established characters and their plot arc, slowing the plot pace quite significantly. 3 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #HouseOfLies which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a compelling read. I have read all of the series so far and can definitely recommend them. This book is a cleverly written page turner. The case gets more and more interesting as the story progresses. I read this book in one sitting. I enjoyed finding out more about Karen Hart and her colleagues. I hope there are more books to come.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

DS Karen Hart #4

A teacher falls from a roof but was it suicide or something more sinister. At summer study camp two girls disappeared. Karen Hart is called in to investigate. Karen is still trying to root out corruption leading up to the deaths of her husband and daughter.

There is quite a few suspects who all have skeletons in their cupboards. I like Karen Hart, she's flawed and doesn't always get it right first time. We learn more of her backstory in each new book. The setting of Chidlow House, the school the girls went missing from, is quite creepy. The pace is fast and the storyline gripping. There is quite a lot of repetition which was a little annoying. This is a really good police procedural series.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AmazonPublishingGroupUK and the author #DSButler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Just O.K. The storyline wasn't too exciting for me. Skimmed some of the book, but the ending was pretty good. First time reading this author, don't think I will read any more of hers' when there are so many great authors out there. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I was an okay read. I usually don't like historical fiction. But I must say that this book was very well written. I didn't read the first two in the series but I thought it was good. Would recommend .

House of Lies is book number four in the Detective Karen Hart series by D S Butler and one I found to be average read

After reading the previous books I found House of Lies a bit of a letdown with the storyline feeling messy and the main supporting characters being fairly formulaic in their behaviours and actions. Also the way the two main police officers went about their investigation was not by the book with gaping holes in their procedures.

The main storyline though was a good one with a number of twists and turns

Overall and whilst the underlying arc of police corruption was also progressed the book did not hit the heights of previous ones which I hope is an exception in the series

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘House Of Lies’, the fourth in the Detective Karen Hart series written by D S Butler, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

An intensive study group for teenagers is being held at the haunted Chidlow House and when one of the teachers, Alison King, sees a figure go on to the roof she follows and falls to her death. The following day two of the students attending the course, Natasha and Cressida, sneak off for the evening to have some fun but when they haven’t returned by the following morning DS Karen Hart and DI Scott Morgan are called in to investigate.

I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed the previous three books in the series but for some reason I couldn’t get involved in the ‘House Of Lies’ which I didn’t think was as good, perhaps due to the mention of Chidlow House being haunted by the ‘Drowned Lady’ which made me lose interest. Although I like the character of Karen Hart who’s striving to prove police corruption involving the death of her husband and daughter, I found the story too slow for my liking and I struggled to get to the end.

Two girls disappear whilst on an educational retreat in a creepy old house.
No one seems to know what happened to them, until Karen Hart comes along and starts asking questions.
Interesting characters in the book and teenagers described well.
Whilst this is is all happening, Karen is still pressing for the investigation into corrupt Police Officers she feels are responsible for her families death.
Twists and turns in this book all the way through.
Enjoyed reading this and the continuing characters in this series of books

Chidlow House is not a friendly looking place and in the dark Lincolnshire countryside with high winds and teeming rain it becomes a creepy, scary building with secrets to hide. A small group of privileged sixth formers are staying there for a private study week to help them prepare for university. No one is supposed to leave the grounds but some do including school friends Cressida and Natasha, the problems start when they fail to return.

This is the fourth book in the DS Karen Hart series and is another enjoyable instalment. The main protagonists are all present but this time they are joined by other characters caught up in both sides of the investigation in many different ways.

Unfortunately, although there were no shortage of suspects available, some of them seemed a little stereotypical. Obviously there is a reason stereotyping occurs but the story could have been lifted by a surprise or two along the way. Without any spoilers a few of the outcomes were ones which are well used in the crime genre. However, the lack of possible motives when the hunt for the missing girls began created a tense atmosphere which worked well alongside the previously mentioned inclement weather.

There is a back story running throughout these books related to the tragedy which colours every aspect of Karen Hart's life. There is a big step forward hinted at here and I am looking forward to finding out what will happen to her next.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who is already enjoying this series or who doesn't mind dropping in mid arc.

This 4th book in this series is overall a good book but I have to say is not as good as the previous ones. This felt a bit slow and dragged out as compared to the others. But the writing was fluid and the story was interesting. Overall a good book and I look forward to the next book in the series. And a big thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me this book in exchange of my honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC.

This is Book #4 of the DS Karen Hart series, with her back-story of continuing to find answers about the death of her family. Set in Lincolnshire, she and her team are called to the Earl of Grantham's estate which is hosting an educational retreat at Chidlow House.. Two students, Natasha and Cressida, are missing and the day before one of the teachers fell to her death from the roof of the house. Chidlow has a reputation for being haunted by a female ancestor who drowned in the lake; the walls of the dark corridors appear to whisper when someone walks through. Even with a search warrant the Earl is reluctant to let the team into his private rooms in the house. The course director, Graham Doyle, just wants nothing to do with the investigation. The investigation isn't going well. They have loads of suspects; the students, the grounds-man Mike Harrington, even the parents of the missing girls are not above suspicion.
And why, Karen wonders, is the Chief Constable taking a personal interest in this case?

I think this particular book was rather 'slow'. There seemed to be lots of toing and froing leading the investigation around in circles until, one by one, the suspects give up their secrets. Just who do they believe?

Not a 'great' crime story for me but it did have a couple of twists.

This is the fourth book in the DS Karen Hart series and it’s a good solid story that I really enjoyed. So Karen is sent to investigate the disappearance of two teenage girls on a course at the very creepy Chidlow House and there are quite a number of suspects right from the start, added to that one of the course tutors has fallen to her death from the roof and Karen is not sure that this was an accident or could the two incidents be connected?
I like the character of Karen Hart and enjoy the continuing back story of the death of her husband and child. The book is well written and my only complaint was that I did feel at times is seemed to drag a little but maybe that was just me and I look forward to the next in the series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Who is lying and who is telling the truth? The author teases us with this the way through this murder mystery. A group of teenagers is spending a week on an intensive study course in a creepy old house when things start going horribly wrong. Did one of their popular teachers fall off the roof? Or was she pushed? Or did she kill herself? And what happened to seventeen-year-old Natasha? She and her friend Cressida sneak out one evening, but only one of them comes home. Detective Karen Hart investigates, and she, too, is unnerved by the ominous old house, with its mournful paintings , odd noises and disturbing past. I enjoyed catching up with her again. She’s still coming to terms with her painful past, and the fact that corrupt police officers have not yet been brought to book for her tragedy. In fact, I felt kind of sad for her in House of Lies, as she seems lonely with nowhere to turn. But this doesn’t deter her in her quest to get at the truth about what happened to Natasha. Straight down the line, trustworthy and straight as a dye, Karen does her best to solve the case - I’d like her on my side if I ever need the police. House of Lies is a great story with all the twists and turns you’d expect from a satisfying crime thriller.

I liked it. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't realize that this was part of a series. I think it might have been beneficial to read the previous books, but it wasn't necessary. There were references to overarching storylines/previous events, but not a lot, and they were made in a way that made sense for readers picking up the story in the middle, as I did. For the most part, the story was self-contained.
The police characters had very little personality, but that isn't a criticism or complaint. I kind of prefer it that way, old school Law & Order style, you could say. The focus was on the mystery, and it worked, because it was a good one.
The supporting characters who appeared on more than a page or two were ALL valid suspects. And achingly awful people. Like, some of the things they said made my jaw clench. Entitled, selfish jerks. I rrally struggled to figure out who the killer was, and my first pick was wrong. The big reveal made me go "d'oh! Of course! I should have seen it coming a mile away!" but I definitely didn't. Lots of bad people doing lots of bad things, but only one truly amoral killer. And oh boy, were they creepy. I found myself hoping that the author would not write that they escaped justice in the next book!
The writing was solid and the plotting was great. It was a good read.

Book Review: House of Lies (DS Karen Hart #4) by D.S. Butler
(Published by Amazon Publishing UK, September 29, 2020)

4.0 Stars.

In "House of Lies", DS Karen Hart #4, how times have changed!

Downton Abbey is let to an off-campus coed program by the Earl of Grantham, now living alone with a single servant, to help with the upkeep of the estate.

Two coeds disappear and Detective Sergeant Karen Hart and team are called in to find the missing teens. The death of an assistant program director, who "fell" off the roof a week earlier is somehow considered an aside.

Except Downton Abbey is Chidlow House, a few notches off, and the Earl is one Edward Chidlow, not nearly as affable as Sir Robert Crawley, far more arrogant and, as it turns out, quite dastardly.

In parallel, DS Hart, bereaved, fortyish, is struggling to find justice for the untimely deaths of her husband and child detailed in a prior installment of the series, and, so we gather, caused by a fellow policeman on account of his corruption, or so it seems.

Noblesse Oblige forsaken. A presentation of British mystery writing at its finest, the novel is a fine display of some residuals of the so-called British upper class longing for the bygone Edwardian Era, "La Belle Epoque" of privilege of the early 20th century.

And so are DS Hart and the local detectives expected to oblige snottiness, to handle the despicable haughtiness with deference and kids' gloves. Only the team's sleuthing extraordinaire saves the day.

So whodunnit? Take a wild guess, or two - or three. Lots to go around!

Quite an enjoyable, though not exactly compelling, read.

Review based on an ARC from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley.