I discovered the DI Adam Fawley series when it was already into its fourth instalment, All The Rage, so don't worry if you're discovering Cara Hunter for the first time as these books work brilliantly as standalones (there's even a fabulous list of characters and their key personality traits at the beginning and I loved this). The Whole Truth is written so brilliantly that new readers don't feel as if they're missing out on anything and series fans get pertinent facts inserted skilfully into the prose as gentle reminders.

There are a number of threads woven through this story to keep the reader (and DI Adam Fawley) on their toes: a sexual assault, a murder inquiry and a podcast claiming a miscarriage of justice in Fawley's biggest case. All three grabbed my attention and kept me riveted, with my fingers getting a good workout in making the pages turn faster than ever. With so much going on it's surprisingly never confusing and it had my mind whizzing nineteen to the dozen but I loved every second of it.

I also love the added extras you get in a Cara Hunter book as the prose is peppered with other media: text messages, podcast transcripts, police interviews, social media posts, news articles and police reports to name but a few. The only tiny niggle I have is that some of the writing is quite small so I sometimes had to get my nose right into the book; of course it could just be my eyesight deteriorating with age (and too much reading).

It's true, this really is an up-all-night kind of book, purely because there are no formal chapters of which to promise yourself that you'll read just one more. Usually a lack of chapters would annoy me but I was actually really glad there aren't any as they would have just slowed my reading down. So make sure you're sitting comfortably when you pick up The Whole Truth as you really won't be able to put it down.

Filled with twists, shocks and surprises, Cara Hunter has such sleight of hand I wouldn't have been surprised to see a rabbit pulled out of a hat. The Whole Truth is absolutely fantastic; it's gripping, supersonically fast-paced and completely addictive - this is crime fiction at its finest.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

A glossary of the core characters is in the front of the book, which is very helpful.

This is the 5th book in the series, and what an incredible story it is. Well, it is two stories running side by side. DI Fawley and his team are called upon to investigate an alleged sexual assault of a student by a professor at Oxford University. They are shocked to find out that the Professor is a woman and the student a man.

Meanwhile, DI Adam Fawleys’ wife is growing increasingly edgy. The man that raped her, and murdered several young women, has been released from prison. It was while investigating that case that DI Fawley met his wife. Alex is heavily pregnant with their second child. Their first child had died tragically.

Well, this is a busy book with both stories having such powerful impacts. I liked how the story of the sexual assault investigation had me swaying between who to believe as they told of the events that night. The story switched to Alex, as she believed someone was watching her. Being advised to rest due to her pregnancy complications, she decided to investigate the rape case she had been a victim in herself, which almost cost her life. The man convicted had always shouted his innocence.

The story jumps off the scales as the unthinkable occurs. I felt numb and in shock. The story had gone from brilliant to nuclear. It was all I could think about. It is just superb writing, with superb characters, and an ending that is untouchable. Wow!

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

I confess, I surprised myself when I read The Whole Truth by Cara Hunter.

That's different, mind you, to being surprised by the book, which I really wasn't. This is the fifth offering in the Oxford-based DI Adam Fawley series. I'd expected it to be a start-at-the-beginning-and hang-on-to-your-hat-until-you-reach-the-end kind of novel, and it absolutely was.

The trouble is, I read the book as an electronic proof (for which, thank you NetGalley), and I didn't check out the descriptive blurb because, well, I'd waited a long time for this latest story, and I was keen to get going. Had I done so, I'd have realised from the outset that the book pivoted around a student's allegation of sexual assault, brought against an Oxford professor. And, had I done so, I would have avoided the unsettling realisation that, like the attending Thames Valley detectives, my initial, but flawed, assumption had been that the accuser would be female, and the accused, male.

This book is a masterclass in laying bare latent prejudices. Hunter commands the complex plot deftly and sensitively, unveiling opposing truths, and chipping away at the details of the alleged crime. Alongside the college-based crime, one of Fawley's old cases comes back to bite him, big time. It takes the full skills of the familiar faces on the detective team, with a little help from Fawley's heavily pregnant wife, to make sure the right man, or woman, gets brought to justice.

This psychological thriller is perfect for fans of Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series. Not heard of DI Fawley before? You're in for a treat. Go right back to where it all began in 'Close to Home' and enjoy!

An attractive student. An older professor, think you’ve read something like this before ......?? WRONG
Where to begin! I devoured this book in one day. Words don’t do this book by Cara Hunter justice. Love the format with the screen shot text messages and clever diagrams something new and innovative.
This book has two separate story lines but in no way confusing. Such a fabulous read. Sorry it had to end. I’ll definitely be looking out for her new book come to no harm. This author is definitely up there with the best!

#TheWholeTruth #NetGalley I do love this series of books and whilst this is quite capable of being read as a stand alone, it does enhance the reading pleasure if you know more about DI Fawley's history and back story. Easy to read, with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns. I particularly like the style of writing where interviews are written as interviews and the introduction of the podcast. It keeps the interest level and breaks up the chapters nicely. I also found the bios at the beginning of the book a helpful reminder of the key characters. Great read and cant wait for the next one in this series.

Although this was the first book by this author I’d read, I liked the sound of the synopsis and although part of a series, it worked as a standalone title, height a useful rundown of me characters etc at the beginning.

‘The Whole Truth’ focuses around the investigation that follows when a student at Oxford University accuses one of the professors of sexual assault. However the student is male, a study rugby player whilst the predator is high. class and established female professor, so not the usual case by any means. During the process of figuring out the truth DI Fawley and his team come across other issues which could hinder their progress...

It took me quiet a while to get into the writing style of this book, no definitely chapters as such and the use of short paragraphs, notes, text conversations, interviews etc means you are constantly needing to keep track of who is who and what is going on. In saying that I did manage to keep a firm grip on the story, although I did feel it was very slow to start with, it did however pick up pace in the latter half of the book and it was a satisfactory ending with all pieces tied together, keeping the suspense going until the very end.

Maybe I might have enjoyed it more if I’d read the rest of the series but nevertheless it was still an ok read. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for the advanced readers copy.

This is the first of the DI Fawley that I have read. Having read so many good reviews I was really looking forward to it. The first time I started it I really struggled with the writing style though I did like the list of characters with a precis of their stories at the beginning. I gave up but started again having read a glowing review in The Times. I wish I had downloaded it as an audio book having listened to the audio clip as it sounded much better than reading it.. Unfortunately not for me.

Thanks to Penguin, Cara Hunter and NetGalley for the advance review copy of The Whole Truth.

First of all I should point out that at the time of requesting this book, I hadn't appreciated that this was the 5th book in a series. I was worried at first that this would take away my enjoyment and understanding of the book, however the author Cara Hunter had included a really useful Who's Who type intro at the beginning which acted as useful background on all the characters or an aide memoir to help refresh people's memories.

A psychological Crime series feauring Di Adam Fawley, this latest story has two stories running alongside each other.

The first is a call about a sexual assault at an Oxford college. The team think they've seen it all before - a student accusing a professor, except this time it's a male rugby playing student who is accusing a female highly regarded professor of sexual assault.

At the same time, Adam Fawley's heavily pregnant wife Alex starts seeing a white van close to their home and is worried that the so called Roadside Rapist is back. Alex is one of the rapists' victims and thanks to her now husband Adam, they secured the evidence to get him convicted. He's now our of prison and Alex is convinced hes coming back to get them - just like he threatened when he went to the cells.

Adam finds himself thrust into the limelight when evidence arises that links HIM to a serious crime. Is he being framed and what can he do to prove his innocence?

The story lines both have DI Fawley as the common denominator and as a newbie to the series I almost expected them to merge. The story was well paced with lots of twists and reveals and I really enjoyed the inclusion of podcasts, newspapers and text messages to add another dynamic to the story. That said, the handdrawn note images didnt work well at all on a kindle - sadly there was no way of zooming in to fully read the text!

Overall I enjoyed The Whole Truth but I do wonder if I would be more invested with the characters if I had read the whole collection.

3/5

If you've followed this series from the beginning, this is now book five, then you'll know just how good these books are, and if you haven't read any of them then you are missing out on a really good psychological crime series. In this book we meet again with DI Adam Fawley and his investigative team in Oxford, a place it would seem is always a hot bed of crime and none more so than in The Whole Truth which has a very personal feel for Adam Fawley.

When Fawley's team are called in to investigate the allegation of a sexual assault at one of Oxford's colleges, they are surprised when the perpetrator of this serious crime turns out to be female, and her victim a male student. This juxtaposition allows the story to take a fascinating look at how we perceive sexual crime and the investigative team have a difficult task in determining just how much is being revealed by both characters.

Running alongside this complicated mystery is another complex strand to the story which the author cover in a series of well placed podcasts. These help to move the story along and also give the commentary a very modern feeling which heightens the tension for one well known character who has more reasons than most to tune into the podcast.

As always, this talented author brings a fascinating and highly complex crime story to life. The characterisation is excellent, I particularly liked the character summaries at the start of the novel which act as an aide memoir in case you forget who's who. The crimes at the heart of the story are complex and detailed but the author cuts through the story with her skilful knife, revealing little snippets here and there but never revealing the final little piece of the puzzle until the very end when, wham, there it is, the twist in the tale which makes everything fall so beautifully into place.

I've said it before, but it's worth saying again, this series just get better and better and as each well crafted crime story ends so I already start to look forward to meeting up again with Adam Fawley and his team as they attempt to investigate the complicated crimes which seem to occur in the Oxford of this talented author's vivid imagination.

This is the 5th in the DI Adam Fawley series and I’ve read every one of them. Each one has been great and this is no exception. Another great story, I can’t wait for the next.

This is a brilliant story which had me gripped throughout. I am loving this series and look forward to reading more

A slow burning and complex story, gripping and enjoyable.
Even if it's the second book I read by this author had no issue with the plot or the characters as there's plenty of backstory.
The plot is well thought, full of twists and turns. There's various subplot but the author does an excellent job in never making you feel confused.
Even if it's a bit too slow at times I appreciated the character development and the plot.
REcommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Whole Truth is not only the first book from the DI Adam Fawley series that I have read but it is also my first Cara Hunter book. I found this book to be a little slow paced for my liking but there was a lot of interesting things happening that managed to keep me interested.

This book features two different storylines. One being a sexual assault and the other being a murder that is linked to DI Fawley’s past. The first storyline was very intriguing because it was hard to know who was telling the truth and who was lying. The second storyline was interesting because I do like me some revenge.

There were so many twists and turns throughout this book which kept me from predicting anything that was going to happen. That epilogue totally blew my mind.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

This is a great read I absolutely loved it, there are 2 stories so it can get complicated. You don't need to have read previous books to enjoy this one as it gives a catch up.

I didn’t actually realise when I got approved for this that it was the 5th in the series, however at the beginning there is a brief summary of the main characters and important information, it was abit confusing for the first few chapters but it definitely got easier to follow.

It follows two different stories that follow on throughout, a sexual assault case and the lead character having his past catching up with him. I did find that it was very detailed throughout but the endings of each to me felt a little rushed, but still brilliant.

I did guess a few parts, however there were some twists that got me and I was shocked. I definitely wish I’d have read the previous books but after this, I’m definitely starting from the beginning and will hopefully re-read this!

The Whole Truth by Cara Hunter

Marina Fisher is one of Oxford’s most celebrated professors, leading the way in AI research as well as being a popular teacher. DI Adam Fawley isn’t alone in being surprised when Caleb Morgan, a rugby-playing student, accuses the professor of sexual assault. Morgan’s mother is also a powerful and influential woman. This unusual case, which soon attracts the attention of the media, is not going to be an easy one for Fawley and his team. Fawley has other matters on his mind. The so-called Roadside Rapist, whom Fawley put away, is about to be released. It’s not easy to forget the threats made against Fawley at the time. His wife Alex is heavily pregnant and she, too, has good reason to be afraid.

This series, of which The Whole Truth is the fifth, has become one of the very best that I’ve ever read. If you haven’t read the others, it doesn’t really matter but you’ll want to after reading this. I still have the first two to read and I’m off out this afternoon to buy them!

There are lots of reasons why this is such a good series but one of them is its Oxford location. It’s my hometown and, while it’s often the location of thankfully fictional murder, this is the Oxford that I know and love. I recognise buildings, streets, the feel of the place. The University plays its part but so, too, does the rest of the city. One novel actually got very close to home! Cara Hunter knows Oxford inside out and she puts this fabulous city on the page.

I love the style of The Whole Truth. Like the other novels, it’s clever and engaging. A range of perspectives are used, including the first-person viewpoint of Adam Fawley who, at times, even seems to address us. But we also spend time with members of his team and his wife, Alex. All of them seem preoccupied with something and I like that, it’s how life is. Mixing with these are extracts from all kinds of things – tweets, newspaper reports, police interviews, texts. I love it! There are no chapters, everything pushes on with immediacy. It’s extremely difficult to put down, not just because it’s so good but also because there are no pauses.

The Whole Truth has an excellent and involved plot and much of it is character-driven. I found the character of Marina Fisher, and the insight into her world, fascinating. This could well be my favourite of the series. To put it simply, I think it’s utterly brilliant.

Other reviews
No Way Out
All the Rage

EXCERPT: I wonder what she would have said if she knew the truth.

Gavin Parrie isn't stupid, she's right about that. And he'd have a hell of a lot to lose, she's right about that too. But he does have a reason. A reason that might - perhaps - be worth the risk.

Revenge.

Because he wasn't just venting, that day, in court.

He was guilty. He knows that and I know that. But there's something else we both know.

Gavin Parrie was convicted on a lie.

ABOUT 'THE WHOLE TRUTH': An attractive student. An older professor.

Think you know the story? Think again.

She has everything at stake; he has everything to lose. But one of them is lying, all the same.

When an Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, DI Adam Fawley's team think they've heard it all before. But they couldn't be more wrong.

Because this time, the predator is a woman and the shining star of the department, and the student a six-foot male rugby player.

Soon DI Fawley and his team are up against the clock to figure out the truth. What they don't realise is that someone is watching.

And they have a plan to put Fawley out of action for good.

MY THOUGHTS: The Whole Truth by Cara Hunter has two storylines involving DI Adam Fawley. There's a distinctly different and muddied case of sexual assault, and an old case of Adam's, which actively involves his very pregnant wife Alex, looks like it is coming back to haunt them.

This is a heart-in-the-mouth addition to an excellent series. I have become quite fond of Adam and his team, most of whom are loyal to their boss. But there's always one, isn't there, who wants to take him down.

There are plenty of twists and turns in both storylines and at times I felt like I was in a tumble dryer and didn't know which way was up. Cara Hunter has done a wonderful job of making this work. At no point was I in any way confused, just incredibly excited and invested in the outcome.

Hunter has seamlessly blended two intriguing storylines with a progression in the characters personal lives. Adam and Alex's is fraught with tension on several fronts, and we learn a bit more about Asante.

Another thing I really appreciated was the refresher on the series characters at the beginning of the book. Other authors, please take note.

The one fly in the ointment for me was the reproduction of Alex's notes. It was totally unreadable on the Kindle. 🤷‍♀️

The narration on the audiobook was excellent. It was provided by Lee Ingleby, Emma Cunnliffe and Roy McMillan.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheWholeTruth #NetGalley #carahunterauthor #penguinukbooks #penguinrandomhouse

@CaraHunterBooks @PenguinUKBooks @PenguinRandom

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #series

THE AUTHOR: Cara Hunter is a writer who lives in Oxford, in a street not unlike those featured in her series of crime books.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Penguin Random House UK audio and Penguin General UK via Netgalley for providing both a digital and audio ARC for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This is the fifth instalment in the DI Adam Fawley series, however I read this as a stand alone as it’s a “new to me” series. The author included a very useful character summary at the start of the book, which was a welcome addition.

There are two storylines, the first follows the investigation of a sexual attack on a male student by a female professor and the second is a previous murder case Fawley worked on years ago.
As the team investigate the most recent case, they make no secret of their concerns over the va
lidity of the claim. Could a highly successful, slender and slight female really overpower a six-foot male rugby player?

Meanwhile, the murderer from the historical case is released after serving an eighteen sentence. This case has a personal connection for Fawley – not only was he the lead investigator but his now wife was also a surviving victim of the murderer.

There were so many twists and turns in both storylines to keep me engaged throughout. My only criticism was the use of graphics within the text, simply for the reason that I found them hard to read on a kindle screen, however this did not detract from my overall enjoyment. I imagine they work much better in physical copy.
As this was the first in the series I have read, I will definitely be looking to catch up on the previous four titles and eagerly await the next instalment.

Many thanks to Penguin General UK and NetGalley UK for the review copy.

This is the fifth book in the series but Cara has very carefully introduced all the characters so that someone like me reading this series for the first time has a basis to understand the characters. I did find it a tad confusing as there was no real distinction when the character being written about or telling the story changed. Redaing this on the kindle required the use of a magnifyer when some of the articles where shown as these could not be blown up. It was an unusual way to write a story by interacting with the media, the police, the witness, the suspect and the group fighting to prove a wrongful arrest and final judgment. I loved the fat that there was more than one story taking the limelight but each being evaluated by the same police station.
There was lots of twists and the characters all remained real throughout. The descriptions of the locations was well described and as a reader I felt that I was there with the subjects.
A well written and balanced book. I need now to look for the others in the series so that I can really get to grips with the characters prior to this situation.
A good author who writes with great clarity.

This book has a very good plot line but I personally found that it dragged one story out too long and then ended it abruptly! There are two different storylines here and I found one to be really intriguing but the second not so. Still I would recommend this book as a good mystery tale.