Cara Hunter is back, baby! (She didn’t go anywhere I just was absolutely desperate for another one of her books!)

MAKING A KILLING is book seven in an outstanding crime series and while it wasn’t my favorite installment, it was lovely to be back with the characters I’m so obsessed with. The book felt a little slower than what I usually expect from Hunter and there was one detail that I had a hard time with (but I can’t talk about it because it would be spoiler central!), but otherwise it was truly an excellent crime novel.

I think one reason it felt a little slower is because if you’ve already read CLOSE TO HOME then you know one key detail that it takes the characters about half the book to discover. After Fawley and Co. caught up to me (🕵🏼‍♀️) the pacing felt much more my speed! Also, there’s a little b-plot romance for one of my favorite side characters which really worked for me!

I love the way Hunter weaves in mixed media elements and how cleverly she recaps things from earlier books with a little case file and news articles. Also, the Oxford setting can’t be beat.

📚reading order: in my humble opinion, you absolutely MUST start with CLOSE TO HOME (book one). MAKING A KILLING revisits that insanely bananas case and it reading book one before book seven is well worth your time. If you don’t want to read books 2-6 that’s your call (it’s a silly call because they’re excellent, but still).

📖if you need a standalone MURDER IN THE FAMILY is a must read! There’s even a few cameos in MAK!

3.5 rounded up. This is my first cara hunter book and I will readore as I did like her writing style. When I requested this book I didn't pay attention that is was a part of a series.. It is also a pick up of book. One which I didn't read but I was able to get through this one just fine.. However I would suggest probably reading book 1 first just for more lore

I did enjoy the plot of this book. If there is a continuation of these characters I will need to read. But it is a slow burn and I felt it was probably a little too long. I feel like it took me a long time to read. I did like the mixes media though.. With emails, newspaper articles, typed out interviews. Mixed media works well for me bc it keeps my attention especially in slower paced books

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format and print format.

Cara Hunter’s Making a Killing is a taut, emotionally charged entry in the DI Adam Fawley series that blurs the line between justice and spectacle. Set in Oxford’s shadowy corners and media-slick studios, this installment finds Fawley grappling with the fallout of a wrongful conviction—his own. When a true-crime TV show reopens the 2016 murder of an eight-year-old girl, a buried body and a fresh trail of evidence force Fawley to confront the case that nearly ended his career43dcd9a7-70db-4a1f-b0ae-981daa162054.

What elevates this audiobook is its full-cast narration. Emma Cunniffe brings a quiet intensity to the procedural elements, while Lee Ingleby’s portrayal of Fawley captures the detective’s internal conflict with understated gravitas. David Blair and Alexandra Boulton round out the ensemble with performances that add texture and urgency, especially in scenes that toggle between past and present timelines.

Hunter’s writing is razor-sharp, but it’s the audio format that amplifies the novel’s emotional resonance. The shifting perspectives—hallmark of the Fawley series—are rendered with clarity and nuance, making the mystery feel immersive rather than fragmented. The production leans into the true-crime framing, with faux-interviews and media snippets that echo the voyeurism of real-life docuseries.

Making a Killing isn’t just a whodunit—it’s a meditation on guilt, redemption, and the ethics of storytelling. For fans of crime fiction who crave psychological depth and a touch of meta-commentary, this audiobook delivers a gripping, multilayered experience that lingers long after the final chapter.

Thank you NetGalley! This was another great addition the the DI Adam Fawley series. As always I love the mixed media aspect as it helps set up the story. I was lucky to have read Close to Home right before this

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Making a Killing.

I became a DCI Adam Fawley fan after reading a few books in the series. It took me awhile to warm up to him but now I look forward to a new book in the series.

It has been six years since Fawley's last case and he's settled at home with his wife and six-year-old daughter and a stint in the counterterrorism department.

The members of his team have all moved on with their lives but when a previous solved case returns with new evidence, Fawley is called in to bring his old team back to reopen the case.

But what will emerge from opening an old can of worms?

The mystery relates to a former case from an earlier book which I don't recall since it was awhile ago.

I liked the mystery, it was twisty and intriguing, but since I read nothing but these types of books I quickly figured out what was going on.

It's great to see Fawley and his team back again though he takes a backseat to the investigation as his team and colleagues from a neighboring town work together.

There are a lot of witnesses and suspects and names began to bleed together.

I always enjoy the police procedural aspects as cops interview everyone, process the clues, pull data and footage and talk it out.

I wasn't a fan of all the media excerpts and blurbs.

I dislike this literary device since a little goes a long way and it distracts from the narrative, slows down the pacing. At least there weren't excepts of Twitter feeds. Those are SOO annoying.

The ending was ambiguous which I could tell was headed that way since the book was nearing the end and the cops were nowhere close to finding the main culprits.

I understand the author left it open ended in order to bring the characters back at a later date if she chooses to.

Not a bad mystery but I hope the next book cuts down on the media excerpts and has more of Fawley.

Entertaining crime thriller and police procedural.

The first thing I should say is that this is the first of the series featuring DI Adam Fawley that I have read. So, coming in completely cold to the backstory and the characters. I didn't realize this was a followup to the first book. Regardless, I found it easy to follow even though the story twisted and turned.

The plot centers on the discovery that a child who had been considered dead, Daisy Mason, was possibly still alive and everything that the police had done prior was a mistake, including the conviction of Daisy's mother who had been in prison already for 8 hours.

The narrative unfolds with transcripts of phone calls, interviews, emails, newspaper articles and other bits that make the procedural part of the investigation seem so much more real. There were a lot of characters that were hard to keep straight, but a helpful guide provided by the author was included at the start of the book. I thoroughly enjoy this mystery but am completely stymied by the lack of closure with that ending. If someone could help me, I'd appreciate it! yes, I like it all spelled out in a tidy conclusion.

I was able to listen to the audio book while following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. I liked the multi-cast performance, but often times the narrator did not change their tone or voice, or use various accents, etc. to match the character. Some were fairly monotone actually. It is particularly hard when the male voice was reading through phone transcripts as both voices sounded exactly alike. Regardless, I do enjoy the listening while reading experience.

Cara Hunter is a big hot or miss author for me, mainly because how her books emphasise so much on the mixed media aspect that they don't have any parts with regular narration. Thankfully this wasn't the case with this book. And I'm happy to report that I really like this one! The mystery itself, plus the twisted psyche of the people involved had me biting my nails. The characters were so well done that you could relate to them on some level of the other. And...I wasn't ready for that ending. Makes me want to gobble up the entire series in one go. 4.75 out of 5 stars.

If you've read the first DCI Adam Fawley book, Close to Home, you'll remember many of these characters - particularly Daisy Mason, the victim, who was never found either dead or alive. Making a Killing opens with a murder that seemingly has a connection to the persecution of witches over the centuries in England (with a wonderful shout-out for fans of Minette Walters' excellent CWA Gold Dagger-winning novel, The Scold's Bridle), but the situation quickly devolves when a link is found that indicates that Daisy is still alive. After that, it's a race to solve both cases - the present-day murder, and a reinvestigation of the conviction that Fawley's team attained for Daisy's presumed killer.
I really love two things about Cara Hunter's writing: the way she incorporates emails, newspaper clippings, and other media that pertain to the case, and the way she details how police teams work. In this novel, the Thames Valley and the South Mercia police teams have to work together under Fawley's leadership to investigate the two cases, and she does an amazing job detailing the personalities, attitudes, and conflicts, and also showing the reader the way an investigative team might go about rechecking old leads and reinterviewing witnesses and suspects, eight years later. It's a remarkable portrait for a police procedural, and I don't say that lightly because I read a lot of them. Oh, and the resolution is very satisfying but leaves just enough ambiguity for another story featuring these characters.

Cara Hunter is back and I could not wait to get my hands on her latest. You may know her from her book 𝙈𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮, but she is best known for her DI Adam Fawley series which I have read and would highly recommend!)

This story begins with the discovery of a body that connects to the eight-year-old disappearance of Daisy Mason - a case Detective Inspector Adam Fawley first investigated in 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚 (the first book in the series). 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼 𝙆𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 can absolutely be read as a standalone, but if you do plan on reading the series, definitely read the first book first!

I love epistolary novels as they offer a unique reading experience. If you enjoy police procedurals, I would highly recommend this series. Set in Oxford, Hunter does a fabulous job of keeping the reader engaged with her signature mix of narrative with police reports, social media comments, emails, and online news.

The story is told from multiple POV’s - Adam Fawley and his team as we follow their investigation, as well as another POV that moves the story along (don’t want to spoil anything!) Be aware though as there are no chapters but there are frequent paragraph breaks every time there’s a scene/POV shift.

This was a fun investigation and my guesses about what was about to happen was constantly changing. Hunter is such a smart thriller writer and did a great job of leading the reader along as twists and turns reveal themselves in the most unexpected ways. With well developed characters and a well paced read, yet somewhat ambiguous ending, I would absolutely recommend this book!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and it was my first of this series to read. I was grateful that the author begins the book with a fun recap of the characters of the series and where they are to date.

In Making a Killer, DI Fawley and his team are called back together because a current crime scene that involves an unidentified woman victim found at a site where witches were once murdered is linked to one of their old (and solved cases). DNA is found linking the current crime to their old one. The problem? The DNA can only mean that the murder victim of their past case is not dead at all, but how did her DNA get to this crime scene?

Watching this team of investigators backtrack and unravel things they may have missed or things that were so well hidden everyone missed was so much fun. And the book is filled with all of these images of newspaper articles, emails, etc that make it interesting.

I'll definitely be reading the entire series!

In the summer of 2024, a case that DCI Adam Fawley had thought was behind him is about to be revisited. There is reason to suspect that Daisy Mason, an eight-year-old who had gone missing in 2016, may still be alive. A dog uncovers a grave containing the corpse of a female homicide victim. On the body is a hair that tests positive for Daisy's DNA. After the child vanished—her remains were never found— Daisy's mother, Sharon Mason, stood trial and was convicted of killing her daughter. From her cell, Sharon has consistently maintained her innocence.

In "Making a Killing," by Cara Hunter, DCI Adam Fawley and his colleagues at Thames Valley Police team up with officers from South Mercia. Their investigation will require excellent interviewing skills, technical expertise, patience, and resourcefulness. The detectives interrogate Daisy's parents and siblings, the girl's former schoolmates, and additional witnesses who might have useful information to share. Fawley and his colleagues spend countless hours wading through phone records, CCTV footage, emails, computer files, and other forensic evidence. Their findings leads them to suspect that they may have misinterpreted the facts surrounding Daisy's disappearance.

Hunter delves into such themes as the ways in which duplicitous and selfish people wreak havoc on those around them; the public's morbid preoccupation with true crime; and the challenging lives of homicide detectives, whose never-ending tasks leave them little time to eat, sleep, and socialize with friends and family. "Making a Killing" is long and occasionally meandering, there are quite a few names to keep track of, and the outcome is ambiguous. Nevertheless, this is an engrossing and hard-hitting novel that will appeal to fans of intense and psychologically complex police procedurals.

8 year old Daisy Mason disappears and is thought to be killed by her mother. 8 years later her DNA shows up at a crime scene. DI Adam Fawley the original investigator is sent to investigate the case.
This was a great story full of twists and turns. It had many interesting characters.
Thanks NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC in exchange for an honest review! This will be released in May 2025.

Call it 4.5 stars. I was given a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. I will start by saying I did not want to like this I am a fan of Cara Hunter, but, 1. this was a follow-up (?)/sequel (?) to her first book, Close to Home, and 2. the main character in each is seriously messed up and thoroughly unlikeable. Still, Hunter knows how to frame the story and ratchet up the suspense. I can't really say more without giving spoilers for the first book, but suffice it to say, sometimes the dead do come back to life. Highly recommended.

#MakingAKilling #NetGalley
Outstanding. 5 ⭐
In Making a Killing, Cara Hunter blends true-crime media frenzy with a haunting cold case to create a darkly compelling thriller that refuses to let go. Centered around the harrowing 2016 disappearance of an eight-year-old girl, the novel spins a new web of secrets, lies, and haunting misjudgments—forcing DCI Adam Fawley to confront a past mistake that still haunts him.
What I Like :-
1 Emotionally Complex Plot: The mystery is heart-wrenching and deeply layered, diving into themes of justice, redemption, and the consequences of getting it wrong.
2 Dual Perspectives: The media lens (via the true-crime show Infamous) adds a fresh twist, showing how public opinion can distort facts—and affect justice.
3 Tight Pacing and Twists: Hunter is a master of misdirection. Just when you think you know what’s happening, another twist shifts everything.
4 Fawley’s Personal Stakes: This isn’t just another case—this one nearly ruined an innocent life. The emotional weight Fawley carries adds depth and urgency.
Overall, Making a Killing is a masterfully told, emotionally resonant police procedural that will leave readers breathless. Cara Hunter expertly weaves suspense and heart into every chapter, raising the bar yet again for crime fiction. If you enjoy intricate investigations, flawed but deeply human detectives, and stories that hit hard, this one is not to be missed.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for giving me an advance copy.

Book number 7 in the DI Adam Fawley series. I didn't realize this when I requested and thought I might be lost as I haven't read any of the others. The author gives a description of the characters in the beginning with a summary of their personality traits, marital/children status, and any major events that have happened to them in the series. I could really appreciate that because it kept me from feeling lost. I felt like I knew the characters even though I didn't read any of the previous books. The plot was intriguing and kept my attention. Seems like a great series and I will go back to read the previous books.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow | William Morrow Paperbacks for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much net galley for this arc. and happy release day. so this book goes back to the first book about the daisy Mason case a horrific story. i love this series, it can be a little graphic at time but a solid series.

I loved being back with DCI Adam Fawley.
This story is captivating, full of mystery and tension.
Hunter’s writing is as always…. Engaging, fun and definitely intriguing.
The increasingly tense plot takes turns the reader won’t see coming.
Overall, a compelling, gripping read with plenty of suspense along the way.

You should read Cara Hunter’s DI Adam Fawley books in order. Making a Killing, the seventh in the series, proves that. Her very first book, Close to Home, not only introduced Fawley, but also his team and an eight-year-old girl who disappeared from a family party, Daisy Mason.

Eight years later, in 2024, a true crime TV producer sends a researcher to look into the Daisy Mason case. Two months later, when a dog finds a body stuffed in a tree, forensic evidence links the body to Daisy Mason, who was presumed dead. Now, Fawley and his team are reunited to examine the evidence from eight years early, and learn where they went wrong. Where has Daisy Mason been for all this time? How is she linked to the body in the tree?

Hunter’s latest novel is a step-by-step police procedural. There are emails, interviews, mug shots, enhanced photos. And, there are two teams of police examining evidence and clues as they try to link Daisy Mason’s disappearance with the latest victim. For those of us who love police procedurals, it’s a gripping examination of a case that went wrong, and a brilliant, manipulative criminal. And, Hunter leaves open the opportunity for a connecting thriller in the future.

If you haven’t started the series yet, I’d suggest you go back and read Close to Home before picking up this compelling novel.

Cara Hunter is a master writer of police procedurals. Making a Killing is another gripping, page turning mystery. I am going to keep this short and highly recommended starting with the first book in the series, Close To Home, and read the entire series. She is that good.

I really like the Fawley books and the idea of revisiting Daisy Mason’s story is a good one. Didn’t care for the end that much and I think the cast is getting too big, you only get a few scenes with each character. Still a good read and solid series!