Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC of Making a Killing by Cara Hunter. This is a first read series for me. The design of the book is one of my favorite parts, seeing all the parts that the DCI uses to solve the case. Thank you again for including the “get to know the characters” at the beginning for those who needed a recap. The readers make the novel too! They have done a great job giving life to the characters and are the same from previous books. This novel is a ripped from the headlines type case. I find myself flipping the pages and staying up late to finish and never seem to solve it correctly which makes me love the writing even more. If you haven’t read the first book in the series start there, it’s important so you don’t get any spoilers from this title. But if you decide to just start here, you’ll still enjoy the story just not know the characters as intimately.

Overall, I don't have too much to say about this book, because it just didn't stick out to me when I listened to it. It was probably a mistake trying to get into this book without having read the first ones, even though this book takes place a whole six years after the last book, but there was just a lot going on. There was a whole laundry list of Police personnel in this book and it was so hard to keep track of them all, which I feel like was pretty unnecessary. Then, after it was found that the person that was arrested and convicted for a murder was actually innocent, we dont discipline that team and just let them continue investigating the new lead? Absolutely not. And after everything is revealed, we find out that the girl was 8 when she planned everything out including running away and getting her mother convicted of her murder? It is just way too farfetched to believe, even in a book.

Thank you to Cara Hunter, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for the audioARC of this book. This is my honest review.

This book kept me interesting but was also hard to follow at the same time sometimes. I felt like I had to think way to hard to remember what was happening it each place when it jumps from one town to the other and one person to the other. There were so many people involved in the book that I was constantly being like who are they again and what do they do. I think that was really hard to follow, but the overall story of Daisy being dead but faking her death and then find out she's alive and then not found again. It was very good but no ending to it. I think I would have preferred if they found her body and saw that she died from Kate. There was just so much going on and no finale of it all. And the last chapter or two was a short story but I didn't understand why it was there or what the prevalence of it was.

I always enjoy books that take advantage of different formats, but it was especially difficult to follow with so many characters and changes on an audiobook. The performers did a great job with it, but I think it would have been a lot easier with print. The other big thing is that for me, if a book chooses to be dark and realistic, it should actually be logical and realistic. The investigation itself and the solution were highly improbable.

📚 Title: Making a Killing
Author: Cara Hunter
Genre: Crime Thriller / Police Procedural

Tense and twisty—an expertly plotted thriller that blends high-stakes crime-solving with emotional echoes from the past. Eight years after Daisy Mason’s disappearance and the conviction of her mother, a body is discovered that could reopen the case. DCI Adam Fawley—haunted by his past involvement—returns to Oxford to untangle new evidence, hidden motives, and dangerous truths.

Mood 🕵️‍♂️⚖️🧬⏳
🕵️‍♂️ Detective grit and relentless investigation
⚖️ Justice, moral complexity, and courtroom stakes
🧬 Forensic clues and new evidence
⏳ Time’s weight—old wounds reopening

Cara Hunter delivers a gripping procedural with emotional resonance. Taut pacing, multiple formats (reports, transcripts), and a haunted detective make for a compelling read—but starting with Close to Home is recommended for full impact.

This audiobook was overall ok and was an easy listen.
It was an interesting story but overall predictable.

The characters were interesting and well thought.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

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

Making a Killing by Cara Hunter, narrated by Emma Cunniffe, Lee Ingleby, David Blair, and Alexandra Boulton

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.

I jumped into this at book 7 but I don't regret it at all! I would love to find the time to read the previous books because I think this book would knock it out of the park with all the background information too. That being said it isn't necessary and the book was still phenomenal without knowing about the first case.
Not that I want this to happen in real life, but I love the idea that the first case was solved wrong and the victim is still alive. I don't feel at all bad for the mother who is serving time because she seems to have deserved it for her treatment of her daughter. All the little pieces that came together for this case to be solved were well done, a masterclass on how to set up the crime scene. I was impressed with the plot, the pace, the characters, the details.

Thank you NetGalley, the author Cara Hunter, and HarperAudio for my ARC of this audiobook.

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.

Thank you NetGalley! This is my first audio book by this author. I went into it excited but nervous the mixed media that is so pre leant in Cara Hunter books would be difficult without seeing it. I was wrong. The multiple narrators helped tremendously to differentiate and set the set the scene.

Making a Killing by Cara Hunter

The highly-anticipated follow up book to CLOSE TO HOME (the very first book in the DI Adam Fawley series) is finally here and I have to say I hope this series never ends. While this is the 7th book in the installment, it takes place 8 years after the first book and 6 years after sixth book, HOPE TO DIE. I highly recommend reading them in order because like I said this one is a continuation of the first! Now that I’ve talked in a complete circle let me get to my actual thoughts on the book

I’m not going to go into details as to not spoil anything, but I will say this one was a tad slower moving than her others. I usually fly through these — they are fun, twisty, and they always have that Cara Hunter format, full of multimedia elements (ie. texts, interviews, news articles, pictures/diagrams, etc.) And like my past reviews have mentioned, you’ll fall in love with DI Adam Fawley and his team. This one didn’t hold my attention as much and I didn’t constantly reach for it like I have her others. Like I said, it was definitely a slower burn and it didn’t really have me on the edge of my seat. Certain parts dragged more than others, but I did really enjoy one of the reveals/twists!

My last real “complaint” is that I felt like I spent way less time with DI Fawley and his quirky, flawed, Thames Valley team. Because of the crime storyline/location, we are introduced to a different team of detectives and it was way too many to keep track of in my opinion. Despite my few complaints, this was still an enjoyable read and I recommend reading it to continue the series.

I loved the tie-ins to her other books and I loved the ending with Adam and his dad! I can’t wait to be back with them soon.

3.5 stars! Thank you for allowing me to listen to the audiobook! Great narration 10/10

Hunter combines elements of suspense, mystery, and psychological tension as it unravels a complex murder investigation intertwined with dark secrets and twists. Mostly set in Oxford, England, where the story unfolds within the city’s familiar streets and neighborhoods. This narrative delves into the world of television production, specifically focusing on the true-crime show Infamous, which revisits a high-profile case from the past. This setting provides a backdrop that explores the intersection of media influence, public perception, and the complexities of criminal investigations.

I have been watching for a while for the most recent book in the DI Adam Fawley series to be released in the states so imagine the thrill when the audiobook showed up in Netgalley and I was granted an early copy.

What I liked about this book

The narrators for the audiobooks are great. I am pretty sure it has been the same three throughout the series.

I enjoy seeing all the characters again and really like Fawley as the main protagonist. I appreciate that in every book she introduced the characters again before starting the story. It really helps with such a big cast.

Hunter writes a good police procedural with interesting crimes, investigations and twists.

Issues with the book
I feel like for the next book in the series I should try the ebook instead of the audiobook and see if it flows better. The books include lots of transcripts and emails which does get boring when the narrator has to read all the email addresses, etc.

While I really like this series, this book's investigation felt the most far fetched and unrealistic. Hundreds of man hours were spent on the case which seemed pretty improbable. Plus, they added loads of characters from another police department and keeping them straight was pretty tricky, especially on audio.

I started the series on the second book because I accidently spoiled the first book and the twist was too tragic to want to go back and read. Unfortunately this book was based on the case from the first book. I am sure it would have been more enjoyable if I had read the first one.

Finally, the villain arc in this book required a suspension of disbelief that was more than I could manage. I mean, I am familiar with 8 year olds and I cannot seriously believe that one could pull off a criminal operation that this one does. Even at 16 it seems far fetched. Precocious doesn't even describe it.

Finally, the ending was a big let down, especially when I didn't like the villain. So, three stars from me this time.

Thank you, Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my review!

This was the second book of Cara Hunter's that I have read , and before I started it, I didn't realize it was part of a series. What I appreciated was the beginning gave a bit of a crash course on previous characters so it was easy to get up to speed.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book is the incorporation of mixed media, such as interview transcripts and newspaper articles. This format is so fun to read and added a complexity to the police procedural aspect.

There were lots of twists and turns throughout the book and overall the reading experience was great.

Because of the mixed media, I recommend if you listen on audiobook, that you read along on a hard copy, it'll be easier to follow.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to listen to the audiobook as an arc.

Certain parts were hard to listen to. I feel like this would’ve been an easier book to read and not listen to, but I really enjoyed the plot. I feel like I should’ve definitely read all of the other books 1st, but it wasn’t too hard to follow along what was going on. The scheming was diabolical. I thoroughly enjoyed this and highly recommend it. I’m gonna go read all the other ones right now.

This one was a bit all over the place.
I will admit I didn’t see the ending coming. But it was too long, too many characters and too many POVs for me.
All around a good story and bonus points for mentioning the case that keeps me up at night #JBR

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I was instantly drawn into this story. Even though I don’t usually listen to many procedurals these days, this one grabbed my attention and held it tight. The way it slowly revealed what happened in the past made me genuinely curious. I wanted to know every detail and felt totally invested in piecing everything together.

The mystery wasn’t just about solving a crime—it was about uncovering secrets and understanding the characters on a deeper level. The pacing was perfect, keeping me hooked without ever feeling rushed. Every twist kept me guessing, and I loved how unpredictable it was.

The audiobook itself was a fantastic experience. The narration made the story come alive, pulling me in even more. It was exciting and fast-paced, but also had layers that stuck with me after listening. This story reminded me how much I enjoy a great mystery, and now I’m really looking forward to the next one in the series.

Another great installment in the DI Adam Fawley series! The multiple narrators turns this book into a real performance.

I enjoyed the narrator. The story was interesting; although a little hard to follow in audio. I think reading the actual book would have been better for me to follow the investigation better.