Review|Where Secrets Lie (DS Karen Hart #2) By D.S. Butler

Beneath a quiet village, dark crimes lie buried.
When decomposed human remains are discovered in a suitcase behind a locked door in the home of an elderly man, Detective Karen Hart thinks the facts speak for themselves. That is, until she finds the warning: It's time to pay for your crime.
The body belongs to a former teacher, Oliver Fox, who vanished from the village thirty years earlier. Hart's instincts tell her there is something untoward about this rural Lincolnshire community--especially when she uncovers evidence suggesting that, although Fox was a victim, he certainly wasn't innocent. As the extent of Fox's crimes becomes apparent and the web of lies continues to unravel, almost nobody in the village is above suspicion.
When there are whispers of child abuse in connection with the case, it's clear someone is willing to do anything to keep the sinister truth buried. Can Hart find the culprit before more lives are lost?

D.S. Butler is most definitely one of those authors who just command your attention.  Where Secrets Lie is a testament to her skill.  I ended up picking up this novel on a whim, and boy am I glad I did.  Her characterisation is a crescendo to the senses.  The validity, the moral dilemmas and the utter humanness leaves you in awe with the realism.  These characters could be members of your own family, work colleagues or neighbours.  My introduction to this series has left me aching for more and I’m looking forward to the next available moment I must delve into this remarkable series. 

DC Karen Hart has a history.  A traumatic history.  She knows what its like to lose someone close to her.  She can empathise the sheer pain that can be inflicted on a family when they deliver the news that a loved one has been killed.  This makes her a jewel in the team.  Her insight is invaluable.  She’s the mother of the team.  She is aware of unease and hesitation within the team.  Her experience allows her to be a beacon of support to her younger officers and this gave Karen instant likeability points. 

It’s no big surprise that I am a massive fan of police procedurals surrounding female officers.  I loved the journey of self-discovery and finally self-acceptance.  She always knew what was best for her and when she finally stopped listening to what family thought she accepted it and moved on.  Where Secrets Lie was a fantastical world with different and clashing personalities and professional dynamics had the drama spinning out of control, I was in my element. 

The plot contained within Where Secrets Lie was explosive.  It didn’t take long for my brain to be on red alert and I very quickly realised that D.S. Butler weaves a very intricate web.  The narrative hit nail after nail – it had every little aspect so perfectly executed, a perfect combination in a police procedural.  I take my hat off to the author (if I was indeed wearing one) for the compelling and often gruesome depictions of murders and conditions of corpses.  I just love when a novel of this calibre can just get in my head and live there rent free!  I wanted to get into the perpetrators head and work out why they would do such things.  On that basis both Karen and I had a lot in common! 

A cold case has its problems such as the lack of DNA evidence after thirty odd years.  What would make someone take an active role in digging up the past?  What was the trigger?  It was refreshing to have the boring aspect given page time – the sourcing of information leading to copious amounts of paperwork…good old-fashioned police work. 

The prologue gave us a heart stopping kick off to the novel.  The author had me reeled in, I didn’t want to stop.  She led me down a deserted path full of bump in the night scares and rustling bushes.  I swallowed down my fear and let D.S. Butler lead the way.

Where Secrets Lie is a terrifically fast paced read.  Butler has all the skills and her narrative is sharper than a stiletto.  I can’t wait to read the next installment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Thank you for coming to visit my website. I’m Danica and I write crime fiction and mysteries under the name D. S. Butler. If you’ve stumbled across this page after having read one of my books, thank you very much for your support!

To find out more about my two police procedural series and my psychological thrillers, click on the D.S. Butler tab in the menu above. If you’d like to get an email from me when my latest book is released, please add your email address to the newsletter subscription form below or under the newsletter tab.

I write mysteries in many different flavours — some grittier than others and use two other pen names (Dani Oakley and Danica Britton).

The books I write as Dani Oakley are set in the East End of London, usually in the fifties and sixties. They are full of gangsters and strong female characters. These books are darker in tone. The books published under Danica Britton are cozy mysteries. These books are lighter and full of fun.

I am also on Facebook and Twitter – so come and say hello!

D.S.Butler Website