Sweet Little Lies

by Caz Frear

Overview

"A gripping mystery starring a fascinating female detective . . . an exciting debut procedural that will leave readers wanting more from Caz Frear." —Bustle
Twenty-six-year-old Cat Kinsella overcame a troubled childhood to become a Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police Force, but she's never been able to banish these ghosts. When she's called to the scene of a murder in Islington, not far from the pub her estranged father still runs, she discovers that Alice Lapaine, a young housewife who didn't get out much, has been found strangled.
Cat and her team immediately suspect Alice's husband, until she receives a mysterious phone call that links the victim to Maryanne Doyle, a teenage girl who went missing in Ireland eighteen years earlier. The call raises uneasy memories for Cat—her family met Maryanne while on holiday, right before she vanished. Though she was only a child, Cat knew that her charming but dissolute father wasn't telling the truth when he denied knowing anything about Maryanne or her disappearance. Did her father do something to the teenage girl all those years ago? Could he have harmed Alice now? And how can you trust a liar even if he might be telling the truth?
Determined to close the two cases, Cat rushes headlong into the investigation, crossing ethical lines and trampling professional codes. But in looking into the past, she might not like what she finds . . .
"A gripping mystery." —People
"A dark and smart page-turner." —The New York Times
"Outstanding . . . a confident first novel that successfully melds the police procedural with the psychological thriller." —South Florida Sun Sentinel

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062823281
Publisher:	Harper
Publication date:	05/21/2024
Series:	The Cat Kinsella Novels , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	357
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Caz Frear has a degree in History & Politics, and when she's not agonizing over snappy dialogue or incisive prose, she can be found shouting at Arsenal football matches. Her first Cat Kinsella mystery was Sweet Little Lies. She grew up in Coventry, England, where she now lives. 

Editorial Reviews

A gripping mystery.” — People

“This remarkable debut features detective Cat Kinsella, who still experiences ‘constant low-level dread’ from festering family secrets. When a body is discovered near her dad’s London pub, Cat shakes off the fear that once ‘muzzled’ her, and unleashes herself on the investigation.” — Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“Frear keeps the reader riveted both to the progression of the case and the complicated truths the investigation exposes. In Cat, she has created a protagonist who is edgy and defensive, yet wry and incisive. Some passages will have you laughing out loud.  First published in June in the UK, TV rights have been purchased and the author has a two-book deal. So we’ll be seeing at least one more Cat Kinsella novel—and hopefully an ongoing series.  You might want to get in on the ground floor.” — Newark Star-Ledger

“I recently made the acquaintance of a new detective whom I rather liked. . . . [I] found myself intrigued by her heroine, 26-year-old Metropolitan Police Force detective constable Cat Kinsella. Like many fictional detectives, Cat has a troubled past, but she also has an agreeably caustic tongue and a questionable approach to ethics, and I enjoyed following her through a Tana French-ish procedural plot.” — Seattle Times

“ A gripping mystery starring a fascinating female detective, Sweet Little Lies is an exciting debut procedural that will leave readers wanting more from Caz Frear.”
— Bustle

“[A] taut, psychologically twisted debut . . .  Readers will root for the spiky Kinsella, with her emphatic center, and hope to see more of her in future books.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Cat’s evolution from one-dimensional sad sack to complex, honest adult is both believable and welcome, putting her on par with Susie Steiner’s and Tana French’s female detectives. A truly satisfying—and gritty—mystery.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Frear has fashioned a remarkably rich and sympathetic character in Cat, and her portrayal of dysfunctional families, especially their mix of world-weary dialogue interspersed with cutting comments, is cringingly realistic. . . . Impressive. . . will also work as a way of keeping Tana French fans happy while waiting for French’s next book.” — Booklist

“An assured debut . . . All the characters—minor or lead, living or dead—are well crafted. Frear also makes an impression with her vivid dialogue and prose . . . It’s no secret that Lies is an engrossing read.”
— Shelf Awareness

“Astonishingly assured. . . .  a stellar crime fiction debut by an author to watch.” — Crime by the Book

“Outstanding. . . . ‘Sweet Little Lies’ is a confident first novel that succinctly melds the police procedural with the psychological thriller.” — Oline Cogdill, The Sun Sentinel

“With a portrait of Cat with depth and nuance, Frear creates as fascinating a character as readers are likely to encounter this year. A complex tale of depravity—and daddy issues that threaten to overcome Frear’s protagonist—’Sweet Little Lies’ represents a study in the damage that falsehoods inflict, a meditation on the grievances and grief of family—and a thumping good read.” — The Free-Lance Star (Fredericksburg, VA)

“Caz Frear’s Sweet Little Lies has been generating a lot of buzz (It’s even been optioned for TV by Carnival Films, the producer of “Downtown Abbey”), and with good reason: It is one of the best debuts I’ve read in some time.” — BookPage Magazine

“An intense page-turner. Admirers of the police procedurals of Tana French and the thrillers of Clare Mackintosh will welcome Frear’s dramatic debut.”
— Library Journal

“A smart page-turner that you’d never guess was written by a first-time novelist.” — AARP, “Summer Fiction Preview 2018”

“Sweet Little Lies is a mesmerizing psychological murder mystery. An extraordinary debut novel that effectively takes a deep look at how we often struggle to cope with the realities of our darker past. [It] features an assortment of unforgettable characters and a plotline that is gripping, thought-provoking and genuine. . . . A captivating story.” — New York Journal of Books

“Sweet Little Lies is a tremendous debut. Caz Frear delivers on a compelling premise with taut prose, snappy dialogue, and a fresh, confident voice. Highly recommended!” — Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of The Wife

“A blistering debut from a major new voice. I couldn’t put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance.” — Erin Kelly, author of Broadchurch and He Said She Said

“Caz Frear’s ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut.” — Lynda La Plante, creator of Prime Suspect

“BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended.” — Marian Keyes

“Outstanding. . . Frear has an astonishingly confident voice for a new writer and there’s a dark humor that lifts the storytelling to a different level.”   — Ann Cleeves, creator of the Vera and Shetland series

“Sweet Little Lies is written with panache and is kick-ass feminist, as well as laugh-out-loud funny.” — The Independent (UK)

“A superb page-turner, packed with impressive police procedural, a fascinating, festering, twisting mystery that weaves tantalisingly between past and present, and a plot that thrills and confounds to the final showdown. A remarkable debut from an exciting new author.” — Lancashire Evening Post

From the Publisher

I recently made the acquaintance of a new detective whom I rather liked. . . . [I] found myself intrigued by her heroine, 26-year-old Metropolitan Police Force detective constable Cat Kinsella. Like many fictional detectives, Cat has a troubled past, but she also has an agreeably caustic tongue and a questionable approach to ethics, and I enjoyed following her through a Tana French-ish procedural plot.

Seattle Times

An assured debut . . . All the characters—minor or lead, living or dead—are well crafted. Frear also makes an impression with her vivid dialogue and prose . . . It’s no secret that Lies is an engrossing read.”

Shelf Awareness

Frear keeps the reader riveted both to the progression of the case and the complicated truths the investigation exposes. In Cat, she has created a protagonist who is edgy and defensive, yet wry and incisive. Some passages will have you laughing out loud.  First published in June in the UK, TV rights have been purchased and the author has a two-book deal. So we’ll be seeing at least one more Cat Kinsella novel—and hopefully an ongoing series.  You might want to get in on the ground floor.

Newark Star-Ledger

A gripping mystery starring a fascinating female detective, Sweet Little Lies is an exciting debut procedural that will leave readers wanting more from Caz Frear.”

Bustle

Astonishingly assured. . . .  a stellar crime fiction debut by an author to watch.

Crime by the Book

Frear has fashioned a remarkably rich and sympathetic character in Cat, and her portrayal of dysfunctional families, especially their mix of world-weary dialogue interspersed with cutting comments, is cringingly realistic. . . . Impressive. . . will also work as a way of keeping Tana French fans happy while waiting for French’s next book.

Booklist

This remarkable debut features detective Cat Kinsella, who still experiences ‘constant low-level dread’ from festering family secrets. When a body is discovered near her dad’s London pub, Cat shakes off the fear that once ‘muzzled’ her, and unleashes herself on the investigation.

Minneapolis Star-Tribune

A gripping mystery.

People

Frear has fashioned a remarkably rich and sympathetic character in Cat, and her portrayal of dysfunctional families, especially their mix of world-weary dialogue interspersed with cutting comments, is cringingly realistic. . . . Impressive. . . will also work as a way of keeping Tana French fans happy while waiting for French’s next book.

Booklist

Caz Frear’s Sweet Little Lies has been generating a lot of buzz (It’s even been optioned for TV by Carnival Films, the producer of “Downtown Abbey”), and with good reason: It is one of the best debuts I’ve read in some time.

BookPage Magazine

Outstanding. . . Frear has an astonishingly confident voice for a new writer and there’s a dark humor that lifts the storytelling to a different level.”  

Ann Cleeves

A blistering debut from a major new voice. I couldn’t put it down. Authentic, compelling, unflinching and tender and written with real verve and assurance.

Erin Kelly

Outstanding. . . . ‘Sweet Little Lies’ is a confident first novel that succinctly melds the police procedural with the psychological thriller.

Oline Cogdill

Caz Frear’s ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut.

Lynda La Plante

A superb page-turner, packed with impressive police procedural, a fascinating, festering, twisting mystery that weaves tantalisingly between past and present, and a plot that thrills and confounds to the final showdown. A remarkable debut from an exciting new author.

Lancashire Evening Post

Sweet Little Lies is a tremendous debut. Caz Frear delivers on a compelling premise with taut prose, snappy dialogue, and a fresh, confident voice. Highly recommended!

Alafair Burke

BRILLIANT! Unputdownable and great writing. Recommended.

Marian Keyes

“Sweet Little Lies is written with panache and is kick-ass feminist, as well as laugh-out-loud funny.

The Independent (UK)

A smart page-turner that you’d never guess was written by a first-time novelist.

“Summer Fiction Preview 2018” AARP

With a portrait of Cat with depth and nuance, Frear creates as fascinating a character as readers are likely to encounter this year. A complex tale of depravity—and daddy issues that threaten to overcome Frear’s protagonist—’Sweet Little Lies’ represents a study in the damage that falsehoods inflict, a meditation on the grievances and grief of family—and a thumping good read.

The Free-Lance Star (Fredericksburg

Sweet Little Lies is a mesmerizing psychological murder mystery. An extraordinary debut novel that effectively takes a deep look at how we often struggle to cope with the realities of our darker past. [It] features an assortment of unforgettable characters and a plotline that is gripping, thought-provoking and genuine. . . . A captivating story.

New York Journal of Books

Outstanding. . . Frear has an astonishingly confident voice for a new writer and there’s a dark humor that lifts the storytelling to a different level.”  

RadioTimes

Caz Frear’s ability to write tight, tense dialogue with a dark comedic slant is brilliant. I read Sweet Little Lies in one sitting, it is a terrific debut.

Lynda La Plate

Sweet Little Lies is written with panache and is kick-ass feminist, as well as laugh-out-loud funny.

Irish Independent

Sweet Little Lies is written with panache and is kick-ass feminist, as well as laugh-out-loud funny.

The Independent

★ 2018-05-15
When a young London detective delves into the life of a murder victim, she finds out that the woman may have deep connections to her own family's past in Frear's debut.Cat Kinsella remembers the summer she spent as a child in Mulderrin, Ireland, because it was then that glamorous Maryanne Doyle went missing. Cat has always suspected that her father, a charming ne'er-do-well who owns a pub and has connections to organized crime, may have played a sinister role in Maryanne's disappearance, but she's never been able to prove anything. The tension has poisoned her relationships with both her father and her sister, and as Christmas approaches, and she pulls a new murder case, she looks for ways to avoid confronting her past. She's already in department-mandated therapy, mostly for "over-empathizing" with murder victims, and while she gets on well with her partner, Luigi Parnell, and the rest of the squad, her personal life seems a mess. As Cat and Parnell investigate Alice Lapaine's death, however, they quickly discover that she is not who they thought she was, and as they unearth level after level of deception and lies, Cat begins to fear that her own secrets may be exposed as well. Though the book begins in medias res in terms of Cat's life and her memories, it's a bit slow to start. Cat is somewhat prickly, which makes her hard to get to know, but as the investigation and the story wind on, she earns our sympathy and our trust because we can see that, while flawed, she acts for the victims, and she struggles with the conflict she feels for her own family. The solution to the mystery is a legitimate surprise, and Cat's evolution from one-dimensional sad sack to complex, honest adult is both believable and welcome, putting her on par with Susie Steiner's and Tana French's female detectives.A truly satisfying—and gritty—mystery.

Kirkus Reviews