What She Said

Written by D.S. Butler

Narrated by Henrietta Meire

Can DS Karen Hart rely on the word of a little girl to save the life of a woman in grave danger?

When a woman is abducted from a quiet suburban street and bundled into the back of a white van, the only witness to the crime is a child with a reputation for telling tall tales.

The police doubt the girl’s story, except for Detective Karen Hart, who is determined to follow her instincts—perhaps because the shy little girl reminds her of the daughter she’s still grieving.

When a playing card is found at the scene, Karen finds her first clue. And when a second card is found at the home of a missing woman, Tamara, Karen finds her victim. But before the team can catch their breath, another woman linked to Tamara is snatched. And then a body turns up in a farmer’s field.

With the crimes having escalated from kidnap to murder, Karen must unlock the killer’s calling-card code before any more victims are taken. But getting to the truth isn’t going to be easy when Tamara’s family has so much to hide…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: May 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781713661405

D.S. Butler

Born in Kent, D. S. Butler grew up as an avid reader with a love for crime fiction and mysteries. She has worked as a scientific officer in a hospital pathology laboratory and as a research scientist. After obtaining a PhD in biochemistry, she worked at the University of Oxford for four years before moving to the Middle East. While living in Bahrain, she wrote her first novel and hasn’t stopped writing since. She now lives in Lincolnshire with her husband.

Reviews for What She Said

[Lisa Moriah Chenthitta · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A worthy final installment. (At least, I assume it is final.) Really enjoyed this and will miss Karen, Morgan, Sophie, Rick and yes, even Churchill. :)

[jfe16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review of eBookWhen Detective Sergeant Karen Hart arrives on Royal Oak Lane in Aubourn to investigate an abduction report, she knows the witness is Molly, the four-year-old daughter of Karen and Terry McCarthy. While her mother insists Molly often tells imaginative stories, Karen finds the child’s report strangely compelling. Determined to follow up on the little girl’s story, Karen visits the crime scene. The discovery of a playing card provides a clue and a home security system provides a partial view of a vehicle that might match the one Molly described.When the report of a missing Aubourn woman, Tamara Lomax, seems to match the information provided by Molly, Karen and Detective Constable Sophie Jones visit Tamara’s husband, Aiden, but are left feeling unsettled by what was said . . . and not said. However, the delivery of a playing card, dropped through the Lomax's mail slot, gives credence to the investigation since it matches the one found at the crime scene.When a second woman disappears . . . one related to Tamara . . . and then a body turns up in a field, the team finds itself racing against time to discover the reason for the kidnapping and the murder before there can be another victim.It’s a case made all the more difficult by a visiting serial-killer expert turned well-known true-crime writer who may want to help or may just want the publicity that will come from being involved in the case and who manages to worm his way into the investigation as a consultant. But can even an expert hope to find the truth amid the multitude of secrets surrounding the case? =========Sixth in the author’s Detective Karen Hart series, the story works fairly well as a standalone although a few references to previous events fail to provide sufficient information for readers new to the series. However, the coherent story is strong enough to overcome this slight bump in the telling of the tale. Several unexpected twists in the plot keep the suspense building and are certain to surprise the reader. The fast pace of the unfolding narrative keeps readers involved and guessing. Strong characters, a “who should you believe” scenario that keeps readers wondering, and a captivating plot that keeps the whole team involved all work together to make the narrative both realistic and believable. That said, the unexpected solution to the complex mystery in the denouement is sure to stun readers.Recommended.I received a free copy of this eBook from Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley#WhatSheSaid #NetGalley