I’ve now read all three books in this series by CJ Carver and think this latest is probably my favourite. The first, Spare Me The Truth was very much scene-setting – in which we meet former former spy Dan Forrester who doesn’t seem to remember his old life. We soon learn why and, though his memory’s not entirely returned, we get more of a sense of his past and who he is now in the second book of the series, Tell Me A Lie.

And I think Carver’s now cementing that in this third book, also featuring Detective Constable Lucy Davies.

Know Me Now
by C.J. Carver
Series: Dan Forrester #3
Published by Bonnier Zaffre, Zaffre
on January 11th 2018
Source: NetGalley
Genres: Thriller / Suspense
ISBN: 9781785760310
Pages: 445

Goodreads

A thirteen-year-old boy commits suicide.

A sixty-five-year old man dies of a heart attack.

Dan Forrester, ex-MI5 agent, is connected to them both.

And when he discovers that his godson and his father have been murdered, he teams up with his old friend, DC Lucy Davies, to find answers.

But as the pair investigate, they unravel a dark and violent mystery stretching decades into the past and uncover a terrible secret.

A secret someone will do anything to keep buried . . .

I usually grumble when a book features two disparate cases that somehow merge into one but I actually didn’t mind in this case. And, I note I’ve commented that the underlying motive (or the ‘why’) wasn’t entirely convincing in Carver’s earlier work but it most certainly comes together seamlessly and makes a lot of sense this time around.

Tying the cases together is Dan’s childhood friends and father’s colleagues and friends. There are a couple of flashbacks to his childhood allowing us to meet his compatriots as youngsters and I pondered on how much of who we are is shaped in those formative years (though the book itself doesn’t navel-gaze quite to that extent!).

There’s a good balance between the spook stuff (secret government experiments, conspiracy theories and assassins and the like) and good ol’ police work.

There’s a realism as well. In fact… the book starts off quite tragically and it kinda sets the scene for what’s to come.

I mentioned in my review of Tell Me A Lie that I’d hoped Lucy might get some ‘happily ever after’ and that storyline continues here, which I appreciated. There’s also a bit more progression in plot surrounding Dan and his wife Jenny as she’s due to give birth to their (second) son and Dan puts his family at risk investigating his father’s death after being warned off.

As an aside, I found that element of the plot quite interesting and it offered some additional insight into Dan, who (for me) remains a bit of an enigma. We know a little about the history he’s forgotten and there are glimpses of the man who puts work and ‘the need for resolution (perhaps more than justice)’ above everything else… even his wife and children.

I’m enjoying this consistent series from Carver and wondering where we’ll head next.

Know Me Now by CJ Carver is scheduled to be published by Bonnier Zaffre in January 2018.

I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.