Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when he sees the flames in the churchyard. The derelict community centre is on fire. And somebody is trapped inside.
With Ben’s help the person escapes, only to flee the scene before they can be identified. Now the small town of Haddley is abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson?
Then a skeleton is found in the burnt-out foundations.
And when the identity of the victim is revealed, Ben is confronted with a crime that is terrifyingly close to home. As he uncovers a web of deceit and destruction that goes back decades, Ben quickly learns that in this small town, everybody has something to hide.
I was so excited to receive a proof copy from Sphere books, thank you.
In Eleven Liars we meet up with Ben Harper the local investigative journalist, and another crime for him to report on and ultimately due to his past, get involved in. On his way home one evening, he sees flames from a derelict community centre. He goes to investigate and sees someone inside, in the flames and from there the plot begins.
Centring around the hamlet of Haddley, this event has the town full of rumours and whispers, and as Ben Harper digs deeper he stumbles across truths and half-truths that also have an impact on his friend DI Dani Cash.
I love Ben Harper’s character, he is a young journo who has a sad history, but who is able to use his consummate people skills to get information from people that others cannot. He is a nice lad who people trust, and he is a very loveable character. I also love the frisson undercurrent between Ban and Dani Cash… theres going to be something happening there one feels (and hopes) in furture volumes!
The plot of Eleven Liars runs at full pelt from page to page, and it kept me reading day and night until the conclusion. An absolutely solid crime fiction novel, full of great characters and a really excellent plot line that also links into Twelve Secrets the first Ben Harper novel. I raced through it and was sad once I had finished it! Robert Gold has found a great formula for writing the Ben Harper crime fiction novels, and I look forward to reading many more.
A solid 4-star read from me.
You can pre-order Eleven Secrets HERE