On Cold Ground
A merciless killer who will stop at nothing. And a detective with nothing left to lose.
When Detective Karen Hart hears a scream echoing out of beautiful Lincoln Cathedral one snowy evening, she is the first officer on the scene. In the chapel a man lies murdered, a bloody cross carved into his forehead.
The twisted killing sends this close-knit community into shock. And a note to the police from the murderer, signed by ‘The Cleanser’, confirms their worst fears: this sadistic slaying is the first of many. The ritual killings will never stop until Hart uncovers the murderer’s ungodly motive.
When early leads become dead ends, Karen starts to wonder if there’s a link to a rumoured conspiracy within police ranks—particularly when an abrasive new officer is assigned to the case. Could the key to catching ‘The Cleanser’ be dangerously close to home? Meanwhile, she is battling her own demons as she struggles to come to terms with the deaths of her husband and daughter.
In her toughest case yet, Karen will come closer than ever before to a dangerous truth. Can she put the pieces of the puzzle together before she’s stopped in her tracks?
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D. S. Butler
D. S. Butler doesn’t just write crime fiction—she deconstructs it with the precision of a scientist and the curiosity of someone who knows that the most dangerous secrets often hide in plain sight.
Before her novels ever found a home on bestseller lists, Butler (whose real name is Danica Britton) was elbow-deep in lab research. With a PhD in biochemistry and a career that once wove through hospital pathology labs and the University of Oxford, she was trained to ask questions, examine evidence, and look closer. Those same instincts now pulse through her thrillers—only the microscopes have been traded for murder scenes, and the puzzles involve motives instead of molecules.
Detective Karen Hart
In the misty corners of the English countryside, Detective Karen Hart stands as a quiet force against the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of seemingly peaceful towns. With a sharp mind and an unyielding commitment to justice, she unravels cases that are as complex as they are chilling.
The Detective Karen Hart series plunges readers into a world where the past never quite stays buried, and every new case threatens to reveal more than just a criminal. Each investigation offers more than a whodunit—it's an exploration of the human psyche, the secrets we keep, and the lengths we'll go to protect them. Whether it's a missing person, a gruesome murder, or a long-forgotten cold case, Karen Hart brings a unique blend of grit and empathy to the investigation, pushing her to uncover truths even when they seem too dark to face.
Detective Karen Hart consists of eleven books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
