Broken Promises

DCI Gerald Croft Crime Thrillers Book 4

Fiction - Crime
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 06/07/2025
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Broken Promises by Sarah Stuart is part of the DCI Gerald Croft series. DCI Croft is back, this time to investigate betrayal and murder. Garton Borough in London is a hotbed of broken promises – political, marriage, and inheritance – and each one could turn deadly. Croft heads the investigation, uncovering secrets that have the potential to destroy lives, but the stakes are raised when a high school student is murdered. Promises and lies must be sorted through and untangled before Croft can track down the murderer, but with his marriage falling apart and his life under threat, can he succeed, or is this the end of the line for him?

Broken Promises by Sarah Stuart is the fourth DCI Geral Croft book, and I must say, the series just keeps on getting better. I’ve read the previous three books, and each one ramps up the tension just a little more than the previous one. You could read this as a standalone, but if you really want to understand what makes the main protagonist tick, read the series in order. The plot is nice and twisty with plenty of threads that all pull together in the end, but they’ll keep you guessing right to the last page. There are some graphic descriptions, but they fit the story perfectly, and there’s plenty of action and drama to keep you reading. It’s edge-of-your-seat stuff as you try to figure out who did what, when, and why, and every chapter will make you want to read “just one more” before you put this book down. This whole series is perfect for readers who love suspenseful stories with a great plot and plenty of mystery.

Ruth Coulson

'Being a huge fan of Sarah Stuart, especially her DCI Croft series of crime thrillers, I grabbed the latest, Broken Promises, the minute it was released. Her stories get better and better, full of twists and turns, suspense, and surprises - and the odd bit of horror where it would be wise not to be eating. Broken Promises is no exception. Inspired by the emotions and tragedies broken promises can spark, and the bitterness that can smoulder when the pain is unbearable and there appears to be no way to get justice, DIY revenge can seem very compelling. As usual, there are quite a few bodies and DCI Croft must discover who they are, who murdered them, and why. Definitely edge-of-the-seat stuff and definitely recommended.'

Reader2010

Broken promises can lead to some extreme results murder being one. It's a hard to put down book. One murderer tugs hard at the heart. Meanwhile the detective and his family are bumping along. Great read.

Tom

When one person with a troubled life comes into contact with another, there may be some level of empathy, but a conflict of emotions and interests is inevitable as time passes. Peace, love and understanding might be the traits of some of the characters in this tale, but with others, you don’t have to dig deep to find greed, selfishness and ruthlessness. Oh, and murderous intentions.
Natural dialogue, good imagery, and a great plot all blend to create a believable world. Amidst the mayhem and increasing mysteries, DCI Croft doesn’t have many clues, as he looks in multiple directions to give meaning to his investigations.

Adrian Czarnecki

WOW, WOW, WOW and WOW, if you like edge of your ‘edge of the seat style thrillers, you just have to get Sarah Stuart’s latest thriller, ‘Broken Promises’, you will not be disappointed.
I like, love books that keep you guessing, often till the very last sentence, somewhat like John Grisham does. Sarah has that same Grisham magic, but she does it in her own way intertwining characters, events and scenarios that not only keeps DCI Croft and his team on their toes but me, you the readers.
I originally had intended to take time reading ‘Broken Promises’ over a few days but duh, I got totally sucked in and quite simply couldn’t put it down. After all, there’s pretty much everything - drama, twists, turns, some gore (ok a lot of gore), love, lust, retribution, revenge – I could go on and on, so I’ll simply say, I was riveted, don’t waste time go out and buy it NOW.

Marie123

Sarah Stuart has done it again! When you think that the previous book was a page-turner, you will find that she has outdone herself with a masterful addition. This book is a five-star, fantastic must-read.
DCI Croft has his work cut out for him. Do yourself a favor and check this book out ~

Callieanne

FAST-PACED WITH A TOUCH OF HORROR!

Brenda loses her daughter, Christine believed in “until death us do part”, and Trevor’s wife lied about her financial expectations. Sarah Stuart’s Broken Promises is a twisted thread of blackmail and murder, with DCI Croft and his officers in deadly danger as they seek to uncover the truth. The most powerful novel in the series so far!