Category: Jane Isaac

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Presumed Guilty by Jane Isaac – Blog Tour Review.

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About The Book

Accident or murder?

The first victim – a prominent local councillor, killed in a hit and run ‒ could be either, but the next bodies leave no doubt. A twisted killer is at large. And he’s not finished yet.

DC Beth Chamberlain, Family Liaison Officer, has to support the victims’ families, but before she can solve the crimes in the present, Beth needs to uncover the secrets of the past.

Meanwhile, the killer has her in his sights…

My Review

With thanks to the author for the copy received. Presumed Guilty is the second book in the series that features Beth Chamberlain. It can be read as a standalone novel, there are no references to the previous case. But you would benefit knowing about her personal life before reading it.
Beth is a family liaison officer. One of the reasons I enjoy this series is because even though it is police procedural it is from an angle that I don’t usually read. It shows that information revealed by loved ones can go a long way to solving a crime. It also shows how much of a case is solved from the less prominent members of the force.
This book starts with a suicide and shortly after a murder. Nothing is revealed about the suicide until the second half of the book. The murdered man’s reputation is in tatters, he has nobody to really mourn his loss apart from his wife who questions if she really knew him. But despite the feelings his death still needs to be solved.
Beth wants to be more involved in the case but is being held back for various reasons by some members in the team. As more people die she is one who has the ability to dig deeper and see the connection.
She is a character I really like, both in her personal life and her professional one. I think there is huge potential for the series to be a long running one. I want to see her family life become easier and for her career to develop. The team is a close one, there are loyalties there that you don’t see immediately.
The ending is slightly ominous, and I’m looking forward to reading what happens next.

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After He’s Gone – Jane Isaac – Guest Post

Today it is my pleasure to my blog Jane Isaac to talk about starting a new series. I will give you the synopsis first.

About the Book

You think you know him. Until he’s dead.

When Cameron Swift is gunned down outside his family home, DC Beth Chamberlain is appointed Family Liaison Officer: a dual role that requires her to support the family, and also investigate them.

As the case unfolds and the body count climbs, Beth discovers that nothing is quite as it appears and everyone, it seems, has secrets.

Even the dead…

Guest Post

Doing Something Different

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog! This month marks the publication of a not only a new book for me, but also the start of a new crime series.
Those who’ve read my work will know I currently write the DCI Helen Lavery series and the DI Will Jackman series. It can be a difficult decision to change when readers have invested so much in your characters, but I see it more as a break. I’d love to work with both Helen and Will again in the future, but wanted to try something different for the moment, to keep the stories fresh.
After He’s Gone introduces Family Liaison Officer, DC Beth Chamberlain. It’s been an interesting series to research and write as it offers a different perspective on murder investigations, focussing on the victim’s family. Family Liaison Officers are deployed to support families of victims of serious crime like homicide, road death and other critical incidents. They spend a lot of time updating them on the investigation and feeding back information and often get very close. And since most people are killed by someone they know or someone close to them, it affords the opportunity to unravel some really intriguing secrets!
For me, finishing a book represents the end of a journey, but it’s by no means the end of the road. As soon as I completed my first draft of After He’s Gone and sent it off to my editor, I began working on the second DC Beth Chamberlain novel which is scheduled for release at the end of this year, and it’s been interesting to watch Beth deal with the trials of a new investigation. One of the joys of writing a series is that, by the end of the first book, you know the character implicitly and it’s wonderful to challenge and stretch them in other directions.
There’s always a sense of trepidation that accompanies sharing a new book with the world. I realise I’m not alone here, some of the most famous authors, with a stream of books behind them, have spoken of their angst when they release a new title. Will readers like it as much as the last? Will it fulfil their expectations? An editor once told me that every book we write should be better and richer, a development on the last. No pressure there then! These thoughts have been more prominent with After He’s Gone, I guess because I’ve tried to do something different. Hopefully, readers will find it a fresh, interesting slant on the contemporary police procedural. Time will tell.

Author Bio

Jane Isaac lives with her detective husband (very helpful for research!) and her daughter in rural Northamptonshire, UK where she can often be found trudging over the fields with her Labrador, Bollo. Her debut, An Unfamiliar Murder, was nominated as best mystery in the ‘eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards 2013.’ The follow up, The Truth Will Out, was nominated as ‘Thriller of the Month – April 2014’ by E-Thriller.com.
After He’s Gone is Jane’s sixth novel and the first in a new series featuring Family Liaison Officer, DC Beth Chamberlain. The second DC Beth Chamberlain novel will be released later in 2018.
Connect with Jane at www.janeisaac.co.uk .

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After He’s Gone by Jane Isaac – Blog Tour Review.

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About the Book

You think you know him. Until he’s dead.

When Cameron Swift is gunned down outside his family home, DC Beth Chamberlain is appointed Family Liaison Officer: a dual role that requires her to support the family, and also investigate them.

As the case unfolds and the body count climbs, Beth discovers that nothing is quite as it appears and everyone, it seems, has secrets.

Even the dead…

My Review

With thanks to the author for the copy received.I have read and enjoyed all of Jane Isaac’s previous books so was looking forward to reading this book, the first in new series.
Beth has been assigned as a FLO to help the family of Cameron Swift. But this case is different to what the team expected it to be and there are others who’re affected by his death. Beth isn’t the type of officer who just accepts what people say as face value and digs deeper.
One of the reasons I like the author’s books so much is because all of her lead characters in her three series are all likeable and if you could have them as friends you would do. They are not to good to be true nor do they have a dubious past. They are just normal hard-working people who have had hardships but don’t let them effect their judgement or take over their lives. It’s not something I experience often.
I read a lot of crime fiction but I can’t think of any where the lead character is a FLO and I found it very refreshing. It was interesting to see and showed how hard it must be to work closely with a family who have suffered loss and seeing them cope in different ways and how hard to was to do everyday things.
The case is a fascinating one and totally unexpected.It made me wonder how common it was, not the murder but the situation that various people found themselves in.
I had felt a little sad towards the end but there is hope and I’m looking forward to reading book two.

The book can be purchased here

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My Publication Day – Jane Isaac.

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Today, it is my pleasure to welcome to my blog Jane Isaac talking about how she likes to spend her publication day. She is the author of two series of books, one features Helen Lavery and the other Will Jackman. I have enjoyed reading both series of books.

How will you spend the day?

I usually have a launch party with friends and family in a nearby bookshop, a lovely occasion affording the opportunity to thank those who’ve helped with research and supported the new release, eat cake, drink plenty of wine, and generally celebrate! If this isn’t scheduled for the actual release day, my husband and I have a nice dinner and raise a glass of something special to toast the new release.

Will you be following reviews from early readers or do prefer not to know?
(Excluding blog tours)

Yes, I tend to read all the early reviews. I’m a bit of a perfectionist I suppose, and try to make every book better than the last, so I don’t really rest easy until I know that the majority of my readers are happy with the new title and how it fits into the series.

Is it emotional, getting the novel you have worked on for months into the public
eye?

Yes, definitely. It takes me almost a year to write a book and there is always a chunk of me in there somewhere, which makes publication day feel quite vulnerable. I guess it’s the culmination of a lot of hard work and meeting readers’ expectations, which is why it’s so special when people take the time to post a review and leave their thoughts.

If you have had books published before, does the feeling change?

I thought it would, but it doesn’t! My fifth book was released in May and that initial feeling of trepidation still trailed me like a shadow for the first few days.

I often wonder and imagine that when your novel is published and you have been working on at least one novel since, is the book that is published less important? And is it a distraction, welcome or otherwise having to focus on what is for you old material?

I tend to write series fiction and am usually writing the next book, whilst working through copy edits and proofing in readiness for publication of the previous. I did struggle with moving between the two in the early stages, but not so much now. I do think every novel is equally important though. They should all be the best work we can produce.

Do blog tours make you more nervous or do you see them as beneficial?

I admit I do feel a little nervous, but I’m also hugely grateful that bloggers feel able to give up their valuable time to take part in a tour. Anything that helps to spread the word about a new title is hugely beneficial for everybody in the industry, from the reader to the author to the publisher, so I believe they are tremendously worthwhile.

I’m also astounded by how much time and effort bloggers put into reading, reviewing and sharing news of new books. In my opinion, they are truly the unsung heroes of the book world.

What is your publication day treat? Champagne, cream cake, 10km run?

A nice glass of wine (Zinfandel Rose is my current favourite).

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Thanks so much for having me, Stephanie. I really enjoyed answering your questions!

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The Lies Within by Jane Isaac – Blog Tour Review.

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About the Book

Be under no illusions by her kind face and eloquent manner… This woman is guilty of murder.
Grace Daniels is distraught after her daughter’s body is found in a Leicestershire country lane. With her family falling apart and the investigation going nowhere, Grace’s only solace is the re-emergence of Faye, an old friend who seems to understand her loss.
DI Will Jackman delves into the case, until a family tragedy and a figure from his past threaten to derail him.
When the police discover another victim, the spotlight falls on Grace. Can Jackman find the killer, before she is convicted of a crime she didn’t commit?

My Review

The Lies Within is the latest book in the series that features Will Jackman. It is slightly different to the previous books, focusing on the victim’s family rather than Will so is easily read as a standalone.
Will is on secondment to the Leicestershire police when Jo is found murdered. It looks similar to other attacks and the team are eager to solve the case before other women are attacked. Will is under pressure from his boss professionally and personally, his wife’s health deteriorates and the investigation takes a back seat. That is, until there is another murder.
Much of the novel is concerned with Grace and her family and how they coped with the aftermath of Jo’s murder. You see how suffocated Grace was by the police presence, how she felt when she was denied access to her daughter’s possessions and the frustration at getting no answers. It was convincing, watching their lives fall apart and how they all coped in different ways. It showed that there was no wrong way.
It is a slow burning novel. The trial and the murderer being revealed is towards the end of the novel. Will and his team are trying to solve the case, Grace has found a friend in Faye but you know that with her nothing is as it seems. She was too good to be true. It was a good ending, I like to think it was a happy one for Grace’s family. It was one that made you think about what you would do in similar circumstances.
I hope that this series continues, I want to see Will’s family life improve and for him to be happy.
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.

You can buy the book at Amazon or Waterstones