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DS Jan Pearce #1
Random Acts of Unkindness
How far would you go to find your child?
DS Jan Pearce has a big problem. Her fifteen year old son, Aiden, is missing. Jan draws together the threads of missing person cases spanning fifty years and finds tragic connections and unsolved questions.
Bessy Swain, an elderly woman that Jan finds dead on her search for Aiden, and whose own son, Thomas, was also missing, may have the answers.
Jan uses Bessy's information and her own skills and instinct to track down the missing boys. But is it too late for Aiden?
Set in the North West of England, with the notorious Saddleworth Moor as a backdrop, Random Acts of Unkindness is a story about motherhood, love and loss and how families of missing people suffer the consequences of major crimes involving their loved ones.
Random Acts of Unkindness is the first in the DS Jan Pearce series of novels.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2016
70 people are currently reading
1452 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Ward
25 books87 followersJacqueline Ward's debut psychological thriller, Perfect Ten, was published by Corvus Atlantic Books in September 2018. Jacqueline writes stories about strong women and their lives and loves, exploring the real life emotions of revenge, obsession, rage, trust, guilt and joy.
She is represented by Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton. For more information about Jacqueline and her work go to www.jacquelineward.co.uk
Jacqueline is also the author of the DS Jan Pearce crime fiction series Random Acts of Unkindness, Playlist for a Paper Angel and What I Left Behind, and SmartYellowTM, in the pen name of J A Christy.
She is represented by Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton. For more information about Jacqueline and her work go to www.jacquelineward.co.uk
Jacqueline is also the author of the DS Jan Pearce crime fiction series Random Acts of Unkindness, Playlist for a Paper Angel and What I Left Behind, and SmartYellowTM, in the pen name of J A Christy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 17, 2017
Title: Random Acts of Unkindness
Author: Jacqueline Ward
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Format: Ebook
Pages: 281
Rating: 4.5
Heat: 0
Thoughts: This started out a little slow but it was interesting enough to keep me reading. I totally got hooked when the action started and was blown away by the twist at the end. It was hard to put down at about 60% and I stayed up past my bedtime just to find out what happened. I had thought I figured out who but I was completely wrong. I did figure out who for Bessy's son but not the why. I liked how there seemed to almost be two stories going on at the same time. Bessy has lost her son in the 1960's and we get to see how that affected her while Jan is trying not to follow the same path. I understood how a mom could end up becoming obsessed with a missing child but I didn't understand why the fathers didn't. I know many divorces happen after the loss of a child but the lack of support was just amazing. I kinda hope there's another book so we can find out what she does about her son and how the city changes after the fallout. Great read, don't pass this up!
Author: Jacqueline Ward
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Format: Ebook
Pages: 281
Rating: 4.5
Heat: 0
Thoughts: This started out a little slow but it was interesting enough to keep me reading. I totally got hooked when the action started and was blown away by the twist at the end. It was hard to put down at about 60% and I stayed up past my bedtime just to find out what happened. I had thought I figured out who but I was completely wrong. I did figure out who for Bessy's son but not the why. I liked how there seemed to almost be two stories going on at the same time. Bessy has lost her son in the 1960's and we get to see how that affected her while Jan is trying not to follow the same path. I understood how a mom could end up becoming obsessed with a missing child but I didn't understand why the fathers didn't. I know many divorces happen after the loss of a child but the lack of support was just amazing. I kinda hope there's another book so we can find out what she does about her son and how the city changes after the fallout. Great read, don't pass this up!
July 20, 2016
Random Acts of Unkindness is a Adult Mystery Crime novel set in the northern area of England and revolves around the detective DS Jan Pearce. Her son Aiden is registered as a missing person, a divorce has gone through but whilst searching for Aiden, she solves other crimes too. When she stumbles into a house containing the dead body of a woman Bessy Swain and the bones of a newborn baby in a upstairs cupboard, her research takes Jan through a story of heartbreak but she can’t help but notice that Bessy’s story is very similar to her own.
Crime novels are very popular at the moment and reading this one with its historical and thrilling elements kept me hooked to the end. There were times throughout reading the novel that made me realize just how tough it is for a family dealing with a loved one going missing. The scenes were realistic and how revenge was sought after. There are a few graphic scenes in the novel but it all came together nicely. I had no problems with the pacing.
Star rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Crime novels are very popular at the moment and reading this one with its historical and thrilling elements kept me hooked to the end. There were times throughout reading the novel that made me realize just how tough it is for a family dealing with a loved one going missing. The scenes were realistic and how revenge was sought after. There are a few graphic scenes in the novel but it all came together nicely. I had no problems with the pacing.
Star rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
November 9, 2016
Didn't like this and jacked it in at 9%. She constantly keeps on repeating passages and it drove me bonkers !!
Firstly, she wrote her chapter headings out strangely. I made note of it as I've never seen an author do that the way she did before. Then we heard around 3 times in the first chapter that Jan's first priority was finding her son. We hadn't forgotten !! THEN I'd read 3 or 4 times that a criminal gets his cronies to do his dirty work for him and finally it was repeated yet again that further evidence was needed in the case they were working on. It got very irritating indeed.
She missed one apostrophe I saw in friends and lead-up lost its hyphen, too. I wondered at her statement that, as a police detective, she believed it was unlikely her son was dead as it's harder to conceal a body than to keep someone alive !! I'd beg to differ there and thought it a very odd thing to say. I also found it pretty unbelievable that she'd break laws the way she did. I'll say no more.
Her son sounded a rude, arrogant little s0-and-so and if he were mine I'd be happy for the respite, I reckon !!
Don't think I'd bother buying another by her.
Firstly, she wrote her chapter headings out strangely. I made note of it as I've never seen an author do that the way she did before. Then we heard around 3 times in the first chapter that Jan's first priority was finding her son. We hadn't forgotten !! THEN I'd read 3 or 4 times that a criminal gets his cronies to do his dirty work for him and finally it was repeated yet again that further evidence was needed in the case they were working on. It got very irritating indeed.
She missed one apostrophe I saw in friends and lead-up lost its hyphen, too. I wondered at her statement that, as a police detective, she believed it was unlikely her son was dead as it's harder to conceal a body than to keep someone alive !! I'd beg to differ there and thought it a very odd thing to say. I also found it pretty unbelievable that she'd break laws the way she did. I'll say no more.
Her son sounded a rude, arrogant little s0-and-so and if he were mine I'd be happy for the respite, I reckon !!
Don't think I'd bother buying another by her.
July 23, 2016
First of all, huge thanks to Faye Rogers for organising this blog tour and asking me to be a part of it and to the author and publisher, Kindle Press for providing me with a copy of Jacqueline's first crime novel in exchange for an honest review. I'm a big fan of crime fiction and it used to be all I read before I broadened my horizons slightly but I still always appreciate a well written, exciting and dark piece of crime fiction and I got this all and much more besides with Random Acts Of Unkindness.
We are introduced to our main character, a police detective Jan Pearce in quite a shocking way as she has entered a house after reports of a suspicious smell to find an old woman dead in what she believes could be suspicious circumstances. We then find out that Jan has an ulterior motive in entering the property and this is because she is pursuing a link between the man who owns the house, the mysterious criminal mastermind Mr Connelly and the disappearance of her own beloved teenage son Aiden some time ago. What she isn't expecting is to find so many parallels between her own private tragedy and the disappearance of the old woman Bessy's own son, Thomas many years ago in the 1960's when the horrific crimes of the notorious Moors Murderers were rife.
Jan manages to find a notebook of Bessy's, written in the form of a journal, which contains vital information about her son's case and provides many links to Jan's current situation. It brings her both comfort and a sense of dogged determination that only makes her more desperate to find out exactly what happened to both boys. Defying the advice of her superior officer, her work partner and her ex-husband, Jan is certain that she will solve the mysteries of disappearing children that have plagued the county for decades. Things are about to get very dangerous as Jan receives terrifying threats, risks her livelihood and indeed, her life just to uncover the truth at any cost.
When I first began this novel, I have to admit to not being quite sure where the author was going with the story. The pace at the beginning I found quite slow but believe me, the build-up was totally worth it as when the action got going, the whole mystery and excitement really picked up a gear. I really enjoyed the way Jacqueline Ward has presented the story, in that we get to hear Jan's voice in the present time and pieces from Bessy's journal as she struggles to cope with never knowing what has happened to her son. I can only imagine the research that the author has had to carry out, on the Moors Murderers in particular and more than one passage sent a shiver down my spine, perhaps it was all the more chilling knowing that it is based on real-life people who actually carried out these atrocities. Random Acts Of Unkindness promises to be the first novel in a DS Jan Pearce series and I'll certainly be checking out further books from this author in the future based on the strength of this particular novel.
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
We are introduced to our main character, a police detective Jan Pearce in quite a shocking way as she has entered a house after reports of a suspicious smell to find an old woman dead in what she believes could be suspicious circumstances. We then find out that Jan has an ulterior motive in entering the property and this is because she is pursuing a link between the man who owns the house, the mysterious criminal mastermind Mr Connelly and the disappearance of her own beloved teenage son Aiden some time ago. What she isn't expecting is to find so many parallels between her own private tragedy and the disappearance of the old woman Bessy's own son, Thomas many years ago in the 1960's when the horrific crimes of the notorious Moors Murderers were rife.
Jan manages to find a notebook of Bessy's, written in the form of a journal, which contains vital information about her son's case and provides many links to Jan's current situation. It brings her both comfort and a sense of dogged determination that only makes her more desperate to find out exactly what happened to both boys. Defying the advice of her superior officer, her work partner and her ex-husband, Jan is certain that she will solve the mysteries of disappearing children that have plagued the county for decades. Things are about to get very dangerous as Jan receives terrifying threats, risks her livelihood and indeed, her life just to uncover the truth at any cost.
When I first began this novel, I have to admit to not being quite sure where the author was going with the story. The pace at the beginning I found quite slow but believe me, the build-up was totally worth it as when the action got going, the whole mystery and excitement really picked up a gear. I really enjoyed the way Jacqueline Ward has presented the story, in that we get to hear Jan's voice in the present time and pieces from Bessy's journal as she struggles to cope with never knowing what has happened to her son. I can only imagine the research that the author has had to carry out, on the Moors Murderers in particular and more than one passage sent a shiver down my spine, perhaps it was all the more chilling knowing that it is based on real-life people who actually carried out these atrocities. Random Acts Of Unkindness promises to be the first novel in a DS Jan Pearce series and I'll certainly be checking out further books from this author in the future based on the strength of this particular novel.
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
May 4, 2019
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/random-acts...
I’m very much impressed by the way Ward is able to write in two entirely different voices. The sections which are Bessy’s writings, are completely different in tone and style from Jan’s, to the point it almost feels separate novels have had their chapters intertwined. The two women are opposites in many ways. Jan is a career policewoman, who has sacrificed a lot for the job – maybe too much, including her marriage and perhaps even her relationship with Aiden. Meanwhile Bessy is a housewife of the 1960’s, with no interest at all beyond being a home-maker. But the sudden loss of their child turns their worlds upside-down, and forces them to reassess what truly “matters”. Bessy’s life is, literally, never the same again, and there’s undeniable poignancy there, especially near the end of her story.
I’m very much impressed by the way Ward is able to write in two entirely different voices. The sections which are Bessy’s writings, are completely different in tone and style from Jan’s, to the point it almost feels separate novels have had their chapters intertwined. The two women are opposites in many ways. Jan is a career policewoman, who has sacrificed a lot for the job – maybe too much, including her marriage and perhaps even her relationship with Aiden. Meanwhile Bessy is a housewife of the 1960’s, with no interest at all beyond being a home-maker. But the sudden loss of their child turns their worlds upside-down, and forces them to reassess what truly “matters”. Bessy’s life is, literally, never the same again, and there’s undeniable poignancy there, especially near the end of her story.
October 19, 2016
Punch in the gut
This is one of the saddest & most frightening books I have ever read. Well written mother's nightmare that plumbs the depths of revenge after a divorce.
This is one of the saddest & most frightening books I have ever read. Well written mother's nightmare that plumbs the depths of revenge after a divorce.
July 22, 2016
Saddleworth Moor in North West England is a bleak and lonely place. It's a place that guards its secrets well, and in the quest to find her missing son, DS Jan Pearce discovers, to her cost, just how many evil secrets lurk in dark corners. Looking into missing persons cases, which stretch back over a period of many years, DS Pearce starts to uncover some unusual cases and, as her frantic search for her own missing son gets cast ever wider she starts to discover some painful secrets of her own.
I found the story to be fast paced and intricately plotted. There is much to take in, not just in terms of the present day mystery in which DS Pearce finds herself to be a major part of, but also in the struggle she has to bring to justice those evil manipulators who threaten the very foundation of society.
The story is gritty in the places where it needs to be and remarkably insightful in others, particularly in the way it deals with the sorry history of missing persons. I especially like the way that the author bought time and place to life, and only someone familiar with the subtle nuances of the north of England can do justice to the way in which the dramatic landscape so often shaped people’s destiny.
There is no-one of my generation, growing up in the north of England, who cannot be aware of the ghastly shroud which was cast over those small northern towns, which nestle in the shadow of the moor itself, by the Moors Murderers, and the author has done a really good job of using some of this dark history, whilst at the same time, developing a story which is completely unique.
This is a fascinating and intricately plotted crime novel by an author who, I am sure, will continue to go from strength to strength.
I found the story to be fast paced and intricately plotted. There is much to take in, not just in terms of the present day mystery in which DS Pearce finds herself to be a major part of, but also in the struggle she has to bring to justice those evil manipulators who threaten the very foundation of society.
The story is gritty in the places where it needs to be and remarkably insightful in others, particularly in the way it deals with the sorry history of missing persons. I especially like the way that the author bought time and place to life, and only someone familiar with the subtle nuances of the north of England can do justice to the way in which the dramatic landscape so often shaped people’s destiny.
There is no-one of my generation, growing up in the north of England, who cannot be aware of the ghastly shroud which was cast over those small northern towns, which nestle in the shadow of the moor itself, by the Moors Murderers, and the author has done a really good job of using some of this dark history, whilst at the same time, developing a story which is completely unique.
This is a fascinating and intricately plotted crime novel by an author who, I am sure, will continue to go from strength to strength.
August 7, 2016
This is my first read from Jacqueline Ward and I couldn't wait to get stuck into this after reading the blurb, as crime & thriller is one of my fave genres but one I don't read as much any more.
Jan is a detective who's son goes missing at the age of 15, and it turns out lots of other boys around his age have been disappearing over the years too. She launches into her own investigation of his disappearance, alongside the Operation which she is involved in for the other missing boys. On her enquiries she comes across a dead body of an old woman - Bessy, a bag of money, a journal, and a dead baby skeleton, and from there the story really starts unravelling...
The book is written in first person from Jan's POV and Ward has done a good job with this. Parts of the story are told via Bessy's journal, though when it was first introduced it was a little confusing as it was a chapter name rather than number like the beginning.
The story in general had me so engrossed though there were a couple of inconsistencies where I had to flick back a few pages too. Ward managed to keep me guessing and hanging on throughout though, also with changing my mind about certain characters, and I didn't even imagine the truth of what happened to the missing boys.
The whole story is a true horror that no parent should ever have to face, and I really found myself feeling so sad for Jan and Bessy, especially when people didn't believe them and just brushed them off. Bessy's story is set around the time of the Moors Murders so there are references to this too.
All in all, a brilliant thriller with many twists & turns along the way, and I hope there are more books planned as I would love to read more of Jan's story! 4.5* due to the slight confusion.
Jan is a detective who's son goes missing at the age of 15, and it turns out lots of other boys around his age have been disappearing over the years too. She launches into her own investigation of his disappearance, alongside the Operation which she is involved in for the other missing boys. On her enquiries she comes across a dead body of an old woman - Bessy, a bag of money, a journal, and a dead baby skeleton, and from there the story really starts unravelling...
The book is written in first person from Jan's POV and Ward has done a good job with this. Parts of the story are told via Bessy's journal, though when it was first introduced it was a little confusing as it was a chapter name rather than number like the beginning.
The story in general had me so engrossed though there were a couple of inconsistencies where I had to flick back a few pages too. Ward managed to keep me guessing and hanging on throughout though, also with changing my mind about certain characters, and I didn't even imagine the truth of what happened to the missing boys.
The whole story is a true horror that no parent should ever have to face, and I really found myself feeling so sad for Jan and Bessy, especially when people didn't believe them and just brushed them off. Bessy's story is set around the time of the Moors Murders so there are references to this too.
All in all, a brilliant thriller with many twists & turns along the way, and I hope there are more books planned as I would love to read more of Jan's story! 4.5* due to the slight confusion.
June 14, 2016
Amazing! This book centers around DI Jan Pearce and her unrelenting pursuit of justice. She's in the middle of an operation of trying to bring down one of northern England's biggest criminal. In the midst of the operation her 16 year old son, Aiden goes missing. While searching for her son, she continues work on the investigation, believing that the criminal is linked to his disappearance. Also she unravels the life of a dead woman whose own son went missing over 50 years ago. The parallel between the two women is both brilliant and heartbreaking. Pretty soon she is abandoned by everyone from her surly ex-husband and even her partner and colleagues who assume she is cracking up under the stress of her son being missing. I hope this is the start of a series as I'd like to see more of Jan Pearce. She was an excellently nuanced character and she saw things as both a mother and a police officer. She even made some serious, impulsive mistakes which made her more human but she trusted her intuition and saw the whole thing through. Complex plot with great twists that I did not see coming. Highly recommend but do not read at night because you'll keep telling yourself 'one more chapter' and you'll be up all night.
September 1, 2016
Compelling crime drama
Fans of The Secrets In Their Eyes and The Fall will definitely be interested in this first person crime thriller where a detective struggling with the disappearance of her own son stumbles into a larger conspiracy. The book dragged a bit for me in the chapters taken from the journal of Bessie Swain (a mother whose son also disappeared under mysterious circumstances) and the twists treaded the edge of my ability to believe, but overall this was a compelling read.
Fans of The Secrets In Their Eyes and The Fall will definitely be interested in this first person crime thriller where a detective struggling with the disappearance of her own son stumbles into a larger conspiracy. The book dragged a bit for me in the chapters taken from the journal of Bessie Swain (a mother whose son also disappeared under mysterious circumstances) and the twists treaded the edge of my ability to believe, but overall this was a compelling read.
February 19, 2017
Oh My Goodness! I started reading this book and thought it might follow along with most 'runaway teen aged unhappy child' story plots. It is so much more than your average missing child story plot. Jacqueline Ward has written a combined story of two determined mothers, two missing sons, and 40 years of anguish in-between but connected! I was surprised at the twists in the story plot.
Bravo! A wonderful book with lots of suspenseful twists, a long ago mystery to solve, and the sorrow of two brokenhearted mothers who will not give up!
But wait....How did it end, or did it????
Bravo! A wonderful book with lots of suspenseful twists, a long ago mystery to solve, and the sorrow of two brokenhearted mothers who will not give up!
But wait....How did it end, or did it????
July 15, 2016
I'm gonna rate this book more like a 4.5!
Well, I read this book for 2 days straight because of how addictive it is! When I took a break to eat, sleep or shower I still couldn't get it off my mind. My mind was bouncing from one theory to another throughout and not once did I expect the ending! It is vile and sick and twisted but actually scary to think stuff like this happens.
I won't say anymore in case I spoil it but honestly READ THIS BOOK.
Well, I read this book for 2 days straight because of how addictive it is! When I took a break to eat, sleep or shower I still couldn't get it off my mind. My mind was bouncing from one theory to another throughout and not once did I expect the ending! It is vile and sick and twisted but actually scary to think stuff like this happens.
I won't say anymore in case I spoil it but honestly READ THIS BOOK.
September 20, 2016
Very different rest. Kept my interest, was surprised with the way it ended. Would be interested in the sequence. Will it contain same character? I have no further commits.
Very different read. Kept my interest, was surprised with the way it ended. Would be interested in reading sequence.. Will it have same characters?
Very different read. Kept my interest, was surprised with the way it ended. Would be interested in reading sequence.. Will it have same characters?
August 8, 2016
Review to come soon!
September 3, 2016
Gripping. A complete unputdownable book.
I loved the mix of current and historical cases that paralleled each other.
some great twists and red herrings. I now want to know what Jan does next.....
I loved the mix of current and historical cases that paralleled each other.
some great twists and red herrings. I now want to know what Jan does next.....
October 5, 2016
The best book I have read for some time
From time to time you come across a book that you can't wait to come back to and finish reading this is one of those.
From time to time you come across a book that you can't wait to come back to and finish reading this is one of those.
October 30, 2016
excellent read
June 7, 2017
Did not finish
Could not get past first few pages. Missing son, on and on
Could not get past first few pages. Missing son, on and on
August 6, 2023
After the failure of Operation Hurricane into Sean Connelly, a man who rules the Northlands estate in Manchester and who the police believe is up to his neck in drugs, protection rackets and prostitution, DS Jan Pearce’s fifteen-year-old son Aiden has gone missing. She believes that, like many of the threats to her colleagues, this is Connolly’s act of revenge. However after several weeks there have been no sightings and more importantly no body, and eventually the case is marked as just another runaway. Jan thinks Connelly is holding Aiden somewhere and fears that he will turn up dead, just like three other local boys have done recently. Whilst conducting her own inquiries, seasoned detective Jan investigates one of Connelly’s rental houses and discovers the body of elderly Bessy Swain. Another shock lies in store for her when she opens a wardrobe and finds a tiny skeleton and Bessy’s journal which she takes. Interspersed in this story are excerpts from Bessy’s journal, relating how her seventeen-year-old son Thomas went missing during the time when the Moors Murderers were at large and Bessy’s belief that her son had not simply left home but had become another undiscovered victim. As the new Operation Prophesy into Connelly yields no evidence against the man, Jan discovers that a great many boys have simply disappeared from the area over decades, more than the average number, and as she pursues this sideline investigation, the past and the present start to converge in an alarming way. Will Jan find Aiden? And how many more lines will she cross in her quest to do so?
The start is a little slow but the story really gets compelling with Bessy’s account. I liked the parallels between this and the present-day disappearance of Aiden, two mothers fearing the worst. Bessy’s tragic story in particular is heart breaking and I was drawn to it more than that of Jan’s, maybe because it has very close links to the real-life horrific crimes that took place. Due to this, it might not be for everyone although it does highlight just how devastating the Moors Murders were for an entire community. I will definitely be reading book 2, Playlist For A Paper Angel.
The start is a little slow but the story really gets compelling with Bessy’s account. I liked the parallels between this and the present-day disappearance of Aiden, two mothers fearing the worst. Bessy’s tragic story in particular is heart breaking and I was drawn to it more than that of Jan’s, maybe because it has very close links to the real-life horrific crimes that took place. Due to this, it might not be for everyone although it does highlight just how devastating the Moors Murders were for an entire community. I will definitely be reading book 2, Playlist For A Paper Angel.
November 15, 2017
There were things that annoyed me in this book. The repetition of the main character "what if it was your child" to eveyone she meets who has a child...maybe that's realistic but as a reader it just feels lazy, yes we get it, your child missing is horrendous, we are reading all about it, we don't need a regular prod to imagine it's us. The bit about the shoulder blade (see previous update comment) grates a bit with me and there were some other bits too 'baby left on a doorstep' vs 'baby left in a phone box' which was it? Don't jump between the two phrases, it's a crime story, facts need to be precise. And the ending was annoying and inconclusive. Maybe because this is the first in a series but even within a series I like my books to be able to stand alone. The actual (enormous) crime did seem strangely ignored when it was finally discovered. Not much seemed to be made of police officers being murdered, or of the main crime scene when in reality surely newspapers would have been all over it and doing plenty of probing of their own regardless of the police.
That said, the story was interesting, very emotional at times (witness my red rimmed eyes and public crying face) The links to real missing child stories and the interweaving of the fictional parents was good. In gerneral the writing was clear and pacey, if you like crime thrillers you'd enjoy this and I hope that as she writes more Jacqueline will get into her stride. I look forward to reading more about our flawed heroine and the team.
That said, the story was interesting, very emotional at times (witness my red rimmed eyes and public crying face) The links to real missing child stories and the interweaving of the fictional parents was good. In gerneral the writing was clear and pacey, if you like crime thrillers you'd enjoy this and I hope that as she writes more Jacqueline will get into her stride. I look forward to reading more about our flawed heroine and the team.
August 24, 2018
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book not least because it is set against the backdrop of my former home town and relates to events that anyone brought up in the area can not fail to have been touched by in some way. Jacqueline tells the story of this place and time as only someone who has experienced it could truly do. The pull of the moors for both Bessy and Jan Pearce is tangible and made me re-live many dark late night journeys across the M62 during which it was hard not to wonder if in fact there are still someones missing children calling out to you. The pull of the house and the subsequent gap where it used to stand are part of my childhood memories too. Jacqueline has crafted a story the brilliantly blends true life events with those of her fictitious characters and plot across four decades, telling the stories of two women and their missing children which culminates in an unexpected climax. I am hoping Jan Pearce is a charactor who will return in the future to grace my bookshelves alongside Jack Reacher and King and Maxwell
September 8, 2023
The Moors Murders was one of the most horrendous crimes in the UK. They took place in the early sixties in the North West of England.
Ward uses these crimes as a compare and contrast to the search for Aiden the missing son of Jan Pearce.
Through a diary Pearce finds we are introduced to Bess and soon we realise the cases of Bess's missing son and Aiden are linked.
Ward gives a distinctive voice to both women and you see the emotions coming to the surface as the search for them doesn't go anywhere.
I found it odd Pearce was allowed to investigate the disappearance of her own son, but she is certainly a rogue cop her own way. I was a bit surprised she wasn't thrown in jail herself, even if she rode a motor bike without a crash helmet.
As the book reaches a climax the violence becomes more graphic and could be distressing to some readers.
But Ward does have an important message about how child missing cases are investigated in the UK and the public's attitude to them. The first in a series which gives plenty of scope to be continued.
Ward uses these crimes as a compare and contrast to the search for Aiden the missing son of Jan Pearce.
Through a diary Pearce finds we are introduced to Bess and soon we realise the cases of Bess's missing son and Aiden are linked.
Ward gives a distinctive voice to both women and you see the emotions coming to the surface as the search for them doesn't go anywhere.
I found it odd Pearce was allowed to investigate the disappearance of her own son, but she is certainly a rogue cop her own way. I was a bit surprised she wasn't thrown in jail herself, even if she rode a motor bike without a crash helmet.
As the book reaches a climax the violence becomes more graphic and could be distressing to some readers.
But Ward does have an important message about how child missing cases are investigated in the UK and the public's attitude to them. The first in a series which gives plenty of scope to be continued.
February 28, 2017
This is a slow-brew type of story. A mother searches for her missing son, insisting he's still alive. No body, no proof of crime is a general sentiment throughout. There's a substory of another mother, forty years earlier, in the same situation. The concept of the story was great. There were moments of high-intensity. But for the most part, there was also a lot of repetition of thought in both storylines. I began to feel like the characters: I don't want to hear this mother talk about her missing son again. Nonetheless, plotwise, the story was interesting.
I received a copy of this book through the Kindle Scout program.
I received a copy of this book through the Kindle Scout program.
July 7, 2018
Page turner .
I really enjoyed this novel and would have given it a 5 star rating but for some sloppy errors in the text which really annoys me . Plus one of the characters was given a name change , on one page his surname was Wilson , on the next however it was Smith ! The story is related from the points of view of two women who both have missing sons , one written present day and the other an historical unsolved case . The emotional struggle , hope and despair , and pure anguish of these mothers is clearly depicted . The plot is clever and I found this to be a gripping tale . I would certainly read more of this author's work .
I really enjoyed this novel and would have given it a 5 star rating but for some sloppy errors in the text which really annoys me . Plus one of the characters was given a name change , on one page his surname was Wilson , on the next however it was Smith ! The story is related from the points of view of two women who both have missing sons , one written present day and the other an historical unsolved case . The emotional struggle , hope and despair , and pure anguish of these mothers is clearly depicted . The plot is clever and I found this to be a gripping tale . I would certainly read more of this author's work .
March 30, 2020
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request, and have voluntarily left this review. Years have passed and Jan has moved up the ranks at the station. In her personal life, she's been married and has a son. But her son is missing and she's sure he's been kidnapped for her last investigation, but she has no proof. Even though she's on a new case, she keeps looking for her son, and quite by accident she finds a diary and a lead to so many missing boys. Interesting characters, suspense and action will keep you listen until the very end, an ending that you are not excepting. A great listen and I'm looking forward to the next book.
August 4, 2023
For some years I lived just a few miles from Saddleworth Moor. A beautiful place to walk but forever tainted by the notoriety it received in the early 1960s.
Jacqueline Ward bravely tackles some very dark subjects in this crime novel: missing children, child abuse, grief, police negligence, loneliness, and corruption. She writes with honesty and integrity and her characterization is powerful but poignant.
The plot unfolds between two timelines - the 1960s and the present day - as two mothers search for their missing teenage sons.
This isn't an easy read but it is very thought-provoking in the way it shines a floodlight on hideous crimes.
Jacqueline Ward bravely tackles some very dark subjects in this crime novel: missing children, child abuse, grief, police negligence, loneliness, and corruption. She writes with honesty and integrity and her characterization is powerful but poignant.
The plot unfolds between two timelines - the 1960s and the present day - as two mothers search for their missing teenage sons.
This isn't an easy read but it is very thought-provoking in the way it shines a floodlight on hideous crimes.
August 10, 2023
New author for me and a very welcome one. A superbly written novel that that has both past and current tones. Based on missing children, the storyline concerns both modern policing and historic cases going back 60 years. It brings into play the Saddleworth Moor Murderers, (Ian Brady and Myra Hingley). but the author never mentions them by name, it's 'him, her or them'. It affects a modern day detective sergeant whose son is missing and a woman living in the 1960's whose son also went missing. The book brings fiction to fact with an excellent storyline, so well written. At times the book meanders along but not for long and the ending is quite explosive. Definitely worth a read.
June 1, 2017
Spoilers! Don't read this if you haven't read the book.
I thought this started well and was intriguing. I like the way the two stories flow along and intertwine. However, I was left feeling cheated. There is no closure as neither boy/body is found and the way that the main character deals with the fact that her son is missing is very annoying. I know it's a story and it's not real, but it needs to be believable and this just wasn't.
There are also some very distracting errors (incorrect words, missing words) in the kindle version that need editing out!
I thought this started well and was intriguing. I like the way the two stories flow along and intertwine. However, I was left feeling cheated. There is no closure as neither boy/body is found and the way that the main character deals with the fact that her son is missing is very annoying. I know it's a story and it's not real, but it needs to be believable and this just wasn't.
There are also some very distracting errors (incorrect words, missing words) in the kindle version that need editing out!
March 22, 2020
Great Book
Really enjoyed this - I read it with Whispersync, so some of it I listened to, some I read, and at times both!
Narrator was good, and I really warmed to her. The story kept me turning the pages - flitting through the hidden crime world between past and present day. Looking forward to the next in the series :)
Really enjoyed this - I read it with Whispersync, so some of it I listened to, some I read, and at times both!
Narrator was good, and I really warmed to her. The story kept me turning the pages - flitting through the hidden crime world between past and present day. Looking forward to the next in the series :)
August 28, 2022
Loved it!Boys are going missing.It has been happening for generations,but why? Laura Brydon was a terrific narrator! I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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