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After Jessica
Money and a Girl Gone Missing
Meet Jessica, an ordinary woman who comes across extraordinary circumstances and pays for them with her life.
As her brother Simon winds up her affairs, he gets more than he bargained for...
Who is Alexis, and why are Veronica and Daniel searching for her? Why is there a roll of cash in Jessica's house, and what's the connection between Simon's sister and Alexis?
Meet Jessica, an ordinary woman who comes across extraordinary circumstances and pays for them with her life.
As her brother Simon winds up her affairs, he gets more than he bargained for...
Who is Alexis, and why are Veronica and Daniel searching for her? Why is there a roll of cash in Jessica's house, and what's the connection between Simon's sister and Alexis?
- GenresAmazon
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2016
23 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Morgen Bailey
128 books83 followersMorgen Bailey – Morgen with an E – is a freelance editor, writing tutor (in person and online), blogger (helping other authors, sharing tips etc.), Writers’ Forum magazine ‘Competitive Edge’ columnist, speaker, author of several novels (at various stages), 400+ short stories, a series of writer’s block workbooks, an editing guide, articles, and has dabbled with poetry. She is an avid supporter of all things creative writing.
Former Chair of three writing groups, she has judged the H.E. Bates Short Story Competition, RONE, as well as the Althorp Literary Festival children’s short story, BBC Radio 2, and BeaconLit 500-word flash fiction competitions. She also runs her own monthly 100-word competition and was Flash 500's 2018-9 judge.
Events included talks and workshops at Troubador’s Self Publishing Conference speakers, workshops and panels at Delapre Abbey Book Festival, interviewing and workshops at BeaconLit, and NAWG Fest with her ‘Editing your Fiction’ weekend residential course.
Morgen can regularly be found as morgenwriteruk on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and LinkedIn. When not online, she edits other authors’ books, reads, loves walking her dog, and somewhere in between all that she writes.
Like Morgen, her website is www.morgenbailey.com and her blog http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com is consumed by all things literary. Her email address is morgen@morgenbailey.com.
You can read / download her eBooks (paid and free) at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore and Kobo.
Profile photo credit: Cliff Hide for BeaconLit
Former Chair of three writing groups, she has judged the H.E. Bates Short Story Competition, RONE, as well as the Althorp Literary Festival children’s short story, BBC Radio 2, and BeaconLit 500-word flash fiction competitions. She also runs her own monthly 100-word competition and was Flash 500's 2018-9 judge.
Events included talks and workshops at Troubador’s Self Publishing Conference speakers, workshops and panels at Delapre Abbey Book Festival, interviewing and workshops at BeaconLit, and NAWG Fest with her ‘Editing your Fiction’ weekend residential course.
Morgen can regularly be found as morgenwriteruk on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and LinkedIn. When not online, she edits other authors’ books, reads, loves walking her dog, and somewhere in between all that she writes.
Like Morgen, her website is www.morgenbailey.com and her blog http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com is consumed by all things literary. Her email address is morgen@morgenbailey.com.
You can read / download her eBooks (paid and free) at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, Sony Reader Store, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Bookstore and Kobo.
Profile photo credit: Cliff Hide for BeaconLit
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 3, 2019
4☆ A Thrilling Mystery, It might be a Novella but it certainly got me hooked!
After Jessica is a twisty Mystery Novella, with several Characters adding there bit to the plot.
If I give anything away it will ruin the plot.
The blurb is vague but really caught my attention.
But the opening for this story hits you full pelt, I couldn't wait to find out what happens next!
Jessica had another life beside the one her family knew, now Jessica is dead!
Secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface!
It's told in Multiple points of view with
Short snappy chapters which i thoroughly enjoyed.
Each of the characters stories weave together perfectly as each one brings another piece to the puzzle that is Jessica's life!
It might be a short novella but alot is packed in making this a Pacy, Full of Inrigue, Thrilling Read that I couldn't put down.
It did end on a bit of a hanger but I'm intrigued and excited to read more!
Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...
After Jessica is a twisty Mystery Novella, with several Characters adding there bit to the plot.
If I give anything away it will ruin the plot.
The blurb is vague but really caught my attention.
But the opening for this story hits you full pelt, I couldn't wait to find out what happens next!
Jessica had another life beside the one her family knew, now Jessica is dead!
Secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface!
It's told in Multiple points of view with
Short snappy chapters which i thoroughly enjoyed.
Each of the characters stories weave together perfectly as each one brings another piece to the puzzle that is Jessica's life!
It might be a short novella but alot is packed in making this a Pacy, Full of Inrigue, Thrilling Read that I couldn't put down.
It did end on a bit of a hanger but I'm intrigued and excited to read more!
Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...
April 13, 2019
A peppy little story packed with intrigue and Mystery! This book starts with a bang and then takes you on a wild and crazy ride that will make your head spin! After Jessica, indeed!
This book is told in short dynamic chapters. It is a fast pace addictive read that is really hard to put down. The short chapters are told from multiple characters perspectives, all seemingly disconnected. As the story progresses things become more and more clear, the threads start to come together. The ending is quite spectacular, your jaw will drop, and you will be thinking, “what just happened?“ morgen BaileyI sure hope there is a follow up, holy cliffhanger!
The perfect book when you’re in the mood for a zippy little story that will keep you on your toes!
*** Big thanks to the author for my copy of this book ***
This book is told in short dynamic chapters. It is a fast pace addictive read that is really hard to put down. The short chapters are told from multiple characters perspectives, all seemingly disconnected. As the story progresses things become more and more clear, the threads start to come together. The ending is quite spectacular, your jaw will drop, and you will be thinking, “what just happened?“ morgen BaileyI sure hope there is a follow up, holy cliffhanger!
The perfect book when you’re in the mood for a zippy little story that will keep you on your toes!
*** Big thanks to the author for my copy of this book ***
June 25, 2019
I love how this novella starts off, making sure I had to read more and it doesn’t disappoint.
The chapters are really short and snappy and it’s one of those ones where you just keep saying to yourself, one more chapter and then before you know it, you’re done. Obviously that isn’t just down to the chapter size, it’s very much down to the authors writing also.
This is a story that will have you question just how well you know the people closest to you. As Simon is to discover, not that well at all. As he starts his quest to inform everyone of his sister’s passing as well as go through her personal belongings, he discovers a lot more than he bargained for.
After Jessica was an enthralling and intriguing read that had me hooked from start to end. I really enjoyed seeing Simon getting closer into discovering more about his sister and I liked his character in general. The author starts the story with a bang and ends it on one also, making this overall, an enjoyable read.
The chapters are really short and snappy and it’s one of those ones where you just keep saying to yourself, one more chapter and then before you know it, you’re done. Obviously that isn’t just down to the chapter size, it’s very much down to the authors writing also.
This is a story that will have you question just how well you know the people closest to you. As Simon is to discover, not that well at all. As he starts his quest to inform everyone of his sister’s passing as well as go through her personal belongings, he discovers a lot more than he bargained for.
After Jessica was an enthralling and intriguing read that had me hooked from start to end. I really enjoyed seeing Simon getting closer into discovering more about his sister and I liked his character in general. The author starts the story with a bang and ends it on one also, making this overall, an enjoyable read.
May 6, 2019
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I thought that this was a really well written story and I loved reading it.
The characters are really well developed and I loved seeing how the story developed and as everything started to become clearer to the characters too, I was waiting to see how it would all end! I think that the ending was perfect for the book!
The book didn’t take me too long to read but I thought it was a great plot and the pace was spot on too for the story.
It is four stars from me for this one, I really enjoyed it and have already agreed to read another book by the author off the back of reading this one too!
I thought that this was a really well written story and I loved reading it.
The characters are really well developed and I loved seeing how the story developed and as everything started to become clearer to the characters too, I was waiting to see how it would all end! I think that the ending was perfect for the book!
The book didn’t take me too long to read but I thought it was a great plot and the pace was spot on too for the story.
It is four stars from me for this one, I really enjoyed it and have already agreed to read another book by the author off the back of reading this one too!
June 28, 2019
This is a very enjoyable novella. It is written in short chapters that keep the pace moving along, and your attention on a character or two at once.
Jessica's family get a lot more than they bargained for whilst going through her belongings after her death. There are so many confusing aspects around what was her life, and someone called Alexis is somehow connected, but how?
It certainly makes you think about those around you, the lengths people go to, to hide things, and how well you really know your friends and family.
Jessica's family get a lot more than they bargained for whilst going through her belongings after her death. There are so many confusing aspects around what was her life, and someone called Alexis is somehow connected, but how?
It certainly makes you think about those around you, the lengths people go to, to hide things, and how well you really know your friends and family.
April 11, 2019
So I was completely overwhelmed with my reading schedule a couple of weeks ago, and I was considering not reviewing this but hosting content on the blog…..well I am so glad I found the time to read this – what a little gem!
Like most reviews, I write less is more when it comes to the plot, and more so here. This is a short snappy novella, but that has over 50 chapters in it, each chapter is given a persons’ name as we delve in further into life After Jessica and the mystery of Who is Alexis?
I loved how when reading this you are introduced to different characters by the alternating chapters but Bailey never really reveals the links between everyone until nearer the end and I thought it was clever. I adored it! I didn’t realise I had got to the end at first, I was too gobsmacked by what I had read, jaw had dropped and then I started to read about Ms Bailey! I was like hang on a second what the hell. It was fab!
The beginning was shocking, the ending was shocking and the middle tied up a lot of loose ends and made for a thoroughly enjoyable read. It is easy to read this in one sitting because the short snappy chapters got me falling into the one more chapter trap! I could not wait to see how everything would play out and how the fallout from Jessica’s death would affect everyone. All I could think about was the six degrees of separation theory because it so rang true here!
Being a novella, you are never sure if you would get enough time to care about the characters or whether or not you would be engaged enough in the storyline. By heck was I both! In so few pages I was hooked and I knew I had to finish this book.
This is not my first rodeo with Bailey so I knew I would be in for a treat, as I have loved her other book albeit completely different genre to this! I will be back again very soon with another book to champion about!
April 10, 2019
There are different ways to approach a story. Some authors start with revealing some of the plot and describe how the other characters figure out the truth. Others start with the beginning and work towards the plot. I like both ways.
This book belongs in the former category. You might think you really know it all, but oh no, the author has a surprising ending up her sleeve. Normally when I finish a book, I feel relieved : the charachters have found love or the culprits are in jail or a victim has been saved, but here it was the opposite. ‘What? How? Why?’ were chasing each other in my head but to no avail. The story was devoured completely. There was no more.
Now, a day later, the questions are still haunting me. I can’t stop thinking about them and wondering what was still hidden. Secretly (well not so sectetly anymore because I write it here 🙂 ) I hope there might be a sequel. If not, it’s up to me to write my own ending. On the one hand I would love to know what the author would have added. On the other I can fill it in in the way I would like it to go.
It is a novella that I really enjoyed. I like the way the author connects characters that at first do not seem to be related at all. 4 stars.
Thank you, Morgen Bailey and Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
This book belongs in the former category. You might think you really know it all, but oh no, the author has a surprising ending up her sleeve. Normally when I finish a book, I feel relieved : the charachters have found love or the culprits are in jail or a victim has been saved, but here it was the opposite. ‘What? How? Why?’ were chasing each other in my head but to no avail. The story was devoured completely. There was no more.
Now, a day later, the questions are still haunting me. I can’t stop thinking about them and wondering what was still hidden. Secretly (well not so sectetly anymore because I write it here 🙂 ) I hope there might be a sequel. If not, it’s up to me to write my own ending. On the one hand I would love to know what the author would have added. On the other I can fill it in in the way I would like it to go.
It is a novella that I really enjoyed. I like the way the author connects characters that at first do not seem to be related at all. 4 stars.
Thank you, Morgen Bailey and Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
April 15, 2019
I will never look at my sister the same after reading this book!
I feel like I know everything about her but do I?! Is she who she says she is? Does she work where she says she does? I’d like to hope so
The book starts bit a bang, and, well, the life of Jessica unravels in front of us. Poor Simon, Jessica’s brother, has to deal with the aftermath of the accident but things don’t add up!
How he keeps it together is beyond me, I wanted to scream at parts (and not just at the answering machine!) Jessica isn’t there to help explain the things that Simon discovers and that’s got to be frustrating for him….. so many questions!
Even though this is classed as a novella it felt like a lengthy book, enough to keep me guessing and turning those pages. I enjoyed every page, every question, every niggling feeling.
Highly recommend it.
I feel like I know everything about her but do I?! Is she who she says she is? Does she work where she says she does? I’d like to hope so
The book starts bit a bang, and, well, the life of Jessica unravels in front of us. Poor Simon, Jessica’s brother, has to deal with the aftermath of the accident but things don’t add up!
How he keeps it together is beyond me, I wanted to scream at parts (and not just at the answering machine!) Jessica isn’t there to help explain the things that Simon discovers and that’s got to be frustrating for him….. so many questions!
Even though this is classed as a novella it felt like a lengthy book, enough to keep me guessing and turning those pages. I enjoyed every page, every question, every niggling feeling.
Highly recommend it.
April 14, 2019
All my reviews can be found at http://jessicasreadingroom.com
~~~~
I received a copy as a part of the blog tour.
~~~~
After Jessica is a short novella written by Morgen Bailey that pulls you in from the beginning and we have multiple mysteries throughout. The chapters are extremely short and the story is fast paced. You will want to keep reading to see what will happen!
The chapters are from multiple points of view (a favorite of mine!) and they start out disconnected, but as the novella progresses, they all wind up interconnected. Readers of thrillers/mysteries will most likely figure out the connections early on, I did. But it did not end my enjoyment of the novella. I wanted to see how these characters figured out the outcome. I liked and was invested in these characters, even the ‘unlikable’ Daniel, but you can understand his reasoning!
Reader beware: After Jessica ends on a cliffhanger! Ms. Bailey, I am ready for the continuation of this novella. I really hope you are planning to continue the story and I want to know what will happen next: Because ‘After Jessica’ is just the beginning!
After Jessica is recommended.
~~~~
I received a copy as a part of the blog tour.
~~~~
After Jessica is a short novella written by Morgen Bailey that pulls you in from the beginning and we have multiple mysteries throughout. The chapters are extremely short and the story is fast paced. You will want to keep reading to see what will happen!
The chapters are from multiple points of view (a favorite of mine!) and they start out disconnected, but as the novella progresses, they all wind up interconnected. Readers of thrillers/mysteries will most likely figure out the connections early on, I did. But it did not end my enjoyment of the novella. I wanted to see how these characters figured out the outcome. I liked and was invested in these characters, even the ‘unlikable’ Daniel, but you can understand his reasoning!
Reader beware: After Jessica ends on a cliffhanger! Ms. Bailey, I am ready for the continuation of this novella. I really hope you are planning to continue the story and I want to know what will happen next: Because ‘After Jessica’ is just the beginning!
After Jessica is recommended.
April 8, 2019
After Jessica by Morgen Bailey
Short succinct chapters one after the other introduce the characters who will play a part in this short novel. One by one we get glimpses of these people but really have no idea how any of them will meet or interact or know the others. I figured out early on where the person was that a number of characters were trying to find BUT that did not take away from the interest I had in finding out what would happen next. There is a tragedy in the death of a person early in the book but how that death impacted those around her proved very interesting. This story was woven together much like a crazy quilt that is made up of scraps of fabric. Why do I say that? Well, the scraps of information we find out about the various players in this piece are all sewn together through those brief chapters read one after another that eventually create quite a pattern as seen in the final story.
Thank you to Books on the Bright Side for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
Short succinct chapters one after the other introduce the characters who will play a part in this short novel. One by one we get glimpses of these people but really have no idea how any of them will meet or interact or know the others. I figured out early on where the person was that a number of characters were trying to find BUT that did not take away from the interest I had in finding out what would happen next. There is a tragedy in the death of a person early in the book but how that death impacted those around her proved very interesting. This story was woven together much like a crazy quilt that is made up of scraps of fabric. Why do I say that? Well, the scraps of information we find out about the various players in this piece are all sewn together through those brief chapters read one after another that eventually create quite a pattern as seen in the final story.
Thank you to Books on the Bright Side for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
April 10, 2019
After Jessica is a fairly short, easy to read story which could easily be devoured in a day or hours. It kept me intrigued throughout. Jessica may have passed away in a quick accident, but that’s not the end to this story… It’s the beginning.
I did get the whole outcome quite early in the book but read on to see if my assumption was correct… It was.
Poor Simon (Jessicas brother) is left with the aftermath of her death and uncovers a big secret of Jessicas. Daniel isn’t such a pleasant character but after what happened to him I wouldn’t be too pleased either. A lot of people are shocked by Jessicas death but for more than one reason… The ending is a shocker and jaw dropper… A cliffhanger as to what lies ahead for Simon and Jessicas mother.
The chapters are short and the story is well written. I awarded four stars.
I did get the whole outcome quite early in the book but read on to see if my assumption was correct… It was.
Poor Simon (Jessicas brother) is left with the aftermath of her death and uncovers a big secret of Jessicas. Daniel isn’t such a pleasant character but after what happened to him I wouldn’t be too pleased either. A lot of people are shocked by Jessicas death but for more than one reason… The ending is a shocker and jaw dropper… A cliffhanger as to what lies ahead for Simon and Jessicas mother.
The chapters are short and the story is well written. I awarded four stars.
May 3, 2019
So you think you know your nearest and dearest, even your own siblings pretty darn well?! How sure are you? Well Simon definitely didn't know his sister Jessica as well as he thought he did!
After Jessica starts in such a heart-breaking way and that's where the mysterious life of Jessica starts to unravel before Simon. I really enjoyed the way the story jumped between perspectives. With each chapter, the pieces of Jessica's life slowly drop into place and I as the reader began to realise the full picture of this secretive life this young lady led.
Ms Bailey has packed plenty of intrigue and tension into this short novel. Despite the book only being 155 pages, I felt totally immersed in this tale. The characters felt real, Simon's grief and confusion after his sister's early demise gave out genuine emotion.
This is the first novel/novella I've read by Morgen Bailey but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed entering the world of Simon and Jessica.
After Jessica starts in such a heart-breaking way and that's where the mysterious life of Jessica starts to unravel before Simon. I really enjoyed the way the story jumped between perspectives. With each chapter, the pieces of Jessica's life slowly drop into place and I as the reader began to realise the full picture of this secretive life this young lady led.
Ms Bailey has packed plenty of intrigue and tension into this short novel. Despite the book only being 155 pages, I felt totally immersed in this tale. The characters felt real, Simon's grief and confusion after his sister's early demise gave out genuine emotion.
This is the first novel/novella I've read by Morgen Bailey but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed entering the world of Simon and Jessica.
March 17, 2018
A few characters in this story with them all having a chapter throughout the book. Loved the ending as was a complete surprise. Very entertaining read like her other stories.
October 5, 2019
I have had the opportunity to read and review a Morgen Bailey book before, The Serial Daters shopping list, and really enjoyed it so when I saw this one come up I was eager to jump at the chance.
This was different to Serial daters in that it was a novella rather than a full length novel and wouldn’t really fall under the romance category. I think it is described as a thriller but I’m not even sure it would fall under that.
I did enjoy After Jessica though. The book starts with an escort stealing money from a client and then jumps to Jessica leaving for work when she collides on the train tracks with a train. As the train driver and Jessica gain eye contact Jessica mouths that she’s sorry.
This leads to the rest of the story which is Jessica’s family being told the devastating news and how they try to come to terms with her death and how her brother Simon discovers someone calls Alexis and distracts himself by trying to track her down. That’s when we discover that Alexis and Jessica are one of the same.
I honestly feel like this could have been a full length novel and kept me intrigued. There were lots of small part characters that could have been developed a lot more as well as Jessica’s story. I would have liked to have discovered more about how she became Alexis and the life that she led. I also felt like the discovery of Alexis was a bit rushed and if it had been a longer story could have included more detail. However I did find myself engrossed in the story and couldn’t wait to find out how all the paths connected and it didn’t disappoint. From Simon, Jessica’s brother, finding a connection with the train driver, to the private investigator having to announce that Alexis is dead it all ties up nicely at the end with a big fluffy bow.
I don’t want to give too much away, but if your looking for a short story to fill in a space in your schedule I highly recommend this, especially to fans of romance looking to branch out as it’s not all lovey dovey but also not full on thriller.
This was different to Serial daters in that it was a novella rather than a full length novel and wouldn’t really fall under the romance category. I think it is described as a thriller but I’m not even sure it would fall under that.
I did enjoy After Jessica though. The book starts with an escort stealing money from a client and then jumps to Jessica leaving for work when she collides on the train tracks with a train. As the train driver and Jessica gain eye contact Jessica mouths that she’s sorry.
This leads to the rest of the story which is Jessica’s family being told the devastating news and how they try to come to terms with her death and how her brother Simon discovers someone calls Alexis and distracts himself by trying to track her down. That’s when we discover that Alexis and Jessica are one of the same.
I honestly feel like this could have been a full length novel and kept me intrigued. There were lots of small part characters that could have been developed a lot more as well as Jessica’s story. I would have liked to have discovered more about how she became Alexis and the life that she led. I also felt like the discovery of Alexis was a bit rushed and if it had been a longer story could have included more detail. However I did find myself engrossed in the story and couldn’t wait to find out how all the paths connected and it didn’t disappoint. From Simon, Jessica’s brother, finding a connection with the train driver, to the private investigator having to announce that Alexis is dead it all ties up nicely at the end with a big fluffy bow.
I don’t want to give too much away, but if your looking for a short story to fill in a space in your schedule I highly recommend this, especially to fans of romance looking to branch out as it’s not all lovey dovey but also not full on thriller.
May 26, 2019
You may remember my gush on The Serial Dater’s Shopping List from someone I pretty much fangirl at this stage (am I using that phrase correctly?!?!) You can read it here. Seeing this, and knowing it was a different genre, I have to admit I worried, but I needn’t have.
This is the story of Jessica, who seems to have an everyday existence until she dies, and suddenly, on finding a wad of money and having strange conversations, her brother realises he knows nothing about her.
The book is written in short bursts with multiple povs which drove you from chapter to chapter, character to character. You start, aptly enough, with a character that is pivotal ( sadly for him) to all of this.
All of the characters were players in this book, and I loved the way you didn’t always know how and so were running after them to listen to their story then deftly sidestepping to the next. I also loved that they talked to each other and confided in each other ( too often in books you have people not saying what needs to be said or unable to reach a character to add intrigue, but, although sometimes it works brilliantly, a lot of the time I just find it unrealistic and irritating!).
I warmed to so many of them and felt for them , although weirdly enough, what constantly returns to me is Jessica’s final moments. A nice, short, easy going, all encompassing, gripper of a book that I most definitely savoured and enjoyed. Oh, and it’s £0.99 at the mo!! Thanks so much to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo for this book in return for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
This is the story of Jessica, who seems to have an everyday existence until she dies, and suddenly, on finding a wad of money and having strange conversations, her brother realises he knows nothing about her.
The book is written in short bursts with multiple povs which drove you from chapter to chapter, character to character. You start, aptly enough, with a character that is pivotal ( sadly for him) to all of this.
All of the characters were players in this book, and I loved the way you didn’t always know how and so were running after them to listen to their story then deftly sidestepping to the next. I also loved that they talked to each other and confided in each other ( too often in books you have people not saying what needs to be said or unable to reach a character to add intrigue, but, although sometimes it works brilliantly, a lot of the time I just find it unrealistic and irritating!).
I warmed to so many of them and felt for them , although weirdly enough, what constantly returns to me is Jessica’s final moments. A nice, short, easy going, all encompassing, gripper of a book that I most definitely savoured and enjoyed. Oh, and it’s £0.99 at the mo!! Thanks so much to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo for this book in return for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
September 10, 2019
After Jessica is a short story that explores the fallout from a tragic accident and how the lives of the survivors are affected. It also questions how much we truly know about those closest to us.
The story certainly opens in a way that grabs your attention… well it did mine but that was possibly as much to do with where I was reading those opening chapters as anything. Being only 155 pages long the chapters are short but have enough pace to them to give the feel that you are reading something much longer but in a good way. Each chapter is told from a different person’s perspective and as the story progresses you find out how they are all connected.
As you would expect much of the book was told from the perspective of Jessica’s family and in the main that of her brother Simon as he took it upon himself to sort out his sisters’ affairs. Although all the characters in the book were very relatable it is Simon you get to know the best and you feel for him as he seems to take the weight of everything on his shoulders.
Morgen Bailey has certainly managed to create an intriguing story that will hook the reader right to the end…and trust me that end will come sooner than you think as once you start the book you won’t want to put it down until you have finished it. This is the second book I have read by this author and I can honestly say that I am becoming a fan of her work and look forward to what comes next.
The story certainly opens in a way that grabs your attention… well it did mine but that was possibly as much to do with where I was reading those opening chapters as anything. Being only 155 pages long the chapters are short but have enough pace to them to give the feel that you are reading something much longer but in a good way. Each chapter is told from a different person’s perspective and as the story progresses you find out how they are all connected.
As you would expect much of the book was told from the perspective of Jessica’s family and in the main that of her brother Simon as he took it upon himself to sort out his sisters’ affairs. Although all the characters in the book were very relatable it is Simon you get to know the best and you feel for him as he seems to take the weight of everything on his shoulders.
Morgen Bailey has certainly managed to create an intriguing story that will hook the reader right to the end…and trust me that end will come sooner than you think as once you start the book you won’t want to put it down until you have finished it. This is the second book I have read by this author and I can honestly say that I am becoming a fan of her work and look forward to what comes next.
October 19, 2019
No Matter how busy I am there is no way I can ever refuse to join a Morgen Bailey blog tour. Every novel is full of quirky and fun surprises and I’ve even stopped trying to guess what the next one will contain and instead I just allow myself to become lost in the moment of every word.
I have to say the first few chapters had me welling up and devastated. The character of Jessica isn’t really introduced at this point and yet I just adored her from the very beginning. When she dies I found myself grieving alongside Simon and her mother too. Morgen has portrayed the grief process through Simon and especially the train driver Andy. There are no dramatic statements – just raw grief overshadowed by the need to figure out a few mysteries that keep popping up regarding Jessica.
Told through multiple points of view, each character’s story are seemingly unrelated at points until Ms Bailey ties them all together in a clever and cunning way. Not a single character is wasted or unnecessary and all are enjoyable to read about. Everything is woven together with perfect timing and detail.
I make no secret about the fact that I am a huge Morgen Bailey fan but this novel has just become one of my favourites. It’s a quick read but don’t be fooled into thinking that means simple and light. Full of surprises and shocks, it’s a perfect mystery.
I have to say the first few chapters had me welling up and devastated. The character of Jessica isn’t really introduced at this point and yet I just adored her from the very beginning. When she dies I found myself grieving alongside Simon and her mother too. Morgen has portrayed the grief process through Simon and especially the train driver Andy. There are no dramatic statements – just raw grief overshadowed by the need to figure out a few mysteries that keep popping up regarding Jessica.
Told through multiple points of view, each character’s story are seemingly unrelated at points until Ms Bailey ties them all together in a clever and cunning way. Not a single character is wasted or unnecessary and all are enjoyable to read about. Everything is woven together with perfect timing and detail.
I make no secret about the fact that I am a huge Morgen Bailey fan but this novel has just become one of my favourites. It’s a quick read but don’t be fooled into thinking that means simple and light. Full of surprises and shocks, it’s a perfect mystery.
October 1, 2019
Jessica died in a tragic accident, her brother Simon begins to sort out her affairs, but gets odd phone calls from someone looking for Alexis…..he also finds a roll of cash in a drawer and wonders how she came to have this and the few thousand in her bank account.
He tries his best to find Alexis as he feels it would be nice to speak to someone who may have known Jess…..
He also meets, Andy, the train driver involved in Jess’ accident and could there be a romance here?
This is a surprising novella, in that there is so much going on in. There’s the mystery of Jess and her money, the missing Alexis and a little romance too. A nice easy ready with a couple of surprises. Ideal if you haven’t time for a full novel but still want a good, engaging read.
Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
He tries his best to find Alexis as he feels it would be nice to speak to someone who may have known Jess…..
He also meets, Andy, the train driver involved in Jess’ accident and could there be a romance here?
This is a surprising novella, in that there is so much going on in. There’s the mystery of Jess and her money, the missing Alexis and a little romance too. A nice easy ready with a couple of surprises. Ideal if you haven’t time for a full novel but still want a good, engaging read.
Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
July 1, 2019
I really enjoyed this. I read a sample which hooked me and I immediately bought the novella. It is a quick read but engrossing. I particularly loved the use of short, rapid-fire chapters initially - some of them only a few paragraphs long - because they somehow captured how fast things were moving. I also liked that they introduced us to the characters and what was happening in such a way that nothing needed to be laboriously spelled out. The chapters then settled into a more conventional format, although being a novella none of them were overly long.
I also really liked the story and main characters and am interested to see where it goes next.
I also really liked the story and main characters and am interested to see where it goes next.
March 28, 2020
Oh Jessica, who are you really?
I gave this short novel 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. The people, situation and mystery were so interesting. What a wild tale.
What would you do if you discovered a recently deceased loved one was living a hidden life, had another persona?
The story could have been much more. I felt there were too many reruns of topics and dull details. Also, a few scenes were not needed and didn’t move the story along (ex: the number of people attending the wake.) Since this is a fictional piece, it would have been great to hear more about Veronica, Daniel, and Rick. Up the suspense and intrigue.
After Jessica is an interesting, quick mystery.
I gave this short novel 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. The people, situation and mystery were so interesting. What a wild tale.
What would you do if you discovered a recently deceased loved one was living a hidden life, had another persona?
The story could have been much more. I felt there were too many reruns of topics and dull details. Also, a few scenes were not needed and didn’t move the story along (ex: the number of people attending the wake.) Since this is a fictional piece, it would have been great to hear more about Veronica, Daniel, and Rick. Up the suspense and intrigue.
After Jessica is an interesting, quick mystery.
November 11, 2019
This is a really good read, and at 155 pages long it is perfect for those coffee breaks.
The story follows the life story of Jessica who dies. Her brother Simon is then left to sort out all her affairs, and he finds out his sister’s life is nothing as he imagined it to be. The author builds the suspense well throughout the book and that definitely encourages the reader to keep turning those pages.
The story follows the life story of Jessica who dies. Her brother Simon is then left to sort out all her affairs, and he finds out his sister’s life is nothing as he imagined it to be. The author builds the suspense well throughout the book and that definitely encourages the reader to keep turning those pages.
April 23, 2021
This story could have had so much more going for it. What if the white van had clipped
Jessica car. What if Jessica was more than just a call-girl. How did Jessica accumulate over two million pounds? Why would she bother to steal three grand from Daniel?
Why didn't Jessiac not remove the sim card from her discarded phone?
Could Jessica have been bumped off?
Could this have made a nice BBC one off play, with a cosy wee ending, but leaving you with the thought...... What If.....?
Jessica car. What if Jessica was more than just a call-girl. How did Jessica accumulate over two million pounds? Why would she bother to steal three grand from Daniel?
Why didn't Jessiac not remove the sim card from her discarded phone?
Could Jessica have been bumped off?
Could this have made a nice BBC one off play, with a cosy wee ending, but leaving you with the thought...... What If.....?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2020
This is an interesting read and a different type of story. The main character has died and the book follows those left behind. This is the first book I have read by this author. but won't be the last. A great writing style and reader-friendly story make this a book to grab.
April 5, 2019
Review to follow
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December 15, 2019Please see blog for *L*'s review: https://thepturnersbookblog.wordpress...
June 10, 2020
Constant smiles were unexpected but delightful
I liked the story, I liked his nonsense love affair and the ending was just right - the good guys triumphed.
I liked the story, I liked his nonsense love affair and the ending was just right - the good guys triumphed.
October 26, 2020
Highly recommend
January 20, 2023
this had creepy and complex beginning, I just really enjoyed the whole book.
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