Who would you believe is capable of murder: the man you almost married or the man whose life you saved?
British soldier, Aimee Price, is hailed as a hero for saving a man's life. But traumatic flashbacks of the explosion, and a loss of confidence, force her to hide from the limelight.
Twelve years later, Jones, the man she saved, is arrested for a murder he claims he didn't commit. Can she believe him when she has a history with the victim and Jones has a tendency for violence?
Aimee must discover the truth, even if it means losing her job, all while trying to live a normal life and start dating again.
But can she put the past behind her, even when it's determined to destroy her by opening old wounds?
Jinx is a gripping suspense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. If you enjoy crime and suspense thrillers with a hint of romance and a strong female protagonist then you'll love this standalone thriller by Jessica Huntley.
Trigger Warnings: Attempted suicide, abortion/unable to conceive children, PTSD, depression, murder/death of a loved one, graphic injury detail and sexual harassment.
Jessica Huntley is an award-winning and best-selling psychological thriller author. She's an ex-British soldier and Personal Trainer and has been writing almost non-stop for the past four years.
She is now the author of sixteen books, including two trilogies, six standalone thrillers, two anthologies, a co-written horror project and a novella. She is both self-published and traditionally published with Inkubator Books and Joffe Books.
She writes books for thriller readers who like their stories dark and twisty with complex, yet memorable characters, who often suffer from relatable mental health disorders.
When she isn't writing, Jessica is either keeping fit, walking her dog or looking after her young son.
Sign up to her email list to receive news about her upcoming book releases, get a first look at covers and some thriller recommendations. Visit her website where you'll also be able to download a short story called "You Die ... I Die".
I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself and my book a little bit.
Jinx is a book I originally wrote when I was 15. However, it's changed a HUGE amount since then and I want to explain why. When I was 15 I spoke to a writer who was much older than me (in his fifties I think) and he told me that my writing was too descriptive and lacked real world experience. He told me to go and live my life, get some life experience and then start writing ...
So that's exactly what I did ... And I started my life experience by joining the British Army at age 18. I have now left the Army and have a husband and a young son and a dog. I now consider myself a published author.
Jinx will be my 6th published book and I have used my own experiences of being a British Army soldier to create my characters and give my readers a true and accurate representation of what it's like being a female in the British Army.
Now, the book is not all about being in the Army. It's a murder mystery and a suspense thriller rolled into one, with a tiny hint of romance, so hopefully it's got something for everyone.
I didn't know what to expect from this story. I knew I'd like it as I've liked everything Jessica has written so far, but this.....this is truly her best yet. I honestly struggled to put it down.
The bits about Aimee's time in the army were quite fascinating - and terrifying! I've never read anything that includes this before. The complications that come from this experience felt really real.
I was unsure of the first person and then third person changes to begin with but I actually really enjoyed it, it felt like I was reading Aimee's diary entries or listening to her story over a cup of coffee. Then the third person present day, I felt as if I living alongside her, seeing things as she did.
It didn't turn out like I expected it to at all, I started to get the hang of "who done it" but only towards the end when it started feeling like I was being pushed that way. I didn't expect some of the other things though and this was a pleasant surprise.
This is a really great thriller that leaves you wondering what the hell is happening, who can you trust? It's written in a way that's easy to understand and follow, bringing characters to life who will deffo leave a mark on your mind. It's emotional with some heavy content, but has some lighter and funny moments too. Because that's real life right? One moment it's shit and then next minute we're laughing with our good buddy or chatting to our hamster. I was hooked and I recommend to anyone looking for a good, memorable story - especially those thriller lovers!
Aimee Price is a British soldier who saved a man’s life. 12 years later, he is arrested for a murder he claims he didn’t commit. Aimee is determined to discover the truth even if it could cost her everything…
I loved the characters, storyline and quite enjoyed the multiple POVs. I absolutely loved this book, I devoured it so fast because I had to see how it was going to end. It was such a fast paced book, which I found hard to put down. I did guess what was going to happen in the book but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment.
I was more interested in the ‘now’ storyline than the ‘then’ because I loved the mystery aspect with the murder enquiry, but the ‘then’ storyline does give important background information, which I did enjoy and it helped to gain more of an understanding and connection to the characters, especially Aimee.
I absolutely loved the ending, which made me have tears in my eyes and I honestly would love Jinx to become a series because I would love to see what would happen for Aimee next, but I am also really happy with how everything was left as it tied everything together beautifully.
Thank you so much to Jessica for sending me a copy! All opinions are my own.
Read this within 4 hours, in one sitting, cover to cover…if you were to look up the definition of an addictive read, with various plot twists, likeable and emotive characters, tense and dark topics and a splash of romance, you will find the cover of ‘Jinx!’ This read has it all!
I’m not going to pretend that I knew all the details about being in the Army and what happens when, but thanks to the amazing writing and details that Huntley includes, I am now more aware and knowledgeable. My upmost respect goes to anyone who has been involved with serving their country!
The storyline is gripping and full of suspense, making this a great page turner. However, this wasn’t a heavy read thanks to the comical aspects included. The conclusion is unforeseen, but once revealed, it ties up all the lose ends perfectly.
This is one of the best reads of the year for me so far, and if you are to read just one book in 2023 - make sure it’s this one!
Thank you Jessica Huntley for a gifted copy of this book.
‘Jinx’ will be released on 15th April, but you can pre-order a copy today!
This was a fast paced and fun thriller! It deals with some dark subjects but it was also dotted with fun and excitement! For me, I did find the POV and tense switching to be a little jarring now and then, and I didn’t connect with the romance element. That said, neither of those things were very important to the story as a whole. I enjoyed the female friendships, the exploration of army life and how life is for women in the military. I read the story quickly and didn’t suspect the killer until just before the reveal! A must read for thriller lovers!
I have been approaching thrillers for a very short time. I started with "Inside the Water" by Paula Hawkins and then moved on to "The Girl on the Train" and "A Slow Burning Fire" by the same author. Finally, I dedicated myself to reading Jinx by Jessica Huntley. I was given the opportunity to read this amazing book in preview and believe me, believe me on the word m if I tell you that it is ✨SUBLIME.✨
British soldier, Aimee Price, is hailed as a hero for saving a man's life. But traumatic flashbacks of the explosion, and a loss of confidence, force her to hide from the limelight. Twelve years later, Jones, the man she saved, is arrested for a murder he claims he didn't commit. Can she believe him when she has a history with the victim and Jones has a tendency for violence? Aimee must discover the truth, even if it means losing her job, all while trying to live a normal life and start dating again. But can she put the past behind her, even when it's determined to destroy her by opening old wounds?
***I strongly advise you to pay attention to the TW before proceeding with the reading of this book (👇) ***
- attempted suicide - abortion/unable to conceive children - PTSD - depression - murder/death of a loved one - graphic injury detail - sexual harassment
What can I say... I loved it. From the first to the last page.
The author's pen is something absurd: super smooth, detailed and extremely bewitching, engaging and lots of action. His writing allowed me to immerse myself, like never before, in history. To feel it on my skin. I just couldn't tear myself away from this book!
The narrative is alternated on two temporal planes (past and present) and has the double pov (Aimee and Jones, The main characters).
Our protagonists are fabulously well characterized. I appreciated the author's choice to write about a very strong and courageous protagonist. A protagonist who, despite having been through a lot both before and after the army, is not discouraged by anyone and faces everything head on. You never read enough books with strong female protagonists. Choice really appreciated!
The details about the lifestyle of women in the army are incredible and allow the reader to get in more tune with Aimee and more generally with the brave and strong women who risk their lives every day to protect their country.
The only negative note is the romance that, personally, I would have preferred to be developed more.
Despite this small detail, I really appreciated this volume, especially the ending that left me with my mouth open. I can't wait for you to read it too!!!!
I thank author Jessica Huntley for giving me the opportunity to preview this fantastic thriller. Thank you very much! ❤️❤️
Absolutely loved this book. I loved the way it flipped back and forth between the present and the past, going over Aimee's life over the years. Had me gripped from the first page. I thought I had sussed it up until the last few chapters. Great read and would highly recommend it.
Thriller, romance, and murder mystery all rolled into one! A fast-paced story with a shocking twist that I didn’t see coming. It also gives a fascinating insight into PTSD after serving in Afghanistan from a female soldier's perspective. Highly recommended!
I needed this one to give me back my mojo. Talk about an addictive read. Even though I am not a huge army connoisseur or rarely read about it, this was amazingly done. The past flashbacks into Aimee's army life was really interesting. The mental health representation done by Huntley is very well done. Plus the blend of thriller in this book was chef's kiss.
It was my first novel by Jessica and definitely not my last. I loved her writing style, it was so engaging, it just grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let you go. The way she made the story unfold with the past and present as well as with the twists and turns, I loved it.
I loved Aimee so much, I only wanted the best for her throughout. I just wanted her to be okay. I could totally relate to how she was feeling at times, the sadness, the hurt and the pain. It was all very relatable. Jones was a dickhead (as mentioned) but I rooted for him all along, I still adored him.
This was the perfect blend dark topics sprinkled with some romance. It has a dark subject matter but throughout it all Huntley has added some comical and sweet moments, which just lighten it up. It is definitely a page turner, once you start you won't stop.
If you're looking for a fast paced, page turning suspense thriller sprinkled with romance definitely pick up this one!
Jinx centred around Aimee, ex-soldier and war hero who is currently working for the police and dealing with the trauma of her time in the army. When a case comes into the station in which Aimee knows both the victim and the prime suspect, she must confront her past and reevaluate everything she thought she knew.
Jinx is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved the alternating timelines between Aimee’s past and present. As both storylines were quite tense and the chapters were short, this made it really difficult to put the book down and I raced through the second half in one afternoon.
I also really enjoyed the short chapters from the perspectives of Jones and James, providing alternative perspectives on some of the key events.
Aimee is a strong and likeable main character and I really enjoyed seeing how her relationship with Jones developed and changed through the course of the book. We definitely need a spin-off for Cindy and Tony now 🤞🤍
I devoured this book in a day. I honestly couldn't put it down.
There are so many issues that it highlights, including PTSD, suicide, sexual harassment, mental health, disability and loss, just to name a few.
Aimee is an honourably discharged female soldier who is struggling with PTSD after events in Afghanistan left her fighting for her life.
Over a decade after the incident she is thrown back into the past as a body has been found and a suspect arrested, both of whom she had known in a time she would rather forget.
The story is mainly from Aimee's point of view but there are snippets from a couple of other characters and it has a timeline which switches from the past and the present.
The characters are likable and the story evolves unhurriedly while still keeping you hooked right to the end.
Ja Hallmark ražotu trillerus ne klišejiskas un copy-paste stila romantiskās filmas, tad šis būtu klasisks Hallmark trilleris. 😅
Visu gan izskaidroja autores pecvārds - viņa pati ir bijusi armijā vairākus gadus, tāpēc šeit visa Afganistānas pieredze un iekšējais armijas klimats arī nolasijās ļoti autentiski, ticami. Tā daļa man ļoti patika un šķita emocionāli labāka. Un šo grāmatu (bez armijas daļas) viņa sarakstīja jau pusaudžu gados un arī to šeit ir viegli saprast. 😅 Ļoti tāds pusaudzīgs stils - kad galvenajiem varoņiem tiek piespēlēta kaudze ar pārbaudījumiem un skarbiem notikumiem, ar kuriem jātiek galā, viņi izdomā, ka labāk visu savu enerģiju veltīt flirtēšanai.
Bet šis man noderēja kā neliela žanra maiņa - lai gan joprojām trilleris, tuvāk tomēr romantic suspence žanram: no ienaidniekiem par mīļākajiem vienmēr ir topā. Ja ne tās sveškauna cienīgās pārvērtības.
Lai gan man patika tīri izklaidei, es laikam šo tomēr citiem neiesaku. Te jāmetas iekšā ar īpatnēju noskaņojumu - gribu asinis, bet gribu arī patizlu romaņķiku. 🤭
Gripping, emotional, thrilling! What a great read.
I loved the duel timeline, Multiple POV aspect of this story. It was such an interesting way to see the story unfold and the timelines merge in a dramatic conclusion.
Page turning reading at its best.
Aimee's story was both tragic and courageous and as the FMC had me totally feeling for her ever step of the way.
I devoured this book and while I picked up on a few hints in the plot there were just as many I didnt see coming. This is a brilliant, suspenseful murder mystery / thriller with just the right hint of survival, courage and romance.
Read this if you enjoy: 🔥 Dual timelines 🔥 Unreliable characters 🔥 A Page Turner ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Things I loved: ✔️Banter between Aimee & Jones was fun! ✔️Dual timelines. I’m a sucker for stuff like this & love it when you see the timelines start to merge & fill in the gaps ✔️Insight into life in the Army. I literally knew nothing before this book & whilst it’s fiction I know some of the authors own experiences went into this story ✔️Loved not knowing who the ‘bad guy’ was… no one is truly who you think they are ✔️Aimee’s friendships & how they picked up back up ✔️Hints of romance
Things I struggled with: 🚫 I find books that change between calling characters by first name, surname etc can be confusing to keep up. I got it in the end but it took me a while to get it. It didn’t help that there was a Jones & James 🤣
Overall I enjoyed the story of Jinx! I found it compelling & hard to put down once I got into the flow of it. I’m finished it days ago & still think of Aimee & Jones.
Oh my goodness I really enjoyed this. My book club suggested it and it’s been one of my favorite reads this year. It checked all the boxes for me. I loved the vivid writing style and side characters. It was heartbreaking and heartfelt. It’s filled with precious moments and difficult themes such as war, PTSD and suicidal ideation. It sounds dreadful but it had fun moments and the side characters added so much to the story. I had to hug this book when I finished it because it was a beautiful ending to a terrible start! Thanks you Liz for suggesting this indie author to me. 💗
Jessica Huntley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. There is something about the way she tells a story that really speaks to me as a reader. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy a story of this nature, but I did, which is a testament to Huntley’s talents.
I love how she put the pieces together as the story unraveled bit by bit with each chapter revealing just enough to make me need to know more! A page-turner for sure! I’m also a sucker for multiple character POV and duel timelines as long as they’re done right, and this story handled both perfectly! I had my suspicions about a certain character, but I never could have guessed the reveal and the why. I was shocked! Such a great ending!
I look forward to seeing what Huntley comes up with next! I know I will read whatever it is!
Thoroughly enjoyable read and I really felt for Aimee and everything she went through.
Despite touching on some dark subjects it has a lightness to it and I read it quickly, enjoying the different perspectives and time frames. It worked really well.
Although I’d read a co-authored piece by Jessica Huntley, JINX is my first solo read from the author. From the start, I was drawn to these characters, and they were my favorite part of this book. Aimee Price is a badass, even if she’s emotionally broken after nearly being blown up in battle. Jones is compelling, as his gruff and in-your-face demeanor makes him more interesting. I loved the back and forth between time periods, though there were a few awkward transitions within chapters where I didn’t realize time had passed. The story is solid, but the climax seemed sudden and a little rushed. I did suspect who the killer was but hadn’t put together the motive (good job, since there were clues). Overall a strong novel that kept my interest until the end.
What can I say? The content is a bit of a departure from Jessica's Dark Self trilogy, but wow, it's so good!! Can't wait to see if the story continues...hint hint 😉
This was a fun book. It was a little on the too long side; however, it wasn't boring at all. It had decent characters, a well thought out plot, with some nice twists.
I have read all of Jessica’s previous work so it was a given that I would read this. It is different to what Jessica has written before but I love it. It shows how versatile Jessica is as an author.
I finished this book in one sitting. The story and writing was engaging. I liked the main character Aimee and learning about her back story in the army and how that was impacting her present day. I enjoyed learning about the army also and as Jessica was in the army herself, you know it is accurate information. I enjoyed the police procedural side of it well. It was well written.
I liked the friendships and how it brought some lightheartedness in to some serious topics. The romance could have developed more but it didn’t detract from the story. I didn’t expect the end and everything was wrapped up nicely. Another enjoyable read from Jessica!
Thank you to @jessica_reading_writing for a gifted copy and for letting me help (in a very small way) with your research for the police parts of the book.
I absolutely loved this book; the storyline, the characters, the delicate way emotive subjects were dealt with and the peppering of romance. Read it in 3 days with work and life as couldn't put it down. Looking forward to more Huntley books, if new to this author I highly recommend 'My Self' series and 'The Darkness Within ' as great read also!
The book was much more involved with the characters histories within the Army, which I wasn't so sure on time begin with, but it very much grew on me because of how real the representation felt.
I loved seeing Aimee's recovery and relationship with James and Jones through the flashbacks. 'Multiple timelines/POVs' are two of my favourite things in books.
The story rattled along so easily and quickly that I didn't realise how much I was reading! I was definitely interested in wanting to know what happened, and everything felt explained enough at the end. I wasn't overly shocked by the ending (and I there were some parts where I was thinking 'Ok sure lets just go with the flow here'), but the story was enjoyable and made sense.
There were some questionable decisions made by Aimee: lying more when she was already caught in a lie, not being suspicious when things go missing in her home, and I definitely wouldn't have trusted Jones to begin with, but maybe Aimee is a better person than me! I don't necessarily know if the relationship at the end was needed - it comes across as hand waving Jones' actions as 'boys will be boys'. I think I would have preferred them to be friends.
Overall Although not the strongest thriller I've read, the depth of the main characters and their experiences wonderfully shone through. A pacy, rudimentary thriller.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Jessica Huntley has crafted a story that will keep you wanting to read more. Price saved a man only to have him 12 yrs later face a murder charge . Did she make a mistake in saving him or could he once again need her help? Read it to find out. The way Jessica develops her characters makes you feel invest in the events that are happening to them. Plus the ending was great. Will we see more of Price in the future, let's hope so!
This is way outside of what I normally read but because I love this authors work, I gave it a chance. It was extremely well written, which I imagine was challenging because of all the military content. I found this book intriguing, and I actually learned some things also. If you like military thrillers, give it a go.
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫: the man you almost married or the man whose life you saved?
Have you ever read a book that’s been so incredibly addictive you want to devour it in one sitting, but you also want to take your time and savour every moment because you’re loving the whole experience and don’t want it to end? Yep, me reading Jinx!
Jinx is told over two timelines; 12 years ago whilst Aimee is serving in the British Army and is involved in a catastrophic event, and Now, following her life after the army and an investigation into a murder, where Aimee knew both the victim and the suspect. Each timeline is just as good as the next, and I was torn between not wanting the Now chapter to end as it’s so gripping, but looking forward to reading the next Before chapter to find out more about Aimee’s past and what happened after the juicy cliffhanger it was left on! And let’s just mention that twist.. Jessica you have done it again 👏🏼🤯
Jessica has such a wonderful talent of bringing her characters to life they could literally sit up and walk off the page. I fall in love with every one she writes. Never in my life have I done quite the 180 on a character before!!! (iykyk). The representation of PTSD is flawless, I felt so claustrophobic reading those scenes it felt like I was right there with Aimee going through the motions. They were heart wrenching.
What I loved most about this book was knowing that Jessica incorporated her own real life experiences of serving as a female soldier in the British Army. Whilst harrowing to think about, it makes Aimee’s story so much more authentic. You can really feel Jessica’s passion for her past career and the story she has created throughout the entire book. Jessica has spoken about Jinx in a few podcasts so I’m really looking forward to listening to those now and learning more about her own experiences.
This is a unique thriller, and one that will stay with me for a long long time 🖤
Today is my day for the Jinx book tour, releases the 15th!
Hey all you have a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star book here! Jessica knocked it out of the park with this one!!
⚠️Trigger Warnings from the author: Attempted su!c!de Abortion/Unable to conceive children PTSD/Depression/Panic attacks M@rder/Death of a loved one Graphic injury detail Se/ual harrassment
Wow! What a remarkable book! Jessica did an amazing job telling this story. I could not put this book down!! What a wild and thrilling ride. By bringing her own experience of being a British soldier, and a woman, she was able to show a true depiction in the life of a soldier.
This story is about British soldiers during a war, being attacked and severely injured and how they were affected during the after math. She brought to light how much physical and mental trauma can really effect someone's life. PTSD is horrible to cope with on a daily basis. I have someone extremely close to me that suffers with complex PTSD. I feel Jessica really handled this storyline with compassion and grace.
This book is also about so much more. Friendships, lies, deceit, and the character development really makes this book outstanding.
I can not say enough about this book. It's out NOW! Grab a copy!