Liars All: A Brodie Farrell Mystery

Brodie Farrell ##9

by Jo Bannister

A young couple is mugged and brutally attacked, leaving one of the victims in the ground and the other in a wheelchair. Wracked with guilt, the mother of the man accused of their attacks enlists Brodie's friend Daniel to help track down the jewelry her son stole from the victims. Although the chances for recovery of the jewels are slim, and Detective Superintendent Jack Deacon thinks it's a lost cause, Daniel and Brodie refuse to give up the case. But just as new clues are uncovered, and events begin to spiral out of control, Brodie faces the challenge of her life, an investigation that trumps them all—a trek across the globe in search of a cure for her son's brain tumor. But is this the one search for which detective Brodie Farrell is destined to fail?"Bannister is one of the undersung treasures of the mystery genre." ---Chicago Tribune

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Adult

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Jo Bannister lives in Northern Ireland, where she worked as a journalist and editor on local newspapers. Since giving up the day job, her books have been shortlisted for a number of awards. Most of her spare time is spent with her horse and dog, or clambering over archaeological sites. She is currently working on a new series of psychological crime/thrillers.

Reviews

[Catherine Woodman]

I did not love this Brodie Farrell story--she is difficult difficult lemon difficult and while the issue of her son having an incurable brain tumor is a stressor, she is unappealing in her handling of that. THe ending is better than the story leading up to it, but I would read something else unless you are a fan, in which case it is definitely readable.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Brodie Farrell mystery. I've read them all of course but its been a while since I read the last one. I had a little trouble remembering every ones role in previous books which made it a little harder to get into this one. Evidently this book doesn't quite stand alone by itself. Eventually it got better and even made me laugh a few times. This book was totally driven by the characters morals and what they see as right and wrong. There was also an element that showed how different people feel about God. The last chapter was great and made me wish for the next one. I guess all series books should be like that.

[Tom Donaghey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liars All (2020) (BrodieFarrell #9) by Jo Bannister. I made the mistake of reading this book as it is the last of a series of books . So much of this story is a summing up of what had gone before. There is a half that is a separate case, very much apart from the “family” story that inhabits the other half. I’m not going to discuss it beyond saying it appears to wrap up an ongoing love/hate story,
The other part is a search for a missing item. A young man proposes to his girl at a restaurant, giving her a beautiful necklace with a one of a kind sapphire in it. As they leave the place they are ruthlessly run down and the killer leaps out and steals the jewels.
The young man dies and his never-to-be bride is left dependent on a wheel chair. The killer/thief is caught a few days later, tried and sent to prison. Police can not locate the jewels. The prisoner’s mother, feeling terrible over the whole thing, enlists the “Looking For Something” agency to find it. Daniel Hood, temporarily running the shop, takes the case but is hopelessly out of his depth. But he is persistent, and asks questions among the wrong people. He is given a beating which convinces the police Daniel is onto something. Of course this beating only motivates Daniel all the more.
I enjoyed this book and the diligence of Daniel Hood, but the other half, the portion that I wasn’t already read into, caused me many distractions. The ending of that half made me feel bad for all involved, but again, this was my first Jo Bannister (an excellent writer) novel. I suggest that if you haven’t read the others in this series, you do so in order and perhaps you will get more enjoyment from the whole thing than I did with just this one.

[Carolyn Crocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A uniquely satisfying series wrap to a unique series of mysteries: Brodie Farrell and her friends and foes all learn that"love makes liars of us all"-- especially parents. A meditation on love, friendship, family and truth. Jack and Brodie's son's life and Daniel's integrity and future hang in the balance as a missing necklace, a career criminal and the demands of policing build the suspense.

"Daniel shrugged. 'Nothing's ever quite enough, Jack. The secret of happiness is knowing what's almost enough.' "p. 80

"He tilted his head to one side. When Brodie did that she looked like a curious magpie that has seen something glitter in the grass. When Deacon did it he looked like a vulture wondering how long something could take to die." p. 264

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Brodie Farrell book I have read and I very much look forward to reading others. The characters are richly developed and people who wrestle with moral issues and have deep although unconventional relationships with each other. One of those books I did not want to put down and tore through.

[pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

cop. perp. Perp thinks they are friends. Cop not crooked does his job and arrests perp's daughter. Perp offered to help cops sick kid if he doesn't arrest his daughter. He choose to do his job and arrest his daughter. the perp did jail time for his daughter. But the perp and his wife decide to help the sick child anyway. it was unexpected.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could throttle Brodie. The ending broke my heart. Poor Daniel. Poor Jack. Damn it Brodie. I need another book to fix them. The mystery in this installment only distracted me from Brodie and Daniel.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the in depth character descriptions and plot twists.

[Bridget Onda · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Jo Bannister novel I have read. I was’t crazy about the characters, but did like the story. Will probably try another one.

[Errol Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend who reads a lot of mysteries would call this kind of book a "cozy." It is part of a series where the writer has the chance to develop interesting characters, and where a really good writer can achieve greater depth and insight than one can in a single, stand alone novel. Bannister is an excellent writer. Her focus is more on character than on bazaarly plotted crimes. In this novel, well into the series, the writer has an atheist praying out of his deep love for the main character. Ethics are a major concern in every book in the series. And rather than solving crimes, the protagonist has a business of finding things for people. If you're the kind of person who likes to read things in order, you should probably begin with the first book of the Brodie Farrell series. I'm not such a person myself, and I've liked these books in whatever order I find them.

[Maegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pretty good ending to the series, and I still think that Daniel is my favorite character. Not only is he sweet and loyal, stubborn to a fault, and survived through so much but still be loving and hasn't let bitterness or hate take over his life. Hmm... the mystery kept me guessing, and I can never figure out the culprit and this one wasn't guessed either!

I'm not too sure I liked how much atheism beliefs were brought up, especially since all the major players in this series seemed to think there isn't a God, but other than that it was a good read.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of "cozy" mysteries, but this installment of a popular series was pretty intense for a book I chose as a gentle read after a couple of recent thrillers! Bannister is clearly a talented writer, and she's not afraid to tackle some heavy subjects. But I find her blending of complexity and cozy predictability a bit jarring at times. Makes me wonder how much this book was a product of writing to meet the expectations of a market niche & how much she writes to please her own drive to write. Or maybe she simply has a drive for satisfying closure...that's not such a bad thing!

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably my least favorite Brodie Farrell book so far. Brodie's always treated Daniel like a doormat but the gloves come off in this one and she's really atrocious to him. Of course, in the end it's claimed because she wants him to get on with his life because she can't give him what he needs.

I found the whole mystery part lame. I got tired of hearing about the dying baby.

So, overall, not a great addition to the series.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brodie Farrell is the nexus between her now husband, Detective Superintendent Jack Deacon, and her associate Daniel Hood. She is loved by both. Brodie frees Daniel with tough love so that he can find another. That's the heart throb on top of the tragedy, that Brodie and Jack's infant son will die of a brain tumor. A seemingly random murder and stolen jewels provide distraction.

Nice, tight story with all the required element - Bannister has another winner in the series.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've seldom been so disappointed in a writer or a book. The main character, a "strikingly beautiful" woman with two men in thrall - one stereotypically brawny, the other brainy - has been done often and better. One "friendship" is more like Stockholm syndrome. Only in fiction would anyone get away with such nonsense. I've tried three of her books but I'm done.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best books in this series. Unfortunately, it is also the last book. I think there was potentially more to tell but the author has not added to this series although she is still writing. My one complaint about this book is that I believe there is too much exposition about some of the characters' motives, especially early on.

[Shannon Causey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this smallish series just browsing the library shelves and like the characters a lot. This last one seemed to lack a strong plot and seemed like the author just wanted to finish their story more. If she continues I hope to see more developed stories.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this 9th book starring protagonist Brodie Farrell, Jo Bannister delves deeper into the emotions surrounding the characters. How far they will go to do what they think is right, no matter what the outcome and who they hurt.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting - more of a morality play than a mystery, in a lot of ways. Definitely a lot more attention to character than you often get - verging on too much at times, or maybe it's just that the main characters are all a smidge too noble to be completely credible.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, the characters are so complex and there is always a surprise

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brodie, David and Jack Deacon are all concerned for the well far of Jonathan.

[Joelle Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good character development. Not a real thriller, but interesting plot.

[Christina Middle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could walk away from this book at anytime. It was kind of boring and predictable.

[Lynn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compulsive motherhood is something I understand, but Brodie takes it to (for me) unbelievable lengths. And Daniel Hood is so good I wanted to smack him!

[Kate S · Rating 2 out of 5]

As others have said, should have read these books in order.

[Ruth Vanderhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bannister is one of my favorite mystery writers--and this is one of her best.

[judy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gag me.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

love these characters, complex relationships, more than a mystery