Knowing

Jane Perry #4

by Laurel Dewey

After the life-altering ending in the third Jane Perry thriller, Revelations, Jane Perry takes time off from the job to find the missing part of herself she never knew existed. But her journey is quickly hijacked when a wanted criminal, Harlan Kipple, steals her car. Kipple―accused of the heinous murder of a prostitute in a seedy motel―is on the run and desperate to stay that way. Jane's personal plans take a backseat as she tracks down her stolen ride and discovers through an unusual source that Kipple may be innocent and is being framed by a nefarious group. When she trails Kipple and confronts him, every belief she ever had about this world and the next is put to the test.Kipple, who by his own admission is not the “brightest bulb in the box,” received a heart transplant seventeen months ago. His life changed from the moment he woke up in the recovery room. In fact, he's not so sure where he ends and his heart takes over. As strange as that sounds to her, Jane cannot deny what she witnesses after spending just two days with Kipple. It becomes clear that nothing is what it appears as Jane is drawn into a deep rabbit hole with dark webs and darker crevices that force her to operate on the other side of the law. With the police hot on Kipple's tail and a devious faction intent on finding him first, Jane is caught in the middle and realizes that solving this crime could have fatal consequences.With themes as diverse as immortality, regeneration, resurrection, transformation and death, author Laurel Dewey tackles this latest Jane Perry novel with originality and plenty of suspense. “Finding yourself,” takes on a whole new meaning in KNOWING.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

450 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2012

About the author

Laurel Dewey’s writing career has been anything but predictable. Born in Glendale, California, Dewey began her career working in public relations. Her writing talents quickly took her into other entertainment avenues. As an assistant editor at BOP Magazine in the late 1980's, Dewey helped launch the blockbuster career of teen pop groups, including The New Kids on The Block. During this time, she wrote a string of successful mystery radio plays for Los Angeles public radio networks.

Not satisfied to write in only one genre, Dewey went on to pen a western novella “In the Name of the Land” which was nominated for a Silver Spur Fiction Award. A collection of short stories followed, as did a successful stint writing and producing radio ads and promos.

In the early 1990’s, Dewey relocated to rural Colorado. But her eclectic writing forte continued as she pursued work as a freelance investigative journalist, advertising/marketing promoter and newspaper columnist. In the mid and late 1990’s, two of her books on plant medicine were published, along with 10 booklets and hundreds of articles on alternative health. During this time, she appeared as a featured guest on hundreds of national radio and television programs and lectured extensively across the United States and Canada.

But then the pages turned...literally. In 2007, Dewey released her first fiction novel, PROTECTOR, a gritty, mystical crime thriller that follows the rocky life of damaged Denver homicide detective Jane Perry. In preparation for writing the book, Dewey immersed herself in detailed research, interviewing Colorado homicide detectives and traveling on "ride-a-longs" with street cops. The intricate research helped Dewey create a debut novel that is powerful, compelling, controversial and utterly original.

The sequel to PROTECTOR, REDEMPTION, was released in June of 2009. The third book, REVELATIONS, released in June, 2011. A series of short stories and novellas featuring Detective Jane Perry were published throughout 2011, starting with "An Unfinished Death" which is a prequel to PROTECTOR.

The fourth Jane Perry novel will be published in late 2012.

In keeping with Dewey's ability to push the envelope, she's written a standalone novel, "Betty's (Little Basement) Garden," that is set for release on June 12, 2012. This controversial book will certainly spark many conversations and hopefully enlighten readers at the same time.

Dewey lives with her husband and two orange cats in rural Colorado.

Reviews

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Info: Genre: Mystery/Police Procedural with paranormal elements
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Seekers, searchers, those who enjoy a bit of the paranormal with their suspense
Trigger Warnings: murder, carjacking, conspiracy, mass murder, stolen organs, mind control, assassination

My Thoughts: This is actually the fourth book in a series, but I have been assured I'll be able to follow the plot without having read the first three. I would like to read them, because after reading Laurel Dewey's excellent book Betty's (Little Basement) Garden I really like her writing style.

This book is a real mind-bender, that's for sure. The level of conspiracy is almost on par with The Matrix. This delves into some seriously crazy metaphysical ideas that I found quite fascinating. There is also a great deal of philosophical musing that is quite worth reading. A few examples:

“The Opposite of Love is Not Hate. The Opposite of Love is Fear. Be Brave and Choose Love.”

“I will face the darkness, but I will not let it become me. Fear may be present but it will not possess me. I will face the darkness, as the knowing light within my heart and mind leads me home. And once again, I will be free.”

“... people really do take on the grime of their associations and actions. It was impregnated in this guy's cells. It never fails. What we've seen and what we've done washes over us and colors that aura that shadows us.”

“... the people I work for invented the darkness.”

“Forget space exploration. The mind is the next frontier.”

“We have the illusion of choice because no matter what we choose, the game never changes. The wheels always keep moving in the direction that suits the ones who are designing the wheels. If they don't want that wheel to travel somewhere, they make damn sure it's designed to that it doesn't roll there.”

“...that is how the liars remain in control. Through one's silence and fear of alienation, the truth is buried deeper under the soil of fabrication and deceit. Chaos rules because eventually, it's easier to cling to whatever debris is left than to walk into the storm, taste the rain and greet the thunder with your fists balled and your courage lit like a fire that will never be put out.”

*Of course, there was some funny, too. For instance: “It was like having a heart to heart with a squirrel. You want to believe they understand you, but deep down, logical tells you that it's jetting over their heads.”

Normally I don't use quite so many quotes in my reviews, but I just couldn't cut them down. The ideas expressed in this book are fascinating, and terrifying, and mind-boggling. A lot of the gist was things like: “...everything we cling to is really an illusion that's manufactured by people who want to control us.” Or thoughts like this: “The heart of a person's mind can be corrupted, exploited and manipulated in order to gain power for those who don't possess the heightened awareness.”

It's all about finding your strength in your own way, the connections between mind and body, and how modern culture is made to keep us ignorant and passive. As is mentioned, we are so focused on “bread and circuses”—that is, our junk food and our sports—that we don't bother to open our eyes to what is really going on around us. And opening our eyes to what is really going on around us is important. This book was very profound. I highly recommend it.

Series Information: Jane Perry series
Book 1: Protector, on my wishlist
Book 2: Redemption, on my wishlist
Book 3: Revelations, on my wishlist
Novella 1: An Unfinished Death, on my wishlist
Novella 2: Promissory Payback, read and reviewed October 2011, review linked here
Anthology: Unrevealed: Four Jane Perry Stories, on my wishlist
Book 4: Knowing

Disclosure: I received an e-galley from The Story Plant via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: After the life-altering ending in the third Jane Perry thriller, Revelations, Jane Perry takes time off from the job to find the missing part of herself she never knew existed. But her journey is quickly hijacked when a wanted criminal, Harlan Kipple, steals her car. Kipple—accused of the heinous murder of a prostitute in a seedy motel—is on the run and desperate to stay that way. Jane’s personal plans take a backseat as she tracks down her stolen ride and discovers through an unusual source that Kipple may be innocent and is being framed by a nefarious group. When she trails Kipple and confronts him, every belief she ever had about this world and the next is put to the test.

Kipple, who by his own admission is not the “brightest bulb in the box,” received a heart transplant seventeen months ago. His life changed from the moment he woke up in the recovery room. In fact, he’s not so sure where he ends and his heart takes over. As strange as that sounds to her, Jane cannot deny what she witnesses after spending just two days with Kipple. It becomes clear that nothing is what it appears as Jane is drawn into a deep rabbit hole with dark webs and darker crevices that force her to operate on the other side of the law. With the police hot on Kipple’s tail and a devious faction intent on finding him first, Jane is caught in the middle and realizes that solving this crime could have fatal consequences.

[Wendy Cantu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really really didn’t want to give this a negative review. I love Laurel Dewey’s writing! I love Jane Perry! I don’t even think this was a bad book and, if it had been written as a different series with different characters, I have no doubt my review would be much different.

But…

This just wasn’t Jane!

As someone who has followed the series and watched the extent of Jane’s growth, especially after the last book (Revelation), I felt like this book just came out of left field.

This Jane didn’t seem to be a progression of Revelation’s Jane. It was like an entirely different person who just happened to have the same name and the same memories as her predecessor. Jane’s always been what I’d call a no-nonsense, fact-driven badass detective battling her inner demons, but this new character is flighty, gullible and quick to abandon her trademark cynicism in favor of numerology and conspiracy theories.

Jane (the old Jane) isn’t the only character missing. Sergeant Weyler, her former boss and partner who played a significant part through most of the series, is completely absent. Hank, Jane’s promising love interest in the third novel, only makes a guest appearance – and that, as Dewey has said in an interview, was mostly an afterthought because fans were so eager to see more of Hank. Both Hank and Weyler were great characters and instrumental in Jane’s story, so why leave them out?

The plot consists primarily of two characters: the new Jane and Harlan Kipple, a man accused of murder who is running from the cops and whoever (or whatever) framed him. Don’t worry, there won’t be any plot spoilers here. I couldn’t even if I wanted to (there’s no way I could summarize it in a few paragraphs), but I will say it is basically conspiracy-theory porn.

Here’s what didn’t work for me:

The pace of the book was too slow. Instead of an action-based plot, Knowing spent a lot of its time in Jane’s head. During these internal monologues, Jane pondered the link between the mind, the heart, pinecones and the number seventeen (it really does make more sense if you read the book). Unfortunately, these parts seemed to go on longer than they needed to and were frequently revisited with little or no additional information. Same #h!t different page.

Dewey said she spent a great deal of time researching while writing Knowing, and that is quite apparent throughout the novel. But, if you ask me, it was a little too much research. Instead of advancing the story using the experiences of the characters, allowing the reader to come to his or her own conclusions, we are educated through Jane’s addiction to Google. She is constantly “researching” on her laptop and, at times, I felt like I was reading a Wikipedia article, not a crime novel.

On the positive, this book is certainly thorough and well thought out. Those who love a good conspiracy – especially conspiracies about secret world-running organizations such as the Illuminati – will not be disappointed. Even people who have not read the first three books in the Jane Perry series shouldn’t have a problem following along as Knowing is nearly a standalone book from its predecessors.

[Maria Ringler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like it took me forever to read this book and I considered not finishing it and in fact did stop reading it once and read another book, but in the end I went back and finished it. For most of the book it didn't really grab me but I kept reading. I kept reading because Jane Perry is a terrific, strong complicated but simple woman. In the end I have to say I am so glad I kept reading and I hope that there is more Jane Perry coming,

[Judy Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent series

The author is a concise Sioux’s and dedicated author. This series took a lot of talent as well as much research. I have throughly enjoyed this book the most.

[Lisa Jordre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really intriguing story.

[Chris Wittkopp · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a strange and somewhat disturbing novel.

[Lis Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only other Jane Perry story that I've read was a novella that was a pretty straight-forward police procedural. This is a little different.

Jane Perry is a Denver homicide detective, who has had great professional success but a very rough personal life. She's recently met a man she's really connected with for the first time, and has kicked the alcohol and cigarettes that have had too much control of her life.

And she's discovered she has an older half sister, born and given up before her mother made the mistake of marrying Jane's father.

Knowing starts with Jane leaving on a road trip to go meet her half sister in New Mexico, where she's currently living in halfway house.

It's not long before her plans have been completely blown up. Her car gets stolen when she stops for gas at a Quik-Mart. When she gets on a bus to continue her trip, she meets a young prostitute who has a very alarming story about what really happened in the case, currently much in the news, of another prostitute who was murdered and the apparent killer found still in bed with the dead body.

Then she gets off the bus briefly, and it blows up, killing everyone aboard. And her day has only just begun to get weird, alarming, and generally bad.

There are elements of horror here, and of Secret History, as well as just plain edge of your seat suspense. There's the escaped killer who isn't really the killer, and the mysterious red-haired men who turn up in entirely too many places, and a series of numbered postcards with their own mysterious message to share.

Meanwhile, Jane is struggling with her own inability to trust and rely on anyone else, her inability to believe in the love she and Hank have for each other. This isn't just a side issue; it turns out to be critical to her ability to make the right choices in the high-stakes conflict with "the gingers," mysterious men in black who control key levers of power nearly everywhere.

It's a fascinating, engrossing story that demands your involvement while reading it.

Recommended.

DISCLAIMER: What follows is a personal pet peeve.

A relatively minor point: Nanette tells Jane that Gabe liked beer made with pine needles instead of hops, and tells her a fairy tale about pine needle beer having been common until the Middle Ages, when the Church suppressed it. Supposedly, men who drank pine needle beer were too energized and independent, while men who drank hops beer were more submissive and manipulable. This sounded odd to me, so I did a bit of research. Pine needle beer was a Scandinavian creation. It also became popular in Scotland, and remained so until the end of the 19th century. William Bros. brews Alba Scots Pine Ale, and Wigram Brewing Company's Spruce Beer is based on an original brewed by Captain Cook, apparently in an effort to combat scurvy among his crew. None of this is consistent with Nanette's version. It's not all that important, but I get annoyed at the lazy negative stereotyping of Christianity as having crushed Virtuous Paganism.

I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Gina Hott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hott Synopsis
People have amazing experiences after having a heart transplant. Some say that they feel connected to the donor while others swear that they have memories and dreams from the donor’s life.
Harlan’s life after his transplant hasn’t been that simple. He lived a peaceful naive existence for many years but since this transplant he’s been having black-outs, he’s been eating strange foods, he’s been accused of murder and someone’s trying to kill him. It’s almost like there is this other person inside of him and sometimes that person just takes over. Well, it’s that or Harlan’s schizophrenic.

Jane started out on a trip to find someone she’s sure she lost when strange things start to happen to her seemingly directing her in a different direction. She’s not sure why but she just has some gut instinct that Harlan is more sane than he appears and not as guilty as the facts suggest. But can she prove it before both of them are wiped off the face of the earth?

Hott Review
What I liked: The hardest part of reading this book for me was slowing down enough to read every word. The plot was so exciting I just kept rushing and then I’d have to go back and reread the page because Ms. Dewey packs a lot you don’t want to miss into these books.
This book is not only an interesting mystery but it also has a ton of supernatural good vs evil play that it’s a terrific book for many other genres.
What I didn’t like: The first four chapters were really difficult to enjoy. There was so much that just seemed random and eerie that I had trouble continuing but, as soon as I got to chapter five I didn’t want to put the book down. It was so worth it.

More…
Source: Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
Grade: A
Steam: Adult — It’s not steamy per se but the language is definitely rated ‘R’.
Series: Jane Perry

[Cheryl Masciarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant!! This was the first full length novel featuring Det. Jane Perry that I read. I had previously read two (2) novellas, Unrevealed and Promissory Payback where Jane Perry was first introduced to me, and enjoyed the story line and the main character. So I was looking forward to reading this novel. I also read another novel by this author, Betty's (Little Basement) Garden, which I also enjoyed.

In Knowing, Jane Perry has taken some time off to investigate a lead, but this is different, it's personal. However, trouble finds her before she can even make it out of state to begin her journey. Instead she gets thrown into the middle of a murder investigation, one that will take it down many different roads, including harboring and assisting the murder suspect to clear his name. However, what she learns is a conspiracy, laid out in post cards, left behind by an organ donor.

The plot is ingenious and inventive touching upon many subplots including the murder investigation, organ transplants, a bit of paranormal and spiritual, altered states and the power of heart and mind, which keeps the reader turning the pages to find out all the answers. The action was non stop. The story line is profound, whereas the reader will ask the questions, do you believe in reincarnation, life after death and the capacity of the mind. A thought provoking murder mystery. Definitely recommend to adults due to the excessive language. A read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!!

[Shannon L. Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowing rivals The Da Vinci Code with an American twist.

Author Laurel Dewey paints a masterpiece of her own in this homicidal detective adventure. Hardcore Detective Jane Perry leads this artfully crafted thrill ride through Colorado, as she evades the international organization henchmen. All-the-while trying to decipher the symbols left behind by a turn coat of that organization. A soulful, spiritual synchronicity seems to be around every deciphered moment leading a supernatural edge that heightens the suspense and adds that little bit extra to keep the pages turning.

The story has it all, intrigue, evil international organizations trying to control the world, supernatural science, assassins, espionage, innocents and a hardened detective that finds herself while trying to save a framed man.

The character growth of Jane Perry is evident by the last pages and you'll root for her because of her endearing crass mouth and kick-ass attitude. Even a jaded detective can have a mothering care for innocent teddy bears, proving there is much more in the heart and mind. When that teddy bear has a heart transplant bringing a piece of its soul with it, everything changes. The heart is the key to the story, in all of its varied meanings.

Jane Perry stars in a series of novels, to learn more visit her publisher at http://www.thestoryplant.com/laurel-d...

Or her Website http://www.laureldewey.com/

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a Jane Perry fan. I like this caffeine addicted police detective. She is hurt and damaged and has sprung back. She has funk and is tough as steel. I have read the previous books in this series and so I know what to expect in a Jane Perry novel.

However this book is completely different from the previous novels. It has a spiritual element but it’s not religious. I am fascinated and curious about the life after death concept and on that level this books really got to me. Knowing is about heart and mind, the spiritual connection and who do you listen to when you make a decision. The eerie dark element is interesting and it gripped me.

Most of the novel is about this connection that Jane feels with Kipple and other characters in the books. As for the mystery, I was a bit disappointed. I felt the book dragged a bit in the middle and I had hoped for a different ending. It was a bit of a let down. Having said that, I still love Jane Perry and would be picking up her next book when it comes.

[Athena Nagel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knowing is book Four in the Jane Perry series. I have not read any others in the series. Sometimes that presents a hardship for the reader while other times you can pick a book up midseries and quickly be in the swing of things. This was one where I don't think I suffered in any way by not have read the previous books. The story has sort of a Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive" feel to it. However, there are several varying twists and turns. Such as - the fugitive (accused of murder) had a heart transplant almost two decades ago. He doesn't believe he committed murder but feels very strangely since his heart transplant. Is he who he is or is he what the heart is? This is an excellent story with suspense and mystery. It was incredibly action packed but there were some portions of the book that moved much more slowly than others. Did it detract from the story - no, but I didn't find it incredibly helpful either. I give this book 4 stars!


I received a copy of Knowing in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the first three books in the Jane Perry series, so I was excited to get the chance to read her newest installment, Knowing!

Jane is a strong protagonist and she shows no weakness in Knowing. She knows there is right, wrong and a tiny grey area. When a young, black prostitute is found murdered, Harlan Kipple is the prime suspect. When Jane runs into him, trying to find her stolen car, she realizes that Kipple may be innocent and someone else is trying to frame him.

She begins her own investigation, and it takes her to places she never even dreamed of. With superb character development, keen writing that will keep you up late turning the pages and a solid plot that will make your head spin and will stay with you for days after, Knowing is Dewey's best work yet. Highly recommend!

[Beth Cutwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This my friends, is an awesome read from Ms Dewey. I had not read Ms Dewey's previous Jane Perry series, (Books 1-3), but I will be seeking them out. Jane is a well written and strong female protagonist. She has history that shaped her strength of character and is very much a loner in this read. Life is leading her on a wild ride with an accused killer; a gentle giant who is harmless and his transplanted heart which has a life all its own. She is the only one who is trying to save him from the police and the evil group that set him up for the murder of a young black prostitute.
Give this book a read! Ms Dewey has plenty to say and says it with fluency, suspense and holds your attention right to the end! An enjoyable read from start to finish with tons of action!

[Karen Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the winter break, I was given a copy of one of the earlier Jane Perry novels. Jane Perry novels are good reads. I am fascinated by this woman detective with a great mind, but with faults. In fact, I downloaded EVERY Jane Perry book Laurel Dewey has written to date and read them all -- back-to-back-to-back. I am so glad I did.

Knowing can stand on its own, but it is even better if you read some of the other Jane Perry novels first. Characters and relationships are carried through from one book to another, but they do grow and change. I am fascinated by Jane Perry and her friends and family. I hope Laurel Dewey continues the series. The books just keep getting better.

[Pat Vanyperen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read! enjoying how jane perry is evolving