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DI Beatrice Stubbs #1
Behind Closed Doors
Suicide – the act of taking one’s own life.
Homicide – the act of taking someone else’s.
An unethical banker suffocates. A diamond dealer slits his wrists. A media magnate freezes in the snow. A disgraced CEO inhales exhaust fumes. Four unpopular businessmen, four apparent suicides. Until Interpol find the same DNA at each death.
Beatrice Stubbs, on her first real case since ‘the incident’, arrives in Switzerland to lead the investigation. But there’s more to Zurich than chocolate and charm. Potential suspects are everywhere, her Swiss counterpart is hostile and the secretive world of international finance seems beyond the law. Battling impossible odds by day and her own demons at night, Beatrice has never felt so alone.
She isn’t. Someone’s watching.
Someone else who believes in justice.
The poetic kind.
Homicide – the act of taking someone else’s.
An unethical banker suffocates. A diamond dealer slits his wrists. A media magnate freezes in the snow. A disgraced CEO inhales exhaust fumes. Four unpopular businessmen, four apparent suicides. Until Interpol find the same DNA at each death.
Beatrice Stubbs, on her first real case since ‘the incident’, arrives in Switzerland to lead the investigation. But there’s more to Zurich than chocolate and charm. Potential suspects are everywhere, her Swiss counterpart is hostile and the secretive world of international finance seems beyond the law. Battling impossible odds by day and her own demons at night, Beatrice has never felt so alone.
She isn’t. Someone’s watching.
Someone else who believes in justice.
The poetic kind.
314 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2012
711 people are currently reading
1408 people want to read
About the author
J.J. Marsh
34 books178 followersAs a child, Jill read so obsessively she got kicked out of the school library. But her passion for words continued. She graduated in English Literature and Theatre Studies from the University of Wales and set up a theatre company. Since then, as an actor, director, teacher, writer and journalist, she’s worked in fifteen countries. She learnt something from each one.
Now, with her husband and three dogs, Jill lives in Switzerland, a country with four languages and mountains of new words.
She works as a language trainer all over Europe, collaborates with Nuance Words and Triskele Books, and contributes regularly to Words with JAM magazine. But most of the time, she writes. And reads.
Behind Closed Doors is the first Beatrice Stubbs novel, a European crime series set in compelling locations all over the Continent.
Now, with her husband and three dogs, Jill lives in Switzerland, a country with four languages and mountains of new words.
She works as a language trainer all over Europe, collaborates with Nuance Words and Triskele Books, and contributes regularly to Words with JAM magazine. But most of the time, she writes. And reads.
Behind Closed Doors is the first Beatrice Stubbs novel, a European crime series set in compelling locations all over the Continent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
October 24, 2012
Marsh introduces an intriguing new detective in the person of Beatrice Stubbs, but the whole package here is terrific - snappy yet believable dialogue, fat cats murdered in a series of precise, cinematic episodes, and well-deployed research. Most of all, I loved her deft, economical descriptions of places and people. Here is the man from Interpol 'His mud-brown hair was slicked back with gel, so that each individual tooth of the comb had left its mark. Something about him rubbed her up the wrong way; the high forehead, sharp nose and peculiarly British mouth, while his eyes had all the colour and animation of a dishcloth.' This is just one of a catalogue of sharply-written pen portraits (Ken, the anglophile Yugoslav, was another favourite). The sophistication of Zurich is wonderfully well evoked, and she somehow seems to capture a sense of fresh air, health and cleanliness to set against the murder and moral corruption. You probably don't know anything about DNA, the arms trade, CDOs, Interpol procedures or Rohypnol, but Marsh does (or if she doesn't she's an excellent bluffer). There are so many great one-liners, too - Here, Beatrice is heading home 'time for two of her favourite chaps; Earl Grey and John Humphrys' In Rome 'the sheer numbers spoiled its appearance, like blighted fruit.' Thrilling new crime fiction from a seriously good writer.
April 29, 2014
Don’t like crime novels? J J Marsh offers a very convincing argument
My sister reads crime novels. Almost nothing but. I have never really understood the attraction. Someone you don’t get the chance to know dies. Why should I care? But I’ll watch 'Waking the Dead'. So what’s the difference?
Essentially, I think it’s a question of characters ('Waking the Dead' has brilliant casting – Trevor Eve, Sue Johnson, Tara Fitzgerald…) and a very clever script.
JJ Marsh offers both of those things. Fast-paced action is combined with clever characterisation. It’s an addictive cocktail, which kept me thoroughly absorbed on several commutes and over a rainy weekend.
It’s hard to review crime without dropping any spoilers, so I’ll focus on things I particularly loved:
1. The narration is peppered with subtle humour. (The landscape is described as: ‘Grey, flat and bleak, with the occasional windmill to make sure you are paying attention.)
2. The mix of personalities within the investigative team. Cultural differences are allowed to give rise to conflict and misunderstandings.
3. The playful use of language. Things get lost in translation, but, Beatrice Stubbs also mis-quotes clichés. It is never explained whether this is for her own amusement, if she is forgetful or clumsy, or, occasionally, if she is employing sarcasm (as in ‘You’re worth your weight in coal’).
4. Discovering a casual reference to one of my heroines, Lee Miller. Serendipity!
5. The book’s film-like quality. Shifting points of view facilitate scene changes. Murders are told from the victim’s point of view so that the reader ‘sees’ what they see, think what they think. You don’t just hear about it after the event - and you get to decide whether your sympathy lies with: the fat cats or the sexy serial killer.
My sister reads crime novels. Almost nothing but. I have never really understood the attraction. Someone you don’t get the chance to know dies. Why should I care? But I’ll watch 'Waking the Dead'. So what’s the difference?
Essentially, I think it’s a question of characters ('Waking the Dead' has brilliant casting – Trevor Eve, Sue Johnson, Tara Fitzgerald…) and a very clever script.
JJ Marsh offers both of those things. Fast-paced action is combined with clever characterisation. It’s an addictive cocktail, which kept me thoroughly absorbed on several commutes and over a rainy weekend.
It’s hard to review crime without dropping any spoilers, so I’ll focus on things I particularly loved:
1. The narration is peppered with subtle humour. (The landscape is described as: ‘Grey, flat and bleak, with the occasional windmill to make sure you are paying attention.)
2. The mix of personalities within the investigative team. Cultural differences are allowed to give rise to conflict and misunderstandings.
3. The playful use of language. Things get lost in translation, but, Beatrice Stubbs also mis-quotes clichés. It is never explained whether this is for her own amusement, if she is forgetful or clumsy, or, occasionally, if she is employing sarcasm (as in ‘You’re worth your weight in coal’).
4. Discovering a casual reference to one of my heroines, Lee Miller. Serendipity!
5. The book’s film-like quality. Shifting points of view facilitate scene changes. Murders are told from the victim’s point of view so that the reader ‘sees’ what they see, think what they think. You don’t just hear about it after the event - and you get to decide whether your sympathy lies with: the fat cats or the sexy serial killer.
March 13, 2021
'Behind Closed Doors' is the first book in the Beatrice Stubbs European crime series, which currently stands at twelve books. If I assess this book the way I would a pilot for a TV series, then I'd rate it as very successful. The book was entertaining, the people were interesting, the locations were pretty, the plot was twisty and I'm intrigued by Beatrice Stubbs. I'd cheerfully sign up to watch the rest of the series. This is just as well, as I bought the first three books in an omnibus edition.
The premise of the book is that Beatrice Stubbs, a Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard, is assigned to lead an international team drawn from Interpol, Europol and the Swiss Police, to establish whether or not the apparent suicide of a number of unpopular prominent businessmen, spread out over several years and in multiple countries, are linked and if so, were they really suicides. This will be Beatrice's first high-profile case since an (initially unspecified) incident a year earlier. Her team will be hosted by the Swiss Police in Zurich. We know from early on that the suicides were really murders. As the book progresses, we continually flip from the activities of the investigation team to witnessing a murder ingeniously being made to look like a suicide.
The plot was clever enough to keep me guessing but, despite some of the murders being fairly gruesome, there was very little tension in the book until the final few chapters. I found I rather liked that. I wasn't being driven through a thriller at breakneck speed, I was being given time to observe and speculate and enjoy the people and the scenery.
What I liked most was how well JJ Marsh describes what it's like when you bring experts from different countries together and try to form them into a team to achieve a task. I spent a lot of my career doing that and I think JJ Marsh captures all the little problems that arise from clashing cultural expectations and competing egos. She also does a credible job of showing how to get past these difficulties. I thought that JJ Marsh did an equally good job in capturing the feel of the locations in the book, especially Zurich, which is a city I know well.
I liked the humour in the book, much of which was based on how the members of the team learn to get on with one another and deal with cultural and personal differences. Here's an example. Beatrice has gone with Herr Kälin, the most senior Swiss officer on the team, to a polo match (the kind of thing only the very wealthy attend) to interview a suspect. Herr Kälin is Swiss-German, senior and habitually quite formal (by English standards) in his interactions. While waiting for the suspect, Herr Kälin suggests that they get a drink at one of the refreshment tables. When she tastes the drink, Beatrice is surprised...
“Herr Kälin, this is champagne.”
“Correct, Frau Stubbs. Let us toast your skills of observation.”
“We are on duty, you know. I prefer to keep a clear head when trying to needle someone. For an interview, I mean. I hardly think alcohol is appropriate.”
“The police line is, ‘Ein Glas ist OK’, so I plan to stick to that. And it is a quality brand, don’t you think?”
Beatrice took another sip. It was rather good.
“And it is polite in Swiss society, as in most civilised countries in the world, to toast one another before drinking. Cheers, Frau Stubbs.”
“Cheers, Herr Kälin. Thank you for the tip. Here’s one for you. In Britain, we tend not to advise other people on how to behave.”
“True. You give no advice and then despise foreigners for not knowing the rules. It is a mystery to me why the British have no word for Schadenfreude.”
I enjoyed the humour. It's the kind of exchange I'm very familiar with and it's typical of the ways in which JJ Marsh develops the relationships between her characters.
One of the things that differentiates this series is that Beatrice Stubbs is managing her bipolar disorder. This gives her a very particular way of managing herself and shapes the way she works with her team. It seemed to me that the structure of the narrative echoed Beatrice's bipolarity. The descriptions of the murders are cold, clinical and disturbing. The descriptions of the investigation are filled with people trying to show empathy for each other and to collaborate in a friendly and effective way. In my head, I was imagining that the TV version of this would use a cold colour palette and static cameras for the murders and a warm colour palette and handheld cameras for most of the investigation.
I listened to the audiobook version of 'Behind Closed Doors'. I was impressed by how well the narrator, Jill Prewett, captured the accents from the different nationalities and gave each member of the team a voice I could instantly recognise so I checked her bio. It turns out that Jill Prewett writes under the name JJ Marsh, so this is one of those examples of an author who does a great job of narrating their own work. Click on the SoundCloud link below to hear a sample.
https://soundcloud.com/jj-marsh-autho...
June 4, 2013
This is another of these novels that I've had around the house for a while, but hadn't actually picked up until recently. But once I had -- well, I spent last night on a horrific Metro trek trying to get home from Franconia-Springfield, a task that involved multiple delays and the stupid train stopping for half an hour after Van Dorn Street, and while normally I'd be so annoyed I'd be breathing fire through my nostrils, all I could think about was whether Beatrice was going to survive the next few pages. I got home two hours late, found a place to sit, and tore madly through the rest of the book until I was finished.
There were so many things to like about this book. Chris, Xavier, Conceiçao and Sabine were fun characters to watch, like squabbly little dots that you know will eventually come together to form something important, though you aren't sure quite how they'll do it. And I would be lying if I said I didn't love Kälin. The scene with the horse meat was kind of wonderful.
I really liked knowing so much more than the detectives did, too. Maybe it's because I've only read a few detective novels (keep planning to read more Christie and all that, it just hasn't happened yet), but that's not a device I've seen often, and it enabled me to make theories and predictions in the same ways that the detectives were, which I loved. I've read so many books where there's no possible way for the reader to get anywhere near the truth of the mystery, and this book wasn't like that, and I appreciated that so much. That said, the ending wasn't even close to obvious. The final reveal was absolutely shocking.
Beatrice was also great. A funny, very human combination of awkward and completely composed. I loved watching her relationship with Kälin and the group grow. And I liked that none of her flaws were masked just because she was making progress with the investigation. I found the bits about her bipolar disorder especially interesting -- it wasn't treated as this huge stigma, but you do see her dealing with it and struggling with it, and I thought that was such an incredibly human quality in a detective who is so brilliant at her job.
There were a couple of parts of "Behind Closed Doors" that lagged for me, especially when people are talking in extreme detail about real estate or forensics or what have you -- things that are interesting within the context of the story, but that I found myself not wanting to read about at length, which slowed the pace of the first half of the novel a little. But once the pace picks up, it really picks up, and then it's totally unputdownable.
*also, this book should get extra brownie points because it's so incredibly beautiful. Everyone who saw me reading it had to grab it from me and fawn over the cover. It's seriously gorgeous.
There were so many things to like about this book. Chris, Xavier, Conceiçao and Sabine were fun characters to watch, like squabbly little dots that you know will eventually come together to form something important, though you aren't sure quite how they'll do it. And I would be lying if I said I didn't love Kälin. The scene with the horse meat was kind of wonderful.
I really liked knowing so much more than the detectives did, too. Maybe it's because I've only read a few detective novels (keep planning to read more Christie and all that, it just hasn't happened yet), but that's not a device I've seen often, and it enabled me to make theories and predictions in the same ways that the detectives were, which I loved. I've read so many books where there's no possible way for the reader to get anywhere near the truth of the mystery, and this book wasn't like that, and I appreciated that so much. That said, the ending wasn't even close to obvious. The final reveal was absolutely shocking.
Beatrice was also great. A funny, very human combination of awkward and completely composed. I loved watching her relationship with Kälin and the group grow. And I liked that none of her flaws were masked just because she was making progress with the investigation. I found the bits about her bipolar disorder especially interesting -- it wasn't treated as this huge stigma, but you do see her dealing with it and struggling with it, and I thought that was such an incredibly human quality in a detective who is so brilliant at her job.
There were a couple of parts of "Behind Closed Doors" that lagged for me, especially when people are talking in extreme detail about real estate or forensics or what have you -- things that are interesting within the context of the story, but that I found myself not wanting to read about at length, which slowed the pace of the first half of the novel a little. But once the pace picks up, it really picks up, and then it's totally unputdownable.
*also, this book should get extra brownie points because it's so incredibly beautiful. Everyone who saw me reading it had to grab it from me and fawn over the cover. It's seriously gorgeous.
Read
May 23, 2013We recently had a lively discussion, stimulated by a question from Caroline Lodge of the Bookword blog (www.bookword.co.uk), about older women in fiction. One thing we did agree on was that crime fiction was better served than most when it came to older women as main characters. And one honourable addition to that number is DI Beatrice Stubbs – “bipolar sufferer, metaphor mixer and serial survivor,” created by my Triskele stablemate, J.J. Marsh.
The easiest comparisons to make with Marsh’s writing are Golden Age detective writers like Dorothy L Sayers and Margery Allingham. Don’t run away with the idea that this means cosy crimes solved by some old dear in between knitting a bed jacket and planting out her spring bulbs. Beatrice is a modern police woman solving crimes with modern police methods. But if you like your crime fiction propelled by wit and intelligence rather than by violence, you will love this book.
The easiest comparisons to make with Marsh’s writing are Golden Age detective writers like Dorothy L Sayers and Margery Allingham. Don’t run away with the idea that this means cosy crimes solved by some old dear in between knitting a bed jacket and planting out her spring bulbs. Beatrice is a modern police woman solving crimes with modern police methods. But if you like your crime fiction propelled by wit and intelligence rather than by violence, you will love this book.
November 1, 2018
You know that great procedural with the interesting and diverse characters who work to solve their differences and the crime, written by an author who knows how to make the page sparkle?
This is NOT that book. This is so NOT that book it is on the opposite side of the universe from that book.
Although the premise showed some promise, the paper thin characters, the boring writing, and most of all the annoying main characters ruined it. It reminded me of a bunch of middle schoolers bumbling around trying to solve a crime in their spare time. Seriously, it’s THAT bad.
And the main character—How pathetic! That little quirk of misquoting sayings could not be more annoying. Example: “A dead herring”. OMG! How clever is THAT? ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!
Note to writers: Do NOT give your character a silly little quirk unless you can write. It only annoys your reader and makes her write a bad review.
This is NOT that book. This is so NOT that book it is on the opposite side of the universe from that book.
Although the premise showed some promise, the paper thin characters, the boring writing, and most of all the annoying main characters ruined it. It reminded me of a bunch of middle schoolers bumbling around trying to solve a crime in their spare time. Seriously, it’s THAT bad.
And the main character—How pathetic! That little quirk of misquoting sayings could not be more annoying. Example: “A dead herring”. OMG! How clever is THAT? ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!
Note to writers: Do NOT give your character a silly little quirk unless you can write. It only annoys your reader and makes her write a bad review.
September 13, 2023
I bought this on an audio deal because the description peaked my interest and I will say the writing was beautiful. The audio was well done including the pronunciation of many of the French and German terms, places, and conversations. However, in general there was SO much build up for 85% of the book and then....the ending! Is this a Stephen King ending...throw everything in the last 10% of the book and try to have it make sense?! Ugh. I am feeling so slighted over how long this was to listen to and I still do not feel like the connections were all there for it to make sense. I am unsatisfied, the worst feeling when a book is over. The team dynamics, the involvement of all the top minds in Europe cracking this seemingly impossible case was a fantastic idea, but the actual "who done it" was SOOOOOO disappointing for me. It just did not come together for me and therefore, I do not recommend it and will not be re-reading/listening.
November 5, 2023
A different take on the serial killer genre and a very satisfying read. Beatrice Stubbs, a detective with the London Met, is returning to work following a suicide attempt. She is asked to join a multi-country team based on Zurich who are investigating a series of murders committed across multiple countries to determine whether an international serial killer is at work. The head of the local force in Zurich is not particularly enthusiastic, but soon they are identifying more cases across Europe. I enjoy Beatrice as a character and the setting was lovely. Definitely will be reading more in this series.
October 11, 2018
I was well into this book when I realized it had nothing to encourage me to continue so I skimmed the rest. This was Book 1 of a 3 Book boxed set. I will not read the other 2. A strangely organized book to say the least.
October 20, 2012
Sometimes a book takes you by surprise and Behind Closed Doors certainly surprised me. I don’t normally read books set in Europe but to have a crime book with such a sophisticated plot and with intelligent and witty dialogue was just a delight. I just couldn't stop turning the pages and read the book quickly over the space of a couple of afternoons.
At first detective Beatrice Stubbs is an unlikely protagonist, she deeply flawed from a problem only hinted at, and we are led to believe that her secondment from Scotland Yard to head the Zurich investigation is her last chance at redeeming herself. Leading a group of European experts is never going to be easy, and as the complicated investigation into a series of unrelated high profile suicides gets underway, Beatrice and her new team need to work together in order to discover a possible link between the deaths of such high profile business men.
Behind Closed Doors reads very well, it is neither too graphic nor gratuitously violent, and yet the air of menace is so well maintained that you almost find yourself holding your breath as the twists and turns in the plot get underway. Setting the book in Europe is inspired as it lends a certain solemnity to proceedings which is sometimes lacking in contemporary crime novels and also the occasional snippets of Swiss-German dialogue adds an extra dimension, as does Beatrice’s amusing ability to mix her metaphors. Her European counterparts are well described and form the basis for some interesting shared experiences.
Overall, this was a very good debut novel; Ms Marsh has the undoubted ability to control a complicated plot, and with remarkable skill weaves together all the strands of the story to an exciting conclusion. I would hope that this is not the end of Beatrice; she has so much potential, it would be a crime not to write more about her.
At first detective Beatrice Stubbs is an unlikely protagonist, she deeply flawed from a problem only hinted at, and we are led to believe that her secondment from Scotland Yard to head the Zurich investigation is her last chance at redeeming herself. Leading a group of European experts is never going to be easy, and as the complicated investigation into a series of unrelated high profile suicides gets underway, Beatrice and her new team need to work together in order to discover a possible link between the deaths of such high profile business men.
Behind Closed Doors reads very well, it is neither too graphic nor gratuitously violent, and yet the air of menace is so well maintained that you almost find yourself holding your breath as the twists and turns in the plot get underway. Setting the book in Europe is inspired as it lends a certain solemnity to proceedings which is sometimes lacking in contemporary crime novels and also the occasional snippets of Swiss-German dialogue adds an extra dimension, as does Beatrice’s amusing ability to mix her metaphors. Her European counterparts are well described and form the basis for some interesting shared experiences.
Overall, this was a very good debut novel; Ms Marsh has the undoubted ability to control a complicated plot, and with remarkable skill weaves together all the strands of the story to an exciting conclusion. I would hope that this is not the end of Beatrice; she has so much potential, it would be a crime not to write more about her.
May 8, 2013
If you like your crime mixed with literary fiction, J J Marsh is definitely a new writer to watch. A motley crew of cops & criminals convince and entertain in an unusual and often chilling story that will have your Kindle thumb clicking fast until you reach the nerve-jangling denouement.
Our detective heroine Beatrice Stubbs is likeable and flawed, with enough complexity to sustain a series (of which this is the first book.) I finished the book wanting to know more about her - always a good sign. I also wanted to see more of the keen young Swiss, Xavier Racine. (Like Stubbs, I too have a weakness for freckles.) I hope this appealing character will return later in the series.
A stylish debut for Stubbs - and if she becomes the heroine of a hit TV series, I shan't be at all surprised.
Our detective heroine Beatrice Stubbs is likeable and flawed, with enough complexity to sustain a series (of which this is the first book.) I finished the book wanting to know more about her - always a good sign. I also wanted to see more of the keen young Swiss, Xavier Racine. (Like Stubbs, I too have a weakness for freckles.) I hope this appealing character will return later in the series.
A stylish debut for Stubbs - and if she becomes the heroine of a hit TV series, I shan't be at all surprised.
September 2, 2012
J Marsh kept me guessing until the nerve shredding climax of Behind Closed Doors. However it's not the very topical puzzle of who is disposing of a succession of fat cats or even the fascinating Zurich setting that make the book special, but the superb characterisation. Beatrice Stubbs and her mismatched team of Interpol investigators leap off the page as fully formed and utterly believable individuals. Their developing relationships prove as fascinating and unpredictable as the central mystery itself and I can't wait to meet Beatrice again.
February 20, 2013
A brilliantly-crafted crime story in which, via the expert hand of JJ Marsh, we move through one high-profile murder after another. The plot is intricate, inspired and the conclusion daunting. I identified and sympathised with the detective, Beatrice Stubbs who, with her flaws, strengths and determination to track down this elusive killer, is a refreshing change from the usual tired-out, detective hack of so many crime novels. If you enjoy high-quality crime novels, you will be as gripped as I was, and will be looking out for the next Beatrice Stubbs story!
January 19, 2020
What I liked:
1) A story that features an older woman. I think she's probably in her 50s, but her actual age isn't mentioned, I don't think.
2) The heroine is in a very loving and stable relationship. She's not afraid that her man is going to step out on her the moment she's away.
3) There were some bits of dry humour that were just too cute.
Unfortunately, I didn't really like the writing style of this author. It was dry and a bit boring. The secondary characters were also a bit underdeveloped and the villain was OTT ridiculous. Overall, this is another series that bites the dust.
1) A story that features an older woman. I think she's probably in her 50s, but her actual age isn't mentioned, I don't think.
2) The heroine is in a very loving and stable relationship. She's not afraid that her man is going to step out on her the moment she's away.
3) There were some bits of dry humour that were just too cute.
Unfortunately, I didn't really like the writing style of this author. It was dry and a bit boring. The secondary characters were also a bit underdeveloped and the villain was OTT ridiculous. Overall, this is another series that bites the dust.
April 30, 2017
Enjoyed this first in series book about the highly likeable Beatrice Stubbs. The writing is polished and fluent and the European settings are vividly drawn.
April 4, 2019
Could not put down
Beatrice Stubbs is my hero. Now I want to read more. The only thing that kept me going was knowing she had to survive, because this is a series.
Beatrice Stubbs is my hero. Now I want to read more. The only thing that kept me going was knowing she had to survive, because this is a series.
October 1, 2017
Entertaining, European, intelligent detective story
I bought the boxed set, which is great value, as I'll definitely read the next two. The ageing female lead detective, Beatrice Stubbs, with her so-British background and her troubled psychiatric history (including attempted suicide) appealed to me straight away with her mix of courage and vulnerability. The realism of office politics and sexism had me short of breath in sympathy as I climbed all those flights of steps to the (switched) lecture room where Beatrice was supposed to present her case to a new, cynical team of police professionals.
Any woman who's been an executive/manager would know all the choices Beatrice faces as she tries to re-arrange her wrecked presentation. To make matters more difficult, the new team is international and working in Zurich and that is where the novel really excels - in creating a believable international task force, in the Zurich setting. I loved the European flavour of people, procedures and setting (including the jokes at tourists' expense).
The crime and its solution was enjoyable in the old-fashioned style of a detective whodunnit but with modern professionals (the profiler, the IT experts) using new technology. The cypher to be decoded was a fun element in the plot. Delivered exactly what I hoped for from the description - an entertaining, European, intelligent read. In a detective story, I find it much more satisfying to notice clues and figure out most of what's going on, as here, than to have some surprise whammy that comes out of the blue and does not convince. Others might prefer more of a psychological thriller.
I bought the boxed set, which is great value, as I'll definitely read the next two. The ageing female lead detective, Beatrice Stubbs, with her so-British background and her troubled psychiatric history (including attempted suicide) appealed to me straight away with her mix of courage and vulnerability. The realism of office politics and sexism had me short of breath in sympathy as I climbed all those flights of steps to the (switched) lecture room where Beatrice was supposed to present her case to a new, cynical team of police professionals.
Any woman who's been an executive/manager would know all the choices Beatrice faces as she tries to re-arrange her wrecked presentation. To make matters more difficult, the new team is international and working in Zurich and that is where the novel really excels - in creating a believable international task force, in the Zurich setting. I loved the European flavour of people, procedures and setting (including the jokes at tourists' expense).
The crime and its solution was enjoyable in the old-fashioned style of a detective whodunnit but with modern professionals (the profiler, the IT experts) using new technology. The cypher to be decoded was a fun element in the plot. Delivered exactly what I hoped for from the description - an entertaining, European, intelligent read. In a detective story, I find it much more satisfying to notice clues and figure out most of what's going on, as here, than to have some surprise whammy that comes out of the blue and does not convince. Others might prefer more of a psychological thriller.
April 12, 2020
I had not heard of this author, or this series, but it showed up as an e-reader boxed set at such a low price, I couldn't pass it up. So I was pleasantly surprised when I started the first book and could hardly put it down. The story takes place in Switzerland (already making it interesting!) with an international crime fighting team assembled to investigate if there really is any connection to a series of seemingly unrelated suicides. The suicides were all high profile, despised men, with no apparent connection.
But with hard work and extreme dedication and creative thinking outside the box, suddenly a link appears to the team and the chase is on. With interesting main characters (the 6 on the team) and villians (so many potential suspects!), the plot proceeds at a rapid pace with a satisfying ending, while not wrapping everything up neatly.
But with hard work and extreme dedication and creative thinking outside the box, suddenly a link appears to the team and the chase is on. With interesting main characters (the 6 on the team) and villians (so many potential suspects!), the plot proceeds at a rapid pace with a satisfying ending, while not wrapping everything up neatly.
December 19, 2023
Holy transphobic garbage, Batman!
Early on, I wondered if this book might drop a transphobic punchline. But, I thought, no. It was just my own paranoia creeping up on me. I had no reason to assume my guess would turn out to be right.
On the whole, the writing style is very good. Some of the characters are layered, complex, and fascinating. The story is interesting.
But the downsides heavily outweigh the positives. The ending could have been written by Suella Braverman as a scare tactic. Additionally, the author's misandry is apparent.
So anyways, it's a no from me.
Early on, I wondered if this book might drop a transphobic punchline. But, I thought, no. It was just my own paranoia creeping up on me. I had no reason to assume my guess would turn out to be right.
On the whole, the writing style is very good. Some of the characters are layered, complex, and fascinating. The story is interesting.
But the downsides heavily outweigh the positives. The ending could have been written by Suella Braverman as a scare tactic. Additionally, the author's misandry is apparent.
So anyways, it's a no from me.
October 25, 2024
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS is the first entry in the Beatrice Stubbs series. A Scotland Yard Detective Inspector, Beatrice Stubbs is seconded to Zurich to lead an international team of investigators. Comprised of representatives from Interpol, Europol, and the Swiss police, the ways in which the team confronts its cultural differences and coalesces into an effective unit over the course of the story is one of its best features. The case revolves around a series of suspicious suicides, linked only by the fact that all the dead men were wealthy, morally bankrupt, and widely despised. Oh, and the same DNA was found at the scene of each of the supposed suicides. It quickly becomes clear that Stubbs’ team is looking for a stealthy murderer. An absorbing plot, an interesting protagonist, an appealing supporting cast of characters, and excellent writing made this a fun read. I look forward to discovering what adventures await in the next volume of the Beatrice Stubbs series.
“Ms Stubbs, if we are to have any kind of working relationship, I must ask you not to patronise me. This is not a conciliation meeting with a badly behaved junior. I am the Fedpol senior detective here. The case, such as it is, arose out of my report. From the work of my officers. However, Interpol find it appropriate to use me only as a ‘consultant’ and to bring in a foreign woman to lead this investigative team. A woman who seems to have little respect for the demands of my time.”
“Ms Stubbs, if we are to have any kind of working relationship, I must ask you not to patronise me. This is not a conciliation meeting with a badly behaved junior. I am the Fedpol senior detective here. The case, such as it is, arose out of my report. From the work of my officers. However, Interpol find it appropriate to use me only as a ‘consultant’ and to bring in a foreign woman to lead this investigative team. A woman who seems to have little respect for the demands of my time.”
October 20, 2024
This is a new series featuring a female detective that I’ve stumbled across. I enjoyed book#1 and look forward to the rest of the series. I just know that Beatrice’s character will grow on me and the books will get better & better.
I like the clever writing style especially as Beatrice takes no guff from anyone. She can put you in your place with one sharp retort or a veiled smart one liner. She’s unflappably & very British.
I like the clever writing style especially as Beatrice takes no guff from anyone. She can put you in your place with one sharp retort or a veiled smart one liner. She’s unflappably & very British.
July 24, 2025
Only good bit of writing was the blurb which successfully tricked me into reading this. Story that relies on tired boring tropes ("his suggestion of a picnic on the lake was prompted by his kind nature, a sense of being the host. It would never cross Xavier's mind it meant they'd get to see Sabine and Conceição in bikinis." 🙄 not to mention how every murdered millionaire pays special attention to their murderer's great ass and generous chest 🙄🙄). The build-up is long and with almost no pay off. 2 stars only because the main character started to be endearing in the last 20 pages of the book and I like an older woman protagonist.
October 27, 2023
The plot was very predictable.
June 7, 2020
3.5 stars for good writing but multiple-murder-gore was just over the top for me. Unsure about continuing the series...yeah, I bet I will.
May 27, 2017
This is a first in a series about Beatrice Stubbs a detective.
This book is an international thriller that revolves around the deaths of businessmen.
A good written book with twists and turns.
I enjoyed the character of Beatrice Stubbs.
Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book.
This book is an international thriller that revolves around the deaths of businessmen.
A good written book with twists and turns.
I enjoyed the character of Beatrice Stubbs.
Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book.
August 6, 2013
'I want to take this case, turn out its pockets, hold it by the ankles and shake it upside down.'
Detective Inspector Beatrice Stubbs is working on her first case since a very serious incident in her personal life. She's been enlisted by her boss in London to head over to Zurich to work on what is termed a 'non-case' initially. There we follow her as she leads a small, multi-skilled international team looking into the deaths in recent years of several wealthy business men, so-called 'fat cats', all of whom seemingly died by suicide, and all of whom had questionable business practices. Did they all suddenly develop a conscience about the wrongs they had done, or was something else happening? The team starts to revisit the cases and discovers not only that they may not have actually been suicides at all, but that they may also all be linked.
It made an interesting and pleasant change to read about an international team, and to have the main setting as Zurich. Several other European settings also feature, as chapters interspersed throughout the main story take us back and allow us to discover the different circumstances in which each of these wealthy men met their deaths. This slow revelation keeps us interested in where and how the different deaths occurred and what might link them.
Beatrice has her own personal demons to battle. I'd like to know more about this side of her. The author introduces us to some aspects of Beatrice's personal past but leaves a lot unsaid too, and concentrates for the most part on the crimes and the detective work. There are more books featuring her - this is the first - so I'll be interested to see how JJ Marsh develops her main character in the next and subsequent stories. This isn't a criticism; I thought there was just enough to make you want to know more about Beatrice, but not so much that her personal life dominated the story; a good balance. I like Beatrice; she is flawed and insecure, but also self-aware, determined and tenacious; she keeps a hold on her team despite their deciding to sometimes deviate from the jobs she has tasked them with, and slowly develops a successful working relationship with them, and in particular with the initially rather terse Herr Kälin, this is no mean feat. She has a way of using everyday sayings or idioms but altering them slightly, which is quirky and amusing.
I enjoyed this story and thought it was a very well written, assured debut, with a distinctive main character in Beatrice, other interesting characters in the team, plus an intricate plot and an intriguing set of deaths that had me wondering, not just about who had done this, but how and precisely why. I enjoyed the interactions between the international team, and the choice of locations for the story; I visited Zurich many years ago and this novel had me wanting to return.
I also felt it was a lovely physical edition, with a gorgeous cover both in terms of appearance and the soft, smooth feel; it was a pleasure to hold whilst reading.
Detective Inspector Beatrice Stubbs is working on her first case since a very serious incident in her personal life. She's been enlisted by her boss in London to head over to Zurich to work on what is termed a 'non-case' initially. There we follow her as she leads a small, multi-skilled international team looking into the deaths in recent years of several wealthy business men, so-called 'fat cats', all of whom seemingly died by suicide, and all of whom had questionable business practices. Did they all suddenly develop a conscience about the wrongs they had done, or was something else happening? The team starts to revisit the cases and discovers not only that they may not have actually been suicides at all, but that they may also all be linked.
It made an interesting and pleasant change to read about an international team, and to have the main setting as Zurich. Several other European settings also feature, as chapters interspersed throughout the main story take us back and allow us to discover the different circumstances in which each of these wealthy men met their deaths. This slow revelation keeps us interested in where and how the different deaths occurred and what might link them.
Beatrice has her own personal demons to battle. I'd like to know more about this side of her. The author introduces us to some aspects of Beatrice's personal past but leaves a lot unsaid too, and concentrates for the most part on the crimes and the detective work. There are more books featuring her - this is the first - so I'll be interested to see how JJ Marsh develops her main character in the next and subsequent stories. This isn't a criticism; I thought there was just enough to make you want to know more about Beatrice, but not so much that her personal life dominated the story; a good balance. I like Beatrice; she is flawed and insecure, but also self-aware, determined and tenacious; she keeps a hold on her team despite their deciding to sometimes deviate from the jobs she has tasked them with, and slowly develops a successful working relationship with them, and in particular with the initially rather terse Herr Kälin, this is no mean feat. She has a way of using everyday sayings or idioms but altering them slightly, which is quirky and amusing.
I enjoyed this story and thought it was a very well written, assured debut, with a distinctive main character in Beatrice, other interesting characters in the team, plus an intricate plot and an intriguing set of deaths that had me wondering, not just about who had done this, but how and precisely why. I enjoyed the interactions between the international team, and the choice of locations for the story; I visited Zurich many years ago and this novel had me wanting to return.
I also felt it was a lovely physical edition, with a gorgeous cover both in terms of appearance and the soft, smooth feel; it was a pleasure to hold whilst reading.
May 31, 2012
I downloaded this book and had finished it in two sittings - Interrupted by work (tut). I was completely immersed throughout the entire story. The characters, the plot, the pace and the settings are all excellently crafted and beautifully written. You can tell that blood, sweat, tears and a huge amount of research went into this absorbing book.
Four unprincipled and unpleasant businessmen have apparently committed suicide. However, Interpol find that the same DNA is evident at each scene. What else links them? Perhaps the fact that the world is a better place without them?
Interpol put together a team of experts to open a ‘non-investigation’ based in Zurich to establish if there is a murderer out there that is systematically eliminating ‘fat cats’
Detective Beatrice Stubbs of Scotland Yard, is tasked to lead the investigation. She is unlike any detective you have ever met before. She has a passion for a well-known radio soap opera and has a comical knack for mixing her metaphors. However, if your first thought is that she is a little eccentric, like me, will probably change your mind as you read on. She is a professional and accomplished detective yet grows very fond of her juniors and is as proud as a University professor is of a favourite student/s. Beatrice is as intricate as the plot and although we are treated to brief snippets of her background, her loves and her personal battles, I sense there is much more to know, and I can’t wait.
From chapter one the reader is offered more information than the investigators are a party to. This allows you to feel some ownership, you feel ‘in on it’ to a point. Furthermore as the targets’ last hours are played out, your own case notes are coming together nicely. But, there is still something missing. Why won’t the whole thing knit? The author frustratingly holds onto that until the very end. You are not permitted to beat the professionals to all the answers. Still, you feel like you did have an inkling, and therefore don’t feel robbed. This is another technique that sets Behind Closed Doors apart from many other crime novels. In other detective stories, I have frequently felt as though something is held back for no other reason than that you are treated to that ‘Ta dah’ moment.
As I said the plot, the setting, the language and the pace are spot on. However, (I appear to agree with many other reviewers) it is the characters that will win most accolades in this original novel. Whether you love, hate, admire or scorn each of the characters, they are all incredibly real, you believe them, you want to know more about them, you invest.
This is apparently Bea’s first outing. I eagerly await the next. Well done JJ Marsh and thank you.
Four unprincipled and unpleasant businessmen have apparently committed suicide. However, Interpol find that the same DNA is evident at each scene. What else links them? Perhaps the fact that the world is a better place without them?
Interpol put together a team of experts to open a ‘non-investigation’ based in Zurich to establish if there is a murderer out there that is systematically eliminating ‘fat cats’
Detective Beatrice Stubbs of Scotland Yard, is tasked to lead the investigation. She is unlike any detective you have ever met before. She has a passion for a well-known radio soap opera and has a comical knack for mixing her metaphors. However, if your first thought is that she is a little eccentric, like me, will probably change your mind as you read on. She is a professional and accomplished detective yet grows very fond of her juniors and is as proud as a University professor is of a favourite student/s. Beatrice is as intricate as the plot and although we are treated to brief snippets of her background, her loves and her personal battles, I sense there is much more to know, and I can’t wait.
From chapter one the reader is offered more information than the investigators are a party to. This allows you to feel some ownership, you feel ‘in on it’ to a point. Furthermore as the targets’ last hours are played out, your own case notes are coming together nicely. But, there is still something missing. Why won’t the whole thing knit? The author frustratingly holds onto that until the very end. You are not permitted to beat the professionals to all the answers. Still, you feel like you did have an inkling, and therefore don’t feel robbed. This is another technique that sets Behind Closed Doors apart from many other crime novels. In other detective stories, I have frequently felt as though something is held back for no other reason than that you are treated to that ‘Ta dah’ moment.
As I said the plot, the setting, the language and the pace are spot on. However, (I appear to agree with many other reviewers) it is the characters that will win most accolades in this original novel. Whether you love, hate, admire or scorn each of the characters, they are all incredibly real, you believe them, you want to know more about them, you invest.
This is apparently Bea’s first outing. I eagerly await the next. Well done JJ Marsh and thank you.
August 24, 2012
Behind Closed Doors is a well crafted crime novel by debut author, JJ Marsh. Scotland Yard detective, Beatrice Stubbs has been tasked to investigate possible links between the apparent suicides of several high profile businessmen. Sent to Zurich and assigned a small team of specialists, Stubbs is under pressure to produce results quickly. With painstaking investigation they uncover a link to the CEO of a consultant firm with a deadly agenda.
Deftly plotted, Behind Closed Doors moves between the investigation by Beatrice Stubbs and her team, and the death scenes of corrupt businessmen at the hands of a skilled assassin. The advantage of this approach is that the reader witnesses the steps the killer takes to make each death look like suicide, and therefore appreciates the challenges Beatrice's team faces in connecting the deaths. Though the identity of the person responsible for the murders is suspected early on in the story, proving culpability is another matter all together. Beatrice's team has to combine their skills and think outside the box to find the proof they need to stop the murders.
The characters of Behind Closed Doors are an interesting group. We get glimpses of Beatrice's complicated personal history and romantic partnership but, normally based in London, she is away from her usual environment in Zurich so the focus is on Beatrice's professional behaviour. Beatrice proves to be a great leader of the team members she is charged with in Zurich, several of whom have quirky personalities. I enjoyed getting to know them, from the gruff Senior Detective Herr Kalin to the serious Estonian crime analyst, Sabine Tikkenen.
The novel has a European feel of formality in both tone and dialogue but there is flow to the narration. The more mundane aspects of the investigation are interspersed with the descriptions of murders to provide continuing interest but the plot does lack a sense of urgency despite the tight time frame until the final confrontation.
I was reminded of Nicci French's new series featuring Dr Frieda Klein as I read despite the obvious differences. Behind Closed Doors is an enjoyable read and a promising debut from a new author.
Deftly plotted, Behind Closed Doors moves between the investigation by Beatrice Stubbs and her team, and the death scenes of corrupt businessmen at the hands of a skilled assassin. The advantage of this approach is that the reader witnesses the steps the killer takes to make each death look like suicide, and therefore appreciates the challenges Beatrice's team faces in connecting the deaths. Though the identity of the person responsible for the murders is suspected early on in the story, proving culpability is another matter all together. Beatrice's team has to combine their skills and think outside the box to find the proof they need to stop the murders.
The characters of Behind Closed Doors are an interesting group. We get glimpses of Beatrice's complicated personal history and romantic partnership but, normally based in London, she is away from her usual environment in Zurich so the focus is on Beatrice's professional behaviour. Beatrice proves to be a great leader of the team members she is charged with in Zurich, several of whom have quirky personalities. I enjoyed getting to know them, from the gruff Senior Detective Herr Kalin to the serious Estonian crime analyst, Sabine Tikkenen.
The novel has a European feel of formality in both tone and dialogue but there is flow to the narration. The more mundane aspects of the investigation are interspersed with the descriptions of murders to provide continuing interest but the plot does lack a sense of urgency despite the tight time frame until the final confrontation.
I was reminded of Nicci French's new series featuring Dr Frieda Klein as I read despite the obvious differences. Behind Closed Doors is an enjoyable read and a promising debut from a new author.
June 14, 2012
Behind Closed Doors introduces us to a new detective – one that I hope is going to feature again and again in future books. Beatrice Stubbs came to life for me in a way few fictional characters do. She irritated me at times, but not because she wasn’t well written, quite the opposite in fact. She annoyed me in exactly the same way a close friend would. I wanted to yell at her when she did something I considered dumb, hug her when she felt down and cheer her on when she got things right. In other words, J J Marsh has created a living, breathing person with whom readers can identify.
The plot is well crafted and original. DI Stubbs has been seconded to Zurich to uncover the truth behind a series of supposed suicides, which are, in fact, carefully crafted murders – each one designed to fit the ‘crime’ for which the killer has deemed the victims guilty.
We know fairly early on who is orchestrating everything, but not how or why, and it is this need to know which keeps the reader turning pages.
Behind Closed Doors straddles the boundary between literary fiction and crime writing, but it sits comfortably in both camps. It is, quite simply, a very well constructed crime novel written by an author in total control of her material.
I can’t wait for the next Beatrice Stubbs novel. My only concern is that the author has set the bar so high this is going to be a hard act to follow.
The plot is well crafted and original. DI Stubbs has been seconded to Zurich to uncover the truth behind a series of supposed suicides, which are, in fact, carefully crafted murders – each one designed to fit the ‘crime’ for which the killer has deemed the victims guilty.
We know fairly early on who is orchestrating everything, but not how or why, and it is this need to know which keeps the reader turning pages.
Behind Closed Doors straddles the boundary between literary fiction and crime writing, but it sits comfortably in both camps. It is, quite simply, a very well constructed crime novel written by an author in total control of her material.
I can’t wait for the next Beatrice Stubbs novel. My only concern is that the author has set the bar so high this is going to be a hard act to follow.
January 26, 2013
JJ Marsh’s debut hooks the reader with its promising title: because Behind Closed Doors anything can happen. The first door to be opened leads into a luxury hotel suite where the reader is witness to the murder of an arrogant jerk. The second door to be opened is that to Detective Beatrice Stubbs’ London flat. She gets an exceptional visit from her boss who has come to make her head of an interdisciplinary investigation into a couple of seemingly suicides. Beatrice meets her team of specialists in Zürich.
The town’s little-big-city atmosphere is depicted both with accuracy as well as charm. But the investigators get few chances to enjoy. As much as they struggle with the case, they also struggle with their cultural and personal differences.
Meanwhile, the reader is witness to more bad guys walking into traps. And parenthetically, how the real estate bubble burst is explained in a way even a schoolchild could understand. Having been witness through space and time to the obscured murders, the reader knows more than the detectives, which at one point leads to the Punch-and-Judy joy of screaming out loud: “Don’t go there!” as a door is closing behind Beatrice Stubbs. And from here, the reading speed accelerates…
The town’s little-big-city atmosphere is depicted both with accuracy as well as charm. But the investigators get few chances to enjoy. As much as they struggle with the case, they also struggle with their cultural and personal differences.
Meanwhile, the reader is witness to more bad guys walking into traps. And parenthetically, how the real estate bubble burst is explained in a way even a schoolchild could understand. Having been witness through space and time to the obscured murders, the reader knows more than the detectives, which at one point leads to the Punch-and-Judy joy of screaming out loud: “Don’t go there!” as a door is closing behind Beatrice Stubbs. And from here, the reading speed accelerates…
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