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Inside or Out
Inside or Out is a part prison drama set in Portsmouth's women's prison, HMP Kingston, and the City of Portsmouth, England.
sauce for the goose
Jessica Taylor returns home just in time for Christmas, following a scrape with the Indian Police Service and the scrutiny of British Special Branch. She has no secrets from her husband and, one day when the time is right, she will tell him about her Indian dalliances. She wonders when, or if, the time will ever be right.
First, she needs to fix her marriage to the man she loves more than life itself. She returns home to find a pair of women’s shoes, a silk scarf, and then a half-naked young woman in her house. She makes one reckless mistake too many.
sauce for the goose
Jessica Taylor returns home just in time for Christmas, following a scrape with the Indian Police Service and the scrutiny of British Special Branch. She has no secrets from her husband and, one day when the time is right, she will tell him about her Indian dalliances. She wonders when, or if, the time will ever be right.
First, she needs to fix her marriage to the man she loves more than life itself. She returns home to find a pair of women’s shoes, a silk scarf, and then a half-naked young woman in her house. She makes one reckless mistake too many.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 28, 2023
Jessica Taylor is a wonderful creature. Beautiful, sexy, witty and intelligent. But she can be reckless, and it is this trait that can land her in hot water from time to time.
Anyone who has read this series by Onia Fox will know that.
In the previous book 'Connecting Doors' Jessica got caught up in a whodunnit while in India, and caught the attention of not only the Indian police but, more importantly, the UK Special Branch.
She put it behind her and came home, just in time for Christmas, and looking forward to being back in the arms of her husband, Jason.
But things never go to plan for Jessica. Her reckless nature lands her in hot water once more.
Inside or Out isn't a long book, I read it in just over a day, but it is very powerful, and very hard to put down once you start reading.
I dare not say more for fear of spoilers but I suggest you read this amazing, very powerful book.
In fact, read them all. Get to know Jessica. You will adore her.
Anyone who has read this series by Onia Fox will know that.
In the previous book 'Connecting Doors' Jessica got caught up in a whodunnit while in India, and caught the attention of not only the Indian police but, more importantly, the UK Special Branch.
She put it behind her and came home, just in time for Christmas, and looking forward to being back in the arms of her husband, Jason.
But things never go to plan for Jessica. Her reckless nature lands her in hot water once more.
Inside or Out isn't a long book, I read it in just over a day, but it is very powerful, and very hard to put down once you start reading.
I dare not say more for fear of spoilers but I suggest you read this amazing, very powerful book.
In fact, read them all. Get to know Jessica. You will adore her.
March 28, 2025
So. Finally. At last she’s gone and done it.
Since Jessica Taylor first tumbled headlong, headstrong and in ultra-chaotic fashion onto the pages of Listless in Turkey she’s been living on the edge, a liability and an accident-waiting-to-happen, getting herself into numerous difficult situations through her tendency to act first and think later—if at all.
This time, newly-returned-home from her own extra-marital adventures in India, the ‘We’ve got an open marriage’ Jessica sees feminine shoes—not her own—inside the front door, plus a young woman upstairs, and behaves in a manner true to herself. Words before action not being her forte, and ‘restraint’ not apparently being in her vocabulary, she loses what little control she possesses. Very soon there’s blood on the carpet, bruised and broken bodies on their way to hospital, and Jess looking at Christmas in nick—and I don't mean with St Nicholas.
Porridge is on the menu in every sense for Jess, and unfortunately this time it feels like her just desserts, along with the unaccustomed humble pie which the uncharacteristically-frightened woman is having to eat. That said, I wouldn’t wish the ordeal she undergoes on my worst enemy—well, maybe on my worst. The situation in prison is grim, convincing me that this book ought to be required reading for teenagers, to persuade them to live within the law, staying out of trouble and out of prison.
Whatever, things get worse for Jess, as she’s seen as a useful asset by a certain section of the security community, who doesn’t hesitate to use her for his purpose. The girl does her best, but it’s painful to watch her trying to survive against the odds. She’s done it before, however, so the ‘will she, won’t she’ aspect is underscored with hope. No spoilers here, but whatever the outcome you may be sure that Jess will rise to the occasion.
This may well be my favourite of the Jess Taylor stories, being concise and well-constructed. I didn't make any bones, when I reviewed Listless in Turkey, about her not being quite my cup of tea, so I’m relieved that at last I can feel some empathy for her. She’s worth a read.
Since Jessica Taylor first tumbled headlong, headstrong and in ultra-chaotic fashion onto the pages of Listless in Turkey she’s been living on the edge, a liability and an accident-waiting-to-happen, getting herself into numerous difficult situations through her tendency to act first and think later—if at all.
This time, newly-returned-home from her own extra-marital adventures in India, the ‘We’ve got an open marriage’ Jessica sees feminine shoes—not her own—inside the front door, plus a young woman upstairs, and behaves in a manner true to herself. Words before action not being her forte, and ‘restraint’ not apparently being in her vocabulary, she loses what little control she possesses. Very soon there’s blood on the carpet, bruised and broken bodies on their way to hospital, and Jess looking at Christmas in nick—and I don't mean with St Nicholas.
Porridge is on the menu in every sense for Jess, and unfortunately this time it feels like her just desserts, along with the unaccustomed humble pie which the uncharacteristically-frightened woman is having to eat. That said, I wouldn’t wish the ordeal she undergoes on my worst enemy—well, maybe on my worst. The situation in prison is grim, convincing me that this book ought to be required reading for teenagers, to persuade them to live within the law, staying out of trouble and out of prison.
Whatever, things get worse for Jess, as she’s seen as a useful asset by a certain section of the security community, who doesn’t hesitate to use her for his purpose. The girl does her best, but it’s painful to watch her trying to survive against the odds. She’s done it before, however, so the ‘will she, won’t she’ aspect is underscored with hope. No spoilers here, but whatever the outcome you may be sure that Jess will rise to the occasion.
This may well be my favourite of the Jess Taylor stories, being concise and well-constructed. I didn't make any bones, when I reviewed Listless in Turkey, about her not being quite my cup of tea, so I’m relieved that at last I can feel some empathy for her. She’s worth a read.
April 7, 2024
Deeper, darker, dangerous, outrageous – chimerical; Kafkaesque
I have read the previous 3 Jessica Taylor books and loved them, but it wasn’t until this book 4 did I realise that the underlying plots were becoming darker, more sinister and more real.
These books present the reader with 2 levels of comprehension. The top layer is of a superb wit and humour, the presentation of a woman who lives life on the edge, though not necessarily meaning to – she just likes life, and, she lives it. Yes, you could say she is outrageous, and she is. She is flirtatious and perhaps attracts trouble? Maybe her worst enemy is her 3 amp temper which leads to trouble.
Jess is all of the above but there is more – she is one hell of a woman and I love to read of her exploits (but from afar and the safety of my settee).
Sub-text, Kafka and ‘The Trial’. I have read many books that allude to this classic but Onia Fox achieved the feelings in me that I recall having when I first read ‘The Trial’. I offer no clues as to the ‘Inside or Out’ plots, twists and turns, because you need to feel these sensations yourself, as a reader, and imagine, what would I do if I was Jess? Implausible? You would think so, but as in a Kafkaesque plot, you cannot help but believe it; does this really happen? Of course it does, and Fox offers no opportunity to turn a blind eye here.
I love the Fox books but this tops the list – I am still feeling that lead weight in my stomach reliving the danger and frustration, I wanted to shout as my pace of reading picked up and I could hear the dramatic music in my imagination.
This book is outrageous, funny, yes, but it is also, so, so, dark, and created in me emotions that I will struggle to forget this book in a hurry.
All the books stand-alone but read them all, in order, I urge you, for there is a greater depth to this writer than is immediately obvious. Highly recommended – 5 stars
I have read the previous 3 Jessica Taylor books and loved them, but it wasn’t until this book 4 did I realise that the underlying plots were becoming darker, more sinister and more real.
These books present the reader with 2 levels of comprehension. The top layer is of a superb wit and humour, the presentation of a woman who lives life on the edge, though not necessarily meaning to – she just likes life, and, she lives it. Yes, you could say she is outrageous, and she is. She is flirtatious and perhaps attracts trouble? Maybe her worst enemy is her 3 amp temper which leads to trouble.
Jess is all of the above but there is more – she is one hell of a woman and I love to read of her exploits (but from afar and the safety of my settee).
Sub-text, Kafka and ‘The Trial’. I have read many books that allude to this classic but Onia Fox achieved the feelings in me that I recall having when I first read ‘The Trial’. I offer no clues as to the ‘Inside or Out’ plots, twists and turns, because you need to feel these sensations yourself, as a reader, and imagine, what would I do if I was Jess? Implausible? You would think so, but as in a Kafkaesque plot, you cannot help but believe it; does this really happen? Of course it does, and Fox offers no opportunity to turn a blind eye here.
I love the Fox books but this tops the list – I am still feeling that lead weight in my stomach reliving the danger and frustration, I wanted to shout as my pace of reading picked up and I could hear the dramatic music in my imagination.
This book is outrageous, funny, yes, but it is also, so, so, dark, and created in me emotions that I will struggle to forget this book in a hurry.
All the books stand-alone but read them all, in order, I urge you, for there is a greater depth to this writer than is immediately obvious. Highly recommended – 5 stars
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews