What do you think?
Rate this book
Keane: Jail Bird
Jail Bird
300 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2010
89 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Jessie Keane
45 books388 followersNow what about me? I’ve done a lot of writing, but way back before I even dreamed I could be a professional writer I was just the youngest in a big family. My Dad was a surveyor with an edge of brilliance. My Mum was from gipsy roots and used to drive around in a goat-cart (yes, really!) when she was little. Once we were rich (although I didn’t know it then, and it was all thanks to my Dad’s ingenuity) and then suddenly – pretty shockingly, really – we were poor (thanks to greedy people who exploited his kindness). I have to tell you, rich is better. But the great thing about life is, even painful events pass, and if you make bad choices, hopefully you learn from them.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
June 19, 2012
Jessie Keane is an author that had her debut novel `Dirty Game' published in 2008. It was the first in the Annie Bailey series of books and was followed by `Black Widow' and `Scarlet Women' in 2009.
I read her first book and was hooked. Annie Bailey was such a great character and I was fearful that Jessie Keane would follow the all too predictable path that others do of relying too much on a good thing.
After reading all three in the Annie Bailey Series I was even more worried. How on earth could she top her last three books? Not only did I love her style of writing but I fell in love with the characters. How would I feel with a new lead character? Would it be any good or would she fail at the first hurdle? To my absolute relief Jessie Keane is made of sterner stuff. Through my letterbox came her latest offering entitled Jail Bird and I excitedly ripped it from its box and settled myself in for the duration.
Lily King has just been released from prison. She has spent the last 12 years of her life behind bars for the brutal shooting of her husband Leo King. When she is released she is determined to set the record straight. Not only does Lily have to prove she didn't kill her husband, she has to find out who did. She is battling not only Leo's family who want her dead, but her own daughters who can't stand the sight of her.
This book was an absolute corker and I read the book cover to cover in 2 days. It is everything Jessie Keane does but better. We meet a great leading character in Lily, she has guts and determination and is absolutely focused on finding the truth. She has her battles along the way and the characters that make up the King family are right on the money. The storytelling is, as usual, brilliant and she manages to create very believable scenarios without it bordering on the unrealistic.
It's a pacy book with plenty of plot twists and enough action to keep you both interested and guessing. I particularly liked the fact that there are lots of different characters all being brought together by one event. There are just enough to keep you intrigued but not too many that it get's confusing.
After reading a short Bio on Jessie I realise how she manages to exude an air of masculinity into her writing being the youngest of 8 children, all boys! I have been a fan of Martina Cole for years but to be honest, find myself not looking forward to new books she releases as they are all the same sort of thing. Don't get me wrong I still read them but don't have the level of interest that I used to. If like me, you were a Cole fan in the early days, get yourself down the shops for a copy of Jessie Keane's book. She reminds me very much of Cole's early work and she is certainly giving the likes of Mandasue Heller and Karin Slaughter a run for their money.
If I were Martina Cole I would be looking over my shoulder for a certain Ms Keane! Now all I have to do is wait another 7 months for her new book!
I read her first book and was hooked. Annie Bailey was such a great character and I was fearful that Jessie Keane would follow the all too predictable path that others do of relying too much on a good thing.
After reading all three in the Annie Bailey Series I was even more worried. How on earth could she top her last three books? Not only did I love her style of writing but I fell in love with the characters. How would I feel with a new lead character? Would it be any good or would she fail at the first hurdle? To my absolute relief Jessie Keane is made of sterner stuff. Through my letterbox came her latest offering entitled Jail Bird and I excitedly ripped it from its box and settled myself in for the duration.
Lily King has just been released from prison. She has spent the last 12 years of her life behind bars for the brutal shooting of her husband Leo King. When she is released she is determined to set the record straight. Not only does Lily have to prove she didn't kill her husband, she has to find out who did. She is battling not only Leo's family who want her dead, but her own daughters who can't stand the sight of her.
This book was an absolute corker and I read the book cover to cover in 2 days. It is everything Jessie Keane does but better. We meet a great leading character in Lily, she has guts and determination and is absolutely focused on finding the truth. She has her battles along the way and the characters that make up the King family are right on the money. The storytelling is, as usual, brilliant and she manages to create very believable scenarios without it bordering on the unrealistic.
It's a pacy book with plenty of plot twists and enough action to keep you both interested and guessing. I particularly liked the fact that there are lots of different characters all being brought together by one event. There are just enough to keep you intrigued but not too many that it get's confusing.
After reading a short Bio on Jessie I realise how she manages to exude an air of masculinity into her writing being the youngest of 8 children, all boys! I have been a fan of Martina Cole for years but to be honest, find myself not looking forward to new books she releases as they are all the same sort of thing. Don't get me wrong I still read them but don't have the level of interest that I used to. If like me, you were a Cole fan in the early days, get yourself down the shops for a copy of Jessie Keane's book. She reminds me very much of Cole's early work and she is certainly giving the likes of Mandasue Heller and Karin Slaughter a run for their money.
If I were Martina Cole I would be looking over my shoulder for a certain Ms Keane! Now all I have to do is wait another 7 months for her new book!
February 2, 2018
Loved it! Stunning audiobook again from this author :)
July 21, 2020
I loved this. I've been looking for an author to read while I wait for Martina Cole's next novel. Jessie Keane is perfect to fill the void. This is the second book of hers I have read. I couldn't put it down and read it in a day. Strong characters and intriguing story line. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
August 1, 2020
Never read this author before - read this on recommendation and was not disappointed! Great story and characters, a real page turner until the end. Want to read more from this author!
July 2, 2018
This was given to me as a present and to be fair, the crime part is definitely my thing; I love crime and horror and anything that makes my pulse race. The thing I couldn't get around in this story was the slushy, slurpy romance and the constant internal struggles of the character that focused solely on relationships past, present and future. How her daughters were the same. Don't get me wrong, if romance is intertwined in a story well and fits well like it does in so many books then I have no problem with it. This story seemed to lose what plot it had by adding the romance. What could have been an exceptional look at a woman's struggle to find balance in her criminal family and prison experience turned into mills and boon. Disappointing.
January 12, 2013
Wow. After losing my way with reading I couldn't get into anything, but it just shows that if you pick the right book you can enjoy reading again. And what a book this was. Jessie Keane is a fantastic author, and I don't think it's possible for her to write a bad book! Most authors have a few hiccups along the way, maybe get a bit lazy, but I can't see that happening here, every single book of Jessie's has been a five star read for me, absolutely unputdownable books that you want to scream about when you've finished them and tell the world to read them.
I had no idea where this book was going, Lily King is let out of prison after killing her husband but it turns out it wasn't her and we then follow her as she tries to find out who killed her husband. Usually in books, despite them being good, you sort of work out the ending of even have a clue of who it might be but in this book I had no clue until it all unraveled at the end. Perhaps other readers worked it out but it was an absolute shock for me and that, along with a fantastic cast of characters and great writing and dialogue added up to a truly amazing must read book.
I just hope Jessie releases another book soon. The good thing about being late to the party so to speak is having the authors back catalogue to devour (as I did within a week for the four Annie Carter books) but now it's a case of waiting for her next book whenever that may be. But Jessie Keane is an amazing author and you would be crazy not to read her books. Especially Dirty Game and Nameless (which needs a sequel and/or a TV/movie adaptation!).
I had no idea where this book was going, Lily King is let out of prison after killing her husband but it turns out it wasn't her and we then follow her as she tries to find out who killed her husband. Usually in books, despite them being good, you sort of work out the ending of even have a clue of who it might be but in this book I had no clue until it all unraveled at the end. Perhaps other readers worked it out but it was an absolute shock for me and that, along with a fantastic cast of characters and great writing and dialogue added up to a truly amazing must read book.
I just hope Jessie releases another book soon. The good thing about being late to the party so to speak is having the authors back catalogue to devour (as I did within a week for the four Annie Carter books) but now it's a case of waiting for her next book whenever that may be. But Jessie Keane is an amazing author and you would be crazy not to read her books. Especially Dirty Game and Nameless (which needs a sequel and/or a TV/movie adaptation!).
July 1, 2013
I thought same old same old when i started reading this. I've read a few Martina Cole and thought here we go. But then I thought - why is that a bad thing because I enjoy her books too. I loved this book - the ending was great and it's a real page-turner. Am looking forward to reading all her other books now I've discovered her
April 30, 2012
First book I purchased on my new kindle, and I read it in just over 24 hrs. I could not put it down and it's so true what the publishers say, if you like Martina Cole you will LOVE this! It is so fast paced, and has you guessing right to the very end. Fantastic!
November 4, 2017
amazing twist at the end!
Such an excellent read, wasn't expecting it to end like that.
Definitely worth reading, will definitely be reading more by this author.
Such an excellent read, wasn't expecting it to end like that.
Definitely worth reading, will definitely be reading more by this author.
September 13, 2022
So I found this book among a carton of books that belonged to my sister which was sealed shut and I wasn't supposed to open it. But I did after trying not to for more than a year. When I read the synopsis of this book I felt interested as it seemed kind of like a mystery/thriller/revenge book and who doesn't love a good revenge story?
Basically, this book is about a woman who is accused of killing her husband and is found guilty and sent to jail. But she claims that she didn't do it. So after serving her sentence and getting released from jail she starts to investigate the murder while also trying to get back to her old life with her daughters. Throughout the book she finds out clues gets in danger gets saved and then finally just when she thinks she's found who did it, turns out that that person didn't commit the murder but rather it was someone else who did it. I won't tell who that's for you to find out when you read it if you decide to.
.
This book is fast-paced and good to get out of a reading slump. There are a few plot holes but you should just go with them. Also, the author tried to make the main character, not like the other girly girls but that didn't happen. To me, she felt more like a lucky girl than actually clever. There is no particular character I fell in love with in this book but I did vibe with some moments in the book. It's a good book to read when you are bored.
Basically, this book is about a woman who is accused of killing her husband and is found guilty and sent to jail. But she claims that she didn't do it. So after serving her sentence and getting released from jail she starts to investigate the murder while also trying to get back to her old life with her daughters. Throughout the book she finds out clues gets in danger gets saved and then finally just when she thinks she's found who did it, turns out that that person didn't commit the murder but rather it was someone else who did it. I won't tell who that's for you to find out when you read it if you decide to.
.
This book is fast-paced and good to get out of a reading slump. There are a few plot holes but you should just go with them. Also, the author tried to make the main character, not like the other girly girls but that didn't happen. To me, she felt more like a lucky girl than actually clever. There is no particular character I fell in love with in this book but I did vibe with some moments in the book. It's a good book to read when you are bored.
February 17, 2025
Lily King has just served twelve years for killing her husband Leo. Now she is out and is going to find out who really killed him as she knows it wasn't herself, but it's not going to be easy.
My Thought:
This book is very much in the vain of Martina Cole but not as gritty. The story is good and it did keep me guessing till the end.
For it's content the book was quite mild compared with Ms Coles books but not in a bad way. Yes there is the bad language and the violence but there is a good story too.
Lily King is quite a likeable character and it would be nice to come across her again to see how her life would pan out further. This is a stand alone book which is a shame because although this part if her life is sorted there is room for more.
A very engaging thriller that did keep me guessing and then there was a final twist. Anybody who does enjoy Martina Cole should try Jessie Keane.
My Thought:
This book is very much in the vain of Martina Cole but not as gritty. The story is good and it did keep me guessing till the end.
For it's content the book was quite mild compared with Ms Coles books but not in a bad way. Yes there is the bad language and the violence but there is a good story too.
Lily King is quite a likeable character and it would be nice to come across her again to see how her life would pan out further. This is a stand alone book which is a shame because although this part if her life is sorted there is room for more.
A very engaging thriller that did keep me guessing and then there was a final twist. Anybody who does enjoy Martina Cole should try Jessie Keane.
February 14, 2019
I'm lost for words and that doesn't often happen!
I loved this book as much as I've loved the other Jessie Keane ones I've read. They're full of memorable characters and storylines. The female characters are often the ones who appear to be stronger than the male ones. There are times when the men are needed to provide extra muscle, or a 'clean-up' service for each other, but the women, for the most part, are very strong.
Lily King leaves gaol after a twelve year stretch for killing her promiscuous husband, Leo. Lily protests her innocence and sets about proving it, despite being advised by the few friends and family members who are still speaking to her to leave well alone. Lily is stubborn and carries on with her mission to clear herself, despite the high risk to her life.
I loved this book as much as I've loved the other Jessie Keane ones I've read. They're full of memorable characters and storylines. The female characters are often the ones who appear to be stronger than the male ones. There are times when the men are needed to provide extra muscle, or a 'clean-up' service for each other, but the women, for the most part, are very strong.
Lily King leaves gaol after a twelve year stretch for killing her promiscuous husband, Leo. Lily protests her innocence and sets about proving it, despite being advised by the few friends and family members who are still speaking to her to leave well alone. Lily is stubborn and carries on with her mission to clear herself, despite the high risk to her life.
April 13, 2020
Lily is released from prison after serving 12-years for killing her husband. Lilly claims that she didn’t do it and is determined to prove her innocence. Her daughters are against her, believing that she murdered their father when they were young children. Her husband’s brothers are intent on revenge. Lily enlists the support of a private detective and an ex-lover comes to her aid. Lots of twists and turns and I was kept guessing as to who the actual murderer was. Fast paced easy read.
Read
March 25, 2021DNF at 68 pages.
Could not get into this. Despite all the glowing reviews, I found the writing style jarring and frustrating.
Plus, considering that I believe the author is a woman, the way they write and treat the women in the story was terrible (as sex objects or trashy).
Maybe the book would have been better if I had read further, but by the point I stopped I was getting more and more annoyed and angry. Couldn’t see the point.
Could not get into this. Despite all the glowing reviews, I found the writing style jarring and frustrating.
Plus, considering that I believe the author is a woman, the way they write and treat the women in the story was terrible (as sex objects or trashy).
Maybe the book would have been better if I had read further, but by the point I stopped I was getting more and more annoyed and angry. Couldn’t see the point.
March 20, 2023
I listened to this on audiobook.
This is one of her standalone books. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, full on action and entertaining. I like that the story was told from more than one character, as gives more depth to the story and you get more of a feel for each of the characters.
The narrator was also good, have come across her before and love the way she reads the story, flawless and easy to follow.
Will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.
This is one of her standalone books. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, full on action and entertaining. I like that the story was told from more than one character, as gives more depth to the story and you get more of a feel for each of the characters.
The narrator was also good, have come across her before and love the way she reads the story, flawless and easy to follow.
Will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.
January 14, 2025
Absolutely brilliant - someone killed her husband and even though she served 12 years in prison for his murder she claimed she didn't do it but she was going to find out who did. A thoroughly gripping story with so many twists and turns - the description calls it an unputdownable crime thriller and it certainly is that - I had to put the book down and get some sleep (because of work) but that was a total waste of time as I kept waking every hour wanting to finish it.
January 14, 2022
Good Book
This book was actually really good not her best buy it kept you going back to it till you'd finished it a d I finished it in 48 hours,,,when I first started to read it I couldn't put it down
This book was actually really good not her best buy it kept you going back to it till you'd finished it a d I finished it in 48 hours,,,when I first started to read it I couldn't put it down
March 18, 2018
A vanilla, run of the mill, whodunnit - That pretty much summarizes this book.
July 9, 2018
Bloody brilliant
Bloody brilliant what an amazing read and a talented author I couldn’t put it down,,
Great weather 👌
Great book 👌
Great football 👌
Bloody brilliant what an amazing read and a talented author I couldn’t put it down,,
Great weather 👌
Great book 👌
Great football 👌
November 15, 2018
Loved it , once you start you can’t put it down
December 17, 2018
Absolutely loved it. As good as all of Jessie's other books! Keep them coming!
February 18, 2019
Not my cup of tea
The book started of bad and continued in the same fashion. Not recommended for those who are used to good reading
The book started of bad and continued in the same fashion. Not recommended for those who are used to good reading
February 27, 2019
It was good for what it was, but not my usual genre. Bit rough but the plot moved along swiftly. I am sure fans of Jessie Keane will have enjoyed this one
April 13, 2019
Super
Great read gripping from start to finish .another great read from this author. I have not read a bad book from Jessie Keane
Great read gripping from start to finish .another great read from this author. I have not read a bad book from Jessie Keane
September 5, 2019
A great book with a few twists and turns that kept me gripped on each page and also to the very end, would definitely recommend and would love to read others by this author too
December 5, 2019
New to me author, absolutely loved this one, read it in a day
January 10, 2020
Great Book
Stunning from start to finish and impossible to work out what would happen next. A great read and well recommended.
Stunning from start to finish and impossible to work out what would happen next. A great read and well recommended.
February 23, 2020
Interesting story line, easy read.
February 27, 2020
Enjoyable read but after reading the annie carter series this seemed a bit predictable. I still enjoyed it though
April 15, 2020
3.5/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews