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Detective Jason Smith #28
The Painter
The Painter is the weirdest serial killer Smith has ever come across.
Detective Smith is bored. Lockdown has kept crime at bay, so when a call comes in about a brutal murder in a house not far from where he lives, he's wide awake.
A man has been brutally murdered - he has been left on display with a portrait of the scene on his lap.
Two days later, Smith receives an email telling him him the details of the next victim were in the painting.
When two more men are killed and the emails keep coming, Smith is running out of ideas.
The Painter has promised to keep on killing until Smith wakes up enough to see what has been staring him in the face the whole time.
It's a case that Smith will have nightmares about for the rest of his life.
Detective Smith is bored. Lockdown has kept crime at bay, so when a call comes in about a brutal murder in a house not far from where he lives, he's wide awake.
A man has been brutally murdered - he has been left on display with a portrait of the scene on his lap.
Two days later, Smith receives an email telling him him the details of the next victim were in the painting.
When two more men are killed and the emails keep coming, Smith is running out of ideas.
The Painter has promised to keep on killing until Smith wakes up enough to see what has been staring him in the face the whole time.
It's a case that Smith will have nightmares about for the rest of his life.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2024
About the author
Stewart Giles
85 books84 followersAfter reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live. After Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later. 3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series - the DC Harriet Taylor Cornwall series. The Beekeeper hit the shelves and hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well. The third in the series, The Backpacker I have self-published and is now available.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 4, 2024
A teaching assistant engages an artist to paint her portrait. Realising too late that she has been drugged, her throat is slit and her blood added to embellish the work of art. Her body is later found by her partner with the picture in her lap. This is the new case for DS Jason Smith, along with his wife DS Erica Whitton, DS Rupert Bridge, PC Baldwin and DCs Kerry King and Harry Moore led by DI Oliver Smyth at York CID. A case that must surely bring back awful memories for Head of Forensics Grant Webber whose partner was murdered by another blood loving killer. After a long boring spell of no murder cases during lockdown, Smith is pleased to finally get to do what he’s good at but is puzzled by why the killer has left the portrait behind instead of taking his trophy with him. Is he leaving a message? Another teacher’s body is soon found with an almost identical MO and Smith receives a taunting email from someone claiming to be “The Painter”. Just what is it that Smith is supposed to see in the paintings? As more emails and murders follow, Smith is forced to work with the obnoxious PC Griffin and that’s enough alone to give him nightmares! Will the detectives unravel the clues to catch a very twisted and artistic killer?
Book number 28 this may be but this series is showing absolutely no signs of flagging. Time has moved on. Baby Andrew, adopted daughter Lucy’s son, has already celebrated his first birthday and boyfriend Darren is showing no signs of moving out of the Smith home. Little Laura is now eight. There is still plenty of the usual humour and witty repartee between the detectives in a very dark and peculiar case where for once I’m pleased to say I guessed who the killer was. It features a smashing ending with Smith once again proving what a great man he really is.
Book number 28 this may be but this series is showing absolutely no signs of flagging. Time has moved on. Baby Andrew, adopted daughter Lucy’s son, has already celebrated his first birthday and boyfriend Darren is showing no signs of moving out of the Smith home. Little Laura is now eight. There is still plenty of the usual humour and witty repartee between the detectives in a very dark and peculiar case where for once I’m pleased to say I guessed who the killer was. It features a smashing ending with Smith once again proving what a great man he really is.
August 2, 2024
Definitely recommend.
The painter by Stewart Giles.
A DS Jason Smith Thriller Book 28.
Omg. I love stewart giles. I never want this series to end. I love Jason and his team. Webber, Smyth, Bridge and Moore. Even Whitton. I liked Billie and Griffin. Dark and gripping. I couldn't put it down. I was trying to figure out who it was. But I had no clue. Omg I never would have guessed. I really do hope there is more to come. 5*.
Blurb.
The Painter is the weirdest serial killer Smith has ever come across.
Detective Smith is bored. Lockdown has kept crime at bay, so when a call comes in about a brutal murder in a house not far from where he lives, he's wide awake.
A woman has been brutally murdered - she has been left on display with a portrait of the scene on her lap.
Two days later, Smith receives an email telling him him the details of the next victim were in the painting.
When two more women are killed and the emails keep coming, Smith is running out of ideas.
The Painter has promised to keep on killing until Smith wakes up enough to see what has been staring him in the face the whole time.
It's a case that Smith will have nightmares about for the rest of his life.
#thepainter @stewartgiles #jasonsmithseries #joffebooks #booksnall2022 #thriller #painting #arthistory #hardboiledmystery
The painter by Stewart Giles.
A DS Jason Smith Thriller Book 28.
Omg. I love stewart giles. I never want this series to end. I love Jason and his team. Webber, Smyth, Bridge and Moore. Even Whitton. I liked Billie and Griffin. Dark and gripping. I couldn't put it down. I was trying to figure out who it was. But I had no clue. Omg I never would have guessed. I really do hope there is more to come. 5*.
Blurb.
The Painter is the weirdest serial killer Smith has ever come across.
Detective Smith is bored. Lockdown has kept crime at bay, so when a call comes in about a brutal murder in a house not far from where he lives, he's wide awake.
A woman has been brutally murdered - she has been left on display with a portrait of the scene on her lap.
Two days later, Smith receives an email telling him him the details of the next victim were in the painting.
When two more women are killed and the emails keep coming, Smith is running out of ideas.
The Painter has promised to keep on killing until Smith wakes up enough to see what has been staring him in the face the whole time.
It's a case that Smith will have nightmares about for the rest of his life.
#thepainter @stewartgiles #jasonsmithseries #joffebooks #booksnall2022 #thriller #painting #arthistory #hardboiledmystery
July 15, 2024
It's just after lockdown and DS Jason Smith is bored. As the streets cleared so did the crime rate however his home got busier with his daughter, her boyfriend and their son living with him along with his wife Whitton and their other daughter. Things lookup for Smith when a report comes in of a woman having been killed in her home. When he goes to look, it's rather odd to say the least. She is sitting with a painting in her arms that shows herself in the room she is in and her own blood has been used in parts of it. Who would do this, why and what is the significance of the painting?
I adore this series. Stewart has the knack of grabbing the reader from the very beginning and not letting go. Jason has a wry sense of humour about him which eases the tension in a murder investigation and makes for a more light-hearted read. It's twisty, it's clever and it's captivating. My only complaint is that I devour them but don’t want them to end. A stunning, twisty read that kept me engrossed right the way through. I very much look forward to the next in the series.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter (X) @nickisbookblog
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July 25, 2024
This is book 28 in the brilliant Detective Jason Smith series by Stewart Giles. Although it works perfectly as stand alone a previous case is mentioned several times though the story so you may want to read book 10: Severed, at some point but it certainly wont affect your enjoyment of the story if you haven't read it.
It is after the lockdown caused by the Covid pandemic and it has been quiet for far too long. Smith is getting antsy so when a call comes in about a murder he is soon on his way.
A woman has been murdered and on her lap is a painting of the crime scene. It soon becomes clear that the painting holds the clue to the next murder and it s already too late. Smith realises it is going to be a race against time to crack the clues before the next murder and all the while trying to work out who is behind the murders and why.
A very intriguing read with many things going on one of which is a locked room which all adds interest and intrigue to the story. Many red herrings and curve balls certainly kept my brain ticking over.
The characters continue to develop and I especially liked how Smith's nemesis took a different part in this story making me wonder what his future will bring.
Another totally gripping read definitely worth the 5 stars.
It is after the lockdown caused by the Covid pandemic and it has been quiet for far too long. Smith is getting antsy so when a call comes in about a murder he is soon on his way.
A woman has been murdered and on her lap is a painting of the crime scene. It soon becomes clear that the painting holds the clue to the next murder and it s already too late. Smith realises it is going to be a race against time to crack the clues before the next murder and all the while trying to work out who is behind the murders and why.
A very intriguing read with many things going on one of which is a locked room which all adds interest and intrigue to the story. Many red herrings and curve balls certainly kept my brain ticking over.
The characters continue to develop and I especially liked how Smith's nemesis took a different part in this story making me wonder what his future will bring.
Another totally gripping read definitely worth the 5 stars.
August 17, 2024
The world is coming out of lockdown. Smith is bored and not had any murders to investigate for months as criminals stay indoors. Now a clever killer is on the loose, murdering women and leaving their portraits behind...
The Painter is the 28th book in the DS Jason Smith series set in York.
A woman is killed in her own home and her blood is used to add the final brushstrokes to her portrait. More women are murdered and Smith is sure that the paintings contain a clue about the next victim so there is a frantic hunt to work out their identity before they can be harmed.
Once again there is a personal element in the case and Smith's relationships with his family, neighbours and colleages are crucial to the plot development. I love Smith's character and the way he is passionate about catching the killer. His boredom at the beginning made me smile as did his emotional attachment to his old banger of a car.
The plot races along and is dialogue driven so the interactions spring to life. There are plenty of twists and lots of victims so the police have their work cut out for them. Chapters are short so it is tempting to read just one more and as always the book finishes too soon: I want more!
The Painter is another briliant instalment in this series.
The Painter is the 28th book in the DS Jason Smith series set in York.
A woman is killed in her own home and her blood is used to add the final brushstrokes to her portrait. More women are murdered and Smith is sure that the paintings contain a clue about the next victim so there is a frantic hunt to work out their identity before they can be harmed.
Once again there is a personal element in the case and Smith's relationships with his family, neighbours and colleages are crucial to the plot development. I love Smith's character and the way he is passionate about catching the killer. His boredom at the beginning made me smile as did his emotional attachment to his old banger of a car.
The plot races along and is dialogue driven so the interactions spring to life. There are plenty of twists and lots of victims so the police have their work cut out for them. Chapters are short so it is tempting to read just one more and as always the book finishes too soon: I want more!
The Painter is another briliant instalment in this series.
July 19, 2024
If a picture paints a thousand words.
Jason Smith, The Painter, book Twenty Eight. The weirdest serial killer from this unique story teller.
Jennifer Cole is found murdered with her portrait on her lap, and this painter is promising to keep on killing.
This bizarre thriller will trigger your mind, and sends Smith having nightmares.
The painter has captured the neomodernist artwork in great details and Smith doesn't understand why he has done this. And after receiving a flashing personal email icon, "who is this?" "you can call me the painter."
How Creepy, How Bizarre, How does this writer do it?
I must say this is the best I have read this year, never get bored with his outstanding work, leaving you hungry for the next one. Absolutely Brilliant!!
Jason Smith, The Painter, book Twenty Eight. The weirdest serial killer from this unique story teller.
Jennifer Cole is found murdered with her portrait on her lap, and this painter is promising to keep on killing.
This bizarre thriller will trigger your mind, and sends Smith having nightmares.
The painter has captured the neomodernist artwork in great details and Smith doesn't understand why he has done this. And after receiving a flashing personal email icon, "who is this?" "you can call me the painter."
How Creepy, How Bizarre, How does this writer do it?
I must say this is the best I have read this year, never get bored with his outstanding work, leaving you hungry for the next one. Absolutely Brilliant!!
August 6, 2024
After 28 books, I think this series is in now, there has got to be some similarities from previous cases. For me The Painter was a little flatter for me, it wasn’t anything mind blowing, but because I’m invested in the series of course I had to read through. Smith, maybe with age or experience is getting a tad dull as the series progresses. However, by the end of the book I was seeing some of the smith impulsivity cracking through again. Has the series run its course? You never can tell with Smith. The case it self run smoothly, there was no inconsistencies, and the story flowed relatively well. The writing felt a tad rushed compared to previous books, but it never took anything away from the story.
July 14, 2024
I thought this a very clever concept, to compose an excellent psychological thriller, based upon something that many of us were doing during lockdown: painting. I don't want to give away too much but the murder victims were part of something on social media that I could relate to, as I had participated in something similar myself! I loved all the action packed drama which is gripping and also liked how the killer communicated with Smith during the investigation.
To lighten the mood after these dreadful killings I am glad Smith got his steak and ale pie!
Highly recommended.
To lighten the mood after these dreadful killings I am glad Smith got his steak and ale pie!
Highly recommended.
July 23, 2024
This is book 28 of the Jason Smith series and each and every book is completely different. I don’t know how Stewart thinks up all these different scenarios but I’m so glad he does. This case is close to home for Smith as the victims are all from an art group and one of the people in that group is his next door neighbour. As with all Stewart’s books I was gripped from page one. He has a way of drawing you in and you get so engrossed you don’t want to put the book down. Another great five star read and I highly recommend this series.
August 9, 2024
Wow!
This series gets better and better. Keep doing what you are doing. I can't wait for the next in from Smith & the team.
This series gets better and better. Keep doing what you are doing. I can't wait for the next in from Smith & the team.
July 25, 2024
The Painter by Stewart Giles is book 28 in the DS Jason Smith series. Stewart is a prolific writer and his books are always gripping, fascinating and a little dark, although with traces of humour. He has a very active imagination. Despite being dark, I find them easy reads and really enjoyable. York is out of lockdown, and it has been very quiet on the crime front, until now. A woman is dead and there is a clue left behind. The Painter is playing with Jason. Jason is certainly a great character, with a different way of looking at things, especially when murder is involved. His work colleagues cause him some angst, some more than others. He also has an interesting home life, which I won’t go into in case you haven’t read the last few books. All this makes for a great read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews