Smith

Detective Jason Smith #1

by Stewart Giles

Originally published as From the Mouths of Babes

'The sleepy historical city of York is about to wake up'.
It is Christmas Day in York. A woman is found dead in her bed. A suicide note is found on her chest. It reads ‘I am so sorry Martin’. Hours later the police are called to a house a few miles away. A mother and her daughter have been brutally attacked; the mother is dead and the daughter is barely alive. The father is found shaking uncontrollably in the corner of the room. He is covered in blood but he is unharmed. His name is Martin Willow.
Detective Sergeant Jason Smith is put in charge of the investigation. After reaching dead end after dead end, Smith starts to put the pieces together and figures out that Martin Willow is innocent and the killer is still out there.
The little girl who was attacked on Christmas Day wakes from her coma and gives Smith a clue about the attacker; a piece of a song she heard directly before the attack. Smith then finds himself in a race against time to find this maniac before he kills again.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction

405 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 12, 2013

About the author

After 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.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a digitally remastered version of the first book in the beginning series featuring DS Jason Smith.

Smith is called upon to investigate what at first looks like a suicide. A young woman is found dead in her bed with what appears to be a suicide note on her chest. The note reads "I'm so sorry Martin". Just hours later, the police are called to a horrific murder scene of a woman, the severely injured young daughter and the father/husband sitting in the corner, covered with blood. His name is Martin Willow.

Mr. Willow immediately becomes the prime suspect, although he is so deep in shock he is unable to answer questions.

Smith knows there's a connection .. but he runs into one dead end after the other. The one thing he knows is that Martin Willow is innocent ... but who wanted this family dead? And how long before they kill again?

A sub plot is that of Smith's sister ... who was attacked by a shark and lost 10 years prior. Jason's background .. how his sister's death has affected him over the years..and how he became the man he is today .. is fully covered. Jason and his team make great series characters. I enjoy how they all relate to each other .. some with humor .. some not so much.

There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader totally engrossed in the story. I look forward to following the further adventures of DS Smith.

Many thanks to the author / Books n All Publicity / Jill Burkinshall / Joffe Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

my review will be posted as part of the re-release Blog Tour

[Joanna Larum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has been digitally-remastered and republished by Stewart Giles. I have read it again and have enjoyed it even more than the first time because I took time to concentrate on the little details instead of racing through it to get to the end of the story. Reading it twice has confirmed and strengthened my opinion that it is a fabulous book. I love the character of Jason Smith and his dog, Theakston and the investigations he leads are thrilling in the extreme. The following is my review from my first read of it and I can only say that my opinions of it haven't changed, just got stronger. Fantastic book, fantastic series!

This is the first Detective Jason Smith I have read but it won't be my last! I haven't enjoyed a book as much since I read the latest Joy Ellis.
Smith is an Australian who comes to England and joins the police force, after giving up his studies for a law degree. He is an intelligent and diligent officer who seems to keep his private life very private. When a woman is found murdered in her own home, along with a badly beaten daughter and a husband who is covered in her blood, Smith is called to investigate. Throughout the story, aspects of Smith's early life in Australia are revealed and the reader can't help but feel sorry for him.
The story is gripping with lots of shocks and surprises, pulling the reader in head first and not giving any time for the reader to come up for air. I read the whole book in two sittings - it would have been in one go but I had to sleep in the middle of it, falling asleep at 2.30am and waking at 5am to finish the story off. If you like a fast-paced story with believable characters and a well-crafted plot, then you will love this

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smith is the first in this fantastic thriller series and I highly recommend it!
Smith is Australian and following a tragedy whilst out surfing, he, at the age of just 16 moves to York, England, to live with his maternal Gran. Fast forward 10 years and the story picks up even more pace when there are murders committed and a young girl is left in a coma. Are the murders linked and did the father of the little girl in the coma, attack her, and also murder his wife? Were these vicious attacks random or was someone out for revenge?
Initially Smith, on first arrival in England decided to study law, so what made him decide to join the Police force instead? I really enjoyed this book as there was more than enough to keep me hooked and I loved the characters. I liked Smith and Thompson, some might say that Smith was a bully but really underneath he has a very soft centre. Smith has had his fair share of heartache but is that behind him or us there more to come? Chalmers is also a great character 😀 and with a particular DC ...could there be a future romance?! And I am in love with Theakston 💙 just adorable! I enjoy humour in a book, even thrillers, and this book didn't disappoint! Had I read this in a public place, I would certainly have had some funny looks the amount of times that I laughed out loud 😀 but who cares, I was enjoying myself! I didn't know how it would end, I had my suspicions and I wasn't disappointed. I particularly enjoyed the part of the story which was set in Tallinn, Estonia. Totally gripping, it has the perfect balance of action, mystery and humour and this is written by a very talented and passionate author, I loved every page - thank you x

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

The first in the Jason Smith and boy did I enjoy this one. The story will most certainly hold you as you read you just won't want to put it down.well written with gruesome details throughout.

[K.M. Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st book in the Jason Smith series. It took me a few chapters to get into the story because it was a bit like back and forth to Jason's childhood to present day and the nightmares weren't defined in italics so it was hard to separate what was going on. However, once I picked up the writers style I jumped into the story. There was several pieces to this puzzle and Jason Smith, hot head detective, had to solve the crimes. I am still in the fence wether I'll read the full series, but I'll definitely be moving onto book 2 to see what happens for Jason Smith.

[Divya Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Expectations were to get a shocker at the end but the author revealed the main plot too early. After that it was quite predictable. Finding-my-long-lost-sister part was a bit of a distraction, and took me away from the main plot. Sadly author couldn't give a proper conclusion or ending to that part as well, which left me confused. Disappointing climax.

[Louise Child · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suspend all belief

A seriously marred detective devoid of knowledge of policy and procedure . He gets a puppy and , apart from the occasional stroking of said dog ,it is badly cared for and given to anyone who will help .Plots are OK ,just to many of them .The book needs some good editing .

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read and reviewed the latest title ‘Unworthy’, which is the eighth book in the series featuring DS Jason Smith. I absolutely loved in but because I am a bit OCD and like to read series in order, I resolved to pick up, read and review the rest of the series as soon as I could, starting with ‘Smith’. Oh my I am so glad that I did because what a start to a series it is. I absolutely loved ‘Smith’ but more about that in a bit.
DS Jason Smith is a man with a past. I know everybody has a past but his past seems more emotionally fraught than a lot of others. We meet two different Smiths and I know that sounds confusing. We meet Smith as he is now (when the book is set) and we meet Smith as a young boy, growing up in Australia The younger Smith hasn’t had the best of childhoods and the local bully keeps trying to wind him up. The younger Smith is a very good surfer and he tries to teach his younger sister to surf, although this is where wheels are set in motion that lead to tragedy. The local bully dares the younger Smith to do something and Smith takes his eyes off his sister for a few minutes. Tragedy strikes and Smith is blamed for what happened. Smith is sent overseas by his mother and he ends up living with his Grandmother, who he adores. The feeling is mutual. The older Smith is settled in York and he is a hard working police detective sergeant. There is a bit of friction between him and another Detective Sergeant but it’s nothing that Smith can’t handle. It’s safe to say that both dislike the other. Smith does lead a bit of a solitary lifestyle. There’s no long term partner although he does have his eye on somebody, he doesn’t see to have many friends and he does enjoy his own company. He is on first name terms with the local pub landlady and it’s not surprising because he is in the pub often enough- mainly for the love of the beer and the love of the pies that the landlady cooks. Smith does love a challenge and it’s safe to say that this latest case is definitely proving to be a challenge in more ways than one. Will Smith solve the case? Well for the answer to that question you are just going to read the book for yourselves to find out because I am not going to tell you.
I have to be honest and say that there was not one thing that I disliked about the book. I loved the fact that the majority of the book is set in York, which isn’t far from where I live. I loved the cast of characters although the Detective Sergeant who dislikes Smith needs a slap with a wet flip flop. The author clearly cares about his characters and this shines through in his writing. The characters are so well described that they seemed to jump off the page and come to life. I began to think of some of the characters as friends and as a result I wanted to jump into the book and stick up for them if they were being treated unfairly or they were under attack. The author’s writing style is so good that I felt as though I was an extra member of Smith’s team, I was investigating the case myself and I found myself starting to interact with the book. I know, I know it’s fiction but if I am really enjoying a book I start to ‘live’ the story. I loved the way in which Smith escaped his horrendous family situation in Australia and the fact that he had such a lovely relationship with his grandmother. When I learnt that she had passed away, I felt a lump develop in my throat. I loved the way in which Smith used his experiences to learn from and that despite the obstacles in his way, he has gone on to have success in his university life and later as a police officer.
Reading this book was like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists, turns and stomach churning moments. There were times when I feared for Smith’s safety but given that there are another 8 books in the Smith series I knew that he was going to survive the case.
It’s fair to say that I absolutely loved reading ‘Smith’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. Happiness or me is discovering a series, loving the first book in said series and realising that you still have another seven books to catch up on. I can’t wait to read more about what fate has in store for Detective Sergeant Jason Smith. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Simon Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is technically the first in the series, although Stewart has since published a prequel book, Phobia, which is 5 short stories. The book is a great introduction to Jason Smith, an ex-Australian living in York, as we get to meet him properly for the first time and are introduced to his life and back story.

I really enjoyed the start of the book where we learn all about Smith and what made him change from studying to be a Lawyer to joining the Police Force and also what motivates him throughout his life.

To start with I wasn’t sure how this story would go as I thought I had guessed the murderer straight away, but as the story developed I realised it wasn’t going the way I thought it was so had to re-think everything. I did guess who the murderer was about half way through, although I wasn’t 100% sure as I didn’t have a motive for them to have done it. The ending was still very nail-biting as I wasn’t sure how it would end and whether the murderer would manage to escape or not. The ending was very shocking but was very apt considering.

One of the things I did enjoy in the book was the sub-plot involving Smith’s sister who disappeared under the water back in his home town in Australia, although the way it happened and the coincidences along the way did stretch believability a tiny bit. Even with this though it was a great and engaging sub-plot, which I can’t say much about without giving lots away.

I also had this on audio so when I was driving or decorating I was also listening to the audio version, which took a bit of getting used to as I felt the narrator could be a bit monotone and not exciting enough for me, but when I got used to his way of talking and reading I got into it more, and the fact that the book was so engaging and made me not want to stop reading that made me persevere with the narration.

Overall I thought this was a brilliant book, which I would highly recommend both the book and audio versions of.

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Jason Smith has drawn the short straw and is on call on Christmas Day. He’s called to the apparent suicide of a young student by the name of Lauren Cowley. On the same day the police are called to the Willow house where a mother and her daughter have been brutally attacked but there’s not a scratch on the father. It transpires that Lauren was the Willow’s babysitter, who’d called in sick the previous night. Could the two cases be connected? To complicate matters a face from his past reappears claiming that the sister he lost ten years previously is not in fact dead. Can Smith crack the case and find his sister?

So this is the second in the Smith series that I’ve read, the first being a collection of short stories, Phobia, you can read my review here.

I really enjoyed this first full length Jason Smith novel! It’s one of those mysteries that you can really get stuck into! Like with Phobia the chapters are short and snappy with an incredibly fast pace but Stewart Giles still managed to weave an intricate narrative balancing almost three separate storylines and timelines.

For those of you who don’t know DS Jason Smith, he’s an Aussie who’s lived in the beautiful city of York for ten years after his sister was supposedly attacked by a shark, which gave him a fear of the water. He not opposed to bending the rules and doesn’t suffer fools gladly, especially lazy police work and usually butts head with fellow officers especially one of his team DS Thompson. He also has a bit of a will they, won’t they relationship with DC Erica Whitton.

There is a bit of dipping in between time lines (there’s 2008, 1998 and 2005) and in places it was more of a whydunnit than whodunnit but I really enjoyed it and found it utterly engrossing.

I’d recommend this book for those who like a fast paced and easy read with an emphasis on entertainment.

[Patricia Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, totally addictive!

My first introduction to this author's work and wasn't my last by any means.

I'm not going to go into the storyline or plot as I think enough has been written in other reviews for people to get the gist of the storyline.

As I've mentioned above, this author's work was new to me, and to be absolutely honest I had never heard of him. WHY?
I first heard of him several books on from this one, from one of the many book groups I'm a member of, how I've missed him I have no idea because my greatest joy is uk crime and police procedural book series, even better is when it's being played out somewhere I'm familiar with. In this case the wonderful city of York.

The author's ability to pull you into the story is uncanny, the extreme amount of emotions you're taken through, throughout this book is astonishing. The protagonist an Australian by birth Jason Smith, banished in his early teens from his native Australia by his uncaring mother to live with his grandmother in York, England. He is a dream of a character that grabs your imagination as you get to know him by the author's clever ability to make the reader feel part of the cast of characters. There's a whole host of fabulous diverse characters, all well thought out and integral to the plot, but not to many that it becomes confusing with to many names.

Emotions I experienced when reading this was real !ife, anger, laughter, sadness, grief, elation, puzzlement you name its all there!
Like I said this is the start, book 1. So good I finished the whole of the series in less than a month 9 books I believe, each book upping the speed of the rollercoaster you don't want to get off!

I can't recommend this crime series from Stewart Giles highly enough, though I would advise starting with this book1: to appreciate the full throttle of this absorbing storyline!

[Eadie Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Christmas Day in York. A woman is found dead in her bed with a suicide note on her chest. It reads ‘I am so sorry Martin’. Hours later the police are called to a house a few miles away. A mother and her daughter have been brutally attacked; the mother is dead, and the daughter is barely alive. The father is found shaking uncontrollably in the corner of the room. He is covered in blood, but he is unharmed. His name is Martin Willow. Detective Sergeant Jason Smith is put in charge of the investigation. After reaching dead end after dead end, Smith starts to put the pieces together and figures out that Martin Willow is innocent, and the killer is still out there. If you like Police Procedurals full of adrenaline pumping suspense and that many twists and turns you think you are on a roller coaster. This series is a ‘must read’.
This is the first book in the Detective Jason Smith series. The book is a good story but certainly needs editing. I did enjoy the story once I got use to reading an unedited book and found the characters interesting. The plot was unique and made me want to keep reading until the end. I did finish the book but I did hope he would send it to a publisher to do some work on it. I look forward to trying the next book in the series. If you like to read a good story then you would like this book. Takes time to get used to but give it a try. It really is a good book.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Smith is haunted by his 8 year old sister Laura's death on a beach in Freemantle over ten years ago, the nightmares never leave him ..At the time he was sent to England to live with his grandmother who loved him with that unconditional love , and Smith thrives ..In the years that follow something happens to Smith that changes the course of his life ..Now a Detective Sergeant..on Christmas day Smith receives a phone call and is called out to a suspicious death ..Lauren Cowley , a Grade A Sociology student with the whole world at her feet has committed suicide ..When DS Thomson calls Smith within the same 24 hours to the Willow Family home , upon arrival he finds that Penny Willow , the mother has been brutally killed ..her daughter Penny , 8 years old barely clinging to life ..the father Martin deep in shock and covered in blood ..So what really happened at the Willow house ?..Smith is a Detective that cannot let things slide ...and Smith is a story that is dark and Gripping..yet very emotional in parts ...You get caught up in a whirlpool of events and twists as the story takes its hold ..My first read from this author ..5 stars ..Stunning storytelling..

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a read! this is the first in the DS Smith series, one I joined part way through and am now catching up. Its a stunner of a read and gives us Smith's background beginning in Australia and losing his sister. Smith and DC Whitton and team have a case of murder where Smith is convinced that the man in the spotlight is innocent but doesn't quite know how to go about proving it. We learn of his talent for his guitars and the beginning of his relationship with Whitton and of course Theakston!

A wonderful captivating read by a very talented author. I love Stewart's books- there is always a comfort about them despite the subject matter, of a warmth of characters and a plot that draws the reader in very quickly. Smith is almost a friend if that makes sense- he's someone you know you could rely on but heaven help you if you get on the wrong side of him. A wonderfully entertaining 5* read. I'm off to start the next one!

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this start to a series. Smith is an Aussie now living in York who is still haunted by the death of his young sister many years ago. He investigates when the body of a woman is found with her daughter badly injured and her husband covered in blood. He quickly determines that the man is not guilty despite everyone else quick to close the investigation. The subsequent death of someone else linked to the family convinces him there is more going on than initially thought.

There's a lot going on in this book. As well as the dual investigations, he discovers information about his sister which turns his world upside down. He is an interesting character, a bit gung-ho and reckless but yet I can't help liking him. I look forward to reading more in the series.

[LooseBoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read such a brilliant detective thriller for quite while. This is one of the best ever. You felt drawn to Jason's character from the very first page. You felt his pain and his bewilderment at bring shipped off from Australia to the U.K. to live with his Gran just after he lost his sister.
Fate lends a helping hand and he becomes a British detective in York after studying law. But his life turns full circle in the midst of a murder investigation when an old acquaintance hints that his sister might not be dead.
All in all a riveting story that I couldn't put down.

[Christine Emery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure about skipping across date zones, but a reasonable start to a series. The flip to Tallin three quarters of the way in, was very distracting and seemed as though we were beginning a new book, which also lost the continuity of the main plot. I am having a go at the next in the series to see if we get on any better. The characters were mostly well introduced and there was not too much padding so as to further loose the thread.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have liked and enjoyed the books in this series so far but thought they were a bit stilted. As so often happens the books have started to round out a bit more as the characters grow and you get to know more about them. In this book we find out more about Smith in particular. Look forward to reading more in this series.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I thought this was a decent book but there were a few issues. No one will confuse Stewart Giles with a great writer. Much of the book whipsaws the reader between three time periods. There were also a number of typos of the missing word variety. The plot was ok, however.

[Aileen (Ailz) Grist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth reading

A very good book. Well written and interesting. Nice to have a book centred around York. Looking forward to the next in the series

[Susanne Mulholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story improved with time

Initially I felt the plot was taking to long, but the author has woven the elements together well. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

[harnick johal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

First time I have read anything from this author but will definitely read more in this series with this character.

[j angier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable

As though written from a template of 'how to write a murder mystery'. No surprises. Borderline unbelievable at times. Random ending.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first I’ve read from this author and it was a great read.

[David Stimpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

New on Me

I must say I thought this was a very good first story in the series. I will look forward to see how Smith and Theakston evolve

[Garry]

shelved

[Helen Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad I have discovered this new series of books - I think I am going to love the Jason Smith novels

[SUE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a what's looking like a great series , really enjoyed this one , love the back story running along side 😀 . And for once I am really enjoying the female partner to Smith.

[Dee (readaholic_dee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great start to the series.