27

by Stewart Giles

27 : A club you definitely do not want to be a member of.

What starts out as a series of seemingly unrelated murders, soon turns into something much darker.
A murderer is killing people, based on the causes of death of the members of the mythical 27 Club.

Detectives Jan Norge and Hilda Baker are baffled. Someone is going to a lot of trouble to get the details right, but none of the officers on the team are able to figure out why they're doing it.

As the body count increases, Jan and Hilda make a breakthrough of sorts in the form of a tragic accident that happened sixteen years ago, But it soon becomes clear that there is more to it that a simple tragic event. The murderer the press is dubbing The 27 Club Killer has another agenda, and with the list of potential victims running into the dozens the pressure is on for Jan and Hilda to stop the most depraved killer either of them has ever come across.

BOOKS BY STEWART GILES
DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5 - Phobia
Book 1 - Smith
Book 2 - Boomerang
Book 3 - Ladybird
Book 4 - Occam’s Razor
Book 5 - Harlequin
Book 6 - Selene
Book 7 - Horsemen
Book 8 - Unworthy
Book 9 – Venom
Book 10 – Severed
Book 11 – Demons
Book 12 - Deadeye
Book 13 - Motive
Book 14 – Australia
Book 16 – Wishbone
Book 17 – Ghosts
Book 18 – The Scarecrow
Book 19 – The Bluesman
Book 20 – The Librarian
Book 21 – The Viaduct
Book 22 – The Twin
Book 23 – The Dogwalker
Book 24 – The Flytrap
Book 25 – The Electrician
Book 26 – The Cellar
Book 27 – The Loner
Book 28 – The Painter
Book 29 – The Hitchhiker
Book 30 – The Creed
Book 31 – The Workshop
Book 32 - The Preacher
Book 33 - The Professor
Book 34 - The Graveyard
Book 35 - The Optician
Book 36 - The Spider
Book 37 - The Gambler

DI O’REILLY MYSTERIES
Book 1 - Blood on the Island
Book 2 - Lies on the Island
Book 3 - Fear on the Island
Book 4 - Malice on the Island
Book 5 – Revenge on the Island
Book 6 – Christmas on the Island
Book 7 – Silence on the Island
Book 8 – Secrets on the Island
Book 9 – Chaos on the Island
Book 10 - Sadness on the Island
Book 11 – Danger on the Island
Book 12 – Evil on the Island
Book 13 – Fire on the Island
Book 14 – Madness on the Island
Book 15 - Fury on the Island
Book 16 - Sickness on the Island

JAN NORGE HILDA BAKER SERIES

Book 1 - Hakuna Matata
Book 2 - 27

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
Book 2-The Perfect Murder
Book 3-The Backpacker

DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 - The Enigma
Book 2 – Dropzone
Book 3 – The Raven Girl

THE MIRANDA TRILOGY (psychological thrillers)
Miranda
Mistress
Medusa

STANDALONE NOVELS
Horror - The Divide
Thriller - The Ghostwriter
Thriller – The Guests

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2026

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

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

27 (A Jan Norge/Hilda Baker Thriller Book #2) by Stewart Giles is an exciting, fast-paced second book in the new Norge/Baker British police procedural crime thriller series. I have been looking forward to this book to get to know the main characters more intimately and I always know Mr. Giles will give me an intriguing new crime for his protagonists to work. This can be read as a standalone book since it is so early in the series, but the first book, Hakuna Matata is an excellent read, also.

Seemingly unrelated murders are piling up quickly until Detectives Jan Norge and Hilda Baker make the dark connection that the killer is imitating the historical deaths of members of the 27 Club. Discovering the link between the murders is good, but they continue without any indication of stopping as Jan and Hilda work to uncover the why.

I really enjoy this main cast of characters and how they work together. Jan is strait-laced, intelligent and has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he is softened by his backstory and his tripping occasionally over English slang. Hilda is an excellent detective, but she is abrasive and has little to no filter. (I could do with a little less of her bed hopping.) The two do somehow work well together though and make an impressive pair. The plot moves quickly and has several suspects, red-herrings and twists that keep you turning the pages. I was still second guessing the killer right up to the reveal. The integration of the 27 Club history also adds a layer that is very interesting.

As in every Stewart Giles book, you must read and be aware of every sentence right up to the end. While this book has a completed crime plot, the ending has me on pins and needles and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

I highly recommend this second book in this British police procedural crime thriller.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 6 years in Norwegian Homicide and a few months in Dutch Special Forces, Jan Norge has now been in the UK for a month, a former inspector taking a DC posting at Hartlepool CID for reasons we’ve since learned in the first book and joining the small team of DS Hilda Baker, DI Lee Franklin and DCs Mike Snow and Helen Vincent. He has already found himself plunged into one bizarre murder investigation and now it seems they have another. A 27-year-old woman returns home from the pub with her flatmate and soon dies a horrible death from poisoning. Immediately the detectives suspect the man who gave them both a glass of whiskey but is he even all he seems to be? Soon after, an experienced lifeguard drowns in his own swimming pool. When a third body is discovered, dying from a suspected overdose, Jan spots a pattern – all these deaths are carbon copies of those of the first three members of the legendary 27 Club, a group of celebrities who all passed aged 27. If he’s right, then there could be many more murders to come. Spotting the link is one thing, but discovering the killer’s twisted motive and identity is a whole other problem for the team.
This series has really hit the ground running, introducing some brilliant new characters. An acquired taste, sweary, sarcastic and with little in the way of filter, Hilda is a breath of hilarious fresh air and Jan, like me, finds himself taking to her immediately, even if they do things here a bit different to Norway. Also very likeable, he’s not averse to bending the rules himself at times, it seems, and the story soon shows he has already gained the loyalty and support of the whole team when he puts an attacker firmly in his place. The plot here is twisty and thoroughly engrossing, and I enjoyed learning more about some of the less famous members of the 27 Club. Who even knew there was a phobia of the number 27? Dennis the cat is a great addition to Jan’s life and the ending leaves me wondering if that cat is more clued up than the rest of the detectives! I’m looking forward to more stories.

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

This is book 2 in the Jan Norge Hilda Baker series and I have to admit I am loving this series.

I especially love Hilda Baker, what a character, she makes me smile and that is always a good thing. I think she makes a brilliant contrast to the more serious Jan Norge but I like his character too. In terms of characters and the detective team I think the author has got it spot on. A good mix of different characters with different skills and attributes is what makes a good team.

Now to the story… It is very intriguing and had me hooked from the very beginning there are a lot of red herrings and it had me guessing and changing my mind all the way through. Full of suspense, it is a real roller coaster of a read.

It begins with a young woman who comes home from a night out and has a funny turn which is soon followed by her death while her friend can do nothing but watch in horror. But this is just the first and the only thing that links the victims is their age - or is it?

The team certainly have their work cut out trying to solve this one and all with the 'higher ups' watching and pushing for progress.

An absolutely brilliant read I absolutely loved it and can't wait for book 3.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two of a new series from Stewart about DS Baker and the new addition to her team Jan Norge the Norwegian detective. Two young women go out for a quick drink on a Sunday only for one of them to collapse and die when they get home. Both women had had exactly the same so why was one okay and the other dead. Puzzled by this Hilda and Jan are on the case. Soon they get reports of other deaths and although they die in different ways they are all 27. Is there anything else apart from their age that connects them. Jan soon realises that they are all dying the same way as celebrities that belong to the 27 club. There must be more to connect them so Jan does some digging. In this book we find out a bit more about Hilda’s personal life and we also see Jan start to put down roots by buying a home. It looks like Hilda and Jan are going to be working together for some time especially when Jan also ends up adopting a cat Denis. As usual a fast paced book you won’t want to put down. I look forward to more from Hilda and Jan in the future

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two in this series and oh my word, a twisty story that take the characters on a two steps forward and one step back, solving the gruesome killer imaginable.
Hilda Baker and Jan Norge are cracking a similar breakthrough that happened sixteen years ago.
Its a baffling case of tragic events that turn into a longer list, in this small north east town of Hartlepool.
27 the club people are dying to get into.
No twenty seven years old are safe anymore in this town.
We still have the sharp witty Baker that knows her job along side Norge thats clever in his job but they get on as we see Baker and her soft side come out, with a new love interest for Jan.
I truly enjoyed the whole book its bringing a good start into becoming a excellent series from one of my favourite author.
His work just flows on and on with exceptional easy unputdownable reading.
Top marks again from me.

[Meena Kumari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advanced Copy Received from Author

This was another Unputdownable Book.

Hilda and Jan are trying to solve a case, one that happened a long time ago, but every time they think they’re getting somewhere, they find they actually aren’t.

There’s a long list of what happened and it appears that anyone in the 20s isn’t safe at all in the town.

Two other characters working side by side, Norge and Baker work well together and someone has feelings for Jan.

I highly recommend this book.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a very clever concept centred around number "27" and true death events. I could not wait to get to chapter 27! I'm loving the vivid descriptions of victims dying by poisoning. The agony is all very real and believable. Jan's background is also revealed.
This "numbered" series is one of my favourites by Stewart Giles as the characters are especially endearing.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

27 by Stewart Giles - Crime. Wow! It’s thrilling, it’s tantalising , so very well thought out & crafted. One I didn't want to put down. If there were extra stars for a compelling plot this one would earn it in spades. A glowing 5 stars. Need I say more?
https://nickibookblog.blogspot.com/

[Sue Fitzgibbon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Loved this book. Can’t wait for book 3. Excellent main characters in Hilda & Jan. I’ve read all Stewart Giles novels & he never fails to deliver a great story.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

27 by Stewart Giles is book 2 in the DC Jan Norge and DS Hilda Baker series. Norge, recently arrived from Norway, and Baker are unlikely partners, but it works. A night out for Jane Farmer and Emma Driscoll ends tragically. Someone is targeting people of a particular age. Norge and Baker are like chalk and cheese, with Norge a big fan of Taylor Swift. He only listens to her music. I like Jan’s assessment of the team. Apart from Jan and Hilda, there is DI Lee Franklin, DC Helen Vincent and DC Mike Snow. There are certainly plenty of laughs through the book. Hilda has a mouth on her and Jan is still getting used to the nuances of the English language. It was an enjoyable read with some red herrings. These certainly added to the tension and kept me interested.