The Book of J.

Erin Solomon Pentalogy #5

by Jen Blood

The shocking conclusion to the bestselling Erin Solomon Mystery Series!

Jonestown was just the beginning...

On New Year's Eve with a blizzard ravaging the tiny coastal town of Littlehope, Maine, Erin must go head to head with someone pulled straight from her darkest nightmares in order to save those she loves, and at last put the ghosts of her childhood to rest. After nine months on the run, Diggs and Solomon return to Littlehope when they learn their hometown may be the next target for the mysterious organization that has plagued them for the past two years. Battle worn but determined to see justice done, the embittered reporters reunite with FBI agent Jack Juarez to face off against J., and at last learn the truth about the organization's role in each of their pasts.

Don't miss the first four novels in this fast-paced, critically acclaimed series: ALL THE BLUE-EYED ANGELS (Book 1, FREE for a limited time), SINS OF THE FATHER, SOUTHERN CROSS, and BEFORE THE AFTER, as well as the recently released prequel thriller MIDNIGHT LULLABY.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

315 pages, ebook

First published February 17, 2015

About the author

Jen Blood is a professional editor and publishing consultant, and author of the bestselling Erin Solomon Mysteries. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing/Popular Fiction, with writing influences ranging from Emily Bronte to Dennis Lehane, and any number of genres and authors in between. Her work has earned accolades and awards including the AIA Seal of Quality and the B.R.A.G. Medallion for ALL THE BLUE-EYED ANGELS, and honorable mention for Best in Fiction from the New England Book Festival for her second novel, SINS OF THE FATHER. All four of her novels have reached the Amazon Bestseller list in Mystery, Suspense, and Women Sleuths.

Born and raised among the smaller fishing villages of midcoast Maine, Jen's writing is rich with the details and tone of that isolated, occasionally harsh landscape. Today, after spending several years traveling the country, Jen is once again living in midcoast Maine, busily working on the next installment in the Erin Solomon series.

Reviews

[Alanna Pfeifler-McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My immediate thought after finishing this book was, "WOW!". (And yes, I think in all caps when I really love something.) Then I remembered that this was the final book in the Erin Solomon series and my "WOW" was quickly replaced with "Well...now what do I do with my life?"

But, seriously, what a phenomenal ending to one of the most well-written, fantastic series I've ever had the pleasure to read! Not only are Erin and Diggs at the very top of my 'Favorite People Ever' List, but Jack, Kat and Maya are also very high on said list. Jen Blood has a way with words and has created a stunning universe, magnificent characters and an unforgettable story, not only in 'The Book of J', but throughout the entire 5-book series.

Even though we have to say goodbye to the Erin Solomon series, my fingers are tightly crossed for a few more glimpses into the life of Erin and Diggs, as well as more to Jack Juarez's story. Without giving anything away, there were several "Oh, reeeaallly" moments surrounding Jack that I would love to see developed. Possibly a book of his own? (And to think, I didn't even really like the guy when he was introduced in the first book!)

So thank you, once again, Jen Blood, for sharing this world and these characters with us. It's been an incredible, emotional, wonderful ride.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting conclusion to an intense, gripping series.

I was so on the edge of the seat towards the end that I feel like I missed things about the conspiracy aspect of the plot in my desperation to get back to the characters and yet I still came away satisfied and happy.

And wanting more. How is this the last book?

[Suzanne Lopes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good morning Goodreads family, it’s been a couple of months that I haven’t written a review on the books that I’m reading although I still kept on giving stars ⭐️ on the books 📚 that I have read. Anyway, I read the entire Erin Solomon series . Out of all the 5 books of this series I enjoyed the first and second book but to be honest the ending of this entire series was awful!! I felt exactly the same way I felt when I saw the last episode of The Sopranos “Horrible”!! Anyway back to the book. I did not like the way the series ended. On a positive note it did explain the history of The Payson Isle Church ⛪️. Which it kind of surprised me. I love Erin and Diggs!! Actually, I loved everyone. They all played their own role. Jack Juarez “The FBI Agent” was great, although I did not agree with the ending the author gave him at all!! The author Jen Blood could have done way better. I’m not being negative about the author. I actually like her books 📕 which reading this series was the first time I’ve read any of her books. With that being said, I really enjoyed reading the series. I will read the other book about how Erin Solomon started which the book is called “Midnight Lullaby”. If anybody would like to comment on the series please write a message to me so that maybe I can look at the book in a different angle. Have an Awesome Day Goodreads Family!! Don’t forget to comment on the series please!! 😊 📕 💝

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bang-up ending to the Erin Solomon Pentalogy, the adventures of a sometime journalist who spent her formative years in a Jonestown-style religious cult and has decided as an adult, to find out the truth about the group. Naturally, there are evil forces trying to prevent her from succeeding.

The series as a whole is a fast-paced, highly readable story, which I recommend if you have the time to read through the five books over a few months. I read the books over the course of two years, waiting for the new books to be published, and I found it annoying to have the underlying mystery dragged out for that long, not to mention the problem of forgetting key elements between books.

I enjoy stories in which the characters return for new adventures at the hands of masters such as Michael Connelly, Lee Child and J.D. Robb. Even though there are references to the past, each of their books is a self-contained story; you generally aren't left hanging. I consider a trilogy to be the absolute max for a serial and think the Erin Solomon mystery really would have been better if it hadn't been spread out over five books. Having said that, I think Jen Blood is an excellent writer who is just beginning to realize her potential.

The Book of J has lots of exciting elements, including snowstorms, murder, explosives, gun battles, mentally unbalanced people with weapons and characters who straddle the line between good and evil.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've thought long and hard about this review and finally decided what I want to say. Here it goes:

I really enjoyed this series. The characters are great. The story is gripping. It was fairly well written. Now here's where the but comes in and it's a big one.

Did they not enlist a copy editor? I'm serious. The author frequently changes writing style from book to book. Some books are completely from Erin's point of view. Other books show multiple points of view, which I actually liked better. In some books the chapter labels which character you're following, ex. "Chapter Three - Diggs".

Next there are some absolutely ridiculous grammatical errors such as missing periods and spaces. Not to mention the fact that the author manages to misspell or completely call characters by the wrong name. This becomes a bigger problem in the later books but come on! Joe Ashmont is called George Ashmont. Reynolds is referred to as Jensen. Suddenly Urenna becomes Urella for half the book. Willet referring to Mandrake as WILLET. And the smaller change of Allison to Alison. I would have given this series five stars but I just can't. I'm so perturbed by the sloppy copyediting that it distracted me from the rest of the book.

[Sheila Good · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK 5: THE BOOK OF J. (THE ERIN SOLOMON PENTALOGY) (VOLUME 5) BYJEN BLOOD

If the other four books were fast-paced, book five is in full throttle. Erin Solomon and her long-time lover, Diggs will uncover the truth, or die trying.

Once again, I found myself asking, how can two people survive so many beatings, gunshot wounds, and bombs as these two characters?

I loved the intrigue and romance of this series and with each installment anticipated loose ends to be tied up in a pretty bow of resolution. It didn’t happen; too many characters vied for the spotlight leaving behind unanswered questions.

Although, I enjoyed the writer’s voice and loved the characters in this series, stretching the storyline to five books was a bit tiring. My biggest beef with all five books was the indestructibility of the characters against every type of violence imaginable, but I kept reading. You may have a different view. The Book of J. (Erin Solomon Pentalogy 5)

[J.F. Penn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great finale to the pentalogy story, wrapping up the mystery of Erin's childhood on the island and the strange cult her father was part of. With high body count, explosions and gun fights as well as emotional resonance between the main characters, this book has something for all thriller lovers.

[Kristie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked all five books - the plots, the characters and the dynamics between them. This was a very complex story told over five books. I really do not want this series to end and hope the author has more in store for Diggs and Solomon. I would like to see what their future looks like.

[Shannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great conclusion to a wonderful series!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 A bit more detail on the whole organization and their purpose would have been nice.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured all of these books. Enough said.

[Marylou Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series. This was the last book in the series and it didn’t let me down. It was exciting and unpredictable. A definite must read!

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as well as some of the others. I have to say I did like this series a lot.

[Suzanne Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

One of the best series I have ever read. I read all five in a week and wished there were more! Thank you Ms. Blood for writing such wonderful books.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very riveting final book.

[April Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

This story from the very beginning with All the Blue Eyed Angels has been like a thrilling - addictive- roller coaster ride with unexpected twists and turns everywhere! The massive reach of the J conspiracy has given and given and given and the adventures of Erin and Diggs and their assorted allies just leave me unable to put a book down and crave the next one.

Erin and Diggs return to Payson and the memories start coming back to Erin. She sees the spirits of two of her childhood friends and they lead her to the secrets...but in the meantime she and Diggs have uncovered the next J driven atrocity is going to occur right there in Littlehope and time is running out..... With Jenny on the loose killing as many J plants as possible, Cameron on the island supposedly helping them and more shocking revelations concerning J and even Diggs father.the story sucks you in and you are right there with them....right in the story and you can't put it down...

Great book- I loved it and highly recommend everyone read the whole five book series! You will definitely not regret it...and will end hoping for more Diggs, Erin, Einstein, and Jack...we need to find Jacks story next...

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

At last, all the answers about Erin's history, the Payson Isle fire, her father and the mysterious J.

If you can't handle conspiracy theories, don't read this book or series. In fact, don't read this book out of order or it will not make any sense. While I'm reviewing the fifth book here, most comments refer to the series as a whole.

Having finally finished this epic tale I have to say it is quite fanciful but highly entertaining. Of course Erin, Diggs and all their friends should have died and, to be fair, some of their allies did die. But having invested so much energy into this group of characters you want them to prevail - right? And so you keep reading.

There are no deep and meaningful messages her, just likeable characters risking all in a fight against overwhelming odds to right wrongs and prevent further atrocities. It was a bit of a challenge keeping track of all the threads over the five books, especially as I read other books in between them. Now that I think about it, it was almost like a slightly milder 'Bourne Identity" type of saga - major secret conspiracy, person with faulty memory trying to work out their actual story while nameless and relentless forces are trying to kill you. All good fun and full of action and suspense.

Sorry for the messy review.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satisfying wrap-up to a very engrossing and intriguing series.

[D.V. Berkom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh. The final installment where all is revealed. This is a fun series--lots of action and angst, a love triangle, a feisty heroine, dark secrets, depraved villains, the works!

Jen Blood is a talented writer, someone who knows how to keep you turning the pages--yeah, I stayed up well past a reasonable hour to finish The Book of J. I HAD to find out what happened. Not many books do that to me anymore--damn you, Blood :-) Her characters aren't cookie-cutter and have their own set of flaws that end up working against them. The settings themselves come through as characters in their own right, evoking an eerily Gothic feel.

So start with All the Blue-Eyed Angels and read through to the end. (In order to follow all the twists and turns and get the most bang for your buck, this 5-part serial really needs be read in order) Needless to say, I'm looking forward to what Jen Blood decides to try next.

[Matty Dalrymple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished THE BOOK OF J., the appropriately mayhem-riddled conclusion to Jen Blood's Erin Solomon Pentalogy. The characters are empathetic and complexly drawn, with the good guys having their share of flaws and the bad guys having their moments of redemption. Her descriptions, especially of settings, are wonderful, and she makes the most of a Maine New Year's Eve blizzard to heighten the suspense. I was glad that the story came back to Payson Isle and the wonderfully named Littlehope, Maine--these have become characters in the drama as much as the human actors have. And how can you not love a writer who says of an outdated personal computer, "It whirred with aged determination"? I appreciate that Jen gave us a satisfying conclusion to the story, but one that was not too cleanly wrapped up. Perhaps some of those loose ends will provide the fodder for the next series!

[Cate Ness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the series, but expected more from this book

I loved this series from the first page of All The Blue-eyed Angels, and anxiously awaited this latest installment of the Erin Solomon story. However, I was left feeling this book was rushed, and some of the things that happened (i.e. Diggs' and Erin's return, and then doing the opposite of laying low) seemed abrupt and without explanation, other than to get the characters where the author wanted them to be. There were parts that I really enjoyed, but overall the book seemed to lack the "something" the others in the series had that made me read all night.

[Leslie Michaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished the final book yesterday, I loved them all to the point of reading them again, I am from Maine, so sitting here and reading this made it feel home, though of course of not all the trouble they got themselves into, but, Presqu'Isle, Madawaska, Fort-Kent and Eagle Lake are in my area, and I know a lot about the woods and the area. I loved the whole story Jen I was hooked right away, to the point I couldn't put it down. Besides the fact I had to work in between reading, when work was slow I pulled it out!... I hope there would be more about Diggs and Erin, and I don't know but, this should be put on the screen TV as a series it would be a hit!

[Margaret Millmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved this series since I read book 1. Jen Blood weaves an intricate tale in this series with vibrant characters and settings, not to mention a plot that is fast-paced and complicated and leaves the reader wanting more. I can honestly say that I didn't want to read J because I knew it was the last in the series and I desperately didn't want it to end...(spoiler alert: the ending wasn't as "final" as I would have thought for a series end, does that mean she might do a book 6...I sure hope so!)

[Cndy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I couldn't wait to finish this series. I wanted to know what happened and I definitely found out. I so loved the characters and still can't get them out of my head. This was worth every day, late night, and 'I'll talk to you later'. No TV. No conversation. This was it. I so love the characters and the circumstances that created the drama. One helluva story. It is the the most electrifying series I have ever read. Hope to see more of Erin and Diggs. Make it present day please. And Juarez? Oh please give me more....

[Ronda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the series and this last book. I was a tad disappointed with part of the ending. I thought one of the characters completely stepped out of character and that was disappointing. I was also expecting a more detailed explanation/description of the 'Book of J." mainly because of the title and I was expecting more of a revelation in the recent government involvement. Maybe I missed something because I couldn't put the book down and was blurry-eyed from trying to stay awake and finish it.

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A spectacular ending to one of the most interesting series I have ever read. Was not expecting the head of J to be who it was and I loved seeing Cameron try to redeem himself. All the characters from book 1 through 5 have been so interesting. Erin and Diggs are the most realistic couple without being that brand of sappy that makes me ill. Highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys a fast pace, strong yet likeable characters, and a great mystery.

[Nancy Newhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really good book....

Well I started with the first book free and found it to be quite a good book and usually I hate the fact that this is going to be a continuing story but the fact that I have bought the rest of the the books and enjoyed reading every one of them...each book is a full book so good that you will want to read them all....Very excellent series of books

[Dawn-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a finish!! I almost cried during this one towards the end there... Everything comes out and we find out all the answers.... And I still want more!!!!! I was happy to read in the acknowledgments, yes I read those, that this isn't the last time we will hear about Erin Solomon so that really excites me!!

[Penny Mccullough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible series

This series is the best I believe I've ever read. I read all five books plus the extras and I couldn't bear the thought that it was going to end. I am a prolific reader and this was an amazing journey. I'm looking forward to anything I can get written by Jen Blood. What a gifted story teller. Thank you

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Love, Love

I have read all of the Erin Solomon novels and have loved all of them. Jen please don't let this be the last of Sol and Diggs. As with all of Jen's books you can't put them down until you have read it all. Such a great series.