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Jane Cowan #1
Head Start
With her abusive ex-husband in prison, Jane Cowan finally has the confidence to accept a new head teacher of the primary school in the Kentish village of Wrayford. But her new life is soon disrupted when a mysterious intruder breaks into her school and then later when a child is badly hurt in the playground – only Jane suspects that her fall was not accidental. Are the two incidents connected?
After another child suffers life-threatening injuries, Jane must become the pursuer and not the prey if she is to protect the pupils in her charge. However, when the children and teachers alike begin to act suspiciously and Jane finds that she herself is a target, fears and doubts that she thought were behind her begin to resurface.
After another child suffers life-threatening injuries, Jane must become the pursuer and not the prey if she is to protect the pupils in her charge. However, when the children and teachers alike begin to act suspiciously and Jane finds that she herself is a target, fears and doubts that she thought were behind her begin to resurface.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2016
10 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Judith Cutler
88 books93 followersJudith Cutler was born and bred in the Midlands, and revels in using her birthplace, with its rich cultural life, as a background for her novels. After a long stint as an English lecturer at a run-down college of further education, Judith, a prize-winning short-story writer, has taught Creative Writing at Birmingham University, has run occasional writing course elsewhere (from a maximum security prison to an idyltic Greek island) and ministered to needy colleagues in her role as Secretary of the Crime Writers' Association.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 24, 2016
The above description is not for this book, maybe it is the plot of book two. Here is the actual plot:
Jane Cowan has changed her job, her home, her name - but she’s still afraid that Simon, her ex-husband, will continue to attack her. He may be behind bars, but she still doesn’t feel safe. Could he be responsible when things start going wrong on her first day as head of a Kentish village school? Or could it be someone who didn’t want her to get the job? There are enough problems with both her rented accommodation and at the school to make a less determined woman turn tail: resentful and exhausted staff, inadequate security, and a general sense of neglect and purposelessness. But Jane’s attempts to improve matters are not supported by the governors and are flouted by some of the children and their parents. Then tragedy strikes: a child is badly hurt in the playground - only Jane suspects that her fall was not accidental. And when another child suffers life-threatening injuries in a room Jane has been trying to tidy, the over-stretched Kent police must at last be involved. Throughout her sufferings at the hands of her ex-husband, Jane had had only one person to support her, Pat, a police liaison officer. But now budget cuts threaten even that relationship - and it clear that Pat himself is concealing something.
Jane Cowan has changed her job, her home, her name - but she’s still afraid that Simon, her ex-husband, will continue to attack her. He may be behind bars, but she still doesn’t feel safe. Could he be responsible when things start going wrong on her first day as head of a Kentish village school? Or could it be someone who didn’t want her to get the job? There are enough problems with both her rented accommodation and at the school to make a less determined woman turn tail: resentful and exhausted staff, inadequate security, and a general sense of neglect and purposelessness. But Jane’s attempts to improve matters are not supported by the governors and are flouted by some of the children and their parents. Then tragedy strikes: a child is badly hurt in the playground - only Jane suspects that her fall was not accidental. And when another child suffers life-threatening injuries in a room Jane has been trying to tidy, the over-stretched Kent police must at last be involved. Throughout her sufferings at the hands of her ex-husband, Jane had had only one person to support her, Pat, a police liaison officer. But now budget cuts threaten even that relationship - and it clear that Pat himself is concealing something.
August 1, 2020
Loved it. Easy read, pacy, lots of humour. As my mother was a primary principal there was a moment on each page that made me think of her! The plot didn't even need to descend into farcical until right at the end. Would definitely read more of the author's books. Even has a great name ;)
October 20, 2020
Village school life?
An easy read. Not very credible. Too many references to Ofsted for my liking and too much influence bestowed on governors. More about the children, staff and parents would have made it better.
An easy read. Not very credible. Too many references to Ofsted for my liking and too much influence bestowed on governors. More about the children, staff and parents would have made it better.
July 10, 2017
In the first Jane Cowan thriller, a talented teacher escapes her brutal ex-husband only to confront inexplicable crime in her new home, a far from idyllic country village.
May 24, 2017
Interesting mystery and a quick read.
February 9, 2020
Straightforward village crime story. Likeable main character Jane Cowan and good descriptions of life in a small village school. I 'll definitely read further books in this series.
May 27, 2021
Rather disappointing a definite plodder. Too much school processes involved in the story.
Felt there was no point to the death which occurred.
Wondering if the others in the series are better?
Felt there was no point to the death which occurred.
Wondering if the others in the series are better?
October 15, 2022
Where is the plot? I think this book is missing one....
Slow, boring, not likeable it enjoyable in the slightest. DNF.
Slow, boring, not likeable it enjoyable in the slightest. DNF.
October 14, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, the characters, the humour and all.
January 1, 2025
I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting look into village school life plus an interesting Head Teacher.
May 13, 2017
This is another thoroughly enjoyable mystery from one of my favorite writers, Judith Cutler. Jane Cowan is just the sort of nuanced character that Cutler can sink her teeth into. Victim of horrific spousal abuse, Jane has worked hard not to let that define her. She's funny, she's smart, she's hardworking, and she's an excellent school administrator. In many ways, she reminds me of another favorite Cutler character, Fran Harman. Both characters certainly have superb people skills.
Another thing that I liked about Head Start is that Jane isn't your typical amateur sleuth, and with the horrible things that have happened to her in the past, she shouldn't be. She has more sense than to tackle investigating vandalism, theft, "accidents" and the like on her own. She lets the police do their jobs and keeps them informed.
While readers can learn about the joys, trials, and terrors of teaching, they're also experiencing a finely crafted plot filled with twists and turns. First and foremost, who's responsible for what's going on? Does Jane's ex-husband have someone on the outside doing his dirty work for him? Is all this even aimed at Jane to begin with? Could it be aimed at the school itself? Readers have to pay attention to navigate the plot and arrive at the proper solution.
The reveal happens offstage because Jane let the experts handle all the heavy lifting, and this didn't bother me a bit. It's realistic. 99.9% of amateur sleuths who think they know more than the police are only going to make everyone's lives more difficult. Head Start is a fast-paced, first-rate puzzle of a mystery with an appealing heroine. I hope to read more books featuring Jane Cowan.
Another thing that I liked about Head Start is that Jane isn't your typical amateur sleuth, and with the horrible things that have happened to her in the past, she shouldn't be. She has more sense than to tackle investigating vandalism, theft, "accidents" and the like on her own. She lets the police do their jobs and keeps them informed.
While readers can learn about the joys, trials, and terrors of teaching, they're also experiencing a finely crafted plot filled with twists and turns. First and foremost, who's responsible for what's going on? Does Jane's ex-husband have someone on the outside doing his dirty work for him? Is all this even aimed at Jane to begin with? Could it be aimed at the school itself? Readers have to pay attention to navigate the plot and arrive at the proper solution.
The reveal happens offstage because Jane let the experts handle all the heavy lifting, and this didn't bother me a bit. It's realistic. 99.9% of amateur sleuths who think they know more than the police are only going to make everyone's lives more difficult. Head Start is a fast-paced, first-rate puzzle of a mystery with an appealing heroine. I hope to read more books featuring Jane Cowan.
November 30, 2016
I have read several other books by Judith Cutler and enjoyed them all, especially her Lina Townend series and Fran Harman series so I was pleased to see she had started a new series. Jane Cowan has had to change her name and move more than once to escape the clutches of her abusive ex-husband Simon. Now he is in prison for a long stretch she feels she can start building a new life for herself as head teacher of a primary school in Kent.
But the governors seem antagonistic, some of the teachers seem to want to undermine her and she has no heating in her rented house next to the school because someone has stolen the heating oil. In addition some of the pupils seem old beyond their years and their behaviour seems odd at the very least. Then Jane herself is chased by the police and ends up in handcuffs for a while because the police suspect her of breaking into her own school after an anonymous call.
Can things possibly get worse? Well yes, actually they can. What follows is a fast paced story featuring a brave and resourceful woman with a sense of humour who is determined that her past won't ruin her future. I really enjoyed this book to the extent of nearly missing my stop on a train and letting a cup of coffee get cold because I just had to read on. Jane Cowan is no one's victim and she battles against the odds and against an unseen enemy to make something of the school and to make a life for herself.
As you can tell - I loved Jane herself and really enjoyed reading about the other characters and about the trials and tribulations - and the joys - of teaching. The children, the staff and the parents really come alive in this well written novel. I especially liked the fact that the characters weren't easily separated into those for and those against Jane. They varied according to the issues involved. This made is difficult to spot the villains but it also made the book more realistic. I am looking forward to reading more about Jane Cowan.
But the governors seem antagonistic, some of the teachers seem to want to undermine her and she has no heating in her rented house next to the school because someone has stolen the heating oil. In addition some of the pupils seem old beyond their years and their behaviour seems odd at the very least. Then Jane herself is chased by the police and ends up in handcuffs for a while because the police suspect her of breaking into her own school after an anonymous call.
Can things possibly get worse? Well yes, actually they can. What follows is a fast paced story featuring a brave and resourceful woman with a sense of humour who is determined that her past won't ruin her future. I really enjoyed this book to the extent of nearly missing my stop on a train and letting a cup of coffee get cold because I just had to read on. Jane Cowan is no one's victim and she battles against the odds and against an unseen enemy to make something of the school and to make a life for herself.
As you can tell - I loved Jane herself and really enjoyed reading about the other characters and about the trials and tribulations - and the joys - of teaching. The children, the staff and the parents really come alive in this well written novel. I especially liked the fact that the characters weren't easily separated into those for and those against Jane. They varied according to the issues involved. This made is difficult to spot the villains but it also made the book more realistic. I am looking forward to reading more about Jane Cowan.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews