Other Countries

Hazel Best & Gabriel Ash #4

by Jo Bannister

Detective Constable Hazel Best’s latest assignment takes an unexpected turn in the compelling new Gabriel Ash mystery.

Returning to work after an extended leave of absence, DC Hazel Best’s first task is to shadow TV historian Oliver Ford, who has arrived in Norbold to open a new museum. What should have been a routine assignment takes a decidedly dramatic turn however when Hazel saves Ford from a murderous attack that would appear to be an act of jihad. But why would someone fly thousands of miles to firebomb an obscure little museum in a quiet English village? Hazel can’t help thinking there’s more to this case than meets the eye.

Meanwhile, Hazel’s friend Gabriel Ash and her lodger Saturday are growing increasingly uneasy at Hazel’s developing relationship with Oliver Ford. Though neither of them can guess the real danger that Hazel - and not only Hazel - faces, nor the direction from which it comes.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, British Literature, Audiobook, Procedural

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Jo Bannister lives in Northern Ireland, where she worked as a journalist and editor on local newspapers. Since giving up the day job, her books have been shortlisted for a number of awards. Most of her spare time is spent with her horse and dog, or clambering over archaeological sites. She is currently working on a new series of psychological crime/thrillers.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars.
Returning to work after several months off recovering from an incident that went wrong, Constable Hazel Best is given what sounds like an easy enough assignment. She will be taking care of TV historian Oliver Ford, who is visiting to open the Museum of the Crusades. It seems Hazel has a penchant for finding herself in the middle of trouble. This time is no exception. Unbeknown to Hazel, a young man, Rachid Iqbal, has travelled 1600 miles to disrupt events at the museum.
This was my first introduction to Hazel, her friend Gabriel Ash and the juvenile offender, Saturday who Hazel has befriended. Initially, I found them all interesting characters but the further along it went the more annoying Hazel became. Her choices seemed not just silly but unbelievable to me, as she behaves like a giddy teenager. The story which started off to be one thing seems to veer off into another story entirely about relationships and it is only towards the end that it comes back together again.
While covering some deeper issues, it is still a light read. Though the story lost its way in the middle, it came good towards the end. I did like the characters of Gabriel Ash and Saturday. I also liked the canine Patience who manages to convey her feelings on all situations. Very reminiscent of our canine friend here.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just took a few minutes to follow up on the fate of Gabriel Ash's family after their kidnapping. Rather than starting off with details on that situation we find him cleaning house to prepare for social workers calling on his house and his pal Hazel returns to police duty after a four-month leave to be part of explosive opening at museum where she ends up in hospital.
All well and good for fans? It is just too fluffy/flighty for my reading preferences.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is disjointed but it held my attention and did not interfere with my enjoyment. I don't understand how the title connected with the story. Hazel is back working as a cop in Norfolk. She is assigned to liaison with a TV personality, Oliver Ford at an opening of a new museum on the Crusaders. At the opening, she managed to save Oliver from harm and received serious burns. Oliver takes fancy for her and treats her to a tour of the middle east.
Meanwhile, Gabriel and Patience has moved into his home with his sons He is having trouble doing the work and caring for the boys. The child protective services are threatening to take the boys away. Gabriel hired a nanny, Frances Kelly and she becomes a member of the family.
Oliver is isolating Hazel from her friends in a country home where there is no transportation. He discourages her from returning to work. How does Hazel get away from him? What does Oliver do for revenge? What happy to Saturday? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES.There

[Tory Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to delight as Hazel and Ash solve another mystery. We see a more vulnerable Hazel who now relies on Ash rather than the other way around. Can't wait for the next in the series!

[scherzo♫ · Rating 2 out of 5]

All the telling is "strong female characters" ...
All the showing is belittling and undermining ...
If the main character were a male constable who has been injured in two incidents protecting other people would the rest of the police be so condescending about the "fumbling ninny who attracts trouble"?
The sneaky introduction of the superintendent came across as such a vivid picture of an 11 year old girl that I caught myself wondering near the end why the girl never appeared again.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I've read several, if not all, of Jo Bannister's Brodie Farrell series over the years, but Other Countries is the first I've read in this series which features Detective Constable Hazel Best and Gabriel Ash.

The epigraph provides an interesting and sinister beginning:
"Thou hast committed--"
"Fornication? But that was in another country; and
besides, the wench is dead."
--Christopher Marlowe
(1564-1593)
Chapter One follows a young Arab man traveling to Britain from Turkey, and right off the bat, it is apparent that his intentions are not good. The reason for his entry to Britain is, somewhat unexpectedly, not the typical terrorist agenda; it is intensely personal. Of course, you can't help but loop back to the epigraph.

DC Hazel Best is one of those people that trouble inevitably finds; in an attempt to keep Hazel free of trouble, her superintendent assigns her to protect a celebrity--the charismatic historian and television personality Oliver Ford. The best of intentions often go awry.

Saturday, Hazel's young lodger and former street kid, and her friend Gabriel Ash are increasingly uneasy about Hazel's connection to Ford. (and yes, I wanted to shake Hazel--frequently)

Hazel becomes more distant from her friends as her relationship with Ford grows, and the plot takes off in more than one direction. Why did young Rachid Iqbal try to murder Ford? Gabriel Ash, who has problems of his own, is puzzled about Hazel's delay in returning to work and the difficulty of getting in touch with her. Seventeen-year-old Saturday, Hazel's lodger, has taken an intense dislike to Oliver Ford, but is reluctant to reveal why.

I liked the characters (well, the recurring characters) and there were a number of interesting and sometimes unpleasant angles to the plot. The reader knows early on where the plot is going, the tension is in waiting for each step.

Read in Feb.; blog post scheduled for May 14, 2017.

NetGalley/Severn House

Mystery/Police Procedural. June 1, 2017. Print length: 224 pages.

[Henry McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Other Countries by Jon Bannister is the fourth book in the Hazel Best and Gabriel Ash series.
Bannister continues to be a joyous surprise with her clever plots and intriguing characters.
Hazel and Gabriel pull us into this adventure with they’re all-too-human foibles as well as their dedication to each other.
Gabriel really shines in this story as he adjusts to being a father, a task he feels completely unprepared for. He’s much more comfortable analyzing data. In this story, besides his adjustment to parenthood, he takes steps of emotional growth in his relationship with Hazel and her lodger, Saturday. He also has to become a man of action, not just intellect.
Hazel learns more about herself as well and it’s not all good as she falls for a man who may not be the best for her. She rescues a television personality from an assassin. She enters a whirlwind relationship with the man, a relationship that ultimately becomes a serious threat to herself and the people she cares about.
When Gabriel and Saturday lose contact with hazel, Gabriel calls on all his skills and his contacts to try to find her. He even has to rely on Saturday’s computer knowledge and street smarts to find Hazel.
The final twist in the plot is a twist that threatens to send Saturday to prison for the rest of his life.
Bannister takes all these plot threads of love, friendship and evil and weaves them into a compelling tapestry that both satisfies the reader for this story and stimulates our hunger for the more of Gabriel and Hazel and their quirky world.

[Jovdb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the other books in the series. This one took a turn from the arc in the three preceding books; it was more focused in Hazel and her choices, than Ash and his drive to find his wife and sons.

Hazel, now back at work, is on duty to protect a TV personality. Oliver Ford is in the area to open up a museum and promote his TV series. Unfortunately, he is targeted by an e tremist and nearly blow torched, only Hazel’s quick thinking saves him.

As a result, Hazel and Ford start a relationship. Ash and Hazel’s lodger, Saturday, are concerned about this and the fact that they can’t contact Hazel.

The story progresses and Ash has to call in favours to help Hazel and Saturday.

This book is not as intense as the previous ones in the series, but is still interesting as it takes on the topic of abuse in relationships.

It’s good to see that Ash is continuing in his recovery. His new nanny, Frankie, is an interesting character.

[Margaret Ball · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, but something of a disappointment compared to the first three Ash/Best novels. I think the problem is that the driving force for those three novels was resolved at the end of book three, and anything after that is necessarily a comedown.

***!!!***SPOILER ALERT!***!!!***







The two stories that are supposed to carry this book are an apparent terrorist attack that turns out to have been an attempt at a personal revenge, and Hazel's involvement with an abusive man. I didn't find either story very credible, and felt that they were being used to convey Messages. I don't buy the idea that any woman, no matter how intelligent, independent and well informed, can fall prey to escalating domestic abuse and fail to recognize what's happening to her. And Hazel Best is not a good character to illustrate this notion.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are moments of good descriptive writing, and bits of good dialog, but then there are the speechy bits which frequently go on for too long and turn into polemics of one sort or another. And the plot which is too much a Girls’ Own, female in jeopardy cliché. Hazel, for all of her smart, independent appearance, is an abuse case in waiting. She meets and saves the life of a glamorous television presenter, is swept off her feet and swiftly moved into isolated victimhood. Gabriel is getting his life together with his young sons, starting to get used to the idea of not being mentally ill, and springing to the aid of those he cares about. He and his dog and the new nanny are the bright spots in the book.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why did Rachid Iqbal arrive in Enlgand via Turkey to attack TV historian Oliver Ford. Which DC Hazel Best mainly managed to stop. Hazel's friends - Gabriel Ash and Saturday - grow concerned about her relationship with Ford.
I have not read any of the previous books in the series which didn't present too much of a problem but I didn't really find the plot or characters interesting enough to want to read more.
A NetGalley Book

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourth book in the Hazel Best and Gabriel Ash series. Interesting twists with an ending that I never saw coming. I'll be waiting for book five.

[Bill Stiefel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent Ash/Best story. Has a tough ending but it's worth a read. This series needs to be read in order.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no trouble handing down a 3-star verdict on this workmanlike non-mystery. Jo Bannister writes well and there's no one like her for witticisms, if a bit dated. (i.e. "...suffered the same crippling shyness as Billy Graham and Liberace.") However, she cannot seem to write a story without padding it out with what might kindly be called "philosophy," or more bluntly, "preaching." She really hits the reader over the head with her thoughts on moral grounds to the point where we nearly lose sight of the plot!

Moving on...the plot in this book is a good one, if a bit cliche. It is surprising to see our heroine, Hazel Best, in the the throes of an unlikely love affair with a genuine celebrity. Aside from that aspect, though, the rest of the story is an old one which is not only stale but, sadly, a perennial one. At least here, the bad guy gets his comeuppance, unfortunately at a high cost to the good ones.

The returning characters of Gabriel Ash, Saturday (a nickname which is unexplained in this volume,) and Inspector Gorman have been joined by a new one, Frankie (Frances) Kelly, the Irish-named, but Filipino Nanny, who takes care of Ash's boys so he can get on with saving the day!

A fun, light read about a serious and disturbing subject.

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novel that presents a mystery that examples assumptions and the fact that some people assume they are entitled to do whatever they want with other people's lives. Most of the people are average citizens. One woman has connections to the police in England. She lives very simply with a good friend, a man who has ended up being used by his wife, and spend some time in a mental treatment center. There is a young boy, about 17, who was abused at home and was on the streets for year.

Then the woman with the connection to the police meets a sophiscated TV star that seems to have fallen in love. Of course he is not what he appears and ends up causing more trouble than that all the other people in the entire story. He abused the young boy that has been living with the main and hurts the boy so profoundly that he prefers to be considered a mugger, or abuser than to acknowledge what really happen.

It shows in one fell swoop the danger of falling for the image someone is intent on creating. The twists and turns make this a highly intriguing and captivating novel and gets my recommendation.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jo Bannister excels at character development and relationships. I have read all of her series and am enjoying the Gabriel Ash/Hazel Best series more than her last, the Brodie Farrell series. (And I still wish she'd write more in the Castlemere series.)

This series has an added level of interest because Gabriel is still recovering from a mental breakdown he suffered when his wife and children disappeared. His lurcher Patience is also an added bonus. He is a very smart man who was once very capable, and people underestimate him.

This book was pretty focused on Hazel and her relationship with a TV personality she saved from injury. There is not a lot of action, but that was fine with me. I definitely recommend the series and the author to anyone who likes police procedurals and enjoys character development over shoot-em-up action.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trouble-prone police constable Hazel Best is given a job as a liaison with television presenter and historian Oliver Ford. She saves his life when he's attacked, but is once again on medical leave herself. The grateful Ford makes a fuss over her, and invites her to spend a few days with him in Morocco. As Ford gradually takes over Hazel's life, her best friend, the reclusive Gideon Ash (lots of back story here) and her boarder, the formerly homeless youth known as Saturday, worry about what's happening to Hazel. But then it becomes time to worry about what's happening to Saturday, and only Ash's contacts in the intelligence community can lead him back to the terrorist who attacked Ford, and the secrets the historian is keeping.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley and enjoyed reading it. I think this might be the first book I have ever read by this author. I enjoyed the writing and the flow of the story and felt that little threads that were left hanging early on (e.g. the suspected terrorist) were tied up neatly by the end of the story. I didn't think of the story as a true mystery but more psychological suspense watching a strong, independent woman being manipulated by a psychopath into something she isn't by nature. I don't normally like this kind of story, but it certainly kept me reading until the very end. Thank goodness she had friends like Saturday and Gabriel Ash in her corner.

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book showed how easy it is to convince yourself that all is well in a relationship, when in fact, nothing is well at all. Constable Hazel Best almost lost her life as a result of this delusion and only her friends prevented even more violence. Thank heavens for Gabriel Ash, Saturday, and many of their friends and compatriots -- thanks to all of them, a terrible man was prevented from causing more pain and heartbreak. This was my first Jo Bannister and I really liked it -- I'm guessing from the ending, that there will be a sequel. Or at least a continuation of the story. Looking forward to it !!!!!

[Carolyn Crocker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth Gabriel Ash/Hazel Best novel is less police procedural, more personal, but still ripped-off-the-headlines current-- with a greater sense of what these complicated characters are made of and how their relationship evolves.

“‘Ford is a celebrity. That warps the way people think. They start feeling that, because they know someone’s face, he’s kind of a friend. It’s absurd, but our emotions predate the invention of television. A primitive part of their brains thinks that someone they see in their own living rooms must be a friend, and that you owe it to your friends to support them.’” p.184

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still haven't read the first two books in the series. I have to remedy that. I definitely enjoyed this one much more than book three. Hazel Best has returned to work on lighter duty. She's to protect a TV star, Oliver Ford, who is an historian as well as a celebrity, in the area to do a TV show. Good thing she's there, because a threat is made on Ford's life. He injured, but Hazel and the bomber both are. Oliver begins a relationship with Hazel, but her friends aren't convinced he's as harmless as he seems. The ending is completely unexpected.

[Brian Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like it until I was a third of the way through it. It's not a typical police procedural., but actually like some of Alexander MacCall Smith's writings.
Hazel and Ash are interesting characters, both have backstories developed in earlier books in the series which I have yet to read.
The storyline is clever, especially how the opening event plays out at the end. I expected it was going to be a misguided terrorist story, when it turns out to be something totally different.
It's a well thought out story populated with interesting characters.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just once I want to read a book where violence and coercion against women isn’t the central plot line. Obviously, this isn’t that book. This one is particularly brutal specifically because the situation described is a bit hazy at times: the victim’s cluelessness and the villain’s glossy appearance contribute to the unreality of the villainy. The resolution is unsatisfactory because there’s something of a cliffhanger.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

New series for me. Hazel, the lady cop comes across short when she is fooled by a Historian/ladykiller/con/TV personality . Lucky her friends, Gabriel Ash and teenager "Saturday" is worried about her and with help of hacking by Saturday, they find her. Gabriel then saves kid from sure prison just because he's a nobody.

[Anita Hennesy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a departure from the earlier books in this series, this one is personal. Hazel Best is a gutsy, smart constable, good at her job. But there is no police procedure to fall back on this time. Gets more and more intense as you read further, until you cannot stop reading. Well worth it, plus all the earlier ones of course.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like the Hazel and Gabe series, which has been a little off beat, which is not something that I seek in the murder mystery genre, but have enjoyed with this. Hazel gets caught up in something very scary in this volume, and it is in some ways a leap, but in other ways, we know that it happens out there. Good installment in the series, which should definitely be read in order.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazel saves the life of a TV celebrity then falls in love with him to the detriment of both Gabriel and Saturday. Gabriel hires a nanny, Frankie, to take care of the two boys. Frankie is just what he needed to help with the household as he has trouble coping with it all. Gabriel and Saturday worry about Hazel for good reason. The story has a twist that is heartbreaking with consequences.

[Vontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally thought this might be a cozy mystery when I picked it up from the library. I think I was almost halfway through before I realized it was something far more serious; a thriller, psychological suspense. This is the first book I've read by this prolific author, and in this particular series. I see there are 4 subsequent books published in this series, and will look for the next one.

[Ronda Canary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, I am hacked off. I liked the earlier book even though hazel is overdone and tiresome. The dog is solid and Ash is ok. Why punish poor Saturday, he deserves much better from the author. Also, no decent ending for poor Rachid and his sister. Shame on the author. Poorly done.

[Margaret Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had to grow into this series and I urge reading it from the beginning. This book was the best so far. The reader has to hold on for the ride because the story while short is complex.

All the characters have become more complex as time goes by