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Jane Cowan #2
Head Count
A head teacher’s work is never done, especially if, like Jane Cowan, you’re a victim of your own success. Having done well with Wrayford Primary, she’s now expected to bring other neighbouring schools up to scratch as well. And all
these responsibilities are compounded by an influx of children, most of whom
do not speak English, following their families supplying cheap labour to surrounding farms. Jane can’t turn a blind eye to the conditions in which many of these families are living, even more so when some children simply disappear. When everything points to the shadowy dealings of people smugglers in the area, she has her work cut out for her seeing justice done. And that’s before a threat far closer to home rears his head.
these responsibilities are compounded by an influx of children, most of whom
do not speak English, following their families supplying cheap labour to surrounding farms. Jane can’t turn a blind eye to the conditions in which many of these families are living, even more so when some children simply disappear. When everything points to the shadowy dealings of people smugglers in the area, she has her work cut out for her seeing justice done. And that’s before a threat far closer to home rears his head.
- GenresCrime
352 pages, Hardcover
Published October 19, 2017
17 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Judith Cutler
89 books94 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
August 15, 2020
Nope! Wouldn't read another one of hers!
July 3, 2018
3.5 stars
This is my first Judith Cutler book, and I only found it courtesy of a display case at my local library. Most mystery novels I read are police procedurals, so I am used to characters being on the hunt, looking for clues, getting into trouble during the course of an investigation. Not so here.
In Jane Cowan we get a strong and compassionate woman who is very skilled at people interactions. The manner in which she gets her point across, convinces people to do things, and stands up for herself and others was a pleasure to read.
As a cricket watching Australian, I enjoyed getting to know “Umpire Jane” and I very much liked how the laws of the game ruled her life to certain extent.
While Jane finds herself involved in several mysteries occurring in this new home town of hers, they tend to bubble away in the background for the most part. Focus is more on the characters as opposed to their actions.
HEAD COUNT works well as a standalone novel but I do plan to read the first book in this series.
This is my first Judith Cutler book, and I only found it courtesy of a display case at my local library. Most mystery novels I read are police procedurals, so I am used to characters being on the hunt, looking for clues, getting into trouble during the course of an investigation. Not so here.
In Jane Cowan we get a strong and compassionate woman who is very skilled at people interactions. The manner in which she gets her point across, convinces people to do things, and stands up for herself and others was a pleasure to read.
As a cricket watching Australian, I enjoyed getting to know “Umpire Jane” and I very much liked how the laws of the game ruled her life to certain extent.
While Jane finds herself involved in several mysteries occurring in this new home town of hers, they tend to bubble away in the background for the most part. Focus is more on the characters as opposed to their actions.
HEAD COUNT works well as a standalone novel but I do plan to read the first book in this series.
January 23, 2018
The only parts of Judith Cutler's second Jane Cowan mystery, Head Count, that might not set well with American readers are the scenes in which Jane is an umpire for cricket matches. Fortunately, they are few and serve more to spotlight Jane's people skills (which she has in abundance) than anything else. Good thing, too, because the only part of cricket I like is the bit where fans sit out in the sunshine in that green and pleasant land.
Jane probably has more highly developed people skills than most because she was the victim of domestic violence for years. She's had more than her share of dealing with unreasonable humans. Although the man who abused her is now in prison, she still tries to fly beneath the radar (no Twitter or Facebook for her) because he has many loyal friends on the outside and retaliation is a definite possibility. Jane is an intelligent, capable woman who's a brilliant teacher and administrator, and when she's embroiled in something like human trafficking, she knows enough to let the police do their job.
Some readers may not think there's much of a mystery to Head Count because it percolates beneath the surface while Jane lives her peripatetic life, going from school to school and cricket match to cricket match while trying to deal with her house. Most readers of crime fiction are used to the main character conducting their own investigation and putting themselves in danger. With Jane's life experience, she's learned to trust the police to do what they're trained to do, so anytime she learns something, she hands it over to them. This makes a great deal of sense, and although it may sound boring, it's not-- because Cutler has created a very real sense of danger from her ex-husband's friends. Readers never know which bad guy will be sneaking up on this caring head teacher.
Readers familiar with Cutler's mysteries (and I wish there were a lot more of us here in the US) may come across a familiar name or two as they read. The author mentions one of my favorite characters, Fran Harman, and brings in Caffy Tyler and the formidable group of women known as PACT from Scar Tissue. Judith Cutler has created a wonderful group of intelligent, strong, "in charge" women characters throughout her career. Jane Cowan-- the woman who should be afraid of her own shadow but isn't-- is the latest and a prime example of why I think Cutler's books should be much better known in this country.
Jane probably has more highly developed people skills than most because she was the victim of domestic violence for years. She's had more than her share of dealing with unreasonable humans. Although the man who abused her is now in prison, she still tries to fly beneath the radar (no Twitter or Facebook for her) because he has many loyal friends on the outside and retaliation is a definite possibility. Jane is an intelligent, capable woman who's a brilliant teacher and administrator, and when she's embroiled in something like human trafficking, she knows enough to let the police do their job.
Some readers may not think there's much of a mystery to Head Count because it percolates beneath the surface while Jane lives her peripatetic life, going from school to school and cricket match to cricket match while trying to deal with her house. Most readers of crime fiction are used to the main character conducting their own investigation and putting themselves in danger. With Jane's life experience, she's learned to trust the police to do what they're trained to do, so anytime she learns something, she hands it over to them. This makes a great deal of sense, and although it may sound boring, it's not-- because Cutler has created a very real sense of danger from her ex-husband's friends. Readers never know which bad guy will be sneaking up on this caring head teacher.
Readers familiar with Cutler's mysteries (and I wish there were a lot more of us here in the US) may come across a familiar name or two as they read. The author mentions one of my favorite characters, Fran Harman, and brings in Caffy Tyler and the formidable group of women known as PACT from Scar Tissue. Judith Cutler has created a wonderful group of intelligent, strong, "in charge" women characters throughout her career. Jane Cowan-- the woman who should be afraid of her own shadow but isn't-- is the latest and a prime example of why I think Cutler's books should be much better known in this country.
May 17, 2019
I've read many Judith Cutler novels and enjoyed them for their variety and for their spirited female characters. This is the second in a series featuring Jane Cowan a headteacher in a village primary school. In this follow up story she takes on a second small school in neighbouring village so becoming an executive head. It's a world I know well and I felt she'd done her research and presented an accurate picture of the stresses and strains of teaching and leading small village schools. I guess that the author is something of a cricket fan. I felt there was way too much cricket. I've nothing against it per se but for me there was too much detail and most of it neither moved the story on nor added to the characterisation. By the time I got to the end of the book I felt that the plotting was all over the place. I sort of followed what had happened but the villians were so one dimensional I had no idea of their motivation or who was in charge. It was way too complicated I thought. I enjoyed the read but I can't say I warmed to Jane, the central character, in the way I did in the first book.
December 31, 2017
Judith Cutler specialises in creating strong, interesting female lead characters and head teacher Jane Cowan doesn't disappoint. She is gutsy and intelligent but a little vulnerable as well.
Unusually for a crime novel, Head Count has no body on page 1 but there is no shortage of intrigue and drama to keep the reader turning the pages. The story is fast-paced and gripping and Head Count tackles the very topical issue of people trafficking with an authentic voice.
Cutler is known as Birmingham's queen of cosy crime but Head Count is cosy with a sharp, realistic edge.
Unusually for a crime novel, Head Count has no body on page 1 but there is no shortage of intrigue and drama to keep the reader turning the pages. The story is fast-paced and gripping and Head Count tackles the very topical issue of people trafficking with an authentic voice.
Cutler is known as Birmingham's queen of cosy crime but Head Count is cosy with a sharp, realistic edge.
August 6, 2019
Fascinating from the privilege of private school to the interesting harshness she encountered with husband this person remains generous and has a great perspective with refugees. The author's plot is wide involvement in the terrible things that happen and people murdered and the involvement of the Teacher, the help generates all the time trying to give the school her undivided attention
My thoughts were if had not had the experiences involved with awful husband would have had the ability to be as she was in the latter part of the story?
My thoughts were if had not had the experiences involved with awful husband would have had the ability to be as she was in the latter part of the story?
July 12, 2018
Not read any Judith Cutler before and I enjoyed this. I do think it would have helped to enjoy it more if I had read the first in the series - so if you're about to read this and haven't read 'Head Start' , then I would advise you do! I am now looking forward to reading the follow on from 'Head Count'.
November 21, 2020
I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, but then read the third where I found myself disliking the head teacher Jane Cowan more and more. Decided to give book 2 of the series a try, but this only reinforced my feeling that if Ms Cowan were a real person her friends would be frightened to voice any opinion for fear of being judged adversely by her !
April 2, 2024
Interesting plot but confused narrative
I've read a of Judith Cutler's books. This series has an interesting protagonist and strong plot line. Unfortunately the narrative is often confusing - In many passages it's difficult to discern what is happening to whom, necessitating rereading the same passage several times over. Not a terrible book but not a light or easy read.
I've read a of Judith Cutler's books. This series has an interesting protagonist and strong plot line. Unfortunately the narrative is often confusing - In many passages it's difficult to discern what is happening to whom, necessitating rereading the same passage several times over. Not a terrible book but not a light or easy read.
February 8, 2019
Enjoy this series very much. Looking forward to the third. Jane Cowan can’t help but get involved in the latest murders. After all one of them happened at her house.
April 22, 2019
Well-paced procedural features a stunningly resilient, superficially conventional protagonist confronting dark forces in an idyllic country setting.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews