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DS Jan Pearce #0
What I Left Behind
How far would you go to hide from the past?
One year old Maisie Lewis is missing. DC Jan Pearce is in hiding from what she left behind, but is drafted onto the case when it escalates.
What forced Jan to come back to Manchester to start a new life? Who is she hiding from?
As the case becomes more and more dangerous Jan and her DI, Steve Ralstone, clash. He’s a procedural guy, but Jan works on instinct too. A London activist, is the main suspect for Maisie’s abduction, but Jan has other ideas.
A chain of paper dolls and a series of sinister messages leads Jan to
the truth and into the dangerous territory of her past – but is it too late for little Maisie?
What I Left Behind is the prequel to the DS Jan Pearce Crime Fiction Series.
One year old Maisie Lewis is missing. DC Jan Pearce is in hiding from what she left behind, but is drafted onto the case when it escalates.
What forced Jan to come back to Manchester to start a new life? Who is she hiding from?
As the case becomes more and more dangerous Jan and her DI, Steve Ralstone, clash. He’s a procedural guy, but Jan works on instinct too. A London activist, is the main suspect for Maisie’s abduction, but Jan has other ideas.
A chain of paper dolls and a series of sinister messages leads Jan to
the truth and into the dangerous territory of her past – but is it too late for little Maisie?
What I Left Behind is the prequel to the DS Jan Pearce Crime Fiction Series.
- GenresDetective
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2017
28 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Ward
25 books87 followersJacqueline Ward's debut psychological thriller, Perfect Ten, was published by Corvus Atlantic Books in September 2018. Jacqueline writes stories about strong women and their lives and loves, exploring the real life emotions of revenge, obsession, rage, trust, guilt and joy.
She is represented by Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton. For more information about Jacqueline and her work go to www.jacquelineward.co.uk
Jacqueline is also the author of the DS Jan Pearce crime fiction series Random Acts of Unkindness, Playlist for a Paper Angel and What I Left Behind, and SmartYellowTM, in the pen name of J A Christy.
She is represented by Judith Murray at Greene & Heaton. For more information about Jacqueline and her work go to www.jacquelineward.co.uk
Jacqueline is also the author of the DS Jan Pearce crime fiction series Random Acts of Unkindness, Playlist for a Paper Angel and What I Left Behind, and SmartYellowTM, in the pen name of J A Christy.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 2, 2020
After a threat to her life in London, Jan Pearce had no choice but to relocate to a safe place in the Manchester countryside. After a little one year old girl goes missing though, she decides to risk herself and go public in the hopes of bringing the girl home.
Jan is an interesting character. As a profiler, she was an interesting way of looking at the world. She does a lot of internal musings on the things around her and her past. Although it made the story a little slow, I liked the author’s approach for characterization. Jan’s careful nature is carefully laid out this way which made it easier to really understand what kind of person she was.
The ending was very pleasing and wrapped the story up quite well. It more than made up for a few slow parts so stick with the story. You’ll be glad you did.
Narration was okay. The accent took a little bit of getting used to.
This book was given to me for free at my request, and I provided this voluntary review.
Jan is an interesting character. As a profiler, she was an interesting way of looking at the world. She does a lot of internal musings on the things around her and her past. Although it made the story a little slow, I liked the author’s approach for characterization. Jan’s careful nature is carefully laid out this way which made it easier to really understand what kind of person she was.
The ending was very pleasing and wrapped the story up quite well. It more than made up for a few slow parts so stick with the story. You’ll be glad you did.
Narration was okay. The accent took a little bit of getting used to.
This book was given to me for free at my request, and I provided this voluntary review.
July 15, 2017
We can hide the hurt from others? Jan and her team need to find a kidnapped one year old girl but no one knows who could have taken her. So she needs to find out as much as she can before it is too late. Her boss Steve is a good man but he believes in doing everything by the book, Jan believes in using her gut and she doesn't give up ever. This case is a very heart wrenching one as a child is missing and now a bomb threat has been uncovered and Jan has no choice but to step forward into the public eye. She knows that her enemy will never give up trying to find her and now they have, what will they do this time as they have taken everything that she loved already? Will Jan find the little girl before it is too late and can they get the bomb taken care of as well before anyone is hurt?
Jan is a strong woman that never lets anyone in and once we get to the end of the story I know why and that is so sad as the one she needed walked away and I know that he is helping now but he broke her so hopefully I will get to see what happens with them? A good read full of action.
Jan is a strong woman that never lets anyone in and once we get to the end of the story I know why and that is so sad as the one she needed walked away and I know that he is helping now but he broke her so hopefully I will get to see what happens with them? A good read full of action.
March 22, 2020
( Format : Audiobook )
"It's always personal."
Jan Pearce transferred to Manchester police force after her life came under threat working in London. She had remade her life there, in the countryside outside of the city, a fairly remote cottage with friendly neighbours, a dog and the space to indulge her passion for loud music and cooking. But her carefully rebuilt tranquility disappears when a little one year old girl is kidnapped and she goes public in her attempts to bring her home.
Written in the first person, the reader is able to follow all of Jan's reasoning about the case as well as her fears both for herself and the tiny child, as well as the past which is now rapidly catching up with her. Laura Brydon, the narrator, takes on the personality of Jan, synching her reading with the character's emotions, which adds to the picture constantly building of the solitary police woman. It is a good performance with other protagonists also given clearly defined voices as the story proceedes. This is a tale to engage the reader's empathy and does have a real life situational feel as more is discovered about the taking of the toddler.
My thanks to the rights holder of What I Left Behind, who, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy via Audiobook Boom. This book is the introduction to a short DI Jan Pearce crime series and i have already added the second story, Random Acts of Unkindness to my to be read pile. Recommended to all enjoying British police procedurals, with humanity, twists and passion
"It's always personal."
Jan Pearce transferred to Manchester police force after her life came under threat working in London. She had remade her life there, in the countryside outside of the city, a fairly remote cottage with friendly neighbours, a dog and the space to indulge her passion for loud music and cooking. But her carefully rebuilt tranquility disappears when a little one year old girl is kidnapped and she goes public in her attempts to bring her home.
Written in the first person, the reader is able to follow all of Jan's reasoning about the case as well as her fears both for herself and the tiny child, as well as the past which is now rapidly catching up with her. Laura Brydon, the narrator, takes on the personality of Jan, synching her reading with the character's emotions, which adds to the picture constantly building of the solitary police woman. It is a good performance with other protagonists also given clearly defined voices as the story proceedes. This is a tale to engage the reader's empathy and does have a real life situational feel as more is discovered about the taking of the toddler.
My thanks to the rights holder of What I Left Behind, who, at my request freely gifted me with a complimentary copy via Audiobook Boom. This book is the introduction to a short DI Jan Pearce crime series and i have already added the second story, Random Acts of Unkindness to my to be read pile. Recommended to all enjoying British police procedurals, with humanity, twists and passion
July 29, 2023
This is a very good book as the other two by this author has been. Jan Pearce is back again
A baby has been taken away, someone had got in through the bedroom window and out the same way.
The person who took her left a paper angel, this has been sent to two other people, they all worked together at Sellafield, had that got something to do with the kidnapping?
One thing I was really confused by. I had won the three books so looked up the reading order. This one had been written last and was third yet it felt like I was reading the first book as so many pieces that would be wrong, eg. In the first and second books she was married/ divorced from him but in this book she had met him on holiday and they had messaged each other, they also have a child together but in this book she is often told she doesn’t understand as she hasn’t had children and other things just not working.
Am I wrong about the order? How could this one be the first if written last and each book page I have looked at its 3rd.
Good book but confused
A baby has been taken away, someone had got in through the bedroom window and out the same way.
The person who took her left a paper angel, this has been sent to two other people, they all worked together at Sellafield, had that got something to do with the kidnapping?
One thing I was really confused by. I had won the three books so looked up the reading order. This one had been written last and was third yet it felt like I was reading the first book as so many pieces that would be wrong, eg. In the first and second books she was married/ divorced from him but in this book she had met him on holiday and they had messaged each other, they also have a child together but in this book she is often told she doesn’t understand as she hasn’t had children and other things just not working.
Am I wrong about the order? How could this one be the first if written last and each book page I have looked at its 3rd.
Good book but confused
March 22, 2020
A great first book of a series. Jan is a profiler, and a she has to figure out who kidnapped a one year girl. Only problem is that she'll need to come out of hiding to do it. Interesting characters, suspense and action will keep you listen until the very end. The perfect listen for a road trip. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request, and have voluntarily left this review.
July 21, 2017
DNF. Could not finish. There were simply too many editing errors. Ones that a simple read through for misspelled words, wrong word used...for instance using "and" when word should have been "any." Things like this. Proofread your work. I won't even try to read anything by this author again.
Sadly, this could have been a good book.
Sadly, this could have been a good book.
April 1, 2020
What I Left Behind is a solid mystery crime novel. It did take me a bit to get used to the narrators' accent, but I soon found myself drawn into the story of Masie and the detective work of Jan Pearce. I love mysteries inside of crime novels and uncovering Jan's past made for a very interesting read. I can't wait to continue the series.
April 29, 2020
Left me with goosebumps. Gripping and full of suspense! Turn after turn unwinding the mystery. It took some fine listening to get used to the accent but it fit so well and it was very enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews