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The Island
Keely Cochrane had grown up on an island, never questioning the odd people and customs, but when her best friend, Genny, mysteriously leaves, P.I. Jack Knight reveals Genny's murder to Keely, and the two of them fight their attraction as they search for the killer
301 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Jill Jones
13 books23 followersI'm a curious soul with a vagabond spirit, raised by a loving family with a dad heading a geological oil exploration crew in the mid-twentieth century. We roamed like gypsies throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana in search of cracks in the earth's surface that promised black gold. That upbringing instilled in me a love of travel, adventure, and a curiosity about the history and culture of the people of the places where we lived.
After graduating the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Journalism, with a specialty in fiction writing, I spent two years in Europe, an experience that broadened my horizons and opened my young eyes to a wider world than I had ever imagined.
Since those early days, I have lived in many houses, including a 45-foot sailboat; I have traveled to many places, made many friends in faraway countries as well as my own, and written books set in places I found fascinating and intriguing. As you read my books, please know that the research for each was in-depth, and the locale is authentic.
For nearly 25 years, I lived in western North Carolina, in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. I served for 10 years as the director of a local history museum and 12 years as the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. In my work, I traveled and met fascinating people in this region and learned about the unique history and culture of western North Carolina. This experience spurred me to write a different kind of story: Freedom's Edge, an American Trilogy. It is historical fiction about the early immigrants to the South who arrived in America before there was a country called America. Western North Carolina and the Appalachian mountains were among the earliest of the country's frontiers, and my story is an imagining of what the lives early settlers were like, set in the context of the French and Indian War, Cherokee Wars, and the War for American Independence. Because of its length, I have divided the story into three parts: Escaping Yesterday, Surviving the Now, and Fighting for Tomorrow.
I am married with three adult children, seven grandchildren and a cat, and now reside in Little Rock, Arkansas.
After graduating the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Journalism, with a specialty in fiction writing, I spent two years in Europe, an experience that broadened my horizons and opened my young eyes to a wider world than I had ever imagined.
Since those early days, I have lived in many houses, including a 45-foot sailboat; I have traveled to many places, made many friends in faraway countries as well as my own, and written books set in places I found fascinating and intriguing. As you read my books, please know that the research for each was in-depth, and the locale is authentic.
For nearly 25 years, I lived in western North Carolina, in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. I served for 10 years as the director of a local history museum and 12 years as the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. In my work, I traveled and met fascinating people in this region and learned about the unique history and culture of western North Carolina. This experience spurred me to write a different kind of story: Freedom's Edge, an American Trilogy. It is historical fiction about the early immigrants to the South who arrived in America before there was a country called America. Western North Carolina and the Appalachian mountains were among the earliest of the country's frontiers, and my story is an imagining of what the lives early settlers were like, set in the context of the French and Indian War, Cherokee Wars, and the War for American Independence. Because of its length, I have divided the story into three parts: Escaping Yesterday, Surviving the Now, and Fighting for Tomorrow.
I am married with three adult children, seven grandchildren and a cat, and now reside in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 20, 2008
This novel is a mystery, it was written by Jill Jones, and published by Matthew Shear.
It tells about an island which is isolated from the outer world and this isolation is simply because its people follow some rules which are called the Dragon’s rules. These rules forbid anyone from going to the outer world, except those who go to the near city to buy goods and sell some.
In this island, there is a young woman whose name is Genevieve Sloan. She’s the daughter of the town-healer. Her mother wants her to be the next Healer, but she refuses and escapes from the town and goes to London with her friend’s help–Keely-. The dragoners - as the people in the town of Keinadraig used to be called – have been following the Dragon rules for many centuries; one of the rules tells that if somebody escapes, he won’t be allowed to return.
After Genevieve reaches London, she is killed by somebody in a hotel. Also, the hotels owner is injured in the same murder. The story becomes more interesting at this stage because the investigations is started to know the criminal and I think I'll know more about the "Dragon" in the next pages.
..... page 30 ..............................................
I continued reading this complicated novel and now I know more about the characters and I’m still discovering more and more about the Dragoners and their law.
I think that I’m addicted to this book now!! This novel has something strange for me because it makes me happy then after one moment it makes me sad. Also it can make me happy and angry at the same time. To be happy and angry at the same time is a strange thing and you may say that I’m mad, but let me tell you something about this contrast. As I’m reading about those people ( the dragoners) who can deny the existents of a human just because she did the thing that she had thought it is right and did not follow the stupid laws, as I’m reading and discovering new things about their way in thinking and following some old laws, I am glad that I can change my life freely when I know that I need this change. So I am happy that I’m not in that island and at the same time I’m angry because I wish I could enter this book and change these laws and tell the people who talked about Genevieve Sloan as a traitor and tell them that she has the honor because of her desire to change life into the better.
The Dragon law does not allow anybody to enter that island except whom was given a special permission such as the education inspectors! Can you imagine to live in a town, see the same people every day, do the same job every day, without anything new? No I can’t, simply because I need the “new” , everybody needs the “new” to live without depression and to succeed.
I didn’t finish this book because sometimes I don’t believe what I’ve already read and goes back and read some pages again!
I hope that in the next chapters something new will happen, I really want to rescue the dragoners from their thoughts, I want them to change their minds and go to other places.
I want to ask Knight Jackson (the private investigator who goes to the island) did you love Keely ( Genevieve’s friend) ??? I want to ask him because I think that I loved her.. She is beautiful, smart, and shares me my ideas!
Next week I will tell you more and more about the story because I talked a lot about my opinions, my reactions and my feelings.
.........page 70...........................................
I think it became a habit for me to sit and start reading this novel at special times every week; I think this is the reason why I’m reading this novel slowly. Although I have read few English books, I can say that this book is a special one which I will tell my children about one day because it talks about me and my fears in someway.
First I want to tell you a little about what happened. As I said, Jack goes to the island in order to know more about the dragoners and to make sure that Genevieve
is from there. After he meets the keeper of the island and knows that he has to get out of the island as soon as he can, so he goes to the dragon heart - a cliff near the shore - by mistake because he was looking for a safe place to wait for the boat which will pick him up from this island, but something hits his head and he falls in that place. At this time, Keely goes there because she knows there is something wrong happens to the “stranger” and she rescue him and help him to go out from the island in the same way she helped her friend - Genevieve
- before.
Let me explain why I said that this novel talks about me and about my fears in someway. Actually, not the novel, but Keely who does. Keely is the woman who suffers severely because her friend died, and me, at this time I really know what does the word “friend” means, especially after I left my friends and came to this country. Also, Keely knows that she believes in something wrong, and lives a conflict with herself because she wants to change herself but does not have the strength to do that. About me, I know that there are some few things that I have to change in myself, but I seem to be not brave enough to do this. I’m not talking about my believes, but I’m talking about some small things in my life that I need to change.
It is a special story, but it became more interesting - in my opinion- when Keely takes Jack to a safe place near the shore and starts talking with him about several things such as the dragon rules, Genevieve
, and many other things that she have never talked about. When I read this part, I really lived the story, I felt like I’m not reading a novel, but like I am there in that place with Keely and Jack and I’m watching them and listening to them.
I like the “first” things very much. So I flew in the sky above Kelly and Jack and watched Keely starts her first love. It was a nice feeling because I lived the experience again and remembered the moment when I lived the experience for the first time.
I forgot the whole story and focused on Keely who needs the change, and I’m waiting for her decision to go to Jack and starts new life with him because now I believe that heart is more reasonable than mind sometimes.
------------------------------------------------------------
October 20, 2008
Before I finish this wonderful novel, I thought that I can write a summery for this book as the last review, but as soon as I finished reading I found that it is not fair to summarize such a great novel, because I will never be able to describe this treasure in a way that reflects its value.
This book have all the humans’ emotions: fear, love, hope, sadness, happiness , and it reflects the will of humans to change even when it seems impossible to change.
I loved “Keely” who changed the entire life of her society, and who discovered the truth. I respect her and I am sad because I understand that I can not find her in the real world.
When the isolated woman- Keely- left the island to the new world, she started learning everything about this new life; she learnt many simple things that everybody does everyday such as how to order food using the phone and I learnt all of that she learnt as well since I am in a new life just like her!
This was my second book and I think that English novels are new treasure for me that I have to discover by myself … I really want everyone who reads this review to read this book.
It tells about an island which is isolated from the outer world and this isolation is simply because its people follow some rules which are called the Dragon’s rules. These rules forbid anyone from going to the outer world, except those who go to the near city to buy goods and sell some.
In this island, there is a young woman whose name is Genevieve Sloan. She’s the daughter of the town-healer. Her mother wants her to be the next Healer, but she refuses and escapes from the town and goes to London with her friend’s help–Keely-. The dragoners - as the people in the town of Keinadraig used to be called – have been following the Dragon rules for many centuries; one of the rules tells that if somebody escapes, he won’t be allowed to return.
After Genevieve reaches London, she is killed by somebody in a hotel. Also, the hotels owner is injured in the same murder. The story becomes more interesting at this stage because the investigations is started to know the criminal and I think I'll know more about the "Dragon" in the next pages.
..... page 30 ..............................................
I continued reading this complicated novel and now I know more about the characters and I’m still discovering more and more about the Dragoners and their law.
I think that I’m addicted to this book now!! This novel has something strange for me because it makes me happy then after one moment it makes me sad. Also it can make me happy and angry at the same time. To be happy and angry at the same time is a strange thing and you may say that I’m mad, but let me tell you something about this contrast. As I’m reading about those people ( the dragoners) who can deny the existents of a human just because she did the thing that she had thought it is right and did not follow the stupid laws, as I’m reading and discovering new things about their way in thinking and following some old laws, I am glad that I can change my life freely when I know that I need this change. So I am happy that I’m not in that island and at the same time I’m angry because I wish I could enter this book and change these laws and tell the people who talked about Genevieve Sloan as a traitor and tell them that she has the honor because of her desire to change life into the better.
The Dragon law does not allow anybody to enter that island except whom was given a special permission such as the education inspectors! Can you imagine to live in a town, see the same people every day, do the same job every day, without anything new? No I can’t, simply because I need the “new” , everybody needs the “new” to live without depression and to succeed.
I didn’t finish this book because sometimes I don’t believe what I’ve already read and goes back and read some pages again!
I hope that in the next chapters something new will happen, I really want to rescue the dragoners from their thoughts, I want them to change their minds and go to other places.
I want to ask Knight Jackson (the private investigator who goes to the island) did you love Keely ( Genevieve’s friend) ??? I want to ask him because I think that I loved her.. She is beautiful, smart, and shares me my ideas!
Next week I will tell you more and more about the story because I talked a lot about my opinions, my reactions and my feelings.
.........page 70...........................................
I think it became a habit for me to sit and start reading this novel at special times every week; I think this is the reason why I’m reading this novel slowly. Although I have read few English books, I can say that this book is a special one which I will tell my children about one day because it talks about me and my fears in someway.
First I want to tell you a little about what happened. As I said, Jack goes to the island in order to know more about the dragoners and to make sure that Genevieve
is from there. After he meets the keeper of the island and knows that he has to get out of the island as soon as he can, so he goes to the dragon heart - a cliff near the shore - by mistake because he was looking for a safe place to wait for the boat which will pick him up from this island, but something hits his head and he falls in that place. At this time, Keely goes there because she knows there is something wrong happens to the “stranger” and she rescue him and help him to go out from the island in the same way she helped her friend - Genevieve
- before.
Let me explain why I said that this novel talks about me and about my fears in someway. Actually, not the novel, but Keely who does. Keely is the woman who suffers severely because her friend died, and me, at this time I really know what does the word “friend” means, especially after I left my friends and came to this country. Also, Keely knows that she believes in something wrong, and lives a conflict with herself because she wants to change herself but does not have the strength to do that. About me, I know that there are some few things that I have to change in myself, but I seem to be not brave enough to do this. I’m not talking about my believes, but I’m talking about some small things in my life that I need to change.
It is a special story, but it became more interesting - in my opinion- when Keely takes Jack to a safe place near the shore and starts talking with him about several things such as the dragon rules, Genevieve
, and many other things that she have never talked about. When I read this part, I really lived the story, I felt like I’m not reading a novel, but like I am there in that place with Keely and Jack and I’m watching them and listening to them.
I like the “first” things very much. So I flew in the sky above Kelly and Jack and watched Keely starts her first love. It was a nice feeling because I lived the experience again and remembered the moment when I lived the experience for the first time.
I forgot the whole story and focused on Keely who needs the change, and I’m waiting for her decision to go to Jack and starts new life with him because now I believe that heart is more reasonable than mind sometimes.
------------------------------------------------------------
October 20, 2008
Before I finish this wonderful novel, I thought that I can write a summery for this book as the last review, but as soon as I finished reading I found that it is not fair to summarize such a great novel, because I will never be able to describe this treasure in a way that reflects its value.
This book have all the humans’ emotions: fear, love, hope, sadness, happiness , and it reflects the will of humans to change even when it seems impossible to change.
I loved “Keely” who changed the entire life of her society, and who discovered the truth. I respect her and I am sad because I understand that I can not find her in the real world.
When the isolated woman- Keely- left the island to the new world, she started learning everything about this new life; she learnt many simple things that everybody does everyday such as how to order food using the phone and I learnt all of that she learnt as well since I am in a new life just like her!
This was my second book and I think that English novels are new treasure for me that I have to discover by myself … I really want everyone who reads this review to read this book.
September 9, 2025
I read a mystery... I don't read mysteries often but that's the topic for the next book club meeting at the library.
I chose The Island. This mystery was interesting.
Set in England....and an island close to England. Scotland Yard, a dragon (really?)....an anachronistic colony, the death of an islander on the mainland... I liked it!
I chose The Island. This mystery was interesting.
Set in England....and an island close to England. Scotland Yard, a dragon (really?)....an anachronistic colony, the death of an islander on the mainland... I liked it!
December 5, 2023
This was a cozy beach read for me. I admit, at first the written accent of the islanders/dragoners was a little off-putting, but I easily got over it. It’s an intriguing mystery and romance story that rolls out well and realistically. The open door romance scene was a little much for my taste. Otherwise, the characters are interesting and I found myself turning the page and finishing this pretty quick. For those who like fun, summer reads…this is for you.
October 31, 2012
This was literally why fell in love with Romance novels. Everything I read now has to measure up. The suspense the romance! Incredible! Brilliantly written. :)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews