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DC Beth Chamberlain #3
Hush Little Baby
Someone stole a baby...
One sunny day in July, someone took three-month-old Alicia Owen from her pram outside a supermarket. Her mother, Marie, was inside. No one saw who took Alicia. And no one could find her.
They silenced her cry...
Fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand in the ground. When the police investigate, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. Could it be Alicia?
But the truth will always out.
When Alicia disappeared, the papers accused Marie of detachment and neglect. The Owens never got over the grief of their child's disappearance and divorced not long after. By reopening the case, DC Beth Chamberlain must reopen old wounds. But the killer may be closer than anyone ever suspected...
One sunny day in July, someone took three-month-old Alicia Owen from her pram outside a supermarket. Her mother, Marie, was inside. No one saw who took Alicia. And no one could find her.
They silenced her cry...
Fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand in the ground. When the police investigate, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. Could it be Alicia?
But the truth will always out.
When Alicia disappeared, the papers accused Marie of detachment and neglect. The Owens never got over the grief of their child's disappearance and divorced not long after. By reopening the case, DC Beth Chamberlain must reopen old wounds. But the killer may be closer than anyone ever suspected...
400 pages, ebook
First published July 23, 2020
198 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Jane Isaac
45 books348 followersJane Isaac is married to a retired detective and they live in rural Northamptonshire, UK with their dogs, Bollo and Digity.
Jane is author of three bestselling detective series: DCI Helen Lavery, DI Will Jackman (based in Stratford upon Avon), and DC Beth Chamberlain (a Family Liaison Officer). She also writes standalone suspense novels.
Her books have been nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards' and selected as 'Thriller of the Month' by E-thriller.com.
Jane loves to hear from readers and writers. You can reach her via her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk where you can join her Readers' Club for information on new releases.
Jane is author of three bestselling detective series: DCI Helen Lavery, DI Will Jackman (based in Stratford upon Avon), and DC Beth Chamberlain (a Family Liaison Officer). She also writes standalone suspense novels.
Her books have been nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards' and selected as 'Thriller of the Month' by E-thriller.com.
Jane loves to hear from readers and writers. You can reach her via her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk where you can join her Readers' Club for information on new releases.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
June 23, 2020
A shocking discovery is made on a building site. The body of a baby encased in concrete is uncovered. Early signs suggest this might be Alicia Owens who disappeared fifteen years ago. Acting DS Beth Chamberlain is brought into the investigation and will act as the FLO with Acting DI Nick Geary working alongside her. There’s also unfinished business with escaped serial killer Dale Yates on the loose and this is never far from Beth’s mind.
I’ve read the previous two in this series but sadly I’m underwhelmed by this one - particularly disappointing as I’ve read a lot of the authors books and like them. The storyline and premise have potential and there are some moments of surprise and shock but I find the speed of the book a plod rather than a brisk pace. There’s too much reflection and not enough action and there should be tension as there are secrets within the families and couples involved. The baby case takes around 75% of the book and that is resolved and then it suddenly switches to another case and so if you haven’t read the two previous books in the series I think it will be be difficult to make sense of it. I think this is a confused book as it would have worked better if it had been either one or the other and tries to be both which results in neither being given the justice they deserve. The end is extremely abrupt and is somewhat of an anticlimax.
Overall, I enjoyed parts of the book, I really like the characters and think there’s plenty of mileage in the series.
With thanks to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC.
I’ve read the previous two in this series but sadly I’m underwhelmed by this one - particularly disappointing as I’ve read a lot of the authors books and like them. The storyline and premise have potential and there are some moments of surprise and shock but I find the speed of the book a plod rather than a brisk pace. There’s too much reflection and not enough action and there should be tension as there are secrets within the families and couples involved. The baby case takes around 75% of the book and that is resolved and then it suddenly switches to another case and so if you haven’t read the two previous books in the series I think it will be be difficult to make sense of it. I think this is a confused book as it would have worked better if it had been either one or the other and tries to be both which results in neither being given the justice they deserve. The end is extremely abrupt and is somewhat of an anticlimax.
Overall, I enjoyed parts of the book, I really like the characters and think there’s plenty of mileage in the series.
With thanks to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC.
August 3, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Beth ground her teeth. She’d rather hoped she’d be shot of Andrea after she’d left the team to support the chief, and here she was, returning like a bad smell that refused to go away.
My Review:
This was my second time reading Ms. Isaac’s work and I am duly impressed. As with her last book, there was a deeply troubling and mammoth mystery which lead to an intensely twisty and shrewdly plotted tale that had me blinking hard, rubbing my eyes, and biting my lips. I enjoy her unique writing style with blended storylines that were unpredictable, tragic, multi-layered, complex, and highly textured with compounded issues and long-held and heartbreaking secrets. The writing was compelling, deftly executed, evocative, and set each scene with thoughtful touches and interesting observations of ancillary movements and actions that kept the visuals scrolling smoothly in my mind’s eye. Jane Isaac is a clever and cunning wordsmith.
Beth ground her teeth. She’d rather hoped she’d be shot of Andrea after she’d left the team to support the chief, and here she was, returning like a bad smell that refused to go away.
My Review:
This was my second time reading Ms. Isaac’s work and I am duly impressed. As with her last book, there was a deeply troubling and mammoth mystery which lead to an intensely twisty and shrewdly plotted tale that had me blinking hard, rubbing my eyes, and biting my lips. I enjoy her unique writing style with blended storylines that were unpredictable, tragic, multi-layered, complex, and highly textured with compounded issues and long-held and heartbreaking secrets. The writing was compelling, deftly executed, evocative, and set each scene with thoughtful touches and interesting observations of ancillary movements and actions that kept the visuals scrolling smoothly in my mind’s eye. Jane Isaac is a clever and cunning wordsmith.
July 23, 2020
Fifteen years ago someone took 3-month-old Alicia Owen from her stroller that was outside the supermarket. The mother, Marie, was inside and took never saw who took her daughter. No one did.
Today a girl comes across a gruesome sight. A tiny hand in the ground. When police investigate, the find a baby buried and preserved in concrete.
The family has never recovered their loss. Marie and her husband divorced. One brother couldn't handle the grief and left shortly after. At the time of the disappearance, Marie was accused of being a bad mom for leaving her baby outside .. a case of neglect. The papers wondered if she had done something to her child ... no one actually saw the baby in her stroller.
DC Beth Chamberlain, working as liaison office to the family, reopens the case as the body of the baby has been DNA identified as Alicia. But more than paternity was discovered.
Who would have wanted to take this baby? Who wanted her dead? Chamberlain may be putting her own life at risk as the secrets from the past come barrelling to the light of day.
This is a real nail-biter, full of twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. The plot is tightly woven and includes skillfully written characters. Everyone seems to have secrets ... and some just aren't who they portray. Although third in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend reading the books in order to find those little gems that make this such an absorbing series.
Many thanks to the author / Aria Fiction / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 24, 2020
HUSH LITTLE BABY, a domestic crime thriller, is the third book in the DC Beth Chamberlain Series by Jane Isaac. Having loved the first two books in the series, I was anxious to start this one. This book reads perfectly as a standalone so don't worry if you are new to this series. This novel feature once again, Beth Chamberlain a Family Liaison Officer with the Northamptonshire Police. I am very familiar with this author as I have read the Detective Inspector Will Jackman Series, and really enjoyed them.
DC Beth Chamberlain Series
Book 1
After He's Gone
Book 2
Presumed Guilty
Book 3
Hush Little Baby
DC Beth Chamberlain, Family Liaison Officer, job is to support the victims’ families. Beth is a strong gutsy character. She knows how to get the job done. I loved her character. We get to observe her character both professionally and privately. Beth’s boyfriend is her supervisor…living dangerously! Both are deployed on the Homicide and Serious Crime Squad, and she recently applied for promotion. They kept their relationship a secret.
Fifteen years ago, three-month-old Alicia Owen was abducted from her pram outside a supermarket. Her mother, Marie, was inside. No one saw who took Alicia. There was no ransom note. She was wearing a silver bangle when she was taken. And no one could find her.
Marie who suffered from depression was accused of child neglect, and at that time was the prime suspect. Marie and her husband divorced, and both never got over the grief of their child’s disappearance. Life would never be the same…
Fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand in the ground. When the police investigate, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. Could it be Alicia?
By reopening the case, DC Beth Chamberlain as liaison officer to the family, must reopen old wounds. But the killer may be closer than anyone ever suspected...
This chilling crime thriller will have you glued to your seat to see how it would turn out. Intricate plot with well-developed characters. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the TBC Reviewer Request Group (Facebook) for my digital copy.
DC Beth Chamberlain Series
Book 1
After He's Gone
Book 2
Presumed Guilty
Book 3
Hush Little Baby
DC Beth Chamberlain, Family Liaison Officer, job is to support the victims’ families. Beth is a strong gutsy character. She knows how to get the job done. I loved her character. We get to observe her character both professionally and privately. Beth’s boyfriend is her supervisor…living dangerously! Both are deployed on the Homicide and Serious Crime Squad, and she recently applied for promotion. They kept their relationship a secret.
Fifteen years ago, three-month-old Alicia Owen was abducted from her pram outside a supermarket. Her mother, Marie, was inside. No one saw who took Alicia. There was no ransom note. She was wearing a silver bangle when she was taken. And no one could find her.
Marie who suffered from depression was accused of child neglect, and at that time was the prime suspect. Marie and her husband divorced, and both never got over the grief of their child’s disappearance. Life would never be the same…
Fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand in the ground. When the police investigate, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. Could it be Alicia?
By reopening the case, DC Beth Chamberlain as liaison officer to the family, must reopen old wounds. But the killer may be closer than anyone ever suspected...
This chilling crime thriller will have you glued to your seat to see how it would turn out. Intricate plot with well-developed characters. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the TBC Reviewer Request Group (Facebook) for my digital copy.
July 1, 2020
It is always sad when it's about a kidnapped child, and when is an infant it is even sadder.
An infant corpse is discovered on a construction site. Could it be Alicia's, from 15 years back? DC Beth is going to try and find out.
I enjoyed the book, even though the last part for me was too much.
Thanks for NetGalley and publisher for this opportunity.
An infant corpse is discovered on a construction site. Could it be Alicia's, from 15 years back? DC Beth is going to try and find out.
I enjoyed the book, even though the last part for me was too much.
Thanks for NetGalley and publisher for this opportunity.
July 18, 2020
DC Beth Chamberlain #3
On a sunny saying July, someone took three month old Alicia Owen from her pram outside a supermarket. No one saw who took her. Her mother, Marie, was inside. They couldn't find her. Now, fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand sticking out of the ground. The baby had been buried and preserved in concrete. Could this be baby Alicia's?
Beth Chamberlain is a Family Liaison Officer. It was nice to read a story from a FLO's rather than the leading Detectives investigating points of view. There is a couple of stories running through the book but we focus on them one at a time with just a little bit of the stories overlapping. There's a few twist and turns and the book is well written. I did not know that this was the third book in this series when I requested it. There were references to a previous book so I don't think it reads well as a standalone.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Aria and the author Jane Isaac for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
On a sunny saying July, someone took three month old Alicia Owen from her pram outside a supermarket. No one saw who took her. Her mother, Marie, was inside. They couldn't find her. Now, fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand sticking out of the ground. The baby had been buried and preserved in concrete. Could this be baby Alicia's?
Beth Chamberlain is a Family Liaison Officer. It was nice to read a story from a FLO's rather than the leading Detectives investigating points of view. There is a couple of stories running through the book but we focus on them one at a time with just a little bit of the stories overlapping. There's a few twist and turns and the book is well written. I did not know that this was the third book in this series when I requested it. There were references to a previous book so I don't think it reads well as a standalone.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Aria and the author Jane Isaac for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2020
4 emotional/ heartbreaking Stars
This is my first Jane Isaac novel. I am excited to find an author who just may become one of my favorites!
Although it is Book #3 in the DC Beth Chamberlain series, it wasn’t necessary to have read the other two novels. However, I certainly am looking forward to reading another.
Story is about a three-month old Alicia being taken from her pram outside a supermarket. Now fifteen years later a baby’s body is found and believed to be baby Alicia.
Story is a page turning domestic crime thriller. I honestly could not put it down.
Jane Isaac is great at throwing in twist and turns. I liked that she was able to handle dark areas that most of don’t want to read or know about however, we know they happen. She was able to do this without all the typical profanity that most authors seem to believe necessary.
This heartbreaking mystery is solved and another missing child story surfaces when Beth’s 7 year old niece Lily is missing. A serial killer from DC Beth Chamberlain’s past has been spotted following Beth. There is fear that he has kidnapped Lily to get back at Beth.
.Want to thank NetGalley and Aria Books for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 23, 2020
This is my first Jane Isaac novel. I am excited to find an author who just may become one of my favorites!
Although it is Book #3 in the DC Beth Chamberlain series, it wasn’t necessary to have read the other two novels. However, I certainly am looking forward to reading another.
Story is about a three-month old Alicia being taken from her pram outside a supermarket. Now fifteen years later a baby’s body is found and believed to be baby Alicia.
Story is a page turning domestic crime thriller. I honestly could not put it down.
Jane Isaac is great at throwing in twist and turns. I liked that she was able to handle dark areas that most of don’t want to read or know about however, we know they happen. She was able to do this without all the typical profanity that most authors seem to believe necessary.
This heartbreaking mystery is solved and another missing child story surfaces when Beth’s 7 year old niece Lily is missing. A serial killer from DC Beth Chamberlain’s past has been spotted following Beth. There is fear that he has kidnapped Lily to get back at Beth.
.Want to thank NetGalley and Aria Books for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 23, 2020
July 20, 2020
Hush Little Baby by Jane Isaac is the third book in family Liaison Officer Beth Chamberlain series and can be read as a stand alone though the later half of the book refers to something that happened in Beth’s past .An entertaining plot with twists and turns made it an enjoyable read . Will look forward to more in the series !
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
July 29, 2020
I haven't read a gripping police procedural in a while so Hush Little Baby came along at the right time for me!
What I liked about this one was the police officer Beth was actually a Family Liaison Officer which is a really interesting role and not one that's usually at the forefront of a crime thriller. This way we got to be really involved with the family and their reactions as the plot played out.
And the plot itself was so interesting. I did struggle to get into it at first and I will say there should be trigger warnings for death of an infant, stillbirth and rape. Some of the descriptions initially really played on my mind, they weren't particularly graphic, it was more the language used and I think I kept picturing my own young daughter which didn't help. Maybe not a book for mums of quite young children unless you are easily able to detach yourself from the story (I usually can but struggled with this one!)
The story is gripping and there are lots of twists and reveals I didn't see coming at all. It's a fairly quick read and addictive and enjoyable. I want to mention that it is the third book in a series and a lot of things are referred to which I assume happened in the previous book, in fact the very last chunk of the book was much more related to the previous in the series. However this didn't take away my enjoyment of Hush Little Baby but has given a lot of spoilers if I did want to go back to read the others. You all already know I'm a big fan of reading a crime series in order for full enjoyment!
If you like police procedurals and thrillers that keep you guessing I definitely recommend this one!
Gifted ebook from Aria fiction, all views are my own!
What I liked about this one was the police officer Beth was actually a Family Liaison Officer which is a really interesting role and not one that's usually at the forefront of a crime thriller. This way we got to be really involved with the family and their reactions as the plot played out.
And the plot itself was so interesting. I did struggle to get into it at first and I will say there should be trigger warnings for death of an infant, stillbirth and rape. Some of the descriptions initially really played on my mind, they weren't particularly graphic, it was more the language used and I think I kept picturing my own young daughter which didn't help. Maybe not a book for mums of quite young children unless you are easily able to detach yourself from the story (I usually can but struggled with this one!)
The story is gripping and there are lots of twists and reveals I didn't see coming at all. It's a fairly quick read and addictive and enjoyable. I want to mention that it is the third book in a series and a lot of things are referred to which I assume happened in the previous book, in fact the very last chunk of the book was much more related to the previous in the series. However this didn't take away my enjoyment of Hush Little Baby but has given a lot of spoilers if I did want to go back to read the others. You all already know I'm a big fan of reading a crime series in order for full enjoyment!
If you like police procedurals and thrillers that keep you guessing I definitely recommend this one!
Gifted ebook from Aria fiction, all views are my own!
July 28, 2020
They had no idea what was coming next...
The killer's words had me all jittery with eagerness at what was awaiting me just round the corner. Author Jane Isaac's new book with a missing child found 15 years later entombed in a slab of concrete stopped my heart at the imagery.
Beth Chamberlain, the family liason, was empathetic, yet had the core of steel running through her. She was back, and she made the book appear brighter and suspenseful.
Beth along with her partner and boss Nick was meticulous in her work and caring with her emotions. The story dealt with the child's case along with another mystery from the earlier books. This was at a slightly slower pace as it was a cold case. The book could have concentrated on only one case. It would made it more interesting as a lost child was an intriguing arc.
Having read most books by this author, I loved the format in which she wrote where I got to know points of investigation, the family's thoughts, and in this, the perpetrator's. The story had some gentle twists. All that made the book into a fun read.
Overall, I enjoyed my breakfast read at a sedate pace.
The killer's words had me all jittery with eagerness at what was awaiting me just round the corner. Author Jane Isaac's new book with a missing child found 15 years later entombed in a slab of concrete stopped my heart at the imagery.
Beth Chamberlain, the family liason, was empathetic, yet had the core of steel running through her. She was back, and she made the book appear brighter and suspenseful.
Beth along with her partner and boss Nick was meticulous in her work and caring with her emotions. The story dealt with the child's case along with another mystery from the earlier books. This was at a slightly slower pace as it was a cold case. The book could have concentrated on only one case. It would made it more interesting as a lost child was an intriguing arc.
Having read most books by this author, I loved the format in which she wrote where I got to know points of investigation, the family's thoughts, and in this, the perpetrator's. The story had some gentle twists. All that made the book into a fun read.
Overall, I enjoyed my breakfast read at a sedate pace.
September 15, 2020
Hush Little Baby is a domestic crime thriller that is set in the United Kingdom. It is the third part of a series featuring cop Beth Chamberlain but it can easily be read as a stand-alone - I hadn’t read the previous books.
Fifteen years ago a baby was taken from her pram and the unsolved case became famous throughout the local region.
Fifteen years later a young girl accidentally discovers a baby’s hand sticking out from the ground. The police find that the body is preserved in concrete.
The whole of the local area is agog. Could this be baby Alicia?
This novel is a good police procedural with an intelligently crafted plot. It contains some well-crafted characters: hardworking, brave Beth is a heroine and I loved the names and descriptions of the ‘baddies’ - the McNamara brothers and Jimmy Carvel.
The only aspect I wasn’t keen on is the book’s title. From it, I’d never have thought the book was a domestic crime thriller. I don’t feel the title fits with the genre or adds anything to the overall package.
The book is, however, a real thriller which will have you turning pages well into the night!
For that reason I am awarding it 5 stars.
June 12, 2020
This is book 3 in the DC Beth Chamberlain series and fans of the earlier books will love this one. While I wouldn’t advise it, anyone new to the Beth books would find this works as a standalone. If I have any complaint about this series it’s that you get so drawn into the stories you read quicker and quicker and then you are done, usually within a day. The last few chapters of this one were nail bitingly tense. I really enjoy Jane Isaac’s style of writing and she is able to tackle some dark topics and still keep it palatable for the reader. I hope there will be further books in the series as in some ways it feels like we are just getting started. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2020
When a teenager sneaks into a building site for a quick smoke before school she is totally unprepared to see what appears to be an infant's hand sticking out of a concrete block! Fifteen years earlier Alicia was taken from her pram outside a small supermarket. He disappearance was all the more tragic as her twin died at birth. Beth Chamberlain is appointed to be the Family Liaison Officer to try & help the family come to terms with the discovery & attempt to find out what happened.
I like seeing a FLO at work- a character that crops up in so many police procedural novels. I also really like Beth, she is a great character & I have enjoyed seeing her grow in confidence as the series has progressed. This was a great read for most of it, but for me the last part seemed to have been stuck on the end as the page numbers were coming up short! That's why I couldn't give this five stars. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this week. I'm already looking forward to the next one!
I like seeing a FLO at work- a character that crops up in so many police procedural novels. I also really like Beth, she is a great character & I have enjoyed seeing her grow in confidence as the series has progressed. This was a great read for most of it, but for me the last part seemed to have been stuck on the end as the page numbers were coming up short! That's why I couldn't give this five stars. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this week. I'm already looking forward to the next one!
June 14, 2020
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
The corpse of a baby is discovered on a building site and Beth is appointed to liaise with the family who lost their baby 15 years ago. This was a fast-paced read, but strangely anti-climactic in many ways. There is a mystery about the parentage of the dead baby, but that thread sort of fizzles out. Hours are spent searching for a missing family member, and then that thread is abandoned. The facts surrounding the baby's disappearance and death (which are ultimately uncovered when the person responsible spontaneously confesses) are just not that interesting in the end.
This takes you to 80% of the book and then an entirely different story gets going, which only really makes sense if you have read the previous instalment. Not the best in this series.
The corpse of a baby is discovered on a building site and Beth is appointed to liaise with the family who lost their baby 15 years ago. This was a fast-paced read, but strangely anti-climactic in many ways. There is a mystery about the parentage of the dead baby, but that thread sort of fizzles out. Hours are spent searching for a missing family member, and then that thread is abandoned. The facts surrounding the baby's disappearance and death (which are ultimately uncovered when the person responsible spontaneously confesses) are just not that interesting in the end.
This takes you to 80% of the book and then an entirely different story gets going, which only really makes sense if you have read the previous instalment. Not the best in this series.
July 28, 2020
I have been a fan of Jane's work for a while now. I have read and loved each and every book that she has released to date. Whenever Jane writes a new book, I grab myself a copy and squirrel myself away until I have finished reading it. Jane's latest release is called 'Hush Little Baby' and it was released on 23rd July 2020. It's another cracker from Jane, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I love the character of DC Beth Chamberlain, who is a family liaison officer, and I took to her from the start. She is a dedicated police officer, who often goes above and beyond the call of duty. Beth is kind, compassionate, caring, determined, tough, tenacious, persistent, hard working, ambitious, feisty and occasionally very stubborn. 'Hush Little Baby' sees Beth secure a temporary promotion to Acting Detective Sergeant and she resolves to make a good impression. Beth puts her heart and soul into a case and you can be sure that Beth will not rest until she has solved the case and made sure that the perpetrator has been punished.
I must be honest and say that I found 'Hush Little Baby' to be a bit difficult to read at the start. I don't mean that in a negative way or that the book is badly written, because that could not be further from the truth. The reason why I found it difficult to read is the fact that it deals with the death of a young baby and it describes the parents' feelings and the pictures etc. Now I have never had a baby, but I did have a brother (who wasn't ginger), who sadly passed away at the age of 4 days. During the Seventies (when my brother was born) things were a lot different and we have no photos or proof of his existence except for his birth and death certificate. Anyway that's enough of my personal history. What I will say is that Jane has more than adequately captured the feelings that parents of a dead baby goes through and the raw emotion that comes with such a situation.
When I did get into 'Hush Little Baby' that was it and I found it impossible to put the book down for any length of time. The case intrigued me and I had to know who had done what and why. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I was not willing to break. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about it. If I had to put the book to one side for any reason, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I seemed to race through the story and the pages turned increasingly quickly the further through the book I was getting. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say a farewell to Acting DS Beth Chamberlain.
'Hush Little Baby' is excellently written. Whenever you pick up a book written by Jane Isaac, you are guaranteed one hell of a fast paced and gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. That's how I felt at any rate. Nothing gets your attention quicker than the discovery of a body. Jane grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into this investigation, which had several twists and turns. Just when I thought that I had fathomed out who had done what and why, Jane snuck a twist into the tale, which sent me down another path entirely. Jane writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Hush Little Baby' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jane's work in the future and I will be first in the queue on release day. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I love the character of DC Beth Chamberlain, who is a family liaison officer, and I took to her from the start. She is a dedicated police officer, who often goes above and beyond the call of duty. Beth is kind, compassionate, caring, determined, tough, tenacious, persistent, hard working, ambitious, feisty and occasionally very stubborn. 'Hush Little Baby' sees Beth secure a temporary promotion to Acting Detective Sergeant and she resolves to make a good impression. Beth puts her heart and soul into a case and you can be sure that Beth will not rest until she has solved the case and made sure that the perpetrator has been punished.
I must be honest and say that I found 'Hush Little Baby' to be a bit difficult to read at the start. I don't mean that in a negative way or that the book is badly written, because that could not be further from the truth. The reason why I found it difficult to read is the fact that it deals with the death of a young baby and it describes the parents' feelings and the pictures etc. Now I have never had a baby, but I did have a brother (who wasn't ginger), who sadly passed away at the age of 4 days. During the Seventies (when my brother was born) things were a lot different and we have no photos or proof of his existence except for his birth and death certificate. Anyway that's enough of my personal history. What I will say is that Jane has more than adequately captured the feelings that parents of a dead baby goes through and the raw emotion that comes with such a situation.
When I did get into 'Hush Little Baby' that was it and I found it impossible to put the book down for any length of time. The case intrigued me and I had to know who had done what and why. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I was not willing to break. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about it. If I had to put the book to one side for any reason, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I seemed to race through the story and the pages turned increasingly quickly the further through the book I was getting. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say a farewell to Acting DS Beth Chamberlain.
'Hush Little Baby' is excellently written. Whenever you pick up a book written by Jane Isaac, you are guaranteed one hell of a fast paced and gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. That's how I felt at any rate. Nothing gets your attention quicker than the discovery of a body. Jane grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into this investigation, which had several twists and turns. Just when I thought that I had fathomed out who had done what and why, Jane snuck a twist into the tale, which sent me down another path entirely. Jane writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Hush Little Baby' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jane's work in the future and I will be first in the queue on release day. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
July 18, 2020
I really enjoyed the opening of an old case thanks to the sighting of a hand on the building site. Great way to open the story.
I liked DC Beth Chamerlain's character, her sensitivity and compassion in her role as family liaison officer and
I also enjoyed her burgeoning relationship with Nick who seems like such a nice guy.
The investigation is well paced and the interviews with Marie and Daniel, Vic and Cara, all help the plot stay intriguing. The reader is kept guessing and wondering what on earth happened 15 years ago that baby Alicia was never found. I felt incredibly sorry for Marie who seemed to have so much heartache to contend with, not to mention a fair few secrets, and I found Daniel's loneliness heartbreaking.
I loved the twists and the eventual solving of the crime.
The bit I wasn't so sure about was Beth's sister Eden and her involvement with criminal Kyle.
I understand that the end part of the novel ties in with loss of a child, the fear when a child goes missing and the desperation one would feel to be in that position, but it felt a little too tagged on the end for me and the brief tension over an escaped convict too neatly and quickly resolved.
I think I would have preferred the secondary storyline not to have been present at all and for the ending to have simply been the conclusion of the cold case.
However as I suspect there is more to follow, I do appreciate that the author is setting up future ways in which the characters will develop and part of that is also having back stories humming away in the background.
Overall I enjoyed the book and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another Jane Isaac novel and I definitely want to carry on following Beth Chamberlain!
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication.
I liked DC Beth Chamerlain's character, her sensitivity and compassion in her role as family liaison officer and
I also enjoyed her burgeoning relationship with Nick who seems like such a nice guy.
The investigation is well paced and the interviews with Marie and Daniel, Vic and Cara, all help the plot stay intriguing. The reader is kept guessing and wondering what on earth happened 15 years ago that baby Alicia was never found. I felt incredibly sorry for Marie who seemed to have so much heartache to contend with, not to mention a fair few secrets, and I found Daniel's loneliness heartbreaking.
I loved the twists and the eventual solving of the crime.
The bit I wasn't so sure about was Beth's sister Eden and her involvement with criminal Kyle.
I understand that the end part of the novel ties in with loss of a child, the fear when a child goes missing and the desperation one would feel to be in that position, but it felt a little too tagged on the end for me and the brief tension over an escaped convict too neatly and quickly resolved.
I think I would have preferred the secondary storyline not to have been present at all and for the ending to have simply been the conclusion of the cold case.
However as I suspect there is more to follow, I do appreciate that the author is setting up future ways in which the characters will develop and part of that is also having back stories humming away in the background.
Overall I enjoyed the book and wouldn't hesitate to pick up another Jane Isaac novel and I definitely want to carry on following Beth Chamberlain!
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication.
August 2, 2020
When the body of a child, missing for decade and a half, is found, the never closed investigation is ramped up. First, the must make sure the DNA matches the parents' DNA, proving the identity of the child. Then, they need to solve the case for the body that's been entombed in concrete. This British based crime story follows Detective Constable Beth Chamberlain as she picks up the case and faces down the family dismantled by the tragedy.
This is a fascinating character driven suspense read with lots of twist and turns. The main focus is on the still grieving mother of Alicia Owen, Marie Russell, as she has to face up to her fears and the secrets she's held onto over the many years. The story unfolds in her voice and also that of the newly assigned detective. Beth works in a liaison manner capacity to the family, working to understand the events surrounding the disappearance. Both woman have unique family situations and relationships that complicate their feelings surrounding the discovery. The story is well paced, allowing to reader to get to know each woman and the history. We learn that there's more than one crime that must be solved.
While this book us part of a series focused on Beth, it's not entirely necessary to have read the previous books. Hush Little Baby is the first book by Jane Isaac that I've read and i was able easily see where the previous stories were playing into this book. I will definitely read more from this author.
This is a fascinating character driven suspense read with lots of twist and turns. The main focus is on the still grieving mother of Alicia Owen, Marie Russell, as she has to face up to her fears and the secrets she's held onto over the many years. The story unfolds in her voice and also that of the newly assigned detective. Beth works in a liaison manner capacity to the family, working to understand the events surrounding the disappearance. Both woman have unique family situations and relationships that complicate their feelings surrounding the discovery. The story is well paced, allowing to reader to get to know each woman and the history. We learn that there's more than one crime that must be solved.
While this book us part of a series focused on Beth, it's not entirely necessary to have read the previous books. Hush Little Baby is the first book by Jane Isaac that I've read and i was able easily see where the previous stories were playing into this book. I will definitely read more from this author.
July 26, 2020
Hush Little Baby is #3 in the series featuring DC Beth Chamberlain, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
Three month old baby Alicia had been taken from her pram…..disappeared without a trace.
Now, 15 years later the remains of a baby’s body have been found buried on a construction site.
DC Beth Chamberlain is the family liaison officer, assigned to the family and is trying to find the answers they need.
When DNA evidence is found, it throws more questions and thingsgets increasingly dangerous for Beth….and her family.
Wow, another nail biter of a psychological thriller from Jane Issac. It’s full of emotion and an almost unbearable sense of tension which makes this a true pager turner. I loved every nerve wracking moment…..
Thank you to Vicky and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Hush Little Baby. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Three month old baby Alicia had been taken from her pram…..disappeared without a trace.
Now, 15 years later the remains of a baby’s body have been found buried on a construction site.
DC Beth Chamberlain is the family liaison officer, assigned to the family and is trying to find the answers they need.
When DNA evidence is found, it throws more questions and thingsgets increasingly dangerous for Beth….and her family.
Wow, another nail biter of a psychological thriller from Jane Issac. It’s full of emotion and an almost unbearable sense of tension which makes this a true pager turner. I loved every nerve wracking moment…..
Thank you to Vicky and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Hush Little Baby. This is my honest and unbiased review.
July 26, 2020
Hush Little Baby is #3 in the series featuring DC Beth Chamberlain, but can also be read as a stand-alone.
Three month old baby Alicia had been taken from her pram…..disappeared without a trace.
Now, 15 years later the remains of a baby’s body have been found buried on a construction site.
DC Beth Chamberlain is the family liaison officer, assigned to the family and is trying to find the answers they need.
When DNA evidence is found, it throws more questions and thingsgets increasingly dangerous for Beth….and her family.
Wow, another nail biter of a psychological thriller from Jane Issac. It’s full of emotion and an almost unbearable sense of tension which makes this a true pager turner. I loved every nerve wracking moment…..
Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of Hush Little Baby. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Three month old baby Alicia had been taken from her pram…..disappeared without a trace.
Now, 15 years later the remains of a baby’s body have been found buried on a construction site.
DC Beth Chamberlain is the family liaison officer, assigned to the family and is trying to find the answers they need.
When DNA evidence is found, it throws more questions and thingsgets increasingly dangerous for Beth….and her family.
Wow, another nail biter of a psychological thriller from Jane Issac. It’s full of emotion and an almost unbearable sense of tension which makes this a true pager turner. I loved every nerve wracking moment…..
Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of Hush Little Baby. This is my honest and unbiased review.
July 25, 2020
Hush Little Baby is the 3rd book by Beth Chamberlain I didn't read the other 2 but you can read this book as a standalone...
The book follows 2 timelines Past and the present...
In the present a young girl stops for a ciggie and sees an arm sticking out of some concrete they think it could be the missing baby Alicia that went missing 15 years ago.... The Owens never got over the grief of their child's disappearance and divorced not long after.
DC Beth Chamberlain as liaison officer to the family, must reopen old wounds.
Overall a good book but i think i need to read the other 2 books as well.
The book follows 2 timelines Past and the present...
In the present a young girl stops for a ciggie and sees an arm sticking out of some concrete they think it could be the missing baby Alicia that went missing 15 years ago.... The Owens never got over the grief of their child's disappearance and divorced not long after.
DC Beth Chamberlain as liaison officer to the family, must reopen old wounds.
Overall a good book but i think i need to read the other 2 books as well.
July 14, 2020
Been a while since I last read a Beth Chamberlain book. Good to read a book where the characters are familiar to you. This was a fast paced story which made you want to keep reading. A few unexpected twists along the way. An explosive ending. Looking forward to the next book. Thank you to TBC and to the author for the chance to read this title in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2020
Not a bad read overall, characters were well developed and it was well written.
It didn't really have the 'grab factor' for me unfortunately and I don't think I will read more from this author.
It didn't really have the 'grab factor' for me unfortunately and I don't think I will read more from this author.
June 11, 2020
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review. Well written book, with basically two stories that converge. I liked it.
June 15, 2020
Hush Little Baby is the story of a missing child. Alicia was taken 15 years ago and the family are still waiting for answers.
Then the body of a baby is found and DNA confirms it is Alicia. Who took her and how and why did she die?
This is the first book I have read by Jane Issac. I only discovered after I started reading this book that it is one in a series about Family Liaison Officer Beth Chamberlain, not to be put off I carried on reading but for me it does have a bearing on the review.
Most books in a series can be read as a stand-alone. This is because the author puts enough info in to help out any new readers without retelling the story for people who are up to date isn’t the series. Although there were elements of that in this book, I found this book to be more like two stories in one and because I hadn’t read the previous books about cases Beth had dealt with before I was left disappointed.
I was invested in the story of the disappearance of Alicia and busy trying to work out what had happened to her, taking in to account each of the families account of the day she went missing. Then all of a sudden it was over, case solved, around 70/75% of the way in to the book. Alicia’s case was over and it moved on to a complete new story tying in a previous case of Beth’s - that I knew nothing about?!
It would definitely be beneficial to have read the books in order but even if I had done that and I understood more about Beth’s previous cases I would have been disappointed about quick the case of baby Alicia was over. There wasn’t a big build up and a twist as is common in this sort of novel. For me it was a bit of an anticlimax and I felt a bit cheated.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Then the body of a baby is found and DNA confirms it is Alicia. Who took her and how and why did she die?
This is the first book I have read by Jane Issac. I only discovered after I started reading this book that it is one in a series about Family Liaison Officer Beth Chamberlain, not to be put off I carried on reading but for me it does have a bearing on the review.
Most books in a series can be read as a stand-alone. This is because the author puts enough info in to help out any new readers without retelling the story for people who are up to date isn’t the series. Although there were elements of that in this book, I found this book to be more like two stories in one and because I hadn’t read the previous books about cases Beth had dealt with before I was left disappointed.
I was invested in the story of the disappearance of Alicia and busy trying to work out what had happened to her, taking in to account each of the families account of the day she went missing. Then all of a sudden it was over, case solved, around 70/75% of the way in to the book. Alicia’s case was over and it moved on to a complete new story tying in a previous case of Beth’s - that I knew nothing about?!
It would definitely be beneficial to have read the books in order but even if I had done that and I understood more about Beth’s previous cases I would have been disappointed about quick the case of baby Alicia was over. There wasn’t a big build up and a twist as is common in this sort of novel. For me it was a bit of an anticlimax and I felt a bit cheated.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2020
I'll start off by saying that I didn't know this was the third book in a series when I picked it up (although it did feel like background was definitely missing,) and while that might have made the serial killer aspect of this book make more sense, the focal crime wasn't compelling enough to stand on its own.
A teenager playing hooky from school hides on a construction site to sneak a cigarette and stumbles upon the arm of a baby sticking out from a block of concrete. The only baby reported missing in the area disappeared fifteen years earlier, and it's up to DC Beth Chamberlain to inform the family and help support them through the new investigation.
Absolutely compelling on its surface -- even as reading about the body of a dead baby is obviously quite uncomfortable -- the outcome and the approach to discovering the outcome was a letdown. The outcome itself wasn't a big surprise. The why might have been unexpected, but not necessarily the who.
However, that being said, I really did like DC Beth Chamberlain's character, and I liked the secret relationship she had with her superior on the police force, Nick. I think if I went back and read the first two books, that developing relationship story would be the best part.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc of this book. It has not influenced my opinion.
A teenager playing hooky from school hides on a construction site to sneak a cigarette and stumbles upon the arm of a baby sticking out from a block of concrete. The only baby reported missing in the area disappeared fifteen years earlier, and it's up to DC Beth Chamberlain to inform the family and help support them through the new investigation.
Absolutely compelling on its surface -- even as reading about the body of a dead baby is obviously quite uncomfortable -- the outcome and the approach to discovering the outcome was a letdown. The outcome itself wasn't a big surprise. The why might have been unexpected, but not necessarily the who.
However, that being said, I really did like DC Beth Chamberlain's character, and I liked the secret relationship she had with her superior on the police force, Nick. I think if I went back and read the first two books, that developing relationship story would be the best part.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the arc of this book. It has not influenced my opinion.
September 10, 2021
A crime thriller that's a police procedural with a touch of domestic suspense, HUSH LITTLE BABY is the third in the DC Beth Chamberlain series. I was glad to find this book so much better than the previous one although it still felt a little drawn out in parts, weighing it down in the middle. Still, it was a relatively enjoyable read.
Teenager Jordan skips registration and skives off school to hunker down at a building site for a cheeky cigarette. She did not expect to make the discover that she did. The bare arm of a child protruding from the the rubble surrounding a block of concrete. She screams, alerting the construction crew on site, and scarpering as the builders approach.
DC Beth Chamberlain is enjoying a day off with her sister Eden and her daughter Lily when her mobile rings. It can only mean one thing. Work. Her sergeant and lover, DS Nick Geary, informs her of the discovery of a infant's remains encased in a block of concrete. Almost at once, her superiors recall a case from fifteen years previous. Alicia Owens disappeared along with her pram after her mother Marie, not wanting to disturb the sleeping three month old, had left it unattended to pick up a few groceries. When she returned, Alicia had gone alone with her pram. A search prevailed the pram but the attachable car seat and Alicia's change bag were nowhere to be found.
Could this be baby Alicia?
The investigation into identifying the infant's remains lead to Beth and Nick informing the Owens family to prepare them for the possibility of it being Alicia. What ensues is the re-examination of the old case and the opening up of old wounds. Acting as Family Liaison Officer to both parents despite the couple divorcing twelve years before, Beth takes Marie and her former husband Daniel's DNA to assist in identifying the remains. But what none of them expect is what the tests throw up...
But the case at hand is not the only thing on Beth's mind. At the conclusion of the previous book, they had learned that the serial killer they had imprisoned had somehow escaped custody and no one knew where he was. If he was smart, Dale Yates would be a long way from here. But then he had a score to settle and his own sense of warped justice to deliver. Since receiving this news, her superior DCI Freeman had ensured that Beth was never alone with Nick always remaining close by. But since his promotion to acting DI for the investigation into identifying the child's remains, his work hours have been somewhat extended leaving Beth to return home at night alone. Then little things started happening. Her side gate left unlocked. The sense of someone having been in her house. The care with the cloned plates tailgating her. Was this all just a coincidence? Or has Yates come for her?
As the first case is solved and wrapped up, Beth finds herself thrust to the forefront of another investigation...this time with her as a victim. The twist, which sees an unexpected turn of events concerning her sister, is a shock and leaves Beth reeling.
HUSH LITTLE BABY is a gripping thriller which focuses on both the police investigation as well as those of the victims and an anonymous person seemingly stalking the investigation. It's page-turning and entertaining enough to keep you engaged but the pace did dip a little in the middle before it raced to the end.
An enjoyable read, HUSH LITTLE BABY can be read as a standalone though it probably helps to read the preceding books to get a full understanding of the ongoing backstory.
I would like to thank #JaneIsaac, #Netgalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #HushLittleBaby in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Teenager Jordan skips registration and skives off school to hunker down at a building site for a cheeky cigarette. She did not expect to make the discover that she did. The bare arm of a child protruding from the the rubble surrounding a block of concrete. She screams, alerting the construction crew on site, and scarpering as the builders approach.
DC Beth Chamberlain is enjoying a day off with her sister Eden and her daughter Lily when her mobile rings. It can only mean one thing. Work. Her sergeant and lover, DS Nick Geary, informs her of the discovery of a infant's remains encased in a block of concrete. Almost at once, her superiors recall a case from fifteen years previous. Alicia Owens disappeared along with her pram after her mother Marie, not wanting to disturb the sleeping three month old, had left it unattended to pick up a few groceries. When she returned, Alicia had gone alone with her pram. A search prevailed the pram but the attachable car seat and Alicia's change bag were nowhere to be found.
Could this be baby Alicia?
The investigation into identifying the infant's remains lead to Beth and Nick informing the Owens family to prepare them for the possibility of it being Alicia. What ensues is the re-examination of the old case and the opening up of old wounds. Acting as Family Liaison Officer to both parents despite the couple divorcing twelve years before, Beth takes Marie and her former husband Daniel's DNA to assist in identifying the remains. But what none of them expect is what the tests throw up...
But the case at hand is not the only thing on Beth's mind. At the conclusion of the previous book, they had learned that the serial killer they had imprisoned had somehow escaped custody and no one knew where he was. If he was smart, Dale Yates would be a long way from here. But then he had a score to settle and his own sense of warped justice to deliver. Since receiving this news, her superior DCI Freeman had ensured that Beth was never alone with Nick always remaining close by. But since his promotion to acting DI for the investigation into identifying the child's remains, his work hours have been somewhat extended leaving Beth to return home at night alone. Then little things started happening. Her side gate left unlocked. The sense of someone having been in her house. The care with the cloned plates tailgating her. Was this all just a coincidence? Or has Yates come for her?
As the first case is solved and wrapped up, Beth finds herself thrust to the forefront of another investigation...this time with her as a victim. The twist, which sees an unexpected turn of events concerning her sister, is a shock and leaves Beth reeling.
HUSH LITTLE BABY is a gripping thriller which focuses on both the police investigation as well as those of the victims and an anonymous person seemingly stalking the investigation. It's page-turning and entertaining enough to keep you engaged but the pace did dip a little in the middle before it raced to the end.
An enjoyable read, HUSH LITTLE BABY can be read as a standalone though it probably helps to read the preceding books to get a full understanding of the ongoing backstory.
I would like to thank #JaneIsaac, #Netgalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #HushLittleBaby in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 8, 2020
The first thing that frew me to Hush Little Baby was the cover. It evokes the lullaby-quality of the title, but with the dark colours there is also that sense fo threat. Hush Little Baby gives the reader some of the best staples of the suspense genre, family strife and tragic pasts, but occasionally fails the landing. Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Many detective and suspense novels are part of a series, which can be half of the fun. As the reader, you become fond of the set cast of detectives and follow their arcs across the series. I imagine that the continuation also gives the author a baseline by which to start and organize every installment. However, the requirement for successful detective series, in my opinion, is that every story can be a standalone, that the series narrative doesn't stand in the way of developing each individual plot. In Hush Little Baby this is largely successful until the end where the events of previous books take over to such an extent that I, having not read them, did feel a bit lost.
In Hush Little Baby a young teenager is shocked to find a tiny hand emerging from a cement block. This leads to the discovery of the body of little Alicia, who was kidnapped fifteen years earlier. Her disappearance tore her family apart and was a bit of a national scandal. At the time, the culprit got away with it, but now DC Beth Chamberlain is on the case. As the Family Liaison Officer, she is right there with the family, having to open up old wounds and pry into their affairs. The perspective of an FLO is very interesting as it gives us all the delicious twists and turns of families hiding things from each other and the police. I do have to say I wasn't entirely pleased with the resolution to the disappearance of Alicia, but that could be due to the fact that the novel then continued on into, seemingly, resolving a story line from the previous books. It was an odd shift and kind of took away the emotional gravitas of the main plot.
This was my first book by Jane Isaac and I did very much enjoy her characterization of Beth Chamberlain. She is a very empathetic main character who is balancing a relationship with family troubles and a challenging case. A lot of time is spent building up what the consequences of the crime were for the family. As time has passed, certain wounds have healed, while others are still very much open. Quite a few family secrets are revealed, yet not all of them hit equally for me. A few twists are quite shocking but happen later on in the story when there isn't a lot of time left to wrap up the main plot. Overall, Hush Little Baby did have me gripped and I was eager to get to the resolution. However, I would give the advice to read the other two books in the DC Beth Chamverlain series before going into Hush Little Baby to get the full experience, as I did feel like I missed out on some of the enjoyment.
I enjoyed Hush Little Baby but found myself occasionally disappointed by the twists as well as by the ending. I would recommend reading the overall series, however, as this would make for a better reading experience.
Many detective and suspense novels are part of a series, which can be half of the fun. As the reader, you become fond of the set cast of detectives and follow their arcs across the series. I imagine that the continuation also gives the author a baseline by which to start and organize every installment. However, the requirement for successful detective series, in my opinion, is that every story can be a standalone, that the series narrative doesn't stand in the way of developing each individual plot. In Hush Little Baby this is largely successful until the end where the events of previous books take over to such an extent that I, having not read them, did feel a bit lost.
In Hush Little Baby a young teenager is shocked to find a tiny hand emerging from a cement block. This leads to the discovery of the body of little Alicia, who was kidnapped fifteen years earlier. Her disappearance tore her family apart and was a bit of a national scandal. At the time, the culprit got away with it, but now DC Beth Chamberlain is on the case. As the Family Liaison Officer, she is right there with the family, having to open up old wounds and pry into their affairs. The perspective of an FLO is very interesting as it gives us all the delicious twists and turns of families hiding things from each other and the police. I do have to say I wasn't entirely pleased with the resolution to the disappearance of Alicia, but that could be due to the fact that the novel then continued on into, seemingly, resolving a story line from the previous books. It was an odd shift and kind of took away the emotional gravitas of the main plot.
This was my first book by Jane Isaac and I did very much enjoy her characterization of Beth Chamberlain. She is a very empathetic main character who is balancing a relationship with family troubles and a challenging case. A lot of time is spent building up what the consequences of the crime were for the family. As time has passed, certain wounds have healed, while others are still very much open. Quite a few family secrets are revealed, yet not all of them hit equally for me. A few twists are quite shocking but happen later on in the story when there isn't a lot of time left to wrap up the main plot. Overall, Hush Little Baby did have me gripped and I was eager to get to the resolution. However, I would give the advice to read the other two books in the DC Beth Chamverlain series before going into Hush Little Baby to get the full experience, as I did feel like I missed out on some of the enjoyment.
I enjoyed Hush Little Baby but found myself occasionally disappointed by the twists as well as by the ending. I would recommend reading the overall series, however, as this would make for a better reading experience.
July 23, 2020
One sunny day in July, someone took three-month-old Alicia Owen from her pram outside a supermarket. Her mother, Marie, was inside. No one saw who took Alicia. And no one could find her. Fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand in the ground. When the police investigate, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. Could it be Alicia? When Alicia disappeared, the papers accused Marie of detachment and neglect. The Owens never got over the grief of their child's disappearance and divorced not long after. By reopening the case, DC Beth Chamberlain must reopen old wounds. But the killer may be closer than anyone ever suspected.
This is the third book in the Beth Chamberlain series but the first one I have read. I want to start by saying that as it is a sign of a good read and writer that I did not find this to be a negative and it did not hold me back in any way. Isaac clearly explains events that happened in previous reads if they prove to be relevant to this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and reading about an already established character.
The plot is a tough one and I found it to be very emotive. Isaac writes very sensitively and Beth just comes across as an amazing character, seeing how she interacts with the characters affected made for very special reading that you often do not get from a crime read. This brings me nicely onto the characters and Isaac does a great job with all of the characters; whether they are minor or major. All of them have a clear place in the read, they all bring something and most of them are very realistic. They are not all likeable but not everyone is going to be likeable so that works as well.
Isaac runs two plot threads throughout this and I enjoyed my time reading both of them. There are moments where they overlap but I think Isaac does a good job at keeping them separate and giving them both the power and space they deserve. Unusually, I could not say I preferred one over the other. They complement each other nicely and I looked forward to picking both of the threads up. This read does not have the most scintillating twists but it does not need them. I just enjoyed reading this difficult, yet gripping read.
'Hush Little Baby' is a really entertaining crime read with some very difficult subject matter. Beth Chamberlain is a stand-out character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for an advance copy.
This is the third book in the Beth Chamberlain series but the first one I have read. I want to start by saying that as it is a sign of a good read and writer that I did not find this to be a negative and it did not hold me back in any way. Isaac clearly explains events that happened in previous reads if they prove to be relevant to this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and reading about an already established character.
The plot is a tough one and I found it to be very emotive. Isaac writes very sensitively and Beth just comes across as an amazing character, seeing how she interacts with the characters affected made for very special reading that you often do not get from a crime read. This brings me nicely onto the characters and Isaac does a great job with all of the characters; whether they are minor or major. All of them have a clear place in the read, they all bring something and most of them are very realistic. They are not all likeable but not everyone is going to be likeable so that works as well.
Isaac runs two plot threads throughout this and I enjoyed my time reading both of them. There are moments where they overlap but I think Isaac does a good job at keeping them separate and giving them both the power and space they deserve. Unusually, I could not say I preferred one over the other. They complement each other nicely and I looked forward to picking both of the threads up. This read does not have the most scintillating twists but it does not need them. I just enjoyed reading this difficult, yet gripping read.
'Hush Little Baby' is a really entertaining crime read with some very difficult subject matter. Beth Chamberlain is a stand-out character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for an advance copy.
September 28, 2020
Gritty, hard-hitting and compulsively readable, best-selling author Jane Isaac does not shy away from tackling difficult issues in her page-turning crime thrillers and in Hush Little Baby she has once penned a shocking, spine-chilling and addictive read readers will struggle to put down.
When Marie had nipped into the supermarket for a couple of minutes and left her three month old baby Alicia in her pram outside, she never imagined that she would never see her daughter ever again. Nobody saw her daughter being taken. Nobody saw anything or anyone suspicious and with no clues or any leads to go on Alicia Owen had been lost forever. As the tabloid vultures zoomed in on this story, Marie had been depicted in the papers as a neglectful parent and the pressure had torn her and her husband apart. Nobody knows what really happened to Alicia, but could a teenager discovering a tiny hand on a construction site shed some light on a mystery that had destroyed a family and haunted the police for a decade and a half?
As the police begin their investigation, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. DC Beth Chamberlain find herself having to rattle the skeletons that have lain hidden in the Owens’ closet for all these years and by doing so opening a Pandora’s Box and unleashing a maelstrom of resentment, anger, frustration and betrayal.
As Beth continues digging, she begins to get closer and closer to uncovering the truth about what really happened to Alicia fifteen years ago.
As long-buried secrets come rushing to the surface, Beth is shocked to her very core when it seems that a dangerous killer is watching her every move waiting to strike again. A killer who is far closer than she had ever imagined…
Jane Isaac’s writing goes from strength to strength. Hush Little Baby is a thriller not for the faint of heart, but one that is densely plotted, brilliantly written, shocking, terrifying and so addictive that I was still turning the pages of this book in the middle of the night.
A multi-layered, chilling and creepy page-turner from a writer at the very top of her storytelling powers, Hush Little Baby is the latest captivating thriller from Jane Isaac.
When Marie had nipped into the supermarket for a couple of minutes and left her three month old baby Alicia in her pram outside, she never imagined that she would never see her daughter ever again. Nobody saw her daughter being taken. Nobody saw anything or anyone suspicious and with no clues or any leads to go on Alicia Owen had been lost forever. As the tabloid vultures zoomed in on this story, Marie had been depicted in the papers as a neglectful parent and the pressure had torn her and her husband apart. Nobody knows what really happened to Alicia, but could a teenager discovering a tiny hand on a construction site shed some light on a mystery that had destroyed a family and haunted the police for a decade and a half?
As the police begin their investigation, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. DC Beth Chamberlain find herself having to rattle the skeletons that have lain hidden in the Owens’ closet for all these years and by doing so opening a Pandora’s Box and unleashing a maelstrom of resentment, anger, frustration and betrayal.
As Beth continues digging, she begins to get closer and closer to uncovering the truth about what really happened to Alicia fifteen years ago.
As long-buried secrets come rushing to the surface, Beth is shocked to her very core when it seems that a dangerous killer is watching her every move waiting to strike again. A killer who is far closer than she had ever imagined…
Jane Isaac’s writing goes from strength to strength. Hush Little Baby is a thriller not for the faint of heart, but one that is densely plotted, brilliantly written, shocking, terrifying and so addictive that I was still turning the pages of this book in the middle of the night.
A multi-layered, chilling and creepy page-turner from a writer at the very top of her storytelling powers, Hush Little Baby is the latest captivating thriller from Jane Isaac.
August 2, 2020
A cold case might only be the beginning!
I thoroughly enjoyed Hush Little Baby. Indeed, I had originally said I couldn’t review in time for today’s blog post but I began reading just to get a feel for the book following Jane Isaac’s guest post and before I knew it I was engrossed in the story!
Although Hush Little Baby is the third in the DC Beth Chamberlain series, it didn’t matter at all that I hadn’t read the previous book in the series because Jane Isaac’s plotting is so cleverly constructed there was enough information to give me all the detail I needed without adversely impacting on this narrative or slowing it down. There’s a wonderful sense of control in the writing that means it’s a pleasure simply to lose yourself in the plot. There’s a fast pace, partly achieved through short, impactful chapters, and partly through the twists and turns of the case so that Hush Little Baby is equally convincing and exciting and totally entertaining. I found the dialogue very realistic too.
Beth is a smashing character. She is all the more appealing to me because she doesn’t have the unrealistic baggage that so many female characters in police narrative seem to be overburdened with. Certainly she has a past and her vulnerabilities and anxieties, but these feel integral and natural making her someone I believe in completely.
As well as enjoying the story and characters, I found the underlying themes of Hush Little Baby compelling too. The impact of the past on the present, how we construct our own truths and memories, and how we judge others, are concepts that slip along underneath the plot so that there is a hugely satisfying depth to the story that made me think. Resolutions in life are not always neatly sewn up and choices are not always easy to make. Jane Isaac presents these ideas sensitively so that they have real impact.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hush Little Baby and am delighted that the book ends with potential for a future story with Beth Chamberlain. I shall look forward to reading it.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hush Little Baby. Indeed, I had originally said I couldn’t review in time for today’s blog post but I began reading just to get a feel for the book following Jane Isaac’s guest post and before I knew it I was engrossed in the story!
Although Hush Little Baby is the third in the DC Beth Chamberlain series, it didn’t matter at all that I hadn’t read the previous book in the series because Jane Isaac’s plotting is so cleverly constructed there was enough information to give me all the detail I needed without adversely impacting on this narrative or slowing it down. There’s a wonderful sense of control in the writing that means it’s a pleasure simply to lose yourself in the plot. There’s a fast pace, partly achieved through short, impactful chapters, and partly through the twists and turns of the case so that Hush Little Baby is equally convincing and exciting and totally entertaining. I found the dialogue very realistic too.
Beth is a smashing character. She is all the more appealing to me because she doesn’t have the unrealistic baggage that so many female characters in police narrative seem to be overburdened with. Certainly she has a past and her vulnerabilities and anxieties, but these feel integral and natural making her someone I believe in completely.
As well as enjoying the story and characters, I found the underlying themes of Hush Little Baby compelling too. The impact of the past on the present, how we construct our own truths and memories, and how we judge others, are concepts that slip along underneath the plot so that there is a hugely satisfying depth to the story that made me think. Resolutions in life are not always neatly sewn up and choices are not always easy to make. Jane Isaac presents these ideas sensitively so that they have real impact.
I thoroughly enjoyed Hush Little Baby and am delighted that the book ends with potential for a future story with Beth Chamberlain. I shall look forward to reading it.
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