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Émile Cinq-Mars #9
Lady Jail
Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars is summoned to Quebec to investigate a murder in this locked-room mystery with a the victim is a criminal, and the suspects are already locked up . . .
Quebec, 1994 . Fraud artist Abigail, the newest arrival at the Joliette Institution for Women, is struggling to adjust to the prison's communal quarters. Her fellow inmates only give out the bare bones of their crimes, and it's quite the roll call. Doi took a hatchet to her own daughter. Malka poisoned her husband. And that's just for starters. Abigail keeps her head down, does her best to make friends with the band of killers, tries to survive.
But on an ordinary, quiet day, the extraordinary a prisoner is found face-down in a toilet stall, a strangulation wire around her neck. Trouble, Abigail realises, is ahead.
Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars is summoned from Montreal to investigate. He put Abigail away - and now she's the prime suspect. But other, darker, forces are interested in Abigail, and Emile interferes at his own peril. For as he'll soon discover, in Lady Jail, nothing is as it seems . . .
Quebec, 1994 . Fraud artist Abigail, the newest arrival at the Joliette Institution for Women, is struggling to adjust to the prison's communal quarters. Her fellow inmates only give out the bare bones of their crimes, and it's quite the roll call. Doi took a hatchet to her own daughter. Malka poisoned her husband. And that's just for starters. Abigail keeps her head down, does her best to make friends with the band of killers, tries to survive.
But on an ordinary, quiet day, the extraordinary a prisoner is found face-down in a toilet stall, a strangulation wire around her neck. Trouble, Abigail realises, is ahead.
Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars is summoned from Montreal to investigate. He put Abigail away - and now she's the prime suspect. But other, darker, forces are interested in Abigail, and Emile interferes at his own peril. For as he'll soon discover, in Lady Jail, nothing is as it seems . . .
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
6 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
John Farrow
33 books73 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Farrow is the pen name of Trevor Ferguson, a Canadian writer who has written seventeen novels and four plays and has been named Canada's best novelist in both Books in Canada and the Toronto Star. Under the name John Farrow, he has written ten crime novels featuring Émile Cinq-Mars which have been highly acclaimed and popular around the world. He was raised in Montreal and lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
John Farrow is the pen name of Trevor Ferguson, a Canadian writer who has written seventeen novels and four plays and has been named Canada's best novelist in both Books in Canada and the Toronto Star. Under the name John Farrow, he has written ten crime novels featuring Émile Cinq-Mars which have been highly acclaimed and popular around the world. He was raised in Montreal and lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 22, 2022
I read 9 of the Detective Emile Cinq-Mars thrillers in 2020. He is my favourite detective and is based in Montreal. The next book was supposed to be released this fall but has been delayed until the spring of 2023. I have many new and unread books waiting, but wanted to refresh my memory before Farrow's next and newest one arrives. Here is my previous review from October 2020.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the ebook Lady Jail, the newest crime novel featuring Montreal Detective Emile Cinq-Mars. I was delighted and excited to receive author John Farrow's newest crime novel in return for an honest review. I first became aware of this series featuring Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars this January 2020 through NetGalley and Goodreads and read six of the series during the same month. I must have rapidly become addicted to these brilliant police novels, which were gritty and character-driven.
Detective Emile Cinq-Mars has become a favourite fictional investigator and brings a human touch to these stories. He is a man of strong moral fibre, religious background, perceptive, and empathetic. He notices clues that others have missed. I once wrote that I would follow the fictional Emile into any type of criminal case and setting. This story takes place in 1994 at an innovative prison for women in Joliette, Quebec. (nicknamed Lady Jail). The women are housed in separate dorms of eight inmates each. There are isolation cells for serious infractions of the rules.
Emile has been called in from Montreal because one of its inmates was murdered in the bathroom of the dorm. The killer may have been any one of the remaining seven women or a tough female guard who was on duty. The victim was garotted in a toilet stall. She was a large, physically strong woman who bullied others and was disliked and feared by all. She had been sentenced for throwing acid in someone's face.
The other prisoners are an intriguing lot. They include a housewife who stabbed her daughter for coming home late from a date, a small-town politician who poisoned her husband, a young woman who shot up a bank while her boyfriend was robbing it, a teenage girl who stabbed her best friend to death in a rage for flirting with her boyfriend, a woman who repeatedly smuggled weapons across the border into Canada, and an Indigenous woman from the northern wilderness who killed her father.
Emile seems startled to find Angie among this group of women. He had arrested her for fraud, and she received a lengthy sentence and served some of her time in a Nova Scotian prison. They seem to have formed a friendly bond. Now she is one of the suspects in the prison murder. The Quebec Provincial Police and some hardened gangsters seem to have taken a particular interest in Angie.
Emile interviews each prisoner and their guard in turn. He learns some surprising facts about their backgrounds and crimes. The guard is later found murdered in her home. In the meantime, he becomes friends with a rough-looking biker at his hotel. Emile is awaiting a visit from his American girlfriend and worries about whether to propose marriage.
After concluding his investigation, he gathers all the women together in their dorm. He tells the group how each woman could have been the murderer and also relates reasons why they might be innocent. This is not an easy task as one enraged inmate has taken a young prisoner hostage at knifepoint in the same room, and another lies bleeding on the floor. He must find a way to free the hostage from the enraged woman and save the life of the injured woman before passing his verdict.
The ending is satisfactory, with some compromises made with other police forces. This was a well-written, complex crime novel with fascinating characters and insightful interview techniques.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the ebook Lady Jail, the newest crime novel featuring Montreal Detective Emile Cinq-Mars. I was delighted and excited to receive author John Farrow's newest crime novel in return for an honest review. I first became aware of this series featuring Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars this January 2020 through NetGalley and Goodreads and read six of the series during the same month. I must have rapidly become addicted to these brilliant police novels, which were gritty and character-driven.
Detective Emile Cinq-Mars has become a favourite fictional investigator and brings a human touch to these stories. He is a man of strong moral fibre, religious background, perceptive, and empathetic. He notices clues that others have missed. I once wrote that I would follow the fictional Emile into any type of criminal case and setting. This story takes place in 1994 at an innovative prison for women in Joliette, Quebec. (nicknamed Lady Jail). The women are housed in separate dorms of eight inmates each. There are isolation cells for serious infractions of the rules.
Emile has been called in from Montreal because one of its inmates was murdered in the bathroom of the dorm. The killer may have been any one of the remaining seven women or a tough female guard who was on duty. The victim was garotted in a toilet stall. She was a large, physically strong woman who bullied others and was disliked and feared by all. She had been sentenced for throwing acid in someone's face.
The other prisoners are an intriguing lot. They include a housewife who stabbed her daughter for coming home late from a date, a small-town politician who poisoned her husband, a young woman who shot up a bank while her boyfriend was robbing it, a teenage girl who stabbed her best friend to death in a rage for flirting with her boyfriend, a woman who repeatedly smuggled weapons across the border into Canada, and an Indigenous woman from the northern wilderness who killed her father.
Emile seems startled to find Angie among this group of women. He had arrested her for fraud, and she received a lengthy sentence and served some of her time in a Nova Scotian prison. They seem to have formed a friendly bond. Now she is one of the suspects in the prison murder. The Quebec Provincial Police and some hardened gangsters seem to have taken a particular interest in Angie.
Emile interviews each prisoner and their guard in turn. He learns some surprising facts about their backgrounds and crimes. The guard is later found murdered in her home. In the meantime, he becomes friends with a rough-looking biker at his hotel. Emile is awaiting a visit from his American girlfriend and worries about whether to propose marriage.
After concluding his investigation, he gathers all the women together in their dorm. He tells the group how each woman could have been the murderer and also relates reasons why they might be innocent. This is not an easy task as one enraged inmate has taken a young prisoner hostage at knifepoint in the same room, and another lies bleeding on the floor. He must find a way to free the hostage from the enraged woman and save the life of the injured woman before passing his verdict.
The ending is satisfactory, with some compromises made with other police forces. This was a well-written, complex crime novel with fascinating characters and insightful interview techniques.
November 3, 2020
If you were startled by a loud bang a few days ago, my apologies. That was the sound of my hand slamming the “request” button when I saw this pop up on Netgalley. Farrow’s series featuring Montréal cop Émile Cinq-Mars has become a favourite & I was thrilled to get my paws on the latest instalment.
Once again, the author has switched things up in terms of chronology & location. Émile is now close to retirement & was shunted to the suburbs as a result of office politics. So he was grateful when the new Chief of Police brought him back downtown. That was before he got his latest assignment.
Émile is dispatched to the women’s prison in Joliette. It’s a progressive place where inmates live communally in groups of eight instead of separate cells. And it was all going swimmingly until one of the women was found dead. She was killed while seven other prisoners & one guard were on the premises. It’s literally a locked room murder mystery…..think Agatha Christie, prison style. Seems straightforward enough, right?
Ha! Not a chance. Hidden agendas, secret alliances, debts owed…..all these & more are slowly revealed as we (and Émile) get to know the ladies of Joliette. They take turns narrating much of the story & just a heads-up…..keep in mind these are women who’ve earned a spot in federal prison. There are no charm school graduates here & their dialogue reflects that reality.
At first glance, you’d think their living situation might allow them to relax. They wear their own clothes, prepare meals together, divvy up chores, etc. But the thing about living in cells is not only are you locked in, others are locked out. Their current arrangement means easy access & there is an underlying tension that only ramps up as things progress. The scenes between inmates somehow manage to feel both intimate & claustrophobic. Power plays & shifting loyalties upset the pecking order & pretty soon the situation resembles a cross between Big Brother & Survivor.
And that’s just the stuff happening inside the prison. Émile also has to deal with issues on the outside & as more characters are added to the mix, we begin to see there is much more at stake than catching a killer. The story is set in the early 1990’s & in an interesting twist, includes a plot line that serves as a prelude to real life events that erupted in 1994.
To be honest, it took me a while to get fully hooked & I chalk that up to 2 things. First, my non-existent attention span. The book begins by introducing & following the women of Joliette. There’s a lot of dialogue & history to get through so although not much happens, a crucial framework is created. The second thing was just me missing one of my favourite characters……Montréal, itself. Scenes mostly alternate between the prison & Émile’s small motel room. It gives the whole book an insular feel that magnifies how far he is from home (on several levels). It’s necessary to pull him out of his normal environment but I missed the city’s diverse neighbourhoods & colourful characters found in previous books.
Happily, another of my faves is front & centre & that would be Émile. He’s a little more world weary, perhaps slightly jaded but has learned to pick his battles & let the rest go. He’s always been aware words can be a weapon as fatal as any knife & chooses them with care. But he has to be on top of his game to wade through the conversations plus what’s left unsaid to find the clues needed to identify the killer. He remains an intriguing & enigmatic character & I can’t wait to see where the author takes him next.
Once again, the author has switched things up in terms of chronology & location. Émile is now close to retirement & was shunted to the suburbs as a result of office politics. So he was grateful when the new Chief of Police brought him back downtown. That was before he got his latest assignment.
Émile is dispatched to the women’s prison in Joliette. It’s a progressive place where inmates live communally in groups of eight instead of separate cells. And it was all going swimmingly until one of the women was found dead. She was killed while seven other prisoners & one guard were on the premises. It’s literally a locked room murder mystery…..think Agatha Christie, prison style. Seems straightforward enough, right?
Ha! Not a chance. Hidden agendas, secret alliances, debts owed…..all these & more are slowly revealed as we (and Émile) get to know the ladies of Joliette. They take turns narrating much of the story & just a heads-up…..keep in mind these are women who’ve earned a spot in federal prison. There are no charm school graduates here & their dialogue reflects that reality.
At first glance, you’d think their living situation might allow them to relax. They wear their own clothes, prepare meals together, divvy up chores, etc. But the thing about living in cells is not only are you locked in, others are locked out. Their current arrangement means easy access & there is an underlying tension that only ramps up as things progress. The scenes between inmates somehow manage to feel both intimate & claustrophobic. Power plays & shifting loyalties upset the pecking order & pretty soon the situation resembles a cross between Big Brother & Survivor.
And that’s just the stuff happening inside the prison. Émile also has to deal with issues on the outside & as more characters are added to the mix, we begin to see there is much more at stake than catching a killer. The story is set in the early 1990’s & in an interesting twist, includes a plot line that serves as a prelude to real life events that erupted in 1994.
To be honest, it took me a while to get fully hooked & I chalk that up to 2 things. First, my non-existent attention span. The book begins by introducing & following the women of Joliette. There’s a lot of dialogue & history to get through so although not much happens, a crucial framework is created. The second thing was just me missing one of my favourite characters……Montréal, itself. Scenes mostly alternate between the prison & Émile’s small motel room. It gives the whole book an insular feel that magnifies how far he is from home (on several levels). It’s necessary to pull him out of his normal environment but I missed the city’s diverse neighbourhoods & colourful characters found in previous books.
Happily, another of my faves is front & centre & that would be Émile. He’s a little more world weary, perhaps slightly jaded but has learned to pick his battles & let the rest go. He’s always been aware words can be a weapon as fatal as any knife & chooses them with care. But he has to be on top of his game to wade through the conversations plus what’s left unsaid to find the clues needed to identify the killer. He remains an intriguing & enigmatic character & I can’t wait to see where the author takes him next.
January 3, 2021
This is the ninth and most recent book in a series featuring Detective Emilie Cinq-Mars.He is a complex, multi faceted character whose nuances are chronicled over the course of the series. Growing up on a farm, he initially aspired to become a priest. His life journey, though, led him to join the police force. He has retained his sense of religion and tempered his moral compass to accommodate the exigencies of police work while still maintaining his integrity. This book can be read as a standalone. Anyone who is interested in the development of this fascinating character can explore the rest of the series.
The plot in this installment is markedly different from the rest of the series. Emilie is called to an all female prison( Lady Jail) where the inmates are housed in units of eight residents in a building, hoping to encourage cooperative living that enhances the rehabilitation process. Unfortunately, one of the inmates has been garroted and murdered. Although outside of Emilie’s jurisdiction, he is called upon to investigate because he previously arrested one of the inmates,Abigail, who was involved in stealing a large sum of money from the criminal underworld. Her seven other cell mates and their one guard are a group of women who have committed a variety of serious crimes, including homicide , armed robbery and gun trafficking. Each of the inmates has an unknown backstory that Emilie must uncover in order to arrive at a solution to the crime.
This book is a classic locked room mystery with its own peculiar spin. The violent nature of the inmates lends an air of danger and suspense as Emilie goes about his conversations with the group. He is extremely psychological in his probings and interrogations of the women. The dynamics of these interactions reminded me of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment with an additional wink to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. I have enjoyed each of the books in this series.Lady Jail is in the conversation for my favorite.
The plot in this installment is markedly different from the rest of the series. Emilie is called to an all female prison( Lady Jail) where the inmates are housed in units of eight residents in a building, hoping to encourage cooperative living that enhances the rehabilitation process. Unfortunately, one of the inmates has been garroted and murdered. Although outside of Emilie’s jurisdiction, he is called upon to investigate because he previously arrested one of the inmates,Abigail, who was involved in stealing a large sum of money from the criminal underworld. Her seven other cell mates and their one guard are a group of women who have committed a variety of serious crimes, including homicide , armed robbery and gun trafficking. Each of the inmates has an unknown backstory that Emilie must uncover in order to arrive at a solution to the crime.
This book is a classic locked room mystery with its own peculiar spin. The violent nature of the inmates lends an air of danger and suspense as Emilie goes about his conversations with the group. He is extremely psychological in his probings and interrogations of the women. The dynamics of these interactions reminded me of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment with an additional wink to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. I have enjoyed each of the books in this series.Lady Jail is in the conversation for my favorite.
January 22, 2021
If you like locked room mysteries and getting into the heads of cons, criminals, and cops, then you don’t want to miss this detective novel. It’s from the Emile Cinq-Mars series but can easily be read as a standalone. (Though somehow, I think you may be looking up previous titles in the series, like I am!)
Characters
Though I haven’t read any previous titles in the series, Emile won my respect and affection almost immediately. He originally intended to be a priest but became a detective instead, though he is still a devout Catholic. Though curmudgeonly and blunt, he struck me as a man who treats everyone with respect. He’s a winning character, and I would gladly spend more time with him.
We get to know the various inmates in the first few chapters before the murder. The pace is a bit slower because of that, but the voice is clear and engaging. Then the story quickly picks up pace.
At first I often flipped back to the chapter describing the inmates’ crimes. But after a few more pages, their characters became clear. Clearer, at least. Nothing is as it seems in this jail, not even their previous crimes.
Florence, the future victim, had thrown acid in a rival’s face. Doi slashed up her daughter with a hatchet, yet still writes letters to persuade her daughter to visit. Jodi shot a man during a robbery. Temple, the only black woman, is jailed for smuggling. (Smuggling what? She doesn’t specify to Abi.)
And then there’s a batch of murderers. There’s painfully silent Rozlynn, a Native woman who killed her father; Courtney, who killed her best friend for flirting with her boyfriend; and Malka, a former city councilwoman who poisoned her husband.
Farrow doesn’t flinch from showing the inmates’ violence or criminality. Prison-wisdom dictates much of their behavior. Stay silent. Don’t volunteer details. Stay on the good side of certain people, and far away from others. Even apart from that, their thinking is skewed. Yet he writes with compassion, understanding, and empathy, never forgetting the humanity of each convicted criminal. (No matter what genre I’m reading, I appreciate this type of empathy from the author.) I found myself sympathetic to almost all the inmates, particularly Rozlynn, the young Native woman, and Abi, the con artist. (It probably helps that she didn’t bilk me out of my savings.)
Multiple Points of View
As the story progresses, details emerge that make it clear every woman in Lady Jail had motivation to murder Florence. And even though she was much stronger than many of her fellow inmates, they all have the capacity to kill her. The method of murder, a wire around the neck, quickly incapacitates a victim.
Farrow tells the story from multiple points of view: Emile, Abi, the other inmates. Much of the early suspense comes from knowing that not everyone is telling the entire truth and wondering who is lying about what. Even when they tell the truth, their minds skew it until it bears little resemblance to reality. Emile’s handling of the interviews is impressive. He’s intelligent and never lets them (or the reader) know every card in his hand.
But when the Hells Angels bikers show up, the suspense takes a step up.Way up. Now the danger isn’t only inside the jail, it’s outside it, too. There’s a turf war brewing between rival gangs. If Emile isn’t careful, he might be caught in the crossfire.
Nothing is as it seems
I thoroughly enjoyed how nothing is as it seems on the surface. The truth is hard to dig out beneath the layers of half-truths and distortions and distractions. Farrow does a terrific job building the suspense to an almost unbearable level.
By the climax, I was reading breathlessly, waiting for the revelation. (This despite having first read the ending and knowing who the culprit is.) And the story takes plot turn after twisty turn to get there. Farrow takes a cue from Emile’s interrogation technique and frequently changes course to divert the reader from the truth. The plot thickens as multiple plot lines emerge. Everything came together beautifully (and bloodily). Farrow works all the disparate elements together.
One thing I particularly enjoyed . . .
Florence (and later, other characters) spend time “in the hole”: solitary confinement. Farrow has good observations and insights on the effects of solitary confinement (and imprisonment in general) on humans. He’s done his research. For example, whenever guards move one character inside the penitentiary, she hopes to see a window. Though she isn’t surprised not to find one, she’s still disappointed. Or when a character in solitary finds the aloneness mentally unbearable.
Recommended
Overall, this is a terrific novel. I highly recommend it to any mystery or thriller fans.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Characters
Though I haven’t read any previous titles in the series, Emile won my respect and affection almost immediately. He originally intended to be a priest but became a detective instead, though he is still a devout Catholic. Though curmudgeonly and blunt, he struck me as a man who treats everyone with respect. He’s a winning character, and I would gladly spend more time with him.
We get to know the various inmates in the first few chapters before the murder. The pace is a bit slower because of that, but the voice is clear and engaging. Then the story quickly picks up pace.
At first I often flipped back to the chapter describing the inmates’ crimes. But after a few more pages, their characters became clear. Clearer, at least. Nothing is as it seems in this jail, not even their previous crimes.
Florence, the future victim, had thrown acid in a rival’s face. Doi slashed up her daughter with a hatchet, yet still writes letters to persuade her daughter to visit. Jodi shot a man during a robbery. Temple, the only black woman, is jailed for smuggling. (Smuggling what? She doesn’t specify to Abi.)
And then there’s a batch of murderers. There’s painfully silent Rozlynn, a Native woman who killed her father; Courtney, who killed her best friend for flirting with her boyfriend; and Malka, a former city councilwoman who poisoned her husband.
Farrow doesn’t flinch from showing the inmates’ violence or criminality. Prison-wisdom dictates much of their behavior. Stay silent. Don’t volunteer details. Stay on the good side of certain people, and far away from others. Even apart from that, their thinking is skewed. Yet he writes with compassion, understanding, and empathy, never forgetting the humanity of each convicted criminal. (No matter what genre I’m reading, I appreciate this type of empathy from the author.) I found myself sympathetic to almost all the inmates, particularly Rozlynn, the young Native woman, and Abi, the con artist. (It probably helps that she didn’t bilk me out of my savings.)
Multiple Points of View
As the story progresses, details emerge that make it clear every woman in Lady Jail had motivation to murder Florence. And even though she was much stronger than many of her fellow inmates, they all have the capacity to kill her. The method of murder, a wire around the neck, quickly incapacitates a victim.
Farrow tells the story from multiple points of view: Emile, Abi, the other inmates. Much of the early suspense comes from knowing that not everyone is telling the entire truth and wondering who is lying about what. Even when they tell the truth, their minds skew it until it bears little resemblance to reality. Emile’s handling of the interviews is impressive. He’s intelligent and never lets them (or the reader) know every card in his hand.
But when the Hells Angels bikers show up, the suspense takes a step up.Way up. Now the danger isn’t only inside the jail, it’s outside it, too. There’s a turf war brewing between rival gangs. If Emile isn’t careful, he might be caught in the crossfire.
Nothing is as it seems
I thoroughly enjoyed how nothing is as it seems on the surface. The truth is hard to dig out beneath the layers of half-truths and distortions and distractions. Farrow does a terrific job building the suspense to an almost unbearable level.
By the climax, I was reading breathlessly, waiting for the revelation. (This despite having first read the ending and knowing who the culprit is.) And the story takes plot turn after twisty turn to get there. Farrow takes a cue from Emile’s interrogation technique and frequently changes course to divert the reader from the truth. The plot thickens as multiple plot lines emerge. Everything came together beautifully (and bloodily). Farrow works all the disparate elements together.
One thing I particularly enjoyed . . .
Florence (and later, other characters) spend time “in the hole”: solitary confinement. Farrow has good observations and insights on the effects of solitary confinement (and imprisonment in general) on humans. He’s done his research. For example, whenever guards move one character inside the penitentiary, she hopes to see a window. Though she isn’t surprised not to find one, she’s still disappointed. Or when a character in solitary finds the aloneness mentally unbearable.
Recommended
Overall, this is a terrific novel. I highly recommend it to any mystery or thriller fans.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
November 10, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Lady Jail, the ninth novel to feature Montreal detective-sergeant Emile Cinq-Mars.
It’s 1994 and Abigail, a convicted fraudster, is transferred to the experimental Joliette Institution for Women where communal living is the norm. Her unit is full of violent women with their own agendas and she struggles to adapt. The struggle intensifies when Flo, the most violent of them, is found garrotted in a toilet cell. Emile Cinq-Mars, as the man who put Abi away, is sent to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Jail, which is, well, I’m not quite sure what category it falls in to, but it’s compelling reading. The format and structure are pared back as it mostly consists of Cinq-Mars interviewing the nine suspects (7 remaining inmates and a guard) and a couple of outside people. I loved the slow burn aspect of the inmates’ back history as they are slowly revealed and the way they have to confront their actions when faced with Cinque-Mars’ alternative interpretation of them and I was astonished at the motives and manipulations exposed.
I admired the author’s sly take on the country house murder format, remote house in the country (Joliette is some distance from Montreal), limited cast of suspects and a denouement with all the players participating. It’s a wonderful re-invention of a favourite format.
I wasn’t a big fan of the previous novel, Roar Back, but this hits all the spots for me with a clever plot, a slow drip of reveals, plenty of twists and turns and romance for Cinq-Mars. It covers a lot of emotional ground in limited physical confines, therefore I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
It’s 1994 and Abigail, a convicted fraudster, is transferred to the experimental Joliette Institution for Women where communal living is the norm. Her unit is full of violent women with their own agendas and she struggles to adapt. The struggle intensifies when Flo, the most violent of them, is found garrotted in a toilet cell. Emile Cinq-Mars, as the man who put Abi away, is sent to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Jail, which is, well, I’m not quite sure what category it falls in to, but it’s compelling reading. The format and structure are pared back as it mostly consists of Cinq-Mars interviewing the nine suspects (7 remaining inmates and a guard) and a couple of outside people. I loved the slow burn aspect of the inmates’ back history as they are slowly revealed and the way they have to confront their actions when faced with Cinque-Mars’ alternative interpretation of them and I was astonished at the motives and manipulations exposed.
I admired the author’s sly take on the country house murder format, remote house in the country (Joliette is some distance from Montreal), limited cast of suspects and a denouement with all the players participating. It’s a wonderful re-invention of a favourite format.
I wasn’t a big fan of the previous novel, Roar Back, but this hits all the spots for me with a clever plot, a slow drip of reveals, plenty of twists and turns and romance for Cinq-Mars. It covers a lot of emotional ground in limited physical confines, therefore I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
January 28, 2021
Who killed Florence, a prisoner in the Joliette Institution for Women? She lived with 7 other women and a hateful guard in a communal situation and irritated all of them. Abigail is the main suspect even though her crime= embezzlement- was not violent. Emile Cinq-Mars, the Montreal detective who handled her case is brought in to investigate not only the murder but also in the hope that he can convince Abi to tell him where she hid the money she stole from the bad guys. This is told from multiple perspectives and, to be honest, it's both surprising and fin. Each woman has her story, each woman had a reason to want Florence gone. And someone wants Abi too. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Excellent read.
January 28, 2021
This is the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I found it gripping and entertaining.
It's a bit claustrophobic as it's a locked room mystery but I love Emile, an interesting and fleshed out characters, and found the suspects interesting and well written.
The mystery is solid and it kept me guessing.
Excellent character and plot development, a tightly knitted plot that flows.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's a bit claustrophobic as it's a locked room mystery but I love Emile, an interesting and fleshed out characters, and found the suspects interesting and well written.
The mystery is solid and it kept me guessing.
Excellent character and plot development, a tightly knitted plot that flows.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
October 18, 2025
"Lady Jail" is what the women's prison up in Quebec is euphemistically known as. Montreal detective Emile Cinq-Mars (ECM from this point...) is dispatched there when one of its inmates is murdered and a woman he'd originally sent to prison is the prime suspect in the killing. As the inmates were organized into closely watched 'pods' of 8 and the murder occurred in its bathroom, the surviving members of the pod are all suspects and it's up to ECM to sniff out the killer. He has a process he uses for this part of the investigation, mostly involving multiple interviews of each inmate, but as he moves forward nobody jumps to the front as a lead candidate. A prison guard associated with the group becomes yet another murder victim, raising the stakes substantially.
The inmates are a diverse lot: young, old, white, black, first-nation, big, little, most incarcerated for murder. The inmate victim had been an extremely strong woman who was mean, friendless, and garroted to her death. Complicating matters was the fact that Abi, the woman ECM had put away, was an embezzler who'd stolen millions from biker gangs and hidden the money away somewhere, the bikers wanted their money back, a war between biker groups was on the verge of breaking out, and another inmate being inserted into the pod was actually an undercover cop. So ECM had quite a challenge in front of him as he struggled to find the murderer in the midst of some very troubled personalities.
ECM eventually works it out but not before some fireworks both within the pod group and outside with the warring motorcycle gangs. There was too much talking in this one, as ECM's interviews, though necessary for the investigation, were a little repetitive. I'm a fan of Farrow's fine series, mostly because I enjoy the descriptions of Montreal and its locales but Lady Jail felt claustrophobic to me. The writing was fine, there was a bit of action near the end, and the narrative surrounding ECS's burgeoning love life was a nice change of pace, but otherwise Lady Jail felt slow to me.
The inmates are a diverse lot: young, old, white, black, first-nation, big, little, most incarcerated for murder. The inmate victim had been an extremely strong woman who was mean, friendless, and garroted to her death. Complicating matters was the fact that Abi, the woman ECM had put away, was an embezzler who'd stolen millions from biker gangs and hidden the money away somewhere, the bikers wanted their money back, a war between biker groups was on the verge of breaking out, and another inmate being inserted into the pod was actually an undercover cop. So ECM had quite a challenge in front of him as he struggled to find the murderer in the midst of some very troubled personalities.
ECM eventually works it out but not before some fireworks both within the pod group and outside with the warring motorcycle gangs. There was too much talking in this one, as ECM's interviews, though necessary for the investigation, were a little repetitive. I'm a fan of Farrow's fine series, mostly because I enjoy the descriptions of Montreal and its locales but Lady Jail felt claustrophobic to me. The writing was fine, there was a bit of action near the end, and the narrative surrounding ECS's burgeoning love life was a nice change of pace, but otherwise Lady Jail felt slow to me.
July 15, 2023
Started off loving the book, the deluge of nuance, intense insight into motive. The many, many characters, each unique - the prisoners in lady jail - the bikers tracking Cinq-Mars - his girlfriend. The magic waned for me. The story didn't need quite so many pieces to make it clever and insightful. I hate to admit this in public but as involved as I was, initially, with the backstories, toward the end I lost track and wished he would just sum things up. My first John Farrow.
August 15, 2024
This one had a bit of Agatha Christie format to it,
as a finite group of suspects exist and in the end
is the big reveal with everyone present. Unfortunately
I did not think it was well executed. And certainly
the ending was a bit of a muddle. The one slight
bright spot was the initial development of Emile's
and Sandra's relationship but even that is mostly
off book.
as a finite group of suspects exist and in the end
is the big reveal with everyone present. Unfortunately
I did not think it was well executed. And certainly
the ending was a bit of a muddle. The one slight
bright spot was the initial development of Emile's
and Sandra's relationship but even that is mostly
off book.
July 3, 2021
Okay read about how women cope with being in jail
February 4, 2022
And excellent novel! So cool to meet Emile and Sandra at the beginning of their relationship. The story had me guessing who killed who right to the very end!! 👏 I got goosebumps reading the little Afterword at the end of the novel... Looking forward to the next one in the series!!!! ✍️♥️📚
Update: Feb 2022 - I was taking advantage of the cold January weather compounded by the pandemic and did a re-read of all of the 9 Trevor Ferguson aka John Farrow Detective Emile Cinq-Mars novels.
Last for now, Lady Jail!! The author told me there are 2 more novels on the way. Woo hoo! And, again, the afterword gave me goosebumps. An excellent page turner to the very end!
Update: Feb 2022 - I was taking advantage of the cold January weather compounded by the pandemic and did a re-read of all of the 9 Trevor Ferguson aka John Farrow Detective Emile Cinq-Mars novels.
Last for now, Lady Jail!! The author told me there are 2 more novels on the way. Woo hoo! And, again, the afterword gave me goosebumps. An excellent page turner to the very end!
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