Australia

Detective Jason Smith #14

by Stewart Giles

Detective Jason Smith is sick and tired of the English weather. It's February in York and the dark, dreary days are getting him down. When his wife, DC Erica Whitton wins a holiday to Australia, Smith is reluctant to go. He has no desire to go back home. Against his better judgement, Smith agrees to show his wife and daughter where he grew up. The perfect holiday soon turns into a nightmare as Smith finds himself in a race against time to save the only people he's ever cared about. Children in Smith's home town are being murdered. There's something rotten there, an evil Smith has never come across before, and the local police are not what they appear to be. When his wife is attacked and his daughter is taken, Smith realises he's on his own. With the clock ticking, and not knowing if his daughter is alive or dead, Smith comes face to face with the worst kind of evil he's ever encountered.

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2021

About the author

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live. After Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later. 3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series - the DC Harriet Taylor Cornwall series. The Beekeeper hit the shelves and hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well. The third in the series, The Backpacker I have self-published and is now available.

Reviews

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

AUSTRALIA (A DS Jason Smith Thriller Book #14) by Stewart Giles is the latest DS Jason Smith crime thriller. It is an intense race against the clock, edge-of-your-seat emotional thrill ride from start to finish. Even though this is the fourteenth outing for Smith, this book is easily read as a standalone.

DS Jason Smith, his wife, DC Erica Whitton and their five-year-old daughter, Laura are ready to take a vacation from the dreary York February weather. Erica wins a three-week vacation to Australia, but Smith is not happy about returning to his hometown.

When they arrive, they find there are reports of several missing children and some have turned up dead. While at the beach, Erica is stabbed and nearly killed while Laura has disappeared. Smith discovers that not only have the police little to go on, but there seems to be obstruction from above in the local police force hindering any true investigation.

DS Bridge comes to Australia to cover Smith’s back and help recover his daughter. Will Smith and Bridge be able to uncover who has been abducting the missing children and save Laura before she becomes a victim, too?

WOW! This is my first DS Jason Smith thriller and it will not be my last. The plot is a fast-paced, step-by-step emotional punch to the gut. Smith has to stay unemotional and work the crime all while being obstructed by the local chief of police, deal with his wife almost being killed and his daughter being abducted and not knowing if she is dead or alive. The killers are truly evil and terrifying.

I highly recommend this crime thriller! I could not put it down. I felt an immediate connection with the characters and I believe there will be a Jason Smith thrillers reading marathon coming soon.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

DC Erica Whitton wins an Australian holiday and while her husband, Detective Jason Smith is not keen on going back to his home, he does agree that their 5 year old daughter would love it.

The wonderful holiday turns into a nightmare. Erica is stabbed and their daughter is taken.

There has been a series of young children being taken ... most in broad daylight .. and later found dead. So far 7 have been taken ... 4 later found dead. And there are no clues and the investigation has been slowed down. The local police don't seem to be able to help in any way and Jason finds that he's on his own.

The plot is well-written with a maelstrom of action that only increases as time flows by. The characters, as usual, are deftly drawn with a well-paced blend of personal and professional lives. The ending was swift and powerful. Although 14th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone, with just a hint of Smith's background. To go back to the beginning would be a wonderful marathon of reading.

Many thanks to the author / Books n all Book Promotions for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

He's Back with book fourteen
Boom another cracking read
Detective Jason Smith is going back home after his wife D C Erica Whitton wins a holiday to Australia, it will be a well earned break for her and five years old daughter Laura and are keen to see where Smith grew up, but he isn't to happy about old haunts but the weather is amazing in February so boarding the flight QF8002 they were off for three whole weeks, but unknown to them all the horror that awaits will haunt Smith for the rest of his life.
Wow this book kept my well and truly on the edge of my seat, gripping, horrifying, cringes, gave me a lump in my throat, every emotion went down on me, fantastic writing from this author I can never fault him I highly recommend it to all fans out there to read this man's work totally brilliant

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard to believe that this is the 14th DS Smith book and Stewart Giles is still finding unique stories to write in this series. Despite having read every book I am still hoping there are many more to come.

So once again Smith is put through more trauma and heartache in this latest addition.

Whitton wins a holiday to Australia, returning to the country of his birth, the place that has so many bad memories is the last thing Smith wants to do but showing little Laura the place her daddy came from persuades him and off they go.

If they were expecting a few weeks of sun and relaxation they have a shock coming. A visit to Freemantle beach and Smiths worst nightmare becomes a reality.

With Whitton in hospital and Laura missing and the police seemingly incompetent Smith is very much on his own or so he thinks. When help arrives from an unexpected direction the race is on to find Laura before it is too late.

This is a heartrending edge-of-your-seat story that had me turning page after page. A totally unique storyline adds to the overall experience culminating in a brilliant thriller maybe Stewart Giles best book yet. However, I seem to say that with every book and each seems even better than the last so I am very much looking forward to the next book in this awesome series.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Australia’ is the fourteenth book in the bestselling series featuring Detective Sergeant Jason Smith. I haven’t quite caught up with all the books in the series but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘Australia’ and it certainly sounded like one hell of a tense and dramatic read. Well ‘Australia’ was certainly that and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Australia’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to say that I have developed something of a soft spot for Detective Sergeant Jason Smith, or ‘Cousin Jason’ as he is referred to in my house because he shares the surname of my maternal grandparents. Smith is Australian by birth but following a family tragedy, Smith was sent to live with his beloved grandmother in York. His grandmother sadly passed away but Smith continued to live in the city. Smith is comfy in his surroundings and his personal life seems relatively settled for the time being. Smith is married to DC Whitton and they have a little girl together, who seems like a chip off the old block in that she seems to take after Smith in so many ways. Smith has resisted returning to his home town because of the bad memories that he associates with the place. Smith, Whitton and their little girl fly to Australia after winning a competition to travel there. Only this trip to Australia is going to far from the relaxing holiday that Smith and Whitton were hoping for. What happens? Well for the answers to those questions and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my flipping word, ‘Australia’ is a flipping amazing read and then some. The synopsis was enough to grab my attention and as soon as I started to read the book itself that was it. I managed to read the book in one long reading binge. I simply couldn’t bear to be parted from the book at all. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I think I feared missing out on a twist or a turn in the tale or on some vital little nugget of gossip. This was one of those books I was desperate to finish because I needed to know what happened to Smith but I was enjoying the story so much that I just didn’t want the book to end.
‘Australia’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Stewart Giles. In Smith, Stewart has created an intriguing character, who is also a bit of a rebel at heart. The fact that he sometimes bends the rules a bit only endeared him even more to me. Stewart has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. He has the knack of making the reader feel as though they are literally at the centre of all the action and as though they are a character in the story itself. That’s how I felt at any rate. Reading ‘Australia’ felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Australia’ and I would definitely recommend this book and this series to other readers. I will definitely be reading more from Stewart Giles in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[EILEEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐ ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!

AUSTRALIA quickly demonstrates true evil with a heinous, horrific, abhorrent incident.
Following this, in an idyllic setting, the unthinkable happens.
Relentless, heart-pounding, agonizing suspense will hold you spellbound from start to finish. You will not be able to put it down. The pages will fly by while your heart races on every one!
This is a one sitting mesmerizing book!

AUSTRALIA IS A MUST READ NOW!

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book number fourteen in the brilliant series featuring DS Jason Smith, an Australian who now works in York, and this is the absolute worst the poor man has been subjected to yet by the author. The story begins with an intriguing prologue. We’ll see how this fits in later in the book. It is a gloomy snowy February and all is quiet for York CID – too quiet in fact. Smith and his wife DC Erica Whitton are debating booking a holiday when Whitton gets a notification that she has won a three week holiday. Great news! Except that the holiday is in Australia and that is the very last place that Smith ever wants to visit again. However, once he realizes how selfish he is being denying Laura and Whitton the opportunity to see where he grew up he immediately relents and soon they are jetting off. Maybe he will even be able put his demons and ghosts to rest for once and for all. Fat chance! That thought was short-lived as no sooner have they checked into their first hotel in Freemantle than Smith starts to hear about the murders and disappearances of young children there. So far six children aged between five and eight have vanished and four of them have already turned up dead. The police, led by Inspector Jackie Peters, are getting nowhere in their investigation. Bad enough his old home town is now the murder capital of Western Australia, there is absolutely no peace for Smith. When he takes the family sightseeing on their first day, Whitton is stabbed at a beach café and Laura goes missing. This is the start of a nightmare for Smith. We hear a little about the kidnappers and it seems Laura is not the only one being held although they are aware who her famous father is in what they alarmingly refer to as “a game”. But will Smith’s notoriety be enough to save her life? Held at arm’s length from the investigation, Smith concentrates on what he always considers to be the main factor in any crime – motive. He is baffled by the inconsistencies in the deaths. It seems to Smith that either the local police are inept or there is something very rotten with the investigation. With Bridge flying out on his way to help and assistance from a willing volunteer, the only option is to find the truth himself before it is too late for little Laura. Police arrest a possible suspect but have they got it right? Or is the truth far more dark and sinister? Smith and Bridge are now in a race against time with unthinkable consequences if they are too late.
It was nice to see a change of setting and Smith visiting where he grew up, although I think if you asked him he’d consider himself a Yorkshireman now! He also needs to be more resourceful this time without some of his team and the resources he normally has access. This story is definitely much darker than some of the previous ones, both in the whole premise of the plot and also the fact that it hits Smith in the place he is most vulnerable – his family. I don’t think he will be going back there in a long while! Excellent as always! 5*

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smith and his wife Erica Whitton are tired of British weather, so when Whitton wins a prize of a holiday it couldn't come at a better time. The only problem, it's for a trip to Australia, Smith's country of birth, which holds a lot of bad memories for him.

Convinced by his wife to face his fears and take his daughter to see her heritage, they head off on holiday, but there's something not quite right. Children are going missing from his old hometown, found days later murdered. The police don't seem to be taking the killing seriously. Things go from bad to worse when Laura is kidnapped and Whitton stabbed. Can Smith save his daughter?

Boy, did Stewart Giles put me, along with his character Jason Smith, through it with this novel. I won't lie, after the attack on Whitton and the kidnap of his daughter Laura, I had to put the book down for a little bit to collect myself.

Having read all the fourteen novels in this series, I often wonder, hasn't this character been through enough?? But Stewart Giles still manages to surprise me with how far he can push Smith without him breaking completely.

I would say this was a little more heart-rending than other books in the Smith series, which is not a bad thing, but it was a bit heavier emotionally than I expected.

Australia is a dramatic and tense read that packs an emotional punch.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A slightly dark one this time- but stunning doesn't do this justice. DS Jason Smith and family are taking a holiday that his wife won. For him the downside is that it's to Australia where he grew up. On arrival they keep being told not to go to a certain area of town- the area where Smith was brought up as there is a spate of crime and right now it's not safe as young children are going missing and several have turned up dead. When Whitton is stabbed and Laura goes missing right near where Smith’s sister disappeared from twenty years ago, the last thing Smith can do is do nothing. He makes enquiries and discovers the police not only have little to go on but are doing very little- quite why is a well kept secret. Bridge comes over to help him knowing full well that Jason will be on the trail. What they uncover, neither of them were prepared for.
I love Stewarts books and enjoy them all- but this one- wowsers! It took my breath away. It's not an easy subject (child abduction) but there's no gore other than the odd description of how the children are kept during their incarceration. I didn't want it to end - but I did If that makes sense. (and of course I wanted to find out if all was well) There's something about Stewarts characters and plots that grabs you and keeps hold until the very last page. A brilliantly written completely engrossing page turner- I can't wait for the next one.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog

[K.M. Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was certainly a twist for Smith. It had me on the edge of my seat. I think it was the first in the series that really kind of pulled at all the emotions together.

[Leez]

Wow! Twists and turns, completely hooked throughout. Read in a few days as I could not put it down!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Smith doesn’t want to go back home to Australia he prefers York where he lives with his wife Erica and their young daughter Laura. When Erica wins a holiday to Australia he decides maybe he will show his family where he grew up. Soon after arriving there Jason’s life starts to fall to pieces as his wife gets stabbed and his daughter gets taken. Without his police backing will he be able to solve the case and find his daughter before it’s too late. This is a great book and you go on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey with Jason as he try’s to save his beloved family.

[Simon Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s start off with the fact that we are now on book 14 of DS Jason Smith’s series so you do really need have to have read some of the previous ones first, not only to understand the back story and to see what Jason has been out through, but also because it is such an amazing series.

This book starts off with Whitton finding out she has won a holiday to Australia for all of the family, which knowing how Stewart writes was a massive red flag for me, but Smith and Whitton didn’t listen to me as usual and headed back to Jason’s home land.

When they land and get to their hotel they start hearing rumours about children going missing and being found dead a couple of weeks later, with the police doing nothing to investigate.

As Jason is on holiday he ignores the stories, until one fateful day when on the beach Whitton is attacked and little Laura is taken by the same people who took the other children.

As the local police appear to be covering the kidnapping/murders up Smith has no option but to investigate it himself, along with one of his colleagues from York who comes over especially to help.

The story is especially dark when you find out why and how far the local police will go to stop Jason from finding any answers and to try and save his daughter and to cover everything up.

Yet again Stewart has written a story that drags you into it and keeps you hooked with the twists and drama of it, I started reading it one morning and finished it that same evening as I just couldn’t put it down.

With all that Stewart has put Jason through I would say it was time for a nice quiet book next with him just investigating small cases, but knowing Jason he would soon get bored and probably start trouble himself just to bring some excitement to York.

Overall it is yet another great book, which I can highly recommend, especially as it is only £0.77 at the moment

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't Get Past the Prologue

Some novels are best left inside the author's head. Kids chopping off a five year old child's head was too much for me. I think this one ends but for me and thus author's Jason Smith. I quit reading his earlier Smith novels because I was tired if his feeling sorry for himself over his sister, but he's still jyst a drunken lout.

[Enid Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant whodunnit with the eccentric DI Jason Smith and his coole

I have read this whole series of 14 books in the last few weeks. Thoroughly good reads for Coffee ime fans. I now feel like I know DI Jason Smith and his family & collegues

[Mr Douglas S Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following DS Smith avidly! Good stories and having finished Australia (book 14) I couldn't wait to move to book 15....except there isn't one! Next in the series is 16. Wishbone. No worries, I'm happy there are a few more to go...can't wait!

[Hermanus Basson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read lots of twists

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always