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Then She Was Dead
First he lost her. Then she was dead.
The discovery of the bruised and battered corpse of English policewoman Moira Grainger results in an unlikely pairing of the two men involved with her — ex-husband Colin Grainger and colleague and lover Detective Inspector John Moore — now searching for the murderer of the woman they both love . . .
Originally published as Dangerous to Know.
The discovery of the bruised and battered corpse of English policewoman Moira Grainger results in an unlikely pairing of the two men involved with her — ex-husband Colin Grainger and colleague and lover Detective Inspector John Moore — now searching for the murderer of the woman they both love . . .
Originally published as Dangerous to Know.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2004
179 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Jane A. Adams
59 books151 followersSome of her early books were published under the name of Jane Adams. This should not be confused with this Jane Adams who is a different author.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 29, 2015
This book actually turned out to be pretty entertaining.
There were no Mary Sues or Gary Stus.
It was a definite police-cyber-crimelord-type mystery and not a book given to elaborate character development or deep philosophizing.
Moira, a female police officer is murdered. Slowly it comes out that she was murdered because she had gotten her hands on some dirt about a local crime lord. The men in her life who loved her (Colin - her ex-husband the hacker, and her current lover who's also her boss the police Inspector, John) will do whatever they have to in order to avenge her death.
This book, while it does have murders, does not linger on the bloody details. That is also to it's credit, I get squeamish when authors really seem to relish every cut and blow.
Woman and child on the run, hacker who's gotten in too deep, cop out to avenge his lover's death, leaks within the department - all of these elements come together to make a quick page-turner that is exciting without being gruesome. Takes place in England. No sex crimes, which I was grateful for.
It's fair to note that my edition had a bit of trouble with punctuation. There were no hyphens, and trust me - hyphens were sorely needed sometimes. Also, a few periods were missing.
There were no Mary Sues or Gary Stus.
It was a definite police-cyber-crimelord-type mystery and not a book given to elaborate character development or deep philosophizing.
Moira, a female police officer is murdered. Slowly it comes out that she was murdered because she had gotten her hands on some dirt about a local crime lord. The men in her life who loved her (Colin - her ex-husband the hacker, and her current lover who's also her boss the police Inspector, John) will do whatever they have to in order to avenge her death.
This book, while it does have murders, does not linger on the bloody details. That is also to it's credit, I get squeamish when authors really seem to relish every cut and blow.
Woman and child on the run, hacker who's gotten in too deep, cop out to avenge his lover's death, leaks within the department - all of these elements come together to make a quick page-turner that is exciting without being gruesome. Takes place in England. No sex crimes, which I was grateful for.
It's fair to note that my edition had a bit of trouble with punctuation. There were no hyphens, and trust me - hyphens were sorely needed sometimes. Also, a few periods were missing.
March 4, 2009
DANGEROUS TO KNOW (Pol. Proc-DI John Moore-England-Cont) – VG
Adams, Jane – Standalone
Allison & Busby, 2004, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 0749006048
First Sentence: It was a good day for a funeral.
DS Moira Baker took a tip from her ex-husband, acted on it and was embarrassed when it turned out to be nothing. Colin Granger, Moira’s ex, is a classic underachiever, but he did love Moira. To correct the wrong he had done, he gave her a new lead. Charlie Radcliffe is the owner of gambling clubs and a big fish to the police in Hillford. Colin discovered Radcliffe kept two sets of books on his computers.
When Moira start to investigate, she is murdered and Colin realizes the trail of Moira’s suspicion leads back to him. Colin has no one to whom he can turn except DI John Moore, Moira’s new love and the man with whom Colin brawled at Moira’s funeral.
Jane Adams is one of those many under-read, under-recognized authors I’ve been lucky enough to discover. Her books are usually more psychological suspense, but this was one very good police procedural. Adams creates a wonderful cast of characters.
The way she links the characters together is clever, but not contrived. They are very realistic and not over-the-top. I like the way the characters grow and change as the story progresses.
There is very good suspense that builds and kept me turning the pages. I particularly liked that when people get hurt; they hurt and don’t just bounce back to continue.
The final ending is a big ambiguous but not damaging to the story at all. Overall, it was a very good, one-day read that I would recommend.
Adams, Jane – Standalone
Allison & Busby, 2004, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 0749006048
First Sentence: It was a good day for a funeral.
DS Moira Baker took a tip from her ex-husband, acted on it and was embarrassed when it turned out to be nothing. Colin Granger, Moira’s ex, is a classic underachiever, but he did love Moira. To correct the wrong he had done, he gave her a new lead. Charlie Radcliffe is the owner of gambling clubs and a big fish to the police in Hillford. Colin discovered Radcliffe kept two sets of books on his computers.
When Moira start to investigate, she is murdered and Colin realizes the trail of Moira’s suspicion leads back to him. Colin has no one to whom he can turn except DI John Moore, Moira’s new love and the man with whom Colin brawled at Moira’s funeral.
Jane Adams is one of those many under-read, under-recognized authors I’ve been lucky enough to discover. Her books are usually more psychological suspense, but this was one very good police procedural. Adams creates a wonderful cast of characters.
The way she links the characters together is clever, but not contrived. They are very realistic and not over-the-top. I like the way the characters grow and change as the story progresses.
There is very good suspense that builds and kept me turning the pages. I particularly liked that when people get hurt; they hurt and don’t just bounce back to continue.
The final ending is a big ambiguous but not damaging to the story at all. Overall, it was a very good, one-day read that I would recommend.
August 4, 2024
Audiobook 5: 3.5/5⭐️ A decent book. Didn’t really have an issues with it but just wasn’t blown away by anything. A bit of an abrupt ending as well.
June 29, 2025
During the first part of the book I had to force myself not to give up reading it.
It was clear what happened, who murdered whom, and kind-of why.
But all of a sudden things got interesting, new storylines, new people.
Glad I didn't give up.
It was clear what happened, who murdered whom, and kind-of why.
But all of a sudden things got interesting, new storylines, new people.
Glad I didn't give up.
March 1, 2022
A good idea for a story, having the ex husband and current boyfriend of a murder victim team up to avenge her death, but I can't get past the horrible tech errors. The main character is a hacker and carries incriminating evidence around on... floppy discs. Yep those those black squares that people stopped using about 30 years ago. I'm shocked this has a publication date of 2021. He's somehow able to store pictures and accounting records on a medium that holds a megabyte and change if you're lucky. Not to mention how the police and everyone else don't even blink at this, and apparently have computers old enough that they can just plug the floppies in and get the info. Even funnier, the hacker makes a copy of the data onto a flash drive, but somehow isn't able to upload it from an internet café because he needs a "UBS" connection. Not kidding. Floppies work great though!
There's plenty of other problems here including a very abrupt ending that resolves nothing.... but I can't take anything about this book seriously because I can't get past the floppies. Sorry.
There's plenty of other problems here including a very abrupt ending that resolves nothing.... but I can't take anything about this book seriously because I can't get past the floppies. Sorry.
October 13, 2018
Another stand alone by Jane A Adams, and this one again is pretty average. She is an intriguing author, on one level she has interesting plot ideas, and characters, but sometimes the execution lets her down. This was one of those times I think. It was ok but the potential was there for a better story. Fair but could have been better.
July 26, 2022
Seeing as the book was originally published in 2004, the outdated tech of the book makes sense. Entertaining enough, but not as edge-of-your-seat thriller as I had hoped or anticipated.
July 5, 2022
This is a beautifully written novel about a beloved daughter who one day simply disappears. It is about the effect of that disappearance on her family. Ten long years go by and nothing. It is as if she had simply walked off the face of the earth.
Then one day, a ray of sunshine manifests itself out of the blue, when a look alike sudden appears in their lives, and the plot thickens.
There are many effective twists and turns in this novel that will keep the reader turning its pages. The characters are well fleshed out, three dimensional and interesting. The writing is nuanced, building to its moment of truth. I could not put it down!
If you like thrillers this is a dark suspenseful one
Then one day, a ray of sunshine manifests itself out of the blue, when a look alike sudden appears in their lives, and the plot thickens.
There are many effective twists and turns in this novel that will keep the reader turning its pages. The characters are well fleshed out, three dimensional and interesting. The writing is nuanced, building to its moment of truth. I could not put it down!
If you like thrillers this is a dark suspenseful one
October 31, 2025
I enjoyed this detective story, where investigators must untie a tangle of crimes to discover the truth...who is actually responsible and for what?
The characters suited the plot, the past influences the present and choices must be made.
Well-written and fast-paced, this was a twisty crime story with suspense and tension.
Engaging.
The characters suited the plot, the past influences the present and choices must be made.
Well-written and fast-paced, this was a twisty crime story with suspense and tension.
Engaging.
November 27, 2024
Then She Was Dead
I couldn't put this book down. There were many people involved, some of whom weren't very nice. As the story goes on it gets scarier. Then everything is resolved in a very unusual way. A very good psychological read.
I couldn't put this book down. There were many people involved, some of whom weren't very nice. As the story goes on it gets scarier. Then everything is resolved in a very unusual way. A very good psychological read.
November 4, 2021
4 1/2 stars
This was a pretty unusual book but I quite enjoyed it Although it ended maybe just too well I would give 4 1/2 stars if able
This was a pretty unusual book but I quite enjoyed it Although it ended maybe just too well I would give 4 1/2 stars if able
January 28, 2022
GG
I usually like a book or I don't but I thought this was a very good read. You will enjoy this one from first to last page.
I usually like a book or I don't but I thought this was a very good read. You will enjoy this one from first to last page.
Read
January 29, 2022Brilliant
An unusual and varied plot, well written. Great descriptions, good pace, easy to follow and a good read. I look forward to more
An unusual and varied plot, well written. Great descriptions, good pace, easy to follow and a good read. I look forward to more
February 9, 2022
crafty
Plot is very twisted but the psychological impact on the participants are lasting. It is amazing that criminals are so daft in their thinking.
Plot is very twisted but the psychological impact on the participants are lasting. It is amazing that criminals are so daft in their thinking.
April 19, 2022
A simple story: simple plot, shallow character development, plodding.
May 4, 2022
Best I have read in a while
Great storyline, believable characters a well written good read. I actually binge read it, can’t wait to read the next one 😍
Great storyline, believable characters a well written good read. I actually binge read it, can’t wait to read the next one 😍
May 18, 2022
DNF @ 20%
Not far enough in the book, but I just don't care about it. Also, do they still use the floppy disk?
Not far enough in the book, but I just don't care about it. Also, do they still use the floppy disk?
October 25, 2022
Why is a floppy disk so central to the plot of a book published in 2021??
Read
January 20, 2023DNF
March 2, 2023
Such a good quick and surprisingly entertaining book.
July 7, 2023
Enjoyed this title. Made for a nice listen while building a Lego set.
Read
February 27, 2025Unputdownable
Twist, turns and surprises. Finished in one sitting. Great characters, intertwined with excellent plot. Well worth the time. Captivating to the end.
Twist, turns and surprises. Finished in one sitting. Great characters, intertwined with excellent plot. Well worth the time. Captivating to the end.
March 23, 2025
Took forever to get through. I found it a very boring book.
May 12, 2022
Meh. A bit slow. Not bad just slow.
December 6, 2021
A solid read, nothing fancy or intense, just good.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews