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James Bishop #1
TheWrong Man
The fantastic debut novel from Headline's latest thriller talent. Nine hundred and seventy three days. Thinking. Planning. Waiting for the perfect moment. Former Marine James Bishop will only have one opportunity to make his prison break. And one chance to prove that he isn't responsible for the murders that put him inside. Three years ago Bishop was the leader of an elite close protection team hired to protect a millionaire and his daughter. After being attacked, Bishop regained consciousness to find seven bodies strewn throughout the millionaire's Long Island mansion - including those of his two charges - and a mountain of evidence guaranteed to send him down for murder. But to find out who set him up and why, Bishop needs to be free. And now the time has come to make his move. Prepare yourself for the most exciting debut thriller of the year...
Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
42 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Jason Dean
27 books33 followersJason Dean was born in South London. He spent many years as a graphic designer before turning his talent to writing the kind of pacy thrillers he's always loved reading. He has had four novels published, each featuring his series protagonist, James Bishop. He lives in Thailand with his wife and their dog, and is currently working on the first book in a new thriller series featuring an entirely different kind of hero.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 14, 2021
I got a free copy of One Good Turn (still free on Amazon) and thought it was good. I felt I had to try this series about James Bishop by Jason Dean. I got myself some of the books and started from the beginning with The Wrong Man. This is one of the greatest prison escapes ever. Not to mention the ensuing hunt for justice. Throw in an old case like the Zodiac killer and some betrayal and we're off. Great book and story. I will go for book two directly. I can really recommend this serie.
October 27, 2017
A really entertaining read which will appeal to fans of Lee Child & Sean Black. Like both their heroes, Bishop is ex-military, (a former marine) &, it goes without saying, is a tough guy & not afraid to get his hands dirty. He's very likeable, all the characters are credible & it's a gripping story that moves at a cracking pace - & has one twist in particular that I never saw coming.
My only (slight) criticism is the ease with which Bishop "solves" problems. He seems to have an exceptional talent at working-out codes & combinations (very useful for safe cracking!) Oh, & he has a photographic memory. How lucky is he.....
My only (slight) criticism is the ease with which Bishop "solves" problems. He seems to have an exceptional talent at working-out codes & combinations (very useful for safe cracking!) Oh, & he has a photographic memory. How lucky is he.....
July 23, 2015
After reading Jason Dean's The Hunter's Oath last year, I loved the character of James Bishop and couldn't wait to go back and read the series from the start. The first book in the series is this, The Wrong Man and it was a thrilling read from start to finish.
Despite already knowing a little bit about Bishop from The Hunter's Oath, it was great to meet him for the 'first' time and learn even more about what has made him the man that I met in the third book. I enjoy those stories which are a little bit 'one man takes on the world' and that's definitely the case with Bishop when he finds himself imprisoned for multiple murders, with the reader knowing that the overwhelming evidence that proves his guilt is actually the result of an extremely well planned setup. Having already been behind bars for longer than he would have liked, Bishop must engineer an escape plan but in the event, that's the easy part. The hard part is going to be evading capture and hunting down those responsible in order to prove his innocence.
The prison escape was great to read and was the first in a long line of cinematic quality scenes that Jason Dean delivers at all available opportunities, he writes some brilliant scenes that really put you right at the heart of the action. Bishop is alone in New York and is on a one man mission to hunt down those involved, and extract answers from them in order to prove his innocence. The reader is just as lost as Bishop, with no real idea about who is responsible. Everything was orchestrated quite masterfully, and so it's obvious that the people involved are both clever and dangerous, always a frightening combination. Despite knowing that there's further books in the Bishop series, I wondered just how the hell he was going to uncover everything and still be alive by the end of the story.
The overall pace of the book is exactly what you want and expect from a thriller and whilst all those hallmarks that make a thriller great are present, Jason Dean has created a believable character in James Bishop, a character that readers can really believe in. Jason has his own brand of storytelling and writing and the two books of his that I have now read have been very enjoyable indeed. I'm not one to sit and pick holes in a plot, certainly not in a thriller when much of what happens is beyond the norm as it is, but instead I judge books solely on how much I enjoyed them, and how good the mystery element was. I enjoyed The Wrong Man and I was kept guessing the whole way through, therefore I have no hesitation in recommending this book to thriller fans! And I'll be seeking out the other books in the series very soon.
Despite already knowing a little bit about Bishop from The Hunter's Oath, it was great to meet him for the 'first' time and learn even more about what has made him the man that I met in the third book. I enjoy those stories which are a little bit 'one man takes on the world' and that's definitely the case with Bishop when he finds himself imprisoned for multiple murders, with the reader knowing that the overwhelming evidence that proves his guilt is actually the result of an extremely well planned setup. Having already been behind bars for longer than he would have liked, Bishop must engineer an escape plan but in the event, that's the easy part. The hard part is going to be evading capture and hunting down those responsible in order to prove his innocence.
The prison escape was great to read and was the first in a long line of cinematic quality scenes that Jason Dean delivers at all available opportunities, he writes some brilliant scenes that really put you right at the heart of the action. Bishop is alone in New York and is on a one man mission to hunt down those involved, and extract answers from them in order to prove his innocence. The reader is just as lost as Bishop, with no real idea about who is responsible. Everything was orchestrated quite masterfully, and so it's obvious that the people involved are both clever and dangerous, always a frightening combination. Despite knowing that there's further books in the Bishop series, I wondered just how the hell he was going to uncover everything and still be alive by the end of the story.
The overall pace of the book is exactly what you want and expect from a thriller and whilst all those hallmarks that make a thriller great are present, Jason Dean has created a believable character in James Bishop, a character that readers can really believe in. Jason has his own brand of storytelling and writing and the two books of his that I have now read have been very enjoyable indeed. I'm not one to sit and pick holes in a plot, certainly not in a thriller when much of what happens is beyond the norm as it is, but instead I judge books solely on how much I enjoyed them, and how good the mystery element was. I enjoyed The Wrong Man and I was kept guessing the whole way through, therefore I have no hesitation in recommending this book to thriller fans! And I'll be seeking out the other books in the series very soon.
November 22, 2012
I've got to start rationing this sort of thriller. I'm starting to develop a bit of a twitch when there are any loud bangs anywhere, and don't get me started on the reaction when anybody a bit furtive-looking is walking towards me on the streets of the local towns.... Although I will admit there's something rather appealing about close protection bodyguards. Except maybe not the lot that James Bishop gets himself mixed up with in THE WRONG MAN.
Bishop's been framed, and the initial action in the book sets up the circumstances of that event at breakneck pace, continuing that right to the very last page. A debut novel, THE WRONG MAN also has an interesting plot which seemed refreshingly unique to me. His ex-military background is part of what got him the job, and got him involved with the people that are trying to screw him over. It's part of the reason for his actions and his abilities, but that's about where the military style involvement ends. We're not talking politics, or lurking baddies of . Just a good old fashioned "I was framed yer honour", and a bit of hard graft to sort it all out.
Sure Bishop's another stoic loner and more than a bit of an energiser bunny type, who gets the girl and then doesn't quite know what to do about it. There is a bit of daft fem-jep going on which was mildly disappointing, although there was some redemption of that towards the end. Of course there are lurking baddies in the picture, but mostly it's about self-interest, and most of them are very matter of fact about Bishop as a threat to their own agendas. There's also a satisfying level of special effects type action, and a lot of personal jeopardy and bugger the consequences going on, but that's balanced well with a plot and some characters that you can get a bit of a connection with.
THE WRONG MAN was one of those books that was a sit down and read in one sitting. It was highly entertaining, exciting and a nail-biting at points, overall a satisfying, good debut novel. Hopefully there are more from this author in the pipeline.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
Bishop's been framed, and the initial action in the book sets up the circumstances of that event at breakneck pace, continuing that right to the very last page. A debut novel, THE WRONG MAN also has an interesting plot which seemed refreshingly unique to me. His ex-military background is part of what got him the job, and got him involved with the people that are trying to screw him over. It's part of the reason for his actions and his abilities, but that's about where the military style involvement ends. We're not talking politics, or lurking baddies of . Just a good old fashioned "I was framed yer honour", and a bit of hard graft to sort it all out.
Sure Bishop's another stoic loner and more than a bit of an energiser bunny type, who gets the girl and then doesn't quite know what to do about it. There is a bit of daft fem-jep going on which was mildly disappointing, although there was some redemption of that towards the end. Of course there are lurking baddies in the picture, but mostly it's about self-interest, and most of them are very matter of fact about Bishop as a threat to their own agendas. There's also a satisfying level of special effects type action, and a lot of personal jeopardy and bugger the consequences going on, but that's balanced well with a plot and some characters that you can get a bit of a connection with.
THE WRONG MAN was one of those books that was a sit down and read in one sitting. It was highly entertaining, exciting and a nail-biting at points, overall a satisfying, good debut novel. Hopefully there are more from this author in the pipeline.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
February 12, 2013
Former Marine James Bishop is in prison for murder after the death of the man he was hired to protect and most of Bishop's hand-picked security team. Bishop knows that he is innocent and that there must have been an inside man who set him up, but without his freedom he is incapable of proving it. However once he engineers his escape from prison, he is on a quest to clear his name - if he can elude the US Marshalls and the unknown villain.
I know I'm swimming against the tide here but this thriller didn't do anything for me. The plot is hackneyed, although that in itself is not really the issue - truly original plots are rare in this genre and as long as the action goes fast enough and the characters are compelling, authors can get away with it. To me, there were three key problems with this book. Firstly, there was very little suspense. It starts well with Bishop getting out of prison, but after that you can see (almost) every twist and revelation coming a mile off. Secondly, the characters are just on dimensional puppets, there to service the plot, but not even remotely rounded or interesting and incapable of sustaining realistic conversations. And finally, the plot hinges on an endless stream of unlikely coincidences which become extremely tiresome. Bishop just happens to immediately stumble on the one person who can assist him in every situation. A empty luxury mansion is left with absolutely no security system in place. A security-conscious bad guy drives round with his car key affixed to the underside of his car. Crucial clues emerge as if on demand. Bishop helpfully has a photographic memory and an uncanny ability to crack codes. And so on.
I came close to giving up on this book around halfway through. The initial chapters - when Bishop is getting out of prison - are clever, but if goes downhill from there. The ending is extremely implausible and quite unpleasantly violent. I don't recommend it.
I know I'm swimming against the tide here but this thriller didn't do anything for me. The plot is hackneyed, although that in itself is not really the issue - truly original plots are rare in this genre and as long as the action goes fast enough and the characters are compelling, authors can get away with it. To me, there were three key problems with this book. Firstly, there was very little suspense. It starts well with Bishop getting out of prison, but after that you can see (almost) every twist and revelation coming a mile off. Secondly, the characters are just on dimensional puppets, there to service the plot, but not even remotely rounded or interesting and incapable of sustaining realistic conversations. And finally, the plot hinges on an endless stream of unlikely coincidences which become extremely tiresome. Bishop just happens to immediately stumble on the one person who can assist him in every situation. A empty luxury mansion is left with absolutely no security system in place. A security-conscious bad guy drives round with his car key affixed to the underside of his car. Crucial clues emerge as if on demand. Bishop helpfully has a photographic memory and an uncanny ability to crack codes. And so on.
I came close to giving up on this book around halfway through. The initial chapters - when Bishop is getting out of prison - are clever, but if goes downhill from there. The ending is extremely implausible and quite unpleasantly violent. I don't recommend it.
July 25, 2014
Formulaic thriller which is written in 2-3 page scenes so that it would be easy to film. At least that's what I reckon. A quick but uninspiring read.
August 27, 2025
Really enjoyed the first third of the book especially the close protection team leader who was set up to take the fall on a heist ending up with life in prison. Tension tight as James worked how to escape to clear his name and track those down for their crimes. Found I was losing interest and started to speed read, losing the tension in the book and came flat for me. Shame book two might be better.
October 6, 2021
To be honest my husband bought this book, enjoyed it and recommended it. It's not really my cup of tea - too many violent killings which got a bit boring in the end, but the main character was appealing and I think many people would enjoy this if you like that sort of thing.
December 3, 2021
A good read full of intrigue - an elite member of a close protection team is accused of murdering his client and daughter - he spends 3 years in prison before managing to escape and begin his quest to clear his name.
A good book but one which may deprive you of sleep.
A good book but one which may deprive you of sleep.
May 30, 2018
Quite an enjoyable read. good plot and the characters were interesting.
September 22, 2012
Injustice often features in the news and in books. How someone was jailed for a crime they did not commit. Despite damning evidence against them. The basis of such an idea becomes the plot of this debut novel by Jason Dean - The Wrong Man.
James Bishop is just that imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He is jailed and spends the days and nights planning, planning for when he can escape and find the truth. This is just not about injustice and getting the real perpetrator behind bars and proving innocence, it is a deep-rooted desire for revenge.
When the opportunity and the plan come together, Bishop is back on the outside and now trying to do all he can to evade capture but to get to the truth. There is only one slight problem with getting the truth - not knowing who it was who set him up in the first place, Bishop has no idea and so he goes back to the very beginning and tries to piece together what he thinks could be the truth.
Along the way, others become affected and whilst he has always remained a loner; inside the perimeter of the jail; his personal life and even his previous job; a member of a close protection team. Bishop needs help and it comes in a way he never first thought.
Will these people be able to help him find the person or will they just add to Bishop's problems?
Short, snappy chapters tries to inject the thriller element of the story. In places it succeeds, more towards the middle to end of the book. The first few chapters I struggled with because it all appeared too confusing and I was unclear who was who, then some sections of the book were a bit too unbelievable. I am sure with that much violence, Bishop should have been in hospital from the beginning of the book! However, I am a fairly new reader to 'thrillers' and once for me the pace picked up and the twists came into play, there were plenty, it was an enjoyable read.
James Bishop is just that imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He is jailed and spends the days and nights planning, planning for when he can escape and find the truth. This is just not about injustice and getting the real perpetrator behind bars and proving innocence, it is a deep-rooted desire for revenge.
When the opportunity and the plan come together, Bishop is back on the outside and now trying to do all he can to evade capture but to get to the truth. There is only one slight problem with getting the truth - not knowing who it was who set him up in the first place, Bishop has no idea and so he goes back to the very beginning and tries to piece together what he thinks could be the truth.
Along the way, others become affected and whilst he has always remained a loner; inside the perimeter of the jail; his personal life and even his previous job; a member of a close protection team. Bishop needs help and it comes in a way he never first thought.
Will these people be able to help him find the person or will they just add to Bishop's problems?
Short, snappy chapters tries to inject the thriller element of the story. In places it succeeds, more towards the middle to end of the book. The first few chapters I struggled with because it all appeared too confusing and I was unclear who was who, then some sections of the book were a bit too unbelievable. I am sure with that much violence, Bishop should have been in hospital from the beginning of the book! However, I am a fairly new reader to 'thrillers' and once for me the pace picked up and the twists came into play, there were plenty, it was an enjoyable read.
February 7, 2017
First in a series about James Bishop, a man that has been wronged and is now serving a sentence for murder in prison. Bishop was in the Marines, an elite group, then he joined a security protection agency. Also to note that Bishop has a photographic memory. He can recall the least of details that he has seen at one time.
Bishop was on the job leading the security team in protecting a millionaire and his teenage daughter. But, when the security team comes in to relieve them for the day, the bodies mount up. Two of his team members are wounded and some dead, and the millionaire and his daughter, both killed.
Now Bishop has been framed as the one that did this.
Bishop has served two years of his sentence, when he attempts to escape. Now on the run, the FBI are after him, but Bishop is going to find out who framed him.
This book just keeps going and you never know what it going to happen. Bishop is one touch man, and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
Bishop was on the job leading the security team in protecting a millionaire and his teenage daughter. But, when the security team comes in to relieve them for the day, the bodies mount up. Two of his team members are wounded and some dead, and the millionaire and his daughter, both killed.
Now Bishop has been framed as the one that did this.
Bishop has served two years of his sentence, when he attempts to escape. Now on the run, the FBI are after him, but Bishop is going to find out who framed him.
This book just keeps going and you never know what it going to happen. Bishop is one touch man, and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
August 6, 2016
I landed a preview copy of this debut thriller by Jason Dean. Put simply it's my best read in that genre for quite awhile. In fact I devoured it in one sitting, even though it wasn't smart to finish it at 3am on a work day. The primary character is former marine James Bishop, who landed a jail term after a close protection team disaster saw him blamed for murders hje didn't commit. He can't prove his innocence from inside, so the story starts with his prison break, and catapaults at a headlong pace from there. Jason Dean shows a lot of promise ion this first up effort which is published next month. Bishop is back again in the follow up called Backtrack but I don't have release details for it yet.
May 21, 2012
Bishop is an ex-marine turned close protection bodyguard. Trouble is, he’s in prison, framed for the murder of his employer and he has spent months on planning an escape and getting some answers….
This is a thriller with pace and a nice debut. Bishop makes his escape and avoids detection as he starts to track down the people behind his frame up and to find out why. The bad guys are a little over the top, and the sub plot is not quite as clever as it first seems but there is still plenty here to enjoy. Bishop is the kind of stoic loner we have become accustomed to and there is a satisfying blend of action and mission impossible type cleverness.
As I said, a pretty good debut novel and an author worth keeping an eye on.
This is a thriller with pace and a nice debut. Bishop makes his escape and avoids detection as he starts to track down the people behind his frame up and to find out why. The bad guys are a little over the top, and the sub plot is not quite as clever as it first seems but there is still plenty here to enjoy. Bishop is the kind of stoic loner we have become accustomed to and there is a satisfying blend of action and mission impossible type cleverness.
As I said, a pretty good debut novel and an author worth keeping an eye on.
April 27, 2014
Audiobook Review
4 (-) Stars
Look out, Brad Thor and Lee Child. There's a new kid on the block. Dean's opener of James Bishop is a knock-out. Bishop is incarcerated for murders he did not commit, and the only way he can solve them is to escape. And that's just the beginning. Bishop uses his ex-Marine and elite private security finely honed skills to overcome monumental obstacles.
The Wrong Man is a non-stop action thriller. Dean does a terrific job building characters and events that will propel James Bishop on to many more adventures. Jeff Harding's narration is spot-on for this character, and I hope he continues to perform Bishop's story.
Definitely a worth-while read in this genre.
4 (-) Stars
Look out, Brad Thor and Lee Child. There's a new kid on the block. Dean's opener of James Bishop is a knock-out. Bishop is incarcerated for murders he did not commit, and the only way he can solve them is to escape. And that's just the beginning. Bishop uses his ex-Marine and elite private security finely honed skills to overcome monumental obstacles.
The Wrong Man is a non-stop action thriller. Dean does a terrific job building characters and events that will propel James Bishop on to many more adventures. Jeff Harding's narration is spot-on for this character, and I hope he continues to perform Bishop's story.
Definitely a worth-while read in this genre.
November 16, 2012
This novel picked up right in the thick of the action and it kept its pace and thickening plot throughout the first half. After the halfway point however I found myself growing less entertained. The plot was still ticking along but the enormity of the set-up and the conincidences that were passed off as evidence was just a bit too much for me.
Plus side I really liked Bishop as a character.
Plus side I really liked Bishop as a character.
November 9, 2013
The leader of a close protection team ends up in prison after his unit and client are slaughtered.
The story is quite gripping, as the main character sets out to prove his innocence, and the characters are believable. There are a few odd plot points / jumps where you have to suspend belief and the storyline could have been tighter (more logical progression).
The story is quite gripping, as the main character sets out to prove his innocence, and the characters are believable. There are a few odd plot points / jumps where you have to suspend belief and the storyline could have been tighter (more logical progression).
April 7, 2013
A good debut thriller by Jason Dean. With a potentially interesting character introduced in James Bishop, this novel promises well for future books in the series.
June 26, 2014
Good thriller, wrong-man behind bars plots his perfect revenge type story.
June 23, 2015
good book, it started off slow. like the steady revealing it got to a point I didn't know what to expect. Brilliant writing Jason Dean
March 6, 2016
Great book after reading a load o garbage so far this year. Well worth a read and interesting character like Jack Reacher!
July 26, 2024
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