| Title | : | The Night Thief (Jackman Evans #8) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 370 |
| Publication | : | First published November 18, 2021 |
He takes one thing. A photo of their child.
A thief on a power trip or something even darker and more sinister?
Detectives Jackman and Evans find themselves on the hunt for a highly unusual burglar who seemingly only steals photographs. But then, late one night, an elderly woman falls to her death after seeing someone in her home.
Did she really fall, or was she murdered?
And just how many mysterious intruders are there on the Fens?
With the body count rising, Jackman and Evans have their work cut out for them to track down the night thief — before it’s too late.
The Night Thief (Jackman Evans #8) Reviews
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- 2.5 stars -
PSA: my rating has nothing to do with Richard’s narration of the audiobook. He did a perfect job (as always) and he’s once again masterfully managed all different kinds of dialects (Welsh, Scottish, posh British English) and seems to effortlessly manage to give each character a distinct voice. I could listen to him narrating a random person's grocery list.
However, even He could not save this snooze fest of a book. The premised promised an exciting couple of hours well spent listening to Richard’s voice but while the latter proved to be true, the former did not.
The Night Thief is the eighth instalment in Ellis’ Jackman and Evans series and given that I hadn’t read the previous books, it made it very hard to connect to the characters and their struggles. The friendship between the two officers Evans and Jackman was already very well established. There were a lot of references to past lovers, cases, and happenstances that did not make sense to me. In this book, there are assembled a lot of characters, not only on the police force, but a lot of victims, witnesses and side characters and it was very hard keeping up with them, especially with those that were already established in previous books and thus weren’t introduced to the reader.
I always love a good murder mystery but with this one, the action didn’t really kick off until 60% into the book. I was quite bored, constantly waiting for something exciting or creepy to happen. I never DNF books and I didn’t DNF this one, but I know that many people do stop reading if the hook never seems to come and I get why some readers didn’t finish this book.
Apart from the fact that this read like a wild goose chase (they interview person A who says person B might know more who says they saw person C doing something fishy who says “it wasn’t me but person D could help you”), I was a bit bewildered by the fact that Jackman was so obsessed with Marie Evans. His constant worry for her and her safety, thinking about her even when he was with his girlfriend, gave their boss-subordinate relationship a weird vibe. I was constantly expecting for something to happen between those two, that's how charged their relationship felt. Maybe that was the author planting seeds for them to become romantically entangled in future installments of the series but in this book it simply struck me as off given they both have partners.
All in all, I might have liked this book better if I had read the previous instalments because then I would have known more about the characters and would have been able to follow their storylines better. However, even that wouldn’t have made this book significantly better. It’s too sluggish for that, too full with side characters, and quite frankly, boring. -
He gets into their house somehow. He stands by the bed watching the woman sleep, but he doesn't wake her. He takes only one thing away when he leaves ... a photo of a child. Depending on the women ... and there are many ... these could be pictures of their son, grandson, or any other kind of relative. They are all boys around 10 years of age.
Besides scaring the women, it's a nuisance call for the police ... usually always in the dead of night. But that soon changes ....
An elderly woman is found at the foot of the stairs in her home. According to a neighbor, a man was seen wandering around her house. Did the night thief up his game ... or is there something else going on? Did she really fall, or was she murdered?
A second story line involves a strange man ... with a lesser known medical problem ... somnambulism. His odd behavior gives even his psychologist the willies
With the body count rising, Jackman and Evans have their work cut out for them to track down the night thief — before it’s too late.
As with all the books in this series, it is well-written with a fascinating plot and riveting story line. There is an interesting mix of characters that keep moving the story forward. Suspense starts at the very beginning and maintains a high level throughout. Although 3rd in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. -
DI Jackman & DS Evans#8
When everyone is sleeping, he comes into their houses. He takes one thing. A photo of their child. A sinister thief on a power trip or something even darker and more sinister?
Someone is breaking into women's homes, taking pictures of their sons. Then an elderly woman is murdered and the hunt is on to find the person responsible. These are just a few things under investigation by Detectives Jackman and Evans. There's also a subplot where psychologist Laura's patient, claims to suffer from somnambulism, makes Laura feel on edge.
Both these stories weave together seamlessly, but only briefly. The pace is slow at the beginning. There's also quite a lot of characters to remember. There's a few twists along the way. The real action doesn't really start until around the 60% mark.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #JoyEllis for my ARC of #TheNightTheif in exchange for an honest review. -
I have no idea if I like Joy Ellis or if I just love Richard reading Ellis.
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My thanks to Joffe books, Joy Ellis "who's always fantabulous!" and Netgalley. I'm always happy when there's a new Jackman and Evans book. They and their team are my favorite coppers in the Fens! This was another good one by Ms. Ellis. It was a bit tame compared to some, but I actually found myself kind of sad and aching for one bad guy. Sheesh, I hate that! I loved how Evan's story has moved forward. Also, Jackman is driving me nuts. Great guy, but every one else are adults. How he's not "in hospital" with ulcers is a mystery. I'm ready for Joy to move Jackman beyond this. I adore Joy Ellis for the humanity that she brings to get stories. I have kept reading her because her character's are friends. They are a team. Great work Ms. Ellis! Recommended.
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Review soon!🧸
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Never been so disappointed in a book. Indont usually review either but this was a very slow read and I had guessed the ending while I was only a third of the way into the book.
Obvious and predictable. -
I don't like to give so few stars as I have huge respect for authors (being one myself), sitting down writing for hours, researching, re-reading, editing, and all the marketing work that ensues but this didn't grip me I must say, I got bored.
It was off to a good start but then I drifted off (this was audible) and I'm not sure why as there were many good elements in the story.
To be fair this isn't really my genre either... I was trying something new ;-) -
3.5 stars
While this didn’t work as well as others I’ve read in the series, which is a new favorite, it was enjoyable and worth the read.
The plot was quite complex, which is generally a plus. In this case, it went a little further than I thought worked, getting a little tangled and then stretching credulity more than usual to get it all straightened out.
But the ideas and situations were quite interesting and the regular characters as enjoyable as ever. -
I was so excited to have a new Jackman & Evans book, as I recently finished this author's latest in the Nikki Galena series and I was reminded how much I love her work. This latest was no exception, as the blurb got my attention right away. Why is a man sneaking into houses in the middle of the night and stealing photos of children? Just one from each house, mind you. And that’s all he does until it’s not. He escalates to causing an elderly woman to fall to her death down her staircase. No one can understand why this sweet and caring neighbor would have been the victim of the nighttime stalker. It’s up to DI Jackman and DS Evans to gather their team and dive into the investigation.
At the same time, Jackman’s partner, Laura, is having a bad feeling about her latest therapy patient. The man claims he suffers from somnambulism (sleepwalking) but there is just something about his behavior that she can’t put a finger on. She contacts her beloved mentor, Sam, who is just as intrigued and he then contacts a colleague of HIS to bring in! They can only hope that all of their combined professional experience will aid in the patient’s case.
I loved the concurrent storylines, and how each one raises so many questions. There are street officers brought in to help the detectives, and I like how their footwork on the case is highlighted, because it’s not just the detectives putting forth the time and effort. The victims of the break ins also feature prominently, along with the steps they take to feel safe again. Each case is resolved satisfactorily and leaves me in the usual way – dying for more! -
It pains me to say this, but even Richard Armitage could not save this book. I was intrigued, but not enough to continue listening to this story. I thought I could hang in there, until I saw that there were over seven hours left. Sadly, I had to abandon ship.
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*Night Stalker*
*4.5 Stars*
DI Jackman and DS Evans are back, this time but case is what I would say is very intriguing. There seems to be a few things going on at once. There is a man who has a hobby of climbing into houses and getting back out unseen, while another one is doing the same but taking a photo of young boys. One of them is innocent the other has a sinister reason, what is the significance of the photos?
Jackman’s partner Laura is a psychologist but she has a case that seems to be troubling for her and due to patient confidentiality she cannot discuss it. But Jackman’s senses are off the chart, he calls in her mentor Sam to get involved, is his detective radar right?
We see people being attacked and more than one body turns up, then the case step up a gear
I think this case was not quite as riveting as the previous books but still a good read. I just love the partnership of Jackman and Evans, I must it is worth adding the audio because Richard Armitage’s Narration just adds to the book. -
Absolute bullshit. Like it's written by a small child.
Apologies if the author is a small child. -
Outstanding read
This is book 8 in the award winning Jackman and Evans series by the extremely talented Joy Ellis, one of my favourite authors. They do work perfectly as stand alone.
The story is an unusual and intriguing one. There is more than one story running because in the background is a perplexing case that Laura is handling. This adds even more interest and brings the characters more to life as the reader is treated to an insight to the difficulties faced by people whose choice of career means they are unable to discuss their working day. The author expertly brings this into the story adding extra interest and realism.
The story begins with a woman waking in the night to find a man at the foot of her bed staring at her. At first it appears that Ratty is up to his old tricks but when a photo is found to be missing Jackman and his team realise they have another much more dangerous intruder on the loose.
As more women are left traumatised by the night time visitor the team are struggling to work out why the intruder is stealing photos of boys around 10 years of age.
The team have their work cut out trying to sort the wheat from the chaff as other reports come in of events the police have been called out to that could have a bearing on the case.
A very complicated and extremely gripping story. Is Laura's case linked to Jackman's? What, if anything, does the lone man at the school gates have to do with it? Most importantly though is the question 'What is this night time visitor's end game?
As this list of night time visits and by default the number of boys on the list increases it becomes clear that the Police budget and resources make it impossible to protect them all. In the meantime Laura's sleepwalker case is ramping up .
Wow what a fantastic book this is. I was totally gripped from the very first page. Adrenaline pumping suspense and more twists and turns than a big bowl of spaghetti I found myself guessing and changing my mind numerous times all the way through.
The characters continue to gain depth and I love how Stacey and Jay are brought more into the limelight as it adds interest and depth to the story.
An absolutely outstanding read and one that will stay with me for a long time.
Definitely 5 golden stars from me. -
I found the premise of this book is genuinely creepy. A man sneaking into houses to take pictures of children is the stuff of nightmares.
It’s a good job Jackman & Evans are on the case. As with all Joy’s books, the team work and relationships between the members of the police team are well described.
Another superb police procedural from Joy Ellis. Inventive, twisty and addictive, this book has it all. Joy Ellis never lets her readers down. -
Shamefully, this eighth book in series is my first read – but it won’t be the last!
Jackman & Evans’ latest case is a strange one; they seem to have someone who enters houses in the dead of night when the residents are fast asleep – and do no more than steal a photograph. While that alone is more annoying than anything else, it all changes when an elderly resident whose home has been entered falls to her death. Now they must get to the bottom of this mystery before more innocents lose their lives.
I have read books by Joy Ellis before and always find them to be excellent, but this is the first time I’ve encountered Jackman & Evans – and what a great team they are! Both exciting and thrilling, this is one which kept me completely caught up in it all the way through. I’ve never been one for sleeping with my window open (my hearing is far too sharp – I’d never get any shut-eye) but I can imagine that, for many readers, they will now be making sure their windows are firmly closed and locked before climbing into bed at night. There is something really creepy about the thought of an intruder in your home at any time but to do so when you are asleep really adds to the horror. As always, this author knows exactly how to ramp up the fear and anticipation of her audience and I love the fact that each series consists of stand-alone reads with no spoilers to prevent me going back and reading the earlier novels. An absolutely cracking thriller, highly recommended and definitely deserving of all five sparkling stars! -
Excellent listen. Richard Armitage reads these books so well. I prefer this series by Joy Edwards to her Nicky Galena ones.
One of the key elements is the building sense of menace and fears for the police team. Fortunately Joy Ellis doesn’t over dramatise but nor can the reader be absolutely sure it’ll all be ok in the end because that isn’t always the case.
I won’t spoil the story. Suffice it to say - it’s gripping and exciting. -
Another brilliant, twisted story from Jackman and Evans!
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Rowan and Marie have rather a strange case on their hands. A man is slipping through small open windows “ visiting” women and leaving without a trace. They think this sounds like their old friend Ratty who appears to have rather a compulsion for this sort of thing. Then things take a turn for the worse when an elderly woman is found dead at the bottom of her stairs and Rattu swears blind that he would never touch anyone but it also appears that pictures from each house are being taken. There have been reports of a man hanging around school gates. Could the two be linked and if so how?
I love Joy’s books and I'm always amazed at how someone can plan out such intricate, interwoven plots with twists and turns , subplots and even maybe a red herring or two and make it all come together so seamlessly in a wonderful entertaining read. True brilliance! They are so cleverly thought out and put together with characters that I can't help but love that truly come alive through the pages. A brilliantly entertaining, very cleverly thought out read. -
My advice is don't read this before going to bed, because its an unusual but nevertheless scary opening: the mystery of waking up to an unknown occupant in your bedroom at night! Its a reoccurring theme about a habitual intruder. I just had to read on to see what would develop. After all potentially this is something that anyone might be unlucky enough to experience.
I found it interesting and captivating because its more of a narrative about individual lives rather than a complicated police procedural. I noticed lots of tea is drunk! then the occasional coffee, but then this is probably a reflection of real life!
So try not to read at bedtime and have a cup of tea at your side and you are in for an enjoyable and highly original treat. -
Thank you Netgalley, Joffe Books, and Author Joy Ellis for this ARC.
I couldn't get into this book and I never really did. This is not a standalone; you must read the previous books in the series to fully get into this one which I did not. Aside from that, this book was so freakin' boring. Nothing actually happened until half way through the story, and the action was lack luster as it felt like I was reading a game of phone tag. -
I know every book needs to be MORE but, boy was that convoluted. Interesting throughput, but once over i only could think 'why so convoluted?'
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I really like this series—a lot. The author has created a whole team with Jackman and Evans at the helm. I like the camaraderie displayed by all of them. It isn’t at all difficult to keep track of who’s who and what their stories are. You’ll occasionally find a crook within the ranks to spice things up, but the Jackman team are solid, savvy, committed and compassionate. We see their humanity, with dreams and hardships, relationships outside those of the force. There’s a glimpse into the crime-solving, while simultaneously giving the reader a look into the bad guys. In this novel, they are two mad men with untypical, fascinating disorders which adds a captivating flair.
DI Jackman and DS Evans have an extraordinary working relationship strengthened by a close, sincere friendship. I am especially drawn to the character of Marie Evans. She’s an Amazon on a motorcycle, armed with unflagging courage and “Spidey-sense,” invaluable in the apprehension of those wicked, cagey criminals.
With both Audible and Kindle Unlimited memberships, I’ve been able to zip through the series for “free.” It’s a treat for me to have both forms as each has their advantage. Narrator Richard Armitage is flawless.
This is a good series, very good, well worth your time if police procedurals are your thing. It’s not great and I can’t pinpoint exactly what keeps it out of a five-star rating, but overall, I’m quite satisfied with it, and look forward to the next installment, SOLACE HOUSE, coming out in December. -
Book eight full of stunning twists.
DI Rowan Jackman, DS Marie Evans on the fens.
Annie Carson saw a man standing at the foot of her bed, screaming for her son Callum they went down to see the front door wide open how the hell did he get in? lots of questions with no answers and a missing photo of Callum is gone, she calls the police.
PC's Smith and Acharya are taking this seriously this guy is up to his game pushing the boundaries and there's more to come, an habitual intruder the spider monkey named Ratty has been doing this for years until they find out who he really is he has change his ways now taking kids framed photos but it could well now be someone else and this doesn't end there's more incidences to come. A murder and a sudden death brings in Jackman and Evans where is this book going?
As always I was gripped into this story you just never know what's coming next, this is really the one in the series that is full of action with lots of characters jumping out the pages.
Oh boy I didn't see that ending coming, LOVED IT. -
369 pages
3 and 1 / 2 stars
DS Marie Evans has just returned from a vacation with her mother. She had a fun and relaxing time. There is not much going on in the station at the moment. But, that’s about to change.
A subplot is the book is the difficult patient that Jackman’s partner has. He is given to violent mood swings and strikes out at her. .
A man is sneaking into houses and taking pictures of children; nothing else just the picture. It is horribly frightening. DI Jackman and Marie will be looking into it. They have a suspect in mind, an old trespasser nicknamed “Ratty.” But Ratty just breaks in, he doesn’t steal.
When an elderly woman is murdered, the tension in the case ratchets up. What is going on? Ratty has never been violent.
The chase is on…
This book is not Ms. Ellis’ best. While I really appreciate the way the team gets along, this novel lacks something. The writing and plotting are good. But the book wanders a bit.
I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own. -
This is another excellent book from Joy, and I have to say, as usual I absolutely loved it. Her writing is superb, and you can relate to the characters and the area and feel that you are actually there taking part.
As the synopsis of the book tells you, it’s a tricky one for Jackman and his team as a thief gets into peoples houses, through an open upstairs window, but doesn’t steal anything apart from a photo. Why is he doing this? Nothing else is taken and it is indeed an odd crime. Coupled with that, Laura has a patient who suffers from sleep walking and she, herself thinks he’s a bit of a tricky one, and is being economical with the truth. Jackman calls on Laura’s old mentor Dr Page to help out, I think I would have done too, living out in the sticks with strange clients!
The book reaches a crescendo, and I had my heart in my mouth, but you’ll have to read it to find out.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m sure Jackman is hiding his true feelings for Marie? I suppose time will tell ……
My thanks to Joy and Joffe Publishers for the ARC.
