The beginning is intense and shocking. It raises questions, when did this happen? Before the story yet to unfold? After? During?

It sets the scene for an intricately woven plot of danger, deceit and desire.

The characters play out their roles in an authentic way, the knowledge of police procedures is evident and makes that part of the story realistic and readable. The main theme of the story is the web of lies that one man lived, only revealed after his demise. The two families, the anger, anguish and anonymity they feel. Are they as ignorant as they seem? Do they know more? Are they in danger too?

Beth Chamberlain, as a new family liaison officer, brings a fresh perspective. She has her problems, some of which impinge on the investigation, but her empathy and intelligence make her role pivotal.

The suspense builds well, the plot has enough twists to make it page-turning, but plausible. An engaging story with significant psychological suspense played out against a well-written police procedural setting.

I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Having enjoyed previous police series’ by Jane Isaac, I knew I was going to be in for a quality story and I wasn’t let down.

This series features a new detective. DC Beth Chamberlain is a Family Liaison Officer sent to support the family of a murdered businessman, Cameron Swift.

The story starts with his murder. Gunned down on his driveway by a killer on a motorbike who leaves no clues behind, the police are mystified. It soon becomes apparent that Cameron led a secretive and complicated life, which the police have their work cut out trying to unravel and, as the FLO, Beth gets involved with supporting those closest to him whilst they try to come to terms with the fact that they knew so little about Cameron’s life. At the same she is constantly vigilant of anything she feels needs to be reported back to the team. I can imagine its not an easy role – on the one hand you’re there to support and help but on the other you’re not entirely trusted by those you’re meant to be helping.

Beth was an engaging character, apart from a needy sister (who caused her one or two complications). She wasn’t perfect by any means, as the story shows, and her inexperience led to foolish decisions but she was conscientious and genuinely wanted to help. It was different to see the effects and aftermath of a crime more from the perspective of the victim’s families, rather than just from a normal investigation POV.

This is an intriguing crime story, with one surprise after another, leading to a tense and suspenseful conclusion. The Other Woman is a very strong start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing more of Beth’s character in the next book (which has already been published as Presumed Guilty but is being republished in March 2020 with Aria as For Better, For Worse.)

I am a sucker for a police procedural novel, this one has definitely not disappointed.
I have loved the main character, Beth Chamberlain who is a family liaison officer. She is a fantastic lead protagonist throughout this book.
I have not been able to put this book down. This is another new author for me and I am already a huge fan. I cannot wait to read more of Isaac's books.
This has definitely gripped me from the very beginning and I have found it utterly impossible to put down. You know you've found a wonderful author when you devour the book within hours.
This has a logical plot, which is highly addictive and perfect for anyone who likes crime thrillers and police procedurals.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The fright that Monika had when her partner was killed at their front door was unbearing, no one doubt it. But what no one expects is that another woman, Sara, appears later saying that it was her partner too…!
The Other Woman is a case investigated by DC Beth Chamberlain, whom is assigned to “take care” of the family (Family Liaison) on these difficult moments and of course, to discover as much as possible without creating any conflict. I think Beth’s situation is not easy, she loves her job and does it perfectly, but when someone has been killed everyone is a suspect, mostly the loved ones, so she has to interrogate Monika with delicacy and try to uncover any hidden secrets.
This is an interesting case, how a man can have a total secret life without any of the partners discovering it. I’ve always been fascinated by this type of situation, I think the man/woman doing this has to be cold hearted and without any respect for their couples. Don’t you think? But admit it that it makes you wonder if the two partners are in the murder together or simply bad luck. Of course that’s the point of Jane Isaac, the suspicion all the time that they are planning this together. But there are so many possible suspects and secrets linked to this case that I can assure you it will not be easy to uncover the truth!
I really liked Beth, she trusts her instincts and knows when she can ask a question or has to be supportive, is intelligent and wants to discover the truth, all the truth!
I was surprised with the multiple layers of the story and all the secrets that Cameron Swift, the victim, has been keeping from both of his families! There are really strong motives for anyone that know him to kill him, you only need to discover the real killer!
I hope this will not be the only case of DC Beth Chamberlain, the story didn’t tell much about her personal life, I hope we will discover more in another case!
Ready to discover The Other Woman?

The Other Woman by Jane Isaac
DC Beth Chamberlain #1

Mystery, murder and more in this story of a man murdered in cold blood leaving two women without a “partner” and four children without a father. Who killed Cameron and why? What did Monika and Sara have to do with it – if anything? How will the police go about uncovering why the murder took place? Will the murderer be caught? So many questions and as each clue was revealed I was drawn in further.

What I liked:
* Beth – she seemed focused, smart and dedicated to her job and family. She’s a good policewoman and capable of thinking on her feet and taking action when needed.
* The police team – being introduced to them I have a feeling I will like DCI Lee Freeman and Sergeant Nick Geary along with some others on the team
* Watching the police procedural aspects followed during the investigation
* The way the story unfolds – pace and plotting were well done
* Not knowing for sure who the bad guy was till near the end...even though I had read the end before the middle of the book
* That it made me think and care and hope for a good outcome for all involved in a messy situation

What I did not like:
* The bad guy – really seemed off mentally and totally irrational
* The situation I have a feeling Beth’s sister is getting into with the man she has chosen to spend time with
* The first murder victim – Cameron was not a man that I could like even though it seemed his partners and children probably did
* Being reminded again of how easily humans perpetrate evil against one another
* Having to say goodbye to the characters in the story and having to wait for book two of the series to find out what happens next

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This was a thrilling read - I didn't guess the perpetrator at all although it makes perfect sense!

I found Beth a really interesting character and her relationship with her sergeant Nick something that could really be built upon. I loved Beth's close relationship with her niece but found Beth's sister Eden quite frustrating and not just for the reasons that come to light later in the book.

This was a great introduction to this author for me and I'll definitely check out more of their work.

EXCERPT: The moments before death were not at all how she imagined them to be. No images, carved from the recesses of her memory, flashed before her. No celebrated successes or missed opportunities. Instead, an overwhelming fear beat a tune beneath her skin, faster and faster, picking up momentum, immobilising her organs, one by one.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Cameron Swift is shot and killed outside his family home, DC Beth Chamberlain is appointed Family Liaison Officer. Her role is to support the family – and investigate them.

Monika, Cameron's partner and mother of two sons, had to be prised off his lifeless body after she discovered him. She has no idea why anyone would target Cameron.

Beth can understand Monika's confusion. To everyone in their affluent community, Monika and her family seemed just like any other. But then Beth gets a call.

Sara is on holiday with her daughters when she sees the news. She calls the police in the UK, outraged that no one has contacted her to let her know or offer support. After all, she and Cameron had been together for the last seven years.

Until Cameron died, Monika and Sara had no idea each other existed.

As the case unfolds, Beth discovers that nothing is quite as it appears and everyone, it seems, has secrets. Especially the dead...

Previously published as After He's Gone.

MY THOUGHTS: While I didn't struggle with The Other Woman, nor was I engaged by it. I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters, and failed to feel excited at any point during the read. Having said that, there is nothing that I can really criticise, either. This is the first book in the DC Beth Chamberlain series.

The plot is good, with plenty of red herrings, and a twist at the end that lifted it from a 2.5 star read to 3. This is a good quick read, ideal if you don't want to exercise the grey cells too vigorously.

🙂🙂🙂

#TheOtherWoman #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Jane Isaac is married to a serving detective and they live in rural Northamptonshire, UK with their daughter and dogs. Jane's debut novel, An Unfamiliar Murder, introduces DCI Helen Lavery and was nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards 2013.'

The Truth Will Out, the second in the DCI Helen Lavery series, was nominated as 'Thriller of the Month - April 2014' by E-thriller.com and winner of 'Noveltunity book club selection - May 2014'.

Jane' s seventh novel, Presumed Guilty, is the second in the highly acclaimed DC Beth Chamberlain (Family Liaison Officer) series. The third DC Beth Chamberlain novel is scheduled for release in 2020.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Other Woman by Jane Isaac for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

#1 in the D.C. Beth Chamberlain series.

When a man, Cameron Swift, is shot and killed outside his home, the investigation begins.

As more details about Swift emerge, more than one family’s lives are affected.

Family Liaison Officer, DC Beth Chamberlain is supporting Swift’s family, while also investigating the shooting, who Cameron Swift really was and just who wanted him dead.

This is an intriguing police procedural and Beth is a refreshing change from the usual moody, slightly damaged detectives usually found. She’s normal, intelligent and determined woman with a life outside the police force. I found this to be thoroughly entertaining and I’ll be looking out for more in the series.

Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.

The Other Woman is book one in the DC Beth Chamberlain series. Beth is a strong likeable Detective Constable. She’s a family liaison officer. This case is going to challenge her with all the secrets and lies. I love that we get her professional and personal life in this story.

The story starts off well and the pace is good throughout. I couldn’t seem to put it down. I’m really looking forward to reading more of this series.

Great Read. I love Jane Isaac books and especially loved this one.
Great cover a little different from lots of other crime novels at the moment so that made me interested. The book follows Beth Chamberlain the family liaison officer which is interesting as it’s a crime novel that doesn’t take the usual stance of following the detective or pathologist.
I got into the story straight away it’s interesting and gripping and kept me turning pages as I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Great to the end.
Loved it and can highly recommend. Can’t wait to see Beth again very soon to see her character develop.

Cameron Swift is shot and killed outside of his home while his partner, baby and step-son are asleep inside. While they are left shocked and grieving and police are beginning their investigation into the murder they get a tip that a picture of the man has been posted on social media, just after his death. Then they receive a call from a woman who claims SHE is Cameron's wife and the mother of his 2 young children. DC Beth Chamberlain is appointed Family Liaison Officer to the two families as they try to find the killer before he strikes again.

I really wanted to like this book. I thought the blurb about it sounding interesting, but unfortunately I could never really get into it and enjoy it like I thought I would. All of the characters seemed flat to me. and the storyline just seemed to plug along. It never really took off. I really can't say that I would recommend this one.

Another fantastic read by Jane Isaac.
I can not say enough about this series.
Intense and intriguing ! You will be captivated by the very first chapter.

This was a great crime book! It had all the necessary aspects - it was a thriller, full of suspense, had unexpected twists and turns, and a dynamic relationship between the lay characters and the criminal justice characters. Would definitely recommend to a friend!

Cameron Swift was shot dead by a black clad hemeted young person outside his house. It was not a robbery, neither was it random. Seemingly without any reason. DC Beth Chamberlain is put in charge of the case with the orders from high to solve this random murder quickly.

Monika is Cameron's partner and cannot find any reason why this should happen. With no enemies, a fairly low profile, a man who travels for work there are no clues. On the other side of the world in Goa, Sara is on holiday with her two daughters when she gets the news. It is with her getting the news that the whole story unravels.

How Cameron was able to maintain a duplicate life with no one the wiser, two families which he kept happy and contented but with now over riding financial woes despite an opulent lifestyle, Beth has to unravel the clues left behind to find out why and who did this.

Not just the people around him but even the victim has had secrets and they are kept closely guarded.

A typical mystery murder thriller this was well written with good characterization (especially the two women).

Author Jane Isaac has a new fan in me. Having read one of her previous books, I was so excited to start this one. And it didn’t disappoint.

A man was shot in front of his home. His partner and kids were left devastated. The cops were called. Beth was the Family Liason Officer. Then came a shocking reveal of another family which led to the further investigation of the man’s secrets.

Jane Isaac is a terrific author, her way of writing emotions within a police procedural got to me. The investigation was top-notch. Beth excelled in showing her passion for the police work along with her caring for the victim’s family and her own. Her instincts were bang-on. She had some awkward moments in this where she was placed in difficult circumstances. I liked that she did the right thing.

Beth and people surrounding her were shown well. I loved the way the author had characterized her. The suspense was built up from the first chapter. I was quite delighted to know how wicked the victim was. The final reveal of the killer though unexpected but didn’t really come close to the suspense and intrigue that was imbibed in the story. I was expecting something so huge that I would crash.

Overall, it was a gripping story which kept me awake till 4am. One of my fun midnight reads, the first in the new year.

A really great read by Jane Issac and many thanks to Aria for the opportunity to read and review this book. The Other Woman was full of mystery and suspense, all the vital elements needed for the best crime thrillers. Cameron Swift meets a grisly end when he is shot at point blank range when leaving his house on normal working day. Police investigating his death assume he is a normal Joe Soap until they find a few skeletons in his closet including a few wives. Could they be involved in his death. Definitely recommend reading. Will keep you hooked until the last page.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I really could not get into this book. I really liked reading Monika’s POV but Beth.....ugh I couldn’t stand her and ended up skimming through her chapters. I thought it was too slow paced to get to the ending. I will probably not read the rest of the series.

I’d like to thank Aria and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Other Woman’ by Jane Isaac in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Cameron Swift is shot dead on his driveway DC Beth Chamberlain is assigned the role of Family Liaison Officer to his partner Monika and their two sons. A few days later they receive a phone call from Sara Swift berating them for withholding information regarding the death of Cameron Swift who she’s been with for eight years and has two daughters with. Cameron Swift appears to be a man with many secrets, not least how he’s managing to keep two families from knowing about each other. But who shot Cameron, and why?

‘The Other Woman’ is a well-written and gripping police thriller with believable characters, an exciting plot, suspense, and a number of twists and turns. I like the character of Beth Chamberlain who’s determined to work hard in her position of FLO and I hope we see more of her. The writing style makes for easy reading and I became completely engrossed as I reached the dramatic conclusion that I wasn’t expecting. This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

Cameron loves Sara and his two daughters. He would do anything for them. They are his family.
Cameron loves Monika and his two sons. He would do anything for them. They are his family.
What a tangled web he wove. Two families, neither women k ow about the other. Then one day as he's leading his golf clubs into the boot of his car, he is gestured over to a rider on a motorcycle. He is shot dead, gunshots to his head and chest.
The police investigation poi ts to Cameron being mixed up in serious shady dealings. Of course with these dealing come hard core people. People that will stop at nothing to bring whomever they believe are stealing to hard justice.
A great thriller that keeps you on your toes. You can't wait to see what happens next. Entertainment at it's finest!

A man is gunned down outside his home, leaving his partner and mother of his young son devastated. It very quickly transpires that the victim has been leading a double life and has another partner and two young girls. I loved the character of Beth and a peep into her private life. This is a very believable and well written book by the author, whose previous books I have enjoyed. A good, solid police procedural, with interesting characters and plenty twists. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.