Presumed Guilty by Jane Isaac

Self-published | 2018 (1 December) | 346p | Review copy | Buy the book

When Stuart Ingram is run over and killed on a zebra crossing having just picked up a late-night takeaway, life will never be the same for his family. His wife Gina can barely cope. Just the suggestion that Stuart may not have been the man she thought she’d married, that he may have had his secrets that would be enough to drive somebody else to seek him out and kill him in cold blood, is enough to grind her into the ground. The role of police Family Liaison Officer is crucial and Gina is given one of the very best – DC Beth Chamberlain of the Northamptonshire police, a woman who has both empathy and a knack for wheedling out secrets deeply buried. She knows the right questions to ask and knows how to listen. But when Stuart’s murder is swiftly followed by another, Beth realises that nothing about this case is going to be straightforward.

Presumed Guilty is the second novel by Jane Isaac to feature Family Liaison Officer Beth Chamberlain and I’m so delighted to see her again. The books stand alone, although the trauma that Beth suffered in the previous case means that her superiors are being extra careful with her this second time around. Beth is allowed to go nowhere on her own. She strains against the leash and pushes boundaries but there’s a sense that Beth has learned a lesson she won’t forget. But otherwise, there is nothing about this second book that would prevent you enjoying it on its own. It’s so easy to fall for Beth. She’s a fantastic character and she’s supported by some other people, especially DS Nick Geary, who are extremely likeable. There’s a strong sense with Presumed Guilty, and with its predecessor After He’s Gone, that we’re in good company.

Police procedurals often mention Family Liaison Officers but rarely by name. It’s great to see the role given such precedence and it certainly adds something special to the novels. It’s different and it’s fascinating. It brings the victims’ family into the heart of the case and, in fact, some chapters of Presumed Guilty are presented from the perspective of Stuart Ingrams’ new widow Gina. I really warmed to Gina as we see her almost fade away before our eyes. Beth has to treat her with suspicion but she also treats her with care. It’s a fine line to tread.

Presumed Guilty has such a good plot. It moves along at a fast pace as it becomes ever more complex, involved and tense. But Jane Isaac’s skill goes beyond being able to plot a good tale. She writes so well, breathing life into her characters, combining procedure with a very human perspective. The author certainly knows her subject. We’re told that her husband is a detective, which can’t hurt! The book has such an air of authenticity and detail about it. I also liked the fact that it’s set in a more unusual location – Northamptonshire, a county that combines large towns with beautiful little villages. We have both here. I did have some thoughts about the novel’s ending, which I obviously can’t go into, but this is minor.

Presumed Guilty demonstrates once more that we have a series and heroine here that I hope will run and run. I absolutely adore Jane Isaac’s DI Will Jackman series but this one is every bit as good. Excellent!

Other reviews
Before It’s Too Late (Jackman)
Beneath the Ashes (Jackman)
The Lies Within (Jackman)
After He’s Gone (Chamberlain)