The Fourth Friend: A Jackman and Evans Thriller

This is the third installment of the Jackman/Evans series by this author. While it is part of a series, I feel it stands alone well. It is gripping, as the subtitle promises, from the very beginning. Both this series and the Galena/Easter series take place in the Fens. For some reason, the Fens is not as much a part of the story in this series, however, and that's a failing. There are even some crossover characters: in this installment, it's the quirky pathologist, Rory Wilkinson. This tale is of a very strong friendship between five men, all of whom seem very likable as they are described after their deaths. The lone survivor of the plane crash - not really as spoiler as the book begins there - is Carter McLean, a very, very sympathetic character. He is part of the Jackman/Evans police team, a bit of a loose cannon with a long list of "snouts" and ways of getting the baddies by bending the rules a bit. And he's charming. He is also a close confidant to Marie Evans as he was her husband's partner in the past. The star is missing from this review primarily because I think Marie acts contrary to the way I think she would have acted. I also was really sorry that the book ended as it did, although I see the merit in it. Rather than an "aha" ending, I found a few tears clouding my vision.

Carter MacLean is back at work with the Fenland police after surviving a plane crash that took the life of three of his mates while on the way to a bachelor party. He’s coping well on the outside, but inside it’s another matter. His dead friends keep showing up at the most inopportune times and he’s worried about making them go away and still keeping his job. It’s the only thing he has left to live for. DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans are worried about him too, as friends and colleagues. They struggle with treating him like glass, trying to keep him together, while trying to solve a cold case of possible murder of the wife of one of Carter’s deceased friends, and a hot one involving the high profile stalking of their boss’s niece, which has a surprising twist.I read this over a day and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The parallel stories of the cold case and the stalking were action-packed and I had to keep reading to see how they were resolved. There were plenty of suspects, each more disagreeable than the last. There was a subplot involving non-stereotypical domestic violence that was realistic and sensitively handled. The ending was a surprise to me – it wasn’t a happy ending, but a true one, and satisfying.A plot might hook me, but what keeps me coming back to this series is the characters. I like that the relationship amongst Jackman, Evans, and the rest of the team continues to grow. Each member gets a chance to shine, if only briefly. They are “real people,” with real quirks and interests, with flaws and pain and secrets, which makes them interesting and relatable. These are people I could imagine having a drink with, or having over for dinner. I hope there will be more entries in this fast-paced, character driven British police procedural. This series can be read out-of-order, but as with most series, I prefer them in order because I like being able to see the characters grow and change.I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher, Joffe Books, and I am voluntarily giving this review. As soon as it was available here, i purchased my own copy, I like the series that much.

I wonder what Lady Bracknell would claim if she heard that one man alone survived an accident that killed his four closest mates, since in "The Importance of Being Earnest" she thus chided a suitor of her daughter's: 'To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.'Philosophical theorems aside, while treacherous endeavours are the pith of any crime story, in this book every deception is implemented out of loyalty rather than malice or for gain. Well, there's one intended to settle the score with someone at the CID, but the rest of the schemes of our protagonist seek no other purpose than to baffle an investigation which would rake up an untoward (yet, given the circumstances, by no means unfair) incident concerning a bunch of people already dead.The law may abide by some principles and methods to fulfill its duty to society, but chance resolved matters in its own way here, and DS Carter felt it was incumbent on him to let the issue rest and move on, which meant deluding his colleagues, therapist and superiors for the sake of keeping a secret, plus catching up with his gang at the other side after the completion of one last (and most significant) act in their honour. What an emotional ending to a very clever (inasmuch as many red herrings are thrown in and then discarded on verification before losing the thread) and, on account of the motive behind the general animosity against Suzanne, daring tale.Moreover, while the police staff is large, the list of suspects is rather short (hence the effective narrative), and the number of pages does not exceed 263 in the printed edition (including a glossary of British slang and a series of briefs on each member of team involved in the case), as the author cut the frills, giving preference to the thrills. Hence I award her the badge I have denied to Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey, Margery Allingham, PD James and Ruth Rendell. Fireworks please!

Spoiler alert! I rarely give mediocre reviews but I just spent alot of time reading this book only to find that it has a REALLY CRAPPY & STUPID ENDING!!

WOW, PAGES FLYING, READ IN ONE SITTING, AND ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT FOR A LOT OF IT!Packed full of thrills and twists and turns just as promised and held surprises also! The story can't work without characters and vice versa and this one is complimented PERFECTLY JOY ELLIS! They're all great however, Carter is extra special, I believe! This is an AMAZING GREAT READ THRILLER and I HIGHLYRECOMMEND THIS BOOK! ENJOY!

I like the way it's written because the author occasionally reminds you who certain characters are, to save you having to wrack your brains to try and remember! Plus it's a very original story line and I can't wait to read the next bit every day :-)

Good read

Really liked this story especially the ghosts and the smells he was seeing and a great explanation. No other way for the story line to end. On to the next book

Really different and interesting story with lots of characters to enhance the plot

Another excellent crime thriller based around the Fens. Lots to keep the reader going whether it’s the developing relationships, the banter between characters or strong descriptions of the scenery all build to enhance a strong plot.