This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Long time ago three young boys were brutally killed and the primary suspect was suspiciously killed in a car accident. Fast forward now and the Detective Chief Inspector Matt Ballard who was in charge of the case then receives an envelope pointing to new victims and some old photos which were not public knowledge. Det. Matt is certain this is a copycat, but one of his officers also plants a seed in the team’s mind that probably their previous suspect never died and maybe he came back and started all these.
As they run against time, 2 officers even get abducted and Det. Matt must find out what is the vengeance this killer has against him and how does this killer know so many details about the detective’s past?
This was a fast paced book, thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the approval in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately I have been unable to get into it. DNF @ 23%.

A great thriller novel you can read in one sitting. The twists and turns will catch fans of the genre off guard and leave them happy theybpivked this one up.

I usually really enjoy Jo6 Ellis novels but struggled with this one despite starting it a couple of times.

Well, what can I say? Joy Ellis is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This author certainly knows how to drag you into a book. That is exactly what happened here.

Whilst I expected to enjoy this novel, as I have with all Joy's other books, I didn’t expect to get so caught up in the story. Brilliantly written.

WoW another fantastic read......BEWARE THE PAST by Joy Ellis. This book was fast paced, gritty and gripping from the very first page to the last chapter. Joy's books only get better and Better. I just love the way this book and all her other books just flow into one.
Looking forward to the next book from Joy Ellis.

Big Thank you to Netgalley, the author and to Joffe Publishers for the ARC for a honest review x
5 star read from me.

This book was a twisting and turning ride! Initially, I was not that interested but, after awhile, I grew to like most of the characters. I will not summarize the story but will say that, at times, it felt that it was at a good conclusion point but then it started up again, in a different direction. At times, the villains, once revealed, seemed cartoonish and over the top crazy. However, those aspects did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. I would recommend the book to those who enjoy a good mystery.

I have been reading a bit of a book each in of the three available mediums (kindle, audible and hardcopy). I move between them as the during different times of the day, depending on what I am doing on the side. The reason I start with this explanation, is to indicate how much I was bound to the book once the story picked up that I had to see it through to the end without any distractions. I finished it in about two sittings and the conclusion does feel like it is out of the blue.

This is a stand alone book.I have read a previous book by the author (Buried on the Fens (Nikki Galena Series #7) ) which did not make much sense to me since I did not know any of the players. The fact that the story is self-sufficient is one of the driving forces to make the book good.

DCI Matt is due to retire. We are given information about an old case that has ruined his peace of mind for more than two decades. This insight into the case come in handy, when it looks like it is all happening again. This time there seems to be a targeted angst towards Matt himself, with crumbs of clues being dropped on purpose. The villain of the piece who is lurking in the shadows, gives us glimpses of his twisted mind and equally twisted thoughts. The descriptions are not extremely graphic, but enough to pack a punch ( therefore this review comes with the standard advice: to read if you are used to the series). Matt now has to find the culprit before there is more damage done and more lives risked, but the warped brain behind it all has no wish to make it easy.

Brilliant. Had me gripped the whole way through. Matt Ballard has been haunted throughout his career by series of murders that happened in 1991. Matt starts to get photographs that are linked to this case. An investigation starts as to whether the murderer could still be alive. There is a lot packed into this story. The twists totally blindsided me. I did not see them coming at all. Joy Ellis is a brilliant writer. She definitely knows how to write a really good edge of the seat thriller. I definitely want to read more of her books.

I have read quite a few books by this author and in my opinion it's one of her best. It is the kind of book where you say to yourself just one more chapter and end up reading half a dozen. There has to be some violence in crime thrillers but Joy Ellis knows how to put in lots of detail without going over the top.

Joy Ellis is one of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint. Definitely worth a read.

This is only the second book I have read by Joy Ellis and once again I wasn't disappointed.
An intriguing story line with a good cast of characters, plenty of twists and turns to hold your attention. A book I found difficult to put down and eagerly anticipated being able to pick it up again.
I will definitely be adding Joy Ellis to my list of favourite authors..

Beware the Past is a fantastic crime mystery. I loved the plot with it’s many twist and turns. I was glued to this book until the conclusion. I will be reading more of this author’s books.

Fantastic ending that I did not expect! The murders of three boys years ago haunted Matt but when things start happening again it seems like old wounds are about to be re-opened. I enjoyed this book and felt connected to the characters, would have loved a bit more insight into the "villains" but overall it was a good read

Another murder in the same style of the past causes upset for Detective Matt. A murder that was not solved and still causes emotional upset for Matt. Can he solve it this time or is he too close ? Too damaged ?

Excellent story line and great main characters. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend.

Joy Ellis may just be one of my new favorite writers. Granted, this is only the third book of hers that I've read, but she bambozzles me every time! The characters, whether you love or hate them, are fully fleshed out. What Joy excels in is the heart pounding, tense you up til you think you're going to crack like a dang pecan..."This is me trying to catch my breath" moments. I'm not sure I've ever read anything quite like her. I've even bought 2 of her other books. Truth is that I love authors from the U.K. It's nice not being in the U.S.A., and cops shootin' it up! Yes, I'm American, but I hate big cities, and cops who don't use their brains, but only use their sidearms. Joy's books are also filled with bits of humor, but also her characters only cuss when it's relevant, or for comic relief. Oddly, as I've gotten older I find cussing to be distasteful. I only say oddly, because in my head I still cuss like nobodies business! I honestly can't recommend this author enough. She's good. Not just good, I think she's pretty f@#+ing awesome.

Joy Ellis has a talent for writing gritty police procedurals that make you feel strongly about the central characters.  You empathize with their hopes and their fears. As  DCI Matt Ballard approaches retirement he is haunted by one case that of three boys who were brutally murdered in the remote Gibbet Fen.  The killings stopped when the suspect was killed in a hit and run, but Ballard was never absolutely certain that the suspect was guilty.  Now, just as he is looking forward the nightmare begins again. It looks like a copycat but how can they be sure, especially since there are signsthat were never released to the public.  What Ballard doesn't realize is that there’s more to this nightmare than the return of a sadistic murderer.  Someone is targeting Ballard personally and is preparing to destroy him and everyone he cares about in a twisted game of vengeance.

Joy Ellis builds suspense by alternating the narrative between Ballard and his team and their opponent.  It makes for a lot of dramatic tension.  There is implied brutality but it isn't graphically described.  Still I would be reluctant to let a teen read it without supervision.  Beware the Past has a number of twists that took me by surprise.  I was quite impressed by Ellis’s plotting.

If you like British police procedurals, Joy Ellis can be relied on to provide a thrilling read with plenty of twists and tangles that are both surprising and believable.

5 / 5

I received a copy of Beware the Past from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Twenty-five years ago, three young boys were brutally murdered in the Lincolnshire fens. The killer was never caught. It is the case which has haunted Detective Chief Inspector Matt Ballard for his entire career. Now, photographs connected to the case are being mailed to his work colleagues, raising Matt's suspicions that the killer may be back. When the body of another young boy is found with the killer’s unique ‘signature’ and one of his junior officers is attacked, Matt starts to believe maybe the past really is coming back to haunt him.

Beware The Past is an absolutely gripping fictional crime thriller with some stunning twists and turns. Enough hints were dropped for the reader to figure out that the women from Matt’s past held the key to the present-day crimes, at least, but I was genuinely stunned when the big reveal came. I read quite a lot of crime thrillers, so red herrings are nothing new to me, but Joy Ellis really had me looking in every direction but the correct one. Police procedural and forensic issues were carefully detailed without devolving into jargon, and the author's descriptive language perfectly captured the bleak desolation of the fenlands.

I found a very few minor errors in the book, mostly things like an extra ‘the’ in a sentence. Overall I would say that the writing was excellent and these few errors can absolutely be overlooked.

There are a few gory descriptions of crime scenes and some unpleasant scenes in the book, but nothing that isn't fairly standard in the genre. I would highly recommend Beware The Past to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller or police procedural drama. I'm delighted to award it five stars.