Escapist fiction: easy to read; not so credible as to be disturbing or keep me awake in fear: this is Ellis' novel. The story whips along with some careful detail to prevent the reader doubting the author's research. Characterisation is equal to the storyline.
In a dark way, I enjoyed "Beware the Past" until the unveiling of the villain which lends itself to an American commercial release.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for a review copy of Beware the Past, a stand alone novel featuring DCI Matt Ballard of the Lincolnshire police.

Matt is haunted by an unsolved case from 1991, the serial murder of 3 eleven year old boys, so when photos from these crime scenes he is seriously worried and even more so when he realises that they are "before" photos. As more photos turn up it is apparent that the killer or copycat (no one is sure) is toying with Matt but to what end? When the body of an 11 year old boy is found the stakes become even higher.

I enjoyed Beware the Past which is a highly detailed and plotted thriller that I read in one sitting. I must admit, however, that I did not enjoy it as much as Ms Ellis's other novels for the simple reason that the killer is too good and has too much knowledge to be even remotely plausible and I like to think when reading that maybe, it could happen. This is just too much to swallow. Having said that the novel is riveting with twist upon twist and a tension that seems to ratchet up a notch in every chapter. The final twists are excellent and the most believable of all.

Ms Ellis has excelled herself in her characterisation of Matt Ballard. I could really feel his pain, incomprehension and inability to function. He is a fine, upstanding detective with a remarkable solve rate who is a bit of a loner and intensely private. What is happening forces him to examine his past and share it with the team. It is a humiliating experience for a private man and gives the reader a hint of the knive the killer is turning.

Beware the Past is an excellent thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.

A really good read. A page turner that held my attention throughout. The twist at the end threw me for a loop. Definitely recommended.

Matt Ballard has been a detective for years and is planning to retire. He has one old case that has bothered him and he needs to put it to rest. Now again they find the body of an 11 yr old boy who seems to be a "throw away" boy that is found dead like the old case boys were. Matt is very private about his personal life yet he receives envelopes with something from his past in each one. This case is getting very personal. Photos that should not have been found by whoever this person is. Then a boy is missing who someone cares about and they bring in extra help but still not getting any closer to finding the killer. It can't be the same one but he seems to know too much about the cases and Matt's life. How to catch him and what is the source for his information? You will be surprised!

Loved this book. Set in the Fenlands a stand alone novel that features a tortured detective. Great plot with an explosive ending and for fans of the existing series by the author the odd character that you will know and love pops up top.

Ellis already has two series set in the Fens that I love, so I looked forward to this one, which may be the start of a new series.

As a young policeman, Matt Ballard had one case involving the murder of three young boys that was never solved. Now, with retirement in sight, Matt plans to continue the investigation on his own. Then a photo arrives that shows the crime scene of one of the murders--before the murder, a tangle of taunting letters are sent to members of Ballard's team, and another young boy goes missing.

While this stand-alone (or first in a new series) is another intriguing police procedural from Ellis, I did not enjoy it nearly as much as her previous novels.

The characters don't feel as genuine as those in her other books and the emphasis on sex felt like the book was trying to reach another audience. Perhaps if the book had come from another author, I wouldn't have focused on the fact that I didn't relate to the characters, but the depth of characterization in her previous novels set a high standard. I didn't really like any of the characters much.

I will stick to Ellis' DI Nikki Galena and her DI Jackman series.

NetGalley/Joffe Books

Crime/Police Procedural. December 19, 2017. Print length: 369 pages.

With Beware the Past, I am once again back on the Lincolnshire Fens, a place that sounds beautiful but is also dangerous and deadly. Here, the dead are three young boys, killed almost 30 years ago. Their murderer is the one that "got away" from Detective Matt Ballard, a veteran officer now - much loved and respected by his team - but a rookie back when the bodies were found. The murders have haunted him ever since.
Now, they are doing more than haunting. They are becoming reality, as another dead boy is found, and Matt's team begin to receive photos from the first murders that make them think the killer is still alive, kicking, and about to kill again. This time, though, he seems set on dragging Matt into his deadly game, taunting him with the photos and phone calls and putting though closest to the Detective in danger.
So, as you'll already know if you read my blog, I am a huge fan of Joy Ellis' crime series starring Nikki Galena. I love the setting - also the fens - and the characters - one of whom, the pathologist, appears here. More though, I love the plots. They are clever, complex, and always leave me guessing. All of these apply here in what is a standalone police procedural that kept me turning the pages and on the edge of my seat throughout.
I loved Matt, who was passionate, caring and just a little messed up, and his team - who were all so well drawn that I felt I'd known them forever. Each had their own voices, their own personalities and were not afraid of standing up to their boss. I am really hoping that this might be the start of series as I think it would make a good one. A great read and highly recommended!

The rural fenlands are as much a character as anything in this book. Dark, brooding, mysterious, they are mesmerising and the perfect setting for this novel. Matt Ballard is tormented by his past, specifically by the gruesome murders of eleven year old boys whose bodies were found on the fenlands. Many years later it seems that the killer is back, sending him photos of the crime scenes showing things only the killer could know. But the killer is dead. Matt and his team vow to find the killer before he kills again.

I found this a disturbing read, yet it was difficult to put down. The ending surprised me. I read a lot of crime novels and can usually pinpoint who the culprit is. Not this time though. I've noticed many of Joy Ellis' books on Amazon and will be looking out for them now. Always great to find a new author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4 and 1 / 2 stars

It is the 1990’s and DC Matthew Ballard is on a stakeout for drug dealers in Gibbet Fen when the dealers suddenly flee. Hastening over the bridge to see what was going on, Matt and his partner, DS Bill Morris discover the body of a young boy in the water. It makes number three in the string of killings.

It’s now the present day and Matt Ballard is a DCI. He is six months away from retirement and receives a photograph in the mail. It is of the last crime scene of the murdered boys. This is the case that has haunted him for years.

After receiving a “before” photographic scene of one of the murders, Matt convinces his boss to let him look into the mysterious picture. Is the murderer back? Is it a copycat? Before long, Matt and his team receive more pictures, including one of a present day murder. One of his team members is assaulted. This perpetrator is playing for keeps.

Things go from bad to worse when it is clear that the perpetrator is all about mentally torturing Matt. And another young boy is missing. They have no idea who is doing the crimes. They have pictures from CCTV, but no one recognizes him. He is very clever. Then two of his teammates go missing. Abducted by the bad guy, will they be alright?

His team members get valuable clues and a possible identity of the killer.

Matt goes off by himself when he receives a telephone call from the perpetrator. He, of course gets captured and humiliated. A tragedy occurs. In a surprise denouement, all is revealed.

This book is very well written and plotted as are all of Joy Ellis’ novels. I especially liked the way the team got along. For all of Matt’s faults, he is a good team leader. There was sufficient background information given on the main characters so as to flesh them out, but not so much that it intruded on the story. In fact, it added to the storyline and also added tension. I would like to see the typos corrected before final publication though. Very well done, Ms. Ellis. I would like to see more about DCI Ballard. He was a great character.

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book to read and enjoy.

I am a massive fan of Joy's have have read all of her Nikki Galena series, some of which I was on the blog tour for.

I knew I was going to love this one from the start as it is a very fast moving story from the get go.

The book involves the historic murders of three 11 year old boys, where the main suspect was killed in an accident.  Now 25 years later there is either a copycat killer, or the original killer has started up again.

DCI Matt Ballard is the main officer investigating these murders, as he was originally on the case back then. The plot is full of enough twists to keep you entertained and guessing right through to the end, and all the characters are believeable, which adds to the realism of it all.

If you liked Joy's other books then you will love this one, and if you have never read any of Joy's then this is definitely a good place to start as it is a stand-alone novel.

The book is very haunting in places, and a bit disturbing in others, especially considering the book's subject, but I feel it was done in a very sympathetic manner, without the need to go overboard with descriptions etc.

Overall I would give this book 5 stars as it grabbed my attention from the start and never let it go.

Having read other books in Ellis' other series, I was interested to see how Joy would handle detective ready to retire, and the case that haunted him coming back into play. To say this is a page turner is an understatement! I HAD to read it in one sitting, I literally could NOT put it down.Even though Matt is at the end of his career, you do not need to know about his previous cases, as enough background is given on Matt and his team, and most of the needed info comes up in the story organically, as it relates to the old case, so the reader never feels lost. Is the original killer back, or is it a cunning copycat? The ending will leave you 'gobstruck' as they say in the book, and you may find yourself going back a few chapters and re=reading them, looking for clues, you may have missed. If you want a book for a long reading spell, this is the one!

Joy Ellis never disappoints with her books and just keeps getting better with each book. Great plot, believable characters and Matt Ballard on the hunt for a killer.A standalone read with Ballard approaching retirement. A bit gruesome in parts but a worthy read. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

A well written, dark and very twisted read that will keep you guessing until the very last page

OMG this book was fantastic I absolutely loved it. I was gripped from the first page but as the tension and suspense mounted throughout the book it just got better and better and that ending, well just WOW!

Words that spring to mind after finishing this book are Stunning, Surprising, Mind Blowing, Captivating and Emotional. There really was a whole gamut of emotions rolling through me as I read this book.

I would actually love this to be a new series featuring Matt Ballard I found him to be an intriguing character that I would like to see more of. I liked his team of detectives and the way they all interacted and the relationships between them. When the chips were down they all rallied to protect and support each other.

I think this is one of my top 5 favourite books from 2017, it was excellent. I highly recommend it and it gets a big fat 5 stars, if I could give it more I would because it was a cracking read.

Joy Ellis is one of my favourite authors so I was really excited to read this book, it didn’t disappoint!

It was his most important case, 25 years ago, and now it all seems to be coming back to him. Detective Matt Ballard was still young when a series of murders of three boys hit the remote area of Gibbet Fens. The killing suddenly stopped when their main suspects was killed in an accident, but nevertheless, doubts remained and now the killers seems to have resumed his series. The team is working around the clock and soon they have to realise that this is not just a normal murder case, it is a cat and mouse play with Matt Ballard at the centre. The killer wants his full attention and he want to hurt the detective – therefore everybody close to him is in the highest danger.

Joy Ellis’ thriller is just want I’d suspect from a crime novel: full of suspense, many clues and leads that only lead to dead-ends. Interesting characters with a past and buried secrets. A fast paced story with twists and turns and quite a surprising motive of the predator.

For me, the strongest aspect of the novel was actually the plot and the motivation of the killer. It is hard not to tell too much since it really comes as a surprise, but the way Joy Ellis drafted the novel, the killer’s procedure and the solution of the case was just brilliant. I was kept in the dark about who is behind it all for such a long time – ok, one might have guessed, but actually, the fact that I was totally taken by surprise makes it an outstanding thriller for me.

Beware the past by joy Ellis.
Omg. An absolutely fantastic read with great characters. Dci matt ballard is on the hunt for a killer. But this killer has matt in his sight and he is playing a deadly game himself. Is he the killer from 25 years ago? I had my suspicion but it completely shocked me. Highly recommend this book. 5*.

25 years ago, three 11-year-old boys were brutally killed. The main suspect was killed in a hit and run accident and the killings stopped. DCI Matt Ballard was just starting his career when he helped investigate these crimes. He and his team start getting photos from the previous deaths and an 11-year-old boy is found dead, murdered in a similar way to the 3 previous boys. As the investigation moves forward, it looks more and more like DCI Ballard is specifically being targeted, and it’s placing members of his team, and their families, in danger.

Matt and Liz, a member of his team, have carried on a secret affair for over a year. It has been a sexual affair only, no strings attached, no feelings involved, no personal conversations or sharing. It’s worked for Matt because he’s lost 2 loves in his life and he can’t go through that again. Matt uses sex to de-stress and for a distraction. Liz is married to a soldier who is gone for months at a time, and she has needs that aren’t being met. However, she loves her husband and doesn’t want to leave him. Currently, Matt is struggling to mentally deal with the new murder and suddenly decides to share his feelings with Liz. Just like that, they instantly become more to each other. (Rolling my eyes) Cheating doesn’t work for me under any circumstance so I didn’t care for this part of the story at all. Didn’t really like Matt or Liz very well either, even with the explanations given.

The mystery had a few surprising twists and turns. Even so, I figured it out before it was revealed. Loved Adie.

I was happy to see the glossary of English slang for US readers. While most of the time it was pretty easy to surmise the meaning of the words, it was very helpful for those times it wasn’t.

SPOILER ALERT!
Matt’s team struggled with the fact that they didn’t know he was married before or that he lost 2 loves already in his life. How are he and Liz going to explain their year long secret affair, supposedly turned more, to his team and expect them to be okay with it?

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
This book got nothing but favorite reviews, so I'm in the minority...I could not get into it. None of the characters appealed to me and I found the crimes particularly gruesome, especially because all the victims were 11-year old boys.
I've enjoyed all Joy Ellis' previous books, but not this one; it
felt overdone and familiar.

4.5 STARS

Twenty-Five years ago three young boys were murdered. The prime suspect was killed in a hit and run accident and the killings stopped. Detective Matt Ballard was never sure that the real murderer wasn't still out there. The case has haunted him since then.

Today Ballard received a large brown envelope containing the picture of the very last victim ...at the time of his death. More photos are received ...some were sent to his team. All are photos of the three boys murdered all those years ago.

All those who are near and dear to Ballard have been touched by the goings on ... and none of them are safe.

And then another boy is taken and killed. Is the murderer the same from before ... or is this a copy cat killer? How did he get these photos? What does he want with Ballard?

Ballard and his team will have to work harder and dig deeper than ever before to stop a killer .. someone who has no boundaries.

I have read several of this author's books and each one just gets better and better. I definitely was not disappointed with this stand alone book.

This is a well written fast-paced crime thriller filled with memorable characters that jump off the page. With the balance of professional life vs personal life, the characters come across as very credible. The suspense starts on Page 1 and continues through the twists and turns until the very surprising ending.

I would love to see this one as a beginning to a new series!

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Thank you Net Galley. A fascinating and complex police procedural by Ms. Ellis. I enjoyed the plot and the characters very much. I hope she turns this into a series. I would like to read more about the adventures of Matt Ballard and company.