As much as I dislike teenagers (ha), I was pulled into this book and didn’t want out. Ms. Ellis‘s police procedurals are meticulously done and very believable, likely due to her wife’s former career. This story has everything, from thefts to drugs to murder, and it’s all told in such a believable way. I cannot recommend this author enough!

I didn’t realize this was part of a series and hadn’t read any of the previous ones, thought to be fair I’m off to do that now 😂 can read as a stand-alone anyway but the book was so good I have to read the rest! Loved the lead character and the team and storyline and everything about it really, a defo must read it was fantastic

Great addition to the series. Was my first jackman and Evans novel and will move onto the rest. Could read as standalone

This was quite a long book for me however well worth the effort.

Love the ongoing storyline of the team. This book had plenty to keep your attention.

Already looking forward to the next in the series.

4.5 stars

This is the 5th book in the DI Jackman series and it lived up to all my expectations. There is a good balance between the crimes being investigated and the personal lives of those doing the investigating. I like that DI Jackman works along with his team and takes their ideas and suspicions seriously. The crime here is really up to date, it is only in the last few years that young people would be mugged for their trainers and I found it realistic that the older members of the team find it difficult to understand. I always enjoy Joy Ellis' work and look forward to the next book in this series.

I was a bit slow downloading this, and it was unfortunately archived before I got a chance, so I bought a copy to review.

Great book, great characters, terrific writing. Enjoyed it a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for approving my request, and apologies for not downloading.

Oh my goodness Great read. I was hooked and the author made me care about the characters. I thought I had it figured out but nope not a chance. So many stories in one book and yet I was invested in each of the characters. I recommend this book for a disturbingly great read.

I know I’ve talked about my love of Joy Ellis before, but I can’t get over how well she takes seemingly normal-sounding plots and turns them into intricate, high-suspense thrillers. The Stolen boys is another hit in the Jackman and Evans series.

Saltern-le-Fen has some mysterious happenings afoot: first, boys are being robbed and, in at least one case, killed for their high-priced clothing. Then, a local woman spots some mysterious visitors out on the marsh late at night, which may be tied to some steroid smuggling. Finally, the hunt for Allistair Ashcroft, the villain of the previous Jack and Evans novel, is still on the loose. As the team digs into these issues, they discover that there could be much more going on rather than some random clothing robberies. And they’re right, though they can’t guess how sophisticated this operation truly is.

This book once again does a great job of balancing the central mysteries with the personal storylines for the characters that we have come to know well throughout the previous novels. Both elements are very interesting and suspenseful, which makes the novel some really good reading, with very little downtime.

This book also sets up what should be a confrontation with Ashcroft in the next book - something that should be really interesting, given how it’s done (no spoilers here!).

I don’t really have a lot to say other than fans of mysteries and thrillers will truly continue to enjoy this series. If you haven’t started reading Joy Ellis, you’re missing out. Get into it!

Thankyou to NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author, Joy Ellis, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Stolen Boys in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.
I really enjoy reading this author. I have never been left disappointed after reading one of her novels.
I thought the storyline was well written and suspenseful. I like how realistic the characters were. 3.5 stars.
Well worth a read for thriller fans.

THE STOLEN BOYS
by JOY ELLIS

Joffe Books

Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 12 Oct 2018


I am reviewing a copy of The Stolen Boys through Joffee Books and Netgalley:


A crime wave hits town, the target is a highly priced but sought after brand of street wear called Hybrid X. The clothing cost a fortune and resales are expensive. Houses are burglarized, young men are robbed on the streets and a young man is killed for a pair of shoes.


Another body is found in a pile of trash, and illegal steroids start to flood the streets.


A dark shadowy figure who goes by the name Darke and his group of young criminals are believed to be behind everything.



Detectives Jackman and Evans must take on this evil criminal, while they are still being haunted by Alistair the serial killer they were not able to catch.


I give The Stolen Boys five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Thank you Net Galley. Another great installment of Jackman & Evans. As always an exciting read, perfect anytime.

This is a modern day story of a gang of boys who steal designer clothing to order to either resell or send out of the country to an exclusive market. DI Jackman and DS Marie Evans have both returned to work after injuring themselves . They are trying to settle back into routine when the case of disappearing boys and stolen clothing lands on their desk. Then a problem from the past comes back to haunt them.
This is another great read from Joy Ellis . A book that is so easy to disappear into. Highly addictive.

Another excellent Joy Ellis book! Thoroughly enjoyed it, and can't wait for the next one! Recommend anyone who loves a good thriller to read this as they won't be disappointed.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is book 5 in the Jackman and Evans series and they just get better and better. One of the themes this time was about designer street clothing and the huge market for expensive designer wear. Others dealt with the theft and dispersal of the designer clothing and themes dealt with the imprisonment of young men. The main characters were also interesting and working hard in their various roles of fighting crime.
Highly recommended.

Great read, very relevant storyline for our times, you won't be disappointed, would recommend to anyone who loves police procedural books

I have been a fan of Joy’s books for months and months if not years and years. I have read and loved each and every book that she has released. I eagerly and (im)patiently wait for her next book to be released. Well the wait is over because the next instalment in the series featuring Detective Inspector Jackman and Detective Sergeant Marie Evans, called ‘The Stolen Boys’ was released on 9th October 2018. Bloody nora it is one hell of a read and I loved it but more about that in a bit.
I love the pairing of Detectives Jackman and Evans. They work well together but equally they can work on their own. They are totally at ease in each other’s company and they have each others back. They are extremely loyal to each other as well. In fact it appears as though Jackman & Evans are like a married couple only without the sex. Both of them work well with each other but equally they can work just as well on their own. This book sees them investigating the whereabouts of Alistair Ashcroft, who is actually a serial killer, who has managed to evade capture up until now. At the same time they are asked to investigate a case where it appears that somebody has been killed literally for the clothes on their feet. Will Jackman & Evans find Mr. Ashcroft? Will Jackman, Evans and the team find out who is responsible for the killings? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
”The Stolen Boys’ is certainly one hell of a read and topical too in a society where possessions are often treasured more than life itself. Yes the nature of the crimes are rather gruesome to say the least but the author has in no way glorified violence and the violence is not gratuitous in any way. In fact the violence is more implied and left to the reader’s imagination. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story and before you know it you are hooked on the book. The author is much a like a spider tempting its prey into its web- once you are in, you can’t get out. For me, the plot hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. For me ‘The Stolen Boys’ really is a ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down) book. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hands but it might as well have been because I couldn’t put it down and it came everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bear to be parted from the book and if I did have to put it down, I did so begrudgingly, whilst counting down the time until I could pick it up again. I was completely wrapped up in the story and the investigation. I binge read the book over the course of a couple of days which so worked with this book because it gave me a real sense of the intensity of the police investigation. The author’s writing style and vivid descriptions really made me feel as though I was a member of the investigating team. I found that I began to interact with the book. Before anybody starts, I know that the book is a work of fiction but if I am convinced by the story and the writing is fantastic, then I ‘live’ the story. I found that I was shouting out random comments or giving suggestions to the police on how to proceed in the investigation or the questions that needed to be asked. Get me- I watch every police television series (American & British) and I think I know it all!! Just call me Ginger Book Geek Marple-Poirot. Lol.
I absolutely loved reading ‘The Stolen Boys’ and I wholeheartedly recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Positive review posted to Amazon. Another great book by Joy Ellis, she just gets better and better and is moving up there with the crime writers I enjoy.Another outing for DI Jackman and DS Evans who are recovering from injuries sustained in the last book they are determined to catch Alistair Ashcroft . They are waylaid by a crime spree involving men’s high end designer gear being stolen and a young mans murder. The many threads build throughout with twists and turns creating tension. Look forward to the next one . Thanks for the opportunity to read this in advance.

This is the fifth book in Joy's Jackman and Evans series, of which I have now read three of them.  This can be read as a stand alone, although I would recommend reading at least one previous one so you can get the teams dynamic better.

It also helps if you have read the previous book as this one starts off with the team trying to recover from the previous book's serial killer, although they can't rest for long as soon a body is found and the victims trainers have been stolen.

The story line revolves around a gang of young homeless boys stealing designer clothing to be sold on for massive profits, along with child trafficking , gratuitous murders (although the details are left to your imagination most of the time)and the dealing in illegal steroids.

With this story the team have a lot on their hands so it doesn't help that Evans is distracted by someone from her past coming back to haunt her.  Fortunately the whole team work really well together with this investigation and all of the different threads come together nicely.

As I am not really into fashion I had no idea that people got mugged for their clothes in real life, which made parts of this story unbelievable, but in a good way as I learnt so much from it.

Overall I thought it was a brilliant book, once I got over how much clothes are worth,  and really loved the way the team worked together despite everything they have gone through int he previous book.  I would highly recommend this book and entire series.

I can honestly say I have not picked up a book by Joy Ellis and not been hooked from the first few pages of her books. They are Just Brilliant. So when The Stolen Boys came up to read and review I was there, and this book did not disappoint! Joy's books just get better and better........This is a book you just need to turn off your mobile, get comfy in your favourite chair and start to enjoy reading The Stolen Boys. You will feel connected with the characters. I can't wait for her next book.

Highly recommend all of Joy Ellis books they are all a fantastic read.......Big fat 5 Stars from me.

Thanks to Joffe Books and Joy Ellis for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Fast-paced action with great reoccurring characters. The plot is somehow fresh even though it's a topic that was prevalent twenty years ago. This series gets better with each book. Those who haven't read the previous one may be a bit lost by a continuing story arc.