DC Beth Chamberlain has a mess on her hands- Cameron has been shot and it turns out Monika is not his only wife, Yes, Cameron had another family with Sara. While this is a procedural, it's also a drama of secrets and lies. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A bit trope-y in spots but also some good twists.

This is a police procedural book from the well known author Jane Isaac.
The pacing was a bit off for me at times. However, the characters made up for this.
It is filled with many twists and turns and has a great ending.

There was so many twists and turns in this book, I couldn't wait to see where it all would end! Cameron Swift is killed outside his house. He was a man with many secrets and nothing is as it seems (no spoilers). This was a very well written book, and thrilling until the end. Recommended.
TB

It was good, after reading Book 2 in the series to now read Book 1!!!
I want to point out, as said re Book 2 this can be read as a stand alone as well as before, after or in the middle of Book 2 😃😃
I already loved Beth and this was maintained through this book, she is a really good ‘cop’ but just on the edge of risque sometimes and I love her manner and the way she investigates crime and like a dog with a bone will not give up
I also like how the ‘private life’ stories within the main story are kept intriguing but believeable and gently lead you into other areas of Beth’s life, also worth mentioning is the authors humanising of police procedure which can get bogged down in books but never does with Beth
So, the story, Cameron is gunned down outside his house, his partner witnesses this, she has 2 children...tragic.....as it is for the other partner with 2 children who sees the story on the news and contacts the police furious she hasn’t been informed!!
Who was Cameron really? Why was he murdered? Who is his real partner?
Beth works it out and all, of course, is not as seems
A really good exciting story, great characters and that same
welcoming feel to the book that this author excels in.....as said in my review of Book 2 it has left me wanting more!!!
If you are looking for a series then give this one a try and am sure you will love it as much as me
10/10 5 Stars

My first encounter with Jane Isaac's writing and I wasn't disappointed. I love a good police procedural and this was very well written.

3 for neutral. I tried on multiple occasions to read this book, but never was successful. It was very slow paced and hard to keep track of whose who. I decided that I would give a 3 for neutral and update at a later date, if able to read and enjoy.

Cameron Swift is shot dead outside his home on a Sunday morning while putting his golf clubs in the trunk of his car.
The ensuing police investigation reveals that Cameron Swift was a man with many secrets. DC Beth Chamberlain is appointed as the Family Liaison Officer. Her job is to work with the Homicide investigation team as well as with the families. I enjoyed seeing the investigation from that point of view. I hope this is the start of a series as I found the character likeable and well rounded. My first book by Jane Isaac. Won’t be my last.
Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review

This book really picked up about halfway through. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and many side stories that seem unnecessary at the beginning of the book. In the end, the author does bring them all together.

My favorite part of the authors writing style was her ability to describe the back story of the characters. Many times when you are reading books you are thinking to yourself, “This could never happen, no-one would be so stupid to fall for that.” The back story explains the character's decisions and actions. Jane helps you understand that characters' circumstances and temptations which make their actions reasonable.

This book is the first in a series of books. I lost interest in this one on and off throughout the book. Which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 stars which I gave to another book she wrote, The Lies Within. That book held my interest from start to finish, I even compared it to Gone Girl. Jane does such a good job creating psychological thrillers with twists and turns you haven’t read before. I will defiantly read more of her books. I plan to read A Perfect Mother next.

This is the first time I have noticed the same book listed under two names. The copy I read was called The Other Woman by Jane Isaac. I was not able to find that title on Barnes and Noble. But I found After He’s Gone by Jane Isaac. The only description is, “You think you know him. Until he” In the product details it lists the series as DC Beth Chamberlain #1. Goodreads is the only one that has it listed accurately and lists both books referencing the series each time.
The Other Woman (DC Beth Chamberlain #1) &
After He's Gone (DC Beth Chamberlain #1)

I received this galley from NetGalley.

An interesting tale of lies, deception, double lives, and revelations. This is a compelling mystery that kept me thoroughly engaged throughout.
DC Beth Chamberlain is a Family Liaison Officer sent to support the family of a murdered businessman, Cameron Swift. A book full of mystery and was enthralling reading how it all played out.
I was on the edge of my seat throughout, not having read any of Jane Isaacs books before I think I will be in future.

When police find that a murder victim has two families and two homes their list of suspects grows and grows. Neither family had knowledge of the other. Now the police must decide whether their victim was killed because of his family problems or is there an even more twisted motive. Jane Isaac has done an excellent job of building a mystery that has at it's center secrets that will surprise readers when all is revealed.

Beth. Chamberlain is a police office and working as a family liaison officer to a woman, Monika, whose husband has been murdered in his own driveway. As Beth delves into deceased Cameron’s life, she discovers he was living a double life and up pops another wife Sarah, and children. Good police procedural with a difficult task, was it organized crime, one of the wives, someone else altogether? I believe this is the first in a new series, we have already met Beths sister and niece who is her touchstone. Also a fellow police officer as a boyfriend. Solid writing, good characters and an interesting premise, although I didn’t care for the final reveal of the killer.

A good mystery, Multi layered characters that were very believable. I don’t usually read books that are part of the series but I will be looking forward to Jean Isaac‘s next book in the series. Thank you for my advance copy.

When Cameron Swift is gunned down in his driveway on a Sunday morning, no one is more shocked and hurt than his partner Monika, who was inside with their young son and her older son when it happened. But as the investigation begins, the family liaison officer, Beth Chamberlain, finds that someone else is just as shocked at Cameron’s death: another woman who claims she’s his partner and mother of his two children. Beth begins to dig deep into Cameron’s past to see who would do this. But is it something he did, or something one of the women did? Nothing is as it seems and every9!3 has secrets in their past. I liked this book a lot but I felt it could have moved at a faster pace. But the writing was good and I didn’t see the ending coming! Good start to a series.

Book blurb…
The grieving widow. The other woman. Which one is which?
When Cameron Swift is shot and killed outside his family home, DC Beth Chamberlain is appointed Family Liaison Officer. Her role is to support the family – and investigate them.
Monika, Cameron's partner and mother of two sons, had to be prised off his lifeless body after she discovered him. She has no idea why anyone would target Cameron.
Beth can understand Monika's confusion. To everyone in their affluent community, Monika and her family seemed just like any other. But then Beth gets a call.
Sara is on holiday with her daughters when she sees the news. She calls the police in the UK, outraged that no one has contacted her to let her know or offer support. After all, she and Cameron had been together for the last seven years.
Until Cameron died, Monika and Sara had no idea each other existed.
As the case unfolds, Beth discovers that nothing is quite as it appears and everyone, it seems, has secrets. Especially the dead...
Previously published as After He's Gone.

My thoughts...
PLOT
With its central plot involving two mothers and one man, the story portrays families impacted by deceit and extreme hatred. Disturbing at times, this novel lives up to the blurb. I do like the previous title, too - After He’s Gone. (Rather partial to titles with a masculine feel after so many women and girl title books!!)
PACE
Consistent! No slumps and no skimming and no heart-stopping conclusion, as this was more mystery than thriller. A strong, well-crafted, well-told story and really enjoyable novel that had me mulling over the plot when I wasn’t reading it.
LANDSCAPE
Landscape was not a feature in this novel other than the author giving me a very good understanding of the immediate surrounds of the various houses the women lived in.
CHARACTERS
The main characters were well-structured and had their own individual flaws. I loved Beth, (everyone should have a Beth in their lives) and certainly felt for both the mothers: Monika and Sara.
OVERALL FEELINGS ABOUT THE STORY
I was drawn into the story and really felt for all the characters. I am a big fan of the 'who done it’ and there was enough mystery to make this a very enjoyable read. 2020 is starting out with some beauties. Certainly one for your 2020 to be read pile.

A multi-layered tale rich in suspense and intrigue, Jane Isaac’s The Other Woman is a compelling and nail-biting thriller that will keep readers on tenterhooks desperate to find out what happens next.

Family Liasion Officer DC Beth Chamberlain is called to the scene of a shocking crime. Family man Cameron Swift has been shot and killed outside his home leaving his devastated widow Monika completely and utterly shocked and unable to believe that such a tragedy could have taken place in front of her very own eyes. As Beth begins to piece together the pieces of this twisted puzzle, she begins to wonder who could possibly have committed such a heinous and senseless act of violence. A devoted father who was madly in love with his wife, Cameron does not seem like the kind of man who would have enemies. But there is more to this story than meets the eye as Beth discovers when she gets a phone call about the deceased’s secret life…

Sara is on holiday with her daughters when her entire world collapses. She has just seen the news and is flabbergasted to find out that her partner Cameron has been shot dead in cold blood. Worse, the police have not seen fit to contact her or offer any kind of support which is absolutely outrageous as she had been with Cameron for almost a decade. Sara cannot help but wonder who on earth would kill her partner. And why the police seem keen to keep her at arm’s length when the man she loved has just been brutally murdered.

It is painfully clear that Monika and Sara did not know of one another’s existence and as Beth begins to dig deeper into this murky domestic set-up of lies and deceptions, she begins to wonder who was the real Cameron Swift? And what other shocking secrets has he taken to his grave?

Jane Isaac has written a terrific crime novel guaranteed to keep readers absolutely glued to the pages of her book, The Other Woman. Featuring the fabulous DC Beth Chamberlain, The Other Woman is a tale of dangerous secrets, chilling untruths nerve-shuddering twists and jaw-dropping revelations that will appeal to fans of police procedurals and domestic noir alike.

A fantastic thriller that will shock, mesmerize and delight readers of the genre, The Other Woman was my first novel by Jane Isaac, but it shall certainly not be my last.

This was a new author to try for me. What a pleasant surprise. The story was engaging, narration style was interesting and book overall twisty and full of secrets and revelations that I really like. The main character was likable, which is always a plus for me. So, I have a new author to add to my favorite authors list. Looking forward to her next book.

Tense chilling police procedural terrific characters that come alive a story that kept me racing through the pages,This is exactly what Iook for in a thriller Jane Isaac never fails to grab my attention.# netgalley#aria

This is the first book in the series and its sure to have you hooked with an OMG opening, where I found myself well and truly hooked. For me it is all about the opening with a story and Jane certainly knows how to reel the reader in. leaving you wanting more.

From the moment I started this I couldn’t put it down. It is full of mystery and suspense. The more I read the more I wanted to know. I love the fact that this story is about a family liaison officer. Not something you see very often in crime stories. So this is really unique.

I really loved Beth she is a likable character who I could relate to there is some brilliant character build up which is woven into the story, so we really get to know her.

This is a very engaging read and a story that is not what it seems when secrets are unraveled and you dont know who to trust. I dont want to say to much about the plot. This is one of those stories you need to read for yourself. And you won’t be disappointed this is a brilliant start to a new series. Which I highly recommend.

Thank you to Vicky at Aria Fiction for a copy and for the blog tour invite.

Now here's a book full of surprises - and they just keep on coming!

Cameron Swift is heading off to play golf one Sunday morning when he is murdered, right outside his own home. DC Beth Chamberlain finds herself appointed to keep the family in touch with the investigation and pick up any information she can to help the team.

What a great start to a series! This one certainly kept me on my toes, guessing all the way through. This is a carefully plotted story, beautifully written with excellent true-to-life characters and bodes well for future book featuring Beth Chamberlain. A gripping read and, frankly, I had no idea how it was going to end - it was a revelation, and then some. But even after the crime is wrapped up, the author finishes the story off - just as I like. It annoys me when there are loose ends, but no such worries here. An excellent read which I'm happy to recommend and give 4.5*.

My thanks to publisher Aria for my copy via NetGalley, and to Vicky Joss for my place on this blog tour. As always, this is my honest, original and unbiased review.

The beginning is intense and shocking. It raises questions, when did this happen? Before the story yet to unfold? After? During?

It sets the scene for an intricately woven plot of danger, deceit and desire.

The characters play out their roles in an authentic way, the knowledge of police procedures is evident and makes that part of the story realistic and readable. The main theme of the story is the web of lies that one man lived, only revealed after his demise. The two families, the anger, anguish and anonymity they feel. Are they as ignorant as they seem? Do they know more? Are they in danger too?

Beth Chamberlain, as a new family liaison officer, brings a fresh perspective. She has her problems, some of which impinge on the investigation, but her empathy and intelligence make her role pivotal.

The suspense builds well, the plot has enough twists to make it page-turning, but plausible. An engaging story with significant psychological suspense played out against a well-written police procedural setting.

I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.