Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This was a superb historical mystery! It kept me guessing till the very end! I thought the writing was very beautiful! I also thought Emile was a complex character! Bravo!

Thoroughly enjoyed the murder mystery, the suspense of this title. Anyone up for a murder mystery to solve in jail, this book is for you and it’ll keep you guessing and hooked. This is the book for you!

This is the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I found it gripping and entertaining.
It's a bit claustrophobic as it's a locked room mystery but I love Emile, an interesting and fleshed out characters, and found the suspects interesting and well written.
The mystery is solid and it kept me guessing.
Excellent character and plot development, a tightly knitted plot that flows.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Who killed Florence, a prisoner in the Joliette Institution for Women? She lived with 7 other women and a hateful guard in a communal situation and irritated all of them. Abigail is the main suspect even though her crime= embezzlement- was not violent. Emile Cinq-Mars, the Montreal detective who handled her case is brought in to investigate not only the murder but also in the hope that he can convince Abi to tell him where she hid the money she stole from the bad guys. This is told from multiple perspectives and, to be honest, it's both surprising and fin. Each woman has her story, each woman had a reason to want Florence gone. And someone wants Abi too. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Excellent read.

1994 Quebec Province. Joliette institution for communal living. Eight women jailed for a variety of crimes:- murder, attacking her daughter with an axe, throwing acid in the face of a rival, robbing a store with a gun, smuggling and embezzlement. The women order food, cook and clean and can wear their own clothes. When one of them is murdered the other seven are obvious suspects.
Sergeant Detective Emile Cinq-Mars is asked to investigate although it is outside his Montreal jurisdiction, there is a couple of reasons for this, one being that Abigail the embezzler was arrested by him and the money has never been recovered. The other reason is that the correction officer guard is on secondment from the local police who would normally investigate. Who is the murderer and why was it carried out?
This is another very good book by this author a pseudonym for Trevor Ferguson a reknown Canadian author. Emile the ex priest has possible marriage in mind? There is also a bikers chapter in the vicinity with connections to Lady Jail, what are they after?
This is the third book featuring Cinq-Mars by the author that I have read and is up to the usual high standard. Very well written I very much recommend it.

If you liked locked room mysteries and getting into the heads of cons, criminals, and cops, then you don’t want to miss this detective novel. It’s from the Emile Cinq-Mars series but can easily be read as a standalone. (Though somehow, I think you may be looking up previous titles in the series, like I am!)

Though I haven’t read any previous titles in the series, Emile won my respect and affection almost immediately. He originally intended to be a priest but became a detective instead, though he is still a devout Catholic. Though curmudgeonly and blunt, he struck me as a man who treats everyone with respect. He’s a winning character, and I would gladly spend more time with him.

We get to know the various inmates in the first few chapters before the murder. The pace is a bit slower because of that, but the voice is clear and engaging. Then the story quickly picks up pace.

At first I often flipped back to the chapter describing the inmates’ crimes. But after a few more pages, their characters became clear. Clearer, at least. Nothing is as it seems in this jail, not even their previous crimes.

Florence, the future victim, had thrown acid in a rival’s face. Doi slashed up her daughter with a hatchet, yet still writes letters to persuade her daughter to visit. Jodi shot a man during a robbery. Temple, the only black woman, is jailed for smuggling. (Smuggling what? She doesn’t specify to Abi.)

And then there’s a batch of murderers. There’s painfully silent Rozlynn, a Native woman who killed her father; Courtney, who killed her best friend for flirting with her boyfriend; and Malka, a former city councilwoman who poisoned her husband.

Farrow doesn’t flinch from showing the inmates’ violence or criminality. Prison-wisdom dictates much of their behavior. Stay silent. Don’t volunteer details. Stay on the good side of certain people, and far away from others. Even apart from that, their thinking is skewed. Yet he writes with compassion, understanding, and empathy, never forgetting the humanity of each convicted criminal. (No matter what genre I’m reading, I appreciate this type of empathy from the author.) I found myself sympathetic to almost all the inmates, particularly Rozlynn, the young Native woman, and Abi, the con artist. (It probably helps that she didn’t bilk me out of my savings.)

As the story progresses, details emerge that make it clear every woman in Lady Jail had motivation to murder Florence. And even though she was much stronger than many of her fellow inmates, they all have the capacity to kill her. The method of murder, a wire around the neck, quickly incapacitates a victim.

Farrow tells the story from multiple points of view: Emile, Abi, the other inmates. Much of the early suspense comes from knowing that not everyone is telling the entire truth and wondering who is lying about what. Even when they tell the truth, their minds skew it until it bears little resemblance to reality. Emile’s handling of the interviews is impressive. He’s intelligent and never lets them (or the reader) know every card in his hand.

But when the Hells Angels bikers show up, the suspense takes a step up. Way up. Now the danger isn’t only inside the jail, it’s outside it, too. There’s a turf war brewing between rival gangs. If Emile isn’t careful, he might be caught in the crossfire.

I thoroughly enjoyed how nothing is as it seems on the surface. The truth is hard to dig out beneath the layers of half-truths and distortions and distractions. Farrow does a terrific job building the suspense to an almost unbearable level.

By the climax, I was reading breathlessly, waiting for the revelation. (This despite having first read the ending and knowing who the culprit is.) And the story takes plot turn after twisty turn to get there. Farrow takes a cue from Emile’s interrogation technique and frequently changes course to divert the reader from the truth. The plot thickens as multiple plot lines emerge. Everything came together beautifully (and bloodily). Farrow works all the disparate elements together.

One thing I particularly enjoyed . . .

Florence (and later, other characters) spend time “in the hole”: solitary confinement. Farrow has good observations and insights on the effects of solitary confinement (and imprisonment in general) on humans. He’s done his research. For example, whenever guards move one character inside the penitentiary, she hopes to see a window. Though she isn’t surprised not to find one, she’s still disappointed. Or when a character in solitary finds the aloneness mentally unbearable.

Overall, this is a terrific novel. I highly recommend it to any mystery or thriller fans.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

(This will be published on my blog on February 15, 2021.)

After the first chapters what I thought would be a boring read turned into an interesting novel. Once Emile enters this world its a game changer. Duplicitous characters lying to one another and themselves as the detective finds who killed Flo. Enlisting the help of a Hells Angel doesn't quite work out for Emile in the way he anticipates.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars' latest adventure is a locked room murder mystery in a Quebec jail. A really unusual premise for a well-received series with an unconventional detective who relies on brains and logic to find a way through the maze. Great use of language, an intriguing bunch of characters (well, inmates really) and a good twist or two at the end. It's the first I have read in this series, but would happily go back for more.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Lady Jail, the ninth novel to feature Montreal detective-sergeant Emile Cinq-Mars.

It’s 1994 and Abigail, a convicted fraudster, is transferred to the experimental Joliette Institution for Women where communal living is the norm. Her unit is full of violent women with their own agendas and she struggles to adapt. The struggle intensifies when Flo, the most violent of them, is found garrotted in a toilet cell. Emile Cinq-Mars, as the man who put Abi away, is sent to investigate.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Jail, which is, well, I’m not quite sure what category it falls in to, but it’s compelling reading. The format and structure are pared back as it mostly consists of Cinq-Mars interviewing the nine suspects (7 remaining inmates and a guard) and a couple of outside people. I loved the slow burn aspect of the inmates’ back history as they are slowly revealed and the way they have to confront their actions when faced with Cinque-Mars’ alternative interpretation of them and I was astonished at the motives and manipulations exposed.

I admired the author’s sly take on the country house murder format, remote house in the country (Joliette is some distance from Montreal), limited cast of suspects and a denouement with all the players participating. It’s a wonderful re-invention of a favourite format.

I wasn’t a big fan of the previous novel, Roar Back, but this hits all the spots for me with a clever plot, a slow drip of reveals, plenty of twists and turns and romance for Cinq-Mars. It covers a lot of emotional ground in limited physical confines, therefore I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

If you were startled by a loud bang a few days ago, my apologies. That was the sound of my hand slamming the “request” button when I saw this pop up on Netgalley. Farrow’s series featuring Montréal cop Émile Cinq-Mars has become a favourite & I was thrilled to get my paws on the latest instalment.

Once again, the author has switched things up in terms of chronology & location. Émile is now close to retirement & was shunted to the suburbs as a result of office politics. So he was grateful when the new Chief of Police brought him back downtown. That was before he got his latest assignment.

Émile is dispatched to the women’s prison in Joliette. It’s a progressive place where inmates live communally in groups of eight instead of separate cells. And it was all going swimmingly until one of the women was found dead. She was killed while seven other prisoners & one guard were on the premises. It’s literally a locked room murder mystery…..think Agatha Christie, prison style. Seems straightforward enough, right?

Ha! Not a chance. Hidden agendas, secret alliances, debts owed…..all these & more are slowly revealed as we (and Émile) get to know the ladies of Joliette. They take turns narrating much of the story & just a heads-up…..keep in mind these are women who’ve earned a spot in federal prison. There are no charm school graduates here & their dialogue reflects that reality.

At first glance, you’d think their living situation might allow them to relax. They wear their own clothes, prepare meals together, divvy up chores, etc. But the thing about living in cells is not only are you locked in, others are locked out. Their current arrangement means easy access & there is an underlying tension that only ramps up as things progress. The scenes between inmates somehow manage to feel both intimate & claustrophobic. Power plays & shifting loyalties upset the pecking order & pretty soon the situation resembles a cross between Big Brother & Survivor.

And that’s just the stuff happening inside the prison. Émile also has to deal with issues on the outside & as more characters are added to the mix, we begin to see there is much more at stake than catching a killer. The story is set in the early 1990’s & in an interesting twist, includes a plot line that serves as a prelude to real life events that erupted in 1994.

To be honest, it took me a while to get fully hooked & I chalk that up to 2 things. First, my non-existent attention span. The book begins by introducing & following the women of Joliette. There’s a lot of dialogue & history to get through so although not much happens, a crucial framework is created. The second thing was just me missing one of my favourite characters……Montréal, itself. Scenes mostly alternate between the prison & Émile’s small motel room. It gives the whole book an insular feel that magnifies how far he is from home (on several levels). It’s necessary to pull him out of his normal environment but I missed the city’s diverse neighbourhoods & colourful characters found in previous books.

Happily, another of my faves is front & centre & that would be Émile. He’s a little more world weary, perhaps slightly jaded but has learned to pick his battles & let the rest go. He’s always been aware words can be a weapon as fatal as any knife & chooses them with care. But he has to be on top of his game to wade through the conversations plus what’s left unsaid to find the clues needed to identify the killer. He remains an intriguing & enigmatic character & I can’t wait to see where the author takes him next.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Wow what a fantastic read, great storyline, great characters and this kept me hooked right from the beginning. Would recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the ebook, Lady Jail, the newest crime novel featuring Montreal Detective, Emile Cinq-Mars. I was delighted and excited to receive author John Farrow's newest crime novel in return for an honest review. I first became aware of this series featuring Sergeant-Detective Emile Cinq-Mars this January 2020 through NetGalley and Goodreads and read six of the series during the same month. I must have rapidly become addicted to these brilliant police novels which were gritty and character-driven.

Detective Emile Cinq-Mars has become a favourite fictional investigator and brings a human touch to these stories. He is a man of strong moral fibre, religious background, perceptive, and empathetic. He notices clues that others have missed. I once wrote that I would follow the fictional Emile into any type of criminal case and setting. This story takes place in 1994 at an innovative prison for women in Joliette, Quebec. (nicknamed Lady Jail). The women are housed in separate dorms of eight inmates each. There are isolation cells for serious infractions of the rules.

Emile has been called in from Montreal because one of its inmates was murdered in the bathroom of the dorm. The killer may have been any one of the remaining seven women or a tough female guard who was on duty. The victim was garotted in a toilet stall. She was a large, physically strong woman who bullied the others and was disliked and feared by all. She had been sentenced for throwing acid in someone's face.

The other prisoners are an intriguing lot. They include a housewife who stabbed her daughter for coming home late from a date, a small-town politician who poisoned her husband, a young woman who shot up a bank while her boyfriend was robbing it, a teenaged girl who stabbed her best friend to death in a rage for flirting with her boyfriend, a woman who repeatedly smuggled weapons across the border into Canada, and an Indigenous woman from the northern wilderness who killed her father.

Emile seems startled to find Angie among this group of women. He had arrested her for fraud and she received a lengthy sentence and served some of her time in a Nova Scotian prison. They seem to have formed a friendly bond. Now she is one of the suspects in the prison murder. The Quebec Provincial Police and some hardened gangsters seem to have taken a particular interest in Angie.

Emile interviews each prisoner and their guard in turn. He learns some surprising facts about their backgrounds and crimes. The guard is later found murdered in her home. In the meantime, he becomes friends with a rough-looking biker at his hotel. Emile is awaiting a visit from his American girlfriend and worries about whether to propose marriage.

After concluding his investigation, he gathers all the women together in their dorm. He tells the group how each woman could have been the murderer and also relates reasons why they might be innocent. This is not an easy task as one enraged inmate has taken a young prisoner hostage at knifepoint in the same room, and another lies bleeding on the floor. He must find a way to free the hostage from the enraged woman and save the life of the injured woman before passing his verdict.

The ending is satisfactory with some compromises made with other police forces. This was a well-written, complex, crime novel with fascinating characters and insightful interview techniques.