Honestly, although I’m an avid crime drama, thriller, mystery reader, I’m not so fond of those set in the UK. When I selected Deadly Caller from the NetGalley list of “read now” books I didn’t pay much attention to the fact that it was set in the UK and was down in a series of books. Once I read a few pages I decided to press on and it made for an afternoon’s entertainment. A good solid book, though not terribly complex.

I enjoyed Jane Phillips and her team, each with their own nickname and set of skills necessary to solving this case. I also enjoyed, not sure that’s the correct verb, but it will do, Lesley Bailey and her band of unethical, if not criminal, partners. It made for a good mix and feeling of sympathy for those they wronged who were intent on exacting their own justice.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and prompting my interest in more of the series.

Thank Netgalley, Inkubator Books, and Author O.M.J. Ryan for this ARC.

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Detective/crime novels aren't really my cup of tea but I quite enjoyed this one. It was filled with suspense and I enjoyed solving the crime right along side Jane, who I must add is a passionate detective.

In this latest installment of the DCI Jane Phillips series, she and her team are investigating a series of murders targeting the Ardent Technologies board of directors. They manufacture construction materials, so at first it appears an odd choice of corporation to target. But the more they dig into the financial aspects of this company, the more it begins to make sense. The owner is one of the most unpleasant people they have come across - callous and seemingly uninterested in finding the perpetrator. She reminds Jane of her former direct boss, Chief Constable Fox, and she can't help but draw constant comparisons between the two. But the team will need her cooperation to get to the heart of the motive behind these crimes before this obvious suspect becomes the next victim.

There's also a romantic plot theme weaved through the story - Jane has started dating Adam, the doctor she met through her brother. They are happy in each other's company and seem to understand the constraints that their jobs put on their personal lives. He's the first man who really gets how devoted she is to the job because he's the same way. But he makes a critical error in judgement that leaves her second guessing their relationship.

The story and characters kept my interest, though the romantic element became a bit soppy at times. The work/life dilemma is one typically explored in procedurals but I like how it's addressed here since Jane's character seriously needs more of a social life than just her cat! Figuring out the killer's identity may not have been as intriguing as usual, but it's a nice change to focus on the pursuit rather than the uncovering. Overall, another good entry in this series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Inkubator Books for an advance copy of Deadly Caller, the sixth novel to feature DCI Jane Phillips of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Crimes Unit.

Matthew Rice is on a Zoom call with one of his suppliers, Antonia Berry, when his doorbell rings. She hears a scream and then the laptop is closed. A day later Matthew’s co-worker is knocked down in a targeted hit and run. Who is killing the directors of Ardent Technologies and why?

I thoroughly enjoyed Deadly Caller, which is an absorbing read with plenty of twists and turns. The novel is mostly told from Phillips’s point of view so the reader can guess along with her as the information becomes available. This novel is slightly different from his predecessors as the killer’s identity and motive are established by about two thirds of the way in, leaving the last third to become a high stakes, high octane chase. And boy, does it deliver on that front. To really nitpick, the final action scenes lack a certain plausibility but the tension and excitement more than make up for it.

I like Jane Phillips, who is a tenacious investigator, overly dedicated to her job. Once again this novel deviates from the norm and gives Jane an outside interest and no injuries. Hopefully it will give her the better work/life balance her team want for her.

Deadly Caller is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This is the first book I have read of this author and it seemed like it's phoned in. The first third of the book was okay. It seemed interesting. Fast paced. But I wasn't enamored of the writing style. Seemed amateurish. Which is surprising since this is the 6th book.

The middle got boring and the final third just dragged on with no mystery. The romantic scenes were just puerile.

I'll probably try one of the earlier book to see if this was a one off.

Thank you Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the eARC.
This book had a good start, I enjoyed it, but then it started to get boring and strangely wooden, it couldn't hold my interest. The first two books in this series were interesting when it featured Jane's PTSD, but this particular story didn't do it for me and her 'romance' felt unrealistic. Sorry! I also couldn't find it on Goodreads to share my review.

Great book!! Loved this one!! It had it all! Suspense, action, intrigue, drama and a great storyline! I'm really loving this author !! I've read a few of this authors books now and I'm definitely hooked! I highly recommend reading this book and series! They are well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!