Downstate is a tightly crafted story from a talented author. Whether you are a fan of Deaver's long-standing series work on take on characters like 007, this narrative is an entertaining introduction or revisit.

I enjoy the character of Constant Marlowe and like how each novella has revealed more of her. I look forward to a full length novel. This story is good, keeps you on your toes. It shows a bit of growth for Constant and has a good central mystery.

Constant Marlow who works for the Illinois Criminal Bureau of Investigation, is looking for Mr.X she wants to work at getting him to testify against Barth. While in the town though she comes across a sex trafficking ring and starts to work that as well. I like the Marlow character very much, and this book was a very good read.

I dont usually read novellas. I just don't think you can get much into a short book but I'm happy I read Downstate! Jeffrey Deaver does it again. Action crime, mystery and twist! The story moved along quick, hooked me right away, and continued to keep my interest until the end.

Published by Amazon Original Stories on January 14, 2025

Jeffery Deaver has written a few novellas for the Amazon Original Stories series. The story “Dodge” in his Broken Doll series introduced Special Agent Constant Marlowe. Constant’s own series of stories began with “The Rule of Threes” and continues in “Downstate.”

Constant is a boxer. That isn’t quite enough to sustain interest in her character over the course of a novel, a problem that Deaver accommodates by featuring her in shorter works where her absent personality might be less noticeable.

Constant works for the Illinois Department of Criminal Investigations. She starts the story by being shipped downstate to Plains County, a place that has more in common with the deep South than the progressive North. Her mission is to identify and find Mr. X, take him into custody, and persuade him to testify against Tyson Barth, a mobster in the Chicago suburbs.

Mr. X specializes in finding information. How he does this is a detail Deaver doesn't bother to explain. Barth hired Mr. X to identify two witnesses who have agreed to testify against him. Barth presumably intends to kill the snitches when he learns their identities. Since Mr. X takes as much pride in keeping his secrets as he does in learning the secrets of others, his true identity is a mystery. Although he feels no guilt about laying the groundwork for murder until he meets Constant, he feels embarrassed when she guides him on a path toward reform. I felt a bit embarrassed at my attempt to swallow any of this.

Constant enlists the help of Plains County Sheriff William Dodd and of Deputy Trenton Carr. Because someone in law enforcement has likely been leaking information to Barth, the reader will know that at least one of the cops is untrustworthy.

In an episode that appears to be unrelated to the central story (so, of course, it isn’t), a young man named Felipe Vargas steals some gift cards from a convenience store. A man in the store gives chase. Constant, who is visiting the store to buy milk and cookies (how wholesome can a woman get?), chases the man to keep him from beating the teen too badly. This encounter branches into a story about sex trafficking, the default option of thriller writers who want to shock readers but can’t come up with an original idea.

In another episode, two tough guys try to intimidate Constant. As other stories in the series have demonstrated, Constant likes to resolve such problems by securing her gun before challenging the tough guys to a boxing match. After knocking them to the ground, she arrests them or decides that a good beating was punishment enough for acting like a tough guy. Her behavior is more than a little ridiculous — I can’t imagine her not facing discipline for challenging perps to fistfights — but it seems to be her signature.

Constant devises a scheme to find Mr. X, which leads her to some dirty cops, which leads her to fear that a cop is endangering Vargas, which causes her to snatch Vargas as she devises a way to turn Mr. X against Barth and save Illinois from another of those dreaded sex trafficking rings. The plot fails to convey a sense of reality but I was almost willing to suspend my disbelief until the final scenes bestow an out-of-the-blue happy ending on one of the characters. Unable to overcome my gag reflex, I downgraded a tepid but full recommendation to a limited recommendation for diehard Deaver fans and readers who love happy endings, no matter how forced they might be.

RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS

The second book in the Constant Marlowe series. Constant is tracking down a man for her boss and ends up involved in a completely unrelated event. Constant cannot let a crime go and she always gets her man, she has strong morals and a great right hook. I really enjoy this character and hope there are many more books with her as a main character. This author always writes a great book, I look forward to more book sin this series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportuity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Downstate by Jeffrey Deaver seemed like it had all the makings of an engrossing read, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The premise was intriguing, and I usually enjoy a good novella, but I found it difficult to get invested in the story.

While the writing was solid, the plot felt a bit disjointed, and I struggled to connect with the characters. The main character, Constant Marlowe, had potential, but her development felt rushed due to the story's short length.

Despite my issues with the story, there were still some redeeming qualities. Deaver's vivid descriptions of the Illinois setting helped bring the backdrop to life, and the mystery at the core of the story kept me guessing until the end.

Overall, Downstate had its moments, but it didn't fully capture my interest. While it wasn't my favorite read, I can still appreciate the effort Deaver put into crafting this novella. If you're a fan of fast-paced mysteries, you might find more enjoyment in this story than I did.

This is second installment of the detective series Constant Marlowe and I was blown by it. And yes it's Constant and not Constance. It's no spelling mistake.

It's smart and well written and intriguing also adrenaline pumping. It was good from the start to the ending and the end twist, I kind of suspected it but yet didn't see it coming.

And to pack that punch, and adrenaline in a small novella is something a good storyteller will be able to achieve. It was brilliant.

Thank you Amazon original stories and Netgalley for another bang on ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Another great short read from Jeffery Deaver in the Constant Marlowe series. I love these characters, and the story was great, with great pacing. Can't wait for the next one in this series. #Downstate #NetGalley

I like this character and hope that Deaver will keep publishing stories and books featuring her experiences. She is a strong and insightful woman who always solves the crime.

Deaver is the master of thrillers. Before the thriller hype where all the thriller books are very much alike and the twists are more important than the plot, Deaver wrote twisty, scary and exciting thrillers with a nice writing style and good characters. He still has is! I would love to read a whole novel about the characters in this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Downstate is the 2nd story from Jeffery Deaver with Constant Marlowe. This is a character that deserves a full novel or even series. I hope that Deaver will consider that.

"Special Agent Constant Marlowe is looking for Mr. X, a criminal who does his business through the dark web, finding information for anyone willing to pay for it. She's in a small town in Illinois when she ends up involved in stopping a convenience store robbery. Something's not quite right to her about this small town sheriff and this town and she decides to look into it."

Deaver has always been the master of the twist so you never know who the bad guys are until he tells you. This is a short novella and Deaver packs a lot of story into it. Lots of action and red herrings. A good ending.

A character that really needs a full book. Put those digital credits to work and read some of Deaver's Amazon Stories.

Jeffrey Deaver is a one of my favorite authors because I never know where his book will take me next, I just know it's going to be GOOD. Special Agent Constant Marlowe is known for solving her cases, even if it costs her some skin off her knuckles. She walks that fine line between following the book and getting justice for her victims. Deaver has developed this character so well that I have a vivid pictue of her in my mind as I read. This type of writing takes some serious skill and that is why Deaver is a favorite.

I've been a huge Jeffery Deaver fan since The Bone Collector, and I don't remember being disappointed. To me, he's the king of the twists, and even when I think I've figured something out, there's always more, even in shorter stories like this.
Constant Marlowe is a terrific character, a law enforcement whose loyalty is to justice instead of bureaucracy, so when she ends up in what looks like something very shady, she steps in to protect people. She's also great because she has an interesting background, and an interesting way of looking at things. While looking for a witness, Constant stumbles upon a conspiracy in a small town, and risks her own safety to protect a teen she thinks is being victimized by local law enforcement.
Again, this was short, but it was self-contained and satisfying. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
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Special Agent Constant Marlowe’s latest assignment was set to be a challenge, one that she had never encountered. Mr. X, a key player in organized crime, was on the loose, and the fact that she didn’t know who he was or what he looked like hampered her active pursuit.
The leads of his whereabouts led her to the farming community of Downstate, deep in Illinois’s farming community. When Marlow encounters a teenage boy’s convenience store robbery, her investigation is suddenly hampered by a conspiracy that has rocked one of the area's sleepy small towns, and suddenly, her own life is in danger.

I really enjoyed this novel and all the characters involved in it. This could've been read as a standalone novel if you've not read any of the other books in the series

Special Agent Constant Marlowe of the Illinois Department of Criminal Investigations is driving to Plains County to find a man who finds people for a crime boss . Marlowe wants to bring him back to be a cooperating witness. With the help of a local deputy sheriff, she executes a clever trap to arrest Descartes. Marlowe finds herself in the middle of a situation with a juvenile stealing gift cards from a store where she was shopping. The local sherrif doesn't handle the young man in an appropriate way, and Marlowe begins to wonder why. She decides to take matters into her own hands, and begins to unwind a complex case.

This short story's background is a little thin, which is why I usually don't read novellas or short stories.. Marlowe's actions pretty much explained her character, but I would have enjoyed a little more information as the the "why". There were some instances of sexual innuendo, and lots of violence, but not more than you would see/hear on prime time television. It didn't detract from the story, but it didn't add to it either.

I have read many of Jeffery Deaver's novels, and found them to be interesting and compelling reads. I requested this novella because of my experience with his other works. "Downstate" wasn't a bad read, but it left me wondering how much I might have liked it if it had been fleshed out more. I kept wanting more background, more building of characters and conflicts. It was okay for a quick read, but not one of Deaver's best, in my opinion

This short story showcases the remarkable intelligence and bravery of Special Agent Costant Marlowe.
In this story, Marlowe digs into some gang-related crimes and stumbles upon some pretty intriguing clues that lead to a human trafficking operation. Like much of Jeffery Deaver's writing, things aren't as simple as they seem at first. If you're a fan of Deaver or just love a good thriller packed with unexpected twists, "Downstate" is definitely worth checking out. Even though it’s a quick read, it really showcases Deaver's skills and storytelling talent. If you’re new to his work, this novella is a great way to get introduced—just get ready for some surprises along the way!

I really enjoyed reading this and getting back to the world of Special Agent Constant Marlowe, it had that element that I enjoyed from the first book. The characters were written well and was invested in what was happening with them. It had that plot that I was hoping for and was glad I got to get back to this world and what Jeffery Deaver wrote.

Fast paced, nice twists and a good storyline. Recommended for those long days when time just doesn't pass you by.