Jo Bannister - Page 1
First British Edition Allison & Busby (2004) |
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The Depths of Solitude
Brodie Farrell’s life, on the surface, is unremarkable. A single mother to one daughter, five-year-old Paddy, she runs a finding agency from a small seaside town on the south coast and spends her days helping clients locate items that have proved elusive by more conventional methods. She has a healthy relationship with Jack Deacon, a Detective Superintendent in the local police force, and a solid network of friends - except for one. Her most important ally, Daniel Hood, has been ignoring her since a bitter disagreement ripped their friendship apart at the seams. Now his house is up for sale, and Daniel’s disappeared.
At first Brodie is just angry - angry that he would leave without telling her, without trying to sort things out. But then, when Daniel’s family seem unconcerned that he has vanished into thin air, Brodie starts to get worried. Perhaps she was the only person to care about Daniel and she cut him off. What if he does something stupid ... or what if he already has? Unfortunately, even her advanced tracking skills can’t locate her friend.
But for Brodie the worrying gets worse when it seems she has become the victim of a sustained hate campaign. First her car windscreen is smashed, then the vehicle itself is set alight. Her handbag is stolen, and then she is terrorised in the local library after a call from Daniel imploring her to meet him there alone. The conclusion is obvious, but Brodie refuses to believe it. Until, that is, she is attacked again...
Praise for Jo Bannister
A trio of main protagonists is a fresh and unusual set-up and one that is handled very neatly ... A thoughtful and intriguing read’ Sherlock Magazine
A cleverly plotted story of revenge with an interesting twist’ The Sunday Telegraph
`Superior police procedurals with a strong cast’ The Guardian
`Her work shows intelligence and humour’ The Spectator
`Bannister keeps the suspense as tight as a drum’ Publishers Weekly
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First British Edition Allison & Busby (2002) |
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True Witness
A teenage boy is beaten to death with a wheel brace on Dimmock’s derelict pier. The police are convinced they have the murderer, they just need a positive identification to lock him up for good. Ten years ago Neil Cochrane was the prime suspect in a series of killings but lack of evidence allowed him to walk free. The new murder fits the profile exactly and this time Detective Inspector Jack Deacon is determined he won’t escape.
But the only witness is astronomer Daniel Hood, in his own way as determined a man as the detective. Compelling as the circumstantial evidence is, Daniel cannot be certain from a photograph alone that he saw Neil Cochrane on the pier and nothing anybody says - or does - will convince him to take the easy option and implicate a man without satisfying his own conscience first.
With the whole town baying for blood, the only person who understands is Brodie Farrell who once more steps in to defend her friend. Using her skills as a researcher perhaps she can unravel part of this mystery and ease Daniel’s burden. But Daniel has always tried to meet his demons head on. Without Brodie’s knowledge he sets out alone to stare adversity in the face...
A taut, compelling exploration of love and honour, True Witness is the second book in the series featuring Brodie Farrell and Daniel Hood.
| Paperback - Allison & Busby (2002) |
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Echoes Of Lies
When researcher Brodie Farrell is asked to locate a young man called Daniel Hood, she finds nothing suspicious in the request. But a few days after successfully completing the job she is shocked to see Daniel’s body in hospital - in a lifethreatening coma.
Overcome with guilt, Brodie resolves to do everything she can to bring Daniel’s attackers to justice. When he eventually regains consciousness, all he knows is that the men who hurt him were desperately looking for someone called Sophie.
And so both he and Brodie embark on a journey of discovery to uncover the truth. A journey which will lead them into the heart of a deeper and more complex tragedy than either could have first imagined...
'A cleverly plotted story of revenge with an interesting twist' Susanna Yager, The Sunday Telegraph
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First British Edition Macmillan (2000) |
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| Paperback - Pan (2001) |
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Changelings
Castlemere is under siege. Someone with a particularly inventive if unscrupulous mind is holding the town to ransom - to the tune of one million pounds. And if this demand is not met, no one will be safe from the frightening events he has in store.
With the casualty rate rising, the pressure is on Detective Superintendent Frank Shapiro to uncover the blackmailer. But this is a clever man; finding him will be difficult. Finding him in time may prove impossible...
Detective Inspector Liz Graham has problems of her own. As the panic in the town increases, so even her gentle art teacher husband comes under suspicion. On top of this her sergeant, Cal Donovan - on an autumn cruise aboard his narrowboat - has disappeared into the watery wastes of the Castlemere Levels.
Cal's deserted boat has been located near the tiny village of East Beckham, a flyspeck on the map where nothing and no one is quite what they seem…
| Paperback - Pan (2000) |
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First British Edition Macmillan (1999) |
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The Hireling's Tale
When the naked, battered body of a young prostitute is found on a narrowboat on the Castlemere Canal, detective Superintendent Shapiro has all the usual questions. Who is she, how did she get there, who killed her?
Their enquiries take Shapiro, Sergeant Donovan and Inspector Liz Graham to the Barbican Hotel in the heart of town. The girl was there; and with a sales conference in progress there's no shortage of men she could have gone to meet. Every second room seems to lodge a foreign national with a skeleton in his closet.
But soon Shapiro and his team have a great deal more to contend with. For the dead woman was not the only person to have hired herself out that night: a paid assassin is at large - and he is gunning for the conference organizer Philip Kendall.
When a panicky phone call from a friend of the dead girl offers to shed light on these bizarre events Liz sends Donovan to fetch her. It should only take a few hours.
But a few hours are a long time in Castlemere...
'[An] exciting mixture of police procedure and thriller, well written, well plotted and exciting throughout… Don't miss’ Irish Independent
‘A twist in the tale that makes for a provoking climax’ Northern Echo
About The Author
Jo Bannister , the author of over twenty acclaimed novels, was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, and grew up in Birmingham, Nottingham and Bangor, Northern Ireland. After leaving school at sixteen, she joined the County Down Spectator as a office junior, leaving as editor in 1988 to pursue her career as an author. She has won several awards for her writing, including recognition from the Royal Society of Arts and the British Press Awards. She is also the author of the popular police series featuring Frank Shapiro, Liz Graham and Cal Donovan.
Her interests are riding and archaeology. She lives in Northern Ireland
Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.
The Depths of Solitude
(Allison & Busby,
2004)
Apr 04
True Witness
(Allison & Busby,
2002)
Echoes Of Lies
(
2001)
Allison & Busby Sep 01
Allison & Busby Pbk Jul 02
Changelings
(Macmillan,
2000)
Pan Pbk Oct 01
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
The Hireling's Tale
(Macmillan,
1999)
Pan Pbk Jul 00
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
Unlawful Entry
(Severn House,
1998)
Broken Lines
(Macmillan,
1998)
Pan Pbk Mar 99
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
The Primrose Convention
(Macmillan,
1997)
(Rosie Holland)
No Birds Sing
(Macmillan,
1996)
Pan Pbk 1997
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
Burning Desires
(Macmillan,
1995)
Allison & Busby Pbk 1996
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
Sins of the Heart
(Macmillan,
1994)
Allison & Busby Pbk 1994
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
Death And Other Lovers
Shards
The Going Down Of The Sun
The Mason Codex
Mosaic
Striving With Gods
A Cactus Garden
The Winter Plain
The Matrix
Gilgamesh
A Bleeding of Innocents
(Liz Graham & Donovan)
The Depths of Solitude
by Jo Bannister
