Jailbird by Caro Savage
The Blurb
'Fast paced and addictive.' Ross Greenwood 'A riveting read full of tension and suspense with a vivid cast of characters and an enticing plot.' Heather Burnside
Under pressure. Under threat. Undercover.
When you’re working undercover the smallest mistake can cost you your life. Detective Constable Bailey Morgan has been out of the undercover game since her last job went horribly wrong, leaving her with scars inside and out. When her colleague Alice is found dead whilst working deep cover in a women’s prison, Bailey steps in to replace her. Working alone, Bailey embarks on a dangerous journey through the murky underbelly of the prison and soon discovers that Alice’s death was part of a spate of brutal murders. Surrounded by prison officers, criminals and lowlifes, the slightest mistake could cost Bailey her life. Illicit drug trafficking, prison gangs and corruption are just some of the things she’s up against… and behind it all lurks a sinister and terrifying secret that will truly test her survival instincts. Heart-stopping and gripping. Perfect for the fans of hit TV shows such as Line of Duty, Orange is the New Black and Bad Girls.
What readers are saying about Jailbird:
'I have nothing negative at all to say about this book. I can’t wait for the next book from this author as she has extreme talent.' 'Flows well, extremely good plot! One of the best reads of the year. HIGHLY recommend!!!' 'Absolutely loved this book! The story flows, the characters are fascinating and I couldn't tear myself away. Highly recommended.' 'This one is a sure winner!' 'I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.' 'I was totally engrossed in this book.'
About Caro Savage
Caro Savage knows all about bestselling thrillers having worked as a Waterstones bookseller for 12 years in a previous life. Now taking up the challenge personally and turning to hard-hitting crime thriller writing.
My Review
For a debut novel, this has to be the crime thriller of the year for me and Caro Savage is a crimewriter to watch out for. Detective Constable Bailey Morgan, already battle-scarred from a previous undercover job, had transferred to CID within the relative safety of more conventional police work, when she received a call from her ex-boss, informing her of the death of a colleague who had been brutally murdered in a women's prison whilst working undercover under the guise as an inmate. She had been working there to find out how a regular and huge amount of drugs was being smuggled into the prison and who was responsible both on the inside and the outside. Bailey was asked if she could take her place, to which she couldn't bring herself to refuse, wanting to bring the murderer of her friend to justice. This book was totally absorbing right from the first page, and although it's a big read, 502 pages, I read it in a day, having bought the ebook version and the audio to go with it, so I could listen while I was doing other things, and read when I was able to sit down. It has to be said, that a good narrator can make or break an audio book, and Genevieve Swallow certainly added to the value of this already high quality and very dramatic thriller. Bailey turned out to be a sustainable complex character that I would hope may turn out to be a series. Within the narrative, it becomes clear to the reader, that undercover work is a specialist field of police work that requires specialist training which is only for the elite, and not some plod, who volunteers or is asked on a whim to volunteer, in the midst of an ongoing investigation like some of the books I have previously read. As a police procedural, it explains itself very well, but not so much that the story gets lost by being bogged down with too much detail. It is more of a psychological thriller than a procedural, a whodunnit, with lots of unexpected twists. There were some great characters amongst the inmates. I particularly liked 'Crazy Mel.' Looking forward to what is coming next from the pen of Caro Savage.
