Thirteen years on from the events in Corruption!, Suzanne Jones, Charlie Jones and Francine Matheson are enjoying quiet lives with their respective partners. But that’s all about to change.
Punish the guilty. Protect the innocent.
Framed for murder on the day of her wedding, Charlie Jones is living a nightmare. While her sister, Suzanne, and their friends search for the true killer, Charlie is forced to confront her past: a past she’s kept hidden for more than three decades. Can Charlie save herself without losing everyone she loves. And who is the man in the black jacket?
The explosive final part of the Jones Sisters thriller series.
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Carol A –
Fast paced and fun.
Charlie and Annie are getting married until Charlie’s past interrupts the joyous occasion, and she is arrested for a murder she did not commit. Someone is framing her and doing an excellent job of providing evidence. But Charlie has no idea who is behind it. Her friends and family try desperately to figure out what is going on, even contacting the people Charlie worked with in her past. But Charlie kept the secrets of her earlier life well hidden, and no one expected the surprise revealed after all these years.
The story is full of twists and turns, and just as you think the characters will work it out and save Charlie, they hit another snag. The book is well-written with a good pacing that is hard to put down—a definite five-star read.
Pat Black-Gould –
A ‘sit at the edge of your seat’ thriller.
I’m a big fan of the Coombesford cozy mystery series and adore Charlie and Annie, so when Charlie gets arrested …. on their wedding day, I wasn’t too happy. And a murder charge! As Charlie later says to Annie, “This was a deliberate attempt to make a false case against me, to get me sent down for murder.”
But the questions from the start are: Who set her up, how, and why? Those answers lead back to Charlie’s background and everyone she dealt with in her line of work. This leads Suzanne, Charlie’s sister, and others to investigate quite a range of characters with their own stories. But there’s way more involved, and I don’t want to be a spoiler other than to say that more than Charlie is at risk in this, causing the plot to thicken.
In all, it’s a great read, a page-turner with unexpected twists and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.
Beasknees –
Fast paced and gritty!
A superb final instalment of the Jones’ sisters stories. Fast, pacey, everything you’d expect from a crime thriller. The twists and turns were all there, the relationships, the International intrigue which brought the writing alive – all there. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series of books, they’ve been a pleasure to read.
B W Clayton –
An Enjoyable Read.
Although I have enjoyed several books by this author, this is the first Jones sisters book that I have read, and I loved it, so it didn’t matter at all that it is the fourth book in the series. Charlie Jones is looking forward to marrying Annie, the love of her life and bringing up their young daughter, Suzy, together, but their plans go awry when Charlie finds herself framed for murder. When matters go from bad to worse, Charlie’s sister, Suzanne, arrives to help clear her sister’s name. However, this is not so easy as the past catches up with Charlie and forces her to relive nightmares she thought she had left far behind. The book is well-written and draws the reader in from the very first page and I read it in a couple of days. Recommended.
Mary DG –
An intriguing plot with well-drawn characters.
We always knew Charlie had an interesting history and now we get the chance to delve into the past and find out just how difficult and dangerous that was – a far cry from her current life.
Retribution is a satisfying read with good areas of tension. I like the beginning which raised a lot of questions while providing some backstory.
The writer has drawn believable characters seeking revenge, implacable and chilling at times. I would not like to be the focus of their attention.
Settings are evocative and sometimes unexpected.
ljw –
Story that still needed telling!
I loved this. I think it is the best yet. There was a confidence and enthusiasm in the telling that felt palpable. It was fantastic to read more of the depth of Charlie Jones life and her history. Her supposed “imperfections” from her past but all just making her the powerful force she is. I like that she is a “whole” woman. I love that she is in a loving marriage and a good mum AND is smart and physically strong. She feels so real in this book.
If you have not read the others this would still stand alone. I thoroughly recommend.
Amazon Customer –
I have not read any of the Jones sisters books from this author before (but have read Elizabeth Ducie’s other books). I really enjoyed ‘Retribution’ – it stood alone despite being the fourth in the series (I am keen to read the other three now!). It was good to find out about Charlie’s fascinating background and I particularly liked the pace of the book along with the twists and turns. Living in the South West of England I related to the geographical references and that added to my enjoyment. I recommend this book.
Caroline –
Another gem from Ms Ducie.
The fourth book in the Jones sisters’ saga, Retribution didn’t fail, once again, to keep me enthralled from the very beginning. I particularly enjoyed the link between the past and the present as the story cleverly moved between the two. Certainly one of those books that kept me guessing until the very end! I thoroughly recommend to readers old and new to this series.
sportslady0312 –
Another awesome read from Elizabeth Ducie. Her characters are so well described, they seem to be real. Likewise, the action plays out in front of me, as the flow and tone of the writing is so vivid. I’m honoured to be a Beta reader for the author, and her books never disappoint! I won’t give away any spoilers but I truly didn’t see how Charlie was going to get out of each predicament. So very well written, so easily recommended to everyone!! 5 stars from me.
Jacquie Rogers –
A breathtaking ride!
Charlie Jones has everything she wants in life: a peaceful home, good friends, and a dearly-loved daughter. She and her partner Annie are counting the days to their wedding. Then Charlie is involved in a strange death on a train, and, even worse, arrested on her wedding day.
The past has caught up with Charlie, and as her sister Suzanne, her friends and former colleagues gather to help, mystery turns into mounting jeopardy, threatening Charlie and everyone she loves.
This fast-paced thriller builds on both Elizabeth Ducie’s original thriller series, and her cosy crime books. Thrills and spills mount, as the Jones sisters mine their busy past to solve the problem of who has framed Charlie Jones, now bringing lethal danger to their family.
Recommended for heart-racing action that will make you jump out of your skin!
GerCelt –
Great blending of two worlds.
I’ve read both the Coombesford mysteries which are more cozy/traditional murder mysteries and the Jones Sisters books (Counterfeit! Etc)which are thrillers. if you haven’t read either, you can still enjoy the new one but if you can read the others , it does add to the enjoyment.
The heroine Charlie Jones has found peace in the quiet village of Coombesford, with her wife Annie and their beloved daughter. Her troubled past – both as a spy and later in partnership with her sister Suzanne – seems far behind her but a terrible secret threatens her happiness, her freedom and worst of all, her family.
A fast-paced, heart stopping thrill ride from the very first page, Retribution! combines grit and warmth. From the sleepy village to the far flung reaches of Africa and Europe, we follow a whirlwind of leads. Old friends and enemies surface, but Charlie has to face her own demons to save her family.
I really liked how the grittier elements of the Jones sisters books meshed with the gentler Coombesford settings. Great read, with some heartstopping moments. Highly recommend.
Pam Keevil –
A gripping read!
As a fan of both the Jones’ sister thrillers and the cosy murder series set in Coombesford, what a delight to discover Elizabeth Ducie’s latest, Retribution, covers both. The book is brilliantly arranged in six parts. Part one covers the set-up of the murder up till the arrest of Charlie Jones, on her wedding day. It’s set in Coombesford so we are treated to the panoply of characters in the village and the delightful setting. But the prologue has already hinted at a more sinister turn and in subsequent parts we are whisked back into Charlie’s past life, before embarking on a page turning thriller as the familiar characters we know and love try to save their own lives and discover the truth. It’s a book full of tension and twists and turns and I will not give away the plot. It’s a great read and is there just a little hint that we might be hearing more from Esther and Rohan? I do hope so. Coombesford deserves many more murders to solve!