I really like Lynda LaPlant’s Tennison character and The Dirty Dozen is no exception. Jane Tennison is the first female detective to be sent from the Met to the Flying Squad, aka the Sweeney, in April of 1980.
Jane believes she is being transferred due to merit. Little does she know that this is just an experiment to see how a woman will work with the so-called Dirty Dozen. The Flying Squad investigates bank robberies and money transfers mainly. The old-style men of The Flying Squad no slack. In fact, it is almost a miserable assignment for Jane. However, she keeps her wits and is determined to establish herself as a valuable asset of the group.
The action begins right away on the first day when an armored car is robbed and the robbers get away. A thorough investigation follows trying the to locate the foursome of vandals. One of the guards is wounded in the hold-up. Jane goes way out of her to prove her value to the squad.
I won’t get into the rest of the storyline or plot because it would on cheat future readers. This is a classic example of a police procedural. Many will really like this book if they are a fan of police procedurals. However, if the reader is not a big fan of police procedurals, they may not like the book as much. I really enjoyed it and thus the 4-star rating.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, and I apologize for life getting in the way of me reading this sooner.

I recently listened to a MasterClass that featured actress Helen Mirren. She, of course, became well known for playing Jane Tennison in TV’s Prime Suspect.

However, before Jane came to television, she was a character in a wonderful series by Lynda LaPlante. The Dirty Dozen is the fifth book about her.

Read along as Jane tries to/does make her place in this man’s world of the 1980s. She is a good detective but those around her do not always applaud her workplace successes. No spoiler, but Jane is tough. Watch as she works on a big case.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre USA for this title.

I have to be honest with this one and admit that it's a re-read but nonetheless like the first time round I didn't want to put it down. As I read this I 'heard' the unmistakeable voice of Dame Helen Mirren who as we all know played Jane Tennison in the Tv series Prime Suspect.. I'm sure that I'm not alone in being the person that either reads the books or watches the series/film etc but #TheDirtyDozen is one of the few that I've made an exception for and I thoroughly enjoyed both.

In this the fifth instalment in the chaotic life of Officer Jane Tennison she is joining the chauvinistic ego dominated world of the Flying Squad better known as 'the Sweeney' and being the first female in the unit you can imagine what it was like for her. From the very first day she was landed with the nickname 'Treacle 'short for 'Treacle Tart' needless to say Jane was less than impressed. (No spoilers here). I did like the nicknames for the team and they seemed pretty accurate the most part, more so as I got further into the book, I happen have most of my contacts in my phone as nicknames. there's been a few hilarious moments,

#TheDirtyDozen is a tale of two parts really, there's the story of new girl on the block finding her feet. standing up for herself, showing the men that she will not be walked over. The derogatory way her bosses spoke about her both behind her back and to her face really ticked me off at times. Then we have the story of the blaggers/armed robbers who seemingly have no problems shooting either security guards or police should the need arise. This group of individuals are smarter than the average bear and up to press they've managed to evade capture but we the reader know that their sheer arrogance, cockiness and just plain greed is going to get them caught sooner or later.

One of the things I did like was the wee twist regarding the witnesses (again no spoilers here) and how Jane manages to extract the crucial details from them. It was easy to sympathise with the witnesses once their history was revealed, it definitely wasn't a bed of roses but there's an opportunity for something good to come out of the investigation, fingers crossed for them.

The author takes us I'll happily recommend this to all my bookworm friends without any hesitation. I'm looking forward to re-reading the next one #BluntForce next. I've heard and read a few reviews that some folk believe this to be a standalone but my own humble opinion and I always suggest that people start at the beginning as the reader has the opportunity to learn how Jane became the person she is.


Read for an honest review. Thank you Ms La Plante, #Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre USA

Another great story in this prequel series. It kept me hooked from beginning to end and it was fascinating to see how the character of Tennison was formed.
Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion.

Jane Proves Her Worth....
A Jane Tennison thriller and book five in the series as the reader continues to follow Jane on her up and coming career path. Jane becomes the first female to join the Sweeney but is she part of some underhand experiment? Jane is determined to prove her worth. A slow burn and not the best of the series to date but still enjoyable, escapist reading.

I am a big fan of Lynda La Plante and her police procedurals. The Dirty Dozen is the fifth book in her Jane Tennison series. The books are set in 1970s-80s and show how Jane wins the respect of her colleagues by her insight and excellent investigation skills. In this novel she has just been assigned to the Flying Squad which consists of twelve male police officers investigating armed robberies. Jane is thrown straight into a new case and it is clear from the beginning that the fellow members of the squad and her DCI aren't happy about having a female working alongside them. Jane Tennison is tenacious and determined to do a thorough job. the information she obtains leads to a breakthrough in the investigation.
As usual with Lynda LaPlante's books, The Dirty Dozen is a real page-turner. The plot is tight, but what makes it so fascinating is the atmosphere of the early 1980s and Jane's struggle to overcome blatant sexism on the force and prove herself in this male-dominated professional.field.
Thank you to NetGalley and Zaffre for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Lynda LaPlante never disappoints, I love her writing and all her books and this one was no exception! Great story and kept me hooked all the way through :)

In the latest Jane Tennison book Jane has a new job with the Flying Squad. She has to deal with an all-male team and isn't accepted easily. Jane is thrown into a bank robbery investigation on her first day of work and becomes involved with a gang of violent criminals. I love this series and hope there are more books to come! Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffe for my digital copy.

"The Dirty Dozen" is really a very good read. At the beginning it was a little bit difficult to engage in the story, but quickly we are gripped and cannot let it down. We go throughout the plot like watching a movie.
Even though "The Dirty Dozen" is the fifth novel in the Jane Tennison thriller series, it can be read as a standalone novel.

There were a lot of protagonists in the book. All characters were well designed and seemed realistic. Jane Tennison's character is credible and likable. She has started a new job in the Flying Squad, an elite team of London Police dealing with bank robberies which is entirety composed of men. Jane struggled to prove herself before being accepted by the team. A difficult and dangerous investigation of a bank robbery will be the opportunity for her to show all her talents.

I really enjoyed reading this excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Lynda la Plante never fails to draw me in this is the fifth in the Jane Tennison prequel series and as usual terrific story line Jane as complicated as ever.Great read.#betgalley#bonniezaffirw

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced e-copy of The Dirty Dozen (Tennison, #5) by Lynda La Plante.

London police officer, Jane Tennison has been transferred to the flying squad. Unfortunately, her first day doesn't turn out so good. Her team don't want her around as she is the only female officer. She also doesn't know who she can trust since the team doesn't want her. Jane isn't backing down though. She is determined and isn't backing down. Now all Jane has to do is prove to the team that she knows what she is doing and can handle herself. She also is going to have to stop the robbers before their next big score.

Action packed from beginning to end. This series never disappoints.

I had never read any books by this author, but had heard of the television series revolving around this same character. So, I requested this book to give it a try. I don't believe this is the first in the series, however I don't think you have to read the others first to understand this book. It would probably help your understanding of the main character's backstory, but I didn't find it necessary. This series revolves around Jane Tennison. She is a police officer who has been the first female detective assigned to the infamous Flying Squad in East London. While investigating a robbery with the team, she must also endure being the newbie on the squad and being treated differently because she is a woman. Whilst making some mistakes and enduring some pitfalls in the job, Jane is an effective police officer who is integral in solving the case.

In terms of plot, I didn't find anything special in it. It was another basic mystery that the life of the main character is intertwined through. In saying that, I don't think it was terrible. It was a good mystery with an interesting, likeable character. Jane Tennison is a normal detective. She doesn't have super sleuth skills, antihero qualities, or is seamlessly perfect. She's just a normal detective that makes mistakes, but who works hard at being good at her job. So, it's not my favorite book in the world, but I did enjoy it as a good mystery. Also, I must say I wouldn't mind reading another in the Jane Tennison series and it has also made me interested in the television series.

I would like to thank NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

WDS Jane Tennison has just been transferred to the flying squad and her first day doesn't turn out the want that she wanted. The team don't want her around as she is the only female copper and the DCI doesn't want her around either and he will do whatever he has to get rid of Jane. She knows that there is so much more to the robbery and she decides not to back down so she continues to dig for more information. She doesn't know who she can trust as the team doesn't want her. She is lucky that some have tried to help her find her feet. Jane won't back down easily and the team is just going to have to accept her but will the leadership keep her as part of the experiment? Can Jane prove to the team that she knows what she is doing and the robbers are about to make a big score? Will she have the guts to continue on this new path?
I love Jane as she is a strong independent woman that never gives up no matter the odds. She is fair & brave and she fights for what is right. I love the TV series as well watched them so many times.
A good read. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

In the fifth (and final?) book in the prequel series about the character portrayed by Helen Mirren in the PRIME SUSPECT series, Jane Tennison has been transferred into the Flying Squad, also known as the Sweeney. She's the first and only female on a team made up of twelve men known as the Dirty Dozen, and no one seems happy to have her there.

On her first day at work, Tennison gets caught up in a bank robbery gone awry, The subsequent chapters show her dealing with police corruption, gangsters, a list of possible suspects, some red herrings, and murder. Jane shows all the fortitude you would expect, in spite of all the mysogynistic behavior that she encounters.

The previous novel, MURDER MILE, was my favorite book in the series, but this installment made for an intriguing read. La Plante has publicly announced that she's starting a new series in 2020, so I'm not sure we will encounter anymore novels about the young Tennison. Let's hope she reconsiders, because there's still a lot about this character's development that we haven't had a chance to witness.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

what can I say? Lynda La Plante at her best! Although I am biased, I grew up with Jane Tennyson on tv and am adoring these prequel books so much! This instalment sees Jane in The Flying Squad! The most male dominated place in the cop shop! I, as always lived this book and cannot wait for the next... Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Great next instalment in the life of Jane tennison before the prime suspect days. Exciting to understand the woman who became one of the greatest women detectives ever. Can’t wait for the next book

I can't wait for another in this terrific prequel series (I hope). Jane is back and better than ever. La Plante manages to really convey the character's whole personality on every page. And you can really "predict" how she will grow as a detective and fascinating fictional character.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jane Tennison joins the Flying Squad as the first female detective. However, "The Sweeney", as they are called, is not receptive to having a woman join the team. Making matters worse is that her first day just happens to coincide with a bank robbery. Jane is immediately thrown into her new position, doing surveillance from the car, trying to catch the robbers, interviewing witnesses and examining the evidence.

Jane knows she has to prove herself, even when other members of the squad try to trip her up. She gives the case 100% of her time, effort and energy. When she is sent to follow up on what seems to be a wild goose chase, she stumbles upon some very valuable information. Her information sets the ball rolling for the investigation, which had all but stalled. Navigating through allegations of corruption and the possibility of an internal leak within the squad isn't easy but Jane is determined to solve this case, even if it means putting herself at risk.

It took me a little while to get into the story but, once I did, I was hooked. I actually had to stop myself from reading a few times when I had to go pick up a child from sports practice or make dinner. Jane is a strong, confident female character that you find yourself rooting for. It was fascinating to follow the squad's thought process as each new development occurred and how they determined where the investigation would head next. The Dirty Dozen is an exciting police procedural set in London around the 1980s. The characters are well written and the story is exciting. I discovered it's part of a series, which I will definitely read to follow Jane's story.

The Dirty Dozen is the Fifth in this series,but can be read as a standalone. This is a fantastic book that is fast paced. Great characters.

Noone likes to admit JUST how hard it was for women to not only be come police officers, but to enter speciality units, who pretty much did not want them there at all, and felt they would fail. Having seen Tennison in Prime Suspect, this series goes back and looks at how she first became a police officer, and what she had to face to make it through the academy, and be accepted as a detective. In this book, we get to see how she made it into "the Sweeney", and how her instincts really were honed by her experiences, and helped to make her the detective we KNOW from Prime Suspect! Along the way, we get a look back and more basic policing, and how 'old school' got things done, and done well. This is a wonderful addition to the series, and will make fans shout with glee, for anotehr well-done mystery!