Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher @ariafiction for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. 'Hush Little Baby' is a harrowing account of the abduction of three-month-old Alicia Owen, taken from her pram outside of a shop. Alicia's mother, Marie, is accused of neglect and detachment. Alicia's parents divorce and Marie moves on with the best friend of her ex-husband. The opening chapter takes place fifteen years later when the hand of a baby is found in concrete in a building site. The case of the missing Alicia is re-opened and old wounds are resurface. This is the third book featuring FLO DC Beth Chamberlain but as a newcomer to @janeisaacauthor it was a perfectly acceptable read as a stand-alone novel; it simply wasn't necessary to read precious books although I will be dipping into her previous books. A definite page-turner and if you like a police procedural novel, this is one to tear through on a summer's evening just as I did.

After enjoying books one and two in this series, I was looking forward to see what had happened next for Beth!

Another complex case for Beth after the discovery of a baby's body opens up a cold case from fifteen years ago. Supporting the family through the investigation, Beth has some tricky ground to cover as they try and piece together what happened, all the while having an odd feeling that she is being watched.

I really enjoyed this story. I think Beth us a brilliant character and hope that this is going to be a long-running series.
While this could be read as a standalone with 80% of it being a new story, the rest follows a theme from the previous book, so I definitely recommend reading the series.

I have been a fan of Jane's work for a while now.  I have read and loved each and every book that she has released to date.  Whenever Jane writes a new book, I grab myself a copy and squirrel myself away until I have finished reading it.  Jane's latest release is called 'Hush Little Baby' and it was released on 23rd July 2020.  It's another cracker from Jane, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.

I love the character of DC Beth Chamberlain, who is a family liaison officer, and I took to her from the start.  She is a dedicated police officer, who often goes above and beyond the call of duty.  Beth is kind, compassionate, caring, determined, tough, tenacious, persistent, hard working, ambitious, feisty and occasionally very stubborn.  'Hush Little Baby' sees Beth secure a temporary promotion to Acting Detective Sergeant and she resolves to make a good impression.  Beth puts her heart and soul into a case and you can be sure that Beth will not rest until she has solved the case and made sure that the perpetrator has been punished.  

I must be honest and say that I found 'Hush Little Baby' to be a bit difficult to read at the start.  I don't mean that in a negative way or that the book is badly written, because that could not be further from the truth.  The reason why I found it difficult to read is the fact that it deals with the death of a young baby and it describes the parents' feelings and the pictures etc.  Now I have never had a baby, but I did have a brother (who wasn't ginger), who sadly passed away at the age of 4 days.  During the Seventies (when my brother was born) things were a lot different and we have no photos or proof of his existence except for his birth and death certificate.  Anyway that's enough of my personal history.  What I will say is that Jane has more than adequately captured the feelings that parents of a dead baby goes through and the raw emotion that comes with such a situation.

When I did get into 'Hush Little Baby' that was it and I found it impossible to put the book down for any length of time.  The case intrigued me and I had to know who had done what and why.  The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I was not willing to break.  If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about it.  If I had to put the book to one side for any reason, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again.   I seemed to race through the story and the pages turned increasingly quickly the further through the book I was getting.  All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say a farewell to Acting DS Beth Chamberlain.

'Hush Little Baby' is excellently written.  Whenever you pick up a book written by Jane Isaac, you are guaranteed one hell of a fast paced and gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout.  That's how I felt at any rate.  Nothing gets your attention quicker than the discovery of a body.  Jane grabbed my attention from the start and she drew me into this investigation, which had several twists and turns.  Just when I thought that I had fathomed out who had done what and why, Jane snuck a twist into the tale, which sent me down another path entirely.  Jane writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Hush Little Baby' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.  I will certainly be reading more of Jane's work in the future and I will be first in the queue on release day.  The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I really liked this book! A tough topic to read about but at the same time a topic that should be read about because sadly things like this do happen, the author did write about it so well. I have kids myself a 5 month old. I recommend this book to anyone who likes crime or detective books. I will definitely be looking into more of the authors works and definitely be recommending this one! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an e arc for my honest review

They had no idea what was coming next...


The killer's words had me all jittery with eagerness at what was awaiting me just round the corner. Author Jane Isaac's new book with a missing child found 15 years later entombed in a slab of concrete stopped my heart at the imagery.

Beth Chamberlain, the family liason, was empathetic, yet had the core of steel running through her. She was back, and she made the book appear brighter and suspenseful.

Beth along with her partner and boss Nick was meticulous in her work and caring with her emotions. The story dealt with the child's case along with another mystery from the earlier books. This was at a slightly slower pace as it was a cold case. The book could have concentrated on only one case. It would made it more interesting as a lost child was an intriguing arc.

Having read most books by this author, I loved the format in which she wrote where I got to know points of investigation, the family's thoughts, and in this, the perpetrator's. The story had some gentle twists. All that made the book into a fun read.

Overall, I enjoyed my breakfast read at a sedate pace.

This is not a genre I would normally read but Jane writes so well that I get excited to read her books. This book was easy to get into but hard to put down.

I found myself suspecting everyone in this story. Just when I thought I had it all sussed, something happened to throw me off scent ! I love it when this happens in a book, it makes for a thrilling read which this certainly was.

I could really envision the settings as this story was based around an area that is local to me. This made the book even more appealing to me.
I will definitely read more by Jane Issac. Thanks to Victoria Joss at Head of Zeus for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.

Hush Little Baby is #3 in the series featuring DC Beth Chamberlain, but can also be read as a stand-alone.

Three month old baby Alicia had been taken from her pram…..disappeared without a trace.

Now, 15 years later the remains of a baby’s body have been found buried on a construction site.

DC Beth Chamberlain is the family liaison officer, assigned to the family and is trying to find the answers they need.

When DNA evidence is found, it throws more questions and thingsgets increasingly dangerous for Beth….and her family.

Wow, another nail biter of a psychological thriller from Jane Issac. It’s full of emotion and an almost unbearable sense of tension which makes this a true pager turner. I loved every nerve wracking moment…..

Thank you to The publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of Hush Little Baby. This is my honest and unbiased review.

I’ve read the previous two in this series but sadly I’m underwhelmed by this one - particularly disappointing as I’ve read a lot of the authors books and like them. The storyline and premise have potential and there are some moments of surprise and shock but I find the speed of the book a plod rather than a brisk pace. There’s too much reflection and not enough action and there should be tension as there are secrets within the families and couples involved. The baby case takes around 75% of the book and that is resolved and then it suddenly switches to another case and so if you haven’t read the two previous books in the series I think it will be be difficult to make sense of it

A cold case might only be the beginning!

I thoroughly enjoyed Hush Little Baby. Indeed, I had originally said I couldn't review in time for today's blog post but I began reading just to get a feel for the book following Jane Isaac's guest post and before I knew it I was engrossed in the story! 

Although Hush Little Baby is the third in the DC Beth Chamberlain series, it didn't matter at all that I hadn't read the previous book in the series because Jane Isaac's plotting is so cleverly constructed there was enough information to give me all the detail I needed without adversely impacting on this narrative or slowing it down. There's a wonderful sense of control in the writing that means it's a pleasure simply to lose yourself in the plot. There's a fast pace, partly achieved through short, impactful chapters, and partly through the twists and turns of the case so that Hush Little Baby is equally convincing and exciting and totally entertaining. I found the dialogue very realistic too.

Beth is a smashing character. She is all the more appealing to me because she doesn't have the unrealistic baggage that so many female characters in police narrative seem to be overburdened with. Certainly she has a past and her vulnerabilities and anxieties, but these feel integral and natural making her someone I believe in completely.

As well as enjoying the story and characters, I found the underlying themes of Hush Little Baby compelling too. The impact of the past on the present, how we construct our own truths and memories, and how we judge others, are concepts that slip along underneath the plot so that there is a hugely satisfying depth to the story that made me think. Resolutions in life are not always neatly sewn up and choices are not always easy to make. Jane Isaac presents these ideas sensitively so that they have real impact.

I thoroughly enjoyed Hush Little Baby and am delighted that the book ends with potential for a future story with Beth Chamberlain. I shall look forward to reading it.

When a teenager sneaks into a building site for a quick smoke before school she is totally unprepared to see what appears to be an infant's hand sticking out of a concrete block! Fifteen years earlier Alicia was taken from her pram outside a small supermarket. He disappearance was all the more tragic as her twin died at birth. Beth Chamberlain is appointed to be the Family Liaison Officer to try & help the family come to terms with the discovery & attempt to find out what happened.

I like seeing a FLO at work- a character that crops up in so many police procedural novels. I also really like Beth, she is a great character & I have enjoyed seeing her grow in confidence as the series has progressed. This was a great read for most of it, but for me the last part seemed to have been stuck on the end as the page numbers were coming up short! That's why I couldn't give this five stars. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this week. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

haven't read a gripping police procedural in a while so Hush Little Baby came along at the right time for me!

What I liked about this one was the police officer Beth was actually a Family Liaison Officer which is a really interesting role and not one that's usually at the forefront of a crime thriller. This way we got to be really involved with the family and their reactions as the plot played out.

And the plot itself was so interesting. I did struggle to get into it at first and I will say there should be trigger warnings for death of an infant, stillbirth and rape. Some of the descriptions initially really played on my mind, they weren't particularly graphic, it was more the language used and I think I kept picturing my own young daughter which didn't help. Maybe not a book for mums of quite young children unless you are easily able to detach yourself from the story (I usually can but struggled with this one!)

The story is gripping and there are lots of twists and reveals I didn't see coming at all. It's a fairly quick read and addictive and enjoyable. I want to mention that it is the third book in a series and a lot of things are referred to which I assume happened in the previous book, in fact the very last chunk of the book was much more related to the previous in the series. However this didn't take away my enjoyment of Hush Little Baby but has given a lot of spoilers if I did want to go back to read the others. You all already know I'm a big fan of reading a crime series in order for full enjoyment!

If you like police procedurals and thrillers that keep you guessing I definitely recommend this one!

Well this was a gripping Police Procedural, it has been a while since I last read one, but this I felt was well written and had me metaphorically flipping pages (read on Kindle) at a fast pace.
This is the third in a series about DC Beth Chamberlain and I haven't read the first two, which gave me palpitations, but you don't necessarily have to have read the others, although it does mention earlier cases in this book. SO if you want an entirely spoiler free reading experience I would suggest to read from the beginning.
A further warning for subject content, baby death, rape and suicide.
We start with the discovery of a baby and then switch between the different characters POV, the mother, Beth and a another character, each was well written and the dialogue was believable.
I would recommend for fans of police/detective novels. I had the added bonus of knowing the places where the happenings were taking place, which was surreal.

A teenage girl stops for a cigarette on the corner of a construction site and spots what appears to be a baby's arm sticking out of the overturned concrete, she screams and runs, bringing it to the attention of one of the site workers who reports it to the police, could this be baby Alicia who disappeared 15 years earlier, from outside a supermarket, while her mom, Marie was shopping inside? Nobody saw who took her and she was never found, it's now up to Beth and the team to get to the bottom of what happened all those years ago and bring the killer to justice and closure to the family.

I loved the first two in this series and was looking forward to getting my teeth into this one, the build up of the story starts off slowly, but soon gains momentum and with investigations into other cases going on at the same time, Beth and the team have certainly got their hands full, it's a great plot and we also get to see Beth's relationship with Nick becoming more serious. I was second guessing all the way through as to who the killer could be, but nothing prepared me for the outcome the author threw my way! It's evident that Jane Isaac does a lot of research for her books and this shines through in the detail she puts into her storylines, the characters come across as authentic, making them instantly likeable. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Beth in the future, bring on book 4!

This is the third in the DC Beth Chamberlain series and whilst it can be read as a standalone, it's better to read the books in order to obtain a better understanding of the characters and their backgrounds.

I'd like to thank Aria and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

Fifteen years ago, three-month-old Alicia Owen was taken from her pram outside a shop and, despite an extensive police investigation, was never found again. Now, a teenage girl has found a small hand in the ground, the police discovering it belongs to the body of a baby, entombed in concrete. Could this be the missing baby after all these years? With the case reopened, and painful wounds revisited, can DC Beth Chamberlain finally find out what happened to baby Alicia on that fateful day?

I had not realised that Hush Little Baby was the third in a series before reading it but while there are definitely links to a previous book, I felt I could follow the story, the author giving enough detail about what had gone before. Reading this one has made me curious about part of the plot, so I will definitely be catching up with the other books at some point!

The main plot concerns the cold case of the disappearance of baby Alicia Owen fifteen years ago, a case which has now become active once again. I felt that this was well-written, showing how the uncertainty of what happened years ago still affected the baby's family today. It was heartbreaking to see how the two parents had reacted to the loss, the father's story being particularly sad. It was difficult to see old wounds opening up for both parents, their fears, once again, rising to the surface. While it was obvious that someone definitely knew more than they had told the police investigating the original case, I did not see the conclusion coming so the revealing of the killer came as a shock!

The other plot is the conclusion of a case from the previous book but, like I said, enough detail is given so this part of the story is easy to follow. This is the part of the book where we get to find out more about Beth Chamberlain and her personal life while also seeing the tenacity she displays in her work life.

I really enjoyed Hush Little Baby and will definitely be catching up on the rest of the series.

One sunny day in July, someone took three-month-old Alicia Owen from her pram outside a supermarket. Her mother, Marie, was inside. No one saw who took Alicia. And no one could find her. Fifteen years later, a teenager on a construction site sees a tiny hand in the ground. When the police investigate, they find a baby buried and preserved in concrete. Could it be Alicia? When Alicia disappeared, the papers accused Marie of detachment and neglect. The Owens never got over the grief of their child's disappearance and divorced not long after. By reopening the case, DC Beth Chamberlain must reopen old wounds. But the killer may be closer than anyone ever suspected.

This is the third book in the Beth Chamberlain series but the first one I have read. I want to start by saying that as it is a sign of a good read and writer that I did not find this to be a negative and it did not hold me back in any way. Isaac clearly explains events that happened in previous reads if they prove to be relevant to this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and reading about an already established character.

The plot is a tough one and I found it to be very emotive. Isaac writes very sensitively and Beth just comes across as an amazing character, seeing how she interacts with the characters affected made for very special reading that you often do not get from a crime read. This brings me nicely onto the characters and Isaac does a great job with all of the characters; whether they are minor or major. All of them have a clear place in the read, they all bring something and most of them are very realistic. They are not all likeable but not everyone is going to be likeable so that works as well.

Isaac runs two plot threads throughout this and I enjoyed my time reading both of them. There are moments where they overlap but I think Isaac does a good job at keeping them separate and giving them both the power and space they deserve. Unusually, I could not say I preferred one over the other. They complement each other nicely and I looked forward to picking both of the threads up. This read does not have the most scintillating twists but it does not need them. I just enjoyed reading this difficult, yet gripping read.

'Hush Little Baby' is a really entertaining crime read with some very difficult subject matter. Beth Chamberlain is a stand-out character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria for an advance copy.

Jordan, 15, is walking to school and knowing she’s already late decides to slip behind a barrier on a construction site to smoke a cigarette. That’s when she sees the hand on a baby under the dirt. Terrified, she flees.

DC Beth Chamberlain and her boyfriend, DS Nick Geary, are secretly living together for a short while until he can find a place closer to his work. They are assigned to the Homicide and Serious Crime Squad. They learn about the baby’s body and wonder if it could be the 3-month-old baby that went missing from her pram 15 years ago. The baby’s body had been encased in concrete which preserved the body. Now, Beth is gathering DNA from the parents to see if it matches the body. The mother is divorced from the father, remarried, and the mother of a 6-year-old son. The father never remarried.

Another case they are following is the escape of a man who is a serial killer. At one time, he was zeroing in on Beth so Nick still wants her to be fully protected.

Beth has a sister named Eden who is the mother to Lily who Beth loves dearly. Eden is divorced and a bit of an airhead but quite protective of Lily. When Lily appears to be abducted, Beth is frantic with worry. Can she find her precious niece before it’s too late?

This book clearly shows the dedication of the men and women on the police force everywhere. I’m so thankful for them every day. The book is full of the gritty things that go on in life which also makes it quite compelling.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the third book in the DC Beth Chamberlain series, although I have read the second (and really enjoyed it) I would definitely say it isn’t necessary to have read the other two novels, it’s works perfectly as a standalone,
I found this one really tackled a difficult, emotive topic and the content may be a bit much for some; child abduction is a hard enough read but the discovery of a potentially murdered baby encased in cement is tough to tackle. Jane Isaacs does it well and the whole story is dealt with sensitively whilst being dramatic, emotional, heart-breaking and keeping readers hooked.
As I was reading, I found myself getting drawn into the story very quickly. It is full of dramatic twists and turns, a lot of surprises and revelations. I enjoyed how although DC Chamberlain is working to support the victims families she herself is involved in a family trauma that costs her dearly.
A book full of secrets, lies and deceptions, you will be guessing all the way through.
Highly recommended for fans of fast paced, thrilling crime dramas.

Fifteen years ago someone took 3-month-old Alicia Owen from her stroller that was outside the supermarket. The mother, Marie, was inside and took never saw who took her daughter. No one did.

Today a girl comes across a gruesome sight. A tiny hand in the ground. When police investigate, the find a baby buried and preserved in concrete.

The family has never recovered their loss. Marie and her husband divorced. One brother couldn't handle the grief and left shortly after. At the time of the disappearance, Marie was accused of being a bad mom for leaving her baby outside .. a case of neglect. The papers wondered if she had done something to her child ... no one actually saw the baby in her stroller.

DC Beth Chamberlain, working as liaison office to the family, reopens the case as the body of the baby has been DNA identified as Alicia. But more than paternity was discovered.

Who would have wanted to take this baby? Who wanted her dead? Chamberlain may be putting her own life at risk as the secrets from the past come barrelling to the light of day.

This is a real nail-biter, full of twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. The plot is tightly woven and includes skillfully written characters. Everyone seems to have secrets ... and some just aren't who they portray. Although third in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend reading the books in order to find those little gems that make this such an absorbing series.

Many thanks to the author / Aria Fiction / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

A young girl cuts school to sneak a cigarette and discovers the body of a baby. A baby that has been dead for fifteen years. Everyone in the village remembers the crime - Alicia Owen, only three months old, was taken from here carriage parked outside a store while her mother shopped inside. Her mother Marie, already depressed by the death of Alicia’s twin at birth, was first considered a suspect. Her marriage broke up but she has finally found happiness with new husband Vic. DI Beth Chamberlain is assigned to the case as a family liaison officer and has to encourage Marie to relive and remember those dark days fifteen years ago. Meanwhile, Beth is keeping her relationship with DS Nick Geary a secret from her coworkers. This proves to be difficult as they are both investigating the case. Their secret is far from the only one in this action-packed mystery.

Hush Little Baby, a 5 star read, is part police procedural, part family drama, part thriller and a total winner. It is third in a series but works well as a standalone. I read the second in the series so perhaps I better understood the Beth’s relationship with her sister but Jane Isaac covers all the basics from the past and provides more twists and turns then you can imagine. Just when you think the case is solved…

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria and Jane Isaac for this ARC.

I had no idea that this was the third book in the series, I read it and then googled to see if the author had written and found out that this was the third book in a series. It was amazing and I loved the suspense and plot twists! The writing was amazing! 5/5